DB Files FM23 to FM24

[giglet13]

Hi - I can see a few questions around this about specific scenarios but could find a more general answer when searching. Hoping to just clarify a few things and (if useful) keep my query open/generic enough that this becomes a useful go to answer in the future for others. I think if I've read right, at least some level of taking old editor game data files into new pre-game editor and game can work. But please correct me if I'm wrong!

In FM23 I have an edited DB which includes alot of elements, Clubs/Players/League Rules etc. (A create a nation set up that took weeks of my life...). In FM24 - If I want to open that DB file and look to either merge changes with the new FM24 DB, or with League Rules load up and re-verify. etc,

What are:

- Best steps to do this easily (eg. does it work best to limit DB changes being merged to clubs/stadiums and avoid players?) 
- Any good things to watch out for/check that commonly fail if doing this?
- Anything that categorically will not work?
- If multiple changes/large DB edits, any good ways to break down the files for taking across? (Eg. one for player changes, one for club changes etc.)

With the Beta out, I'd like to use my time getting the old FM23 file in best place possible to be able to use in FM24 - benefitting from updated squads,kits, wonderkids etc. of the new database. But retaining the hours of work I did to convert Luxembourg into a created nation floating in the North Sea with rivalries, league and cup structures and full nation of clubs. 

Appreciate any and all advice from those who have done this or similar in the past (noting that there could be new FM24 Editor changes that make all of this incorrect!)

[rusty217]

I don't know exactly how SI code things, this is just based on my personal experience with the game/editor.

- Best steps to do this easily (eg. does it work best to limit DB changes being merged to clubs/stadiums and avoid players?)
Just load the editor file in the FM24 version of the editor. There shouldn't be any issues with any specific kinds of edit. Editor data is added on top of the existing database, not merged into it. So effectively any changes you made will overwrite the default settings. eg. if a player's PA was 150 in FM23, you changed it to 180, but then in FM24 it increased to 155. After loading your editor file it will still be your edited 180 value. Your change will always be the last one applied so will be the final value. Same applies to names and everything else.

- Any good things to watch out for/check that commonly fail if doing this?
Competition rules. That's what's most likely to cause errors. Competition rules often rely on the database being a certain way. Once you go to a new version of FM there may be slight changes in various things that throws those rules off. Anything that references stuff from your file that's not included in your file too. eg. if you use multiple editor files, or you have graphics packs for stuff in your file. The editor uses UID numbers for everything, and going from FM23 to FM24 changes the UID number of all newly created stuff. Anything in your file will still be fine and update automatically, but anything outside that would need to be adjusted to account for that change.

- Anything that categorically will not work?
Not that I know of.

- If multiple changes/large DB edits, any good ways to break down the files for taking across? (Eg. one for player changes, one for club changes etc.)
Just do it all at once. It's unlikely to be an issue. There's a chance depending on what exactly changes, but you're probably good. The taking it across isn't what causes issues either, so if there are any problems with any changes they'd be there whether you loaded all changes at once or did them in small groups.

[giglet13]

Thanks for such a comprehensive answer!