Microsoft SQL Server 2014 installation guidance and database details.

Owned by Nathan Sheaffer
Last updated: Aug 11, 2020
6 min read

*Please note that this article is out of date and some links are broken. If you need assistance installing FormProSQL, we can offer an Professional Services engagement to help you out.*


In this installment of "You Ask - We Answer," we walk you through setting up your SQL Server database with FormPro. We'll discuss SQL Express 2014 installation, database moving, database login configuration, and FormPro configuration along the way. 

The intended audience for this post is an entry-level IT person who is not very familiar with SQL Server installation and configuration. The goal of this post is to demonstrate the installation of FormPro in a fully-functional single user environment with a locally installed database.

Resources

Installing SQL Server 2014 Express

  1. Start by ensuring your computer system has all of the latest Windows Updates.
  2. Download the install. (always download the SQLEXPRWT version because it comes with SQL Server Management Studio)
  3. Run the install. (SQLEXPRWT_x64.exe)
    1. When prompted, click OK for “Choose Directory For Extracted Files."
    2. Wait for the extraction to complete.
    3. After extraction, you should see the SQL Server Installation Center.
    4. Click "New SQL Server stand-alone installation or add features to an existing installation." You will be prompted with a wait screen.
    5. After the wait screen, you should see the SQL Server 2014 Setup License Terms screen.
    6. Read and accept the license agreement and click Next.
    7. The installer will run a rule check, followed by checking for Install Rules that need to be addressed before installation of SQL Server. Running all of the Windows Updates before installing SQL Server will reduce the likelihood that there is a dependency that you need to address ahead of time. (Note, if all rules pass, you may not see this screen.)

      If you receive a "Windows Firewall" warning, you can ignore it for a single user/local database installation. If you are installing SQL server on a dedicated server, you will need to address configuration of the Windows Firewall before clients will be able to connect to the server. This is an advanced topic best suited for your IT department.
    8. For the purposes of this demonstration, we can accept all of the defaults selected on the Feature Selection screen and click Next.
    9. In the instance configuration, type a unique name for the instance. The name you use cannot already be in use on the local system. I will choose the default of “SQLEXPRESS."
    10. Due to our single user/local database scope, we can accept the default Server Configuration.
    11. Keep the default settings for Database Engine Configuration and click Next. A progress window will display while SQL Server installs.
    12. The install should complete with all features having a green check.
    13. Close the SQL Server Installation Center by clicking the red X.
  4. Launch SQL Server Management Studio to attach the clean database. In your start menu, find All Programs > Microsoft SQL Server 2014 > SQL Server 2014 Management Studio.
    1. At the “Connect to Server” prompt you can likely accept the default connection information. Click “Connect.”
    2. We need to stage the database files in a location where SQL Server can connect to them. I'll use the default location and unzip the database files to C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL12.SQLEXPRESS\MSSQL\DATA
    3. You should now have a folder with CEISUITE and CEISUITE_log.
    4. In Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio, right click the Databases node and choose Attach.
    5. In the Attach Databases Screen, click “Add,” select CEISUITE.mdf, and click OK.
    6. Click OK on the next screen as well.
    7. Expand the Databases node in the Object Explorer tree and you should see "CEISUITE" is now connected.

Installing FormPro SQL

  1. Download and launch FormProSQL.exe and begin by installing the prerequisites. Some computers may already have these prerequisites installed and will not display this screen.
    1. If prompted by User Account Control, choose Yes.
    2. Choose Yes when asked to install the Sentinel LDK Run-time Environment.
    3. Choose Yes when asked to install the SQL Server 2005 Backward Compatibility Components.
    4. Wait for the prerequisite installs to complete.
  2. Select Run when prompted to open the installation file.
  3. Choose Next to begin the FormPro installation.
  4. Read and accept the license agreement and select Next.
  5. Click Next on the Destination Folder window.
  6. Choose the "Complete" installation option and click Next.
  7. Finally, click Install. A progress window will appear as the software installs.
  8. Click Finish to complete the installation.

Configuring FormPro SQL

  1. Launch the FormPro software. If the License Troubleshooting window appears, make sure the key is plugged in and click Try Again.
  2. FormPro will attempt to load, but will fail because the database connection has not been configured.

  3. Type in your SQL Server name. It will be in the format <server>\<instance>. Since my local machine is named “DBDETAILS” and my SQL Server instance is “SQLEXPRESS” I enter “DBDETAILS\SQLEXPRESS.” Set “Windows Authentication” and choose “Test.”  

  4. Click OK on the Successful Connection popup. Click Ok again on the Database Setup window, and FormPro will complete startup. You are now ready to create forms!

Backing up a database

Regularly backing up your database is a wise thing to do. It can also be useful for moving a database from an old computer to a new one.

  1. Begin by starting Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio and connecting to your SQL Server instance. 
  2. Expand the Databases node in the object explorer and then right-click on CEISUITE. Choose Tasks > Back Up…
  3. Select the type of backup and the location, then click OK. You will be notified once the backup has been successfully created.

Moving a database

Sometimes you need to migrate to a new computer. You can adapt what we covered in “installing SQL Server” to include this step (eliminating the step for creating the Clean Database).

  1. Launch SQL Server Management Studio and connect to your SQL Server instance.
  2. In the Object Explorer, right click "Databases" and select "Restore Database..."
  3. In the Restore Database window, choose "Device" and click on the ellipsis to the right of the text box.
  4. Be sure "File" is the Backup media type and click "Add." Navigate to and select your .bak file. Click on OK in the Select backup devices window.
  5. Your database is now ready to restore. If you are overwriting an existing database, you will need to select "Options" and check the box for "Overwrite the exisitng database (WITH REPLACE)." Click OK.
  6. Your database should have been successfully restored and you should be able to see it in the Object Explorer. Relaunch FormPro SQL to view the restored data.

Configuring database users

Sometimes you need to configure security to allow another user to connect to the database. These steps are similar whether you use Windows Authentication or SQL Server Authentication.

  1. Begin by expanding the Security > Logins nodes in the Object Explorer. Choose “New Login...”
  2. Choose the login type - either Windows authentication or SQL Server authentication. For this example, we will use Windows authentication.
  3. Choose Search and find the user you wish to add to the SQL Server.
  4. Select the "User Mapping" page and map the new user to CEISUITE by checking the box next to the database name. Also add database role membership for db_datareader, db_datawriter, and FormPro. Click OK.
  5. You should now see the new user mapped in the Logins node.