This guide applies to upgrades for all versions 2.2 and later. If you are upgrading from earlier versions (or the Busch Gardens Animal Diet Database), please email Heidi for assistance.

Upgrading to a new version of ZDN (usually released about every 6 months or so) is recommended to get all the latest features and bug fixes. This process is only needed if you have existing data you want to transfer over. If you have not yet entered any data into ZDN, just start with a fresh installation.

Step 1: Prepare

1. Know: Make sure you know where your EXISTING ZDN Support Files folder lives. You can find this path in the Settings panel of your existing ZDN program.
2. Download the newest ZDN version from the website
3. Extract the files from the .zip folder.  The program will not run correctly from inside the .zip file.
4. Unblock: Microsoft blocks all downloads from the internet from running code.  To unblock the file, right-click on the ZDN_X.X.accdb file, and choose “Properties”. At the bottom of the window, check the box to unblock the file.

Step 2: Install

Single user:

• Unzip the files into a folder on your C: drive (such as My Documents or similar)
• For single-users only, storage in OneDrive, DropBox or similar may be used.

Multi-user:

• Place your new ZDN Support Files folder on a shared network drive (usually called H: or J: or similar).
• DO NOT use file-sharing services such as OneDrive or DropBox to share the ZDN Support Files folder with other users. These services do not play well with the multi-user data features already built into Microsoft Access.

Step 3: Move your existing files

Do the following steps after hours or when the database is not in use by others.

• Datafiles
  1. Copy all Datafiles that you actively use from your EXISTING ZDN Support Files/Datafiles folder to your NEW ZDN Support Files/Datafiles folder. By copying (and not simply moving), you will have a backup of your datafile in your EXISTING Datafiles folder and a new copy in your NEW Datafiles folder.
  2. Unblock each datafile (see Step 1 for how to unblock files).
• Other files: If you’ve added anything to Images or Templates:
  1. Copy or move any Images you may have added from your EXISTING ZDN Support Files/Images folder to your NEW ZDN Support Files/Images folder
  2. Copy or move any Templates you may have added from your EXISTING ZDN Support Files/Templates folder to your NEW ZDN Support Files/Templates folder (but consider using the new templates instead)

Step 4: Upgrade your datafiles

For each datafile that you currently use, you will need to upgrade it to the latest version.

1. Launch ZDN: Open the NEWEST version of ZDN (that you just downloaded).
   • If this is your first time using the newest version of ZDN, then:
     • Accept Warnings: You will get a variety of error messages until you have completed linking your database to an upgraded datafile. Don’t worry – these are normal. Just keep hitting OK.
     • Enable Content: Make sure you ENABLE CONTENT if needed (see Security Warning below) and keep accepting errors.
       You need to “Enable Content” for ZDN to work.
     • Click “Upgrade Datafile”: When the “INITIAL SETUP” window appears, select “Upgrade Datafile” button.
       
   • If you’ve used this version of ZDN before and are just upgrading an additional datafile, go to Settings and look for the “Upgrade Datafile” button in the corner of the peach “Initial Setup” area:
     Click the “UPGRADE DATAFILE” button to upgrade your datafiles.

2. In the Upgrade Datafile window, select the datafile you want to upgrade.
3. Say yes to all the warnings.
4. Say yes to Step 2 and keep saying “ok” to any warnings.
5. Quit and restart ZDN
6. You will get errors at startup until you finish Section 5 below, linking your ZDN to your datafile. This is normal and just fine. Keep saying “okay” to them.

Repeat “Step 4 Upgrade Your Datafiles” for EACH datafile you want to upgrade. You likely will need to do this at least twice:

• Once for your Sample Zoo datafile (so you can play with some data)
• Once for your Blank Zoo (or whatever you have renamed your real zoo’s datafile) for your real data

Step 5: Relink ZDN to your upgraded datafile

After you have upgraded all your datafiles…

1. Open your newest ZDN version. From the “Initial Setup” (or Settings > Initial Setup) window, set the path (make sure it is to your NEW ZDN Support Files folder and not your previous one!), select your desired datafile, and load it.
2. Go to Settings, and
   • Set your logo.
   • In the green “Diet Analysis” section, refresh the available templates. Make a selection (even if there is already text there) for each template.

Bug in upgrading 2.3 to 2.4 (fixed in upcoming 2.5)

• Depending on your updating process, you may run into issues with the NUTR_DEF table. I changed the name of “BGT_Name” to “Local_Name”. If you get a message about this:
  • Open up your datafile (make sure you and everyone else using it has quit ZDN first)
  • Press [F11] to show tables (if they aren’t already showing down the left side)
  • Open up “NUTR_DEF” table
  • Either:
    • Select the column called “BGT_Name” and copy it to the “Local_Name” column
    • or
    • Rename the column called “BGT_Name” to “Local_Name” (right click on NUTR_DEF and choose “Design View”)
  • While you are there, “Compact and Repair” (Database Tools  > Compact and Repair) the datafile.
• Even once you do that, you might run into issues with calories and some other nutrients not showing up in the analysis. If this is the case:
  • Download the latest version and open the samplezoo datafile.
  • Open your datafile
  • Arrange the two windows so you can see both
  • Open the NUTR_DEF table in both windows
  • Drag the columns around until they match each other
  • Delete everything from NUTR_DEF in your file
  • Copy and paste everything from the SampleZoo NUTR_DEF table into your table.
  • Compact and Repair (Database Tools  > Compact and Repair) the datafile.
  • If you get a message about deleting relationships:
    • Open Database Tools > Relationships
    • Find the NUTR_DEF table and delete all the lines that go to it
    • Try the above steps again
    • Email Heidi if you have trouble – this can get tricky.