Q-107.687
Reparing archives with the tool »ArcUtil«


Frage
Problem What has to be considered using »ArcUtil« and which files can be restored with the tool?
Produkt Utilities
Priorität normal
Effekt normal
Datum 12.01.2009

Antwort
It is possible to reorganize defective archives with the tool »ArcUtil«. All information of an Archive (name, message entries, sub-archives) are saved in specific system files. If that data is damaged (for which reason whatsoever)it is not possible to display archives at all or to display them correctly in the David InfoCenter. With the tool ARCUTIL.EXE it is possible to newly create or modify them. Note that it is not always possible to recover the content of the subject. In that case it displays the notification "ArcUtil Recover" as the subject.

Important Notes:
»ArcUtil« should only be used in an emergency and with the most possible carefulness, because an improper use may damage or destroy whole archives which results in loss of data!

If the archives are not displayed correctly in the David InfoCenter, check the network configuration of the corresponding workstation first. As soon as the archives are displayed correctly on any of the workstations of the DvISE server, you must not use ARCUTIL.EXE by any means. The files ARCHIVE.DAT and ARCHIVE.DIR can then not be damaged! Check the workstation on which the archives in the David InfoCenter are not displayed correctly.

Functionality:
Tobit »ArcUtil« is a tool that allows the subsequent modification of an existing DvISE archive structure. In can be used for example to repair defective entries an the DvISE archives. Naturally you should try to find the cause of the problems and remove to prevent the effect from occurring again!

The DvISE archive structure consists of many single directories (archives). In these archives, the corresponding messages (fax, voice, eMail, TMail) are stored as files. There is a system file (ARCHIVE.DAT) for every archive in which all messages are listed that are in the archive. If there are sub-archives for an archive there is an additional system file (ARCHIVE.DIR), in which all these direct sub-archives are listed. The system files thus always have the following name:

  • ARCHIVE.DAT - List of entries in the current archive
  • ARCHIVE.DIR - List of direct sub-archives of the current archive
Both files are automatically generated and have a special body. They must therefore not be edited or changed with a regular text editor! In case of an error in the archive structure, you can use the tool »ArcUtil« to remove the error. But note that a retrieval of the data resp. of the archive structure cannot be guaranteed in all cases!

»ArcUtil« offers the following functionalities:

  • Restoring the ARCHIVE.DIR
  • Restoring the ARCHIVE.DAT
  • Find and replace path specifications (e.g. Server name, volume) within the system files, optionally also in all sub archives
Program Start:
Login at the DvISE server as a user with administrator's permissions from a workstation . Create a drive mapping for the DvISE server (e.g. drive F:) if there has been none yet. If your DvISE installation is on a server running Windows NT you can execute »ArcUtil« directly on this computer.

Start »ArcUtil« by executing the ARCUTIL.EXE from the directory »\DAVID\UTIL\WINDOWS« of the DvISE server. The program then opens. In the field "Path" enter the complete path to the DvISE archive that is to be dealt with. You can either enter the path directly in the field or you select it via the "Browse" button. Note that you must not enter the show names of the archives (the names that are displayed in the David InfoCenter), but their real names (the names under which the corresponding directories have been created on file system level). If you do not know the exact real name of the desired archive you can have its complete path displayed in the David InfoCenter.

To do so, mark the corresponding archive and select "Properties" from the context menu (right mouse button). Then click on the archive icon (blue cabinet) to have the actual path displayed. Now make sure that the correct name of DvISE server, whose archive structure is to be dealt with, is entered in the field "Server". If the path was entered correctly including the mapped drive letter resp. as UNC path, the content of the field "Server" is automatically adjusted.

Via the button "Browse" on the right of the field, you can select the desired server from all available servers in the network if necessary. Further settings depend on the reason for which you are using »ArcUtil«. Thus read the following chapters.

Restoring the ARCHIVE.DAT
Activate the function "Recreate ARCHIVE.DAT" if you want to use »ArcUtil« to restore accidentally deleted or damaged ARCHIVE.DAT files. The file contains all important information about the single entries of the current archive such as recipient and sender information, connection data etc. In case this file does no longer exist or if it was damaged, that information is not accessible anymore. By restoring the ARCHIVE.DAT the access to actual messages is at least possible again. You can e.g. open a fax or an eMail, but the subject or the sender is not known anymore, because that information was listed in the ARCHIVE.DAT. All restored entries simply have the uniform subject "ArcUtil Recover". If the ARCHIVE.DAT has not been deleted but merely damaged, the still existing information may possibly be retrieved during the restore. Activate the checkbox "Recover from old DAT" to do so. A possibly existing ARCHIVE.DAT is renamed to ARCHIVE.BAK by »ArcUtil«.

During restore, the global send and receive protocols (DAVID.LOG, DAVID.REC) are scanned. Here it is checked if the names of the messages which are listed in the archive exist in these protocols. In that case, the data can be restored with the correct entry information.

The search makes no sense though if the according entries have been removed from the global protocols by the purge. The search is also unsuccessful if the the entries have been moved within the DvISE archives because file name and path have been changed then. The search can possibly take quite some time for extensive protocols. For this reason the function can be deactivated by selecting the checkbox "Do not search LOG files".

Via the »Include Subdirectories« check box you can define if »ArcUtil« is to carry out the requested action for the selected archive only or also for all sub-archives contained. Activate this checkbox if you want to include the sub-archives. Confirm the selection with "OK" afterwards. A summary of the selected settings appears. Make sure the settings are correct.

If the settings are correct, then click on »Yes« to start the conversion. In a special dialog window, corresponding entries will inform you all the time about the status of the conversion process.

Restore the ARCHIVE.DIR
Activate the »Recreate ARCHIVE.DIR« check box if you want to use ArcUtil to recreate ARCHIVE.DIR files that have been damaged or deleted by mistake. A file named ARCHIVE.DIR is contained in every archive that contains direct sub-archives. This file contains a list of all direct sub-archives of the current archive. If this file is missing or has been damaged, then it won't be possible to display or open the corresponding sub-archives in the David InfoCenter.

»ArcUtil« creates a new ARCHIVE.DIR in which all sub-archives located in the current archive will be entered. The directory name (real name) of a sub-archive will be the same as its show name that will be displayed in the David InfoCenter, for example. If another ARCHIVE.DIR file is available in the current archive, then it will be renamed into ARCHIVE.DI_. Note that settings that have already been configured for these archives (Archive Properties) and the archives' show names won't be available any more after the recreation.

Via the »Include Subdirectories« checkbox you can define if »ArcUtil« is to carry out the requested action for the selected archive only or also for all sub-archives contained. Activate this checkbox if you want to include the sub-archives. Afterwards, confirm the selected options with »OK«. A list of the configured settings will be displayed. Please check if all entries in this list are correct.

If the settings are correct, then click on »Yes« to start the conversion. In a special dialog window, corresponding entries will inform you all the time about the status of the conversion process.

Search and Replace Path Specifications:
It will be necessary to search for and replace path specifications if the server name and/or the volume of the DvISE installation has changed and the archive structure has to be adapted correspondingly. In this case, the changes have to be made starting from the archive root (\DAVID\ARCHIVE) through the entire archive tree. To do this, activate the »Include Subdirectories« function. Then, all sub-archives will be included.

The following files will be changed correspondingly during this process:

  • ARCHIVE.DAT - List of entries in the current archive
  • ARCHIVE.DIR - List of direct sub-archives in the current archive
  • ARCHIVE.ADD - Various settings (Archive Properties)
  • ARCHIVE.URT, *.URT - David InfoCenter routing
Click on the »Find and Replace« register card. Here, you can specify the string you are looking for and the string to be inserted. Before starting the process, you should check if the path specification in the ARCHIVE.DIR or ARCHIVE.DAT is correct by using a HEX editor. For example, in the ARCHIVE.DIR the path could be specified as follows:
    OLD_SERVER\SYS:DAVID\ARCHIVE\USER\080000BD
If you wanted to replace the server name and the volume, you could specify the following for the path:
    NEW_SERVER\VOL1:DAVID\ARCHIVE\USER\080000BD.
This way, you know which paths have to be defined on the »Find and Replace« tab. When specifying this path, it is IMPERATIVE that you make sure that it is written correctly, since syntax errors can lead to loss of data! It is important not to replace the backslash (\) by a slash (/). Moreover, you must not insert an additional slash or backslash after the colon of a volume specification:

    Wrong:
    NEW_SERVER/VOL1:\DAVID\ARCHIVE\USER\080000BD
    Correct:
    NEW_SERVER\VOL1:DAVID\ARCHIVE\USER\080000BD
When specifying the path, it does not matter whether you use uppercase or lowercase lettering. ArcUtil automatically converts lowercase into uppercase lettering. Afterwards, confirm the selected options with »OK«. A list of the configured settings will be displayed. Please check if all entries in this list are correct. If the settings are correct, then click on »Yes« to start the conversion. In a special dialog window, corresponding entries will inform you all the time about the status of the conversion process.