Former FlightLevel Users...

[Neal Culiner]

I'm getting a lot of e-mail from FlightLevel users jumping ship and coming to Logbook Pro. The question is typically, 'how do I get my FlightLevel data into Logbook Pro?'

Can you former FL experts please post to this thread the procedure you used, 1) Exporting FL data, 2) any information required to get the data prepared for the Import Wizard of Logbook Pro.

Thank you for your help on this. I am not familiar with FlightLevel's product.

Neal Culiner
NC Software, Inc.
support@nc-software.com

 

[jtidmore]

Prior to using LogBook Pro, I tried FlightLevel 2000. It was an easy process to get my data (except for remarks) into LB Pro.

Within FlightLevel 2000, if you go to the 'File' menu there is an option labeled 'Export'. This will export your data to an Excel file. However, this does not export the remarks and I had to re-enter every remark for each record. No fun. You will notice that in the remark field the only thing that is displayed is (MEMO). This is probably the field type used within Microsoft Access, which I think is what their application uses. I am not sure why it does not export this information. Maybe they do not want to make it easy on you to switch to another product.

Now that you have the data within Excel, you can open the file and choose Save As, and save the file as a tab delimited or a comma delimited text file, just choose one of these options from the 'Save as Type' dropdown box on the Save As dialog box that opens when you choose 'Save As' from the 'File' menu. You will get a message after you choose to save, just ignore and click yes.

Now, Logbook Pro will allow you to import data from the comma or tab delimited file. I will not go through this because the documentation included with LogBook Pro is more than sufficient for this process.

Once the information was imported, I simply opened FlightLevel 2000 and LogBook Pro in spreadsheet mode and copied the remarks one by one. I know this is slow, but it is better than re-typing.

Hope this helps.

Also, for someone who has some database knowledge and feels like putting in the time, I am sure there is away to gain access to the database. Probably through an ODBC connection. It was not worth it to me to figure it out. I did not have enough hours in the Logbook to worry about having to reenter all the remarks.

 

[tolip_ck1]

Ok, I was helping a friend try to convert his Flight Level 2000 database. When I went to 'File' there is no 'EXPORT' option. Can you check this out and let me know what I am missing. Thank you

Cory

 

[tolip_ck1]

OK, I just got a reply from the support group at Flight Level, they told me that they do not have an Export feature on their program...... So are there two programs called Flight Level, or am I really missing something.

CK

 

[Neal Culiner]

Cory,

Ask them 'kindly' how to get their data from FL to Excel. There is a way, they are just being difficult with you.

Neal Culiner
NC Software, Inc.
support@nc-software.com

 

[tolip_ck1]

Yea, after I posted my last message, I wrote a nice note about wanting to try some things in EXCEL and how would they suggest that I go about it. They told me to send them 125$ and the file and they would be happy to convert it for me.

Hummmmm not sure it was the response I was hoping for.

So back to square one.

I am glad that your product is solid enough that you do not need to resort to holding our data hostage!

Cory

 

[Neal Culiner]

Well, that's interesting, but not surprising, as I said, a lot of people are jumping ship, and I'm not going to get into why they are all headed our way, I'm certainly welcoming all with open arms! /forums/emoticons/smile.gif

As for not holding people hostage...my objective has always been make the software as powerful as I can without overwhelming the user (a fine line) and always keeping the user/customers options open. The data is not password protected, I offer any and every export option available, let the quality of the software speak for itself.

Okay, back to the purpose of this thread, FL users helping other FL users bring their data into Logbook Pro. Maybe someone else can help. By the way, zip up your FL data files and e-mail them to support@nc-software.com as there are 'ways' to make things work! Let's take this conversation 'off-line' to e-mail now and I'll see what I can do to get your data into Logbook Pro.

Neal Culiner
NC Software, Inc.
support@nc-software.com

 

[jtidmore]

In my original post I said I had used Flight Level 2000. Actually I purchased FL 2002. Sorry for the confusion I caused. The features I described do function in FL 2002 though.

There is also an import function in FL 2002 to allow user to upgrade from FL 2000. I have a feeling if I had your data I could easily get it into an Excel spreadsheet.

Just let me know. I will be glad to help.

 

[tolip_ck1]

That would be great, you can email me at

tolip_ck1@yahoo.com

Thank you again.

CK

 

[sarnal]

FILE
EXPORT
save it as EXCEL (*.xls)

That will give you the data. You will then have to go into
that database and change all the columns with flight times into
decimals. If you don't, when you import it into Logbook Pro it
will take the data (i.e. 60 minutes) and make that 60.0 hours.

You will also have to add a column for Aircraft Type (will save
you HOURS of frustration and yelling at computer!)

Then save the Excel database as a TEXT (Tab Delimited) file.

It will give you all sorts of warnings about how some of the
data won't transfer properly. Ignore them. Just save it, it
will import PERFECTLY into Logbook Pro.

When I converted to Logbook Pro, I thought you had to change the flight times to tenths, then Neal told me (after I finished the conversion) that I didn't have to. This is from his email to me from several months ago:

You do NOT have to convert the minutes to tenths, Logbook
Pro's import wizard will do that for you. First, make sure you are using 1.9.3, and if you are seeing the template feature, you probably are. On the very first screen, it asks you to identify the source time format, you should select the MINUTES option. With that, Logbook Pro will automatically convert the minutes to hours.tenths for you.


Good Luck!

 

[tolip_ck1]

OK, I am not sure what you guys are lookin at, but, In Flight level 2000 and Flight level 2003 there is no EXPORT! Here is a print screen of the File menu. Besides the programer of this program told me that you can only import not EXPORT. Are we all talking about the same program?

CK

 

[sarnal]

I just opened Flight level, went into FILE, the fourth option from the top is Export.

The version I have is FL 2002.

Sarah

 

[tolip_ck1]

I guess they must have taken that option out of their newest model 2003.

Cory

 

[Neal Culiner]

If you can determine which is the data file(s) for the new version, e-mail them to support@nc-software.com and I'll take a look into this. Amazing a company has to hold one hostage this way...insecurity???

Neal Culiner
NC Software, Inc.
support@nc-software.com

 

[RickM]

I spent some time last reviewing the web-sight in order to see if I could convert my data from Flight Level 2000 to Logbook Pro. As many of the respondents indicated, my version did not have an "export" feature or option. Based on a couple of the comments of those who did make the conversion, I did the following process. I offer this information, because it seemed that those who made the conversion had the "export" option available.


1. If you go into Excel to open a file and then go to where the Flight Level file is located, you can tell Excel to open the file. I think you can tell it to open as Excel.


2. I found the easiest way to find the file was through the search option by making an entry and then looking for the files opened today.


3. Once the file is opened, it is in a spreadsheet format. As someone else mentioned, I found all of my columns with flight times ( in hours and tenths) needed to be converted by dividing by "60".


a. I could not find a global way of doing and decided the easiest way was to copy the columns into a new spreadsheet. This included all of columns.


b. When it came to the flight time columns, I used the "=" formula and went back to my original spreadsheet to the first cell with a flight time.


c. Once you hit "return" the flight time copies in your new sheet where you can modify the cell and formula to divide by 60. Example: [logbook.xls]Demo!O2/60


d. Once you have the adjusted formula giving you the correct flight time, you can use the copy command to modify the rest to the cells and columns.


e. I then saved the spreadsheet as a CSV file as was recommended.


f. While this explanation sounds involved, I think I actually had it finished in 5-10 minutes.


g. It also copied my remarks column, which I think someone mentioned they were not able to do.

 

[ColoFlyer]

I am one happy camper this evening. I finally managed to hack my way through converting all my Flight Level logbook entries. 3800+ hours of flying. Whew. Am I glad I didn't have to re-enter all that stuff manually. I, too, spoke with the Flight Level folks and was told that there was no way to convert my data to tab or comma-delimited. I had given up until I found this thread a few days ago suggesting that there might be a way... I took my laptop along on my last 3-day trip and thanks to serious weather delays in Chicago and some rotten deadheading, I had plenty of time to mess with the conversion problem.

I wish I could give everybody a step-by-step instruction manual to make the conversion, but I'm not sure exactly how I did it. I started with the backup file from FL98. It was compressed in mime format. I re-titled the file name to end in .mim and extracted the files using WinZip. After that, I realized the data was in MS Access format, but I couldn't open/convert/export the data because I didn't have the proper permissions (passwords) for my data. I ended up creating a new MS Access database and importing the "tables" from the FL98 data. Once these tables were in MY database, I could export them to any format I wanted. I exported them to comma-separated and then did a clean-up in MS Excel. From there, Logbook Pro's import engine took over and did a fine job. The data did, however, require some pretty extensive clean-up in Excel.

Now that I'm all set, I'm going to do my best to figure out how to replicate what I did. If I figure it out, I'll post a step-by-step instruction manual. Heck, at this point, I'm so ticked off with Flight Level for trying to hold me hostage, I'd probably be willing to convert data for Logbook Pro customers for free! (Don't send my your data just yet! Let me make sure I can do it again!)

Best regards!

 

[Neal Culiner]

Great Job Rod!


I am shocked FlightLevel would say that as we have yet to have someone not be able to convert to Logbook Pro. Depending on the version of FL, you could select all the items in the spreadsheet view and copy them to the clipboard (CTRL + C) then paste that into Excel. Some versions apparently have an Export option under the File Menu? (not sure, I haven't seen it), and others have simply converted up their data to FL 2003 eval, which uses Access, open the data in Excel and then import from there. Yeah, desperation leads one to tell others that you can't do something in hope you'll stay, but like I said, I have YET to have a customer I couldn't get to Logbook Pro from FL any version!


Your help to others would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

 

[jet_aviator]

Darn it! I'm a FlightLevel 2000 user looking to 'defect' too. But, I'm not computer literate enough to do this using the steps I see above. If someone could spell the exact process out for me (step-by-step), I'll forever be in your debt.

Thanks,
Dusty

 

[jet_aviator]

Somebody? Anybody???

 

[jet_aviator]

Neal, can you help? I wish there was a number I could call to speak to someone personally.

I want to switch to your software. All I'm asking for is a little assistance. That doesn't seem too unreasonable from a customer does it?

If there is a number I can call, please email me at jet_aviator@yahoo.com

Thank you.