Problem:

If you are getting any of the following errors or error messages when starting CardWare software
please follow the following instructions.

Error  Messages:

"Program has performed an Illegal Operation"
"Index does not match table"
"Table is not ordered"
"Index tag can not be found"
"Record is out of range"

Background:
CardWare has a file titled Cust.dbf. The Cust.dbf  file contains your client names and birth dates  when saved in CardWare. If your program is shut down incorrectly, if your hard drive is not  cleaned up regularly using Scan Disk, or if the computer is not shut down properly, damage may occur to program files, including CardWare's the Cust.dbf file. If the Cust.dbf is damaged  an error message indicating an illegal operation  will display when starting CardWare. Your might have to re-install CardWare.

Backup CardWare before proceeding!
Note: Spectrum Unlimited assumes no responsibility for lost or damaged data in CardWare. Use the  following suggestions at your own risk. When deleting the file named Cust.dbf, you will run the risk of loosing all of the names and address  saved in CardWare.

It is recommended to try the option #1 first if you have names and birth dates saved in the software that you want to recover. Option #2 might work or might not work depending on the  extent of the file damage. If no names and birth  dates are saved in the CardWare, you might want  to view option #3 to delete the program and  reinstalling a new copy. If you backed up CardWare, go to option #4.

Option #1 - Data recovery with auto-backup version.
Option #2 - Replace the damaged  database index file with a new one.
Option #3 - Delete and reinstall.
Option #4 - Copy data from a backup.

Option 1 - Data recovery with auto-backup version.

This option assumes that you have a version of the  software that automatically creates a backup file upon exiting CardWare, and also assumes that you have the original program diskettes for re-installation.

Important  Uninstall and Reinstall Note:

The version of CardWare that automatically writes  a backup.txt file does so every time you exit  CardWare. So if you uninstall and reinstall CardWare, be sure that you import the names from backup.txt by following the instructions  below before exiting CardWare?otherwise when  you exit CardWare, the backup.txt file will be overwritten and you will loose the backup.txt  content.

The  first step is to see if you have a backup file  titled backup.txt located in the following location:  c:\VCardWare\dbfs (this is the default location,  adjust accordingly.) The file named backup.txt  may or may not exist depending on the software version.

If you cannot locate the file backup.txt, go to option 2.

Assuming you did locate backup.txt in the c:\VCardWare\dbfs folder, do the following.
Using windows explorer, make a second copy of  the folder named VCardWare (c:\VCardWare) and all contents somewhere on your hard drive, or  onto a backup drive. We assume you are familiar  with windows copy commands to do this, if you need help with windows commands, please refer  to windows help.

After  making a second copy (or backup) of the VCardWare folder, click on windows start button, move the pointer up to programs, move the pointer to CardWare, and click on Uninstall. When CardWare  is uninstalled the file backup.txt (if present)  will not be removed.

Install  CardWare from the original diskettes starting with disk 1. Put disk one in the drive and click  on start, and click run, and enter a:\setup.exe (adjust according to drive location.) and click the ok button.  Follow the onscreen instructions to install CardWare. When finished installing the program you will need to import the backup.txt file.

Importing  the Backup.txt file (if present)

1. Click on the button in the Recipient window  titled Import located under the name list.

2. Using the search window, locate the file Backup.txt  located in the VCardWare folder (c:\VCardWare\dbfs).  Click on it once with the left mouse button,  and click the Open button.

3. The data-matching window opens containing three  columns. The left column lists the data fields  in CardWare, the center column lists the contents of backup.txt, and the right column is where  you place the matched fields when clicking the  add button.

Note:  If the center column is blank, click on the next record button until information appears.

4. After matching the backup.txt fields with CardWare's fields, click the Import Now button.

You  should be able to search and locate the records installed in the previous installation.
 

Option 2 - replace the index file with a new one.

Rename the original CardWare folder. By default, CardWare installs onto your hard drive into a folder named VCardWare. (C:\VCardWare). Rename this folder and re-install CardWare from its original  diskettes, or from the download file if purchased  on the Internet.

1. Close all programs. Double click on the desktop  icon named My Computer (usually located in the  upper left corner of the screen.) In the My Computer window, double click on C: drive.

2. When C: drive opens, locate the folder named VCardWare. Move the mouse pointer onto the VCardWare folder, and click the left mouse button one  time, when the menu opens, click with the right mouse button once on Rename. The name of the  folder turns a different color and is ready for you to type another name. Type the name VCardWareold.

3. Minimize the explorer window and re-install  CardWare from the original diskettes or from  a file you might have downloaded from the Internet like you originally did when you first installed  CardWare. During the installation, you will be asked to restart your computer choose NO to restarting the computer.

4. Maximize (open) the explorer window. You should  see a new folder named VCardWare. If you don't, you need to refresh the screen by pressing the F5 key on your keyboard. Next you need to copy  one file from the newly installed VCardWare  folder, and place that file into the original program.

5. Move the mouse pointer onto the VCardWare folder and double click the left mouse button. Inside the VCardWare folder, place the mouse pointer  on the folder named DBFS and double click the  left mouse button. Locate the file named CUST.CDX and move the mouse pointer onto that file and  click the left mouse button one time highlighting the file. Locate Edit along explorers top menu bar and click it with the left mouse button, and from the pull down menu, click copy.

6. Locate the original program folder we renamed  to VCardWareold. Looking at the explorer window  (upper area) locate the word Address, and look for a down arrow to the right side of the field next to Address. Click the left mouse button on the down arrow, and from the pull down menu, click on C: drive. The explorer re-opens. Locate the VCardWareold folder. Place the mouse pointer on the VCardWareold folder and double click the left mouse button. Locate the folder DBFS.  Double click on the DBFS folder. Now the DBFS folder should be open. Locate Edit along the  top menu bar in explorer. Click once on Edit, and from the pull down menu, click Paste.

7. Now that you replaced the index file with a  new one, try running New of the Past from the VCardWareold folder. To run the program click  the explorer window button named BACK (located in the upper left area of the explorer window) or follow the Address instruction above in section  6. Your goal is to open the VCardWareold. In the VCardWareold folder locate the VCardWare icon and double click that icon.

With luck the program will open. If error messages  appear, click ignore on each message until you  are in the software. Once you are in the program,  do a search using the search button, keep clicking ignore on each error message. Click the Search button, click  Birthdate, and enter the  date range 01/01  to  12/31, click  search. If you are successful, the name list will have all of your client names. Click on the Mark All button. Click the Export button (lower right corner.) The export button is you  method for exporting and transferring as well as backing up your client names and birth dates.  You can also use the export for moving client information from one copy of the software to another.

Follow the onscreen instructions for saving your client information to an exported file. Now that you have a back up of your client information you  have the option to import that information into the newly installed program in the VCardWare folder. It is recommended that import the client  information into the newly installed version  of CardWare if you receive error messages while  starting the program. If you did not receive  error message and the program appears to be working well, you have the option to continue  using that program, but you will need to rename the newly installed program, or delete it, then  rename VCardWareold to VCardWare by following the instructions in section 2 above.

To import name and date information, you first  need an ASCII comma-delimited file exported from  the software you use to maintain your customer  data (in this case we are using VCardWareold.)  The file must end with the extension .txt. Using  the import-search window, find the file you  exported. When you find the file, place the mouse pointer on the file name and double click  the left mouse button. In the following window,  click the Ok button, and the Map window will  open listing CardWare fields on the left column,  the first record of your imported file in the center column, (if the center column is blank, start click the next button until data appears.)  Match CardWare's fields (left column) to your file data (center column.) One by one, click  on a CardWare  heading, then click on your  files Field that matches CardWare's  heading. Click the Add button after each pair is matched  up.

When you are finished matching your text files information  to CardWare's  headings, click the Import Now button.
Import overview:

1. Click on the button in the Recipient windows titled Import (lower right corner.)

2. Using the search window, locate the file ending  with the extension .txt on your hard drive,  double click on it, then click the Ok button  in the following window.

3. Match your text file categories (left column)  one at a time with the appropriate CardWare category (center column) and click the Add button.
 Remember if no information appears in the center column; click the Next Record button until your information displays.

4. When ready, click the Import Now button.

CAUTION:
If you run through the import process again, the previous batch of imported information will  delete automatically.
 

Option 3 - Delete and reinstall.

If you do not have names and birth dates saved  in CardWare, or you were not able to recover  the damaged information using the suggestions in section 1, and you do not have a backup of  CardWare that  can be restored at this  time, you need to reinstall the software. The  following section outlines the recommended method for deleting and restoring CardWare.

Note:  Spectrum Unlimited assumes no responsibility  for lost or damaged data in CardWare. Use the  following suggestions at your own risk. When  deleting the file named Cust.dbf, you will run the risk of loosing all of the names and address saved in CardWare.

1. Close CardWare and re-start your computer, and try running CardWare again, this clears the  memory and may fix the problem. If the program  still does not run, go to step 2.

2. Because the Cust.dbf file is not overwritten when you re-install CardWare, you need to manually delete the Cust.dbf file before re-installing  CardWare.
3. Open Windows Explorer by double-clicking  the left mouse button on the My Computer icon  located in the upper left corner of the desktop.

4. Double-click the left mouse button on the drive  letter containing CardWare.

5. Using the scroll bar located on the right of the explorer window, scroll down until you see  the folder titled c:\VCardWare (depending on  drive installation, adjust drive letter).

6. Open the c:\VCardWare, and in the folder open  the DBFS folder.

7. In the DBFS folder, delete the files Cust.dbf, Cust.FTP, Cust.cdx. To delete these files, place the mouse pointer on the file, click the left  mouse button once, click your keyboards delete  key.

8. Re-Install CardWare using the original diskettes
 

Option 4 - Copy data from a backup.

Restore  from a backup:  For those users that actually have a backup of their program files, you can restore and/or copy the files Cust.dbf, Cust.FTP and Cust.cdx from your backup into the DBFS  folder. Proper location is outlined above, line 6.
 

End