Global Replace of Linked Docs

It is always recommended that ALL client/matter docs be kept in the docs folder within the Abacus directory. However, there are times when that is not the case, and it is necessary to move client/matter documents from one file location to another on the network.

It can take quite a while to manually relink each document to its client/matter record to update it with the new file location path. To avoid having to relink each doc manually, you can try using the Global Delete & Replace feature in the Abacus program.

1. File > Utilities > Generic Database > Delete/Replace
   • Here you can create a query that will allow you to replace the file paths in all at once.

All users must be out of everything Abacus to do this.

1. With AbacusLaw open, Navigate to File > Utilities > Generic Database > Delete/Replace
   
   
   
   
2. Select the Docs Database.
   
   
   
   
3. Click Query
   
   
   
   
4. Create a query for the documents that are directing to the wrong directory.
   
   
   
   
5. Your query Field should be set to Full path , Comparison should be set to equals/starts with, Value should be set to the start of the incorrect directory (ex. X:\Docs)
6. Click Done to save the query
   
   
   
   
7. Click Done again to select that query to use.
8. Select First when asked “Which record would you like to go to?”
   
   
   
   
9. Check to make sure that the list is comprised of the documents which need to have their paths changed.
   
   
   
   
10. Click Replace all…
    
    
    
    
11. Change Field name to FULL_PATH
    
    
    
    
12. Replace with should be set to {“(NEW PATH)”+substr(full_path,(FIRST CHARACTER TO NOT CHANGE),512)}
    
    
    
    
13. In the string above, the *NEW PATH_ should reflect the data that you are adding to the path. For example, if you need to change the path from X:\Docs\ to Z:\Docs\ then the NEW PATHshould show “Z”.
14. In the string above, the FIRST CHARACTER TO NOT CHANGE should reflect the first character in the current path that you would like NOT to change. For example, if we need to change the path from X:\Docs\ to Z:\Docs\ then the colon (:) is the first character we want to leave in the path. When looking at the path, the colon (:) is the second character in the path, so our value would be “2”.
15. When we replace the NEW PATH section and the FIRST CHARACTER TO NOT CHANGE the full string should look like this: {“Z”+substr(full_path,2,512)}
16. Click Done to confirm the string you have entered.
    
    
    
    
17. Click Yes to continue with the replacement.
    
    
    
    
18. AbacusLaw will let you know how many replacements were made. Click OK.
    
    
    
    
19. Once AbacusLaw completes the replacement, click Done.
    
    
    
    
20. Verify that your paths are correct.