How to Combine Desktop Databases

By default Zoot is set up to use a separate database for each of the Desktop Database item types (Tasks, Contacts, Appointments, Memos etc.). Depending on your work style, you may prefer to use a single database for some of these Desktop Database types.

In order to map some or all of the Desktop Databases to a single database you must:

·

Create a database to hold the combined item types.

·

Tell Zoot which of the Desktop Databases you want combined.

Create a Database to the hold Combined Item Types

To create a database to hold combined item types:

1. From the main menu, choose File | New | Database. Zoot asks you to choose a database template. Your new database will be based on the template you choose. Select New Unified Desktop from the list and click OK.

2. Zoot asks you to name the new database. Enter a name for the database, preferably a short name so that it doesn't take much space on the Desktop Database Bar. Something like "Centrix" or "Homebase" would be snappy. Click OK to proceed.

Zoot creates your new database and opens it.


Tell Zoot which Desktop Databases you want to combine

The following instructions assume you named your new database "Centrix". If you chose a different name, that's okay:

1. From the main menu, choose Tools | Customize.

2. In the Map Desktop Databases section, double-click on each Desktop Database you want to map to your Centrix database. For instance, if you want your Tasks to be mapped to the Centrix database, double-click on the Tasks database.

3. Zoot displays a pop-up menu of databases. Choose Centrix from the pop-up menu. Zoot asks if you want to transfer any items in the source database over to Centrix. If you've created some items and want them copied over to Centrix, answer Yes and Zoot will copy the items over to the Centrix database.

Repeat these steps for each Desktop Database you want mapped to your Centrix database.


What Does Mapping Do?
When you map one or more Desktop Databases to another database, it changes the default database for the item type associated with the Desktop Database. This comes into play when you click the Zooter and choose New from the pop-up menu or when you create a new linked item (Ctrl+L).

For example, if you map the Tasks, Calendar and Journal database to the Centrix database, then click the Zooter and choose New | Task from the pop-up menu, Zoot will create the new Task item in the Centrix database. The same would be true for new Appointment and Calendar items; they will be created in the Centrix database.

Also when you map Desktop Databases to another database, the Desktop Databases you map will be removed from the Desktop Database Bar and the combined database will be added. Continuing with the example above, you would find after mapping that the Tasks, Calendar and Contacts databases have been removed from the Desktop Database Bar and the Centrix database has been added.