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Arbitrarily deleted data AGAIN!!

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    Arbitrarily deleted data AGAIN!!

    This is the 3rd time I have had data disappearing on me. So, far I have found only 1 table and only 1 field in that table with missing data. Instead of going round and round (for the 3rd time), searching for a clue within the table, I am curious about a statement that Martin Cole made, on this message board, back in August '01.

    Martin stated that there is a current problem with record_clone and record_data_set. Can someone (Martin) tell me what this means, and what I can do about it?

    Thanks!
    Wanda

    #2
    RE: Arbitrarily deleted data AGAIN!!

    Wanda,

    Please be more explicit about the circumstance and what is missing.

    I have used Alpha for years and never had any app lose data unless I/WE did something to cause it.

    Dave

    Comment


      #3
      RE: Arbitrarily deleted data AGAIN!!

      There are no explicit circumstances that I can figure out. I turn the computer on - enter data on several different occassions, going back to 1998 in this particular table, I then turn the computer off, turn it back on the next day and the data is gone. That's all I can determine. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to why it is being deleted.

      Relative to what is being deleted - I can not find any consistent data that is being deleted - that's why my title to this message is "arbitrarily" - I mean that in the literal sense.

      Thanks,
      Wanda

      Comment


        #4
        RE: Arbitrarily deleted data AGAIN!!

        Wanda,

        What version of alpha?

        Could you post the program for us to look at and leave out any sensitive data?

        It may be a fluke how the program was assmbled or an error in coding. I make plenty of those.


        Dave

        Comment


          #5
          RE: Arbitrarily deleted data AGAIN!!

          Hi David - Ver 4.5, build 266.

          I don't write code, yet - so it's not that.

          What do you mean by requesting the "program"? I am talking about one table. The table, however, is used extensively as a lookup, and in other sets. Most of the data in the table is confidential. So, if I were to send it, would I first copy it to a new table, delete the confidential info, then send it as an attachment?

          Comment


            #6
            RE: Arbitrarily deleted data AGAIN!!

            hi wanda:

            try opening the table (default browse) and see if the "show all" icon is greyed out. sounds to me like a query or filter may be on. have you tried a databse compact?


            regards,

            ed

            Comment


              #7
              RE: Arbitrarily deleted data AGAIN!!

              I am trying to explain that entire records are not deleted - only one field is affected - a date field. There is no filter on. The correct number of records are all there.

              Yes, I've compacted.

              Thank you, Ed, for suggesting the obvious - I don't often miss it - but sometimes I do...
              Wanda

              Comment


                #8
                RE: Arbitrarily deleted data AGAIN!!

                Wanda,

                Some basic questions. How is the date field entered? Is it a user entered field, does it have defaults, and are there any field rules? Any indexes? Can people using it as a lookup edit the record?

                Since the record is still there, but one field only is affected, something is blanking it out somewhere.

                Since you have sensitive data, what you could do is open A5 and duplicate the table using the duplicate command available on right click and make a new table without data, but with field rules and indexes. Zip up the table and post it with it's related files (.dbf, .ddd, .ddm, .cdx, .ddx). Someone might find something in the structure.

                Jerry

                Comment


                  #9
                  RE: Arbitrarily deleted data AGAIN!!

                  Wanda,

                  I would like to see all the ways a table can be corrupted and try to duplicate it. That means I would need the whole directory. I would not prefer not to see sensitive data. I see enough of it now. There may be smarter people than me in here who can do it with the Table, but if it is included in a set, used as a lookup or interacted with in any other way, I would be onnly guessing.

                  I did find your other thread and it seems you are on a network. This is info that is needed. I saw no solution then and there were many trying ( guessing ).

                  Please copy the whole directory to another location, delete or change all sensitive data, zip it up and post it here. There anre several people here that would help.

                  Dave

                  Comment


                    #10
                    RE: Arbitrarily deleted data AGAIN!!

                    Thanks Dave. There are at least 50 tables in the directory, set up in different control panels. Sensitive data is in all of them - therefore, it would take hours for me to copy and delete sensitive data. Unfortunately, I do not have the time to do this at the moment.

                    I have told my IT department that the only time this has happened, in my 22 years experience with Alpha, is since the IT department connected my computer to the main server.

                    I managed to convince them that none of my data should go onto a shared drive - and none is. All they supposedly do is to copy my drive onto the main server, on Tue, Wed and Thur, leaving all my data and the entire drive otherwise untouched.

                    At this point I am interested in what Martin Cole said about record_clone and record_data_set.

                    I know several people spent quite a bit of time trying to figure this out the last time I went through it - and I hesitate to go that route (and therefore waste all you good folks' time) until I first find out what Martin was hinting about. Got any ideas re those two functions?

                    Thank you so much.
                    Wanda

                    Comment


                      #11
                      RE: Arbitrarily deleted data AGAIN!!

                      Either your date field is somehow corrupted, or a fieldrule or some other operation is changing the date value. Let's assume that the date field is corrupted:

                      1)Backup the table in question first
                      2)Create a new date field with a different name.
                      3)Run a global update to populate thet new field with the value from the old field.
                      4)Delete the old date field
                      5)Compact the table
                      6)Rename the new field to be the same as the old field.

                      Do each step separately - don't combine any of the steps.

                      If you still have a problem, I would suspect that something in your database design is changing the value. But, if not, then I would suspect the table itself is corrupt. You could then create a new table with the same table structure (don't use table duplicate! - that will only copy any structural flaws), then append all the records to the new table.

                      Otherwise, you could try misc. tricks such as reading the tables values into Excel, and see if the data appears to be normal. Or, you could copy the table and delete all other fields then see if the date values still dissapear.

                      With a problem like this, you just have to track it down by eliminating possible causes one by one. This problem is definitely solvable!
                      Peter
                      AlphaBase Solutions, LLC

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


                      Comment


                        #12
                        RE: Arbitrarily deleted data AGAIN!!

                        Thanks, Peter. Tomorrow, I will try your suggestions that I haven't already tried in the past.

                        Jerry, the date field is a user-entered field, and I am the only user. My tables are not shared by anyone else. Tomorrow, after going through Peter's suggestions, and if that doesn't solve the problem (I've already done some of his suggestions, but may have duplicated the problem with the duplicate command), then I will do what you suggest.

                        Thank you all for trying to rescue me! It's almost quittin' time, but I'll be back at it early morning.

                        Wanda

                        Comment


                          #13
                          RE: Arbitrarily deleted data AGAIN!!

                          record_clone and record_data_set are xbasic commands and, if you don't do any coding, could not account for any problems with your data.

                          the most likely problem, unfortunately, is that you are inadvertently deleting data from the field. have you turned off modeless data entry? if not, that is probably the best approach.

                          are you entering data in browse view or in form view?
                          is the field from which data is missing the last field or the first field in the table?

                          Comment


                            #14
                            RE: Arbitrarily deleted data AGAIN!!

                            Thanks Peter, for jumping onto this thread. I am not up to speed with writing code, as of yet - so those two functions are not the problem.

                            I don't see how I am inadvertantly deleting data from the field, as that seems like it would be a deliberate act - and to have 15 out of 60 or so records all of a sudden lose their data doesn't at all seem like an accidental deletion. This is a total mystery to me. I am going to go through Peter Gulch's recommendations and hold my breath for several months to see if it happens again.j

                            The field is neither at the beginning, nor at the end of the table. The data is entered in default browse view.

                            What is "modeless data entry"? You may be on to something, there, but I have no clue what it is.

                            Thanks again, Peter!
                            Wanda

                            Comment


                              #15
                              RE: Arbitrarily deleted data AGAIN!!

                              Sorry about misspelling your last name, Peter BRULICH! I was going by memory and found that I have Halftimers!

                              Comment

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