Automatic Exports
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Automatic Exporting

Once the path is set (Command Window, Maint button, Setup, Set Paths) you may set exporting variables by pressing the Exports tab.

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Automatic exporting is enabled by checking the Automatic Exports check box.

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Automatic Exports operate primarily in the background. Here's how.

When the Save button is pressed in any Incidents, Apparatus, Patients and Classes applications FirePoint makes a copy of the record and places it in the TEMP folder on the user's local hard drive.

At the interval established by the interval variable:

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FirePoint checks the TEMP folder to see if there are any files needing to be forwarded via the server path to the TRANSFER folder.

If the transfer folder is available via the server path FirePoint will copy the file from the TEMP folder to the TRANSFER folder. If the copy was successfully completed FirePoint will delete the copy from the TEMP folder.

Since the HQ PC is using the same path to the TRANSFER folder it monitors the TRANSFER folder at interval for files addressed to HQ. If a file is located it is automatically imported into FirePoint HQ. Any records successfully imported are then automatically deleted from the TRANSFER folder.

Automatic exports take place in the background. It requires no special user training. There are also many safeguards built-into automatic exporting. If, for example, the network "goes down" for a few hours, saved records will simply accumulate in the station's TEMP folder. When the network is restored, all records in the TEMP folder will be forwarded over the network to the transfer folder on the file server. No user intervention is required.


Troubleshooting Exports Application

Most Exports errors are caused by:

1. Improper setting of server path  
2. Improper setting of local path  
3. Failure to select the proper path  
4. Outlying Stations set to "HQ" in Preferences  
5. Central PC (to receive) not set to "HQ"  
6. Network down or network error  
7. Missing Index.txt file (in TRANSFER folder)  
8. Locked (by password privilege) transfer folder  
 
Over networks all workstation users must have read and write access to the transfers folder. If a user is locked-out because of a lower level file sharing password an error will result.

If export files fail to delete after an import, check the password security level of the shared TRANSFER folder. If file sharing security does not allow record deletion, the files will not be automatically deleted.

If too many export files have collected in the TRANSFER folder, you may get an "Out of Memory" error. If this occurs temporarily move a number of records out of the TRANSFER folder. Try the import with fewer records.

Memory errors can also be caused by a corrupted export file. Remove a number of files from the TRANSFER folder and run exports again. If trail and error allows you to identify the corrupted file, look to its title for information about its origin.

If you are using automatic exports make sure users press the Save button when saving records. Some users may simply click on the window's close box. While this will save the record in the data file, the larger Save button must be used to both save the record and make a copy of the record for the TEMP folder and forwarding to the server.

Bad network cards, poor termination or noisy network cables may all be sources for file corruption over a network.