Exporting Your CV11 Database

In this procedure, we will export a CV11 database. This procedure exports all data in the database to ASCII text files. The data can then be processed as you require. Database export is the first step to upgrade your existing CV11 database to a newer version of CV11.

The steps for exporting your database are as follows:

• Prepare your database
  - Recalc your database and run a thorough maintenance.
  - Perform a UID Check on "All databases" from the Database Maintenance menu.
  - Back up your database to a safe location.




• Shut down CV11 Server
  - Ensure that all users are out of CV11.
  - Shut down the CV11 Server.
  - Reboot your server to make sure all active users are disconnected.




• Export your database
  - Start up CV11 Server again.
  - Sign into Collect! in Exclusive mode.
  - Select Export Database from the File menu.

This procedure can take a long time depending on the size of your database. The best time to perform this operation is after hours, when exclusive access to your CV11 database is practical. If you are unsure of any part of the procedure, please do not proceed without getting help.

The steps for exporting your database are explained in detail in the remainder of this document.

If you are exporting selected clients, please refer to Help topic, Exporting Selected Clients and Records, for details.

Prepare Your Database

To prepare your database for exporting, a thorough maintenance and RECALC must be performed on your database before you export it. If you intend to upgrade into a new version of CV11, RECALC and export must be done on the same day that you intend to upgrade.

Next, sign in to Collect! in Exclusive mode. Open the Database Maintenance screen by selecting the Maintenance option from the File menu. Select the UID CHECK button to perform a UID Check on "All databases."

Although the upgrade procedure does not touch your original installation at all, it is advisable that you have backed up your existing database and have saved it to a secure location, as a precaution.

Please refer to Preparing To Upgrade Your Database for details.

Shut Down CV11 Server

Collect! cannot export your database while users have Collect! files opened. Before you export your database, you must ensure that all users are out of CV11. Then shut down the CV11 Server. Make sure that all active users are disconnected from your Server and then reboot the Server.

Export Your Database

This process may take several hours if you have a very large database. It is imperative that the process is allowed to complete without interruption. Please plan accordingly.

1. Start the CV11 Server. When your Server is up again, sign into Collect! in Exclusive mode and stop at the Main Menu.

2. Select File from the top menu bar and then select Import/Export from the drop-down choices. Another submenu will display. Select Export Database.

A message will appear confirming your choice.

Select YES to begin the exporting process.

3. Additional prompts will be displayed now to confirm exporting each part of your database. We are going to export the entire database. So select YES in answer to each of the prompts.

4. After you have replied to the prompts confirming the export of each part of your database, Collect! asks if you are ready to proceed with the export.

Select YES and Collect! will begin the export.

5. As the export proceeds, the screen displays information about the files that Collect! is creating for each part of the database. Each Collect! database has 5 component databases - report, rates, nxuser, impex, and collect. We are exporting each component entirely.

Please allow this process to complete without interruption.

6. When the export is completed, Collect! will display statistics. Select OK. Then, Collect! will display the Start Time and End Time for the export process.A database with 75 clients and 45,000 debtors may take, at the very least, an hour to export.

7. As a result of the export, there is now an export subfolder in your MASTERDB folder.

This folder contains many ASCII text files (TXT), one for each type of data that was exported, a definition file for each of the 5 component databases (DBT) and an export map, collect.exp. Also, there is an HTML folder.

Exporting External Libraries

When exporting the full database, you should say "yes" to export any external reports and impexes.

When upgrading, new devices will be created to accommodate them. The prefix on the alternate library names, x00 or r00 may change if there are already alternate libraries on the server containing the destination database.

After upgrading, normal maintenance will be performed on them as well. This includes rebuilding optional keys, printable information lists and import field definitions.

Exporting Multiple Databases

If you have more than one database to export in your CV11 directory, you can follow the steps above for each database, with one exception.

Please answer NO when asked to export external impexes during the export procedure for your additional databases.

You only have to export the external impexes once, when you export your first database.

If you are upgrading, each additional database should be upgraded at the same time as your primary working database. Please ensure that each additional database is properly prepared beforehand as described in the Help topic Preparing To Upgrade Your Database.

Troubleshooting Database Export

If Collect! encounters an error reading from a blob while exporting data, it will no longer fail the export. This correction is available in Collect! Version 11.4 Build 3.6 and newer. The error message will still appear but the export will continue, if the user selects the CONTINUE button instead of aborting. A file "CV11\bin\exporterrors.txt" will report the error and the CSVLINE of the record it belongs to. Currently this is the only type of error reported in this file.

There are circumstances where invoice lines may not be exported correctly. This may happen when Debtors are assigned to another Client prior to the export and after statements have been generated. This failure is corrected in Collect! Version 11.4 Build 3.6 and newer. The import expects the transaction lines to be in a particular order, by Client, and it fails when the invoice lines are out of order. If you experience this anomaly, it is suggested that you apply the latest Collect! patch.

Summary

This document walked you through exporting your properly prepared database to a set of ASCII text files.

Your entire database is contained in the files that you see in the export folder. If you intend to use this data to upgrade your database, please refer to Upgrading Your Exported Database To A New Installation.

See Also

- Introduction To Upgrading
- Upgrading Topics