Synchronizing forms

You can synchronize forms independently of global objects and the Explorer. The settings and specifications for synchronization of forms are made on the Synchronization Options page, using the Forms tab.

Caution: 
Before synchronization, make sure you back up the forms database in the Target configuration and confirm your database and server settings.

To synchronize forms, use this procedure:

  1. Launch FormSync and make the basic settings common to all synchronization operations.
  2. On the Forms tab, select one of these options in the section on How to handle customized forms in the Target configuration:
    Leave customized forms untouched
    This option replaces the base-level version of the form in the forms database but does not merge your customizations with the new base-level form. This means that your customized form is not processed at all.
    Remove customized forms
    This option removes your customized version of the form altogether, and replaces it with the new base-level version.

    Optionally, you can instruct FormSync to prompt you regarding each customized form and ask whether you want to keep your customized version or remove it. This allows you to decide for each form, on a case-by-case basis.

    Merge customized forms with base-level forms
    (Default) This option allows you to selectively determine what customizations should be kept during synchronization and what customizations should be discarded. Any customizations you decide to keep are merged with the new base-level versions of the forms.

    Optionally, you can instruct FormSync to prompt you for any, some, or all customizations you might have made. To specify what options and attributes to keep or discard, click Merge Options.

    Do not process forms
    Use this option only if you do not want to synchronize forms at all. Typically, you would use this option if/when you want to process global objects and/or the Explorer without synchronizing forms.
    Prompt before removal
    Optionally, to instruct FormSync to prompt you before discarding each customized form, select this option.
  3. Optionally, in the Filter group, specify what forms to synchronize.
    You can specify a single form, or you can specify multiple forms by using SQL wild cards (for example, Ab% to specify all forms whose names begin with the letters "Ab").

    To instruct FormSync to display only customized forms in the drop-down list, select the Show only forms with customized versions option.

  4. Optionally, to have FormSync remove all User-level runtime changes to forms, select the Remove runtime changes when form replaced option.
  5. Optionally, in the Method and global script parameters section, select one or both options to instruct FormSync what to do when it encounters parameter mismatches.
    Check signatures for parameter mismatches
    Compare parameters by name
  6. Make whatever settings you need to make on the Explorer tab and the Global Objects tab, according to whether or not you want to synchronize those objects as well.
  7. (Stand-alone version only) Click OK.
  8. Click Synchronize.
FormSync processes the forms according to your specifications. If you are using the stand-alone utility, you have the opportunity to roll back the changes. The form version does not offer this option.