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data gone missing!!!

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    data gone missing!!!

    I am reposting this in the correct forum. I have designed a simple data base for my optician son in law. I have attached it for anyone good enough to look at it for me. The structure is a customer details table linked as a 1:M to three tables - rx details, transaction details and payment details. Today it went live and when it came to back up the db one patient details had disappeared altogether but the transaction details were still there. Another patients address details had disappeared but her surname and transaction details were there. Is there anything the operator could have done to cause this? I am grateful for any advice as my reputation with my son in law is at stake! The db was designed in V8 but was opened in V9 with a Vista PC at the practice.
    Gil Smith

    #2
    Re: data gone missing!!!

    I've opened it up and looked.

    How many records did the customer details originally contain? Currently there are two: Hutton with all other fields blank and a second record with all fields blank.

    A quick review of your field rules reveals no obstacles to the removal or editing of customer data.

    Let me also observe that customer id numbers are usually protected because changing them destroys the link between parent and child records in the set. You should also pad them so instead of id# 100 you have 00100.
    Last edited by whanigsberg; 09-06-2008, 02:33 PM. Reason: addendum
    Bill Hanigsberg

    Comment


      #3
      Re: data gone missing!!!

      Hi Bill,

      there were only 2 records in the db,

      Thanks for looking ,

      Gil
      Gil Smith

      Comment


        #4
        Re: data gone missing!!!

        This is your record count:

        customer_details = 1 record
        memo = 0 records
        payment_details = 4 records
        rx_details = 2 records
        transaction_details = 4 records

        There are no deleted records. However, if someone packed the tables, any deleted records would be truly deleted.

        Does that count match your understanding?
        Are you sure the records were originally saved?

        BTW: I compacted your db and the trans_set.set went from 6MBs to 2MBs!

        Regarding Customer_Id, since you have a 5-char field, set the default value to be "00100", not "100", that way you will get the automatic padding Bill was referring to.
        Peter
        AlphaBase Solutions, LLC

        [email protected]
        https://www.alphabasesolutions.com


        Comment


          #5
          Re: data gone missing!!!

          Hi Bill,

          You stated "A quick review of your field rules reveals no obstacles to the removal or editing of customer data."

          Are you saying that there should be something in the field rules to prevent the removal of customer data?

          Gil
          Gil Smith

          Comment


            #6
            Re: data gone missing!!!

            I'm saying you should think about how much freedom operators should have. My opinion is that they should not be allowed to save a record with a blank lastname field and the cust_no field should not be user modifiable.

            Beyond that it is your call and depends on the intended conditions of use. A more subtle approach would be to define two or more classes of user with different powers. Users log on and get the powers which have been assigned to the category to which they belong.

            You never said how many records were deleted. If it was a couple somebody probably made a mistake. If it was a couple hundred something else is going on.
            Bill Hanigsberg

            Comment


              #7
              Re: data gone missing!!!

              Originally posted by Peter.Greulich View Post
              This is your record count:

              customer_details = 1 record
              memo = 0 records
              payment_details = 4 records
              rx_details = 2 records
              transaction_details = 4 records

              There are no deleted records. However, if someone packed the tables, any deleted records would be truly deleted.

              Does that count match your understanding?
              Are you sure the records were originally saved?

              BTW: I compacted your db and the trans_set.set went from 6MBs to 2MBs!

              Regarding Customer_Id, since you have a 5-char field, set the default value to be "00100", not "100", that way you will get the automatic padding Bill was referring to.
              Hi Peter,

              2 of the transaction records and one of the Rx records were attached to the missing Customer details record. A record card had been printed which showed all the details so I know it was saved.
              To change the default Customer ID to 00100 do I need to re - enter the 2 patient records? I changed the default in Field Rules but when I entered a new record the Customer ID was shown as 102.

              This is a brand new computer and I am wondering if it has a fault on the hard drive?

              Gil
              Gil Smith

              Comment


                #8
                Re: data gone missing!!!

                Originally posted by Gil Smith View Post
                To change the default Customer ID to 00100 do I need to re - enter the 2 patient records? I changed the default in Field Rules but when I entered a new record the Customer ID was shown as 102.
                From the CP open the default browse and manually change the ids for the various tables. You will need to temporarily disable the autoincrement to change the customer table.

                This is a brand new computer and I am wondering if it has a fault on the hard drive?
                Hard to believe. It's also hard to believe that records would be just wiped out for no reason - esp. since no deleted records are shown in the table.

                So answer this question: did you pack the tables? If not, there is no evidence any records were deleted. It's doubtful that you compacted (which also packs), given the bloated size of some of your dictionaries.
                Peter
                AlphaBase Solutions, LLC

                [email protected]
                https://www.alphabasesolutions.com


                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: data gone missing!!!

                  This may not be relevant to the problem, but:

                  at least one of your buttons straddles the tabs themselves. Bad idea!
                  your tabba is transparent. You tend top get flaky graphics w. transparent tabs. May not be relevant, but I suggest solid. In terms of traversing your form, you might want to downsize your giant tabs so that the user does not have to scroll to get to all the tabs.
                  Peter
                  AlphaBase Solutions, LLC

                  [email protected]
                  https://www.alphabasesolutions.com


                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: data gone missing!!!

                    One other thought: are you sure that your son-in-law sent you the right tables? Is it possible the "real data" is in another folder?
                    Peter
                    AlphaBase Solutions, LLC

                    [email protected]
                    https://www.alphabasesolutions.com


                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: data gone missing!!!

                      Originally posted by whanigsberg View Post
                      I'm saying you should think about how much freedom operators should have. My opinion is that they should not be allowed to save a record with a blank lastname field and the cust_no field should not be user modifiable.


                      You never said how many records were deleted. If it was a couple somebody probably made a mistake. If it was a couple hundred something else is going on.
                      Thanks Bill,

                      The surname is a required field so it should not possible to save a record without a surname. How would I make the Customer ID not modifiable?

                      Gil
                      Gil Smith

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: data gone missing!!!

                        Originally posted by Peter.Greulich View Post

                        So answer this question: did you pack the tables? If not, there is no evidence any records were deleted. It's doubtful that you compacted (which also packs), given the bloated size of some of your dictionaries.
                        Hi again Peter,

                        I asked my son in law to tick the " compact the database " box in the backup dialogue so I assumed that is what he did when he backed up.

                        Gil
                        Gil Smith

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: data gone missing!!!

                          Originally posted by Gil Smith View Post
                          I asked my son in law to tick the " compact the database " box in the backup dialogue so I assumed that is what he did when he backed up.
                          He probably had the tab form open when he did that, which is why the set did not compact. Thus, he inadvertently permanently deleted the "deleted" records, which otherwise were recoverable. (Does he also has a backup?)

                          Which raises the suggestion - maybe he originally accidentally deleted the records himself? (As a general rule, you want to control the user interface so that users can't inadvertently delete records - e.g. <CTRL>D
                          Peter
                          AlphaBase Solutions, LLC

                          [email protected]
                          https://www.alphabasesolutions.com


                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: data gone missing!!!

                            Originally posted by Peter.Greulich View Post
                            This may not be relevant to the problem, but:

                            at least one of your buttons straddles the tabs themselves. Bad idea!
                            your tabba is transparent. You tend top get flaky graphics w. transparent tabs. May not be relevant, but I suggest solid. In terms of traversing your form, you might want to downsize your giant tabs so that the user does not have to scroll to get to all the tabs.
                            On my monitor and on the 19" monitor in the practice all the tabs are visible without scrolling. Also none of the buttons are touching the tabs. See screenshot herewith. I am not sure what you mean by transparent tabs? I just accepted what Alpha gave me.

                            Again thansk for your help.
                            Gil Smith

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Re: data gone missing!!!

                              In design mode for the form select the cust_no field and in properties for the field check disable. It will be visually clearer to users that the field is not modifiable if you set the background to transparent.


                              My mistake for missing that surname was required in field rules. In my defense let me note that cust #101 had a missing surname but that is probably another part of the missing-data mystery.
                              Bill Hanigsberg

                              Comment

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