Storage, backup, and migration

The authoritative library and local runtime data serve different purposes. Work alone is not a library backup; the library alone does not preserve recordings or weights.

Local root

Default ~/Documents/SpeechToTextData/:

SpeechToTextData/
  config.toml
  env/                 Python runtime
  model/               Manual weights
  materials/           Media and private import metadata
  work/                ASR, QA, repair and summary evidence
  cache/               Logs, tools, temporary data
  Audio2TextLibrary/    Local authoritative library

CLI accepts ATOT_DATA_ROOT; Qt passes its data-root to the service. Set the environment before launch; it does not move files. Setup prepares the default environment, not a complete migration by changing a variable.

Authoritative library

Audio2TextLibrary/
  manifest.json
  subscriptions/<subscription_id>.json
  groups/<group_id>.json
  episodes/<episode_id>/episode.json
  episodes/<episode_id>/documents/transcript.md
  episodes/<episode_id>/documents/summary.md
  tombstones/episodes/<episode_id>.json

Records contain document sizes/hashes for reading and publication. Do not change documents while ignoring their index; MCP tools publish with version checks.

Default iCloud:

~/Library/Mobile Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs/Audio2Text/Audio2TextLibrary/

Models/media/work remain local. Compatible Audio2Text names should not be renamed just for branding.

What to back up

Goal	Preserve
Reading, groups, feeds, deletion state	Full library, including tombstones
Audio and evidence	materials/work
Preferences	config.toml; credentials separately
Avoid re-preparing weights	model

Environments can be recreated; do not copy one OS's env to another. iCloud propagates changes/deletions and is not an independent backup.

Move safely

1. Stop processing/agent writes.
2. Confirm the actual root and make an independent complete backup.
3. Ensure iCloud files are available, then copy the whole library.
4. Point app/CLI/MCP at the same target.
5. Check counts, sample text/notes, groups, and state.
6. Run library status; developer setup can also validate the library.
7. Only retire the old location after read/write/recovery checks.

Storage switching does not promise automatic merging; removing tombstones is not a migration procedure.

Cleanup and restore

Temporary cache cleanup differs from deleting media (source loss), work (QA/evidence loss), model (future ASR blocked), or library (reading data deleted). Restore a complete backup and verify documents. Copying config.toml does not transfer the system key store.

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