Working with the ESPlanner Database

Updated 12/8/2011

There seems to be confusion from time to time about how the ESPlanner database works. Here are all the answers you would ever want.

All data for all profiles are stored in the database. You do not need to SAVE data - it's saved as you enter it.

The database location can be found using HELP->About. If you're unsure what database ESPlanner is using, look there. The file name is specified where it is labeled SOURCE= (this is new in 2.11.x and did not exist in older versions)

The default location for the database is My Documents\My ESPlanner on XP and older and Users\[your name]\Documents\My ESPlanner on VISTA or Windows 7.

The database file is ESPDatabase.mdb. This is a Microsoft Jet database, which is also used by MS Access. You can open it with access but you should not.

You can have multiple ESPlanner database files! You can work with only one at a time.

Sometimes we may ask you to send us your database to replicate a problem. Use esplanner.com to upload the database file. Large files are often blocked by e-maill. It will also compress quite effectively using WinZip.

Professional users have a database chooser which allows quick launching of any database.

Modifying the database being used:

FIRST TECHNIQUE

The installation kit places an icon on your desktop which references a specific database.
Modify the ESPlanner icon that you're using to start ESPlanner like this:
1) select the icon
2) RIGHT click and select "Properties"
3) Look for TARGET
4) The TARGET file should be listed, either ESPlanner or ESPlannerPlus.exe. Note that there are double-quotes around the text.
4) Append the directory name and filename to the existing text, i.e." C:\DOCUMENTS AND SETTINGS\WILLIAMS\MY ESPLANNER\ESPDATABASE.MDB" This is an example only. Use your own directory name.
5) Include the double-quotes around the appended text so that there are quotes around BOTH entries individually, separated by a space. This is very important.

SECOND TECHNIQUE

You can open any database directly by adding ESPlanner as the default (or optional) program associated with that file.

1) Find the database file you want to use, i.e. ESPDatabase.mdb
2) Right click the file
3) Select "Choose Default Program..."
4) In the dialog box that opens, choose BROWSE... (Bottom, right)
5) Browse to your installation of ESPlanner (the default location is C:\Program Files\ESPlanner or on Windows 7 it may be C:\Program Files (x86)\ESPlanner) and choose the appropriate application (ESPlanner or ESPlannerPlus). Note: the default file extension "EXE" may be hidden by Windows - this is OK).

6) Double-click the application or click OPEN
7) Look for the check box which indicates that you want to use ESPlanner as the default application for the ESPDatabase file. If you do not have or use MSAccess (part of Office) this is OK. Keep in mind for future reference that you have made this association. If you DO NOT want to make ESPlanner the default application, go to step (11)
8) Click OK.
(10) Double-click the ESPdatabase file and ESPlanner should open it. Note that ANY FILE with the MDB (Microsoft database) file type will now be opened with ESPlanner. You're done!

(11) Uncheck the box which would make ESPlanner the default application. Click OK
(12) Now, to run ESPlanner on a ESPdatabase file, RIGHT click the file and select ESPlanner from the list of applications. You're done!