Computers are mechanical devices that sometimes go wrong. Therefore it is vitally important that your data files are regularly backed up. Also, you may wish to transfer data files between computers for someone else to use.
The Competitors file is used for every meeting and enables you to accumulate details of athletes who enter your events. Whenever you enter competitors into a meeting you are updating the Competitors File and therefore it should be backed up after every time you perform this function.
Likewise, the Clubs file is used in the same way as the Competitors file and therefore should also be backed up after every time you enter new competitors details (as often they belong to clubs which have not previously existed in your club file.
Finally, whenever you work on a Meeting file (and you may be working on several if you’re a busy race organiser) you should also back that up on a regular basis.
As you can see, it’s not worth leaving to chance. At Sport Systems we recommend that you backup your data onto specially labelled diskettes (or zip disks, or to a Server, or whatever device is at your disposal) after every use. If you have a lot of work to do, then you should also backup your data periodically during your session.
There are various methods of selecting your data files and copying them. If you’re an experienced PC user you’ll probably have your own preferred method, but here’s one way of doing it.
To backup your data, use Windows Explorer and locate the directory where your data resides which is usually as follows: C:\ProgramFiles\SportSystems\RaceMaster98\Data
Now, hold down the “Ctrl” key, use your mouse to point at each file you wish to backup in turn and as you do so, click the left mouse button. Once you have selected (highlighted) the first file, point the mouse at the highlighted file and hold the left mouse button down. Without letting go, drag and drop the file onto your desired backup device (say, the A:\ drive – diskette). Repeat this process for all the other files.
Remember, backing up your data files during and/or after every session is our recommended “best practice” and may save you a great deal of time and effort. Don’t ignore or forget about it!