APPENDIX K

BACKING UP CompuDance DATA FILES

     Why should I backup my data files?

     Simply . . . what if something happens to your computer?  And you lost all your data?  What would you do?  How long would it take you to re-construct all that data for all those students?  Probably, a long, long time!  Your time is valuable!

     What are the odds of something happening to my hard disk?

Our experience is that about 30% of our users experience hard disk problems with all of their data files, and about 60% experience some hard disk problems with one or more data files.

In addition to those statistics, about 20% experience some minor data file problems which require some re-construction.

We receive about two calls a week from studio owners who’s hard drive crashed and they had to re-format the hard drive and re-install Windows.  That has even happened twice in the last 6 years to us here at TAC.
No one is immune!

Also, each year dozens of studios become infected with a computer virus that damages data files.  Here at TAC we receive an average of 35 virus-infected E-Mails a month.  (Our AntiVirus software stops them.)   

Finally, we get at least 6 calls a year from studio owners who had one or more data files removed from the computer by a "computer-genius" son; or a "well-meaning" husband, father, sister, brother-in-law, or friend; or an incompetent local "computer consultant;" or "some kid playing with the computer."

     So, hard disks are reliable -- not perfect.  Software is reliable -- not perfect.  Humans are generally reliable -- not perfect.  Until computers, programmers, software, and users reach perfection, we recommend the "insurance" of implementing a backup system!  It's worth it just for your own "peace of mind" -- like car and fire insurance.

     Remember, your computer is a machine; machines do not last forever!  Your vacuum cleaner, blender, car, television, CD player, etc., etc. do break down.  The problem is, that when your computer hard drive "breaks down," there go your studio records!

     How should I backup?

     First, Microsoft provides a method for backing up files from a hard disk to a backup disk.  The BACKUP procedure is used for this purpose; the RESTORE procedure is used to restore files backed up using BACKUP.  You can use the Windows backup operations that came with your computer.  (Find that from Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Backup.)  We should let you know that many of our users find this backup system difficult, if not impossible to use.  We can’t help you with this.

     Second, you can use the Windows Explorer (or My Computer) copy option.  Many users find that convenient to use, and we have found that it is relatively easy for us to help you use that via the phone.

     Third, you can go to a local computer store and purchase a specialized Backup Utility Software Program.  There are scores of programs for sale that are easy to use.  Ask your computer dealer or local software store which backup utility would be best for you.  These will cost you from $25.00 to $150.00, depending upon how "fancy" you want to get.

    Fourth, you can use BackUp and Restore that comes with CompuDance.  See the specific instructions on the next page.

    Finally, if you have Internet access, you can go to our web site (www.CompuDance.com).  There you can see a link to a superior backup program, Connected OnLine Backup.  This program will backup all data and information on your computer (not just CompuDance) and send it, safely and confidentially, to a Backup Data Center location.  It can do this for you every night without you even being at your computer.  While you are in bed, sound asleep, Connected OnLine Backup, can automatically dial your Internet service provider; connect with an appropriate Backup Data Center, and backup all of the necessary files from your computer, safely and reliably.  We strongly urge you to check out this valuable service!  We have been using it for years, and it has "saved our life" twice when we had computer crashes.  It is the BEST $15.95 a month we have ever spent!  When something happens to your data files or your computer and you call us for help, we'll ask you if you have a backup.  If you say, "No," you're in serious trouble! 

     How often should I backup?

     That's hard to say.  It depends upon how much new data you write to your files in a day or a week.  If a week goes by, and you only entered one or two new students and only entered a dozen or so income transactions, you might not want to backup that week's work.  If a day goes by, and you entered a hundred students and dozens of income transactions, you would probably want to backup at the end of that day.  Or, you might look at the statistics and say, "The odds are that nothing will happen to my hard disk."

     After a period of time, you might ask yourself the following:  "If something happened to a file or my hard disk, how long would it take me to re-construct the data I have in there which is not backed up?  And what are the odds of that happening?" Depending upon how you answer that question, you will know if you should backup or not.

Here at TAC we use Connected OnLine Backup every night!!

     "Yes, but how much time does it take to backup?"

     How often have we heard this!  The answer: "Not much."  If you have 1000 students, you can backup that data in about 12 minutes using Windows Backup.  (Of course, much depends upon the speed of your particular computer.)  Those few minutes could save you days of work!  Using CompuDance BackUp and Restore, that same backup would take you about 4 minutes.  With Connected OnLine Backup, you don't even have to be present.  Even if you are, it takes less than 10 minutes to backup all files on your computer that have changed, during which time you can close the windows, lock the doors, clean your desk, and put out the cat.  Here at TAC, it takes us an average of 6 minutes to backup our computer every night.  

     So, what should I do??

     Read your Windows manuals, talk to other computer users, consult with the salesperson who sold you your computer, and ask the advice of some of your friends who know about computers.  A lot depends upon the reliability of your computer (its age and condition), what other software you have on your hard disk, the amount of time your computer is used, the physical environment in which your computer is run (temperature, air quality, humidity, etc.), and your own work habits and the confidence you have in computers, technology, and Windows.

Since 1986, nearly four hundred and fifty studios with no backups have called us for help to report hard drive crashes!

The time, money, frustration, and tears they expended getting back up and running was overwhelming.

We strongly recommend that you establish a regular system of backing up your data files!

You can't prevent disasters; but you can prepare for them.

Maybe nothing disastrous will happen.  But, what if it does . . . .

Care to gamble with your studio business records?

HOW TO USE CompuDance BackUp

     Introduction

     First, you should be aware that CompuDance BackUp and Restore would backup all of your data files in the current year/location (studio) folder.  It will do this without reference to the dates of the files or to when they were last backed up.  In other words, each time you use CompuDance BackUp, it will backup all data files, not just files which have changed since the last backup.  This is different from many backup programs with which you might be familiar; and has many advantages.

     Second, it does not encrypt the files nor condense (compress) them.  The result is as if you simply copied them using My Computer or Windows Explorer.  This also has advantages.

     Finally, it will backup the files to a Flash Drive (sometimes called a “Jump Drive” or “Memory Stick“) in your USB Port The drive can contain previous backups, not just the latest one.

     CompuDance Backup will backup all of your current year/location data files to a Flash Drive.  These files will include all student, income, expense, and payroll files.  You will have the option of including or excluding Music data and “A File of Some Friends” data.

     All files will fit on one Flash Drive.  You can backup 1,500 students, 9,000 income transactions in about 4 minutes.  You can get many backups on one 512MB drive.  For more information, see the FAQ Page on our web site.

     Creating A Special Folder

     When you start BackUp you will need to create a path on the Flash Drive, or a Special Folder of your own choice.  The folder name is limited to a maximum of 20 characters.  For example, if today is Monday, February 16, and you backup twice today, you might call one folder [Mon Morning 2-16] and one might be [Mon PM 2-16].  You would need to do this because the default backup folders contain a date, and there cannot be two folders with the same date.

     Or, one folder might be simply [Home] and another [Studio] if you are using two computers.  If you are backing up at home on May 2, 2006, then you could make a folder called [Home - 5-2-08].  When you backup at the studio that evening, create a folder called [Studio - 5-2-08].

     Or, you might want to be more date and time specific as in [Morning May 6] and [Evening May 6] to more clearly identify the backup.  Or, you could enter [May 6 08 Morning].

     If you have more than one studio, you could create the following folder names: [Location1 - 5-2-08] or [Location2- 5-2-08].

     An advantage to using a Flash Drive is that you then have a permanent record of your backups - snapshots at various times.  That will allow you to "go back in time" if you wish to see what your studio looked like at a particular date and time in the past.  

     Default Folder Names

     CompuDance will place all of your backed-up data files in two folders.  These two folders will be in the Special Folder that you created.   Here are the folder names.  Assume that you backup on September 12 2008:

     Folder 1  The first folder will be named BackUp -09-12-08.  It will contain all of your student, family, income, class, recital, attendance, expense, payroll, E-Mail, accounts receivable and payable data for the current year and studio.  There could be hundreds of files.  So, if you are backing up files in Location 1, 2008-09, the source of the files is the following path (assuming that you have installed CompuDance in the default directory): c:\Program Files\CDW\2008-09\Studio1.

     Folder 2  The second folder will be named BackUpCDW-09-12-08.  It will contain studio-wide files.  There will be somewhere around ten to fifteen of these files, depending upon what specific operations you use.  The source of the files is the following path:  c:\Program Files\CDW.

     Procedure

     Step 1	From the CompuDance Main Window click File, then BackUp & Restore.  The CompuDance BackUp Window will
                 Be displayed.  Click the Start BackUp button.

     Step 2	You will be asked to enter the letter of the drive to which you wish to send the backed-up files.  Type the drive letter 	(only), and then press <Enter>.  Your Flash Drive could be F, or E, or G, etc. 

     Step 3	You will be asked to enter a path.  In other words, what Special Folder do you want to make?  (See Creating A
                 Special Folder on the previous page.)

     Step 4	Make sure that the Flash Drive is in your USB Port.  Click the Ok button.

     Step 5	CompuDance will then tell you what it is about to do.  Please, read carefully before clicking the Ok button!!!

     Step 6	When finished, CompuDance will ask if you want to backup your music data files.  If you have been using
                 The CompuDance Music Locator, then you might want to.  If so, the directory will be: \BackUpMusic-09-12-08.

     Step 7	Finally, CompuDance will ask if you want to backup “A File of Some Friends.”  If you have been using it, then you 
                 should.  If so, the directory will be: \BackUpFriends-09-12-08.

     Step 8	When CompuDance has finished the backup operation, it will tell you what it has just backed up.  Please, read that
                 carefully before clicking Ok.  It will then exit CompuDance. 

HOW TO USE CompuDance Restore

     Introduction

     Let's assume (1) that your computer crashed and you had to have a new hard drive installed; or, (2) that you just bought a new computer and you want to copy your data files from the old computer to the new one; or, (3) that you are using two computers and you want to copy files from one to the other.  These are the situations when you will need to use CompuDance Restore.  This operation will restore to the proper folders on your computer the files on a Flash Drive that were backed up using CompuDance BackUp.  

NOTE: You cannot use CompuDance Restore to restore files that were backed up with a backup system other than CompuDance!

     We will go through two scenarios showing you how to restore files from a backup Flash Drive.  You should be able to apply these examples to your actual situation.

     Scenario One

     Situation  You have a new computer (or a new hard drive on your old computer because your old hard drive crashed) and you want to get CompuDance on the new computer (or hard drive) just like it was on the old computer (or hard drive). 

     Assumptions  The year is 2008-09.  The Studio is Studio 1.  You backed up all of your data files, music files, and "A File of Some Friends" data files to a Flash Drive on September 21, 2008 using CompuDance BackUp.  You placed them in a Special Folder named Morning Sept 21.

     Procedures

     1. Install CDW on your new computer (hard drive) as you did on the old computer using the same distribution disc.

     2. Install an update, if you have one.

     3. Run CDW to make certain that it works.
     4. Create your new years - the same years as you had on the old computer.

     5. Add studios.  If you had more than one studio on the old computer, then add those to this computer.

     6. The Current Year and Current Studio should be 2008-09, Studio 1.

     7. Insert the BackUp Flash Drive on which you have the September 21, 2008 backup files into your USB Port.

     8. Run CompuDance BackUp & Restore by clicking File, then BackUp & Restore.  Important: Make sure that the current
         year is 2008-09, Studio 1!!

           1)  From the CompuDance BackUp Window, click the Start Restore button.

           2)  Enter the letter of your Flash Drive.
	
           3)  In the scroll box find the Morning Sept 21 file folder.  Double-click it.  It should now be open.

           4)  Now click the BackUp -09-21-08 folder.

           5)  CompuDance will then tell you what it is about to do.  Please, read carefully before clicking the Ok button!!

           6)  When finished, you will be asked if you want to restore more files.  Click Yes.

           7)  Now find the BackUpCDW-09/21/08 folder  Double-click it.

           8)  Read the Ready Dialog Box carefully!  If it is correct, click Ok.  CDW will restore the files.

           9)  When finished, you will be asked if you want to restore more files.  If you do, click Yes.

         10) In the scroll box find the BackUpMusic-09-21-08 folder.  Double-click it.

         11) Read the Ready Dialog Box carefully!  If it is correct, click Ok.  CDW will restore your Music files.

         12) When finished, you will be asked if you want to restore more files.  If so, click Yes.

         13) In the scroll box find the BackUpFriends-09-21-08 folder.  Double-click it.

         14) Read the Ready Dialog Box carefully!  If it is correct, click Ok.  CDW will restore the "Friends" data files.

         15) When finished, you will be asked if you want to restore more files.  Click No.  You are finished.

     Scenario Two

     Situation  You have CompuDance on two computers - one at home and the other at the studio.  You have entered data on the home computer, and now you want to take the data files to the studio and put them on your studio computer.

     Assumptions  The year is 2008-09.  The Location is Studio 1.  You backed up all of your data, music, and "A File of Some Friends" files to a Flash Drive on March 17, 2009.  You placed them in a special folder called From Home To Studio.

     Procedures

     1. You are at your studio now.  The Current Year and Current Studio on your studio computer should be 2008-09,
          Studio 1.  That’s the year/studio into which you want to restore the files from home.

     2. Insert the BackUp Flash Drive on which you have backup files you made at home on March 17 into your USB Port.

     3. Run CompuDance BackUp & Restore by clicking File, then BackUp & Restore.
          1) From the CompuDance BackUp Window, click Start Restore.

          2)  Enter the letter of your Flash Drive.
	
          3)  In the scroll box find the From Home To Studio file folder.  Double-click it.

          4)  Now click the BackUp -03/17/09.
         
          5)  CompuDance will then tell you what it is about to do.  Please, read carefully before clicking the Ok button!

          6)  When finished, you will be asked if you want to restore more files.  You do, so click Yes.

          7)  Now click the BackUpCDW-03/17/09.  Double-click it.

          8)  Read the Ready Dialog Box carefully!  If it is correct, click Ok.  CompuDance will restore the files.

          9)  When finished, you will be asked if you want to restore more files.  If you do, click Yes.  If not, click No.

         10) In the scroll box find the BackUpMusic-03-17-09 file folder.  Double-click it.

         11) Read the Ready Dialog Box carefully!  If it is correct, click Ok.  CDW will restore your Music files.

         12) When finished, you will be asked if you want to restore more files.  If so, click Yes.

         13) In the scroll box find the BackUpFriends-03-17-09 file folder.  Double-click it.

         14) Read the Ready Dialog Box carefully!  If it is correct, click Ok.  CompuDance will restore the "Friends" data files.

         15) When finished, you will be asked if you want to restore more files.  Click No.  You are finished.  Your studio
               computer now is "in sync" with your home computer.

     Note:  In the above examples we included restoring your Music and Friends data files.  However,  if you do not use The CompuDance Music Locator, then you would skip that.  You should be using "A File of Some Friends," so we do not recommend skipping that step.  Backing up and restoring these two data files adds only about 7 seconds to the whole process.

  ! ! ! * * * BACKUP YOUR DATA FILES DAILY! * * * ! ! !

You might like to make some notes on this page about Your Backup Policy and Methods.