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HELP PLEASE I want to move Alpha 5 from single pc to the server

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    HELP PLEASE I want to move Alpha 5 from single pc to the server

    HELP PLEASE I'm Rick; I want to move Alpha 5 from single pc to the server if feasible can anyone help me with this . All so I am very new to this so please use as many steps as possible.

    I have an old version of Alpha 5. I think the first version after 4. It was installed on a single XP Pro computer. That computer is now 1 of 8 in a sql 2003 server environment. I was wondering if there is a way to move it too the server so every one in the shop will have a working access to it. All so the best way to back up the program and the data files.

    #2
    Re: HELP PLEASE I want to move Alpha 5 from single pc to the server

    Originally posted by rickj View Post
    I was wondering if there is a way to move it too the server so every one in the shop will have a working access to it.
    Moving to the server won't give everyone access to it unless you have a multiple user license.

    Start your current installation and check under the Help menu, About Alpha Five.
    There can be only one.

    Comment


      #3
      Re: HELP PLEASE I want to move Alpha 5 from single pc to the server

      Originally posted by rickj View Post
      HELP PLEASE I'm Rick; I want to move Alpha 5 from single pc to the server if feasible can anyone help me with this . All so I am very new to this so please use as many steps as possible.

      I have an old version of Alpha 5. I think the first version after 4. It was installed on a single XP Pro computer. That computer is now 1 of 8 in a sql 2003 server environment. I was wondering if there is a way to move it too the server so every one in the shop will have a working access to it. All so the best way to back up the program and the data files.
      Hi Rick. Welcome!

      It would help if you also tell us if you are new to computers in general. New to windows? or, only new to Alpha Five?

      First, you do not need to move the A5 program to the server. The A5 program files can stay where they are as long as the XP machine stays in service on the network. Moving the program from one machine to another is possible but will require the assistance of the Alpha support team to update your activation keys. Putting the data on the server will not require you to move the program files.

      To move the data files to the server you need to set up a share on the server and then copy the entire data directory/folder from the current XP machine into that new share you set up on the server. There is all sorts of permission stuff that needs to be considered and if you are new to computers and Windows server you will need help from an administrator. Once the data files are on the server they can be accessed and changed by your A5 program just as if they were still on your local XP machine. You will need to tell A5 where the new data folder is and from then on A5 will work with the data in the same way it does now.

      You cannot share the A5 database application with other users unless you have a multi-user license. However, other users on the server can LOOK at your data files if they have software that supports the DBF file formats used by A5. They can also import the data into their own software applications. But sharing the data in real-time will require a more sophisticated licensing scheme and probably an upgrade of your A5 program.

      Sean

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        #4
        Re: HELP PLEASE I want to move Alpha 5 from single pc to the server

        Thanks for getting back so fast. I am sort of new to the server part but as far as windows XP goes I am very good. Is their any place I can find a step by step way of doing this?

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          #5
          Re: HELP PLEASE I want to move Alpha 5 from single pc to the server

          Originally posted by rickj View Post
          Thanks for getting back so fast. I am sort of new to the server part but as far as windows XP goes I am very good. Is their any place I can find a step by step way of doing this?
          Probably, but I'm not sure where to look. Try Google on MS Server Share.

          First, you need administrator permission on the server. If you do not have an admin account on the server you will not be able to do anything with directory sharing.

          As an Admin you can create a new folder somewhere on the server directory structure. Next, set permissions on that folder and allow it to be shared. Make sure your username on the XP machine is included in the permissions and allowed to both read and write to the folder. Allowing full access will work if you have the server otherwise protected properly.

          Once the share is setup on the server side you need to move to the XP machine and attempt to connect to the newly shared folder. You will be prompted for a username and password. Enter your username and password and choose to remember these on your local XP machine so that you don't have to keep entering this info. After a successful connection you will see the contents of the server folder just as if it was a directory folder on your local hard disk.

          You can now "map" this networked folder on your local computer as a drive letter. Let's say you choose to map to the "S:" drive letter. Next, copy your data folder from your XP machine to the new mapped drive, the "S: drive". You will now have a data folder on the server.

          If you map the share folder to the S: drive you can then tell Alpha Five to open the data files in the "S:\database_folder" where database_folder matches whatever you named your data folder.

          Note that if you do not have an admin account you can have the administrator set up the shared folder on the server. Then you can connect to it and map it on your local machine. The admin will know what to do.

          Sean

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            #6
            Re: HELP PLEASE I want to move Alpha 5 from single pc to the server

            Originally posted by seaken64 View Post
            Putting the data on the server will not require you to move the program files.
            This depends on how you interpret "program". I assume that you mean the "A5 Program" (Alpha5.exe, etc.) and in that case it is true. However, some people confuse the terms and call their "application" a "program".

            If you only move the data to the server, then you will only have access to the data and not to the A5 application. Strictly speaking, the "data" is in the .dbf and .fpt files but most people include the .cdx (index) files as part of the "data". The other files are your "application" files (.adb, .al*, .dd*, .se*) and they must be copied along with the data files - hence the comment to "copy the entire data directory/folder". The "application" files MUST be in the same folder as your data in order to work.

            Yes. I know I'm picking nits here but in some cases it will be important to distinguish between "data" and "application" files so it's a good idea to start thinking of them in those terms now.

            IF you are one of those people who puts the data (and application) in the same folder as A5 itself, copying the data/application to a server can become more complicated because you really don't need to copy the A5 files to the server. (You can but there isn't any need to.)

            If you (anyone reading this) have put your application in the same folder as your A5 program, consider the fact that there is a very good chance you will end up writing at least one more A5 app and the second one may want to use, for example, another "customer" table - how will you handle having two apps in one folder? What happens if you create a third app? I have about 20 different apps on my system that are currently "active" plus probably 20 more that are not currently active but I may get calls on them again. Can you imagine the difficulties and confusion that would arise if these were all to be in one folder with the A5 program!

            Comment


              #7
              Re: HELP PLEASE I want to move Alpha 5 from single pc to the server

              Yes, Cal, quite right.

              I meant that you do not have to move the Alpha Five Program (executables, DLL, etc.) that you originally "installed" on your XP box.

              I assumed that the database "application" was in a separate folder with the data files. If the "data" and "application" are currently kept in the same folder as the A5 Program, it will not be so easy. In that case, you'll first need to back up the database and application to a new folder and then copy that new folder over to the server. Do not move the A5 Program files. Leave them on the XP box where they are already "installed" into the local Windows operating system.

              Sean

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