Support News

January 2005 Edition

Feature Spotlight: Utilizing the Sample Database
Q&A with Technical Support: Shrinking Log Files
Smart Tip of the Month: Automatically Display the Proper Form
Third Party Software: Microsoft Visio
Support Bookshelf: JDF Forum


Feature Spotlight

Utilizing the Sample Database

MetaCommunications regularly updates a set of sample databases for Job Manager and Virtual Ticket, which provide administrators with a wealth of example custom queries, forms, MetaScripts, and Finds to help get the implementation process started. Custom queries and forms can be exported from one database and imported into another, allowing those constructing the system to take as many items as they want for their own system. MetaScripts can be used as building blocks for creating custom functionality. A sample database can be created using the MetaCommunications Installation Expert and can be added into any environment at any time.

For more information about the available sample databases, visit:
http://www.meta-comm.com/support/knowledge_base/article.asp?id=16187

Q&A with Technical Support

How can large SQL transaction log be shrunk to reclaim space?

It sounds like an odd question, but if your SQL Database maintenance plan has failed over an extended period of time or it is not configured, your SQL database transaction log file can grow to a very large size causing other problems (full disks, login failures, etc). For those who do not know, the transaction log is a record of all the SQL transactions that have been performed against the database since the transaction log was last backed up. A properly configured SQL Maintenance Plan keeps the growth of the SQL transaction log file in check from growing out of control and more importantly, taking up too much disk space. Generally, when the log file can grow no larger, it will produce an error message indicating that the log file is full. This can also mean that the disk where the database resides is full and this can spawn other problems. To truncate the transaction log file and reclaim the excess space, perform the following steps:

  1. Make a complete backup of your database and store it in an offline location.
  2. Resolve the issues causing the SQL maintenance plan failures or implement SQL maintenance plans.
  3. Open the SQL Query Analyzer and enter a login and password.
  4. Enter the following query:
    Backup log “<Your_Database_Name>” with truncate_only
  5. Execute the query.
  6. Open the SQL Enterprise Manager. Expand Microsoft SQL Servers. Expand SQL Server Groups. Expand your SQL Server. Expand Databases. Right-Click your database.
  7. Choose “All Tasks>Shrink Database”. Click the Files button.
  8. Choose the log file from the popup menu.
  9. Click the “Shrink file to” radio button.
  10. Enter the minimum size listed.

When the steps are complete, the transaction log file of the database will have been truncated and the file size reduced to a manageable size.

For more information, visit:
http://www.meta-comm.com/support/knowledge_base/article.asp?id=16185

Smart Tip of the Month

Automatically Display the Proper Form

Through the use of stored procedures in the database, Virtual Ticket can dynamically determine which Virtual Ticket form should appear when records matching an established rule are selected. For example, suppose a rule exists that says the prepress form should appear when the job type is prepress. This solution helps ensure that the appropriate forms appear regardless of the last form you were working with in Virtual Ticket.

For more information visit:
http://www.meta-comm.com/support/knowledge_base/article.asp?id=16186


Third Party Software

Microsoft Visio

Microsoft Visio contains a database mapping tool which can utilize an ODBC connection to a SQL database and map out all of the tables, stored procedures and SQL views in a Visio document. This functionality can be handy in situations where a current database scheme or listing of all customized procedures is needed.

For more information, visit:
http://www.microsoft.com/


Support Bookshelf

JDF Forum

Recently, MetaCommunications announced a JDF enabled library solution for Virtual Ticket. The web site http://www.cip4.org/ is an online community for discussion about JDF (job definition format). The web site contains information about specifications for the JDF format, marketplace information about JDF enabled products and a series of online demos delving into various JDF topics.

For more information, visit:
http://www.cip4.org/


New MetaCommunications Knowledge Base Articles this month:

16106 – Manual database creation
http://www.meta-comm.com/support/knowledge_base/article.asp?id=16106

16185 - Shrinking large SQL transaction log files
http://www.meta-comm.com/support/knowledge_base/article.asp?id=16185

16186 - Using form hints to determine which Virtual Ticket form to display
http://www.meta-comm.com/support/knowledge_base/article.asp?id=16186

16187 - Available MetaCommunications Sample Databases
http://www.meta-comm.com/support/knowledge_base/article.asp?id=16187




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http://www.meta-comm.com/support/support_news.htm.

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