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Unexplained loss of data.

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Unexplained loss of data.
Hi all. I have a real problem on my hand which I hope I can explain to you. Let me make it clear, I am Not a Techie. I own my Sites and do some administration of them, but that's about my limit.

I have a 1999 version of Links 2 on my Site. It is used for 3 different purposes. For the last few weeks, I have been receiving 2 morning reports of updates for my Links 2 programs. The first one is always the File: Copy. The 2nd is Backup exists for today: Skipping. On that one, sometimes there is an error message sometimes not.

Now, those messages prompted me to check the programs. One of the things I discovered was that there were daily backups upon daily backups from when the programs were first added to my Site. I have since deleted 1.3GB from my Server. 2 of the programs, Hotel Ratings and Comments and Restaurant Ratings and Comments, while I have received error messages for them sporadically, are just fine. All the data is there and the programs seem to be working with no problems. The 3rd is the problem. While I have backups for it, it has steadily 'lost' data in the db file. It's lost darn near 2MB of data. Well, it's a Trip Report program, and some people write a Lot! :-)

So, my challenge is to replace the db files with the backups. I haven't a Clue as to how to go about doing this. Any help would be Greatly appreciated! Here are the Links to the programs:

www.cancunandrivieramaya.com/trips www.cancunandrivieramaya.com/hotels www.cancunandrivieramaya.com/restaurants

Saludos, Tim


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Re: [Cbeach1] Unexplained loss of data. In reply to
Well, if all you need to do is use a backup, just delete (rename and keep is safer) the current file, and copy the back up into that directory and rename it to match the original.



Are you having people write those and then save them to the db files? I don't think that's the best way to do that, maybe you could incorporate a blog program (Movabletype) for that feature...



If these notes are unclear, let us know...


Leonard
aka PerlFlunkie
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Re: [Cbeach1] Unexplained loss of data. In reply to
The main problem for the data loss, is over-use of the links.db etc files. If you have the money for it, I would highly recommend Links SQL. Its a lot faster, and its almost impossible to screw up the data Wink

Cheers

Andy (mod)
andy@ultranerds.co.uk
Want to give me something back for my help? Please see my Amazon Wish List
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Re: [Andy] Unexplained loss of data. In reply to
My thanks to both of you for responding. It probably would be a very good idea to update my Links. However, I am currently without a Webmaster and I may not have the funds to cover the cost of the software and to have someone install it on my Site and transfer the old stuff to the new program. :-(

So, the next option is probably what Leonard suggests (and I'm sorry Leonard, I really don't know how the 'text' gets added to the program). Rename these in the data file: links.db, email.db and categories.db and replacing them with these files from the backup file: 11-Feb-2003.links.db, 11-Feb-2003.email.db and 11-Feb-2003.category.db and renaming these appropriately?

Feb. 11 is the next to last date before I started losing stuff. Tim
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Re: [Cbeach1] Unexplained loss of data. In reply to
Sounds like you have a handle on the procedure. Try it, but be sure to keep backups. Looking at your site, I see the trip report is entered through the add.cgi, so yes, it's all going into the links.db. Note that the backup is named category.db, and the active file is categories.db.


Leonard
aka PerlFlunkie
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Re: [PerlFlunkie] Unexplained loss of data. In reply to
Okay. I'll give it a try. Thanks. If you hear a scream.............. :-) Tim
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Re: [PerlFlunkie] Unexplained loss of data. In reply to
Good morning. Well, that kind of worked. my data file links.db is 300kb rather than 106kb. and my backup links.db is back to 1960kb from 106kb. I did get an error message this morning in my

Backing up database . . .
Backing up links, category and email database (File::Copy) ...
Done.


This was the message:

<PRE>

CGI ERROR
==========================================
Error Message : Error building! Links database is 0 bytes!
Script Location : /home/cbeach/public_html/trips/cgi/admin/nph-build.cgi
Perl Version : 5.00401

Form Variables
-------------------------------------------

Environment Variables
-------------------------------------------
AUTOBOOT : YES
BOOT_IMAGE : linux
HOME : /home/cbeach
HOSTNAME : alternate.he.net
HOSTTYPE : i686
INIT_VERSION : sysvinit-2.62
MACHTYPE : i686-pc-linux-gnu
OSTYPE : linux-gnu
PATH : /bin:/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin
PREVLEVEL : N
RUNLEVEL : 3
SHELL : /bin/sh
SHLVL : 2
TERM : linux
USER : cbeach
_ : /home/cbeach/public_html/trips/cgi/admin/nph-build.cgi

</PRE>


Now I have sporadically received the same message, I think, in my other 2 Links 2 applications. But they still seem to be fine. ?????? Any suggestions? Thanks, Tim
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Re: [Cbeach1] Unexplained loss of data. In reply to
As I'm a nice kinda person....I will have a look for you. If you want me to, then please send me your FTP details via email to webmaster@linkssql.net, or PM me at this forum.

Cheers

Andy (mod)
andy@ultranerds.co.uk
Want to give me something back for my help? Please see my Amazon Wish List
GLinks ULTRA Package | GLinks ULTRA Package PRO
Links SQL Plugins | Website Design and SEO | UltraNerds | ULTRAGLobals Plugin | Pre-Made Template Sets | FREE GLinks Plugins!
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Re: [Cbeach1] Unexplained loss of data. In reply to
just out of curiosity, why use links for what you are doing? Could a msg board do an even better job?
after looking at your site, just curious...


Gene
"The older I get, the more I admire competence, just simple competence in any field from adultery to zoology."
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Re: [esm] Unexplained loss of data. In reply to
Well, as you can see from my Site, I do have Message Boards. The one is pretty active too. Usually people do post their Trip Reports on the Board. Then, hopefully, add them to the database. This way I have one central location for them. Also, many people will link to their Trip Report when they e-mail people they have received e-mails from regarding their vacation. Tim
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Re: [Andy] Unexplained loss of data. In reply to
Het thanks Andy! I'll send you an e-mail. Tim
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Re: [Cbeach1] Unexplained loss of data. In reply to
Fixed...

BTW: Please don't all start emailing me. I've already had 1 request to 'fix' someone's installation. I had a bit of free time, so I offered to help out. I can't do this kinda stuff free all the time Wink

Cheers

Andy (mod)
andy@ultranerds.co.uk
Want to give me something back for my help? Please see my Amazon Wish List
GLinks ULTRA Package | GLinks ULTRA Package PRO
Links SQL Plugins | Website Design and SEO | UltraNerds | ULTRAGLobals Plugin | Pre-Made Template Sets | FREE GLinks Plugins!
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Re: [Andy] Unexplained loss of data. In reply to
Thanks Andy! Tim