Separating your data

from version 1.66

Normally the tasks are embedded in the main program file so all you have to carry around with you is the ikog.py file. The advantage is that you only have one file to look after; the disadvantage is that every time you save a task you have to save the program as well.

If you want, you can keep your tasks in a separate file. When iKog starts it looks for a file called ikog.py.dat. If it finds the file, then it will read and write tasks to that file. If the file is not found, then it will read and write tasks to itself.

Follow these instructions to tell the program to use a separate data file.

1.	Use the EXPORT command to create a file ikog.py.tasks.txt

2.	Use the CLEAR command to remove the tasks from your main ikog.py program.

3.	Use the QUIT command to close the program.

4.	Rename the exported file from ikog.py.tasks.txt to ikog.py.dat

5.	When next started, iKog will now use this file for storing your tasks.

Remember if you are carrying the program around on your USB stick you now need two files; ikog.py and ikog.py.dat

If you had renamed the program, the data name will also have to change. So if you renamed the program, MYPROG.py, the external data file name will be MYPROG.py.dat.

from version 1.69

You can also switch to another external data file at any time by using the OPEN or O command. To switch to a data file called mydata.dat you can just enter:

>>>OPEN mydata

Note that you do not need to add the .dat extension.

To create a new data file just use the NEW command followed by the name of the data file. Again you do not need to add the .dat extension. e.g.

>>>NEW mynewdata

Configuration data, such as review mode, colour and auto-saving are held within the data files, so one file could have review mode and colour enabled whereas another could have review mode disabled and run in monochrome.

from version 1.79

You can also tell iKog to use a specific external data file when it starts up. To do this, just enter the external data file as a command line argument when you start the program. So lets say you are using a file called .mydata.dat, you can start the program by entering:

ikog.py mydata.dat

The .dat extension is automatically added to file names entered from the command line.

from version 1.80

On Windows and Linux you can refer to the user' s home folder by using the ~ character. So if you had a file called mydata.dat in your home folder, you could start the program by entering:

ikog.py ~/mydata.dat

(change / to \ for Windows.)

or once running you could use the OPEN command:

>>>OPEN ~/mydata