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Maintaining and recovering FileMaker Pro databases
F
ILEMAKER PRO HELP 1200
11. Close the solution file.
This script will create a backup of your file every fifth time you close the file.
Saving a compacted copy
When you save a compacted copy of a file, FileMaker Pro re-creates the entire database, fitting as
much data into each block as possible. This copies the logical structure, or arrangement, into the
new file and reclaims unused space. Compacting can be time consuming if the file is large, and it
might be best accomplished as an overnight task.
To save a compacted copy:
1. Make sure that you have enough room on your intended storage media.
You should have at least as much free space on your intended media as the size of your
uncompressed file. It is not a good idea to fill any storage media to its maximum capacity.
2. Choose File menu > Save a Copy As.
3. In the “Create a copy named” dialog box, for Save a (Windows) or Type (OS X), choose
compacted copy (smaller).
4. Click Save.
About recovering FileMaker Pro files
FileMaker Pro runs a consistency check automatically, if necessary, when a database is opened.
You can also choose to verify the consistency of a file if you suspect the file is damaged. If a
database requires more extensive correction to open, you can have FileMaker
Pro attempt to
recover the file.
The underlying action of file recovery is to preserve as much of the data as possible. In this context,
data generically refers to the file’s
schema and structure and its tables, records, layouts, scripts, and
field definitions. Non-essential data, such as the sort order, is not recovered.
These utilities do not guarantee that the file has been completely repaired. Therefore, after getting a
damaged database to open, you should immediately save a backup copy of the recovered database
and, depending on the severity of the problem, possibly import the data into a
clone of the original
database.
After you have opened a repaired or recovered database, check for consistent content, especially if
an active operation was running at the time of the shutdown.
Special notes on file recovery
In general, recovering a file should be reserved for files that will not open or are displaying index
problems. Try to save a compacted copy of the file first. Databases that are returning records
incorrectly from a find should be fixed by saving a compacted copy (see
Saving a compacted copy).
The Recover command aggressively attempts to correct a file so you can open it and recover your
data. To do this, the recovery process may delete corrupted fields, layouts, layout objects, scripts,
and data. For this reason, you should only use the Recover command when you cannot open a file.
Do not use this command for regular file maintenance.
Note There are many other conditions that return incorrect find results, including mismatched field
types. Also, records might be unexpectedly deleted by a misplaced script step or an option set in the
Edit Relationship dialog box. Be certain you have eliminated all other possibilities before assuming
that a file is damaged and must be recovered.