Maintaining a Healthy Database

Outline
•	About the ACT! Database
•	Backups
•	Reindexing & Maintenance
•	ACTDIAG
•	Putting it on the toolbar

About the ACT! Database
Consists of 23 files they are listed below
1.	.ADB	Activity table
2.	.ADX	Index file for the Activity (.ADB) table
3.	.BLB	Binary Large Object Database (BLOB) file
4.	.DBF	Contact table
5.	.DDB	List table for the Sales (.SDB) table (in ACT! 2000 or later databases)
6.	.DDF	Database definition file
7.	.DDX	Index file for the List (.DDB) table (in ACT! 2000 or later databases)
8.	.EDB	E-mail table
9.	.EDX	Index file for the E-mail (.EDB) table
10.	.GDB	Group table
11.	.GDX	Index file for the Group (.GDB) table
12.	.HDB	Notes/History table
13.	.HDX	Index file for the Notes/History (.HDB) table
14.	.LCK	Record locking file for ACT! multi-user databases
15.	.MDX	Index file for the Contact (.DBF) table
16.	.REL	Relational table for ACT! tables
17.	.REM	Reminders file (in ACT! 2000 or later databases)
18.	.REX	Index file for the Relational (.REL) table
19.	.SDB	Sales table (in ACT! 2000 or later databases)
20.	.SDX	Index file for the Sales (.SDB) table (in ACT! 2000 or later databases)
21.	.TDB	Transaction synchronization log table
22.	.TDX	Index file for the Transaction synchronization log (.TDB) table
23.	.TLx	Record locking file for ACT! multi-user databases on a network, where x is the number of each subsequent file (TL1, TL2, and so on)

Knowing is important if you try to copy  your database with Windows Explorer or try to send it to a friend.  A VERY common mistake is to omit one of the files-- usually the first (.adb) and all of a sudden you are without activities.

Making a Backup
The easiest way to make a backup is to let ACT! do it.  
Select File > Backup. Specify a location to send the backup then simply select Start.
What's on the Options Tab?.  
•	This is where you can tell ACT! to backup all your other ACT! related files like letters you've written 
•	Plus, you can set a reminder to notify you when it's time to backup.  No more excuses

Reindexing
Select File>Database Maintenance
Why?  Reindexing keeps all the pointers into the database in order.  It's like having a stack of business cards that are ordered by Company name.  As you add more cards to the stack you put them on the end.  As the number at the end increases -- it takes longer and longer to locate the card you want.  
Always Compress.  This removes empty spaces and makes everything run better.
What's on the Data Clean-up Tab?
•	This is where you can really get rid of some of the old stuff.  
•	For example, cleared activities older than 60 days should go.  They've already been moved to history -- get rid of them.

ACTDIAG  The DiskDoctor for ACT!
Form the Start bar's Run command enter ACTDIAG.
The buttons on the side
Quick Check -- this lets you know how much stuff and where it is in your database.  This will give you an indication if your History/Notes, Activities etc have gotten out of line.  Most times you don't even know it.
Remove Indexes -- the FIRST step to resolve trouble with a database.  If you have problems opening a database, this what you do first.  Eighty-five percent of the time simply removing the index files will resolve the problem.
System Report -- if you plan to call for help, you should have this information available.  

All sorts of other goodies are available from the pull down menus.  
Options > 
Database Quick Check
Remove Index Files
Remove Unapplied Sync Packets
Remove Temp Files
Failed Conversion Check
Back Up ACT! Registry
Opportunistic Locking on NT Server
Undelete Records
Maintenance>
Scan Database Integrity
Scan and Repair Database
Backup Database
Reset
Options and Window Positions
Advanced Options
Reports>
System Configuration Report
Database Structure Report
Database Fields Report
Users Report

Putting ACTDIAG(and other useful apps) on your toolbar