xolJun 20, 2023
FediTips has moved!

If you're transferring your Mastodon account to another server, don't use the "Archive Request" button for transfers.

This button is not used in the transfer process, it's only there for you to download a copy of your data for personal use. The archive produced by this button cannot be uploaded to Mastodon.

There's a step-by-step guide to the full transfer process (including transferring followers, follows, mutes, blocks and bookmarks) at https://fedi.tips/transferring-your-mastodon-account-to-another-server.

#FediTips #Mastodon

Transferring your Mastodon account to another server | Fedi.Tips – An Unofficial Guide to Mastodon and the Fediverse

An unofficial guide to using Mastodon and the Fediverse

Jun 19, 2023 at 7:34pmWeb
Show threadFediTips has moved!Jun 20, 2023

p.s. Just to make clear, it is a good idea to download an archive, it just isn't used in the transfer process. The idea of the archive is to have a personal copy of everything you've posted.

The archive isn't currently readable by Mastodon, but it is readable by other software. Another Fediverse platform Calckey is currently testing a feature that lets you import posts from your old Mastodon account to your new Calckey account, and this uses your Mastodon archive.

Show threadVint ProxJun 20, 2023
@feditips Haha, there is only so much time before people start poking at your sentence building, isn't there? 😅 I was internalizing as well, thinking that it's just implying that archiving is *not* necessary in migration process.
Show threadiJun 20, 2023
@feditips I'll have to look into that - I'm running the beta version of CK on my personal instance (the one I'm posting from) and that would be a useful thing to have.

Doubly useful, since I don't see a technical reason that would preclude archives from multiple servers being imported.
Show threadFediTips has moved!Jun 20, 2023

@i

Apparently you need to activate this CK feature manually in admin settings. It's not on by default, possibly because post transfers can use a lot of resources?

Show threadnaderJun 20, 2023
@feditips Recently I've made a tool to re-post your old posts from an archive, until import is available. Here are the details:
https://mastodon.social/@nader/110498433750600348
Show threadMax UtisJun 20, 2023
@feditips keeping ahead of the curve, thanks for the heads up
Show threadcalc.exeJun 19, 2023

@feditips

This button is not used in the transfer process, it's only there for you to download a copy of your data for personal use. The archive produced by this button cannot be uploaded anywhere.This is untrue. In Calckey, you can upload that archive and it'll import your old Mastodon posts.

Show threadFediTips has moved!Jun 19, 2023

@thatonecalculator

Really? Wow... nice! 😀

Updated the original post.

Show threadcalc.exeJun 19, 2023
@feditips thank you! It would be nice to see the Calckey import process mentioned/detailed in the article, so people know they have a choice to bring their content with them.
Show threadFediTips has moved!Jun 19, 2023

@thatonecalculator

How is the import process looking now?

Is it all working now?

Show threadcalc.exeJun 19, 2023
@feditips Yep, it's working completely as expected as of the release candidate version (which many instances, including the flagship ones, run). You just go into settings > import/export > posts (import) > select the mastodon archive file
Show threadDanielJun 19, 2023
@thatonecalculator @feditips Any idea when rc2 will be on docker hub?
Show threadcalc.exeJun 19, 2023
@daniel @feditips once https://codeberg.org/calckey/calckey/pulls/10282 is fixed.
[PR]: v14.0.0 Docker readiness

### What does this PR do? The PR fixes makes improvements to the Docker build for the latest v14.0.0 release candidates: - updates to Node 20 - enables precompiling of rust resources - optimizes the layer caching for faster build times since the cargo build has been added - makes migration and in turn release of v14.0.0 MUCH faster for Docker users (no compile at migration time) This PR has also been tested against v14.0.0-rc2c in our production environment and is safe to merge before 14.0.0 release. ### Contribution Guidelines - [x] I agree to follow this project's Contribution Guidelines - [x] I have made sure to test this pull request - [x] I have made sure to run `pnpm run format` before submitting this pull request

Codeberg.org
Show threadWalter Taylor JonesJun 20, 2023
@thatonecalculator @feditips Good replies, I read the thread. Thanks mate!
Show threadwakest likes your bugs ⁂Jun 19, 2023
@feditips @thatonecalculator all the old mentions would be broken and any message that was a reply or part of a thread would no longer be in the thread it was originally part of, so I think it would be unfair to say its as simple as just importing your old posts into a new account... correct me if I am wrong here but this is my assumption based on how threading works here
Show threadcalc.exeJun 19, 2023
@liaizon @feditips Have you actually tried it? Mentions are perfectly fine, and it just handles posts, not replies.
Show threadwakest likes your bugs ⁂Jun 19, 2023
@thatonecalculator @feditips But by design every thread that contains posts from multiple people will not survive cause they are pointing at eachother
Show threadGuillaume RossoliniJun 19, 2023

@feditips @thatonecalculator

Fyi I'm reading from @jerry 's instance and your edit doesn't show, 1h later (almost 90 minutes from what I see)

Show threadFediTips has moved!Jun 19, 2023

@GuillaumeRossolini @thatonecalculator @jerry

Thanks for info.

Hmm... wonder if the federation of the edit has been delayed at some point... 🤔

Show threadGuillaume RossoliniJun 19, 2023

@feditips
On a side note, I'm wondering whether we should be telling people they "shouldn't use this button" on the grounds that it likely won't do what they probably think it will?

Perhaps the phrasing could be along the lines of, before using that magic button, learn what it actually does?

Show threadFediTips has moved!Jun 19, 2023

@GuillaumeRossolini

I'm struggling to fit all that into the character limit, to be honest! I've linked to the guide which does explain what it's for at the relevant step.

Show threadGuillaume RossoliniJun 19, 2023

@feditips
Ok i think i found the solution? Just move to this instance, expanded character limit, and more? 😁

[Edit] I've been told it isn't always obvious, so: this was a joke

Show threadJerry 🦙💝🦙Jun 19, 2023
@feditips @GuillaumeRossolini @thatonecalculator FWIW, I don’t see the edit reflected on the home instance, either.
Show threadFediTips has moved!Jun 19, 2023

@jerry @GuillaumeRossolini @thatonecalculator

Do you not see the "edited" label?

Show threadSteve's PlaceJun 19, 2023
@feditips @jerry @GuillaumeRossolini @thatonecalculator I see it after the posting date and before the More link, though I'm looking at it through Elk.
Show threadDavidJun 19, 2023
@thatonecalculator @feditips let's be totally clear here. Import of posts is not available in the latest stable version.
Hopefully one day soon stable will move along to something newer
Show threadTaggart Jun 19, 2023
@thatonecalculator @feditips I had no idea this was true; thanks!
Show threadGeorge GuimarãesJun 19, 2023
@feditips what happens if I press that button if I'm transferring my Mastodon account?
Show threadFediTips has moved!Jun 19, 2023

@georgeguimaraes

You will get the archive file, but it won't be any use in transferring.

I'm mainly trying to reach people who had been trying to upload that file in the transfer process. Several people had brought it up so I thought it would be good to do a post about it.

Show threadGeorge GuimarãesJun 19, 2023
@feditips got it! I thought it would interfere in some way in the transfer process. Good to know!
Show threadFediTips has moved!Jun 19, 2023

@georgeguimaraes

I've edited the original post to make it a bit less "DON'T PRESS THIS BUTTON!" 😁

Show threadGeorge GuimarãesJun 19, 2023
@feditips haha nice!
Show threadPhil SherryJun 19, 2023
@feditips Are you aware of #MastodonContentMover by @tokyo_0?
Show threadMoniqueJun 19, 2023
@feditips So what can you do with that archive then, I have never been able to figure that out and I am not too technical.
Show threadFediTips has moved!Jun 19, 2023

@crazydutchy

It contains a complete copy of all your posts, so in theory it could one day be used to upload your old posts. At the moment though Mastodon doesn't use it for anything.

As noted elsewhere in this thread, there's an alternative Fediverse platform called Calckey which does actually let you upload old posts from this archive if you transfer your Mastodon account to a Calckey server.

Show threadMoniqueJun 19, 2023
@feditips Ah, that is good to know, always been wondering what it was good for.
Show threadProbably PaulJun 19, 2023
@feditips It can be uploaded to Misskey and it's forks though, which you should probably mention.

Importing content archives is a great feature here, and there's even work on making it seamless from non-AP networks.
Show threadGen X-WingJun 19, 2023

@feditips I believe this is mastodon to mastodon right? Might want to throw in a tiny disclaimer if needed. I believe the process might be different for something like #calckey.

(Also I might have dreamt this, but doesn’t calckey transfer posts as well?)

Show threadEllenJSJun 20, 2023

@breadbin
I don’t believe you dreamt it. @atomicpoet should be able to confirm or correct (if prior posts can be transferred to CalcKey servers).

@feditips

Show threadChris TrottierJun 20, 2023
@EllenJS @breadbin @feditips Prior Mastodon posts can be uploaded to Calckey, but that's a different process from account migration itself.
Show threadArtBearJun 20, 2023

You can copy Calckey posts between Calckey servers ( akoma pleroma too iirc)
Copy Mastodon posts to Calckey servers.
Soon copy Twitter posts to Calckey.

Soon copy instagram posts to Pixelfed.

Various other platforms working on post upload portability.

Fun times!

@atomicpoet @feditips @breadbin @EllenJS

Show threadFediTips has moved!Jun 20, 2023

@EllenJS @breadbin @atomicpoet

It is difficult to fit everything in one post, I am at the character limit! 😁

The post transfer on Calckey is still on the release candidate, not on the release version. I'll wait until it's actually released before including it in instructions.

However, I've added a second post to make a mini-thread which mentions why someone would want an archive and that Calckey is testing post transfers using the archive.

Show threadGen X-WingJun 20, 2023

@feditips @EllenJS @atomicpoet Thank you! Sounds awesome, sounds like a great little addition. Thanks for all the hard work!

Also, more instances needs higher character limits :)

Show threadJoy DenebeimJun 20, 2023
@feditips well I somewhat disagree. You lose control of all the binaries that you uploaded with the account you're leaving. So putting it in an archive is not a bad idea. But this is an addition too. What you need to do to move not instead of
Show threadFediTips has moved!Jun 20, 2023

@denebeim

Yes, it's a good idea to request an archive!

I'm just trying to make clear that it isn't part of the transfer process.

A number of people asked why their new server didn't accept uploads of their archive, so I thought I'd better do a post saying that the transfer uses a different method.

Show threadSteven RooseJun 20, 2023
@feditips @mastodonmigration That kinda sucks though, that that archive can't be uploaded to #Mastodon. The migration process makes little sense in the first place, because generally you want to migrate when your existing server shut down. To me it seems the only way to do that is to periodically download an archive. The migration process is to migrate from one working server to another. But it doesn't work if you're banned or the server is down.
Show threadDan ShickJun 20, 2023
@feditips might be a good idea to state why you think they shouldn’t press this button. even though the archive is currently unimportable most places, it is fair to say that may change soon thanks to the ever-evolving codebases of fedi software. people should have a copy of their archives just in case.
Show threadFediTips has moved!Jun 20, 2023

@datn

Yeah, I ran out of space on the post but it is explained in the transfer guide linked to in the post.

Show threadDaniel BrotherstonJun 20, 2023

@feditips Honest question here: What is the use of the archive button then?

An archive of data that cannot be read by Mastodon seems like rotted bits.

Show threadFediTips has moved!Jun 20, 2023

@danbrotherston

It is in an open format and it can be read by other software.

For example there's another Fediverse platform Calckey which lets you transfer Mastodon accounts to Calckey servers, and it will let you upload this archive in order to transfer your posts.

(I'm guessing Mastodon originally intended something similar for the archive, but it hasn't been made yet.)

Show threadmirabilosJun 20, 2023
@feditips except of course followers and followees cannot all be transferred automatically, you have to tell them
Show threadFediTips has moved!Jun 20, 2023

@mirabilos

If you follow the procedure I linked to, followers and follows are transferred automatically, they don't need to do anything.

It may take a while for some to transfer depending on how busy their server is, it can take days in some cases.

Show threadmirabilosJun 20, 2023

@feditips nope

people using Mastodon who follow me or whom I follow will lose that connection when movin because their server cannot manipulate the following information on my server and new followers must be manually accepted anyway.

I have seen people trying this and it failing for a good third or more of their contacts, so it’s not limited to just GtS users.

Show threadMax UtisJun 20, 2023
@feditips what are the most common reasons why people transfer to another server?
Show threadFediTips has moved!Jun 20, 2023

@maxutis

Most common would be:

-Your old server has announced it is shutting down (all the servers on https://fedi.garden and https://joinmastodon.org/servers have promised to give three months warning if they close)

OR

-You are interested in another server's features, perhaps because it has better moderation or higher character limits or local-only post visibility or whatever.

OR

-You want to be part of another server's community features, perhaps you are interested in its Local timeline etc

Fedi.Garden – An easy way to join Mastodon and the Fediverse

Highlighting nice servers on Mastodon and the Fediverse

Show threadMax UtisJun 20, 2023
@feditips thanks for explaining!
Show threadPJ "Vote Green" CoffeyJun 20, 2023

@feditips

How would you make a copy of your followers and people following you?

The importance of back-ups is always a concern in any computing related situation.

Show threadJaz (IFTAS)Jun 20, 2023
@Homebrewandhacking @feditips go to mastodon.ie/settings/export and download the CSvs available
Show threadPJ "Vote Green" CoffeyJun 20, 2023

@jaz

Thanks!