Moving Simulations to a New Computer (Windows/Mac)
NOTE: To move simulations from a Windows PC or a Mac to an iPad, see Transferring simulations to the iPad Player (from Windows or Mac).
Note: To move your simulations to a new location, follow these steps.
Export Simulation (FS 6.x and FS 7.x):
(Note the Export function is different from the Save function. To move a simulation to a new location, you must EXPORT the simulation BEFORE moving it.)
Within Fire Studio: Open Fire Studio on your computer.
Open the simulation you wish to EXPORT.
Use the Export Button: Locate and use the "Export Simulation" button within Fire Studio. You will be prompted to save the exported files to a location on your hard drive. (i.e. Documents/FireStudio7/Exported Simulations)
Identify Associated Files: Upon exporting, two files are generated: a .dcs file and a .lbr file associated with the simulation.
Move Both Files: Copy both the .dcs and .lbr files to the other computer where you wish to open the simulation. If there is a video file used in that simulation, you will need to include that file as well.
You will now be able to open those simulation files on the new computer.
For Fire Studio 7 Users:
Addition of Publish Feature in Fire Studio 7: If using Fire Studio 7, note that there is a new option in addition to Export called "Publish". A published simulation generates a single file with a .dcx extension. Transfer this single file accordingly for each simulation.
Follow these steps to successfully export, transfer, and open your simulations.
If backgrounds or layers are missing after a move
Copy, don't run from a USB drive. Copy the simulation files to the computer's hard drive (ideally under Documents/FireStudio7) before opening them. Opening a simulation straight from a USB or external drive causes missing backgrounds and layers.
Keep the .dcs and .lbr together in the same folder, with the same names.
Copy video files too. Videos aren't included in exported or published files; put them in the same folder as the simulation. Windows uses AVI and Mac uses MOV; MP4 may work on both.
Don't move files after saving. Fire Studio looks for files where they were when you saved. Moving or "cleaning up" folders later breaks simulations.
Find what's missing. The Log Panel lists "File Not Found" items, and a layer's Resource Path shows which library it came from. Use Find in Library or Replace From Library to fix them.
Edited an exported simulation? Export it again under a new name (for example "House Fire 1a"). Re-exporting with the same name can make Fire Studio open the old version.