Q: I want to move my TAP system from an old machine to a newer computer. What files do I need to copy?
A: First, be sure you install TAP from the CD to the new machine, and DO NOT copy program files from the old machine to the new machine. This is important because Windows depends on information written to the Registry during the setup process.
********** Note that this article references a legacy TAP Move utility that has since been superseded by the Merge utility. SoftWright recommends, where feasible, using Merge to import work product into TAP from another installation. **********
(Additional information related to this process is also in the article Moving TAP Work Product Files.)
Be sure you install the software on the new machine from the TAP CD for a complete installation or from the CD_DEMO.EXE file from the SoftWright web site. Do not install only the UPDATE.EXE file downloaded from the SoftWright web site. The update file does not include all the components needed for the proper program operation.
The only file from the old machine that you need to run TAP on the new machine is the SWCONFIG.DTA file from your SWTAP folder. When you first install the software from the CD to the new machine it will install as a demo version - you can tell if you start the software and it displays messages about the demo version.
If the old SWCONFIG.DTA file is not available (due to a disk crash, etc.) you can use the floppy disk labeled like "User License Configuration File" you received with the original TAP system. Copy the file from that floppy into the folder where you installed TAP (typically \SWTAP) and overwrite the SWCONFIG.DTA file that is there. This will change the demo version into your licensed version. If you don't have the old SWCONFIG.DTA file or the floppy disk file, or if you can't get anything but the demo version to run, please let us know and we can email a new file to you.
The only other files you might need are any work-product files (coverage studies, etc.) that you did on the old machine. If you want to preserve any of these, you need to copy all of the folders under SWTAP (such as ANTENNAS, SYSTEM, DATA, etc.) from the old machine to the new machine AFTER you have installed TAP.
With TAP 6.0.2082 and later you can use the TAPMover.exe program in the folder where TAP is installed. This program can be downloaded from the SoftWright website if you are using an earlier version of TAP. You can download the TAPMover.exe program into the new or the existing TAP folder, whichever is most convenient.
TAPMover will prompt you for the folder where the existing TAP system is located, and then for the folder where the new TAP system is located. The program will copy files (Fixed Facility, Mobile Facility, antenna libraries, coverage studies, etc.) from the old system to the new location. Certain configuration files will not be copied to ensure the old versions do not overwrite the current versions in the new TAP folder.
You should use TAPMover immediately after installing TAP on the new machine, since any changes you make on the new machine (adding a facility, etc.) will be lost when the files are overwritten with the data from the old machine.
If the drive letters are different on the machine you are copying TAP to, you will need to make the necessary changes in the Topographic data configuration so TAP will be able to find the data files. If you are using TAP 4.4 or earlier, you will need to change the data paths where the program will look for the data files.
If you are using TAP 4.5 or later, you will need to use the Re-index function to create a new topo data index.
Several other FAQ articles relate to reinstalling and/or moving TAP:
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