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Technical Support
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This section deals with files and the folders that contain them. It provides both general information on using files in a Microsoft Windows environment as well as OfficeQ specific information on where files are located and what they are used for.
This information is necessary if you want to modify OfficeQ or be able to install it on other computers. It is also useful while upgrading. ...running on a local area network...
To understand how the OfficeQ sample programs are structured or to make changes, you should understand file extensions. File extensions are the (typically 3 character) appendages at the right of file names - such as the .QBW of file name SAMPLE_FILE.QBW. We use file extensions a lot in this documentation and understanding them will help you use OfficeQ more effectively. (Note that they can be in upper, lower, or mixed case).
Some of the newer versions of Windows are initially set so file extensions are hidden. We think this is wrong. File extensions are very important in that they control what program is automatically run when a file is clicked. They are also useful in communicating how files are used.
The actual procedure for turning file extensions on varies with different versions of Windows, but typically there is a Folder Options service (in the list of services). It contains a View tab where an option such as 'Hide extensions for known file types' should be unclicked. Google "windows file extensions" for more info.
The following table shows file extensions that are relevant while using OfficeQ or it's sample programs. It also displays what the file extension is used for in the OfficeQ environment.
| .EXE | Program file in the Windows environment. These files are typically somewhere in the Program Files folder on the main drive. |
| .MDB | Microsoft Access database file. Could contain data only, code only, or a mixture of both. Before a query can be run to produce a report, the data for the report should be extracted from a .QBW file and inserted into an .MDB file. This can be either directly or using a .QQT file. An .MDB (QSQL_QUERYC.MDB) file is also used to hold the queries. |
| .QBW | QuickBooks main data file for a single company. While you are using QuickBooks, this file is being changed. |
| .QQT | QuickBooks temporary storage file (defined by and specific to DataBlox products). Holds a snapshot of all the data that existed in a .QBW file when the .QQT file was created. (see QQT Files) |
| .XLS | Microsoft Excel spreadsheet data file. Holds data that resulted from running queries. A single file can hold several spreadsheets (called worksheets in Excel) from the same or different .QBW files. |
| others | .BIN, .INI, .TXT |
The following table shows abbreviations used in the next section of this page. With later versions of Microsoft operating systems, program code and data need to be in separate locations for security reasons.
| {app} | Contains all .EXE program code files and other files needed
to run them. While a program is running it is not allowed
to make any changes to files in this area. On a typical
system, this folder will be: C:\Program Files\DataBlox\ |
| {commonappdata} | This is the high level folder that contains application data for all users. Stores common app data for use by all users. Should we be putting stuff in user specific folder instead or offering the option? |
When OfficeQ is installed - there are files installed in multiple folders on the hard drive. The following is a list of those files. An individual installation may differ slightly from this - but most of this information will be correct. The file locations shown are the default locations and may vary as the result of the user selecting custom locations when the install program was run.
Note that we make many references to file extensions, such as .QBW, .MDB, .QQT in our support web pages. These are the rightmost characters used with file names - after the rightmost period. They are important to the operating system because they specify what program is used to operate on the file. For example, a .QBW file is a QuickBooks data file, an .XLS file is a Microsoft Excel data file, etc. When these data file are run - the operating system will start the appropriate program and have it open the data file. There is an option at the operating system level to enable or disable the display of these file extensions. We strongly recommend you enable this. ...how to enable file extension display...
The first table shows the files included in the core ...
| File name | Install Location | What is does |
| OFFICEQ6.EXE | {app} | Main OfficeQ program that reads QuickBooks files, collects the data, and ... This file can be run several different ways. See Running OfficeQ. |
| OFFICEQ6.TXT | {app} | Text file that is displayed when OfficeQ6 is run interactively. The text can be replaced if desired. If this file is not present, //::more |
| OFFICEQ6.INI | {app} | Settings file that can control a few options in OfficeQ6. Used mostly by DataBlox for testing. Not important. |
| OFFICEQ6.TLB | {app} | Type library file. Needed for some applications that call OfficeQ. |
| OFCQPRO_LIC.RTF | {app} | License agreement. |
| OFFICEQ6.IDL | {app} | Type library file. Needed for some applications that call OfficeQ. |
| QSQL_QUERYC.EXE | {app} | Program used to edit SQL queries. |
The following table shows files that are installed as part of the sample applications These files are not required if the sample applications are not used.
| File name | Install Location | What is does |
| QACC_CODEC.MDB | {commonappdata}\ DATABLOX\OFFICEQ_VCODE |
Main Microsoft Access file containing code to extract data from OfficeQ and insert it into .MDB data filels. |
| QCXL_CODEC.XLS | {commonappdata}\ DATABLOX\OFFICEQ_VCODE |
Main Microsoft Excel file containing code to extract data from OfficeQ and insert it into an .MDB data files. Functionality is basically identical to QACC_CODEC.MDB - but operates in an Excel environment. |
| QSQL_QUERYC.BIN | {commonappdata}\ DATABLOX\OFFICEQ_DATA |
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| QSQL_QUERYC.MDB | {commonappdata}\ DATABLOX\OFFICEQ_USER |
.MDB data file containing queries (as data) that can be run against .MDB files that contain QuickBooks data. |
| QACC_SHELLC.MDB | {commonappdata}\ DATABLOX\OFFICEQ_USER |
Empty MS Access MDB data file that's copied whenever a new MDB file is filled. |
| QACC_DATAC.MDB | {commonappdata}\ DATABLOX\OFFICEQ_USER |
Default MS Access MDB data file for use when only one file is needed for storing QuickBooks data. Secondary purpose is to have a file to link to when initially installing the OfficeQ sample programs. |
| SPRM_PROD_2010.QQT | {commonappdata}\ DATABLOX\OFFICEQ_USER |
QQT file (see QQT Files) which contains data extracted from Intuit's sample product based business file (Sample Rock Castle Construction from QuickBooks 2010). |
| SPRM_PROD_2010.MDB | {commonappdata}\ DATABLOX\OFFICEQ_USER |
MS Access MDB data file containing data extracted from Intuit's sample product based business file (Sample Rock Castle Construction from QuickBooks 2010). |