Convert Zap Files

[Brian W Street]

With 7 Zip you can open up the Zap file and it has the different folders in there such as the Workfile and I can see the pdf of the report but to open it I need a password. None of the passwords that I have ever used will open the files. Does anyone know anything about this password? Is it an Ala Mode password?

 

[MJS]

Don't forget that if you use Alamode to save your workfile you need to save that outside of alamode as well. As Brian noted, you can't access anything within the report zap file because they have it encrypted. This effectively means you have to maintain an alamode subscription for 7 years after you stop using their software, whether due to changing vendors or retirement. These vendors have us over a barrel. I've thought about hiring programmers to develop an open source appraisal software package. It would likely be a lot less expensive in the long run so long as enough appraisers participate. Not sure how to start on getting appraisers together but I do have a background in software development.

 

[Mejappz]

I have the work file stored in a folder under My “Documents”. This is where I keep all my PDFs, spreadsheet’s MLS Sheets, Public records, etc. Alamode has always been a corrupt company both under Biggers, and certainly now under CorlaMud.

 

[Tom D]

buy an inexpensive cut, copy & paste program. then you can copy anything from any pdf, or any screen shot. or you can bring up the old appraisal in your total program, it will still work. then copy & paste the photo from it. not renewing you yearly total update subscription doesn't stop the program from working.

 

[Brian W Street]

buy an inexpensive cut, copy & paste program. then you can copy anything from any pdf, or any screen shot. or you can bring up the old appraisal in your total program, it will still work. then copy & paste the photo from it. not renewing you yearly total update subscription doesn't stop the program from working.

I could be wrong but if I no longer have that pc and need to re-install Total I do not think it will open files without buying a subscription. Everyone recommends saving their files to other folders but that is time-consuming and takes up additional drive space, have you seen how large these Total folders are? What bothers me the most is that I created these files and signed them with my digital signature then Total encrypts them with their own password, why? It should be my password that opens up that zap file or I should have the option that when I hit save the work file saves to the folder that I select unencrypted. If Microsoft did this with Word no one would use that program. I haven't worked with any other appraisal software vendors, I have been with AlaMode for over 20 years. In my opinion they have always provided a superior product but what good is a work file that I can't access?

 

[ucbruin]

@Brian W Street

20+ year ACI user....
They do the same....
I can view an old report on a non-licensed computer with the software....
But a very large "DEMO" is printed across all pages....
And I can't print/pdf the report....

 

[Tom D]

the good news & the bad news. yes, you can use wintotal without yearly subscriptions, you bought the program. you just cannot use their mapping program, get updates, or service calls without a subscription.
the bad news maybe that without that current subscription you may not be able to re install it, but i would give it a try. not a big effort to do it, and you just want it to open files for whatever reason. you may have to also re install all your total files if they are not on a memory stick, or card. but wintotal can read them off a memory stick/card without being on the computer.
a worthy experiment to try, especially if it works and saves you aggravation. you probable are still on their web site, and should be able to download the program.

and not to save your pdf files, to a separate folder & off computer, is never a good move. photos come off a pdf just fine. i sometimes do an appraisal on a property 2 or 3 times in a couple of years. always good to see what you recently appraised it for.

 

[Vermonter]

Regardless the software, you should be keeping your workfile somewhere outside the software on your hard drive, in fact multiple hard drives if possible. There is ZERO benefit to keeping everything inside the software. Even for power users that use all the alamode bells and whistles, everything should be copied elsewhere.

In my case Total is where I create my report, however EVERYTHING related to the assignment is kept in a different folder on different drives (actually on a completely different operating system)...including the initial engagement, all correspondence, all docs, spreadsheets and calculations, the report in PDF, XML and finally a copy of the zap file.

You can open an alamode zap file without a subscription (at the moment). So worst case you've moved on to a different provider and let your subscription expire, now if you had to recreate the report initially created in Total in a different software, you still can from your workfile.

FTR, I've only been asked to modify a report over 2 months old ONCE in 21 years. When changing to a different provider, it would be smart to leave yourself 3-6 months overlap between the start of your new software and the expiration of the old.

 

[Brian W Street]

The benefit is when I hit save, it saves to my drive which then Carbonite and my Diskstation back up automatically. Which is fine as long as I have a pc with a functioning install of Total. The purpose of the software and the Total workfile concept is to save me time, if I have to print the report to pdf and keep multiple folders for each assignment that is wasting my time when everything except my paper folder is in that Zap file, my spreadsheets, purchase agreements whatever.

How about a worse case hypothetical, Corelogic shuts down Total, next day your pc takes a crap. Your only option is to find a fellow appraiser with a working copy of Total to open your files. If I could open that zap file everything I need is right there, the report pdf, spreadsheets everything. Yeah, crazy I know but if I retire and 5 years down the road the state calls one of my reports it kind of has me concerned. Though after 20 plus years with no issues maybe I am overthinking.

I really like the software through this issue really just aggravates me.

 

[Vermonter]

if I have to print the report to pdf and keep multiple folders for each assignment that is wasting my time when everything except my paper folder is in that Zap file, my spreadsheets, purchase agreements whatever.

I'm not getting you at all. If you're keeping all required docs for a USPAP compliant workfile, whether inside the software, on a drive on your pc or in a file cabinet....it generally takes the same amount of time.

How about a worse case hypothetical, Corelogic shuts down Total, next day your pc takes a crap. Your only option is to find a fellow appraiser with a working copy of Total to open your files. If I could open that zap file everything I need is right there, the report pdf, spreadsheets everything.

You're making my point for me. If you don't have the files saved somewhere and Corelogic is gone you're SOL anyway. No other appraisers version of Total is going to help that.

Now if you have your workfile on a jump drive (or carbonite or whatever) and you pc takes a crap, it doesn't matter. Put the drive in another pc and you have the report in a zap (to open in total if you can find another running version), pdf & xml to send to a client or you can recreate it in some new software.