# Sending AnimalTrakker® Data The intended use of [[Start Here|AnimalTrakker®]] is to send data back and forth between [[AnimalTrakker® Farm Mobile Overview|Farm Mobile]] and [[AnimalTrakker® Farm Desktop Overview|Farm Desktop]]. Most reporting functions only exist in the desktop application, while convenient data collection operations exist only in the mobile application. While you can always use Farm Mobile alone, the programs truly shine when used together. Since AnimalTrakker® doesn't have any automated data transfer functions, it's up to the user to transfer data between Farm Mobile and Farm Desktop when switching apps. We've outlined several methods below that you can use to transfer your data. To use them, you may need to [[Setting Android Permissions|enable certain permissions]] depending on what operating systems your devices use. The easiest ways we've found to transfer data are via cable (by plugging your tablet into your desktop computer for direct transfer) and via email. You can also [[Saving Your AnimalTrakker® Database on Google Drive|backup your data to Google Drive]] and download it to your other devices from there. ## Sending AnimalTrakker® Data via Email This section outlines how to send data between AnimalTrakker® systems via email. 1. Start at the home screen of your device. 2. Swipe up to see all apps. 3. Select **Files** > **Internal Storage** > **Documents** > **AnimalTrakker** > **Databases** > **Backups**. 4. Find the file you want to send. 5. Click the three dots on the right hand side. Select **Share** > **Gmail** (or whatever email you want to use). 6. From there, enter the address you want to send the emailed data to. 7. Hit Send. 8. Login to the email address you sent the data to on the device you'd like to receive the files on. 9. Download the files and place them in the appropriate folder. You can perform a similar process of "emailing to yourself" in reverse to move files from your computer or smartphone to your tablet if you're having difficulty with other data-sending methods. ## Sending AnimalTrakker® Data to Desktop You can transfer data directly from your tablet to your desktop simply by using a sync-capable USB cable. However, you may have to tweak or enable some permissions on your computer or your tablet first. %%### Windows Permissions On Windows, USB Debugging must be turned off for File Explorer to see the tablet and allow you to copy the database file. #note from Rose: I was able to connect on my Windows 11 laptop with USB debugging on as of 7/17/2025 after enabling file transfer (see below).%% **Macintosh Permissions:** Right now, there are several different ways to load data to and from Macintosh depending on which version of Mac OS you're running. Contact Support at [email protected] if you're experiencing any problems. **Linux Permissions:** If you're running Linux on your desktop computer, please contact us for help with transferring your database files. We've had inconsistent results on Linux systems and have yet to identify a true fix. Sometimes we've found that USB Debugging must be turned on, and sometimes it works best turned off. The particular flavor of Linux is a factor, and we'd love help identifying procedures for major releases. Contact us at [email protected] for information. **Windows Permissions:** At this time, we don't know of any permissions that must be changed on current Windows computers. However, note that older versions of Windows may need USB Debugging to be turned off. ### Transferring Data via USB on Windows Please note that the directions for this section were developed with Windows 11 and Android 14. The process may differ slightly on other operating systems. To transfer data between your computer and your AnimalTrakker® tablet via USB, start by using a sync-enabled cable to plug your tablet into your computer. Your tablet should appear under **File Explorer** > **This PC** > **(your device)**. If it does not, please reference [[Sending AnimalTrakker® Data#Enabling USB Debugging|Enabling USB Debugging]] and [[Sending AnimalTrakker® Data#Enabling File Transfer|Enabling File Transfer]] below. By default, your AnimalTrakker® backups should be located in **Files** > **Internal Storage** > **Documents** > **AnimalTrakker** > **Databases** > **Backups**. Simply drag and drop or copy and paste files between their location on your computer and their location on your tablet, then wait for the transfer to complete. %%### Transferring Data via USB on Mac%% %%### Transferring Data via USB on Linux%% ### Enabling USB Debugging Depending on your computer and the device you're using to run AnimalTrakker®, you may need to enable USB Debugging, but it's not strictly necessary. USB Debugging is a developer feature that gives your computer more options in communicating with your tablet. While some operating systems may behave better with USB Debugging enabled, some may do better with it turned off. If you're experiencing issues, it may be a good idea to try both options. To enable USB Debugging, first you must enable **Developer options**. You can do this by going to **Settings** > **About tablet**. Scroll down to **Build number** and click on it repeatedly until you're accepted as a developer (usually seven times). You should now be in developer mode. To enable USB Debugging, navigate to **Settings** > **System** > **Developer options**. Make sure **Use developer options** is turned on. Then, scroll down to **USB debugging** and turn it on. ### Enabling File Transfer Depending on the tablet and computer you're using, you may need to enable file transfer when you first plug in your device. 1. Start by plugging your tablet into your computer via a sync-capable USB cable. 2. Unlock the device. A notification should appear on your screen. It should say **Charging your device via USB**. If it says **USB file transfer turned on**, you can skip this step. 3. Click on the notification. A **USB Preferences** screen should appear. 4. Under the section labeled **Use USB for**, make sure it's set to **File Transfer** 5. Your PC should now recognize your device for file transfers. ## Transferring Data via Secondary Program If your files are too large to send via email and you haven't had luck with USB transfer, you can always try using a cloud hosting program like Dropbox or Google Drive. While the exact steps for this can differ between programs, your general list of steps will involve the following: 1. Login to the program on the device you'd like to use to send data. 2. Upload the files you need to transfer to the program. 3. Login to the program on the device you'd like to receive data on. 4. Download the files you need.