Frequently asked questions

For how long is the free MS SQL Express sufficient?

There is no universally applicable answer to this question. The Express version limits the maximum size of a database to 10 GB. You can compare the sizes of your existing databases to this limit to gauge whether it is suitable for your situation. A project takes slightly more space in SQL format than in SQLite/MDB format, but the difference is not significant.

Note that the 10 GB size limit is database-specific, so you can create multiple project databases using the Express version. The paid version has improved functionalities for defragmentation and restoring.

How do I use an SQL project offline?

If you need to move a project to your own computer while working offline, agree on a system with the other project users. When a project is checked out, no one can make changes to the network version of it because restoring affects the entire project. Also note that your company migh use server-based shared databases or other settings.

One way to work on a project offline is as follows:

Check a project out:
1. Convert the SQL project into SQLite/MDB format.
  - The drawings remain in their original locations.
  - The program creates an EDBProject.sqlite/EDBProject.mdb file into the directory.
  - The project is no longer in SQL Server project management.
2. Copy the entire project folder and any subfolders to your computer.
3. Let the other users know that you have checked the project out. You can compress the project into a ZIP file to prevent the others from accidentally editing the project.
Work on the project locally.
Restore the project:
1. Copy the project folder and any subfolders to the server.
2. If necessary, replace the old drawings on the server with new ones.
3. If necessary, remove the ZIP file.
4. Convert the project into SQL format.

The drawings remain in their locations and the SQLite/MDB database is removed as the data moves into SQL Server.

Why cannot I connect to the SQL Server using the management tool?

The Microsoft OLE DB Driver 19 for SQL Server (x64) driver provided with Electrical might be missing. If so, download it from Microsoft’s website.

How can I test a new software version?

You can copy an existing project into SQLite format and test the new software version on it. If you end up taking the new version into use, remove the test project and update the SQL database to the new version.

What needs to be considered in version updates?

There is no single correct way of conducting a version update. Instead, you should aim to find the most suitable alternative.

First, ensure together with your company's IT expert that the SQL databases have backups. For more information, see Manage projects.

Update an existing SQL database into the new version as follows:

Ensure that the other users have the newest software version.
Update the structure of the SQL database.
Update any possible shared databases.
Let the other users know about the update.

Can I create separate databases for different software versions?

You can – however, figure out if there is a real need for it or would it be enough that you update all projects to the newest version. If all projects are in the newest format, you can fetch data from old projects into the new projects.

If you end up creating separate databases for each software version, take care of the following:

Create the new databases on MS SQL Server Management Studio together with an IT expert.
Make backups of new databases.
Enter an informative description text for the databases. When you create a project and select a database for it, the description helps you to figure out which database is the correct one.
Create a new shared database by copying and updating an existing shared database, so that you do not have to move the data separately.
Remove the root directory definition from the databases, so that the same root directory does not appear in two different databases.