Creating a development copy of a Data Base

[Stephen Schell]

Hi All

I am using A5 V11 and developing primarily on the desktop version.

When working on upgrades for the A5 tables, reports, etc. that i have created, I have no problem creating a copy of the file to use while doing the upgrades but how do i implement the upgrades while protecting the live data from being over written by the test data that I am using? Since I am also a user of our data, how do I protect myself from writing live data to the test data version by mistake.

Because I am afraid of these potential mix-ups, I often end up upgrading using the live data and that can also create problems if things don't go right.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Steve

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Creating a development copy of a Data Base

The starting point is understanding where "stuff" gets stored in an Alpha Five database.

Suggest you open the helps and review "Alpha Five File Types".

You'll find that if you're using native Alpha Five tables, your "data" is stored in the DBF and FPT files. Your indexes are in the CDX files.

Here are some questions you should consider before any update:

a) on your development machine are you changing table structures or index specifications?

b) is the built in security system in use? If so, is it possible the list of users and their groups has changed since your made your copy for the development folder?

If neither is true then one way to furnish the update would be to simply overwrite all the database files on the server EXCEPT for the DBF, FPT and CDX files. This should be done only after Alpha Five is shut down on all workstations. I recommend creating a complete backup both BEFORE and AFTER any such update.

In my own work I prefer a different approach these days. As I work on changes to the database I pay attention to what objects are being changed and create a list of the dictionaries that affected as I go. Updating involves copying in only the changed dictionaries.

But the key is understanding where everything is stored in an Alpha Five database. Study the "File Types" list carefully.

[Stephen Schell]

Re: Creating a development copy of a Data Base

Thanks for the info. It is very helpful. Yes I am working in all native A5 tables but sometimes I am changing file structures as the needs have expanded over time making using a developer's copy more complicated.

I have worked with Alpha for about 30 years (since it was called "DataBase Manager II") and we run our business on it. Unfortunately, when you have multiple responsibilities, you leave the program unchanged for months and then have to re-learn some of it again each time you want to make new changes. I am wondering whether Alpha or on of the professional developers could create an add-on that creates a developers version of the data and then manages all of the changes to the forms, reports , tables, etc when you are ready to upload the changes back to the live data.

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Creating a development copy of a Data Base

Changes in table structures can be handled in at least three different ways.

1) you can log on to the live database and make the changes there using the full (developer) version of Alpha Five;

2) you can freeze data entry in the live database, copy the files to your developer sandbox, make the changes, and then copy them back; or

3) you can write custom xbasic functions or scripts that are run in your autoexec script to change the table structures through code, or to copy the data to a new table, change its structure there, and then rename it.

All of this gets discussed pretty thoroughly about 4 times a year, so time spend searching the message board will pay dividends. There may be other useful tidbits in the Code Archive forum, as well.

[Stephen Schell]

Re: Creating a development copy of a Data Base

Hi

Thanks for the ideas.

I had never thought of using the development "sandbox" as a proving ground for updating the changed data files. That one in particular is a bibg help.

Thanks for the new knowledge.

[amorris]

Re: Creating a development copy of a Data Base

Stephen,

You have the easiest/simplest way in front of you.

When doing the same as you where I was also a user, I had a development copy on my own computer where I did all the work I needed.
Generally(as in your situation), I would go to the live copy on the server to add/change fields and indexes.
I would copy the changes to forms/reports/etc from my working copy and the adb set of files without dbf, cdx and fpt files(those hold the data) and any others got their shadowed copies updated from that(I upped the version).
I always made a backup of the live database before any changes.


It is different when you are working with off site applications. Where I use an installer that backs up the database to a safe folder, overwrites the live data with a whole application and the alpha is used to append all records to the new when the bootstrap is run. Again all shadows get redone. This is if there are table changes.

Hope this helps you.

[Stephen Schell]

Re: Creating a development copy of a Data Base

Thanks, both of you for the good ideas. I will be able to dramatically improve the safety of my development efforts now.