Instructions for Using the CopyAPPX Utility

The CopyAPPX Utility transfers design and datafiles from a VS to an APPX platform. Here are instructions for using CopyAPPX to transfer files from a VS to Windows NT, 2000, or XP.

1. Restore COPYAPPX to the VS. The destination library should be APPXOBJ on whichever volume you choose.

2. Mount your destination tape as volume APPX, no label, shared (important).

3. Run COPYAPPX in APPXOBJ. Specify up to 9 libraries to be copied, and enter the NT target directory for each (e.g. c:\appx\data\AP). You may not be able to fit the entire path name you ultimately will want (like \appx\data\00\TAP\Portdata), but you can move the files when they're on the NT box. Note that CopyAPPX cannot span tapes. If your libraries will fill more than one tape, divide them up.

4. Dismount the tape on the VS, and mount it on the NT.

5. Install copyappx.exe on the NT. For the purpose of these instructions, we will assume it was installed into the root directory.

6. Create subdirectories on the NT to match the destinations specified. Be careful of permissions, if necessary (on Unix, we "chmod 777" and "chown appx" on all directories created). Permission issues have tripped up many NT installations.

7. Copy the contents of the tape, which are compressed into one file, onto the NT drive. You must be in your Unix shell (Interix) to do this. Use the command “cp /dev/tape0 /temp/filename”. Note: the “cp” command has been found to fail in some circumstances. It may require using the “mt” command in its place. The syntax is different.

8. Now, it’s time to run CopyAPPX against this new file. That can be done from either the Interix environment or from a DOS/NT command prompt. From Interix, the command is “//C/copyappx.exe < /temp/filename”. From the NT command window, use this: “C:\> copyappx < c:\temp\filename” . The program will start to run, and display “File Opened: /temp/FILExxxx”, “File Copied: /temp/FILExxxx”, “File Closed: /temp/FILExxxx” for each file it finds.

9. FILExxxx now contains the exported data created from the tape, in the directories specified when you ran COPYAPPX on the VS.

10. Move the files into the proper directory (e.g., \appx\data\00\TAP\Portdata). They have to be in the Portdata directory to be imported into APPX.

11. Run "appxutil -i" on each of the files. A batch file would be a good idea here - it only needs to contain one line: "for %%v in (*.) do appxutil -i="%%v". Run it in each directory. It will convert all the files without extensions into the .dat files that APPX needs for importing.

12. Create APPX design files through design file maintenance, then import those files. (Very important: Import all applications before you process any - it will save you a lot of heartache later).

13. Enter application design for each application individually. It will indicate that the application needs to be converted from 1.8 format. Run that option as indicated. When it completes, it will take you back to the APPX Utility menu. Run this step for all applications before continuing.

14. Re-enter application design and process the data dictionaries for each application.

15. Celebrate with beverage of your choice.

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