Access Problem Solving (digprob)
Importing Data to Vera: General Instructions
We have several import processes for bringing records, or just data to match on existing records, into Vera. The instructions below apply to all such importing processes. These instructions involve:
- closing Vera on Creek
- making a backup copy of Vera
- making a working copy of Vera
- copying your work back to Creek
- opening Vera on Creek
Closing Vera on Creek
1. Send email to the list "edit-vera" to tell them Vera will be down for a bit while you do this import. Friday is a great day to do imports, as we have the least number of Vera users that day. If people are still using Vera, walk around the room (14E-210) and ask them to Quit (it'll be easier than doing it the technical way, which is to keep hitting the Ask button every time).
2. Use VNC client to connect to Creek and shut down Vera.
a. Double click on the VNC program icon.
b. In the Connection Details window, the VNC server is creek.mit.edu. Click OK
c. In the VNC Authentication window, the session password should be entered.
d. Now you'll see Vera as it is on Creek itself. Use the Quit button in the Vera layout to close Vera on Creek. If anyone is still logged in, you'll see a message about "Waiting for guest to close..." Click the Ask button; you'll have to do this five times, one for each of the five files that make up Vera, for each person still logged in.
e. Minimize the Creek desktop (you'll use it again later).
Now no one can make changes while you are working on the copy.
Making Copies of Vera
3. Copy the five files that make up Vera on Creek onto your desktop.
[Shortcut for Walter: open the Vera on Creek and the Vera Import folders on your desktop]
Go to My Computer or Windows Explorer and navigate to
My Network Places\Entire Network\Microsoft Windows Network\Mit Libraries\Creek\Vera
The files you want to copy are:
Resource.fp5
RS_Items.fp5
Maintain.fp5
Subjects.fp5
Fields.fp5Highlight those files and drag them to a folder on your desktop (which you'll have to create the first time) called "Vera Import." The path for that folder will be C:\Documents and Setting\wpowers\Desktop\Vera import (substitute your own Athena name for wpowers if you aren't Walter).
4. Next, you'll create a copy of the copy. Inside your Vera Import folder, create another folder called Backup. Copy the files to that folder as well. Now you have two copies a Vera: a true backup, and a working copy.
[Tip for the step above: Right click on the file, copy, right click on the Backup folder, paste; do this for each of the files.]
Copying Vera back to Creek and Reopening Vera on Creek
1. Quit the copy of Vera that you're using on your own machine (using the Quit button).
2. Copy the five files that make up Vera from your Desktop back to Creek. Go back to My Computer or Windows Explorer and copy that version of Vera back to Creek, overwriting the previous copy. Remember to copy all five files (see list above).
3. Use VNC client to connect to Creek. Open the Shortcut to Vera folder, and double click on "OpenVera.fp5." This will automatically open up the five files that make up Vera.
4. Quit the VNC Client by clicking on the x box in the upper right corner of the VNC window (don't quit Vera itself!).
5. As a check, open Vera on Creek to make sure you were successful.
6. Email the list "edit-vera" to let them know you are done and they can access Vera on Creek again.
7. Remember to do a TSM backup of your own machine on days you do any imports to Vera. This way, you'll have the "back up of Vera before you did your work" on your computer (in the Vera Import\Backup folder), and you'll also have it (just in case!) on the IS&T server where your TSM backup is done.