6.07.00 Database Maintenance - Backup and Restore

Backing up a database ensures there is a fall-back if something happens to the current/working database.  Basically, the program simply makes a copy of the current database and stores it in the designated folder (Tools > Options > Folders - Backup Folder).

This applies to Microsoft Access databases ONLY; to back-up Microsoft SQL databases, contact the SQL Database Administrator.  On Center Software does not assist with the management or maintenance of SQL servers/databases and the program cannot create a backup of an SQL database.

• NEVER work in any database located in the Backup folder - you will lose your work when the program backups databases into this folder.

Manually Backing up A Database

• Click File > Open - the Open Database dialog displays

• Highlight the database to back-up and click the Backup button - confirmation displays when the back-up is complete

• A shortcut to backing up a database is to right-click on the database in the Bid Navigator and select Backup.  Manually backing up a database does not interrupt Automatic Backups (below).

Setting up automatic Database Backups

• Click File > Open - the Open Databases dialog opens

• Select the appropriate database click Properties - the Database Properties (Access) dialog box displays

• In the Auto Backup field, select the frequency of your backups (default is once a week) and the number of backup copies to keep (default is 2).  By default, the program creates two backups of the database named "<database>1.mdb" and "<database>2.mdb."  These backups are overwritten in order (for example, if # of backups is set to  2, the 3rd time the routine runs, the first back-up is overwritten).

The back-up routine runs when the application is closed after prompting the user to continue, any OPEN databases are backed up based on their Auto back-up settings.

Safeguarding backups

By default, all backups are stored in a subfolder of OCS Documents\Quick Bid named Backup, see Options Dialog - Folders Tab for more information on changing this to a different location.

• On Center Software recommends storing all backups on a drive OTHER than the local hard drive if possible to prevent accidental use of a back-up for performing work  (a network drive, second hard drive, or even a USB thumb drive work well for storing BACKUP copies of your database).  You can even use a "cloud" drive to store your BACKUPS (never your working datbases).

Restoring a database

If something happens to the working copy of a database and it cannot be opened, it exhibits unwanted behaviors, or you permanently delete something you need, and a restore is required, follow the steps below:

• First, determine where backups are being stored click Tools > Options > Folders and note the "Backup Folder"
• Using Windows Explorer, navigate to that folder and locate the most recent backup copy of the database (by date)
• Right click and COPY this file, then navigate to the default database folder (usually C:\OCS Documents\Quick Bid)
• Right click and PASTE the file to that folder
• Open the database, see Opening and Closing Databases for instructions

• This is a completely unique copy of the initial database. Backups of THIS database have a different name and do NOT overwrite previous backups of the original database.  Now either use this database or start a new database and synchronize/copy bids as necessary.

• NEVER OPEN A DATABASE THAT IS STORED IN THE BACKUP FOLDER.  YOU WILL LOSE WORK!

Database Maintenance - Compact & Repair