Oceanlog import

Discussions about Diving Log 6.0 - questions and hints
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DLondon
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2020 21:10

Oceanlog import

Post by DLondon »

I purchased Diving Log 6 earlier this year to replace Oceanlog 2.x (giant POS btw). Works great. I have no issues importing new dives with Diving log 6 but I am having significant issues importing from Oceanlog 2.4.9 (and other versions) over many months of trying.
Opening Oceanlog 2.x usually gives me a stack error or unrecognized database error and after re-installing Oceanlog 7, 8, 9 times as administrator, I can open my Oceanlog log file.

However, following instructions and tips from the Diving log 6 FAQs and forums, I cannot import the Oceanlog (dlg file). I have opened Oceanlog as administrator. While I had access to Oceanlog, I did get Oceanlog backups in txt, bak and I think ZXU and I have the .dlg file.

I have exported my current Diving log 6 log to Excel so I can see the fields (I think I exported all fields but I can re-export to be sure) and I have the TXT files from Oceanlog, so I can open each of the almost 600 txt files (dives) and paste into the Diving Log 6 spreadsheet, or maybe I can play around with a csv import but each method will take a long time. If I use the txt files I will lose some information.

Is there any other method I can use to get my Oceanlog 2.x dlg file into Diving log 6?

I have noticed the Diving log 6 fields in the Excel export, specifically the Profile field, has a significant format difference than Oceanlog.
I have the Oceanlog txt header names for the dive profile. Will these also have to be organized in a format Diving log will recognize?
Diving log 6 shows, in the Excel export for the Profile field, a long string of numbers so I will need to know some sort of format or lose the profiles on import via Excel if they cannot be converted.

Thanks
Any advice would be appreciated.
divinglog
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Re: Oceanlog import

Post by divinglog »

Hi

You can import the *.dlg file directly with Diving Log and this is the recommended way. All other formats are not recommended and you will not get as much data imported as with *.dlg import. Use the "Oceanlog 2.x" import function for that.

The *.dlg files are encrypted, that's why the same file has to be opened in Oceanlog during the import. If it does not work, start both Diving Log and Oceanlog as administrator (right click each shortcut on the Desktop). Then the import should work.

Kind regards,
Sven
DLondon
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Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2020 21:10

Re: Oceanlog import

Post by DLondon »

I will try it again. Oceanlog has some problem requiring 7-10 re-installations some with patches before working. No other application on my PC has any issue. Thanks for responding.
divinglog
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Re: Oceanlog import

Post by divinglog »

If you want I can do the import for you if it does not work on your PC. Just send me the *.dlg file via email.
DLondon
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2020 21:10

Re: Oceanlog import

Post by DLondon »

Thanks for the offer to work with the dlg file. After many hours yesterday and today, I finally got Oceanlog 2.x to open my dive log. I imported the dives into Diving Log 6 and they all appear to be there. I imported them and added at the end of Diving Log 6 dives (I took what I could get since it was working) so now I will need to renumber dive by date. I assume this is more easily done with the table editor (which I think is Logbook - top menu, then Logbook Table in the drop down). If I have the navigation wrong, let me know.

For background and anyone having issues with Oceanlog 2.x, I will summarize what I did.
I was consistently getting Runtime error 3343 Unrecognized database format, C:\windows\system32\<logname>.dlg.dec when opening Oceanlog 2.x. This file does not exist on my hard drive anywhere and may be a database reference name (virtual?).
When working with Oceanlog 2.x on and off in the past year (not kidding) to get it to open, accept dives and ultimately import them into Diving log 6, I ended up with multiple dlg files as backups which I saved to desktop folders.
Additionally I changed compatibility and settings in properties to run as admin. None of these I think made any difference as I log in as admin but I followed instructions and used using right click on the shortcut and a few times on the exe file by drilling down into the folders. Many failures to open Oceanlog 2.x ensued.

I reinstalled Oceanlog from Oceanic's website many times with no success. I even tried to install Oceanlog 1.0 but it no longer exists.

I ended up searching my hard drive for any file associated with Oceanic, Oceanlog and the dlg files. I did a last uninstall, manually removed all Oceanic, Oceanlog files, and renamed all .dlg files to .OLD. I reinstalled Oceanlog 2.x from their website, and then I received a popup message after installation saying it could not find a logbook file and allowed me to browse. Good news.

While this window was open I renamed one of my known good (to my knowledge) Oceanlog 2.x logbook files from OLD to .dlg. I could not open it with Oceanlog 2.x with the same runtime error. I renamed this current .dlg file back to .OLD and chose another with a similiar date, renamed from .OLD to .dlg and Oceanlog 2.x opened that .dlg file.
In the past I was able to get RC.exe and RP.exe files from Oceanic which they said were for repair (as I recall) that were buried in their support docs but I could not find them again. These may or may not have had any affect but I was trying everything

I will note that in the import menu in Diving Log 6, I used Oceanlog as there did not appear to be an Oceanlog 2.x option. There is an Oceanlog 1.0 which I did not use.

Huish Outdoors has really dropped the ball in my opinion for Oceanlog for at least PCs IMO.

Thanks again for the offer to help

Dale
divinglog
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Re: Oceanlog import

Post by divinglog »

Hi Dale

Thank you for the detailed description, I'm glad to hear everything worked in the end! Just to give you some more background why this is so complicated:

Oceanlog logbook files (*.dlg) are encrypted Microsoft Access database files (*.mdb). When you open such a file in Oceanlog, a decrypted database version is temporarily stored in C:\windows\system32\<logname>.dlg.dec

This is the only file that Diving Log can import, because it's decrypted and a normal database file. BUT, since Windows Vista, no application can access C:\Windows\System32 without elevation rights anymore (even on Admin accounts).

So you have to start Oceanlog with right click > run as administrator, open the *.dlg file, the *.dec file is created in System32, now you also have to start Diving Log with admin rights and Diving Log will pick the *.dec file from the System32 folder. As soon as you close Oceanlog, the *.dec file is deleted.

I'm not sure about this runtime error and damaged database file. Maybe this is a compatibility issue with Windows 10. I've only run Oceanlog up to Windows 7. I also have an old XP virutal machine and converting the *.dlg file on this machine is much easier.

Sven
DLondon
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Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2020 21:10

Re: Oceanlog import

Post by DLondon »

I suspected a temp database file and I understand the reasons as you say I cannot access it. Strange that I had to rename all .dlg files to "reset" it.

I am running windows 7 Pro which I will need to upgrade as it is end of support.

Thanks
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