Backup & Restore Database
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Features of CodedColor that ensure database integrity

1.Automatic broken link detection and correction.  
2.Automatic saving of changes  
3.Automatic datafile backups and restoration  
4.Manual database backups and restoration  
5.Clear Thumb Cache  
6.Cleanup database  

The backup options in detail:

2. Automatic saving of changes

In the Program Settings > Database tab you can define the Autosave interval in minutes, in which changes to the database are automatically written to the disk. If you are planning on adding many keywords and annotations to your images in a single session, then we advise you to turn this setting on. As an alternative, you can also press Save Database Now in the annotation dialog, while you are adding descriptions to your images.

3. Automatic datafile backups and restoration

In the Program Settings > Database tab you can enable Automatic datafile backups. Whenever you terminate CodedColor, a backup of the last correct database file is made in the Workdirectory\Backup folder, BEFORE the current changes are written to the disk. If anything goes wrong during shutdown of CodedColor, your database file could become corrupted. Thus, when you start CodedColor the next time and the database cannot be loaded for some reason, the last automatically backed file is used. (This feature is similar to the Windows backup of the registry.)

4. Manual database backups and restoration

In regular (monthly) intervals - depending on your database usage - you should call the menuitem Backup database. All database relevant files from Workdirectory\Data are then copied to a folder beneath Workdirectory\Backup. This includes the database definition files and image editor settings, which are stored in binary files. If you later experience database corruption or data loss, you can restore these files. Note however, that calling the Restore function looses all changes of the current CodedColor session.

5. Clear Thumb Cache

Calling this function in the Program Settings > Database tab removes all thumbs from the thumb database. You may need to do this, if your image database and the thumb cache become asynchronous, for instance after calling Restore Database. Deleting all thumbs has no effekt on CodedColor or your image archives, other than temporarily slowing down the explorer, since all thumbs now have to be recreated when browsing the image folders.

icon_tip Important
 
·You should do manual backups at least once a month, or after you have added many annotations (title, description and keywords) to your images.  
 
·You should set the Automatic datafile backup option, if you regularly add annotations and keywords to your images. You can also call Save database now, after adding many annotations.  
 
·Your images are never backed, only the corresponding database records. To backup your images, you should burn CDs of finished collections, for instance of all images taken in a certain year.  
 
·If you have checked the Automatic datafile backup option in the Program Settings, and you are experiencing a database problem while running CodedColor, try restarting Windows and CodedColor BEFORE calling the Restore Database menuitem. The manual restore facility only restores your last manual backup, whereas the autobackup option uses the database file from your last successful CodedColor shutdown.  

icon_tip Related topics
 
·Database tab  
·Why does the program stay active in the tray?  
·How stable is the database?  
·Is the database compatible with other programs?  
·Can I view the contents of the database?  
·Are my images stored in the database?  
·Database definition  

2004 © 1STEIN GmbH - CodedColor

CodedColor PhotoStudio by 1STEIN is a powerful and versatile photo organizer and image editing software for digital camera users. Features include photo editing & printing, web album galleries, slide shows, photo management & cataloging, custom sorting, IPTC & EXIF display, thumbnail generation, resize & resample images, jp2000, batch conversion, database keyword searching, red eye removal, color / sharpness / brightness & contrast correction, artefacts removal, clone brush, scanner & TWAIN import, screen capture, lossless JPEG rotation, gamma correction and screenshows with transition effects, panorama stitch, RAW, photo books and layouts, collages, histograms, white balance, PDF export, watermarks, etc. Please visit the CodedColor FotoStudio homepage to learn more or download a free copy!