How to back up and restore the gFlash database

Note: The backup/restore database feature is currently only available on iOS


The gFlash Database
As flashcard sets are downloaded, created, or edited from within gFlash, those flashcards and supporting information are recorded into a database.  This database is used by gFlash to keep track of the available flashcard sets, progress within each set, scoring, and more.

Are Database Backups Necessary?
For most gFlash users, there is normally no need to explicitly backup the gFlash database because the iOS system does it automatically.   And data downloaded from web sources (Google Spreadsheets, gWhiz Catalog, Premium Sets, StudyStack, Quizlet) can just be downloaded again.

However, there are still a few situations where a user might want to make a copy of their current gFlash database:

• To replicate the flashcard database on an additional device (or another user's device)
• As another level of "insurance" in case the iTunes/iCloud backup was unable to save the data

How To Make a gFlash Database Backup

1. From the gFlash home screen, select the List tab bar item.
2. Next, select the Export Database menu item.  This will export the database where we can access it in iTunes.  Note that Premium content will not be exported (since it can be downloaded at any time without additional charge).

3. Bring up iTunes on your Mac or PC.
4. Select your device from the left panel
5. Select Apps at the top.
6. Next, scroll down to the File Sharing area.  Select gFlash+ or gFlashPro
7. Drag the export directory from the Documents list to the desktop.  In the export directory is the gflash.sqlite file which is the actual database.   

How To Restore gFlash from a Database Backup

IMPORTANT!!! Restoring the database into gFlash will delete and replace the current database.  Do not restore a database if there is flashcard content on the restoration device that you do not want to lose.

1. From iTunes, select the gFlash device that you want to restore.  This may be the same device that the database was created on, or it may be another device that you are transferring the data to.
2. Select Apps at the top.
3. Next, scroll to the File Sharing section.  Select gFlash+ or gFlashPro.
4. Select the Add button and then navigate to the location of a gflash.sqlite file stored previously.  Select the gflash.sqlite and it will be added to the gFlash Documents list.

5. Make sure gFlash has been stopped (if you're not sure how to close an app, check here for instructions).
6. Restart gFlash.
7. The database will be restored and the Documents list in iTunes will be cleared.