Integrating the Log File Interactively

If you integrate the log file from your database, you can immediately view the effects of the integration on your data. Such interactive integrations can be particularly advantageous for correcting a user error.

Suppose that a user error has occurred (for example, the accidental erasure of a record). You want to integrate the operations up to the point just before the error, without losing the operations that have taken place after the error.

• First: Restore from a backup prior to the error.
  
• Next: Integrate the first part of the log file (up to the error).
  

The log file provides information about each operation to help you follow the sequence of operations and decide which operations to integrate. For example, if a user accidentally deletes a record, you can isolate that operation in the log file by viewing the deletions that have taken place. You can also use other methods; for instance, if you know the approximate time of the deletion, you can perform a search based on that time. The log file can contain the following columns.

• Operation: This column contains the type of operation performed (addition, modification, deletion, or transaction), along with an icon allowing you to quickly identify the operation type.
  
• Table and Record: For additions, deletions and modifications, this column provides the name of the table and the record number. For transactions, 4D Backup displays the number of additions, deletions and modifications that occurred in the transaction.
  
• Content: This column can display the contents of fields that you have selected. The Content column is displayed only if you have selected one or more fields for which you want to view the contents.
  
• User: In a multi-user database, this column displays the name of the user that performed the operation.
  
• Date: This column displays the date of the operation.
  
• Time: This column displays the time of the operation.
  
• Addition of a record
  
• Modification of a record
  
• Deletion of a record
  
• Transaction: A transaction can be validated or cancelled.
  

Select an operation occurring after the record is created but before it is deleted:

1. Click the line describing the operation. The line appears highlighted. All preceding operations will be integrated when you click the Integrate button.
   Note: To maintain the logical coherence of your data, you cannot integrate operations in any order that you want. You can select a specific operation, but all operations before it will also be integrated.
   
2. Click the Integrate button to execute the selected operations. A meter displays the progress of the integration. The operations integrated into the database now appear dimmed. You cannot re-integrate operations that have already been integrated.
   Once this is done export the desired data from 4th Dimension integrate the rest of the log file and import the previously exported data into the database and the erased record is recovered.