Manage projects

You can manage the database data on the SQL Server by selecting Electrical tab > Projects group > Open menu > SQL Server project management.

For example, you can

  • Create projects

  • Copy projects from one database to another

  • Copy and convert project databases between the MDB and SQL formats

  • Restore backups from the Restore database

Create new projects

After you have taken SQL Server into use, you can choose between the SQL and MDB formats when creating a new project. The program saves the drawing to the location that is designated for the project. The Electrical project tree shows the type of the project.

Do the following:

  1. Start creating a new project in SQL Server project management by selecting Projects tab > Projects group > New.

    You can also create a new project in one of the following ways:

    • Create the first drawing into an empty folder.

    • In Electrical, select Electrical tab > Projects group > New. See Create new projects.

    • In DB, select File > New project.

    The Create a project dialog opens.

  2. Select whether you want to use the default project or an existing project as the source.

    If you want to use an existing project, do the following:

    1. Click Select.

    2. Select whether you want to select the source from a file, a directory or the project management dialog.

    3. Navigate to the project that you want to use as a source.

    4. Select whether you want to copy subdirectories.

  3. Select the directory where you want to create the project and where the drawings are saved.

  4. Select whether you want to create an Access database (or an MDB) or an SQL Server database.

  5. If you want to create an SQL Server database, select the database where you want to create the project.

  6. Click OK.

The program opens a dialog where you can define the project information and settings.

Copy projects

Copying a project is basically the same as creating a project: you can define the same settings but the program automatically selects Existing project as the source project.

Do the following:

  1. Select Projects tab > Projects group > Copy.

  2. Follow the instructions for creating a project.

Convert project databases

When you convert projects, you can either copy or change them:

  • Copying results in a copied project and drawings in their own targer folder.

  • Changing only transfers the project database data between formats and keeps drawings in their current location.

Copy to SQL Server database

Do the following:

  1. Select Copy to SQL Server database.

  2. Select the project you want to copy.

  3. Follow the instructions for creating a project.

Change to SQL Server or to Access

With these functions, you can change the format of a project between SQL and MDB. The program moves the database data to another format, and the drawings remain in their current location.

Do the following:

  1. Select Change to SQL Server or Change to Access.

  2. Select either an EDBProject.mdb file or a project from the list.

  3. Follow the instructions for moving a project database.

Change to SQL Server

Change to Access

Move project databases

With this function, you can move project data from one database to another. The source and target databases mut be of the same format. If you want to change the format of a database, use the change functions.

Do the following:

  1. Select Move. The Move the project to another database dialog opens.

  2. Select the project whose data you want to move from one database to another.

  3. Select the current database format.

  4. Select the new database format.

  5. Click Move.

The program moves the data to the new database, and the drawings remain in their current location.

Restore backups

You can restore a backup from a separate Restore database. Note that the Restore function restores only database data, so you have to restore the drawings separately. Arrange the backups of the drawings server and the SQL Server with your own IT organisation.

Do the following:

  1. Create a recovery database of the SQL Server backup that contains the entire database.

  2. Create a new recovery database in SQL Server project management.

    For Database type, select Restore database.

  3. Restore the project over a selected project by clicking Restore.