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Process of publishing to my server.

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    #1

    Process of publishing to my server.


    I understand how to build a profile and set up aliases. However, I am confused about how one tracks updates to the database files themselves. For example, I have just created an inventory database with several tables and sets. I have created a web front end to access and manipulate this data using A5 components. I have done all this on my local machine and would like to publish to my server for which I have LAN access from my local machine (just mapped the entire server drive).

    Now I have set up a profile for this publishing which includes publishing the web components and web pages etc.. to the \\myserver\a5webroot in the "default" directory. I have set it to copy the database files to \\myserver\mydata etc... Now once someone access the data and makes changes the information in the database files (tables) will change. If I then make subsequent modifications to the database and web portion then when I publish those modifications I will be erasing the changes made by the users.

    I guess my question is this: When I first started using Alpha5V6 my development machine was the same as my server. So that when I opened the database to make any modifications I was able to see the stored records and saving the project did not affect the database records. Now since I am modifying a local copy of the database, that is not the same physical database as on the server, whenever publish back to the server I am in danger of overwriting the stored records of the database with a fresh copy of the database tables.

    What is the best practice to avoid this and how does one integrate changes to tables within the database with the records already existing in the tables that are on the server.

    Hope this make sense,

    Chuck
    Tags: None
    #2
    RE: Process of publishing to my server.

    Chuck,

    I don't know if it is the "best" practice, but my way is to create identical paths for the data and webroot on both my local machine and the server. In my case, since I am a developer, I create my databases in a folder based on my business name and my clients name. My company is called TEAM Business Builders, so if I create a database for ABC Company, I would put the database in the folder C:\TEAM\ABC.

    If you leave the Target Folder in the Local Webroot set at "Default" it will put your published files in the folder C:\A5Webroot\ABC\Default.

    Now all you have to do is create and publish your database locally and copy those two folders over to your server. From then on, only access the database over the network, including when you continue to develop it. If it helps keep things from getting confusing, delete the local copy (after making a backup first, of course!).

    Since I am not really sure how you are using the database in practice, I don't know if this works for you. But if you want to use only one set of data, you might consider writing the whole thing for use in a browser so it doesn't get too confusing.

    Hope I haven't confuse you! :-)

    Howard
    Howard G. Cornett, Independent Consultant

    Comment

      #3
      RE: Process of publishing to my server.

      That is exactly what I wanted to do and it is all set for use in a browser. There is not access from other than the web. However, there is a problem with what you suggest (in my hands anyway) and you did not describe it in depth so maybe you can address it now.

      Everything is the same on my local development system and server system in terms of directories etc�

      You stated:
      �From then on, only access the database over the network, including when you continue to develop it.�

      Here is where I am unclear. When I open the database on the network can I be certain that all the associated files such as the table files and Web projects files and the like are being accessed and edited on the server side or does it look at my local machine for the files, since the relative paths and names are the same?

      Also, in creating a folder to contain my database files locally and then copy to the folder on the server with the same name there is a huge number of files created by Alpha5. This makes the transfer very confusing because I cannot easily tell what is modifiable by the end-user interaction with the database.
      From what I can tell:

      Database specific = .abd, .alb, .alm, .alx, .muf, .wcp_settings (with the .abd as the actual database file opened in Alpha5)

      Table Specific = .cdx, .dbf, .ddd, .ddm, .ddx, .ftp (with the .dbf being the actual table file containing the record data which is updated by the end-user using the web interface)

      Set Specific = .sem, .set, .sex

      Others found that I am not sure of = .�databasename�.history, .�databasename�.DefWebProject, .�databasename�.WebPublishHistory

      So from my not so exhaustive search, it seems that only the table files .dbf and .ftp are changed by users entering data from the web?. So these are the ones I should not overwrite when/if I have to transfer modifications from my local machine to the server, is this correct???

      I suspect that unlike some of you I expect to make significant modifications after deployment to the databases I create based on end-user comments. But, I need to make sure the data entered to that point remains in tact and addressable by any modification I make.

      Thanks,

      Chuck

      Comment

        #4
        RE: Process of publishing to my server.

        You are correct that the dbf and fpt files should not be overwritten as they contain the table data and the memo data respectively. I would also not overwrite the cdx files (indexes). If you follow those guidelines, you should be able to design locally and copy all files over except those with extensions dbf, cdx, and fpt. Be careful!

        Howard
        Howard G. Cornett, Independent Consultant

        Comment

          #5
          RE: Process of publishing to my server.

          As a follow-up, I have tested the notion of opening the database on the server through the LAN and opened the WebProjects associated with the database. I then edited one of the a5w pages and published the file. Despite opening the server version of the database it published changes to my local machine not to the local machine it actually resides on. So local machine "default" actually means the default relative to the alpha5 program not the local machine relative to the physical location of the database.

          In other words do not open and edit the database projects over a LAN and expect the changes to be reflected on the system the database resides on. The changes will be on the local machine relative to the A5 program.

          I know setting a web profile would fix this but then what would be the point of opening the database on the LAN?

          Chuck

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