Desktop Migration Guide

Overview

This guide will help you migrate your recipes, ingredients, and charts from the Ice Cream Calculator Desktop App (Version 4) to the Web App. The migration tool makes it easy to transfer all your data in just a few steps.

What you’ll learn:

• How to locate your desktop database file
• How to use the migration tool in the Web App
• The correct order for importing your data
• How to match ingredients during recipe import
• Tips for a successful migration

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Step 1: Locate Your Desktop Database File

Before you can migrate your data, you need to find the SQLite database file used by the desktop application. The database contains all your recipes, ingredients, and charts.

Default Database Location

By default, the database is stored at:

C:\ProgramData\Ice Cream Calculator4\icc4.sqlite

💡 Tip: The ProgramData folder is hidden by default in Windows. Don’t worry – we’ll show you several easy ways to access it below.

Method 1: Using File Explorer (Easiest)

This is the quickest way to access your database file:

1. Open File Explorer (Windows key + E)
2. Click in the address bar at the top (where it shows the current folder path)
3. Paste this path: C:\ProgramData\Ice Cream Calculator4\
4. Press Enter
5. You should see the icc4.sqlite file

Method 2: Using the Run Dialog

1. Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog
2. Type: C:\ProgramData\Ice Cream Calculator4\
3. Click OK
4. File Explorer will open showing your database file

Method 3: Check the Desktop App

If you’ve changed the database location or can’t find it, the Desktop App shows you exactly where it is:

Option A: Header Display (Always Visible)

The full path to your database is always displayed in the header/title bar of the Desktop App window. Look at the top of the application window to see the complete file path.

Option B: Settings Dialog

1. Open the Desktop App
2. Go to Menu → Settings
3. In the Settings dialog, you’ll see the database location displayed
4. There’s also a button to open the folder directly in File Explorer

Note: If you’ve customized your database location in the Desktop App settings, the file may be in a different location than the default. Always check the Desktop App header or Settings to confirm the exact location.

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Step 2: Access the Migration Tool

Now that you know where your database file is located, you can access the migration tool in the Web App.

1. Log in to the Ice Cream Calculator Web App
2. Go to Tools from the main menu
3. Scroll down to the Import & Export section
4. Click on “Import from Desktop”

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Step 3: Upload Your Database File

On the Import from Desktop page:

1. Click the “Select SQLite Database File” button
2. Navigate to your database location (from Step 1)
3. Select the icc4.sqlite file (or your custom database file)
4. Click Open

The Web App will analyze your database and display a summary showing:

• Number of Recipes found
• Number of Ingredients found
• Number of Charts found

You can click on each section to preview what will be imported.

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Step 4: Import Ingredients First ⭐

🔴 Critical Step: Always import your ingredients before recipes. This ensures that when you import recipes, all the ingredients they need already exist in the Web App, avoiding matching problems.

Why Import Ingredients First?

When you import recipes, the Web App tries to match ingredient names from your recipes to ingredients in the Web App’s database. If you have custom ingredients in your desktop app that don’t exist in the Web App yet:

• ❌ Without importing ingredients first: You’ll have to manually match or skip those ingredients
• ✅ After importing ingredients first: All your custom ingredients are available, and recipes import smoothly

How to Import Ingredients

1. After your database is analyzed, click “Import Ingredients”
2. You’ll be taken to the Ingredient Import Review page
3. Review the list of ingredients to import:
   • Green “New” badges = Ingredient doesn’t exist yet (safe to import)
   • Yellow “Already Exists” badges = You already have this ingredient
4. Use the controls at the top:
   • Select All / Deselect All – Quickly choose all ingredients
   • Hide existing ingredients toggle – Hide ingredients you already have
   • Individual checkboxes – Choose specific ingredients
5. Click “Import Selected” when ready
6. After import completes, click “Back to Import” to return to the migration tool

💡 Pro Tip: Use the “Hide existing ingredients” toggle to quickly see only the new ingredients you don’t have yet. This makes it easier to import just what you need.

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Step 5: Import Recipes

After importing your ingredients, you’re ready to import recipes. The recipe import process has two steps: recipe selection and ingredient matching.

5.1 Select Which Recipes to Import

1. From the migration tool, click “Import Recipes”
2. You’ll see the Recipe Selection page showing all recipes from your database
3. Use the selection tools:
   • Select All / Deselect All buttons
   • Search box – Filter recipes by name
   • Individual checkboxes – Choose specific recipes
4. Recipes with a yellow “Name Exists” badge indicate you already have a recipe with that name
5. Click “Import X Recipe(s)” when ready

Free Plan Limitation: If you’re on the free plan, only the first 15 selected recipes will be imported. If you select 20 recipes, only the first 15 will be processed. Consider upgrading to a paid plan for unlimited recipe imports.

5.2 Match Ingredients

After selecting your recipes, you’ll see the Ingredient Matching page. This page shows all unique ingredients needed by your selected recipes.

The page displays helpful statistics:

• Selected Recipes – How many recipes you’re importing
• Unique Ingredients – Total different ingredients needed
• Matched Ingredients – Ingredients successfully found
• Ready to Import – How many recipes can be imported now

Understanding Ingredient Matching Status

Each ingredient will have a color-coded status:

• ✅ Green rows – Ingredient successfully matched (exact or fuzzy match found)
• ❌ Red rows – Ingredient needs your attention (no match found)

For Green (Matched) Ingredients:

These ingredients have been automatically matched to ingredients in the Web App. You can:

• Keep the match – Do nothing, the selected ingredient is correct
• Change the match – Click the dropdown to see similar ingredients and choose a different one
• Select manually – Click the “Select” button to search for a different ingredient

For Red (Unmatched) Ingredients:

These ingredients couldn’t be matched automatically. You have three options:

1. Select from dropdown – If the dropdown shows similar ingredients, choose the closest match
2. Click “Select” – Opens a search page where you can:
   • Search for the ingredient by name
   • Browse by category
   • Choose the correct ingredient from your database
3. Click “Delete” – Remove this ingredient from the import (the recipes using it won’t import)

💡 About Fuzzy Matching: The Web App uses intelligent fuzzy matching to find similar ingredients. For example, if your recipe uses “Cane Sugar” and the Web App has “White Cane Sugar,” it might show as an 85% match in the dropdown. The match percentage helps you decide if it’s the right ingredient.

Important: Which Recipes Can Be Imported?

The Web App shows you how many recipes are “Ready to Import” at the top of the page. A recipe is ready to import only if all its ingredients are matched.

Completing the Import

1. Match all ingredients (or as many as you want)
2. Check the “Ready to Import” count at the top
3. Click “Import X Recipe(s)”
4. Wait for the import to complete
5. You’ll see a success message showing how many recipes were imported

After import, you can navigate to your Recipes page to see your newly imported recipes!

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Step 6: Import Charts (Optional)

Charts control the balancing ranges for your recipes. You can import your custom charts from the desktop app.

1. Return to the migration tool (or upload your database file again)
2. Click “Import Charts”
3. You’ll see the Chart Import page with all charts from your database
4. Select the charts you want to import using the checkboxes
5. Click “Import Selected Charts”

💡 Note: Charts can be imported independently of recipes and ingredients. However, we recommend the order: Ingredients → Recipes → Charts for the smoothest experience.

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Recommended Import Order

For the best migration experience, follow this order:

Why this order?

• Ingredients are the foundation – recipes and charts both reference ingredients
• Recipes need ingredients to exist before they can be imported successfully
• Charts are independent and can work with any recipes/ingredients

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Tips for a Successful Migration

Importing Large Databases

If you have hundreds of recipes or ingredients:

• ✅ Use the search function to find specific items quickly
• ✅ Use “Hide existing” toggles to filter out items you already have
• ✅ Import in batches – You don’t have to import everything at once
• ✅ Take your time with ingredient matching – getting it right saves time later

Partial Imports

You don’t have to import everything from your desktop database:

• Import only the recipes you actively use
• Import only new ingredients you don’t have in the Web App
• Come back later and import more items as needed

Running Desktop and Web App in Parallel

You can continue using both the Desktop App and Web App simultaneously:

• Both apps work independently
• Changes in one don’t sync to the other
• If you make changes in the Desktop App, you can re-import specific items to update the Web App
• The import tool can be used multiple times – it’s not a one-time migration

Re-importing Updated Items

If you update a recipe or ingredient in the Desktop App and want to update it in the Web App:

1. Go through the import process again
2. Select only the items you want to update
3. Import will update the existing items (items with the same name will be overwritten)

Note: There is no automatic synchronization between Desktop and Web App. If you need updated data, you must manually import it again using the migration tool.

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

Can’t Find the Database File

Problem: The default location doesn’t contain the database file.

Solution:

• Check the Desktop App header bar – it shows the exact file path
• Open Desktop App Settings and look for the database location
• Use the “Open folder” button in Settings to navigate directly to the file

Many Ingredients Won’t Match

Problem: Most ingredients are showing as red (unmatched).

Solution:

• You likely skipped importing ingredients first
• Go back and import your ingredients from the Desktop App
• Then try importing recipes again – matching should work much better

Recipe with Existing Name

Problem: Recipe shows a yellow “Name Exists” badge.

Solution:

• You already have a recipe with that exact name in the Web App
• You can still select and import it – the existing recipe will be updated with the imported data
• If you don’t want to overwrite the existing recipe:
  • Uncheck that recipe in the selection step
  • Or rename the existing recipe in the Web App before importing

Free Plan Recipe Limit

Problem: Only 15 recipes imported when I selected more.

Solution:

• Free plans are limited to 15 recipes
• You can:
  • Choose your 15 most important recipes to import
  • Upgrade to a paid plan for unlimited recipes
  • Import in multiple sessions, 15 at a time (though you’ll still be limited to 15 total recipes)

Database File Won’t Upload

Problem: Error when selecting the database file.

Solution:

• Make sure you’re using Desktop App Version 4 or higher
• Verify the file has a .sqlite, .db, or .sqlite3 extension
• Check that the file isn’t corrupted (can you open it in the Desktop App?)
• The file size limit is 100MB – very large databases may not upload

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to keep the Desktop App after migrating?

No, you can use the Web App exclusively after migration. However, many users keep both for a transition period. The Desktop App and Web App work independently, so you can use whichever you prefer.

Can I import the same data multiple times?

Yes! The import tool can be used as many times as you need. If you import an item that already exists (same name), it will be updated with the new data.

What happens to recipes that use other recipes as ingredients?

The Desktop App supports using recipes as ingredients in other recipes. The Web App doesn’t currently support this feature. During import, any sub-recipes will be converted to regular ingredients, and you may need to manually adjust those recipes after import.

Will my recipe notes and custom settings transfer?

Most recipe data transfers including ingredients, weights, and basic properties. Some advanced Desktop App features may not have direct equivalents in the Web App.

Is there a file size limit for the database?

Yes, the maximum database file size is 100MB. Most users will never reach this limit, but if you have an extremely large database, you may need to import in sections.

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Need More Help?

If you encounter any issues during migration that aren’t covered in this guide:

• Check the Ice Cream Calc Support Center for additional articles
• Contact support through the Web App (Help menu → Contact Support)
• Visit the community forums for tips from other users

✅ You’re All Set!

Congratulations on migrating to the Ice Cream Calculator Web App! You now have access to your recipes from any device with cloud backup, AI recipe generation, and all the latest features. Enjoy!

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Last updated: January 2025