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stewdor7 
Posts:14
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| 03/06/2008 5:04 PM |
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Hi Jeff,
I have BDV3.5.56 with VISTA OS Help! I seem to have 'saved' the program to someplace in the depths of my hard drive. When I try to open BD from my desktop or from programs menu, etc. I get popup menu:
Could not find file 'C:\program files\Birder's Diary\data\database.mdb' Please copy a backup into this file.
I had entered new data and saved it to Documents as bkup2-02.mdb when I exited the program. I then reopened the program and tried to save it to a second place on the C: drive and that was the end of the program.
I have my original version 3 which I can install but then I will probably need codes to upgrade. Then I could do a restore with my data.... BUT, is that the way to go here?
Ruth S
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jjones
Posts:5332
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| 03/06/2008 6:02 PM |
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Hi Ruth,
The steps you should follow are:
- Install v3.5.56 from the Downloads page (at the bottom of that page), but follow the instructions at the top of this page, under the topic of "Correclty Installing Diary on the Windows Vista operating system."
It has instructions for installing and licensing properly.
- Now, exit Diary if running, use Windows Explorer to move a copy of your saved database (bkup2-02.mdb if that is your latest) into c:\birder's diary\data\
- Delete the existing database.mdb
- rename bkup2-02.mdb to database.mdb
- or instead of #2, 3 and 4, just start Diary and do a REstore from the bkup2-02 file. That may be easier.
- Start BD and you should be fine.
Let me know,
Jeff |
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Birder's Diary Technical Support |
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stewdor7
Posts:14
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| 03/06/2008 8:25 PM |
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Jeff,
Downloaded, installed in C:\Birder's Diary and opened as instructed. No directions or popup window to register appeared.
Went to Help - License Information and Unlock Now and entered my license ID and password from 1/28/2006 upgrade. Message that License ID used alloted number of times.
Did the restore with my from bkup2-08 file (real name) and all seems to be there. 
EXCEPT when i exited the program I got FATAL ERROR window: Record count=0in get observer name0! Latest error properties 0= What does this mean?
Issue 2 - and part of what got me into this fix the first time. I am missing 2 checklists that I entered in 2/06 from the Reports section. I have some backup files that may have this data dated 2/28/06 and 12/25/06. I 'layered' my backups with different names. Is there anyway of checking these files to see if the 2 are there? For some reason they are not on/in the 2bkup-08 data. Of course I can enter them all again as a last time-consuming resort.
I also wish to upgrade my tax lists. Any idea when Clements 08 will be ready?
Thanks
Ruth S
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jjones
Posts:5332
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| 03/07/2008 11:41 AM |
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Hello Ruth,
The fact that the License Info window didn't come up on its own, indicates you are already licensed. Nothing to do there.
The error on exit about "observer name" can be ignored and the program should start fine on all subsequent times. It is a minor bug resulting form the restore.
Issue 2: make a backup of your current database. Then do a restore on each of your other backups (exit and restart Diary after each restore to avoid error) and see if any of those contain your missing reports.
Clements 08 is due out any time now. Honestly. We have the data and are working on it (really SteveO is doing the work). And he suspects he will be done within a month. Check back for announcments on its arrival.
Let me know if I can assist with anything else.
Jeff |
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Birder's Diary Technical Support |
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stewdor7
Posts:14
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| 03/08/2008 9:03 AM |
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Jeff, Woe is me. I think this is what may have happen originally when I 'lost' my program.
I tried to do a restore from CD (E: drive) where my earlier data was saved. Too late I realized that I should have copied that to Documents and then done the 'restore' from there. I got a fatal error message which I can't recall now - "~" or something like that. But, it didn't work. Of course, when I did the restore I also agreed to replace the existing data.
Now when I try to open the program I get the error message that: "Database not found. Could not find file C:\B...D...\data\database.mdb Please copy a backup into this directory" . Where is my program going? Will I have to do another download from BD webpage, etc.?
I did then try doing a copy and paste of backup (now in Documents) to C:\BD\data\ I still get the above message when I try to open BD. In this file are the file I just tried to use to 'restore' bdbackup (2/28/06) and file named database.mdb-save with a date 3/7/08 which would have been when I worked within program last.
Awaiting your next words of wisdom and experience..
Ruth
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jjones
Posts:5332
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| 03/09/2008 7:49 PM |
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Hi Ruth,
I should get onto your system and take a look at this for you.
The error you are getting dring restore is puzzling me. Not sure why that would be happening.
Also, after you copy a backup into the .../DATA/ directory, you need to rename it to database.mdb before starting Diary and checking your data.
Let me know when would be a good time for me to get onto your system. I just need you to run a program from this site that will enable me access.
Jeff |
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Birder's Diary Technical Support |
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stewdor7
Posts:14
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| 03/10/2008 9:51 PM |
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Hi again, Jeff,
Well I decided to go back to square one. I uninstalled BD and downloaded again. And did a successful restore from the backup which is located in Documents and am able to go in and out of program without problem. In the data file (from Explore) there are now 3 files bdbackup, database, and database.mdb_save. None of these represent the name of the file in Documents, however. But they do represent backups with an earlier and later date.... so
Back to my initial quandry.... there are sighting lists on an earlier backup which are not on the latest backup. How do I transfer one or two sightings lists to the the current list which has checklists not on the earlier one? If I restore with one or the other it will overwrite. Perhaps the key is backing up the latest backup to the former backup hoping it will add the new stuff and keep the old that is not on the new?????
Awaiting word from you before I procede.
For the moment I think we can postpone a 'site visit'.
Ruth |
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jjones
Posts:5332
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| 03/11/2008 12:09 PM |
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Hi Ruth,
The instructions are the same as before now that you are back to square one.
make a backup of your current database. Then do a restore on each of your other backups (exit and restart Diary after each restore to avoid error) and see if any of those contain your missing reports.
When done, be sure to restore your original database. Note: you must exit and restart Diary after each restore.
I am assuming that you got these out of sync, and that one of your databases has more recent sightings, but that the other had some report templates (assuming this is what you mean by current list) that you do not have in your current database. Whether you are talking about sightings or report templates, you can use the Import/Export window (File | Import/Export) to export sightings and/or report templates from one database, and then import them into another.
Jeff |
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Birder's Diary Technical Support |
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stewdor7
Posts:14
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| 03/11/2008 4:55 PM |
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Hi again,
Sooooo.... I have isolated the reports that I wished to export and import from an older backup to newer one. I went to Import/Export> Reports>Sightings>Madagascar(the report to be exported)>Export (it goes to the BD directory as a csv file). Then I closed the program. Opened BD. Restored with newer backup and did an import. Yes!! It showed up. Then.. the message 'no data in report'!! I KNOW there is data in the report in the 'old' backup. What am I doing wrong? When I opened the exported file in Excell, it, indeed, has no data.
Do I have to import sightings which are filtered by date? That seems a bit cumbersome esp if I had sightings to different locations on the same date???? Help.
So now there is a report on the list without data in it. How do I remove that? I tried to do the export/import of Madagascar report a second time. It too was empty and I got the message that it already existed. ???
By the way, in first doing a restore, I typed in the name of the backed up file (rather than locate it through the search) without the mbd extension. I got the message that file was not properly named (or simiilar), but BD still tried to access the file. So I exited the program. Then I couldn't open it and got the message Could not find file 'C:\program files\Birder's Diary\data\database.mdb which started this whole thing! This time I went to Explore then BD, then data and removed the file that said "database.mdb_save" that I mentioned above. Once I did that, the program opened without problem.
Well, I am learning something. Eventually, I'd like to export data to ebird.... but for now, I guess I need to know a little more about what I'm doing.
Ruth |
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jjones
Posts:5332
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| 03/12/2008 10:59 AM |
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Hello Ruth,
So, you exported a report template from an older database, did a restore of your current database, and imported the report template successfully. Now, when you run the report, it states "no data in report". Examine the report settings to make sure that everything transferred with the import.
Otherwise, this may indicate that you do not have all the data you think you have. I don't know how you got your databases and backups mixed up, but perhaps you do not have all of your data in the database you are using. Use View to check your sightings to see if they correspond to what you think you should have. If you are missing some sightings, then consider using a different backup or exporting those sighings from a database backup tha has them and importing them into your current database. But be sure to use the View window to see if you do or do not have the sightings you expect.
Jeff |
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stewdor7
Posts:14
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| 03/13/2008 8:39 PM |
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Hi Jeff,
'Examine the report settings to make sure that everything transferred with the import.'
Not sure what you mean by this. I am able to open ALL REPORTS in both my backups I'm using with full data in the edit/view mode and report mode. It is clear to me that data is NOT being exported. When I open the exported file in Excell, there is nothing there. The Madagascar title is there, but all the cells say FALSE.
The title of the imported report does appear on the list of sightings, but no data in report. Also when I click on Preview/Print nothing comes up for the Tax list, Location, or Date. Even when I add this, no data appears.
So I tried to do another export/import of the Madagascar file, naming it Mad file. When I go to import, I get the popup box that says "Report already exists! Not added." So even if I do get a report with data, it looks like BD will not let me import it. ?????
I have tried to do the export from both files - cross export and there is 'no data in report' - either way. Perhaps I am not doing the export steps correctly????
Probably I could have reentered the data in less them then I have spent trying to resolve this issue!!! i actually have two more country sightings that I seem to have lost somewhere along the line. None of my backups have them!!
Ruth
Ruth |
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jjones
Posts:5332
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| 03/14/2008 8:49 AM |
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Hi Ruth,
When you import/export report templates, there is not data, just the report definitions.
I am really at a loss here to understand what is going on. I don't understand what you are doing or trying to do.
Now I think that you are trying to recover sightings and not lost report templates.
If possible, please explain your situation in terms of which windows/forms/dialogs you are using in Diary (use the title at the top of each window), what you do, what happens, and what you expected to happen. Always put everything in terms of this. Be as precise as possible please. Include all the settings you are using on each window.
I am sorry for not catching on quicker - but if we start over with the advice in the previous paragraph, perhaps we can get to the bottom of this.
Jeff |
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Birder's Diary Technical Support |
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stewdor7
Posts:14
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| 03/15/2008 8:53 PM |
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When you import/export report templates, there is not data, just the report definitions.
Correct! as viewed in Excel.
I am trying to MOVE a report (which includes a list of the birds I saw!) from one backup to a more current backup.
Here are my steps: Open BD. From Tool Bar>Open Import/Export. Import/Export Data window opens>Reports>Sightings>Madagascar 10/07>Export (as a CSV file)>Close.
I then Restore with most recent backup. From Tool Bar>File>Import/Export I open Import/Export window. >Reports>Import (from (C >BD>Madagascar in Comma Separated Value)>Open. I then get pop up menu "Report already exists! Not added."
This is the process I originally used. And now because I have done the exact same thing 2-3 times - even if I get to the point where data IS exported, BD will not let me add it as it thinks it already exists
And when I go to Reports (from tool bar)>Sightings>Mada.... to open, I get pop up menu "no data in report".
I have also tried to export/import other reports. The report name transfers but and none of them have any data in them when viewed in either the Reporting window or the Review/Edit window.
I don't know how to explain this any more clearly. 
ruth
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stewdor7
Posts:14
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| 03/15/2008 9:22 PM |
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Jeff,
Brain bump!! Maybe what I really am doing is exporting ONLY the Report Template; the sightings entered in that template don't go with it??? Should I be exporting SIGHTINGS using the dates from the original entry?
Well, I tried that and I receive message: "94-Invalid use of Null (BDV35) Contact ....." My little VISTA circle ran and ran. I had to exit progam to stop it.
One question/problem leads to another.
Ruth |
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jjones
Posts:5332
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| 03/16/2008 12:04 PM |
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Hi Ruth,
You certainly do understand how to transfer report templates from one database/backup to another.
But, the data is in the database, not in the report template. This just contains the settings of the report. However, some settings will not transfer complete. Such as the selected taxonomic list or observer. You must reset those after import. The report template will contain all of the report fields, order, selected widths, etc.
Again - all of the data comes from the sightings in the database you are using. If running the reports says that "no data in report", then either one of two things is occuring: 1) you are missing data in the database you are using, or more likely, 2) the reports settings are not correctly specified to select any data. Please review your report settings to make sure they reflect the data you are after.
If none of this is helping you , please use one report (that retrieves no data) as an example. Provide me with a screen shot of that report designer window showing me all settings.
If you think it is the case that the current database is missing the required data, search for a single instance of a sighting that should be showing up in the report using the View/Edit window and try to either confirm or deny if that sighting is there. If the data is not there, then it is #1 from above, else it is #2.
Let me know please,
Jeff |
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stewdor7
Posts:14
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| 03/16/2008 10:34 PM |
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ALL of my reports run properly from their respective backed up databases. It's when I do the export/import that there is no data in the report.
Is the process of exporting/importing as described in the blue message above the correct way to transfer the sightings? or am I just transferring a report template?
Perhaps we are at the point of a 'personal visit'/phone conversation?
I have no idea how to do a screen capture. But when trying to view the report that I have transferred, I have entered the date the sightings were entered, me as the only observer, and Clements 2004 Tax. No data.
There are no sightings for any of the birds specific to madagascar from the View Sightings Setup window.
ruth
Ruth |
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