This page contains information that is specific for RoboSuite 6.0

RoboSuite and SQL Server 2005 Express Edition

Microsoft have a free version of SQL Server, called SQL Server 2005 Express Edition. It is quick to set up SQL Server Express to work with RoboSuite, what is needed is basically just a few changes to the SQL Server Express default settings.

Install

First of all download and install SQL Server Express. Use the default settings during the installation with the exception of using the "Mixed mode" authentication instead of the "Windows authentication". This is needed to enable RoboSuite to access SQL Server Express via JDBC using username and password. When SQL Server Express is installed download the SQL Server Management Studio Express from the same page and then install it. To enable RoboSuite to connect to the SQL Server Express database you also need to download the SQL Server 2005 JDBC Driver and put the file sqljdbc.jar into your "..\Kapow RoboSuite 6.0\lib\jdbc" directory.

Configure

When everything is installed it is time to chane some of SQL Server Express' default settings so that it works nicely with RoboSuite. Start with opening the "SQL Server Configuration Manager" (Start Menu -> Microsoft SQL Server 2005 -> Configuration Tools -> SQL Server Configuration Manager). Go to "SQL Server 2005 Network Configuration" and "Protocols for SQLEXPRESS" and enable "TCP/IP".

Figure 1: Enable TCP/IP

By default SQL Server Express is using dynamic ports, which means that the port used is changed each time the service is restarted. To use static ports instead open properties for "TCP/IP" and change the "IPAll" settings. Set "TCP Dynamic Ports" to blank and "TCP Port" to the port number you want to use.

Figure 2: Use a static port

Finally restart the SQL Server service from within the "SQL Server Configuration Manager" by taking "Restart" on "SQL Server (SQLEXPRESS)" in the "SQL Server 2005 Service" section.

Connect

Open the "SQL Server Management Studio Express" (Start Menu -> Microsoft SQL Server 2005 -> SQL Server Management Studio Express). If you want to log on with your Server Administration user that is created during the installation, then use authentication "SQL Server Authentication", login "SA" and the password you specified during the installation. Create a new database by right clicking on "Databases" in the object explorer. Give the database a name and save it.

Figure 3: Create a new database

Now it is time to connect to the newly created database from RoboSuite, do this by starting RoboSuite Settings and go to the "Database Connections" tab. Create a new connection of the type "Microsoft SQL Server 2005". Configure the Host Name, Host Database Name (the name of the database just created), Username and Password (in this example the SA user is used, this is not recommended for production). Go to the "Advanced" tab and specify the number of the static port your SQL Server Express installation is using. Now you will be able to connect to the SQL Server Express database and use it with RoboSuite.

Figure 4: RoboSuite Settings

Please note that RoboSuite and SQL Server Express have not been tested in a production environment as have SQL Server 2005 and other databases.