Columba XT archives: compatibility and limits
PigeonTree contains a reader for selected Columba XT archive structures. It was reconstructed from the format and checked with synthetic fixtures; a complete migration from genuine exports has not been validated. Treat your file as a compatibility check and retain the original backup.
Before you start
Import is a PigeonTree Plus feature. The free app can still keep your records and create standard three-generation pedigrees.
Keep the original export. If your loft already contains records, save a PigeonTree backup before importing so you retain a separate copy.
A recognised archive containing the expected XML record and relationship structure. The ZIP extension alone does not establish compatibility.
Import step by step
Prepare the source file
Keep an original backup and choose the unchanged archive produced by your Columba XT version. Transfer a copy to the phone. If it is refused, preserve the original file and use a supported table export if your program can produce one.
Choose the file in PigeonTree
Open the import screen and choose Files. Select the original export from your phone or cloud file provider. You can choose more than one file. Let the app read the selection before changing anything.
Review the reading
Compare ring numbers, parents, sex and year with the source. Open a bird to correct its details, untick records you do not want and check the column mapping when it is offered. Resolve requested statuses before saving. A repeated ring or a warning needs a decision, not another blind import.
A fictional CSV list read in the real app. This illustrates the review screen; your source file and record count will differ. Save the selected data
Confirm only after checking the preview. Reading a file does not itself save birds into your loft. After saving, open the records and a pedigree to verify the family links. A local save and completed cloud synchronisation are separate things.
What to expect
- The reader checks the archive structure and relationships before accepting records. An arbitrary ZIP is not a Columba XT export.
- Coverage across genuine exports from every Columba XT version has not been established. Check your file in the preview before relying on a migration.
- Photographs inside the archive are not automatically attached to birds. A pedigree record import is different from moving all documents and media.
Check the saved records
- Compare several birds and their parents with the original program.
- Check which records were accepted and which files were skipped.
- Keep the source backup until you have checked the saved loft.
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