Missing databases

[Walter Johnson]

I opened up one of my documents today after rebooting my laptop and all of the databases are missing from the document. Other documents still have their databases, just this one is empty. The file size looks right, I just can’t see any databases and so can’t get to any records.

I restored the whole folder for Tap Forms data from a time machine backup from last Thursday and nothing changes.

The same document looks correct in my iPhone. I’ve been chicken to let the iPhone and the laptop sync in case everything disappears from my iPhone too.

Any thoughts?

[Walter Johnson]

I’m running Tap Forms 5.0.9 (Build 805) on 10.12.1

[Brendan]

Hi Walter,

You can make a backup file on your iPhone version and copy that over to your Mac.

Or you can try Time Machine again, but this time only restore just the file that is missing the forms.

You can find the file to restore by closing it in Tap Forms, then click on the file on the main Database Documents window, then click the Show in Finder button.

Restore only that one file to an earlier time. Launch Tap Forms again and see if you get your forms back.

Then download the direct download version of Tap Forms 5. It should hopefully prevent this problem from occurring again in the future. I haven’t yet uploaded the latest build to Apple for review. But I will soon.

[Walter Johnson]

So it turns out I was restoring the wrong folder. I have two Tap Forms folders in my containers folder. I’m guessing the one I was restoring was from the older version. I followed your instructions and it took me to the second folder that actually had the right files in it. I restored the file for the document I was having trouble with and all is well.

Before I let everything sync back up I created a backup file on my phone just in case. Everything synced back up just fine, so I’m back in business.

[Brendan]

That’s great to hear Walter.

[Mark Anderson]

I’m running Sierra 10.12.3 and TapForms 5 version 5.0.10
I updated Sierra yesterday to 10.12.2 and one of my databases in TapForms disappeared.
I have IBMCloudant automatic backup scheduled but don’t know how to retrieve it.
I used time machine to restore missing database, renamed it and imported it into TapForms in a separate folder. I opened the restored database in TapForms and immediately created a backup, but before the backup can complete, the database of over 650 projects disappeared again. I updated Sierra to 10.12.3 just now, reimported the restored database and once again it disappeared. This is unacceptable. What do you suggest?

[Brendan]

It sounds like your database is being synced with Cloudant after you restore to an earlier version.

I would suggest deleting the database that matches the document ID (available from the Document Info panel on the main Database Documents window). Then do your restore from Time Machine. But you should restore every device to the same backup because if any of them had already synced and remove the records, then the same thing will happen again when they sync.

[Author]

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