THE ART OF MAKING BACKUPS

Since Access is constantly changing the database file, you cannot rely on it

to protect you from your own mistakes.  You must use Windows Explorer

to make duplicates of the database file.

A.

One method of doing this is to create a series of versions of the database

file.  You can number the files according to date or the sequence in which you

created them.  This lets you work on your most recent version.  It also

lets you "go back in time" to a previous version, if you need to.

VERSIONS:

B.

Before you make the next version, you should make a working copy of

the most recent version.  Then do the next phase of your development on

this copy.  Why should you do this?  Because if you make a mistake that you

cannot undo, then you still have the original database available.  Your last

version has not been altered.  (You modified your working copy of it.)

VERSIONS:

WORKING COPY:

C.

Later on, when you have finished a work session on your working copy,

it is time to make a decision.  Do I want to keep this file or destroy it?

If you keep it, then you will rename it to be the next version of the data-

base.

VERSIONS:

WORKING COPY:

D.

If you think you were better off before you made changes to the working

copy, then throw it away and start over.  In other words, make a fresh

working copy.

VERSIONS:

WORKING COPY:

E.

Now, you might be asking, "What should I do with all those old

versions?"  I would say, "Save them!"  First of all, you can put them in

a hiding place--a sub-folder called Old Versions.  Second of all, don't

forget, that the only true backup is a file saved on a separate device.

If your time is valuable, then you should preserve your effort by copying

everything to another storage medium.

VERSIONS:

BACKUP DEVICE:

F.

There are many options for

backing up files.