Alternative location for Bank Genie data files

[ideasguy]

If all goes according to plan, I will make this available this week, Bill. 

I can now confirm that Bank Genie upgrade from Version 1 to Version 2 will be issued on CD. 

Heres the latest news on upgrades.
I will use the same process as Ive applied in the IG Pro upgrade (in that case Version 3 to Version 4)
I await the "OK" from the first customer to apply the upgrade, which was posted on Friday 9th March.
If that has no unforseen hitches, Bank Genie will follow, then Flower Genie, also upgraded to Version 2.

Please note that an upgrade preserves user data. This is not necessary in the case of new customers.
Thus, since development completion, new customers have been supplied with the very latest version of each product.
One customer has a new computer, with the very latest version of Microsoft Windows - Vista.
The very VERY good news is that he has reported that Flower Genie installed and functions normally.
That being the case, so will Bank Genie and IG Pro.
It makes 2 months of monotonous work MORE than worthwhile!!

Please excuse the delay - but testing takes time - and the precautions are necessary to avoid upsetting current customer installations.

[Bill]

George,

Thank you for your prompt reply. I look forward to the release of the upgrade. Please don't forget to give explicit details of how to acquire the upgrade so that people like myself are able to get it right without endangering our precious files.

Regards
Bill ; D

[ideasguy]

Will do Bill.

I plan to build the project and burn the first upgrade CD tonight, and test tomorrow.

I'm as keen as you are to get this released !!

[ideasguy]

  All systems go!       All systems go!        All systems go!Bill
You already have Version 2, but you are one of a few customers who need a tweak to your database to enable Alternative Location for Bank Genie data files.
Ive sent you an email today, with full instructions.

Ian
You have Version 1, and need to upgrade to Version 2 if you'd like to enable all the new features, described here:
http://www.ideasgenie.com/bankgenie/AboutVersion2/aboutversion2.html

Other members:
If you are unsure which Bank Genie version is installed on your computer, this link will help:
http://www.ideasgenie.com/bankgenie/whichversion/whichversion.html

[Bill]

Hi George

Having now had a few weeks to trial the new features I can say that I think they make the operation of Bank Genie much better.

So Firstly "Good Work" well worth the effort.

I would just like your thoughts on the following points and if any other users have noticed the same things.

1) Firstly I downloaded the 13 files you suggested were the main ones and got things working I then downloaded the remainder of the updated programs some days later.
I noticed that one of the updates, "BS199" downloaded directly without asking to overwrite any existing program and it inserted a new folder in the Bank Genie folder called "Bank Genie-BS202" and in that new folder is "bs199", yet there is still a "bs199" in the main folder. Is this correct as all the other updates appeared to replace existing files.

2) I found changing databases using BS026 easy and have created another directly on the hard drive in a folder called "Accounts" and I can easily swap between the original database and the new one. the only thing I can't do is backup to the original Bank Genie location in the Program Files area. If I do a back up from either the original database or the new database in the Accounts Folder the back up goes to the Accounts area.
 I thought at first that this was my fault as when accessing BS197 the System Back up Folders program there is the option to change where you want the back up to go.
When this is changed back to the original location it is accepted but when I do a backup using BS191 it goes through the validation process that the files exist but when I attempt the next move to complete the backup I get an error as follows:

GA191/4 File in use
Prog Name    GA191/4
Error No        3
Message        File in Use
Line No         0
Prog Code     Foxcode table not found, is not correct version, or is incomplete
Prog Method BS191s02. Do Click
Error Date     28/03/07
Error Time     09.57

Am I doing something wrong here or is it not possible to revert to the original set up and have two areas that carry a backup.
On the positive side I can work in either the original database or the new database and both of them back up to the same file

Bill

[ideasguy]

Thanks for the feedback Bill - I'm pleased to note your comments.

RE Problem 1)
Ive just tried that download, and it does indeed have a problem.
I'll fix that tonight. Look for the published update later to BS199.
As for BS202, at time of writing this message, its at Version 15.
Check the version on your computer and download if necessary.

UPDATE: 5th April. This download has now been corrected

Problem 2)
2a) Use the Restore Files - BS193 program to replace the database in the original Program Files\Bank Genie folder.
However, make sure you are configured to startup in the Program Files\Bank Genie folder.
i.e. Use BS026 to configure the startup folder to be Program Files\Bank Genie, then do the restore.
Points to note:
When you do a restore, The Preferences file AND the Syspaths files (which store the Startup path, the Backup paths etc - all the fields whcih you change in BS197 and BS026) are also restored from the Backup.
Preferences may have to be reset, but only if you do the restore to the  Program Files\Bank Genie folder

Ive now added a fields in BS197 to show a) the System Folder value. and b) the Startup Data Folder values.[/color]
By default both are .\   (in words, dot backslash)
If you go that route, be sure to run BS197 to check the Startup Data Folder settings after the restore.
Ive also added a Reset to default button in BS197. If you are in any doubt, simply click that button.

BIG point to note:
No matter which SWITCH database you use, the Preferences and Syspaths in the System Folder (i.e. Program Files\Bank Genie) are used by Bank Genie on start-up.
Bank Genie looks at your Syspaths, and then does the SWITCH, if thats how you have it configured using BS026.
To reiterate - When you check the Make this my Start up folder in BS026, you change the Start-up Data Folder value in Syspaths

2b) Reading your explanation, the error you reported looks like you have attempted to do a Backup to the currently open database!
Fortunately, that would indeed generate an error.

[Bill]

George,

When I run BS199 I take it that it will replace the Program BS199 in the main folder. Is it then safe to delete the BS202 folder that holds bs199 that was created when I downloaded BS199 last time?

Looking at the latest version list BS199 still reads "issue date 10 Jan 07"

Regards
Bill

[ideasguy]

RE: Looking at the latest version list BS199 still reads "issue date 10 Jan 07"
At time of writing, that is the latest version. (It also shows as Version 3)

RE: Is it then safe to delete the BS202 folder that holds bs199 that was created when I downloaded BS199 last time?
Yes it is. That was a slip on my part.
You will have a program called BS202 of course, but NOT a FOLDER called BS202.

[Bill]

George,

I have been out of the loop for a couple of weeks due to a bereavement in the family.
So I have not downloaded any updates since 21-24 March.
I understand from your reply that there was a problem with the program BS199 which created a new folder called BS202 and did not overwrite the original BS199.
This I gather you have now rectified so if I delete the folder BS202 and download the latest BS199 I will be OK.

I also notice that Programs BS008, BS012, BS197, BS201 and bg-fileset-enes.exe have later versions or issue dates so I assume I need to download these also.

What I do not completely follow is you explanation of what was my problem 2
As I was working with the original Bank Genie database and not the new one I had created in my "Accounts" area on hard drive I don't understand how the back up still goes to the "Accounts" area.

If I do a restore as you suggest, will what I have in the Accounts area backup be restored into the original Bank Genie Database.

Are the other things you describe in you reply additions to stop this happening in future.

Sorry to be a bit thick on this one but I don't want to screw up any of my data or finish up with backups of my data that are different.

Regards

Bill

[ideasguy]

Sorry to hear of your family bereavement Bill.

RE: This I gather you have now rectified so if I delete the folder BS202 and download the latest BS199 I will be OK.

Yes

I also notice that Programs BS008, BS012, BS197, BS201 and bg-fileset-enes.exe have later versions or issue dates so I assume I need to download these also.

Yes

Heres the rules for Backups and Restores.
BS197 allows you to configure two backup folders, a) The System Backup Folder and b) the Alternate Backup folder

Backups: Case A: Normal use:
The files which will be backed up are those as defined in the Installation folder.
By default this shows as .\ (in words dot backslash). The full path to .\ is:
c:\program files\Bank Genie

Backups: Case B: Start up folder changed using BS026 (In your Case= Accounts)
If, as in you case, you decide to change the start up folder, then THAT folder will be backed up.

In each case, you use the Backup To pop-up in BS193 to select where you want the backup to go.

RESTORES: Case A: Normal use:
The files which will be restored to the Installation folder.
As above this by default is:
c:\program files\Bank Genie

RESTORES: Case B: Start up folder changed using BS026 (In your Case= Accounts)
ALWAYS DO RESTORES TO THE ORIGINAL FOLDER
Start Program BS197
Click the "Reset to default" button (its a new button on BS197 Version 4 or higher which you download above)
This will set your start up folder back to original settings, as when you installed the system.
i.e. You are now back to being a "normal" user, with default settings, and working in the Original folder.
Now use BS197, then BS193 to do a restore.
The files are restored into the Original Bank Genie folder.
You can see them by using any of the programs, since you have reset your "Start-up" folder to default.

If you think about it, you have gone full circle.
Thus, you can now start the cycle again - You can use the Backup program to save the restored files to your Accounts folder

Watch this when doing a restore:
Start BS193
Click Step 1 then Step 2, and get to screen BS193S02
Scroll down to the bottom of the list box.
The very last line says:
Will be restored to - <and shows the path name>
Under the list box, it says:
Files will be restored from this folder.
Needless to say, double check before clicking the Do Restore button

[Bill]

George

Thank you for the prompt reply I will have a go at what you suggest.

Regards
Bill.

[barryl]

As a new customer coming into this several months later let me first add my support to the original poster who wanted to keep programs and data separate.

While I know that that is not how Micr*s*ft encourage people to design systems, or design their own (all that "my documents" stuff) as an old school systems designer I know that it is the only way to go. Otherwise should you need to backup (eg by system restore) and even reinstall the operating system ALL your data has been lost.

Consequently I think there should be the minimum of pointers in the data space generated by the program (IE just one item!) and everything else should be held where that points to (which could start in the same folder but needs to be configurable).

Secondly, while the changes george has made permit ONE alternative named file (which could be multiples of the same name on different flash cards) this is in my view fantastically over-restrictive. I currently manage about 10 completely separate financial systems and I would like them all the be kept in totally separate files with totally separate backups, all with different names.

This is partly for my sanity to help keep things separate and partly because if I need to share information with a third party I wish to transfer just the relevant data (and possibly have him use Bankgenie also).

Finally (and maybe this should have been a new topic) the backups need to have several generations for better safety (and maybe they should be taken automatically?).

[ideasguy]

I should have done this sooner, but I have today edited the initial posting in this topic to indicate that Bank Genie 3 has delivered the separation of Program files and data files as requested in this topic.
Ive posted a link to a document with more information about that change, and others in Bank Genie 3

I'm rather pleased that this happened sooner rather than later (enforced by Vista). It was "messy" to explain the solution described in postings I made in this thread.
Ive gone to great lengths in the Help supplied with BG3 to give the user total visibility and understanding of where Programs and data Files are on their computer.

Since it is out of date, I would like to terminate this thread.

If you have time Barry, would you mind posting the items above in new topics? It would be best to keep each point in separate topics to keep things as focused as possible.
I'm working on Bank Genie this week (mostly your Quicken import facility) so its a good time to get the specification for new change requests discussed.

I have to say I'm delighted to see Bank Genie folk on the forum!