Restore the database from an ADBZ file
Alfabet databases can be archived in Alfabet database archive files (ADBZ) that are a proprietary file format. This archiving must not be used for normal regular database backup processes but rather, for example, to archive a database and send it to Software GmbH Support.
Please note the following:
- This action overwrites the content of the Alfabet database. Never restore a database without prior backup of the current database! If the restore action fails, it may result in a corrupt database!
- This mechanism is only available if the database server is installed on the same machine as the Alfabet Administrator. It is not intended for use in productive environments and should only be used to ease database maintenance in development or test environments.
- The restore of a database will fail if the server alias is configured to enforce password criteria and the database in the ADBZ file contains users with empty passwords or with a password not matching the defined user password criteria. If restore of the database fails, the target database may be corrupt.
- A case-sensitivity check has been implemented for restore of the Alfabet database from ADBZ file. If the target database is case-insensitive and the ADBZ file was created from a case-sensitive database, the restore process will not be performed and a message informs about the incompatibility of the databases.
- Prior to using this functionality, ensure that no Alfabet components are currently connected to the Alfabet database. This includes the Alfabet Web Application, the Alfabet Server (service), Alfabet Expand or batch utilities.
To restore the database from an ADBZ file, use the following command line for the AlfaAdministratorConsole.exe:
- AlfaAdministratorConsole.exe -msalias <alias name> -DbUser <database user name> -alfaLoginPassword <database user password> -db_restore -ArchiveInputFile <file name and location>
The table below displays the command line options:
| Command Line Option | Mandatory/ Default | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| -db_restore | Mandatory | The command line must include the following command to archive the database to an ADBZ file:
|
| -msalias <alias name> | Mandatory | Enter the server alias name as specified in the AlfabetMS.xml configuration file for access to the database. |
| -msaliasesfile <Alfabet configuration file path> | Optional | If the AlfabetMS.xml configuration file that contains the specification of the alias is not located in the same directory as the executable, the path to the AlfabetMS.xml file must be specified with this parameter. |
| -DbUser <database user name> | Mandatory | Database user name for access to the Alfabet database on the database server. |
| -DbPassword <database user password> | Optional | Database user password for access to the Alfabet database on the database server.
If the access mode to the Alfabet database is Windows Authentication, the command line option -DbUser must be defined without a value for the user name and -DbPassword is not required. |
| -ArchiveInputFile <file name and location> | Mandatory | Specify the path to and name of the ADBZ file that contains the database content that shall be used to overwrite the current database. |
| -IncludeAudit <false|true> | Optional | To include the audit history tables in the ADBZ file into the database, set this parameter to true. |
| -SqueezeAudit <false|true> | Optional | If set to true, the history tables in the ADBZ file will be are scanned for obsolete entries. Any entries that were generated during, for example, the batch update of data via batch utilities without documenting any audit relevant changes are deleted from the audit tables restored from the ADBZ file. |