Missing Records in Database

There are numerous possible issues from what users have done, to how your database is designed to possible damage that may have occurred to the file itself and perhaps something wasn't quite right with your search criteria.

Here's an incomplete list of why data might seem to "go missing":

1) The data has been modified to the point that it either no longer resembles the original version or is not being "found" by your search criteria.

2) A user deleted the record

3) A script deleted the record.

4) due to a "Delete" relationship option being selected, either 2) or 3) above deleted a record in a related table and a "cascading delete" deleted this record as well.

5) There are many ways that a particular interface design might "hide" records with specific values from view. Thus the record(s) may still be there, but not be accessible from the current layout or when the file is open with a specific privilege set.

6) A damaged field index can keep FileMaker from finding or sorting records correctly. You can use Advanced Recover options to rebuild all indexes in your file. (use the copy file blocks "as is" and Rebuild index options).

Your answer suggests otherwise.

New record adds a new record to your database and increments any auto entered serial number setting--which might then produce a "gap" in the series of serial number values and this might create the illusion of a missing record if you then revert to keep from creating a new record.

So this would not be a good way to look for a record. Entering find mode, specifying the ID and then performing the find would be far safer.

And 6) is the least likely reason listed. It can be nearly impossible to rule out the possibility that the record was deleted.

To recover the file, close it and take it down off the server if hosted with FileMaker server.
Launch FileMaker Pro or FIleMaker Advanced without opening this file. Select Recover from the File menu. Select Advanced Recover options and select the ones I described in a previous post.

Why can't you find the file? I am referring to the FileMaker database file and finding that file should be a very straightforward obvious task.

For files hosted via FileMaker server, you can use the Server Admin console to close the file and temporarily remove it from the server or you'd use the server Admin to make a back up copy of the file that you can copy across the network to your computer to recover. You should, in fact, already have at least daily back ups on hand so that you can take last night's back up copy and recover it to see if this makes a difference.

(And if you have been saving a series of sequential nightly back up files as you should, you can also open and search some of the older back up copies to see if the missing records can be found in the back up copies.)

Please note that this particular operation is a long shot. I will not be surprised if it does not result in records becoming "findable" that could not previously be found.

A script can only deleted a record if someone has created it with the ability to do so.

You need to sit down with a consultant who can analyze the design of your database and the way you need to use it to come up with ways to prevent this in the future.

One method is to use FileMaker advanced to replace the "delete record" option with a "Delete" option that does not actually delete a record but marks it as "deleted" by setting a value in a field. This then requires additional changes be put in place so that such "marked" records are hidden from the user--creating the illusion that the record was deleted when it was actually hidden. Records deleted by accident can then be restored just by clearing the data from the field that marked it as deleted. Some systems maintain such records indefinitely, others delete them after they have been in "deleted" status for a specified period of time such as 60 days and then a housekeeping script scheduled to run after hours looks for and deletes such "expired" records.

It's also possible to set up access privileges for the users such that only certain people can delete record and/or only records with certain values can be deleted. We use that method here to keep receipt records that have entered "printed" status from being deleted by low access level users.