Database types

With SQL, there are three different types of databases involved: a management database, a project database and shared databases. You can name these databases any way you want – in these instructions, the databases are named EDBManagement, EDBProject and EDBUserCommon.

 

• The management database (in these instructions EDBManagement) includes a list of different project databases, shared databases, and users. The user connects first to the management database which then routes the user to the correct project data. This allows you to have project data in various different databases without having them in the same location.

  You can divide project databases according to your needs, such as for each regional office, year, or software version. Avoid dividing the databases too small since you have to create new databases in MS SQL Server Management Studio each time.

  Create empty databases in MS SQL Server Management Studio and add tables to the databases for project data with the management tool in Electrical. The program creates the EDBManagement.econ connection file which you must share to every user.

• The project database (in these instructions EDBProject) includes the project data (devices, cables, wires, etc.). Drawing files will be stored to the project folder just like in Access projects. The project database can be in the same or different location as the management database. Usually, you use one database to save data of many projects due to the SQL Server structure. You cannot create new databases in Electrical, only in a separate program, such as MS SQL Server Management Studio.

  If you change the project database structure in Electrical and update it, the structure changes in each of the projects that you have saved in the database.

• Shared databases (in these instructions EDBUserCommon) contain design data that is shared within the company, such as cable types, product models and plate definitions. This design data is used in actual projects.

  You can keep shared databases as an MDB database or move them to an SQL Server database. You can check the location of the MDB database in the settings in Electrical and the location of the SQL database in the project information in EDBManagement for each project.

  If you move all projects to an SQL Server database, move shared databases there as well. If you have some projects in SQL format and some in MDB format, use an MDB database.