Restoring from Time Machine Backup on MacOS

  • Unknown's avatar
    tasurveyor · Member ·

    I used Day One on MacOS for a few years and then switched to a different app for a while…but now I’m back! Unfortunately, however, I have a new computer. I’m running MacOS and was able to find the old data in my time machine backup based on the documentation here: https://dayoneapp.com/guides/day-one-sync/where-is-my-data-stored/.

    For whatever reason, I must have deleted the entries before uninstalling the app back then, because the journal file is empty. However, there is a folder called DayOneBackup.zip, and within that folder is a file called DayOneBackup.sqlite.

    The only problem is I can’t seem to figure out how to import those files into Day One. Importing the .zip file using the JSON Zip method brings in 0 entries, renaming the .sqlite file to .dayone and importing as a Classic File does the same. I’ve tried saving it as text file and that method fails as well.

    I found a KB article for a similar situation that linked to a Day One Mend app a few months ago, but the app crashed every time I ran it (KB seems to have been removed, so I assume it’s no longer supported).

    When I open the .sqlite file in my text editor, I can literally read the text of my old entries, so it’s super frustrating to know all of the data is still right there. Does anyone know how I can import this file?

  • Unknown's avatar
    helper-mobilefox · Member ·

    Welcome back! I’d like to help you get those old entries into your app as you get started with Day One once again. Usually your old .json file would work, but since that can’t be found I’d like to help you with the .sqlite file you do have.

    Since we don’t have an import method for this file, but you can see the text of the old entries, I recommend you format the text according to our guide here: https://dayoneapp.com/guides/settings/importing-data-to-day-one/ under Plain Text. It’s worth downloading the example file to be sure you’re getting it exactly right.

    If that doesn’t work let us know if you’d be willing to share a sample of your Plain Text file and we can check to see what’s not going right.

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