Utilities for managing the database

1. Unlock the database

2. List the locked records

3. Unlock records

4. Global changes

Unlock the database.

If at some point you notice that the database or the inverted file cannot be updated, the database may be locked. This usually happens after a crash of the system, or when the process of creating the inverted list is aborted, be it because of an abrupt ending or because of an error in the FST.

Use this option to unlock the database, which will leave it ready for the updating of the master file and/or the inverted file. If you cannot access the index of terms, or they appear incomplete or in an incorrect order, create the inverted file again. If the FST has been modified, verify its syntax again.

Before proceeding to unlock the database, be sure that no other user is entering or updating the records.

List the locked records

It is recommended that this process is performed as part of the maintenance routine of a database. If you get a list of locked records, you should proceed to unlock them as indicated in the procedure to unlock records.

Unlock records

Records get locked usually in the process of data entry, as part of the data updating protection mechanisms. That is: when a user is modifying a record, it is locked in order to avoid its simultaneous updating by another user. When the record is finally updated, it is unlocked and made available for the rest of the users.

If the updating cycle doesn't finish, that is, if the record doesn't get any data or if the updating is cancelled (buttons Save or Cancel in the tool bar), the record remains locked for some time (4 hours) to all other users.

There are two ways of unlocking a record before the mentioned time expires:

1. The user who locked the record can free (or unlock) it by either updating, editing or cancelling its editing.

2. Using the procedure to unlock records, which reviews the database and unlocks all the records found to be locked.

Before performing this procedure, it is recommended that you verify that data entry or record updating is not taking place.

Create the inverted file

This process creates the inverted file, but it can only be used in databases with few records, for example, less than 2000. For bigger databases, you have to use the MX utility.

The inverted file (indexes) is updated automatically when the records are created, edited or deleted. However, if you see a mistake when accessing the index of terms, you should recreate the inverted file in order to correct possible anomalies or corruption.

Global changes

See the instruction in the corresponding menu