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Tech Tip: Checking when a Database was Previously Opened
PRODUCT: 4D | VERSION: 20 | PLATFORM: Mac & Win
Published On: October 1, 2025
A way to check when a database using a specific datafile was previously opened is to check the journal. The journal logs when a datafile was opened and gracefully closed.
This can easily be performing the following steps:
  1. Open the MSC
  2. Navigate to the Activity analysis section.
  3. In the list of operations look under the Action column for entries labeled "Opening of Data File".
  4. Check the corresponding Date and Time to identify when the datafile was last opened.
If the journal contains many operations, it can be exported to a text-delimited file using the Export button in the Activity analysis section of the MSC under the list. Open the results in a text editor and search for "Opening of Data File" to locate relevant operations more efficiently.
This method offers a straightforward way to track database access history for specific datafiles.