Knowledge Base

File Management

What Is File Management

File management involves the handling of different types of files that you can open, save, rename, import or export. File management also involves the settings for file locations.

Important Notes

• To store your project at a secure location, create a backup of a project and store the *.vpb file. Copying files from the Project folder, for example only the *.vop file, does not copy the entire project. Create a backup of your videos as well.
• Carry out all your file management in The Observer XT Project Explorer. If you delete, move or rename files using the Windows Explorer, The Observer XT may not be able to find the files again (because The Observer XT files contain references to other files).
• Never shut down the computer by pressing the power button or cutting off the electricity. Your project data may become lost, even after you saved your project. Always use the Windows shut down feature to close your computer.

File Types

File types that can be managed in The Observer XT are:

• Project files (*.vop) – See Open a Project
• Project backup files (*.vpb) – See Create a Backup of a Project
• Template projects (*.otb) – See Save a Project as a Template
• Observational Data (*.odx from The Observer XT, or other observational data in text format) – See Export Data to The Observer XT Data Files (*.odx) and Import Observational Data
• External data – See External Data and Import External Data
• European Data Format files (*.edf; *.bdf) – See Import European Data Format Files
• Media files (*.avi, *.mpg, *.mpeg) – See Import Media Files
• Analysis Results (*.arx, or *.arm from previous versions) – See Manage Analysis Results
• Episode Selections (*.esr) – See Export Episode Selections
• Independent Variables – See Export Independent Variables

Main Topics

• Manage Projects
• Export Observational Data
• Export Independent Variables
• Export Episode Selections
• Export External Data
• Export Data to Text Files with the Find Function
• Import Observational Data
• Create a Multiple Coding Station Configuration
• Import External Data
• Import Viso Sessions
• Import Media Files
• Manage Analysis Results
• Export Independent Variables
• File Locations
• Recover Data