How do I maintain duplicate files in Approach? 1

[MrBillRobertson]

How do I maintain seperate development and production files
in Approach.

I have the need to upgrade an Approch file with MACRO's and
test the Macro. When complete move to production. Also I
need to keep my test file current with data from the
production system.


MrBillRobertson

 

[paulbent]

If you don't change anything in Field Definition then any changes you make only affect the apr file and you can replace the production copy with the development copy at any time.

If you also use a development copy of the dbfs (which I recommend) then it's a case of taking a new copy as and when necessary.

If development involves field definintion changes then you have to take the production copy off-line to make those changes. Quickest way is change and test the development copy. Then open the corresponding production dbf's one by one, directly in Approach, make the same field changes and discard each apr. You can now replace the production apr with the development apr, the new fields will map and the production dbf can go back on-line.

As you copy these files back and forwards bear these things in mind:

- the path to the dbfs is saved in the apr
- on opening, if the apr can't find the dbfs in the saved path, it will look in the current folder for them

IOW, when you copy the production apr to a development folder containing copies of the dbfs, if you are connected to the production folder when the development apr is opened it will still open the production dbfs.

I usually temporarilly rename the source folder after copying until I've opened the copy apr and saved it in it's new location. If you can't do this with the production folder then save as, apr and exact copies of the dbfs to the development folder instead of copying.

After replacing the production copy with a development copy, make sure the same thing doesn't happen in the opposite direction so the new production apr isn't opening the development dbfs.

Paul Bent
Northwind IT Systems

http://www.northwindit.co.uk