ODBC Connection problems

Visual objects applications connect to other databases like SQL through an ODBC connection.  The default connection is made on version 10.  Later versions of SQL server installs version 11, which might cause the default connection to fail.  Version 10 is linked to SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2012 links to a default ODBC of version 11.  Upgraing is not a problem as Version 10 will be retained, but uninstalling the older version might result in unexpected connection problems from VO apps that require ODBC connection to SQL.

The installed drivers can be seen on the Control Panel | Data Sources (ODBC) interface.

If required, this can be corrected by downloading the correct version of SQL Server Native Client, which is free.  The download linked to SQL Server 2008 is normally the correct version 10 and the required file is: sqlncli.msi and can be installed if required.

Applications that allow the selection of the ODBC Provider can select this as indicated below.

Bernard

Tool Movement shortcut/bar code

Movement of tools from and back to the store can all be done from the Tool Movement Window W101, available from the waterfall menu: ToolMovement | Record option.  Movement can be recorded by selecting the destination and then the tool from the various drop down lists.  There is however a shortcut that will assist with capturing higher volumes of Tools.

This shortcut can be implemented by menually entering the item code in the “Encode” field, or scanning a bar code when the cursor is in the “Encode” field.  Each entry in the database has an unique code id.  You will for example see that staff has an id starting with 1/xxx and jobs 2/xxx etc.

To select a job enter the unique code in the encode field.  In this example our selected job has the code: 2/17793

Now this can be entered into the encode field followed by the tab key on W101 which will select the job and clear the encode field for the next entry.

In the same manner, one can proceed to enter all the other codes for tools and tool groups etc.  This method works exactly the same as manual selection, apart from the fact that selection is done from a code entered.

It is important to note the status messages on this screen as an incomplete instruction or incorrect instruction will be displayed on this status window.

Some of the standard reports incorporate the codes as well as barcodes in the report.

Bar Codes

Bar codes can be scanned from any inline bar code scanner.  These scanners are installed to simulate input from the keyboard. There are various standards in the scanner configuration.  Most scanners require a special character to indicate the start and end of the bar code. If you print your own bar codes, remember to include these in the code.  The ’*’ character is commonly used to indicate the start and end of the code.  If ou want to print your own codes, the example above would require the followinf characters to be printed: *2/17793*  It is also recommended to configure the bar code reader to add a tab character to each scan.  This ensures that users do not have to manually press the tab character once a code is scanned.  To print bar code, download a suitable font.  The one we use in the program reporting is: 3 of 9 Barcode.

Tool Manager - Printer selection

Users have the option to select a printer other than the default printer, where all reporting could be directed.  This could be changed away from the deafult printer on the report preview screen for any specific report.  If no default printer is selected for Toolmanager, all reports will be directed to the default printer of the specific station.

A default label printer can also be identified or selected in the program to anable the printing of labels.  Label report options will not be available if a label printer is not selected.  Label printers available for this option is limited to a specific label size and other labels might produce unexpected format problems.  Please contact Aviation Databases to confirm these requirements.

These selections are station specific for each user and can be accessed fom the waterfall menu option: System | Configuration and then the Station Tab.  From this window users can select the default printers for the specific station.

To verify the default printers as selected, this is easiest done from the Help About window.  Open this window from the waterfall menu and open the Station heading.  All selections related to the specific user station will be shown, including the default printers selected.

SQL and the Firewall

The latest programs developed by Aviation Databases, makes use of SQL server to store and manipulate the data.  This is a robust method but we have found that users new in the SQL environment experience problems to connect to the server from a non-server station.

There is a detailed article available on the internet assisting users to configure the SQL server environment for connection from a remote PC.  Click here for a summary to configure the server and click here for a summary of how to open the Firewall.  The basic requirements are as follows:

On the Server

1. Ensure that the SQL Server Browser is running and the start mode is automatic (SQL Server Configuration manager)
2. Enable TCP/IP protocol (SQL Server Configuration manager)
3. If the server is not operating in a Domain environment, Windows Authentication will not be available.  Select SQL Server and Windows authentication (SQL Server Management Studio)
4. Firewall must allow the programs “sqlbrowser.exe” and “sqlserver.exe” access.  Also open the default listening port TCP 1433

Also look into our other Blog on installing SQL Server 2008.

Installation to evaluate an application

Introduction

In order to assist users evaluating our applications, we now have a SQL server available on the internet.  Users can install the specific program on their local PC and connect to the demo SQL server to evaluate the program.  This process depends on the available band width (internet speed) and can sometimes be slow.  The evaluation program is fully functional and give users all the features on-line to test, print and evaluate.  This reduces the installation effort to a couple of very simple steps and users can be up and running quickly.

Please keep in mind that connection to your local SQL server will be much faster and handling large volumes of data can be done very efficiently once you move over from the internet based server to a SQL server on your own network.  Currently this demo feature is available for Tool manger and Status programs.  No registration is required and users can experiment with the test data as required.

Overview

To install and use an evaluation program, users must follow the following basic steps, which are explained in detail below.  Note that the steps are similar for all the evaluation programs.

1. Download the relevant installation program from our server.
   1. Demo server web site address click here.
2. Save the install program and Run when download is complete.
3. Run the newly installed program icon to run the program and connect to the Demo SQL server.
4. Download and update report templates.
5. Evaluate the program.

Download

To start the download, select this link or enter the full web address: http://vps3720.vmachine.co.uk in the address field of your Internet Browser.  Select from the download page the applicable program to download for evaluation.  When the download window is shown, it is recommended to Save the file and then Run the downloaded file once downloading is done.

Installation

Once installation starts, you will be prompted to answer various installation questions.  Select the default answers and ensure that you do not install as a server PC.

Configuration

After installation, a menu option will be available to run the program, but you will also be prompted to run the program from the installation dialog.   When the program is executed for the first time, users will have to define the origin of the SQL Server.  The connection window will open.  For evaluation of the program, users can connect to the Demo server.  Check the Demo SQL Server box.  The program will automatically check that the SQL server is available and that TCP Port 1433 is open for communication through your firewall.  If the Server is available, select the Open button.

The program will try to connect to the remote server and save the connection.  The ODBC connection will also be configured as this is required for reports that are generated by the program.  This should all be automatic, if you have internet connection.  Notice the messages that appear  on the program status bar. Give one command at a time as this method of remote connection can be slow at times.  (If this connections fails, it is most likely due to the firewall settings on your PC that prevent the program to connect to the internet server.  Please ask your IT support to open the firewall for the specific program and to check that TCP port 1433 is open for communication to the remote SQL server.)  Once connections are established select the Exit button. There is one remaining step required; to download the report templates.

Report Download

The report templates will be downloaded to the default directory from inside the program.  Under the configuration window, select the Station tab.  Notice the “Report update” button.  Select this button to start downloading the report.

Evaluation

You have now completed all the required steps to evaluate the program.  Note that you have some areas of the program that are restricted to Demo users, but you should be able to understand the functioning of the program as explained on the web links.  Please feel free to contact us for more information and visit or web link for more information of the programs:

• Tool Manager - Click Here
• Status Maintenance Scheduler – Click Here

Installing SQL Server 2008

Aviation Databases are using SQL Server as a data server in our latest programs.  This is done due to the advantages this gives us to improve our applications.  SQL Server is a more stable data platform and is faster when large files are processed by our programs.  There are various other advantages to using SQL server and it is simply time to move from the old dBase environment.

Users not familiar with SQL Server, find it difficult to know where to start and what is required.  SQL Server is a very powerfull server system, but to use our programs with SQL server will not require the users to interact with SQL server at all, as all communication with SQL Server is done from the program.  Afirst time installation is required on the Server or a PC dedicated for this task.

Note that these instructions are only relevant to the server PC and is not required for other station PC’s that use our programs.  These PC’s will simply link to the server, but does not require any installation of SQL Server components.

The minimum requirements does not require any SQL server management tools to be installed.  Management tools are handy, should maintenance be required in the SQL server.  The only other choice is to know if your server PC is a 32-bit or 64-bit system.  The next step is to download the latest installation programs and to install.  Please follow these simple steps to ensure a smooth installation.

We are using SQL Server 2008 Express as a minimum requirement.  SQL Server Express is a free application for the typical database size that we normally require and can be downloaded from the internet.  At the moment R2 is available and can be downloaded from these sites:

• Basic server installation
• Server with management tools installation

Experienced users can simply follow the installation dialog, but this might be challenging for new users.  It is therefore recommended that users download this small configuration file from our ftp site to enable installation from the command line with no user information required.

Older PC’s might require other updates, before you will be able to install SQL Server.  These requirements are defined on the web link and can also be downloaded from this page.  These are: Microsoft .Net Frameworek 3.5 SP1 and Windows Installer 4.5 Note that the Server with management tools requires an extra program: Windows PowerShell 1.0 to be installed on the server PC.

Once your Server PC is up to date, proceed to install SQL Server.  Copy the configuration file into the same directory as the SQL Server 2008 installation file.  Open the command prompt window (Start –> Run > cmd).  Change to the download directory and run the installation from the command prompt: (On a 32-bit installation)

SQLEXPR32_x86_enu.exe /ConfigurationFile=c:\sql\AvdataSQLConfig.INI

On a successful installation, it should be possible to see the server.  This can be checked from the command prompt, by entering the command: “sqlcmd –L”

Grant SQL user access for programs

Users must have sufficient access rights or roles on the SQL server to connect to the database and access the database files and procedures as stored in the SQL server.  This is applicable to all programs using a SQL server for the data, like Toolman and Status.

Installing Status and Toolman applications for the first time on a server machine, will grant the SQL user sufficient access to the database.  It is however necessary to allow other users access to the database.  This can be done from inside the program from the SQL connect window.

There are two different possibilities here, users can log on with Windows Authentication, where the program will use the access asigned to the “BUILTIN\Users” or specific users where Windows Authentication is not used.

From the waterfall menu select the SQL Connect window, connect to the server and select Save on the catalog selection.  The Manage Access button should be available if you have sufficient access to grant access to others.

Select the “Manage Access” button.  The window that will open shows all you access rights and has two options to grant rights to other users.

 

Selecting the top “Grant” button, will allow all “BUILTIN\Users” access to the selected catalog or database.  This will therefore work in a domain or environment where users will connect through Windows Authentication.

Alternatively, it is possible to create users and assign the applicable rights to this new user to access the database.  Note that some SQL server requires a strong password, otherwise this step might fail.

Once access is granted to other users, there should be no problems for them to connect and use the applicable database from the program.

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Users experienced in SQL can use the Management Studio application to set this access.  Assign the database owner role to users.