Regular maintenance required for your Chintaro Access database

To ensure that Chintaro is performing to the best of its ability, it is your responsibility to perform regular maintenance on the databases.  If you do not use Chintaro Cloud, regular maintenance off the databases may be performed by your internal IT helpdesk, or it may be something you outsource to an external IT provider. 

Use this solution as a guide to what is required to ensure your databases are in optimum condition.

Where are the databases and what do they do?

The Chintaro databases are held in a \Chintaro\Data folder, usually on a server that either has a mapped drive letter for users, e.g. W:\Chintaro\Data or is referred to by the full UNC (Universal naming convention), e.g. \\ChintaroServer1\Chintaro\Data. This folder contains 4 databases that Chintaro users:

1.   RHMDAT.mdb – The main data database, where most of the dynamic Chintaro is held;

2.   RHMREF.mdb – Where reference data is held;

3.   RHMAUD.mdb – Where audit data is held;

4.   RHP.mdw – Where security data (log on details of users) is held.

Performing maintenance on the RHMDAT.mdb (Main Data Database)

RHMDAT.mdb is the main database that Chintaro uses. This file increases in size every day while users are adding data to Chintaro and as it grows, it can become unstable. If the file grows too large or if you are having network connection issues in your organisation, the rhmdat.mdb is at risk of database corrupting. If the RHMDAT.mdb database has become corrupt, users will experience the following error: 

Chintaro database corruptions can lead to loss of data and prevent all users from accessing the system.

To prevent the likelihood of a database corruption, you must run a repair and compact on this file on a regular basis. Running a repair and compact on your RHMDAT.mdb file will reduce its size, increase Chintaro' speed and performance and reduce the likelihood of it corrupting due to its size.

Chintaro Support recommend running a Repair and Compact at least weekly, at a time when all users are all logged out of the system, for example, first thing on a Monday morning before users log in or last thing in the afternoon once everyone has logged out. For instructions on how to set up a Repair and Compact shortcut on your desktop for RHMDAT.mdb, please see this solution.

For information on how to prevent this database corrupting, please see this solution.

Performing maintenance on the RHP.mdw (Security Database)

RHP.mdw is the file that contains the security log in details for users.  As time goes by, this file increases in size. Like the RHMDAT.mdb, if this file gets too large (anything over 3000KB) Chintaro performance and speed can be comprimsed greatly. 

If the RHP.mdw database has become corrupt, users will receiving the following error:

RHP.mdw corruptions prevent all users from accessing the system.

Chintaro Support recommend running a Repair and Compact at least weekly, at a time when all users are all logged out of the system, for example, first thing on a Monday morning before users log in or last thing in the afternoon once everyone has logged out. For instructions on how to set up a Repair and Compact shortcut on your desktop, see this solution.

Updating the Chintaro.mdb (Code Database/ Version of Chintaro)

The Chintaro client (Chintaro.mdb) will usually be installed on the local drive (usually C:\) of each PC that runs Chintaro. This file holds the latest version of Chintaro and needs to be updated when users are advised there is a major release. Chintaro Support releases a new version on a monthly basis which can contain fixes for bugs, new features and enhancement requests generated by Chintaro users.

We suggest checking for updates on a monthly basis and then applying the update whilst all users are all logged out, for example, first thing on a Monday morning before users log in or the last thing in the afternoon once everyone has logged out. For instructions on how to update to the latest version, please see this solution.

For further assistance with maintaining your databases

If you would like assistance updating your version of Chintaro or setting up the repair and compact shortcuts, please contact support@chintaro.com.au.