I have a master database file which is made up of 20 smaller databases. The unique identifier (primary key?) for each file is the field "SEF", e.g. SEF = TC, SEF = JM, SEF = DM, etc. Frequently, records are moved from one SEF file to another. Is there a way to automate that process. For example, every midnight delete all records from the Master database and merge records from the SEF databases, then search the Master database for each SEF and export their records back to their own database? The effect would be that TC could change the SEF field of a record in her database to JM and when JM logs on the next morning, that record would be in her database.

Rick

Please only post your topic into the ONE most appropriate forum, not multiple forums.

Sorry for multiple posting - I assumed different people, with different perspectives and expertise, would read and respond in multiple areas.

No expert suggestions?

Rick

What you are wanting to do can be achieved via a series of scripts distributed around each of the files, which are called as external subscripts from the master file.

Clearly, you would want to run any backups prior to progressing through the process you've outlined. After the completion of routime backups, a script should run in the main file to Show All Records, Delete All Records, then make an external sub-script call to each of the sub-files to show all records, followed by an Import step to bring in the data from each of the sub-files. Then the same script should continue, first finding the records for a particular sub-file, then calling a script in that sub file.

This second script in the sub-file should delete all records, then import the current found set from the main file. Once its run is concluded, it should make a closing call to a script in the main file to continue the process, then close itself.

The script called in the main file should proceed through the same sequence of events with the next file (find, call external script etc.).

Once the cascading series of scripts has concluded, the last script called in the main file can close it (if required). Then in the morning, as you say, the fresh data set will greet each sub-file 'owner' when they open it to begin work.

The only thing missing from this scenario is the means to ensure that the script runs at midnight each night. There are several ways to do this. One is to set a script running which checks time periodically, then once midnight is reached, calls another script to set things in motion. It would be necessary for someone to set things in motion when the day's business came to a close.

Another set of options for 'triggering' would be to harness code from outside the system using a macro or automation language such as VB, Quickkeys, AppleScript etc, running as a background process and operating through the system clock.

A third set of options would involve using one of the script triggering plug-ins such as Troi Activator or oAzium Events, which can be set to trigger one or more scripts automatically acording to a schedule. If you are interested in this last option, you would be able to get more information (and demo downloads etc) from the vendor sites at:

Troi Automatisering - Activator Plug-in:

http://www.troi.com/software/activatorplugin.html

Waves in Motion - oAzium Events Plug-in:

http://wmotion.com/events.html

Hope the above gives you some ideas to work with.