Create Training Database
To access: VOTER FOCUS ADMIN > System Utilities > Database Utilities > Create Training Database
This program creates a copy of your Voter Focus database that can be
used for training or testing
If you have an existing version of the Training database and you want to refresh it with the latest information, simply create the Training database as you did the first time. The existing Training database will be completely replaced.
You are not able to recreate the Training database if there are users currently working in the database.
Because your local Training database interacts with the Training database on FVRS, it is important that the local Training database be created as soon as possible after creation/refreshment of the FVRS Training database. Otherwise, you may have data-synchronization issues. You might need to work with your IT staff to ensure a backup is taken immediately after the FVRS Training database is created, so that you can use this backup to create the local Training database.
To create a Training database:
- On the server where the backup of the production database was made, ensure that you are using the production database. If not, in the top-right corner of the Console, click the Database drop-down list and select Normal Database.
- Go to VOTER FOCUS ADMIN > System Utilities > Database Utilities > Create Training Database.
- Click Create Database.
- If a Training database already exists on your system, you are asked to confirm replacing it with a new one. Click Yes to start the creation process.
- When you see the message Success!, you'll know the Training database is ready for use. Click Cancel to finish.
- To switch to the Training database, in the top-right corner of the Console, click the Database drop-down list and select Training Database.
This displays a list of recent backups of the production database with the most-recent one highlighted. You can change to an earlier backup, if there is some reason to not use the most-recent; typically, you will use the most-recent one. Below the backup list, is the default location where the two files making up the database will be stored when the Training database is created/recreated. Under normal circumstances, you don't need to change this location.
If this button is disabled, it means one or more users are working in the Training database. To find out who they are, click Cancel, and then click Show Current Usage on the VOTER FOCUS ADMIN tab. This lists the users who are running Voter Focus and the database they are working in. Once the Training database users have exited Voter Focus or switched to another database, you can repeat this procedure from step 1.
