Temporary Tabs3 and PracticeMaster Synchronization Files

Last reviewed: 12/01/2011
Article ID: R10851

The information in this article applies to:

Tabs3 Version 16, 15, 14, 12 & 11
PracticeMaster Version 16, 15, 14, 12 & 11

Summary

This article discusses the temporary synchronization files created in Tabs3 and PracticeMaster when the programs are installed in the same directory and real time synchronization is temporarily unavailable.

More Information

Tabs3 and PracticeMaster feature real time integration, meaning that data entered in one system is automatically passed to the other. However, real time integration may sometimes be temporarily unavailable due to the use of an exclusive function in one system or the other. This prevents data entered in the system that is not performing the exclusive function from being immediately passed to the system that is. When the data is initially saved, the indicator on the optional status bar displays PM PENDING (Tabs3) or T3 PENDING (PracticeMaster). (Note: In versions prior to 16.1, the status bar will simply display PENDING in both Tabs3 and PracticeMaster when data is saved and SYNC ON during normal operations.) The system in which the data was entered creates temporary data files containing the new data, which will be passed to the other system as soon as the exclusive function is no longer in use. At that time, a catch-up synchronization will automatically be performed in the system that was performing the exclusive function. After the catch-up synchronization has occurred in the system that was performing the exclusive task, the temporary files are automatically deleted.

File Names and Locations of the Temporary Synchronization Data Files

The following table illustrates the file names and locations of the temporary synchronization data files:

System	File Names	Location
Tabs3	T3SYNCCM.DAT T3SYNCCM.IDX	In the program folder (e.g., F:\STI)
PracticeMaster	CMSYNCT3.DAT CMSYNCT3.IDX	In the CMSYSTEM folder located under the program folder (e.g., F:\STI\CMSYSTEM)

Examples of When the Temporary Synchronization Files Are Used

Suppose you open Tabs3 Customization, and someone else adds a new client in PracticeMaster while you have Tabs3 Customization open. Since Customization is an exclusive function in Tabs3, the new client entered in PracticeMaster cannot immediately be added to the Tabs3 client file. As a result, the SYNC ON indicator on the status bar in PracticeMaster changes to T3 PENDING to indicate that changes are pending; these changes will be passed to Tabs3 as soon as Tabs3 becomes available for data entry. The data for the new client entered in PracticeMaster is stored in CMSYNCT3.DAT and CMSYNCT3.IDX. When you close the Customization window in Tabs3, the Synchronize Tabs3 and PracticeMaster window will appear, and the new client data will automatically be transferred to Tabs3. When that process completes, CMSYNCT3.DAT and CMSYNCT3.IDX will be deleted.

As another example, suppose you open File Maintenance in PracticeMaster, and someone else adds a new fee transaction in Tabs3 while you have File Maintenance open. Since File Maintenance is an exclusive function in PracticeMaster, the new fee entered in Tabs3 cannot immediately be added to the PracticeMaster fee file. As a result, the SYNC ON indicator on the status bar in Tabs3 changes to PM PENDING to indicate that changes are pending; these changes will be passed to PracticeMaster as soon as PracticeMaster becomes available for data entry. The data for the new fee transaction entered in Tabs3 is stored in T3SYNCCM.DAT and T3SYNCCM.IDX. When you exit File Maintenance in PracticeMaster, the Synchronize PM and Tabs3/TAS window will appear, and the new fee data will automatically be transferred to PracticeMaster. When that process completes, T3SYNCCM.DAT and T3SYNCCM.IDX will be deleted.

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