I have read the documentation over many times and experimented with various mixes of filters, Legacy Mode, and free SQL. I cannot figure out what is happening. Changes get applied I don't want applied and changes I try to apply don't do anything.

Example:

I set default action to ignore (tried Automatic as well, not better)
Pasted some valid sql in the free sql field of a single item
Set filter to Free sql only and legacy mode to different settings

When I clicked Fix DB the sql didn't run and the core DB schema changed.

I may have figured out why sql didn't run (while typing this), but too tired to check at moment, but still need ideas there. I knew that a component I just installed and propagated down through to my slave sites created a table (not a supported component for install). I was attempting to use the Maintenance tab to get the table created. Not happening...

The rest of it, if I get errors when it checks the DB, WHAT am I supposed to DO about it? What can the maintenance tab do and not do? A use case would go along way in clearing this up. Just stating what the various options mean isn't helping me. I need to understand when they are applicable.

If this is just me, then please someone help out the poor idiot here. I just need one, maybe two, situations walked through to a successful resolution. From there I know I can extrapolate.

Thanks in advance

Concerning the maintenance menu:
- The automatic selection consists in selecting the script of the migration. This is the files provided by joomla in the installation directory.
JMS tries to provide you the list of script that it has discovered (either in joomla but also in the extension).

At the top right, you have the "default" action executed for each websites.
On each websites, you can execute other actions.

Concerning the free SQL, they are executed after the action selected.
When there are existing tables and that you want to create a datamodel that merge 2 differents structures, you can use the legacy mode that has for objective to keep all the fields present in a table and just add new fields or increate size of existing fields. It also add indexes.

For the component, JMS tries to find the component datamodel from different sources:
- From the manifest files where SQL statment can be provided
- From SQL files described in the manifest files
- When the manifest does not provide anything, scan the files in the disk to search for sql files
- Use the datamodel of the same extension installed in the master.

Verify that the slave site is correctly selected.

We know that this maintenance menu is not easy to use and require some skill to know the datamodel expected and analyze the changes performed for each extension.
Don't be frustrated if you have difficulties. This is absolutelly normal when you discover the menu.

That helps a lot.

What does it mean when it says (don't remember the exact wording) the sql failed? Also what does it mean when it was successful?

Does this mean the table structure did not match the located sql script? I know during db check it is doing a compare.

When you click Fix, and kept all the defaults after installation, does it run those scripts on the slave DB?

I'm almost there I think.

FYI, I'm testing with two simple use cases.
- Installing a new component that creates 2 tables and JMS finds sql
- Installing a new component that creates 2 tables and JMS does not find any sql

Thanks

Bump for additional Maintenance Tab documentation pleas

I have noticed that you would like to have more doc on the "maintenance" menu.

Yes, some more detail on what it can and can't do, best practices etc. Based on what I'm doing, something that allows me to keep table construct in sync between the master and slave is most important.

The perfect tool for me would be a combination of what you are doing (as I understand it, just cannot seem to get it to work as expected) and what I use SP Transfer ( cyend.com )for.

I install/upgrade a component or feature that uses a database table
I compare the difference in table construct between the master and my template Slave**
I synchronize the structure of the tables in my MAster with the Template Slave and all slave sites based off of it
I then selectively compare rows (cyend) and adjust accordingly

** All "production slave sites" are based off a slave site I use as a template to set default content and configurations for my slave sites.

I'm trying to do the first 3 bullets with the Maintenance tab, at this point I'm not doing so well. Any additional documentation clarification would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,