Visual boy advance problems

Ok so i have my worked saved on a visual boy advance emulator but on an earlier version w/o the link and I am playing firered and leafgreen

I want to trade/battle with these files but if I download the program that gives me a link it creates a new emulator with neither files' data

So can Someone help me...

1. Transfer the data from the old emulator to the new one so I can use my files on the newer version that has the link option

or

2. Add the software that has link into my emulator that has the files

or

3. Get a code to evolve my pokemon w/o changing them

Thanks in advance and sorry if its hard to understand but im not too sure about how the visual boy advance works

GOD BLESS