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Re: CottageMed FileMaker Backup issues and procedures
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Theo Gantos
|
May 30, 2009 16:36 PDT
|
Roger-
What seems standard procedure to an IT pro is not correct for
FileMaker. Check the manual. Excerpts posted below for reference from
FileMaker knowledgebase and manual, with hyperlinks. I took about 30
minutes to come up with a definitive email on this very important issue.
Just as a good clinician wouldn't waste time with unknowns, I won't
argue hypotheticals about what should or could work with anyone when I
have practical experience and FileMaker says don't do it.
BACKUPS ---
FileMaker Server MUST be shutdown, not serving files,
OR
you must be backing up from the FileMaker Server-created backup folder.
NEVER NEVER NEVER from the live files folder.
Was that clear? Let me say it again a different way for anyone else
reading.
The folder with the served database files is NEVER to be touched by
anything other than FileMaker Server. A backup program locks the file
sectors on disk while backing them up and that is VERY *BAD*. Goodbye
file bad. Waiting for FileMaker Server to flush it's cache is NOT a
guarantee that it writes everything to disk, just that FM Server's
recollection of the served file is up to date. A full flush to disk is
not done until the server is shut down. I have personally verified this
so again, it should be written to disk but it isn't and FileMaker
server has the files open for write. FileMaker is not considered an <a
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACID">ACID compliant database
for this one reason alone. The keyword to lookup in <a
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACID">WikiPedia is ACID
"guaranteed or two-phase commit".
Excerpt from <a
href="http://www.filemaker.com/downloads/pdf/fms9_help_en.pdf">FM
Server v9 Help manual, pg 129, under the Heading Tips for Database
Backups.
Don’t use third-party backup software on hosted
FileMakerPro databases. First, use FileMaker
Server to make a backup copy of your database, then run your
third-party backup software on
the copy. Backup software can damage open, hosted databases.
TimeMachine and other backup programs should explicitly EXCLUDE
the live FM files folder from ever being backed up.
See this knowledgebase article with hyperlink.
<a
href="http://filemaker.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/filemaker.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=6760&;p_created=1197328171&p_sid=q3mmV7zj&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MjIsMjImcF9wcm9kcz04NjQsODY1JnBfY2F0cz0mcF9wdj0yLjg2NSZwX2N2PSZwX3BzX2Fuc191cGRhdGVkPSZwX3BhZ2U9MiZwX3NlYXJjaF90ZXh0PWJhY2t1cCBGaWxlTWFrZXIgc2VydmVyIHNjaGVkdWxl&p_li=&p_topview=1">FileMaker
and Time Machine
Question
How does FileMaker interact with Time Machine?
Answer
The following are scenarios that FileMaker has investigated concerning
FileMaker files and Time Machine on Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5):
FileMaker Pro:
FileMaker Pro has a file open first and Time Machine tries to execute
on it:
Time Machine ignores the open FileMaker Pro file but sets its next run
time (attempted to back up) sometime sooner than one (1) hour. This
will not be a performance problem since Time Machine does not have to
scan the system for changes. Instead it gets notified when files get
changed and maintains a list. It will continue to try (and fail) during
its next attempt if the file is still active.
Time Machine is backing up a large FileMaker Pro file (~ 1GB) and
FileMaker Pro tries to open the file:
The FileMaker Pro file can be opened and can be modified by FileMaker
Pro without a problem. After Time Machine finishes, the Time Machine
backup of that backup might be corrupted.
Recommendation:
You can exclude FileMaker files or folders from Time Machine in Mac
System Preferences if need be. If you do not want to exclude FileMaker
Pro files from being backed up by Time Machine, there is a small chance
that the Time Machine backup file might be corrupt if you happen to
open a FileMaker Pro file while Time Machine has the same file open
first and is backing up the file.
FileMaker Server:
Time Machine, like other third party backup utilities, should be
configured to exclude the FileMaker Server folder. As with Pro, Time
Machine backups may be corrupted if FileMaker Server attempts to open a
large file that Time Machine is currently backing up.
To exclude FileMaker Server from the Time Machine backup list:
1. Open Time Machine from within System Preferences.
2. Click Options. Click the "+" button underneath the "Do not back up"
list.
3. Navigate to [hard disk]/library/FileMaker Server/
4. Click Exclude. Click Done.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Likewise, ClamAV and other virus checkers should exclude this
folder. No utility should ever try to access those files.
See this knowledgebase article with hyperlink.
<a
href="http://filemaker.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/filemaker.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=5807&;p_created=1138767212&p_sid=q3mmV7zj&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MjIsMjImcF9wcm9kcz04NjQsODY1JnBfY2F0cz0mcF9wdj0yLjg2NSZwX2N2PSZwX3BzX2Fuc191cGRhdGVkPSZwX3BhZ2U9MSZwX3NlYXJjaF90ZXh0PWJhY2t1cCBGaWxlTWFrZXIgc2VydmVyIHNjaGVkdWxl&p_li=&p_topview=1">FileMaker
and Antivirus Software
Question
Is it safe for antivirus software to scan FileMaker files?
Answer
ISSUE:
Antivirus software may cause file corruption.
RESOLUTION:
Please set the antivirus software so that it does NOT scan the
Databases folder (and subfolders), or any location FileMaker
Server/FileMaker Pro is opening the databases from.
The antivirus software should instead scan the backup destination
folder, if scanning of the files is necessary. Please schedule the
antivirus software so that it does NOT scan during the time FileMaker
Server is backing up the database files. It is preferable to scan the
database files after the files have been backed up completely.
EXPLANATION:
An antivirus program could lock bytes within a file while it is
scanning the file for viruses. Such a lock could cause the operating
system to return an error when FileMaker Server tries to write data to
the file, resulting in the file being closed as damaged.
Note that this also applies to files that FileMaker Server is
performing a backup to. If the antivirus software is scanning a backup
file when the backup schedule occurs, the open database may not be
backed up because the destination file is locked which may result in
the loss of data.
The same issue applies if FileMaker Pro has the database open and it is
not shared and the antivirus software tries to scan the file.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
This may sound harsh, but I must add, that any further clarification on
unsupported and un-recommended procedures should be directed to
FileMaker support.
Standard FileMaker Server Backup schedules are created from within the
Server App (Admin console). They specify dates/times to backup, served
files and where to place the backups.
The only encrypting backup utility that I trust mission critical data
with is EMC Retrospect. Contact me offline if you need to a rep about
it, as I was a beta tester and know several people there. Offsite
backups are only necessary and useful if you do not have a data-rated
fireproof safe onsite, and as extra safety. Most doctors I have seen
have some sort of high security safe, and upgrading to a data-rated 4
hour fireproof version is not expensive. I would use a service that
picks up tapes or DVD's and stores them in their facility. Internet
offsite storage is not secure. If they were breached and patient
records were compromised, you might be at legal risk, talk with an
attorney to be sure.
Hope that helps...
Regards,
Theo
Theo Gantos
th-@tekainc.com
(810) 471-4425
roger bailey wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:916745733-146379-@boing.topica.com"
type="cite">
<td
style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-stretch: inherit;"
valign="top">Hi Theo
I had an IT friend set this up, but I do think it is being
backed up by FM Server, but then the database is also being backed up
by the hour (by FilesAnywhere), then daily (at the end of the day) by
Crash Plan and also via Time Machine.
I will have to check on this to see if I've had any data
corruption, but if I understand you correctly, Filemaker server keeps
some data in RAM. While I understand that to be an issue with a live
database through the day while data is fluid/changing, the backups
through the evening/night (when everyone is gone) should be backing up
fine, shouldn't they?
I do understand what you are saying, however. The problem
is that one needs to have a backup solution (according to my IT friend)
that also runs semi-continuously and also backs up off-site/on-site (he
previously worked as IT admin/security for a large hospital).
Again, if the live database is not changing for 12 +
hours, shouldn't that be OK to back up with Time Machine/Crash
Plan/Files Anywhere? In other words, during that time the data FM
server keeps in RAM should be long past the time it has already been
'flushed to disk'.
If not, is there any way to 'back up the back up' (in
other words, do you have any suggestions for continuous/semicontinuous
backup of the FM server)?
Roger
--- On Sat, 5/30/09, Theo Gantos <th-@tekainc.com>
wrote:
<blockquote
style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;">
From: Theo Gantos <th-@tekainc.com>
Subject: Re: CottageMed improvements
To: "Cotta-@topica.com" <Cotta-@topica.com>
Date: Saturday, May 30, 2009, 10:46 AM
Are you using FileMaker Server to schedule backups or is
your backup software trying to copy the live database files? Copying
live files will not work and may cause data corruption, as FileMaker
Server holds some data in RAM, and only flushes everything to disk
during a scheduled backup (by FileMaker Server).
You will find that live backups made some other way
while the database server is active when restored will be missing data.
I have tested it before at a client that was doing it the way you
described, unless I misunderstand your procedure.
Theo
Theo Gantos
<a moz-do-not-send="true" rel="nofollow"
ymailto="mailto:th-@tekainc.com" target="_blank"
href="/mc/compose?to=t-@tekainc.com">th-@tekainc.com
(312) 576-3425 ph
Sent from my iPhone
On May 30, 2009, at 9:59 AM, roger bailey <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:rogerb-@yahoo.com" target="_blank"
href="/mc/compose?to=roger-@yahoo.com">rogerb-@yahoo.com>
wrote:
<td
style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-stretch: inherit;"
valign="top">Thank you Theo,
Mine is Mac OS X 10.5.6 Leopard Server and I
have been using v 9.0v2, so I will try to upgrade it to the 9.0v3 to
see if that resolves my admin console issue.
I have been using hourly backups to
FilesAnywhere.com and have been for nearly a year. The main issue I
run into is if I have to delete the backup copy or a folder, it's a
major headache running the sync successfully again.
Currently I have several backups: I use
FilesAnywhere for a complete backup of the EMR database (runs hourly)
and the 'File Cabinet' (runs daily). This serves as my encrypted
off-site backup (in case of fire at my office or theft of the server
itself). Onsite I have a backup via MACs 'Time Machine' to an external
HD as well as two other MacMinis that accept encrypted backups from the
server daily (via the CrashPlan software). This appears to be working
fine. I also have 'Crash Plan' backing up the EMR database and File
Cabinet to my laptop as well...though this backup is entirely dependent
on my laptop having an internet connection.
MozyPro was nice but was only good for
'achival'-type backup and was a headache to try to retrieve the
data...Carbonite wouldn't install, Backblaze appeared to be the issue
with the data loss I mentioned (not entering data while in 'find'
mode...as the data loss happened almost while I looked at the screen;
one second I had the days entry, the screen blinked and it was gone,
then seconds later the two prior encounters that were months old
sequentially vanished as well...I think it ended up being a virtual
memory problem, which a friend of mine said was not uncommon with UNIX
based OS).
Take care
Roger
--- On Sun, 4/26/09, Theo Gantos <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:th-@tekainc.com" target="_blank"
href="/mc/compose?to=t-@tekainc.com">th-@tekainc.com>
wrote:
<blockquote
style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;">
From: Theo Gantos <<a moz-do-not-send="true" rel="nofollow"
ymailto="mailto:th-@tekainc.com" target="_blank"
href="/mc/compose?to=t-@tekainc.com">th-@tekainc.com>
Subject: Re: CottageMed improvements
To: "<a moz-do-not-send="true" rel="nofollow"
ymailto="mailto:Cotta-@topica.com" target="_blank"
href="/mc/compose?to=Cott-@topica.com">Cotta-@topica.com"
<<a moz-do-not-send="true" rel="nofollow"
ymailto="mailto:Cotta-@topica.com" target="_blank"
href="/mc/compose?to=Cott-@topica.com">Cotta-@topica.com>
Cc: "<a moz-do-not-send="true" rel="nofollow"
ymailto="mailto:Cotta-@topica.com" target="_blank"
href="/mc/compose?to=Cott-@topica.com">Cotta-@topica.com"
<<a moz-do-not-send="true" rel="nofollow"
ymailto="mailto:Cotta-@topica.com" target="_blank"
href="/mc/compose?to=Cott-@topica.com">Cotta-@topica.com>
Date: Sunday, April 26, 2009, 2:38 AM
See my replies inline. Please in the future
attach detailed system profiles, at the very least identify the exact
operating system version (e.g. MacOSX 10.5.6) and FileMaker version
from get info, 9.0v2.
It's just guessing, like trying to come up
with a proper Dx without Hx...
Theo
Theo Gantos
<a moz-do-not-send="true" rel="nofollow"
ymailto="mailto:th-@tekainc.com" target="_blank"
href="/mc/compose?to=t-@tekainc.com">th-@tekainc.com
(312) 576-3425 ph
Sent from my iPhone
On Apr 26, 2009, at 2:05 AM, roger bailey <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:rogerb-@yahoo.com" target="_blank"
href="/mc/compose?to=roger-@yahoo.com">rogerb-@yahoo.com>
wrote:
<td
style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-stretch: inherit;"
valign="top">Hi Malcome
I was wondering if you had any issues
with FileMaker Server. My admin console was working just fine then one
day, boom, it's gone and won't open. The application still runs and
all is well from that regard but the admin console hasn't worked in
months. There is a software update but I am nervous about using it.
I hope you have 9.0v3 or later, as this was a known issue with early 9
releases...
<td
style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-stretch: inherit;"
valign="top">
The other odd thing is that my server
is server.thepainclinic.com, but I can access the cottage med database
via that name OR with the name of my server
(server.superbehemoth.com)...runs just the same and when CottageMed
opens it always says its the server name, not server.thepainclinic.com.
Just was wondering if you'd had any similar issues.
Cannot help you without detailed DNS report from your site. This is a
site specific problem, not a FileMaker problem.
<td
style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-stretch: inherit;"
valign="top">
One thing that happened to me the
other day was very frightening though. My nurse was in the exam room
and entered some data (vitals, etc), then came out to her computer and
noticed all the data was gone. I entered some data on the same patient
a few minutes later and while I was talking to her I noticed the entire
day's entry was gone...then seconds later the entire list of prior
visits disappeared, too. There were a couple of error messages (hard
drive space?), too. I stepped out and noticed that on the server the
visit on that day was gone but fortunately the prior visits were still
there.
This is a common issue with new FileMaker
users, they were entering data while in "find" mode. Yes whatever was
typed into the screen in Find mode was not written to the database, it
was simply used as a search pattern, since nothing matched, you got no
records.
<td
style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-stretch: inherit;"
valign="top">
I rebooted the server and though I had
to redo that day's entry, all the others were there and I've had no
issues in the last few days. The only thing I had been doing out of
the ordinary was I was trialing 'Backblaze' (an onine remote storage
service) that had been backing up my server (but only 1/3 of the way
done). It had been running for over a week but since that was the only
other variable - I shut it down and later uninstalled it. Very
strange. Not sure if the backup app had anything to do with it.
You cannot backup an operating FM database without losing data or even
corrupting the files. You must use the built in FileMaker server
backup, or if not using FM Server shutdown the hosting copy of
FileMaker, copy the files, and then backup the created files with a
reliable utility like EMC Retrospect. Disk space is so inexpensive now
that there is no excuse for not maintaining a robust set of backups. I
do not recommend you trust Internet backups like Mozy except as a
secondary convenience backup. Any network problem while backing up
could cause data corruption.
<td
style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-stretch: inherit;"
valign="top">
Also thought I'd ask if you had any
experience with online backups. I have been using FilesAnywhere, which
has an online Fax service (inbound number/outbound) but is a little
more expensive. I've trialed Carbonite, which did not work on OS X
server at all. I'm thinking about a MozyPro account (which supports
MAC OS X server) and am currently in the middle of a Zumo trial. I
have also trialed CrashPlan, which is useful to have inhouse backups to
other computers in the office, but their remote service is awful so
far...very very slow and unreliable.
Roger
--- On Mon, 4/20/09, Malcolm Sickels <<a
moz-do-not-send="true" rel="nofollow"
ymailto="mailto:mjsi-@umich.edu" target="_blank"
href="/mc/compose?to=mjs-@umich.edu">mjsi-@umich.edu>
wrote:
<blockquote
style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;">
From: Malcolm Sickels <<a moz-do-not-send="true" rel="nofollow"
ymailto="mailto:mjsi-@umich.edu" target="_blank"
href="/mc/compose?to=mjs-@umich.edu">mjsi-@umich.edu>
Subject: Re: CottageMed improvements
To: <a moz-do-not-send="true" rel="nofollow"
ymailto="mailto:Cotta-@topica.com" target="_blank"
href="/mc/compose?to=Cott-@topica.com">Cotta-@topica.com
Date: Monday, April 20, 2009, 7:12 PM
Yes, I am on
FileMaker Server, and despite opening the databases with a single user
copy of FMP (after turning the server off and moving them out of the
Database folder and opening it with FMP (where it does what it's always
done when not run through Server: default to printing current record
only), then turning the server on and importing them into the Database
folder via FMS) it still defaults to printing all records. Any other
ideas?
Also, I had the troubling experience
of FMS not knowing that it was out of date and denying that there was a
newer version when I upgraded the computer it's running on. The new
computer had 10.5.6 and I was running FMS 9v2 and you need the
latest version of FMS (9v3.326) to run on 10.5. Just a heads-up.
FYI, we're still plugging away with
insurance. I can't bear to cut off the people who can't afford to pay
out of pocket, and am paying the price with a lower income. It's
values vs pocketbook. If it wasn't sustainable, I'd change it, but it
is (just barely).
<span class="Apple-style-span"
style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Malcolm Sickels MD
210 Little Lake Drive, Suite 10
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://drsickels.com">http://drsickels.com
734-332-9936
<br
class="Apple-interchange-newline">
On Dec 20, 2008, at 8:09 AM, Stefan
Topolski wrote:
Hello Malcolm,
Yes, great points. We really
appreciate your suggestions and hard work.
When you see a feature or behavior
not hold after restarting, it means you are using FileMaker Server.
These often involve global variables which are unique for each user
when you log in to CottageMed. When each user logs out, however, their
unique global value is discarded and the original global value for the
database remains on the hard drive file.
This is normal, it's not a bug,
it's the way databases manage multiple users. The solution is to turn
off the Server program, pull your files out to your desktop, open them
up with a single-user copy of FIlemaker Pro, set the variables and
values and behaviors the way you want, then close Filemaker Pro. When
you re-upload these database files to the server as your new copies,
your new settings which you set in Filemaker Pro single-user will be
the settings that come up as default when the files are shared to
others through Filemaker Server.
As for billing, failed promises of
billing companies is the norm. Their performance, in my opinion, gets
worse each year as they are outmaneuvered by the gamesmanship of much
larger insurance companies they seek payment from. Doing it yourself,
though, is an even riskier venture that is a step further backwards.
THIS IS WHERE EVERY NEW AND YOUNG
PRACTICE I CONSULT FOR FAILS IF IT FAILS. In U.S. health care today
there is a huge crime. It's not LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. It's
<span class="Apple-style-span"
style="text-decoration: underline;">BILLING, BILLING, BILLING...
<span class="Apple-style-span"
style="font-weight: normal;">I know that you've had problems with your
state laws and considering firms like Athena. I get nothing from
Athena for this suggestion. They are INCREDIBLE, and you need a large
outfit that's national like Athena, any outfit as big as
Athena, with the resources, people power, and computer automation
skills to keep up with the insurance 'big boys' and play the insurance
billing game to win.
<span class="Apple-style-span"
style="font-weight: normal;">I hope you can find some arrangement like
this, or go cash-only. Billing insurance yourself is a dead-end game
that's too dangerous for me to play. I do hope that you have
better luck at it than almost everyone else. I really want you to keep
growing and succeed!
<span class="Apple-style-span"
style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div
style="margin: 0px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px;"><br
class="Apple-interchange-newline">
Yours Truly,
<div
style="margin: 0px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px;">Stefan
<div
style="margin: 0px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 9px;">
<div
style="margin: 0px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 9px;"><font
class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 8px;" size="2"><span
class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13px;">
<div
style="margin: 0px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; min-height: 15px; font-size: 9px;"><span
class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13px;">
<div
style="margin: 0px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px;">"One
gathers peace as a feather in the palm of one's hand." -anonymous
<font class="Apple-style-span"
style="font-size: 9px;" face="'Lucida Grande'" size="3">
<span class="Apple-style-span"
style="font-size: 16px;">
<div
style="margin: 0px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 9px;">Stefan
Topolski <span class="s1"
style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 8px;">MD
<span class="Apple-style-span"
style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 9px;">U. of
Massachusetts School of Medicine
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of New England
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in Community, Inc.
1105 Mohawk
Trail
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Falls, Ma.
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href="http://www.cottagemed.org">http://www.cottagemed.org
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On Dec 18, 2008, at 9:26 PM,
Malcolm Sickels wrote:
Yeah, doing the jump
once was a more painful endeavor than the smaller jumps, but it's hard
to find the time to do it and deal with the unknown consequences of the
changes. Upgrades are always a leap into the unknown and I want to
subject me, my staff and my patients to as little as possible. I take
full responsibility for the unusual upgrade path and expected the pain,
so was documenting the changes I made for myself (since I'll have to
re-do some them every time I upgrade for my idiosyncrasies (another
reason I do it as little as possible) and if it just put it on paper
it'll get lost) and for anyone else who might be in the same boat. If
anything it's a testament to how good 1.9.1 was: no compelling reason
to upgrade.
We've since stopped using our
billing company and are doing it ourselves.
I think the PDF saving problem
went away. No idea why.
We switched to FileMaker Server
(running on my old G4 768DP MDD) over gigabit ethernet (except one
notebook on the newest airport), and some things are actually faster
than they were before and there's fewer problems! There is one new
issue, though: when quitting and restarting FMP, the print dialogue
defaults to printing "all records" rather than only the records being
browsed, so if I don't fix it each restart I end up getting all of a
patient's prescriptions printing out instead of the one I'm printing.
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face="Helvetica" size="3">Dr. Malcolm Sickels, MD
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face="Helvetica" size="3">210 Little Lake Drive, Suite 10
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face="Helvetica" size="3">Ann Arbor, MI 48103
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target="_blank" href="http://drsickels.com">http://drsickels.com
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On Dec 18, 2008, at 10:09 AM,
Stefan Topolski wrote:
Thank you , Malcolm -
Your suggestions are very
helpful. Some are unique to your install, some are useful to all
users. Some such as not being able to save a print preview are not the
purview of Filemaker or CottageMed and you'll have to look to the Mac
OS for the problem there.
The Rx changes were required
and all fields have more advanced functions for specific user needs.
We will fix the tab order again. Some users prefer to have the past
cc: and vitals present for their workflow. We will debate those
changes some more.
The most important advice we
can give you to make the upgrade process smoother is to upgrade much
sooner. Jumping from version 1.9 to 2.5 is a huge jump over several
years of program development. It's a bit too much to ask the program
and programming team to make painless for you.
So in the future, please
upgrade each year so that your experience is as smooth and enjoyable as
that of other CottageMed users.
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Yours Truly,
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gathers peace as a feather in the palm of one's hand." -anonymous
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<span class="Apple-style-span"
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Topolski MD
<span class="Apple-style-span"
style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 9px;">U. of
Massachusetts School of Medicine
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of New England
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in Community, Inc.
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Mohawk Trail
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Falls, Ma.
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href="http://www.cottagemed.org">http://www.cottagemed.org
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On Jul 7, 2008, at 5:12 PM,
Malcolm Sickels wrote:
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Other changes I
made to the 2.5.1b version I moved to today and yesterday:
-edited the startup script
to hide _all_ the windows except the main one (Alerts and
AllPhonesAddresses were previously left showing but I never use them),
and switched the inequality in the 4th to last line to <= since it
seemed to always show the alert even if I just backed up.
-edited the layout of the
Superbill to include "Checked Dx is primary!" above the checkboxes,
made more room for the pt paid amount and added 2 decimal places to
that display and the total, and moved things around to make room for
the numbers.
Also, somehow the page setup
was set to horizontal orientation and the print dialogue defaulted to 2
copies, but that might just be something on my end (though these are
brand-new installs of FM9).
Also for some reason we can
no longer save a print preview of the superbills (we have been hitting
preview and then saving (to their files) a PDF of the superbill and
then hitting the print button and printing it out for the billing
company). Any idea why that's happening?
The prescription list seems
to be sorted differently now, too. I don't see the logic in it any
more.
There's also some weirdness
with the dates logged in the Rxs. On several Rx written today (often
on spaces left from old scripts) or refills, the date entered into the
Rx log is a previous date, often the date of the last time that
prescription was printed. Interestingly, the log still has them sorted
by when I actually printed them (so even though a script I printed
today has a date before some other things further down the log's list).
Also, there's this "Date"
column in the Rx section that doesn't seem to relate to anything (it
doesn't have the date of the Rxs I just printed today!). I'll go in
and see what it's supposed to do. I didn't get vary far since I don't
know what all the script-maker functions are.
I also turned off drag and drop text selection since it gets me in more
trouble than it's worth (since dragging is a good way to get around in
a note).
I'm also having trouble with
all clients logging in with the same credentials (whatever the serving
computer (mine) logs in as, so do all the others), but this may get
fixed when I move it to a dedicated server.
The new find function (from
pressing the button) while having a good warning now leaves the person
in the list view which makes more work, but if cmd-F works just as
well, it may not be a big deal
I had to re-designate the
tabs to make the tab order for the Rx lines all in a row (24-30) in the
Notes layout. Otherwise, hitting tab goes awry and you can't enter a
bunch of Rx one after the other (like when putting in a new pt) without
using the mouse.
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I would like to not have the
Rx pad window show up (in back) every time I start a SOAP note, but
it's not plain in the script. It'd also be good to have it clear the
vitals/CC box when it puts them in a note.
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Dr. Malcolm Sickels MD
210 Little Lake Drive, Suite
10
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
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734-332-9936
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m"><a moz-do-not-send="true" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"
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734-332-9936
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