This section contains instructions on how to take your program’s data files - those with the extension *.KSH - and move them to another computer (i.e. the "target" computer). These instructions assume that you are overwriting the Filpac files on the target computer with those from the source computer.

For advanced users or system administrators, the method is as follows:

1. Make sure that both locations are using the same software version. This is crucially important. Not doing so could void your warranty as it applies to our help in fixing the mess that might result because different versions have different data file structures. The first step should be to go to our website and download our most current software version.

2. Using PKZIP or WinZip on the source computer, zip up the source computer’s Filpac data files, which are those with the extension *.KSH in the FR folder.

3. Back up the .KSH files on the target computer, just in case you need to restore them.

4. ERASE the data and index files on the target computer: C:\FR\*.KSH and C:\FR\*.CDX, i.e. those with the KSH and CDX extensions in the FR folder of the target computer. This will ensure that the entire file set from the source computer is copied.

5. Unzip the new set of *.KSH files in C:\FR folder of the target computer. When you restart the program, it will rebuild the missing index files (i.e. those with the CDX extension) that were erased.

1. Make sure that both locations are using the same software version. This is crucially important. Not doing so could void your warranty as it applies to our help in fixing the mess that might result because different versions have different data file structures. The first step should be to go to our website and download our most current software version.

If you’re maintaining your Filpac system on two separate computers, you cannot interchange data with the Export/Import function unless both computers are using the same version of the program. The version number is displayed on the program’s main screen.

Go to the Filpac website and download the most recent version. On both computers. OR you can copy the entire \fr\prog folder from the source computer to the target computer.

If you're also using FRONTRUNNER, make sure that your program version is the same on both computers. The FRONTRUNNER program file is FR.EXE in the \fr folder. If you're not using FRONTRUNNER, then you should ERASE \fr\fr.exe if it exists.

First, to see which computer has the newer version, go to the MSDOS or Command prompt on each computer. To get to the MSDOS or Command prompt, go to Start->Run and type command. (Type "cmd" if you’re using Windows 2000 or NT.) Or, if you’re using Windows 98 or 95, go to Start->Run->MSDOS Prompt.

Do the following:

CD\FR\PROG go to the FR\PROG folder

DIR FRW.EXE show the details of the program file

You will see a listing of the program file that looks something like this ...

FRW EXE 8,252,608 02-16-04 7:32a FRW.EXE

Take note of the date and time. If it is identical on both computers, you have the same version. Otherwise you’ll need to take the newer program file from one computer and copy it to the other. The wrinkle in this plan is that, as you will notice, the size of the file is more than 8 megabytes - about six times as large as the capacity of a standard diskette. So the solution is to compress the file using a program called PKZIP, otherwise known as "zipping" the file.

2. Using PKZIP or WinZip on the source computer, zip up the Filpac data files, which are those with the extension *.KSH in the FR folder.

PKZIP is a "shareware" program widely used for at least a decade. If you’re a Filpac user, chances are that a copy of the program has already made its way to your computer. To find out if PKZIP is installed on your computer, do the following:

DIR P*.EXE to show all the files with the EXE extension beginning with P

If you see a message saying File not found, then the program does not reside in your FR folder. Otherwise you’ll probably see the following:

PKZIP EXE 29,378 02-01-93 2:04a PKZIP.EXE

PKUNZIP EXE 42,166 02-01-93 2:04a PKUNZIP.EXE

Another way to see if you have PKZIP installed is to simply type PKZIP at the command prompt. If it says "bad command or file name", the program is not installed, or at least not accessible from your FR folder. If it gives you a screen ending in "Press 2 for more options", then PKZIP is installed on your computer.

The basic method of using PKZIP is to type "PKZIP" followed by the name of the "zip" file that you’re creating, followed by the files that you wish to include in the "zip" file.

C:\FR> PKZIP FRFILES *.KSH

The above command compresses the files in the current folder ending in KSH (i.e. the Filpac data files) into a file called FRFILES.ZIP. Notice there’s a space between the command verb (PKZIP) and the file name (FRFILES) and the file scope (*.KSH). This

The two largest files in your Filpac system are likely to be MAS.KSH (your master file of names and addresses) and ROPN.KSH (your contribution records). Let’s say that the FRFILES.ZIP file you’ve created is too large to copy to a diskette or transport.

The capacity of a diskette is 1,457,664 bytes or 1.38 megabytes (mb). Why doesn’t 1,457,664 bytes equal 1.46 megabytes? Because a megabyte is 1,088,000 bytes. A kilobyte (kb) is 1,088 bytes.

To break your data files down into compression files (i.e. Zip files) of manageable sizes, you can try the following:

First, use the -x switch to omit certain files. The following command compresses to a file named FRFILES1.ZIP all of your *.KSH except MAS.KSH (the master file) and those with the OPN in the name (receipts, expenditures, worker and list entries).

PKZIP FRFILES1 *.KSH -xMAS.KSH -x?OPN.KSH

Next, compress the master file within one Zip file:

PKZIP FRFILES2 MAS.KSH

Next, compress those ?opn files to a Zip file:

PKZIP FRFILES3 ?OPN.KSH

To check your file sizes, type the following:

DIR FRFILES*.ZIP

This will display the Zip files beginning with "frfiles"

Volume in drive C is WINDOWS 98

Volume Serial Number is 2768-14ED

Directory of C:\FR

FRFILES1 ZIP 956,284 03-01-01 2:20p FRFILES1.ZIP

FRFILES2 ZIP 2,715,886 03-01-01 2:21p FRFILES2.ZIP

FRFILES3 ZIP 1,629,118 03-01-01 2:22p FRFILES3.ZIP

3 file(s) 5,301,288 bytes

0 dir(s) 2,045.23 MB free

In the case above, the second and third zip files are too large for a diskette. And it would be impossible to "break down" the second Zip file because it contains only one file: MAS.KSH. So the answer from here is to "span" diskettes. This is the PKZIP program’s way of creating one large Zip file and then spanning it across several diskettes.

PKZIP A: FRFILES *.KSH -&

You’ll need 4 diskettes. How can you tell? Because the combined size of the Zip files in the example above is 5,301,288 bytes. Divide that by 1,457,644, which is the capacity of one diskette.

Can you can send files by Email instead of diskette, thus eliminating the problem of having to break down your Zip files into manageable sizes? For zip files smaller than 2 megabytes, yes. For larger files, maybe not. Many Internet service providers (including, as of this writing, Microsoft Network (MSN) ), limit their file attachments to 2 megabytes.

To return to your Windows desktop, type the following:

EXIT

3. Back up the .KSH files on the target computer, just in case you need to restore them.

If PKZIP is installed on the target computer, you can go to the MSDOS prompt that computer and do the following:

CD\FR

PKZIP FRBACKUP

This will create a Zip file called FRBACKUP.ZIP . It will contained compressed copies of your data files (i.e. those with the KSH extension).

4. ERASE the following files on the target computer: C:\FR\*.KSH and C:\FR\*.CDX, i.e. those with the KSH and CDX extensions in the FR folder of the target computer. This will ensure that the entire file set from the source computer is copied.

Go to the MSDOS prompt and do the following:

CD\FR switch to the FR folder

ERASE *.CDX erase the files with a CDX extension

ERASE *.KSH erase the files with a KSH extension

EXIT return to your desktop

5. Unzip the new set of *.KSH files in the target computer. When you restart the program, it will rebuild the missing index files (i.e. those with the CDX extension that were erased.)

Go to the "command" or "MSDOS" prompt and do the following:

CD\FR switch to the FR folder

If your Zip file is named FRFILES.ZIP and is on a Diskette in Drive A:

PKUNZIP A:FRFILES

If your Zip file is named FRFILES.ZIP and resides in your FR folder:

PKUNZIP FRFILES

If your Zip file is named FRFILES.ZIP and "spanned" over several diskettes, insert the LAST diskette in the series and type the following:

PKUNZIP A:FRFILES

The program will prompt you to insert the first diskette.

EXIT To return to your desktop.