How To Unpack and Restore a Remote Database for Synchronization

Unpack and Restore Remote Database:

Remote users will need to unpack and restore their remote database before they will be able to synchronize. Use the following steps to unpack and restore a remote database:

Open ACT as a Windows administrator. Do this by right-clicking the ACT icon and choosing "Run as Administrator".

Note: Before beginning this process, ensure the RDB file has been saved to the local hard drive.
 

1. Click the File menu, point to Restore, and then click Database. The current database closes as the Restore Database dialog appears:
   
   
    
2. In the Select type section, enable Unpack and Restore Remote Database, and then click OK. The Restore an ACT! remote Database dialog box appears:
   
   
    
3. Click the Browse button at the Select the remote database file to restore field, browse to and open the remote database (.RDB file). At the Database Location field, click the Browse button and (if necessary) browse to the directory that you wish to restore the database to. You must choose to restore to a local drive, not a network drive. You may enable the Share this database with other users option here, if necessary.
4. Click OK. A Restore Database progress indicator appears as your remote database is restored.
   
   
    
5. The following ACT! dialog will appear once the restoration has successfully completed.
   
   
    
6. Click Yes
   You must delete the RDB file you have download at the start of these instructions. If you accidentally reopen the original RDB once the database has been deployed, you risk overwriting your data. If so, you will be unable to recover the lost data.
   
    
7. To open this database, click the File menu, and then click Open Database, or click the Open Database button.
    
   An Open dialog box appears.
8. Navigate to (if necessary) and Open the database (.PAD) file.

The last set of steps involve setting the scheduler to automatically sync your ACT! database.

1. Click the Tools menu, and then click ACT! Scheduler. 
   
   
2. The ACT! Scheduler - Create, Edit or Delete a Task panel appears:
   
   
    
3. Click Create a task from the Schedule Tasks box. The ACT! Scheduler - Select a Database dialog box appears:
   
   
4. Click the Browse button. An Open dialog box appears. Navigate (if necessary) to, and then Open the desired database (.PAD) file. The ACT! Scheduler - Select a Database dialog box reappears.
5. Enter the User name and (if necessary) the Password for this database, and then click Next. The ACT! Scheduler - Select a Task dialog box appears:
   
   
6. Click Database synchronization (remote database only) from the Task drop-down list, and then click Next. The ACT! Scheduler - Set a Schedule dialog box appears:
   
   
7. Enable an Occurs option of Hourly, Daily, Weekly or Monthly, and then enable the appropriate parameters corresponding to that option as follows:
   
   Note: Your computer must be running at the time that these tasks are scheduled for. However, the ACT! program does not need to be running.
   • Hourly - Between a starting hour and an ending hour that you specify. RECOMMENDED
   • Daily - Every weekday (M - F) or Every (number of) days that you specify, up to 31 days.
   • Weekly - Every (number of) Weeks on a weekday that you specify.
   • Monthly - Every Month or Every other month scheduled on a specific day of the month or the First, Second, Third, Fourth or Last specific day of the week.
8. When your synchronization schedule is specified, click Finish. The ACT! Scheduler - Create, Edit or Delete a Task panel reappears with your synchronization task(s) displayed.
   
   
9. Ensure that the ACT! Scheduler service is running. You can identify if the services is running by the state of the ACT! Scheduler icon in the system tray. If you see this icon the service is running. If you see this icon the service is NOT running. Use the following steps to start or stop the service:
   
   To Start the ACT! Scheduler Service:
   1. Launch ACT!.
   2. Click the Tools menu, and then click the ACT! Scheduler option. The ACT! Scheduler - Create, Edit or Delete a Task panel appears.
   3. Click the Start Service option from the Other Tasks section.
      
      
   4. Click Exit to close the ACT! Scheduler - Create, Edit or Delete a Task panel.

This article has been adapted from the ACT Knowledge Base article:

http://kb.swiftpage.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/22922

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