The primary function of 4D Tools is to allow you to analyse and repair a damaged data file. Damage can occur when, for instance, there is a power failure while Enterprise 6 is writing to cache or disk, or when the disk containing the data file becomes damaged.

4D Tools also provides features that allow you to optimise a data file.

Using 4D Tools you can:

Repair datafiles

Compact data files

Permanently sort data in a data file

After the sort, new records added to the data file will not be inserted in their correct place in the sort order. Permanent sorting is intended mainly for files which contain fixed data.

To use 4D Tools, you must first launch the application and open Enterprise 6. To do so: 1 Ensure that all users have quit Enterprise 6 and that, if you are using a multi-user system, the 4D Server application has been closed down. If you use Retrospect to carry out timed back-ups, you should also make sure that it will not attempt to carry out a back up while 4D Tools is operating. If Retrospect launches itself while 4D Tools is repairing a data file, the back up will fail and, more importantly, the data file will be irrepairably damaged. Locate the 4D Tools application on your hard disk and launch it in the usual way. In multi-user systems, it will be most efficient if 4D Tools is located and used on your Enterprise 6 server machine. A standard ‘Open File’ dialogue box appears, allowing you to locate and open Enterprise 6. 2 Using 4D Tools’ ‘Open File’ dialogue, locate and open Enterprise 6. You will need to enter your password as if you were opening Enterprise 6 in the usual manner. Note that you must use the Administrator level password when using 4D Tools. 3 Select one of the options on the Utilities menu. These options are described in detail below.

Check and recover

You use the ‘Check & Recover’ menu item to analyse and repair damage in a data file. When you choose the menu item, 4D Tools displays the Check & Recover dialogue box from which you can choose an option.

Check only and create a log

Selecting this radio button instructs 4D Tools to analyse the selected data file, looking for damage. A text file called ‘Journal’ is created on disk in the folder in which Enterprise 6 is located. The file contains information describing any damage that was found. The data file is not modified.

Check and fix damage

Selecting this radio button instructs 4D Tools to analyse the data file and repair any damaged records or indexes. If any part of the data file cannot be repaired by this option, a message appears recommedning that you use the remaining option. Before choosing this option, be sure to make a back-up copy of your data file.

Recover by tags

Selecting this radio button instructs 4D Tools to recover the records using ‘tags’. Tags are markers stored with each record when they are created. Thsi option should be used only when a data file has been badly damaged and cannot be repaired by the ‘Check and fix damage’ option. When you use this option, a new data file is created. This will have the same name as the data file being repaired, but with a ‘.temp’ extension. A data file that has been recovered by tags may contain records that were deleted. Before choosing this option, be sure to make a back-up copy of your data file. You must have a single mounted volume with at least enough free disk space to duplicate your existing data file before performing ‘Recover by tags’.

Compacting files

4D Tools can also be used to compact Enterprise 6 data files. These can develop unused space (holes) when records are modified or deleted. Holes are created when information no longer fits in the same space it used to or when information is deleted. Although Enterprise 6 re-uses a hole when something can fit into its space, you may want to compact a data file to remove all holes. To compact data files: 1 Be sure that you have enough room on your disk fopr another copy of the data file. The process of compacting will create a new copy of both the Enterprise 6 application and the data file. 2 Choose ‘Comapct’ from the Utilities menu. A standard ‘Save File’ dialogue box is displayed. 3 Enter the name of the new data file and click [Save]. 4D Tools creates a copy of the Enterprise 6 application and your data file, compacting the latter in the process.

Sorting files

‘Sort File’ permanently sorts the contents of a file within your data file. In the process, it rebuilds all indexes belonging to that file. While rebuilding indexes, it displays a progress indicator. It is wise to back up your data file before sorting a file. If there is an interruption during the sort, the data file may be damaged and then will need to be repaired. To sort a file, follow these steps: 1 Choose ‘Sort File…’ from the Utilities menu. 2 Choose the file you want to sort and click [OK]. 4D Tools displays the Sort editor. 3 Click on the fields in the left hand section of the Sort window to determine your sort order, and use the arrow button to the extreme right of the window to control whether the sort is ascending or descending. 4 Click the [Sort] button to perform the sort. The file will be sorted, all indexes for the file will be rebuilt and all records will be saved in the new order. If your data fiel is large, rebuilding indexes may be time-consuming.

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