Miscellaneous
How the Local Database Works
When you create a new game, WinACE creates an MS Access database with the same name as your game. Each time you log on to an empire game, the sector. Bmap, and unit information in this database is automatically cleared and refilled. While you are playing, WinACE tries to keep the database as closely synced to the 'real' database on the empire server as is possible. When commands are submitted via the prompt boxes, WinACE also submits the dump commands it thinks will be necessary to bring the database up to date. For the most part this works pretty well, but you should always be aware of the chance that the local data is not completely up to date.
Once common occurrence that will cause the database to be out of sync is enemy action. Shelling, bombing, and attacks all cause changes to the sector and unit data on the server, but don't trigger any automatic updates so that the local database is refreshed. You must manually trigger these updates.
After an update, usually all the data becomes outdated. WinACE keeps a countdown clock that tracks the time remaining before the next update. Each time the update clock reaches zero, WinACE will submit a full set of dumps to re-sync the database.
You can manually force the local database to be in sync with the server by using the menu options on the View menu.
The local database also contains received telegrams, version information, enemy sector information, and enemy unit information. This information is gradually gathered, and can not be "re-synced" by submitting a command, thus it is carried over from session to session. To manually clear this information, take the Clear option from the File menu.