Running Restore User Customizations does not restore settings

UltraUser1 · May 23, 2021#12021-05-23T03:14+00:00

I'm configuring a new PC running Windows 10 and UE version 28.10.0.26. The former PC was running Windows 10 and UE version 23.00.0.42. I ran the backup process on the former PC. Then ran the restore process to import the settings (using the .uec file). When I restart UE, the settings remain at the default and do not import the backed up settings. I found nothing valuable in the help/documentation regarding the backup and restore process, so I searched the UltraEdit site and found nothing addressing this in any forum, wiki, or power tips page. In fact, the website contains conflicting information for this (see step 1 below).

Troubleshooting I've done:

I ran backup on the former PC.
- The former PC backup window is seen in the attached file: "Screenshot_Backup window on former PC.png". The items in the window (e.g. Application Menus, Popup Menus, etc.) correspond to the second screenshot in number 1 on the UltraEdit power tips page: Backup and Restore Settings.
- The new PC backup window contains different elements as seen in the attached file: "Screenshot_Backup window on new PC.png". The items in the window (e.g. Ribbons, Layout and menu/toolbar customizations, etc.) correspond to items in the screenshot on the UltraEdit wiki page: Backup / restore user customizations .
I ran restore on the new PC multiple times, selecting all items each time. Each time a message box appeared stating I must restart UE for the updated settings to take effect, so I close UE, and restart it.
- The first time a small message window appeared stating "Settings were restored from <folder>" where the folder was %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\IDMComp\UltraEdit\. This was not the folder I specified in the restore process - I had selected the folder in which I saved the backup. Settings were not restored.
- Subsequent times, the small message window states "Settings were restored from <folder>" where the folder was the one I specified as the backup folder with the .uec file. However, in the text box below this message, it states "Restored files:" and every file is from the folder %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\IDMComp\UltraEdit\ not from the restore folder I specified. See text box contents in attached file: "Restore textbox.txt" where I replaced the relevant path name with %USERPROFILE%. This seems to be a possible root cause of the problem - UE restore ignores the folder and file specified in the restore window. Again, the settings never get restored.

Questions:

Is there a known conflict when restoring settings in UE 28.10.0.26 from settings backed up in a prior UE version such as 23.00.0.42? If so, what is the process to successfully backup and restore the settings, and where is this documented on the website?
When I run restore on the new PC, I find some of the settings (see attached file: "Screenshot_Restore window on new PC.png") correspond to files in %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\IDMComp\UltraEdit\ (see attached file: "Screenshot_Files in Roaming UE folder.png"). It's not clear which of the file extensions (.mb1, .pb1, or .rb1) UE uses to build the list in the restore window, but I don't care (although the text box mentioned under step 2 above has files with a variety of extensions). One problem I see is that there are multiple items with the same name (just different dates) in the restore window.
1. What is the purpose of the files in the roaming folder? If for the storage of settings, can the end-user specify another folder to store these files?
2. What is the purpose of multiple files with the identical name (except for date) in the roaming folder? If I happened to make a backup on those dates in the filename, why does UE not overwrite the prior file?
3. Should I delete some of these files or is there an automated process for that?
What must I do to get the settings successfully restored on the new PC? I have spent some time on this process (I certainly did not anticipate backing up and restoring settings would take hours). The old PC will be taken away in the next couple days, so it would help to hear a reply sooner rather than later.

Comments:
==> UltraEdit staff: Note that while both of the web pages mentioned above reference Backup and Restore, there are differences in the screenshots with no mention of which UE version each one comes from. It would help your user community to place version information on these pages (and others where relevant) so we know if we are looking at an older version no longer applicable to the one we are running.

Thanks in advance for all input.

Mofi · May 23, 2021#22021-05-23T11:14+00:00

The backup/restore user customizations is not designed for being used with different versions of UltraEdit. It can work also between different versions depending on the two used versions of UltraEdit on no critical difference in management of the configuration files. But that feature cannot be used in your case with UE v23.00.0.42 on old machine and UE v28.10.0.26 on new machine because of

UltraEdit became a Unicode aware application with v24.00 resulting in a change of ANSI encoded configuration files to Unicode encoded configuration files resulting in renaming some of the configuration files after upgrade from ANSI to Unicode
and
Cloud sync support for the configuration settings with v27.00 resulting in a new management of the configuration files into files storing local data and files with configuration data which can be synchronized via the cloud with other machines.

For that reason the approach to use backup/restore user customizations does not work as there are two major configuration management changes between UE v23.00.0.42 and UE v28.10.0.26.

What can be done to get your configuration from UE v23.00.0.42 transferred from old machine to new machine with UE v28.10.0.26 and upgraded by UltraEdit is as follows:

Open in Windows File Explorer while UltraEdit is not running on old machine the folder %APPDATA%\IDMComp by copying this folder path in internet browser window to the clipboard, paste it into the address bar of Windows File Explorer and hit key RETURN or ENTER.
Select the folder UltraEdit and copy it to a removable storage media or a network resource accessible for both machines.
Open in Windows File Explorer while UltraEdit is not running on new machine the folder %APPDATA%\IDMComp by copying this folder path in internet browser window to the clipboard, paste it into the address bar of Windows File Explorer and hit key RETURN or ENTER.
Delete the folder UltraEdit.
Copy and paste the folder UltraEdit from UE v23.00.0.42 from removable storage media or network resource to the folder %APPDATA%\IDMComp.
Start UltraEdit 28.10.0.26 which reads the configuration data from the old configuration files and extend them with the new configuration settings.
Exit UltraEdit 28.10.0.26 to get the upgraded and extended configuration saved into the new configuration files structure.

Then you should start UltraEdit once again and open the file changes.txt in program files folder of UltraEdit and read the lines about to v23.00 to get a brief overview of all the new features and changes since UE v23.00.0.42.

Here is a list of files in application data directory of 32-bit English UE v23.00.0.42 after first start with using layout Advanced and no configuration present from a former version of UltraEdit. Replace all 32 by 64 for 64-bit English UE v23.00.0.42 in the file names listed below.

templates ... predefined and custom smart templates
- environment ... predefined and custom smart layout templates (formerly named environment templates)
  - Balanced.tp1
  - Clean.tp1
  - Lean.tp1
  - Multi-Window.tp1
- language ... predefined and custom syntax highlighting language templates
  - c_cplusplus-tpl.xml
  - csharp-tpl.xml
  - css-tpl.xml
  - html-tpl.xml
  - java-tpl.xml
  - javascript-tpl.xml
  - mysql-tpl.xml
  - perl-tpl.xml
  - php-tpl.xml
  - python-tpl.xml
  - ruby-tpl.xml
  - vbscript-tpl.xml
  - visualbasic-tpl.xml
themes ... directory with custom themes, can be missing on no custom themes present
- overrides ... directory with configuration files containing user customizations of a standard theme, can be missing on no customization of a standard theme
wordfiles ... syntax highlighting wordfiles using by default the much more powerful Perl regular expression engine to find strings for the Function List view
- legacy ... syntax highlighting wordfiles with using legacy UltraEdit regular expression engine to find strings for the Function List view
  - c_cplusplus.uew
  - csharp.uew
  - css.uew
  - html.uew
  - java.uew
  - javascript.uew
  - mysql.uew
  - perl.uew
  - php.uew
  - python.uew
  - ruby.uew
  - vbscript.uew
  - visualbasic.uew
  - xml.uew
- c_cplusplus.uew
- csharp.uew
- css.uew
- html.uew
- java.uew
- javascript.uew
- mysql.uew
- perl.uew
- php.uew
- python.uew
- ruby.uew
- vbscript.uew
- visualbasic.uew
- xml.uew
Advanced.mb1 ... main menu configuration file for layout Advanced
Advanced.pb1 ... popup menu configuration file for layout Advanced
Advanced.rb1 ... ribbon configuration file for layout Advanced
Balanced.in1 ... user interface configuration file for layout Balanced
Balanced.mb1 ... main menu configuration file for layout Balanced
Balanced.pb1 ... popup menu configuration file for layout Balanced
Balanced.rb1 ... ribbon configuration file for layout Balanced
Clean.in1 ... user interface configuration file for layout Clean
Clean.mb1 ... main menu configuration file for layout Clean
Clean.pb1 ... popup menu configuration file for layout Clean
Clean.rb1 ... ribbon configuration file for layout Clean
columnmarkers.xml ... configuration file for column markers which exists only on user having configured column markers at all
FTPData.ini ... configuration file with FTP accounts data not shared with UltraCompare, UltraFTP, UEStudio, can be an empty file
Lean.in1 ... user interface configuration file for layout Lean
Lean.mb1 ... main menu configuration file for layout Lean
Lean.pb1 ... popup menu configuration file for layout Lean
Lean.rb1 ... ribbon configuration file for layout Lean
Multi-Window.in1 ... user interface configuration file for layout Multi-Window
Multi-Window.mb1 ... main menu configuration file for layout Multi-Window
Multi-Window.pb1 ... popup menu configuration file for layout Multi-Window
Multi-Window.rb1 ... ribbon configuration file for layout Multi-Window
projects.lst ... list file for projects/workspaces, can be an empty file
TAGLIST.UET ... tag list file for the Tag List view (ANSI encoded)
uedit32.in0 ... active user interface configuration file for first instance of UE or all UE instances depending on a configuration setting (becomes Advanced.in1 on selecting a different layout than Advanced)
uedit32.ini ... active configuration file with the user´s configuration for UltraEdit
uedit32.mb0 ... active main menu configuration file
uedit32.pb0 ... active popup menu configuration file
uedit32.rb0 ... active ribbon configuration file
uedit32.uek ... key configuration file which exists only on user having customized a key assignment

The files with a date in square brackets are backups of some of the layout configuration files created automatically on former upgrades to UE v23.00.0.42. They can be deleted on old and new machine.

Here is a list of files in application data directory of 32-bit and 64-bit English UE v28.10.0.26 after first start with using layout Balanced and no configuration present from a former version of UltraEdit.

commandpalette
- commandpalette.xml ... configuration file for the hints feature introduced with UE v26.00
Restore ... directory for temporary files perhaps kept even on exiting UltraEdit depending on save state configuration introduced with UE v25.20
templates ... predefined and custom smart templates
- environment ... predefined and custom smart layout templates (formerly named environment templates)
  - Balanced.tp1
  - Clean.tp1
  - Lean.tp1
  - Multi-Window.tp1
- language ... predefined and custom syntax highlighting language templates (more than in UE v23.00)
  - batch-tpl.xml
  - c_cplusplus-tpl.xml
  - csharp-tpl.xml
  - css-tpl.xml
  - html-tpl.xml
  - java-tpl.xml
  - javascript-tpl.xml
  - mysql-tpl.xml
  - perl-tpl.xml
  - php-tpl.xml
  - powershell-tpl.xml
  - python-tpl.xml
  - ruby-tpl.xml
  - shell-tpl.xml
  - vbscript-tpl.xml
  - visualbasic-tpl.xml
  - wf-tpl.xml
themes ... directory with custom themes, can be an empty directory on no custom themes present
- overrides ... directory with configuration files containing user customization of a standard theme, can be an empty directory on no customization of a standard theme
tools
- jsl
  - jsl.default.conf ... configuration file for JavaScript lint introduced with UE v26.00
volatile ... directory with configuration files not synchronized via cloud on using cloud sync feature introduced with UE v27.00
- Balanced.in1 ... user interface configuration file for layout Balanced
- Clean.in1 ... user interface configuration file for layout Clean
- Lean.in1 ... user interface configuration file for layout Lean
- Multi-Window.in1 ... user interface configuration file for layout Multi-Window
- ue.in0 ... active user interface configuration file for first instance of UE or all UE instances depending on a configuration setting (becomes Balanced.in1 on selecting a different layout than Balanced)
- ue.rb0 ... active ribbon configuration file
- ue.vod ... active configuration file with the user´s configuration for UltraEdit not synchronized via the cloud (mainly histories)
wordfiles ... syntax highlighting wordfiles using by default the much more powerful Perl regular expression engine to find strings for the Function List view (more than in UE v23.00)
- legacy ... syntax highlighting wordfiles with using legacy UltraEdit regular expression engine to find strings for the Function List view
  - c_cplusplus.uew
  - csharp.uew
  - css.uew
  - html.uew
  - java.uew
  - javascript.uew
  - mysql.uew
  - perl.uew
  - php.uew
  - python.uew
  - ruby.uew
  - vbscript.uew
  - visualbasic.uew
  - xml.uew
- batch.uew
- c_cplusplus.uew
- csharp.uew
- css.uew
- html.uew
- java.uew
- javascript.uew
- json.uew
- markdown.uew
- mysql.uew
- perl.uew
- php.uew
- powershell.uew
- python.uew
- ruby.uew
- shell.uew
- vbscript.uew
- visualbasic.uew
- wf.uew
- xml.uew
columnmarkers.xml ... configuration file for column markers which exists only on user having configured column markers at all
parser.dat ... configuration file symbol parser introduced with UE v28.00
projectsu.lst ... Unicode encoded list file for projects/workspaces, can be an empty file (contains just the two bytes of the UTF-16 LE BOM)
TAGLISTU.UET ... Unicode encoded tag list file for the Tag List view (UTF-16 LE encoded)
ue.ini ... active configuration file with the user´s configuration for UltraEdit
ue.uek ... key configuration file which exists only on user having customized a key assignment

Some recommendations after upgrading the configuration of UltraEdit on new machine from copied configuration of UE v23.00.0.42:

While UE v28.10.0.26 is not running, delete the folder %APPDATA%\IDMComp\UltraEdit\wordfiles on having never added custom wordfiles or customized a standard wordfile. Then start UltraEdit and exit it again.
Reason: UltraEdit never updates the used wordfiles on startup if there is already a wordfiles directory in application data directory of UltraEdit. Newer and additional wordfiles installed by the installer of UltraEdit into the wordfiles directory in program files directory of UltraEdit are copied only on startup by UltraEdit from the wordfiles directory in program files folder of UltraEdit to %APPDATA%\IDMComp\UltraEdit on no directory wordfiles existing in the application data directory at all.
If you have added additional wordfiles or made customizations on one or more standard wordfiles in UE v23.00, you better use UltraCompare and check the differences between the wordfiles in %APPDATA%\IDMComp\UltraEdit\wordfiles and in wordfiles directory in program files folder of UltraEdit and merge the differences into the wordfiles in application data directory really used by UltraEdit.
After first step delete the folder %APPDATA%\IDMComp\UltraEdit\wordfiles\legacy on not using any of these wordfiles by moving the wordfile with using legacy UltraEdit regular expression engine to its parent directory (not recommended nowadays). UltraEdit itself always ignores completely the files in legacy directory.
Delete the *.uem wordfiles in %APPDATA%\IDMComp\UltraEdit\wordfiles which will be never used by you to speed up the start of UltraEdit. For example on never opening MySQL files, the wordfile mysql.uew is useless for you and should be deleted by you. Don't have fear to delete wordfiles in the application data wordfiles directory where you think that in future you might need one of them. There are always the wordfiles in program files directory of UltraEdit maintained by the installer of UltraEdit. So even if you delete now a not needed wordfile and in six months you open the first time a MySQL file as you start learning MySQL scripting language, the wordfile mysql.uew can be simply copied from wordfiles directory in program files directory of UltraEdit to the wordfiles directory in the application data directory of UltraEdit to get MySQL files syntax highlighted on next start of UltraEdit.
While UE v28.10.0.26 is not running, delete the folder %APPDATA%\IDMComp\UltraEdit\templates\language on having never added custom smart language templates or customized a standard smart language template. Then copy from directory template in program files folder of UltraEdit the entire directory language to directory %APPDATA%\IDMComp\UltraEdit\templates to use in future the standard smart language templates as installed by default with UE v28.10.0.26 instead of those of the older ones of UE v23.00.0.42.
If you have added additional smart language templates or made customizations on one or more standard smart language templates in UE v23.00, you better use UltraCompare and check the differences between the template files in %APPDATA%\IDMComp\UltraEdit\templates\language and in template\language directory in program files folder of UltraEdit and merge the differences into the smart language templates files in application data directory really used by UltraEdit.
Delete all *-tpl.xml files in directory %APPDATA%\IDMComp\UltraEdit\templates\language for which no *.uem file exists in %APPDATA%\IDMComp\UltraEdit\wordfiles.
Delete all uedit* files in directory %APPDATA%\IDMComp\UltraEdit as they are no longer read on ue.ini existing already. That is also the reason why the restore of the user costumization of UE v23.00.0.42 did not work with UE v28.10.0.26. The uedit* files were restored (most likely, not verified by me) from the UE configuration files container, but on next start of UltraEdit the file ue.ini existed already and for that reason the uedit* files were completely ignored by UltraEdit v28.10.0.26.
Delete all the layout configuration files Advanced.*, Balanced.*, Clean.*, Lean.* and Multi-Window.* in directory %APPDATA%\IDMComp\UltraEdit no longer used by UltraEdit v28.10.0.26.
Delete the ANSI encoded configuration files FTPData.ini, projects.lst and TAGLIST.UET and keep just the Unicode encoded files with u left to the file extension. The ANSI encoded version of these configuration files are no longer used by UE v28.10.0.26 once the Unicode encoded version of each of these files exist already.
My last suggestion is a bit tricky, but should be done nevertheless on having never customized the tag lists file for Tag List view.
- Rename the directory UltraEdit in directory %APPDATA%\IDMComp for example to MyUltraEdit while UltraEdit v28.10 is not running.
- Start UE v28.10 and exit it. UE created a new directory UltraEdit with the default settings. Copy now the file UltraEdit\TAGLISTU.UET into the directory MyUltraEdit with overwriting the file existing there with same name.
- Delete the just created directory UltraEdit and rename back MyUltraEdit to UltraEdit.
Now the ANSI encoded tag list file installed in program files folder of UltraEdit 28.10 is present Unicode encoded in application data directory of UE v28.10 instead of the tag list file of UE v23.00 converted before from ANSI to Unicode.

Now you should have your configuration of UE v23.00 successfully transferred to UE v28.10 with additionally having upgraded the configuration files and with having deleted those configuration files no longer used by UE v28.10 from former versions.