Upgrading from version 3.0.x is easy.

You will need to purchase the following license from the Online Store: Upgrade to 3.7-Advanced from v3.0.x or v2.x.

Start the installation process for the latest version of Birder's Diary (3.7.x) from the Downloads page. Click on the Network Installation link on that page to start the installation. Choose Run when presented with the option of "Run or Save". Complete the installation and then move on to the next step.

Perform the following steps to activate your 3.7 installation: 

1. Start version 3.7 - if installing on Vista/Win7, start 3.6 by right-clicking on the 3.7 desktop icon and choosing "Run as admin"
2. The License window will appear. If not, click on Help | License Information
3. Click on Unlock Now
4. Enter your License ID and password from the purchase above
5. Use the Unlock Now button to also enter any purchased taxonomic list Licenses

Copy the v3.0 Database into the v3.7 Directory

1. Exit Birder's Diary if it is running
2. Copy your v3.0 database file (database.mdb) into your 3.7 installation directory.
   1. By default, your 3.0 database will be found in "C:\Program Files\Thayer Birding Software\data\database.mdb".
   2. By default, your 3.7 location for the database will be found in "C:\Birder's Diary\data\".
   3. Use Windows Explorer or any method you are familiar with to copy your 3.0 database into your 3.7 directory.
   4. Your 3.7 ...\data\ directory will already have the default blank database.mdb file from the 3.7 installation. Simply overwrite it.
3. Start Birder's Diary v3.7
   Diary will detect the old database version and automatically update it to 3.7 format.

You will also very likely want to update your taxonomic lists, as those with your V3 database will be  many years out of date. See the Downloads page for information on purchasing, downloading and importing new taxonomic lists.

I handle upgrades from 2.x differently from other upgrades. This is to make the whole process as easy as possible on the end user.

1. You will need to purchase the following license from the Online Store entitled
   1. "Upgrade to 3.7-Advanced from v2.x or v3.0"
2. ZIP and upload your 2.x database ("bird_dat.mdb" - or a backup copy) using the Support >> File Upload page on this site. I will convert it to 3.7 format and send it back to you. By default, this file can be found in C:\Program Files\TBS\BDiary2\bird_dat.mdb.
3. Install version 3.7 onto your system from the Downloads area of this web site.
4. To license version 3.7, follow this procedure:
   1. Start v3.7 - if installing on Vista/Win7, start 3.7 by right-clicking on the 3.7 desktop icon and choosing "Run as admin"
   2. The License window will appear. If not, click on Help | License Information
   3. Click on Unlock Now
   4. Enter your 3.7 License ID and password and click Ok.
   5. Use the Unlock Now button to also enter any purchased taxonomic list Licenses.
5. When you receive the converted database (database.mdb) back from us it will be in ZIP format.
   1. Exit Birder's Diary if it is running.
   2. UnZIP the file to find your 3.7 database file (database.mdb) inside.
   3. Copy this new file into your installation directory (by default: C:\Birder's Diary\data\) and overwrite the existing database.mdb file found there.

You will also very likely want to update your taxonomic lists, as those with your V2 database will be many, many years out of date. See the Downloads page for information on purchasing, downloading and importing new taxonomic lists.

Whether upgrading from version 2.x or 3.0, the upgrade to 3.7 license provides you with a rich set of features that, if purchased separately, are worth over $200!

Birder's Diary is no longer split into a North American and World version. Instead you can purchase a basic or advanced user license and then individually purchase only the taxonomic lists that you are interested in. When you upgrade from version 2.x or 3.0 of Birder's Diary, you automatically get

• the Advanced user license, and
• you are licensed for all the tax lists currently existing in your 3.0 database

Additionally, when you upgrade from v2.x, I do the lengthy and complicated process of upgrading your data for you! I deliver your v2 data to you in a v3.7 database. All you have to do is install 3.7 in minutes from this web site, and upload your v2 database to me. See the instructions above.

You will likely want to update the taxonomic lists you use to the latest versions available. As those available in v3 and v2 are many, many years old. Many changes take place each year and this means that you could be missing dozens of species with these old taxonomic lists.