Restore not working

[feron]

Hi Matt, I had still problems with systemdatas and apple told me to restore my iphone without datas. No I set up the IPhone completely new and would like to restore ARC Timeline. I made backups auotmatically and have all the daily and monthly files in ICloud drive (JSON, GPX). How can I restore the data?

I copied the Previous Backups to the Import folder and can now see some files in the Open file importer. But its not possible to import it in the app. No I checked the ICloud drive status and it looks like this (still the blue arrow appears since hours):

And i get following message, when I would like to update the “Previous Backups” folder directly from ICloud drive:

Please, help me. It would be great to see my datas again.

[matt]

Hm. I’ve never seen a message like that before from iCloud. But not to worry, it won’t get in the way.

What you’ll want to do is two finger click on the Previous Backups folder, and select Duplicate. That might take a little while to finish, but once it has, then you can move that copy of the folder into the Import folder.

Once it’s in the Import folder you’ll see all the data appear in the File Importer view in Arc App. In there, you’ll want to tap “Import All” at the top of “Sample Files”.

Once those are finished (which could take several hours, and maybe a few attempts), you’ll want to also Import All for Day Summary Files and Note Files.

Let me know how you get on!

[feron]

And another question from the other ticket I opened “Wrong data points” 2 months ago. I still have 1 wrong file with time and date from 2026. Should I delete this file, before the completely new restore? So I have this wrong file away.

[feron]

Hi Matt, now I duplicated the Previous Backup folder on my IPhone and then moved this copy to the import folder. In this case, it worked. With my Windows PC or directly on ICloud drive it doesn’t work.

No, it looks like this. You wrote I have to import first the Sample Files and then Day summary Files and after that the note files. What’s about the timeline item files and Place files? For Timeline Item Files I have a “Import all” button". For Places file I don’t have a “Import all” button (look at the print-screen below)?

Should I delete or not include the first sample file with the wrong date (The File which I mentioned above and in the other ticket Wrong data points):

[feron]

Hi Matt, now I tried the import first with this file 2026-W11 and had really strange values (11 months home and so). Then I deleted the app again and tried to import without this file 2026-W11. Now it looks good. The Timeline item files I had to “Import all”, so they were all checked at the end. The import took not so long in my case, my database is not so old.

What do you mean about my tries? Do you mean, my problem with the 2026 file is now away with my tries.

Then I will enable the backup checkboxes again.

[matt]

@feron

I still have 1 wrong file with time and date from 2026. Should I delete this file, before the completely new restore?

I don’t think delete it. It will have real, valid data in it, it’ll just have incorrect dates. Could move that file out of the … ok you’re working on a copy of the Previous Backups folder anyway, so I guess it’s fine to delete that copy of the file. You just want to make sure you still have the original copy of it. We could potentially clean it up and import it properly later.

@feron

You wrote I have to import first the Sample Files and then Day summary Files and after that the note files. What’s about the timeline item files and Place files? For Timeline Item Files I have a “Import all” button".

Only the Samples files, then Day Summaries and Notes (in either order for the last two - doesn’t matter which is first).

When you import the Samples files the Timeline Item and Place files are automatically imported too. It checks each sample to see what Timeline Item it needs, finds that file, then imports it at the same time. Ditto Place files - if the Timeline Item references a Place, it finds that Place file and imports it then.

So the Timeline Item and Places files all automatically get handled, when you’re importing the Samples files. They all depend on each other, so they’re done in the same sweep.

@feron

Then I deleted the app again and tried to import without this file 2026-W11. Now it looks good.

Great news!

@feron

What do you mean about my tries? Do you mean, my problem with the 2026 file is now away with my tries.

For people with databases that go back many years (some people have data going back almost 10 years) it can take a very long time. And while importing, sometimes iOS will terminate the app, or it might crash (due to using too much memory, or some such). When that happens you have to start again. Though the import will skip over all the stuff it’s already done, so the subsequent attempts go faster.

But in your case it sounds like it all got done in one go. Yay!

@feron

Then I will enable the backup checkboxes again.

Yep. Perfect. Glad to hear it all worked out!

The really big imports can be quite a long and sometimes painful process. (It’s really way too much data for an iPhone app. Apps don’t usually have these massive amounts of data, and certainly don’t try to import all of it in one go. It’s… big).

But yours went all smooth (once that weird 2026 file was removed). That’s great to hear

[feron]

Hi Matt

Thanks for your help. The only thing could happen, if I do not Import this 2026 file, is that some timeline entries from this weeks are gone? That’s no Problem for me.

But it Looks everything good. I had a look at this file from 2026 and another file. The 2026 is so small and has only a few entries (see the entries below). As I said in the other ticket “Wrong data Points”, I Changed the data on year in the future for Maybe 2 minutes and then changed it backed (This should help to reduce sysdata). Maybe thats the reason, why are in this 2026 file so less entries for only 2 minutes?

I think, then it was the best idea, that I didn’t import this file and hope now are everything is correct in the database.

[
  {
    "location" : null,
    "movingState" : "uncertain",
    "lastSaved" : "2025-03-10T15:30:38Z",
    "secondsFromGMT" : 3600,
    "confirmedType" : "stationary",
    "sampleId" : "67AFED82-C63A-4731-B7BC-951DE204DA66",
    "recordingState" : "off",
    "timelineItemId" : "839203F2-1206-438A-A085-139A621484AF",
    "date" : "2026-03-09T13:19:22Z"
  },
  {
    "date" : "2026-03-09T13:19:52Z",
    "stepHz" : 0,
    "xyAcceleration" : 0.10457669993458055,
    "lastSaved" : "2025-03-10T15:30:38Z",
    "timelineItemId" : "839203F2-1206-438A-A085-139A621484AF",
    "secondsFromGMT" : 3600,
    "movingState" : "uncertain",
    "recordingState" : "recording",
    "confirmedType" : "stationary",
    "sampleId" : "3DB2BF8B-1DC5-42A6-996E-FD0983945DB7",
    "zAcceleration" : 0.10002005926082051,
    "location" : null
  },
  {
    "date" : "2026-03-09T13:20:22Z",
    "movingState" : "uncertain",
    "recordingState" : "recording",
    "timelineItemId" : "839203F2-1206-438A-A085-139A621484AF",
    "confirmedType" : "stationary",
    "sampleId" : "88E8DC29-27BC-46FF-B3CA-EB3E019494B1",
    "location" : null,
    "xyAcceleration" : 0.10665249940703375,
    "lastSaved" : "2025-03-10T15:30:38Z",
    "zAcceleration" : 0.094132482552693,
    "stepHz" : 0,
    "secondsFromGMT" : 3600
  },
  {
    "courseVariance" : 0.01469136715643482,
    "date" : "2026-03-09T13:20:26Z",
    "recordingState" : "recording",
    "xyAcceleration" : 0.031171393546072176,
    "secondsFromGMT" : 3600,
    "location" : {
      "horizontalAccuracy" : 31.10279680863775,
      "verticalAccuracy" : 24.283673118737045,
      "timestamp" : "2026-03-09T13:20:26Z",
      "speed" : 0.7554963538507147,
      "latitude" : 47.126813327430234,
      "course" : 161.41126507270596,
      "longitude" : 8.255476730468592,
      "altitude" : 579.5361051423047
    },
    "stepHz" : 0,
    "sampleId" : "0EE8AE27-BCF6-425A-AD78-B1CF15905429",
    "timelineItemId" : "839203F2-1206-438A-A085-139A621484AF",
    "lastSaved" : "2025-03-10T15:30:38Z",
    "zAcceleration" : 0.02297779806616565,
    "movingState" : "stationary",
    "confirmedType" : "stationary"
  },
  {
    "courseVariance" : 0.5662442841843185,
    "zAcceleration" : 0.08568516262476959,
    "confirmedType" : "car",
    "secondsFromGMT" : 3600,
    "lastSaved" : "2025-03-11T06:56:43Z",
    "stepHz" : 0,
    "date" : "2026-03-09T13:20:32Z",
    "movingState" : "stationary",
    "location" : {
      "verticalAccuracy" : 24.28367311873705,
      "altitude" : 579.42831759224,
      "course" : 226.70272492875807,
      "horizontalAccuracy" : 28.809857201593722,
      "latitude" : 47.126801660639195,
      "speed" : 0.0637150758530636,
      "longitude" : 8.255480976687599,
      "timestamp" : "2026-03-09T13:20:32Z"
    },
    "xyAcceleration" : 0.14146216000559297,
    "sampleId" : "67196CCC-2CDE-40FB-8273-6CB33533C257",
    "timelineItemId" : "2DF4BF9B-62ED-4879-8E83-07110968BE03",
    "recordingState" : "recording"
  }
]

[matt]

@feron

I think, then it was the best idea, that I didn’t import this file and hope now are everything is correct in the database.

Yeah I think you’re right - it was best to not import that file. And it looks like there’s only very little data in it, so it’s not a big loss.

[feron]

Hi Matt, thanks for your answer. It works really good. Now today I had a look at the backup folders on ICloud drive and deleted the the files in the Import folder after successfull Import. Do you have an idea, why the “Backups” folder has the newest json file in it and this is not place in the previous backup folder than before (look at the pictures below)? The folder looks like this, my question should I delete the files in the Backups and Previous Backups folder, so Arc Timeline makes a completely new backup? What do you suggest, to have a clean backup?

1. Now I have an additional backup folder on ICloud drive Arc App Root folder with the name “Backups”.
   

   

2. In this “Backups” LocomotionSample folder I only find the newest file:
   

   

3. On the Previous folder I can find all the other files.
   

   

In the app, I make the backup than before, with all the checkboxes active (Last backups 2 hours ago, thats the hour of the file in the backups folder:

[matt]

Ah, there’s nothing you need to do now. That new “Backups” folder is the new backup, separate from the “Previous Backups” (Which won’t be changed - that’ll stay there for safety, in case you ever need it again later).

Though it’s curious that there’s only the one week file in the new Backups folder. Check again in a day or two, and if it’s still only that one file we’ll investigate further.

[feron]

Ok, thanks. Makes sense, so I have a completely new backup. Ok, I will have a look at this folder the next days. This morning it looks still the same.

[feron]

Hi Matt

I had a look this morning and now it looks more strange.

Some files are now in the ICloud drive root folder, where all the other files are (and not in the Arc App folders):

And in the arc folder, it looks like this: