====== Databases ======
===== How to make a snapshot of the online database =====
On lxplus, do:

<code>
SetupProject LHCb --dev --use-grid
lhcb-proxy-init
</code>
Now create a folder where your database should be, like ''~/mydatabase''. Set this path to $SQLITEDBPATH
Then do:
<code>
CondDBAdmin_MakeSnapshot.py --options $SQLDDDBROOT/options/SQLDDDB-Oracle.py -s 2010-02-01UTC -u yyyy-mm-ddUTC ONLINE sqlite_file:myFileName.db/ONLINE
</code>
where yyyy-mm-dd is the date in year-month-day which it should cover.

===== How to access the database in the options file =====
Do
<code python>
from Configurables import CondDB, CondDBAccessSvc
CondDB(UseOracle = False)
connection="sqlite_file:/afs/cern.ch/user/initial/name/mydatabase/myFileName.db/ONLINE"
CondDB().addLayer(CondDBAccessSvc("DB",ConnectionString=connection))
</code>

===== How to use the latest tag =====
Do
<code python>
CondDB().UseLatestTags = ["2011"] 
</code>
if you want to use the latest tag for 2011 data. 
For **real data** it should always be safe to use the latest tag (this is **not** the case for MC)

===== How to find the tag corresponding to a dataset =====
In the bookkeeping-browser: First click on ''Advanced Queries'', then navigate yourself to the production name (for example ''Stripping 17b'') and then right-click to get to ''More Information''. There you should be able to read of the database tags.

===== Where to find the description of the official tags =====
Here: http://lhcb-release-area.web.cern.ch/LHCb-release-area/DOC/dbase/conddb/release_notes.html