How to Export/Import Damaged Data

See also:

Introduction

Troubleshooting flow chart + worksheet

How to troubleshoot damaged data

Database myths

Causes of data damage

How to repair

How to export/import

Troubleshooting FAQs

Tips for preventing damaged data

Inside the database

Database size

Windows tips

The Export/Import utility creates a new database using clients, jobs, costs, and other data from an original Clients & Profits Classic, Clients & Profits Pro, or Job Tracker database. The utility exports every data file into text files, which are then imported automatically into a newly-created database. When a database is unrepairable, this utility can recover your data. It will also decrease the size of the database if you have purged information.

The Export/Import process is time-consuming, therefore start the process at a time when you can let it run without interruptions. Keep in mind, if the process is interrupted for any reason you must restore a backup copy and begin the process again.

The Export/Import utility will consolidate multiple database segments into the least number necessary (down to one if enough free space is available in the first segment).

Important notes:

The Export/Import utility can not be used with Clients & Profits SQL.

The process CANNOT be done while users are using Clients & Profits.

The Export/Import 10.x utility is RAM-based, so does not require the extra disk space as older versions of the utility. However, Mac users may run out of RAM on multi-segment databases. For best results, use a Windows-based PC to run the export/import.

Don't run the Export/Import utility across the network. Use a local hard disk (that is, one that is inside the computer running the utility).

Make a backup copy of the database first.

Be prepared to let the Export/Import utility run overnight--but make sure nothing will interfere with the procedure (such as automated backups, screen savers, scripts, etc.)

If your database was damaged by a hard disk crash or other technical problems, it's critically important to find and solve the problems before recreating the database. If the problem that caused the corruption isn't fixed, your database is likely to become damaged again.

If the Quick Check says the "data structure" of the database needs repair, the Export/Import won't work until the data file structure is repaired with Data Utilities (see below).

Preparing for an export/import

The entire Export/Import process can take anywhere from under an hour to over 24 hours, depending on the size of your database and the speed of the computer. The faster the computer, the sooner the database will be recreated.

1 Choose a fast computer that can be dedicated to the Export/Import utility.

This computer can’t be used for anything else while the Export/Import utility is working.

Don’t export/import the database on the same computer on which the problems occurred. The same problem that caused the corruption is likely to damage the new database.

2 Check the computer’s hard drive for free space. It should have at least enough space available to hold three copies of the database.

The computer’s hard drive needs the space to hold the damaged database, the database’s exported text files, and the new database. For example: a 40mb database needs 120mb of free space to run the export/import.

3 Use a disk first-aid tool (e.g., Norton, Disk First Aid, Diskwarrior, Drive Genius, etc.) to check the computer’s hard disk for disk fragmentation or other drive problems that could interfere with the export/import process.

If the computer’s hard disk is too full, or doesn’t have enough contiguous free space, the export/import procedure will take much longer. There’s also a potential for the newly created database to be less-than-optimially organized. If there’s any doubt about the condition of the computer’s hard drive, reformatting the drive (or volume) is recommended.



To recreate a damaged database using the Export/Import utility

1 Launch Clients & Profits X.

2 At the Introduce Yourself window, choose File > Open Plug-in Application.

3 Locate and open the Export/Import utility.

4 Click Copy Data From and select your database (note this should be a local copy, not across the network).

5 Click To New Database and choose the desired location and name for the new database.

6 Choose the Recreate option from the window, then click Start.


The Export/Import utility first counts the number of records in your database. Before the data is exported, a report is compiled showing the contents of your database. You'll need this report to compare the results before-and-after the export/import process is finished.

The Export/Import utility will methodically export data from each of the 60+ data files in your Clients & Profits database into tab-delimited text files, in alphabetical order by file name. The text file is imported in the new, empty database, then the indexes are rebuilt. You can track the export/import’s progress by comparing the "importing..." progress message with the database count:

Your clients, jobs, costs, and accounting data is imported into a new database, called New Database (unless you chose a different name). When the data is completely imported, the utility will automatically quit.

If your database is very large and contains multiple segments, the Export/Import utility will automatically create and pre-size the additional segments. The new database will be nearly the same size of the original database.

7 Rename the new database, if necessary, then copy it back to the server, replacing the damaged database.

The export/import process is now complete. Your new database is ready for work.

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