Technical Note: 20040525021

Control Update Procedure

(Maitre'D 2003, from Service Pack 6 and later versions of Maitre'D)

The control file is a file that is updated in real time to assure the integrity of all files managed by the file server. The update of this file is not to be done lightly, as some sales information might be lost.

Note: The control update can only be done using the dealer password. Once you do a control update, there is no turning back. Be careful when using this function, and if there is any doubt, call the Maitre'D support team.

There are only two cases when you should need to perform a Control Update, after getting a Control File Error message such as the one above, and a red X over the server icon an the task bar:

1. When restoring a new database into an existing system.

If you restore data files from another system, the control file from the source system will not be the same as the control file from the target system. The Z number is the number of times that the End of Day procedure was performed on the file server, and in such a case, will not match either. You can perform a control update without any worries.
To do so, simply go to Server Control / Tools / Control Update. The server icon, on the task bar, then will revert to its normal state, showing the server application is running normally.

2.After a Day Rebuild

If for any reasons you experience problems with the file server (hard disk failure, electricity,), you might need to run the manual Day Rebuild program, or the system might perform an automatic Day Rebuild, to recreate all transactions that were done for the current day. If the program failed to recreate all transactions, the server application will not restart and you will get a control file error.
 

A) If the CONTROL file for the Check Number is lower then the system's ACTUAL last check number, as in the example above, you can perform a control update without any worries either, as no printed check will be lost.

Here as well, simply go to Server Control / Tools / Control Update. The server application icon on the task bar will then revert to its normal state.

B) However, if as in the example below, the system shows you that the CONTROL file for the Check Number is at 101565 and the system's ACTUAL last Check Number is at 101524. If you were to perform a control update at that point, you would loose the last 41 checks that were printed. Before doing so, you should try to run the Day Rebuild option, using the second backup.

In such a case, you have to follow the following procedures:

1- Manual Backup

1- In case something goes wrong with the Hard Disk Drive later, it is recommended to first safeguard the following files through Windows Explorer onto another media before carrying out the remaining procedures:

C:\Posera\MaitreD\Data\REBUILD\MEMOIRE.*

C:\POSERA\MAITRED\BACKUP\DATA\MEMOIRE.*

2- Day Rebuild

2a- In Server Control / Tools, select the Day Rebuild function:

The Day Rebuild function allows to automatically cancel and recreate every transaction performed during the entire current fiscal day.

Under the Day Rebuild, select First Backup option, and click OK.
 

The Back-Office keeps two copies of all the transactions in the files MEMOIRE.DAT.

The first copy (First Backup) is located in the repertory C:\Posera\MaitreD\Data\REBUILD.

The second copy (Second Backup) is located in the repertory C:\POSERA\MAITRED\BACKUP\DATA.

If the Day Rebuild succeeded, you will have the following screen and you will be able to start again the server.

Note: Most of the time, the Day Rebuild is carried out correctly with the First Backup, and the server application starts running again.

2b- However, if the Day Rebuild failed, because the first copy of the memoire file is corrupted, you will get the Control File Error message once again. In such a case, start a day rebuild again by selecting the Second Backup option instead.

Note: Once more, most of the time, the Day Rebuild is carried out correctly with the Second Backup, and the server application starts running again.

Note 2: If the Day Rebuild also failed with the Second Backup, Maitre'D back-office will display the position of the error within the MEMOIRE file.

Take note of that position, needed to resolve the problems by using the Cut Memory File function, as described in step 3. Do understand that the portion of information that will get cut will be completely lost.
 

This function is used only when the back-office has problems while trying to rebuild the day with both Backup files. If the back-office finds an error in the MEMOIRE files that it can not resolve, this function cuts the memoire file just prior to the error found. The Back-Office then allows the day rebuild to proceed all the way to just before where the error occurred.
 

Note: This operation should be carried out solely under the supervision of a POSERA Software Specialist. A misuse of this option can create irreversible damage to the system.

IMPORTANT! If the two rebuilding options failed and that the situation has to be resolved quickly, you could use the Control Update function, but be aware that the restaurant might loose a portion of its invoices.

3- Memoire File Analysis

If both memoire files are corrupted (disk write errors, etc...) and that the Maitre'D software is not able to rebuild the day, there remains a way to analyze the memoire file and to cut it right before this error.
 

-Go under Server Control / Tools / Memoire File Analysis

-Select Rebuild as the source directory for the Current day's memoire file, saved it to Disk:

- A file named Memoire.txt will be created under the following directory \Posera\MaitreD\Data

The memoire file analysis will let you find the position of the previous error using Windows Notepad. Simply search for the word "error".
 

In the following example at position 15392, a "read error" is shown.

4- Cut Memory File

Go under Server Control / Tools / Cut Memory File and enter the position of the very last line prior to the error, in our example 15359, in order to be able to rebuild the day while losing as little information as possible.
 

A Day Rebuild will occur and the Control file will be updated automatically.

In this example the system would rebuild the day up to 64% of the transactions.
 

The Day Rebuild will automatically start, and the Control File will be updated so that you do not have to perform a manual Control File Update.