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Can you help me understand certain mysterious files in my workspace?

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    Can you help me understand certain mysterious files in my workspace?

    I'm trying to understand the value, if any, of a large number of files in my workspace. I don't know offhand where these are explained.

    1. "backup" directory: there are 100s and 100s of ZIP files and a smattering of .a5bkp files. I didn't knowingly create these. I've looked at them and can't even remotely imagine using them in any way. Why are they there? Can I, should I have A5 stop producing them?

    2. <workspacename>_history directory: a few .a5Hist files. They appear to be some type of audit trail. Not too many but I can't imagine them being useful. Am I wrong?

    3. An occasional PDF file shows up with a very strange name (bunch of numbers). These files aren't even readable by the current Adobe Reader. What produced it and why? Also why can't it be read without error?

    4. Large number of files that appear to be temporary files, like $$1C0000.MPX. Any reason why I should back these up? It seems they can be deleted and A5 doesn't seem to care at all.

    That's it. If there's something I should have read that explains what I'm asking I don't want to waste your time. Just tell me please where they're explained.

    Thanks very much ... Sam

    #2
    Re: Can you help me understand certain mysterious files in my workspace?

    Alpha automatically backs up layouts when you edit them. It can create a vast number of backup items when you are developing. It is a safety check so you can roll back to a previous version. It can be turned off.

    I have put this into my autoexec script:

    'turn off the "Auto Backup" feature so we don't make the folders expand any more
    a5.System_Mode_Set("auto_backup","F")


    Works fine.

    Tom

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Can you help me understand certain mysterious files in my workspace?

      Lots of hits searching this message board for mpx. Try this one.

      mpx files are explained in the documentation under Alpha Five File Types.
      Last edited by Stan Mathews; 10-03-2012, 02:43 PM.
      There can be only one.

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Can you help me understand certain mysterious files in my workspace?

        Originally posted by Tom Henkel View Post
        Alpha automatically backs up layouts when you edit them. It can create a vast number of backup items when you are developing. It is a safety check so you can roll back to a previous version. It can be turned off.

        I have put this into my autoexec script:

        'turn off the "Auto Backup" feature so we don't make the folders expand any more
        a5.System_Mode_Set("auto_backup","F")


        Works fine.

        Tom
        Tom, thanks. That sounds like a good feature while developing, or even thereafter. Your autoexec code will likely come in handy. I think for now I'll leave it alone and delete the directory manually from time to time. It's rare that I'll mis-edit a layout so badly I render it useless but still could come in handy.

        Appreciate the explanation. --- Sam

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Can you help me understand certain mysterious files in my workspace?

          Originally posted by Stan Mathews View Post
          Lots of hits searching this message board for mpx. Try this one.

          mpx files are explained in the documentation under Alpha Five File Types.
          Thanks for the reading reference and the reference to the posting. Can't say I understand why an MPX file interfered with that person's query. If it's a good thing to have these queries stored then don't know why they would be troublesome.

          So far I'm not aware of having done any queries but obviously I have without realizing it. I did write one query which I saved because I needed it available to a subsequent layout. I imagine that the queries done by my form and report/label filters are stored as well and that's why I had a good number of them, but I don't know this yet for a fact.

          Good input Stan ... Sam

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