I am writing this post in the hope that it will be of help others performing Timeslips upgrades on Windows server environments.  I ran into data conversion issues (could not load stringtable resource ID:21999), placed a tech support call from the client site and did not get a call back till the next day.  Fortunately I had left a copy of their original Timeslips install folder on the server, but here is my 5 cents worth on how I shall proceed with my next server upgrade.

1) Ideally take a laptop on site with Timeslips 2017 SR1 installed (in case the data conversion on the server fails).  On the existing version of Timeslips clear all licenses using Station Administrator.  Having run DV on the client data put a copy of the client data onto the laptop and set it converting to 2017 SR1 format while you work.

2) Make a complete copy of the existing Timeslips installation folder to the same server - so that if you are stuck with a failed conversion you can point all the client workstation install paths to the copy (using the workstation copies of station administrator) and they can continue to work in their previous version until conversion issues are resolved. (Timeslips 2017 upgrade has to be installed over the existing version.)

3) Install BDE to the server.  The conversion will fail at the outset if BDE is not on the server.  Make sure to open TCP port 3050 in the Windows Firewall - Sage provide instructions

4) Follow the install guidelines as published and make a note of folders where Timeslips 2017 will place files on the server,  After successful installation of Timeslips 2017 to the server open the previous Data folder for conversion.  If it converts - great - you can proceed with local installation on workstations.

IF IT FAILS . . . . which happens . . .

1) On your laptop, assuming the client data converted successfully, make a backup of the 2017 data (data.TBU)

2) Copy the TBU backup file to the server.

3) Open Timeslips 2017 on the server and select Restore a Backiup.

4) Select Restore a local backup and browse to the TBU file to restore.

5) When prompted select to make the data available to the entire network.

Then - even though it may appear to hang and take a while - it should restore your converted data and be available on the server for the workstations..

Perform the local workstation installations and open the data file on the server.  On each workstation I received an Address Violation error on first open and had to close Timeslips.  I immediately opened it again and it opened fine on all 6 workstations subsequently.  

I hope that others will find this useful . . . and save some time waiting on hold for tech support - they are deluged right now.

Jane Giles

Santa Barbara, California

805 680 3304