How is the SQL Server database configured?
Installation of palCentre is intended to be simple and safe. The built in database configuration wizard can create and configure the SQL database and logins for you with a bare minimum of customisable data entry.
Once the database configuration wizard has been run once, the client configuration wizard can be run to connect a client machine to the palCentre database. Alternatively, the configuration wizards create a configuration file which can be deployed to client machines, eliminating the need for running the client configuration wizard.
How is the SQL Compact database configured?
PCOC will send your service a preconfigured SQL Compact database. This file (typically called pcoc.sdf) needs to be stored on a network drive that is accessible by all client computers.
The client configuration wizard can be run to connect a client machine to the palCentre database. Alternatively, the configuration wizards create a configuration file which can be deployed to client machines, eliminating the need for running the client configuration wizard.
What prerequisties are needed for palCentre?
palCentre uses the .NET Extended Framework v4. Past testing indicates that most Windows XP and 7 machines do not have this framework pre-installed.
For reporting, epiCentre uses the Crystal Reports for Visual Studio 2010 runtime. Crystal Reports requires that the Visual C++ 2005 SP1 32-bit Runtime and the ATL Security Update for Visual C++ 2005 have been installed.
If preferred, prerequisites should be able to be deployed automatically as there are no configuration steps required by them. Some of the prerequisites may already be installed on the client machine and if so, the installer will inform you of this and you can move on to the next step. Depending on which prerequisites are required, and the speed of the client machine this procedure should take between 5 and 15 minutes per client machine.
Note that epiCentre is a 32 bit application, as are all pre-requisites. This decision was made to allow support for older Windows XP machines. epiCentre and its dependencies have been specifically tested on Windows XP (32 and 64 bit), Windows 7 (32 and 64 bit), Windows 8 (64 bit), and Windows 10 (64 bit).