Data Management

Repairing the Database

If you suspect that your database has become corrupted go to the 'Dataset' menu and select 'Tools' > 'Repair' to check and repair the database. This check is also run when you change a Dataset from the 'Dataset' menu and automatically, at intervals, on opening MapMate. 

Backup of the Database

An advantage of using a Distributed Database is that, if you replicate your data regularly, your records will be held on other users' computers and could be restored by re-synchronising with them if you encounter a computer problem that causes you to loose your data. However it should be simpler to restore data from your own backup which may include records entered since your last replicated your data. 

MapMate can make a compressed backup file containing all your data. This procedure is accessed from the 'Replication' menu, 'Special'> 'Backup your Database' option. The backup file is saved in the 'C:\Program Files\Mapmate\Cache\Upload' folder by default and will have the name 'CUKbackup.sqz' where CUK is your Centre Unique Key. This file should be copied to removable media and stored safely. It is safest to keep the backup (or a recent copy) 'off site' so that in the event of a disaster such as fire, flood or theft the backup would not be lost together with the computer. 

If you do not have a Zip, CD-RW or similar drive and the file is too large to fit on a floppy diskette it can be split and saved over a number of diskettes. From the 'Replication' menu, select 'Sync'> 'Send Sync File' > 'To Floppy'. Use of this procedure to transfer the backup file to diskette (Floppy) erases any files that were previously on the diskette(s) and removes the backup file from the 'C:\Program Files\Mapmate\Cache\Upload' folder. 

If the menu shows that 'Backup your Database' is unavailable ('greyed out') it is necessary to synchronise with another user in order to activate this feature. It is possible to achieve this by inventing a spurious centre with which to synchronise with (e.g. '000' to '01z') and to delete the resultant '.sqz' file from the 'C:\Program Files\Mapmate\Cache\Upload' folder and lie in the 'To Do List' about the data having been sent. 

An additional way to backup your data is to make copies, to your backup media, of all the '.mdb' files located in sub-folders within the 'C:\Program Files\MapMate' folder (or the location of the MapMate files on your system, if different). This procedure will backup any additional SQL Queries you have added, which are not included in the compressed backup file from the 'Replication' menu. 
If you are familiar with computers you could set up a batch file containing the commands:-

	@ECHO OFF
	VERIFY ON
	XCOPY C:\progra~1\mapmate\*.mdb F:\progra~1\mapmate\*.*  /m /s
	EXIT
	

which should copy all the database files to drive 'F:' that have changed since the last time the batch file has been run (change 'F:' to the drive letter of your Zip, CD-RW etc. drive as appropriate).

To save records in a Tab-Delimited file for Export

If you need to export data from MapMate to another database program which does not read the MapMate database format you may be able to export the data in a plain text file having a 'tab' character as a delimiter between the fields of each record and a 'newline' character as the delimiter between each record. This is often referred to as a 'tab-delimited file'. 

You can export records in your database, from the 'Analysis' menu and select a Query to extract the records that you require (your 'Defaults' may cause some records not to be included). From the 'Analysis: Results' form you select the required columns then click on the 'Save' button on the top left of the screen. As an alternative to saving directly as a text file you could copy the selected data to the clipboard and paste it into another program, such as a spreadsheet or word processor for further editing before saving as a tab-delimited text file. The output from many of the 'Analysis' menu queries does not include all fields of the record (e.g. Determiner) hence if you are exporting records to another database you should use the 'Data Entry' form to extract the records. 

You can export more complete details of your records from the 'Data Entry' > 'Query' > 'Records in export format...' menu (click here). You have to set your Defaults for the required Taxa and Sites (button on the top right of the Query: Data Browser screen or press 'Ctrl + D' in the 'Data Entry' form) or you may not get the required set of records included. There has to be at least one field with a valid entry on the 'Data Entry' form for this to work, if all your records have the same Reference you could use this; otherwise entering a date prior to any records then the words "to" and "today" (to see details of the 'Date' field click here) in the 'Date' field will include all your records (as limited by your current Defaults). The 'Date' field only becomes a 'valid field' after you have pressed 'Enter' to cause it to be checked, the option to make a Query is 'greyed-out' until you do so if other fields are blank. Use the buttons at the top of the 'Analysis -Results' Data Browser Screen to select the records then copy them to the Windows clipboard or save them as a tab-delimited text file.

See note above, under Defaults, about setting up your Taxon Checklist to include the subgroups that have recording schemes, in order to be able to select only the records for that group (click here for an example). 

MapMate has a 'Text Importer' (click here) which allows you to import data from tab-delimited text files, this can be used to transfer data between copies of MapMate but only the basic details of the records are transferred; using the Replicator allows a complete transfer of data. 

To Locate Duplicate Records

From the 'Analysis' menu select 'Database info' > 'Show Duplicated Records Entered Here'. The Data Browser window will show a list of your duplicated records. It is advisable to view each to make sure that they are really duplicates and to select which one to keep if they differ for example in the details in the 'Comment' field. 

To delete a record click on the 'Edit Record' button and from the 'Records' menu in the 'Data Entry: Edit' form select 'Delete Record' and press 'Y' to confirm the deletion.