Action of "VERIFY"

[William Chess]

I had assumed that when verify is run that it checks the present condition of the databases against the file to be verified.

I now gather that it merely determines that the file to verify is in proper condition for restoration.

I found this out because any of my many backups will verify as valid, regardless of the present condition of the databases.

Is there any way to verify that any backup is in fact a true copy of a present database condition?

[NeilZ]

I had assumed that when verify is run that it checks the present condition of the databases against the file to be verified.

I now gather that it merely determines that the file to verify is in proper condition for restoration.

I found this out because any of my many backups will verify as valid, regardless of the present condition of the databases.

Is there any way to verify that any backup is in fact a true copy of a present database condition?

The backup routines basically create a ZIP file of all the database files, as well as any other required files such as locally created check layouts etc.

When a backup is done, the system takes a copy of all the files as of the time of the backup. The verify does exactly what you said, verifies that the ZIP archive is intact and that the files enclosed are not corrupted.

That the files are current and are "a true copy of present database condition' is something you have to take on faith, and the fact that the internal ZIP routines are used throughout the world to create file archives from current files.

If you are worried about it being an 'exact' copy, then I would make sure that any backup is done when all other users are logged off the system. However, as soon as someone does a change to the database, then of course, the backup is no longer 'exact'.

Was there an issue with a restore of a backup or something along those lines ??

[William Chess]

Thanks for confirming my supposition. No there is no problem with backup and restore. In this learning period I have had occasion to "experiment" with the system and so I backup, then "experiment" and then restore the backup to undo my experiments. So I was trying to confirm that a current database conformation was indeed the results of a particular backup.

That wasn't really needed, but I'm a "careful" type.

If I ever need a "real" verify that does what I originally supposed, I will simply write one.

Thanks very much for the reply,

Bill