Index Key Warning Messages

If when running CAPITAL Series 7 the system reports a "index key" warning message, this indicates either a damaged .CDX or .DBF. The message may read:

Index keys exceed record count in: <name of database file>

or:

Fewer index keys were found than records in: <name of database file>

To resolve the problem:

    Perform an Automatic Repair.

Then check to see if the problem persists. If it does, the problem file should be sent to the CAPITAL development team for manual repair.

If the problem is not resolved by the Automatic Repair, this indicates that the problem is in the DBF file and not the index (CDX) file. As a precaution it is advisable to run a Scandisk or disk integrity check before performing the Automatic Repair.

It may be possible to repair the damage by performing a Database Maintenance.

However, a BACK-UP of your system must be made first, before executing the Database Maintenance. If the problem is severe a Database Maintenance may actually erase/destroy data.

Generally speaking, while the risk of loosing data is small, it is not impossible. This is why it is advisable to have a consultant or a programmer inspect the DBF file. It can then be determined if the Database Maintenance resulted in any loss of data by decreasing the file size or perhaps added corrupted entries to the database by increasing the file size.

What Happens If a Database Maintenance Results In a Decreased File Size?

This may be normal. But check by loading the original file into Microsoft Excel and comparing it into the repaired file. You will be able to see if any valid records were removed from the system after the maintenance procedure was performed. (Or you could use a utility such as DBVIEW to view the file. This program is available from CAPITAL Office Business Software upon request.)

What Happens if a Database Maintenance Results In a Increased File Size?

Load the file into Excel or use a utility such as DBVIEW to inspect the end of the file. Are there garbage characters in the records at the end? If so, these will need to be removed manually. The CAPITAL development team can do this if required.

What Happens If the Problem Persists?

This may mean that one or more records inside the DBF have been filled with illegal characters. (Generally zero bytes.) At this point, if you do not have a database file repair utility or are not familiar with its correct operation, the file should be e-mailed to the CAPITAL development team who will repair the file manually.

In some situations it may be possible to restore a back-up to resolve the problem. However, if users are migrating from CAPITAL 2.7 to CAPITAL Series 7, the problem may have been in the system for many months or even years. In that case it will not be practical to restore a back-up.

If the Problem Was in My System For Many Years, Why Didn't CAPITAL 2.7 Detect It?

CAPITAL Series 7 is a more powerful system and performs extra diagnostic checks which are not performed by CAPITAL 2.7.

16/01/02