Incorporating Changes

There are 2 ways to incorporate your existing data with the new version of the database. The first way starts with your existing database and imports the changed forms, queries, tables, and reports from the new version. This is best when there are only a few changes in the new version. The second way starts with the new version of the database and imports only your existing tables from your existing database. This option is best when there are a lot of changes in the new version of the database. The version changes are listed in versions.html.

The first two steps need to be followed, no matter which conversion method you use:

1. Back up your existing database to a safe place. All of the following references to "your existing database" imply your working copy. If it is destroyed completely, you should have a safe, up to date backup copy to fall back on.

2. Download the new database file.

Incorporating New Changes into the Existing Database:

(Follow these steps to import the new system changes into your existing database …

or … skip to the next section to import your existing data into the new version of the system)

3. Open your existing database. Invoke Design view (View=>Design View on the main menu bar).

4. Get a list of the changed files from the version control page.

5. In your existing database, change the name of the existing file, for example, if you are incorporating a file qryAIRS4, find the existing qryAIRS4 in your database and rename it by appending a "bu" (for backup), as qryAIRS4bu. Exception: If you are incorporating a MODULE (distinct from a query, report, or form), the existing module needs to be DELETED. Renaming will result in errors when the module is employed.

6. Use File=>Get External Data=>Import off the main menu. Identify the new database as the source of the import. Identify the specific file within the database that you wish to import.

7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for each file that needs to be incorporated. Save.

8. After testing, you may elect to delete the files that you designated as backups in step 5.

Incorporating Your Existing Data into the New Database:

(This starts with the new database and imports your tables from your existing database.)

3. Open the new version of the database (the one you downloaded in step 2).

4. Open the database window by selecting Window=>Unhide=>Ok.

5. Select the “Tables” tab from on the database window. Delete the following tables:
- Site, Configuration, Filter, Lab, Labblanks, Monitors, ChainCustody, Audit, and FilterEvents.

6. Import the above tables from your existing database by selecting File=>Get External Data=>Import. Select your existing database in the Import Dialog box. Highlight the following tables: Site, Configuration, Filter, Lab, Labblanks, Monitors, ChainCustody, Audit, and FilterEvents. Then click on OK. At this point your existing data will have been imported into the new version of the database.

7. Make any table structure changes that may have been listed in the versions.html.