April 2003
 

Technical Support Analyst of the Quarter – 1rst Quarter 2003

Susie Chapman

Troubleshooting DataGrabber errors

Running DataGrabber from the command line will allow you to troubleshoot database errors without actually touching a database. A log file is created when you run the DataGrab executable from the DOS Prompt in Windows.

The proper syntax:

C:>c:\program files\imr\alchemy\datagrab nameofdat.dat nameofdef.def nameoflog.log

The following screen shows a typical DataGrabber run from the command line and the results. 3 records were processed in this example.

A log file is generated and can be viewed through any text viewer. The log file will contain information such as Field and Record information, depending on the Debug statement placed into the Definition file. The Line “Debug=ALL” tells DataGrabber to place the field information into the database as well as record contents.

Here is an example of a log file using DataGrabber at the command line.

If all is well with your DataGrabber log file you can now run the dat and def from the Interface.

Alchemy Volume ID on Rimage Labels



A different method of setting up merge fields was reported in version 6.2 of CD Designer. Alchemy needs a field for the volume on the label when ‘Insert CD-R volume ID into label file’ is selected in the ‘Setup’ for building databases to Rimage.

Alchemy sends the volume id in the PO File for each volume. Rather than specify a merge field in the label, a text field with a ‘database’ source is used in the latest version. Rimage label processing puts the data from the PO File into a text file you specify when setting up the Field for the label.

To place the Volume ID on CD’s produced by Alchemy to Rimage, first create a ‘database’ file.
1. In Notepad, create a .txt or .dat file. A blank file or with some text in it (e.g. label).
2. Save the file on the Rimage Server.

The following is one way to set up the field for the volume id. If you are more familiar with CD Designer, you may take shortcuts.

In CD Designer, create a new label and add a Text field for the Volume Id. Select the field, if it is not selected, and then select Modify | Selected Object. After the Wizard starts, click Next

When you select Database, a Database Setup Option appears that opens a Database setup Wizard.

Select Text file, if not selected.

Click Next

Select the file that you created.

Code Page – Use System Default.

Click Next

Select Quote and Comma if you do not want quotes around the volume label.

Click Next

Select No, if not selected.

Click Finish

Select Field 1 then click OK to confirm the file.

Click OK to confirm the Data Source set up for the field.

The Label Designer will come back with the field location on the label and the file and field just set up.

Save your label and point to this label when setting up Rimage Destination in Alchemy.

 

Alchemy Web Workaround For IE View Prompt

Description

When requesting to view a file within Alchemy Web, IE prompts the user with the following after every selection of same type files:

This is a standard dialog and works as designed. However, in cases where a user has IE version 6.0, the option is available but the user preference is not saved. This document provides a work-around to the Internet Explorer defect.

A. Steps to edit Registry:

**IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs.

1. Start / Run / Regedit
2. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.tif
3. In the right pane of Registry Editor, right-click (Default), and then click Modify.
4. In the Value data box, type the following value, and then click OK: Imaging.Document
5. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.tiff
6. In the right pane of Registry Editor, right-click (Default), and then click Modify.
7. In the Value data box, type the following value, and then click OK: Imaging.Document
8. Exit registry

B. Steps in IE:

1. Create a document (or use an existing document) of same type as you commonly view within Alchemy Web.
2. Open IE.
3. Open the file within IE using either the File|Open option in the pull-down menu of the browser or via drag-and-drop
4. The dialog shown above will be displayed. Un-check the “Always ask before opening this type of file” option.
5. Close your browser.

This will write to the registry your selection. No file types of the type you tried to open will prompt you again.

C. Workaround Using Outlook

In some circumstances, the change to the registry using the above procedures does not get saved. This may occur if the user has Outlook, has it open, and is using the HTML option for creating and viewing email messages. If the above procedures still do not save the user preference, try the following steps:

1. Close Internet Explorer
2. Create a document (or use an existing document) of same type as you commonly view within Alchemy Web.
3. Select a folder within Outlook and drag the file into it. Outlook will now show that the file has been copied to Outlook.
4. Select the file within Outlook and view it by either double-clicking on it or right-click on the file and select Open.
5. You will be presented with the familiar dialog box shown above. Un-check the “Always ask before opening this type of file” option.
6. Close the file.

From this point on the file type you used will no longer trigger the dialog box when selecting to view within Alchemy Web.

Repeat this procedure for any file with which you do not want to be presented with the dialog box.



Quick Notes


Upgrading a Concurrent Search License

Problem:

Alchemy Concurrent Search does not allow the user to upgrade license.

Solution:

1. Rename the ausearch.key file in the Alchemy directory.
2. Create a blank text file in any text editor and name it ausearch.key.
3. Open Alchemy License Manager
4. Click “Get License”
5. Fill in information, if asked and click next.
6. Type in new Serial Number and click next.
7. Click on “Get Alchemy License”.



Copy-Moving databases where the standard profile field names are changed.

If you change the name of one of the standard profile fields, e.g. Document Title and copy this database to another database, the destination database will not contain the modified name of the profile field. It will have all the data associated but will be under the name of Document Title.

Slow Performance opening large Tiffs

There has been a change in the way Alchemy counts the number of pages and stores the value when opening Tiff files. Alchemy used to store the value in the title record in 7.2 and was changed for logging information in 7.3. This has created a slow down in opening very large tiffs in 7.3. The option below needs to be explicitly activated in the Alchemy.ini file. The database must then be rebuilt for the setting to take effect on existing tiff files. Remember to use caution when clearing the build on any database. The files in the database return to being only pointers to their original files. Other options would be to activate the setting in the Alchemy.ini and use the Copy/Move function to a new database, or utilize the retrieve files function with DataGrabber to build to a new database.

[Build]
CountImagePages=1

1. Set option in Alchemy.ini
2. Clear build or utilize other options
3. Build database
4. Fast tiffs are back


Creating ISO images on Hard Drive with buffers over 650 MB
Version 7.3.3 Build 923 and above
To accommodate the different capacities of currently available recordable media, you can set the size of your ISO image in the Alchemy.ini file under:
[BUILD]
MaxIsoSize=nnn
where nnn is a value between 650 and 1800 MB.
When manually setting the size of the ISO image from the Alchemy.ini file, you need to be careful that you do not exceed the capacity of the recordable media to which you are building your database.
Warning - Norton Utilities Speed Disk

Speed Disk is the defragmentation utility included in Symantec's Norton Utilities.
Speed Disk can move CrypKey licensing files, causing Alchemy license loss.

To prevent license loss:
Open Speed Disk
Choose File, Options, Customize, and Unmovable Files.
Specify that the *.ent, *.rst, and .key, files cannot be moved
Choose File, Options, Optimization, and Save to save the new profile.


Alchemy Training:

Alchemy Training Schedule