PDXpert PLM Software
On-line Help Guide

This help topic describes the current PDXpert PLM release. Earlier releases may be different. To view your release's version of this topic, open PDXpert and press the F1 key or select the Help menu.

Restore data from a backup

You can restore a database and related library files from a previous backup. You may need to do this if you're moving PDXpert to a new server or recovering from a computer failure. You may also want to restore a previous database if you're experimenting with configuration options or using the Batch Importer tool, and want to return to a previous configuration.

The restored backup data completely and permanently overwrites the current database in the \Database folder.

  • Restoring a .PDXZ backup file completely and permanently deletes all library files before copying its contents into the \Library folder.

  • Restoring a .BAK backup file doesn't delete, change or replace any files contained in the \Library folder.

Consider whether you should back up the current database and library before restoring your backup file.

Do not use SQL Server commands to attach database MDF/LDF files copied from another PDXpert system. This can damage your data. To ensure client cache coherence, each database must have a unique database identifier (dbo.PDXpertInfo.DatabaseId). The PDXpert Server assigns a new identifier when it the restores the database, and the SQL Server ATTACH command does not.

Microsoft recommends restoring a SQL Server database from an internal fixed drive. The operation may fail – possibly without any warning – if you select a compressed, network-mapped, or external volume.

Microsoft SQL Server databases are not backward compatible.

  • A database backup can only be restored into the same, or higher, SQL Server instance. For example, SQL Server 2017 (version 14.0) can accept a 14.0 database, as well as an older SQL Server 2016 (13.0) database.

  • SQL Server can't "downgrade" a higher-level database backup. For example, a backup file from SQL Server 2019 (version 15.0) cannot be restored into an earlier SQL Server 2017 (14.0) instance.

Do not restore a higher backup file into an older PDXpert Server release. A backup can be restored only into the same, or higher, PDXpert release.

For example, a PDXpert server 14.0.2700.5 can restore a 14.0.2700.5 backup file, and can upgrade an older 12.2.1000.4 backup file. A PDXpert server 14.0.2700.5 doesn't accept backups from higher releases, say, 15.0.3000.5. Refer to PDXpert's release notes for further compatibility details.

Do not add files to the server's \Data folder or its subfolders. Unrecognized files may interfere with proper operation or may be deleted without warning. If the folder has been moved, the actual name may not be \Data but perhaps \PLM-Data, \PDXpert, or something else.

When first opening a PDXpert client, you may need to import your current software license key file. The software license key must allow the current PDXpert release.

  • A software license purchased as a subscription must be current.

  • A perpetual license must show an expiration date after the PDXpert software release date.

All PDXpert client connections are closed when the backup file is restored. Users must restart their client application.

The backup file name normally includes information about the server machine name, backup date, PDXpert release, and SQL Server version: {machine}-{date}-{release}-{version}.pdxz  When restoring the backup database, the file name's SQL Server version is compared to the installed instance to warn of incompatibility. If the file has been renamed, file compatibility may be uncertain.

On the PDXpert Application Server window:

  1. Select the Manage page.

  2. If the database and file attachments were saved using the default backup format Database with Library (*.pdxz), then skip this step and go to the next step.

    If the database and file attachments were saved separately using the alternative backup format Database without Library (*.bak), then:

    1. On the PDXpert Server, click the Reset System button to clear the previous database and all files contained in the \Library subfolder. See the Reset the database and library help topic.

    2. Copy your saved library files into the empty data directory path's \Library subfolder.

      Ensure that these files are related to (and were copied immediately after) the database backup .BAK file that you'll restore in the next step.

  3. In the System changes area, click the Restore From Backup... button to open the Restore From Backup dialog. Navigate to the location where your backup file is saved, select the correct backup file, and click the Open button to immediately load the backup file into the server. The system makes a new database index. A large database may take a while to re-index.

    If the database was saved by an older release of PDXpert, then the database is automatically upgraded to the current schema. After upgrading, the database cannot be used with the older release.

  4. Make sure that the restored system is accurate, consistent, and correct.

    • Accurate: The restored system – parts, documents, change forms, collections, etc. – contains exactly what you expect and is not, for example, an older backup.

    • Consistent: The database items refer to the matching set of library file attachments.

    • Correct: The right software license key is loaded, users can log into the client, and items can be searched, found and opened.

    1. Log into the PDXpert client application.

      Your PDXpert client may request a valid software license key that lets the installed PDXpert release use the restored data.

    2. Wait until all items are indexed (Tools ➔ Index Status...).

    3. Search for an item with a file attachment that was saved just before the backup. View or copy the attachment to confirm its content.

      If you can open the item record, but can't confirm its file attachment, then the library files have not been restored to the correct location or are inconsistent with the database.

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