Archiving and Retrieving TAP™ Files

Q: How can I save TAP files and later recover them into my TAP system?
How can I save TAP files and add them to another TAP system?

A: With TAP6.0.2402 or later and a Maintenance Subscription date of July 31, 2011, or later you can use the “Archive Tasks” and the “Retrieve Archived Tasks” functions in TAP.

Note that all values in this example are for demonstration purposes only. You should determine appropriate settings for your application.

The various files used in TAP (antenna libraries, coverage study Task files, etc.) contain interrelated values and ID keys. Simply copying files from one TAP system to another will cause duplication of ID keys and other unexpected conditions that will cause unpredictable operation of TAP, loss of data, and other problems. It is important to use the Merge function when combining files from other TAP system.

For example, if you are working on a project in TAP and you want to share an Area Coverage study with another TAP user (a co-working, client, etc.) you can Archive the Task (or Tasks) and then send the archived (ZIP) files to the other TAP user. The files can be unzipped on the other system and added into it. The Fixed and Mobile facilities, antennas, transmission lines, and other necessary information from your system will be added into the other system.

Merge vs. Archive

TAP also includes a “Merge” function in the Configuration menu. The Merge function is intended primarily as way to incorporate an entire TAP system (all Facilities, antennas, etc.) into another system. Most commonly, the Merge function is used to combine multiple single-seat TAP licensed systems into a multi-seat TAP system. After the files have been combined on one multi-seat TAP system, all the Fixed and Mobile facilities, coverage studies, intermod studies, etc., from all the single seat systems will be available to all users on the multi-seat system.

A main difference between the Archive function and the Merge function described in this article is that the Archive only saves information related to specific Tasks (area coverage studies, intermod studies, etc.). Fixed Facilities that were not used for area coverage studies (such as test facilities, proposed two-way link sites, etc.) are not saved or recovered with the Archive/Retrieve functions. The Merge function is used to import all information from the external TAP system.

Archiving Files for TAP Tasks

On the “TAP6 Archive Tasks” form, be sure the “Archive Tasks” box is checked:

(This function can also be used to delete Tasks without archiving them. If you do not want to archive Tasks, uncheck the box.)

Use the “Browse” button (“…”) to navigate to the folder where you want the archived files to be written.

Select the Task(s) you want to archive by clicking the Task Descriptions in the list.

To select multiple Tasks, press the Ctrl key on your keyboard while clicking the desired Task Descriptions.

If you want to delete the Task files from your system after archiving, mark the “Delete” box on the form. For additional explanation about the difference between deleting “RESULTS” and deleting “ALL INFORMATION” for Tasks, see the article on TAP6 Task File Housekeeping.

When you are ready to start archiving the selected Tasks, click the Start button. The Task information will be written into separate files in the specified Target folder:

Retrieving Archived Files for TAP Tasks

Backups

It is strongly recommended that you make a backup copy of the TAP system before using the Retrieve function.

Unexpected events (power outages, disk failures) that interrupt the merge process can leave some TAP files and databases in an indeterminate state. Having backups of both systems is always a good idea, and especially when planning a merge process.

To use the Retrieve function, the archived files must be unzipped. You can unzip into separate folders or into the same folder:

Be sure you do not unzip the Task files into the folder used for Task files on this TAP system, typically the WORK folder where TAP is installed. This would risk overwriting existing Tasks in the folder, and the Retrieve function will not allow that folder to be used in the process.

In order to use the Retrieve function, all other instances of any TAP programs must be closed. If you have other TAP functions open (HDCoverage, HDPath, etc.) you must close those instances. If other users on a multi-seat TAP system are using TAP (even just the TAP menu), they must close those instances. An informational message is displayed:

If you believe all other TAP functions and programs (yours and other users’) have been closed, click OK.

Another confirmation message will be displayed. After clicking OK on this message, your current instance of the TAP menu will also be closed:

Note that if you attempt to start the Retrieve function while any other TAP programs are still running, a message will be displayed and the merge function will not be run:

Click OK, and the “Retrieve Archived TAP Files” form is displayed. Use the “Browse” button (“…”) to find the folder where the unzipped Task files are located:

The other folders on this form are only used for the Merge function and are disabled for the Retrieve function.

When the files have been merged into the new TAP system, you will be prompted to start a new TAP session:

The Retrieved Tasks will be displayed in the list of Recent Coverage Studies in the TAP menu:

Note that the retrieved Tasks will typically not have the same Task ID value as they did when they were archived. This allows Tasks from one TAP system to be retrieved on another TAP system without overwriting or causing confusion with existing TAP Tasks (and their Task ID values) on the new TAP system.