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Database Utilities
is a collection of data management tools designed to help
C&P system managers maintain their database
Database Utilities is a collection of data management
tools designed to help C&P system managers maintain their
database. These tools track and control the database’s size,
test it for damage, and export/import data to and from other
systems.
User access to Database Utilities is controlled from the Users, Access & Password
window; a user doesn’t have to have manager-level access privileges to
use Database Utilities. Access to the functions on the Utilities menu, including
Database Utilities, Purge, Re-numbering, etc., can be restricted to only certain
staff members -- only those who are responsible for administering the database.
The tools featured in Database Utilities include:
Change Database Size extends the size of the database to
accommodate more data. Normally the database expands automatically
as new work is added. The database can be pre-sized to prevent
disk fragmentation that affects its performance. When the database
reaches 256mb, this tool can add a new segment to expand its capacity.
Export Data is used to extract selected client, job, cost,
and accounting information from your Clients & Profits database,
saving it as text files that can be imported into another database,
spreadsheet, or word processor.
Import Data is used to bring data from another database
or spreadsheet into your Clients & Profits X database.
Print Data File Report lists the records stored in each
of the 50 data files that comprised the C&P database (e.g.,
jobs, clients, costs, A/P, etc.). The report also compares the
database’s file size with its data size, showing how much
free space is available for new data.
Quick Check performs a “quick check” of the database,
which looks for various kinds of data corruption.
Check Data Files performs a thorough top-to-bottom check
on the database’s integrity. It is a more elaborate and thorough
-- and much slower -- version of the Quick Check.
Repair All first checks every data file in the database
for damage, then attempts to repair any problem it finds.
Reorganize (Optimize) Selected Files converts data from
older versions of Clients & Profits X to the latest version.
Reorganization usually happens automatically the first time a new
software update is installed. It is used only is special cases
where the conversion didn’t finish.
Re-index Selected Files rebuilds the index table that is
used to remember where each bit of data is stored in the database.
Indexes are selected fields that are used to find records, such
as job numbers and client codes. Each data file has its own index,
which is updated each time a record is saved. If an index is damaged
or incomplete, some records won’t appear on reports. This
tool ensures that the indexes are valid in each data file.
Repair Selected Files attempts to repair damaged on data
files selected by the user, instead of repair all files. It’s
a more selective version of the Repair All tool.
Some Database Utility functions can’t be used if other people are sharing
the database. Everyone should quit Clients & Profits X before you repair,
re-index, or reorganize your database. However, you can export, import, and
check the data while other people are working.
 A
technical supplement, The Clients & Profits
Database Guide, is a step-by-step troubleshooting and maintenance
guide to the C&P database.
To use Database Utilities
1 Choose Setup > Utilities > Database Utilities.
The Database Utilities window opens (see below), listing the various data files
and their record counts (i.e., the number of clients, jobs, costs, etc.) The
database is checked, analyzed, and repaired by clicking on the window’s
toolbar buttons or choosing menu commands.
Charting growth. The
database’s size is calculated each time the Graph
button is clicked, creating a different point on the graph.
The graph is a helpful tool for tracking the database’s
growth over time. |
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