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Security - Code / Scripts disappeared

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    Security - Code / Scripts disappeared

    I am having a recurring problem with the security and the scripts on the code tab disappearing.

    Every few weeks I experience a problem with an application. The problem has been occurring for about 5 months. (The application has been running well for over 10 years... until now).

    Problem:
    1) The security system (desktop) seems to get reset.
    2) The scripts on the code tab disappear.

    I have two applications that are similar and I tried to set the security so that it was shared between the databases... this caused problems so I reset the security on each application so that it was independent. At least I think that I did... This may not have anything to do with the problem that I am experiencing, but I thought that I should mention it, just in case.

    I can't find much on the message board... hoping that someone has some suggestions.

    Thanks

    #2
    Re: Security - Code / Scripts disappeared

    If I copy the .ALB, .ALM and .ALX dictionary files from a backup from a month ago to the current application directory... will bad things happen???

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Security - Code / Scripts disappeared

      Have not ( thankfully ) bumped into this before.

      It sounds like some process is overwriting your database dictionaries.

      1) Is this happening in both databases, or only one?

      2) Are the databases sharing components, tables, etc ? If so, are they located in a single folder in your directory structure?

      3) What sequences are being run immediately before the problem occurs? i.e. are you restoring from a backup? Are you copying / duplicating databases ?

      4) Are all code page scripts missing, or only some (when the problem is noticed) ?

      It almost sounds like a backup is being made that is incomplete. Key files from the database dictionaries are missing. Then, later on, the original database files are deleted and a restore from the incomplete backup occurs, at which point the problem is observed.
      Last edited by Tom Cone Jr; 06-03-2013, 07:23 PM.

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Security - Code / Scripts disappeared

        If I copy the .ALB, .ALM and .ALX dictionary files from a backup from a month ago to the current application directory... will bad things happen???
        Assuming all the database library (dictionary) files were backed up initially, I think its a mistake to copy only SOME of the database library (dictionary) files, without restoring them all. If ALL were not initially backed up I wouldn't copy (restore) any of them. I think we should treat the database library files as a package. Restore them all or restore none.

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Security - Code / Scripts disappeared

          Tom...
          1) Only one database
          2) no... the databases are in separate directories and do not share components.
          3) no sequences... all is working well when we close at night... next morning the security login dialog does not show and on further inspection I discover the security is gone & the code tab is empty.
          4) All code page scripts are missing.

          Re: Dictionaries / Libraries... I have backups for all files in the application.

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Security - Code / Scripts disappeared

            Good, that makes it easy. Find out what's going on overnight.

            And, to confirm that its the overnight processing that's causing the grief, shut alpha down on all machines and restart it. If it restarts ok that rules out any processing sequences that may run at shut down. If you can't restart cleanly then your shut down routines are the likely culprit.

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Security - Code / Scripts disappeared

              I shut a5 down... shut computer down... restarted... same problem... the library files were still 'small'. Which I kinda expected... once they've been destroyed... they will likely stay destroyed.

              The 'shutdown routines' have been not changed for a number of years. We did purchase a new Win7 computer a few months ago, but the problem was occurring before the new computer arrived.

              Should I restore the 'application files' ?

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Security - Code / Scripts disappeared

                David, the shutdown test I suggested was intended to see if a correctly running database, with security and all scripts, would be disrupted simply by shutting everything down. Its not clear to me that you did that. It sounds like you were expecting the mere act of restarting to "restore" lost functionality. Please clarify.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Security - Code / Scripts disappeared

                  I restored the application files... database working as expected...
                  Closed down a5 and computer... restarted... all ok.
                  But... if things go as they have for last few months... all will be ok until, one morning in the next few weeks, we will start up and the security will be gine and scripts will have disappeared.
                  Wish I could avoid this, less than pleasant experience. ...
                  But can't figure why or how.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: Security - Code / Scripts disappeared

                    Tell us about the backup and maintenance routines that are being run on the "server" overnight. Is there someone else in the organization that's doing "maintenance" or "backup" work on the machine that holds your database? If so, you probably should find out exactly what they're doing.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: Security - Code / Scripts disappeared

                      There are two backup routines: Allway Sync is doing a backup of the users MyDocuments folders to a network drive and GoDaddy WorkSpace Desktop is doing a similar backup when file changes are detected.
                      I have changed these backups to occur at 10 PM (allway Sync) and 1 AM WorkSpace desktop.
                      BUT: neither of these backups affect the A5 program directories or the A5 application directories. I do A5 backups manually when no-one is on the system but I warn users that a backup is due every 2 days... they can choose to backup or not. I have designated one of the three users to perform these backups. The others are supposed to ignore the message.
                      Maintenance: System Mechanic is set to run most maintenance automatically. I will set these to manual and provide instructions on how to use SM.

                      There may be other backup and maintenance operations taking place that I am not aware of (I am not usually on-site). I will check the logs and talk with the users to see if other procedures are being carried out.

                      Thanks for the advice... It seems very likely that the problem is related to backup & maintenance.

                      Comment

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