EVE is a "Client/Server" program. i.e. there are 2 components to the program:
1. EVE Server controls your database and will be installed on one computer only. This is where all of your data will be held. EVE uses a Microsoft product called Microsoft SQL Server to hold your data. The EVE setup program will install SQL Server for you if it is not already present.
2. EVE Client is the EVE program itself that you can use on a single or multiple computers and will use on a day-to-day basis. Each Client component needs to have a permanent connection to the Server – i.e. using a wired or wireless network to connect the computers together. You can install the Client on the same PC as the Server if you wish. Alternatively, if you have a network, you can install the Client on several computers on the network.
Computers running EVE should have at least 1GB RAM (Random Access Memory) but, as with all computer programs, the more memory you have, the better.
EVE Client is supported on the following versions of Microsoft Windows:
EVE Server is supported on the following versions of Microsoft Windows:
Make sure all other programs are shut down. If you have a virus checker installed, you should temporarily turn it off for the duration of the setup since it may interfere with the process.
To install the server component you need to be logged on to Windows as an Administrator. This is only while installing – you do not need to be an Administrator to run EVE. Please be aware that the setup process may take a long time to complete and a reboot may be necessary.
The first thing you need to do is decide which computer to install the Server component on. If you want to install it on the computer you are currently using, click the Install EVE Server button above and then follow the on-screen instructions. The setup program will check your computer for shared components that might already be installed (e.g. common files from Microsoft, etc. that might already be present on your computer). If it finds you do not have them it will install these "pre-requisites" for you; if it finds they are already installed it will just continue. These pre-requisites include Microsoft SQL Server Express and Microsoft .Net Framework 4.0. The pre-requisites are mandatory and you will need to install them if you want to use EVE.
Once all the pre-requisites are in place, the setup will install the EVE specific components: EVEDBUtils (a program that administrators can use to backup the database and perform other system tasks) and 2 EVE databases – the "live" eve database that you will use on a day-to-day basis and a second database called eveTraining that contains pre-loaded test data you can use for staff training and familiarization with the program.
Once the Server setup is complete, you are ready to install the Client. If you intend to install it on the same PC as the Server, you can click the Install EVE Client button above now and follow the on-screen instructions. If you plan to install the Client on computers other than the Server, you have 2 options:
It also created a Network Share to that folder. On client PCs, you can use that Share to run the client setup program over the network. This way has advantages later as it automatically configures the EVE Client to point at the database on the server without you having to choose it.
When the installation is complete, you will see an EVE icon on your desktop and another one in the ISSYS folder on your Programs menu on the Windows Start button (if you have one!).
This section is only relevant if you are using EVE on a network.
Microsoft SQL Server is a powerful database program that has strong security features to help protect your data from hackers. If you have a Firewall in operation on the computer where the Server is installed and you are using EVE on a network, you need to follow the steps outlined here to inform your system that it is OK for the EVE Clients to access data on the Server:
EVE can be installed so that the database is stored on the Internet so you can use it from multiple locations – e.g. from multiple stores and/or from home or on the road. ISSYS can host the database for you or you can organize to have it hosted yourself. This is a powerful option and you may want to consider it even if you have only one store. If you want us to host your database for you, we will take daily backups for you and perform other system management tasks. It also has advantages in the area of support since, at your request (and only if you grant us permission by giving us a valid user name and password), we can connect to your database and sort out any issues you may have with your data. Please contact us for more information.
When you start EVE, the form shown above will be displayed. This lists Databases that you can use. By default, there are 2 databases in the list: eve and eveTraining. eve is initially empty of data except for some pre-defined pick-lists, for example, Course Types, Contact Methods, etc. This is the database you will use to populate with your own data by manually entering information or by importing your data from an external source. eveTraining is pre-populated with example data. You can use this database to get familiar with EVE and when training new employees. You can enter whatever test data you want into this database without affecting your "live" data.
Select the database you want to use and click OK. Alternatively, if the database you want is not listed, click on the “Choose Different Database” link to load the Data Source form shown below:
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Data Source |
Type the name of the Data Source you wish to use. The Data Source identifies the computer where your database is located. It may be the same PC you are using, or another PC on your network or a remote server on the Internet. If the database is on the PC you are using, you can specify (local)\EVE as the Data Source. If the database is on the server computer on your network, you can specify ServerName\EVE where you should replace "ServerName" with the actual name of your server computer. You can find this on the server computer by right clicking on My Computer, clicking Properties and then clicking on the Computer Name tab. The name is shown in the "Full computer name" box and you do not need the full stop / period on the end. If the database is on the internet you can type the ip address of the server – e.g. 24.179.140.182 Advanced Users: EVE installs a SQL Server Instance called 'EVE' as part of the setup process. The "\EVE" text on the end of the Data Source indicates that the databases are located in the EVE instance. |
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Database |
Select or type the name of the Database you want to use. You will usually use eve or eveTraining |
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Use Integrated Security |
Put a tick in the Integrated Security box if, and only if, you are using EVE on the same computer where the database is installed. |
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Username |
If you remove the check mark from the Use Integrated Security checkbox, SQL Server security will be used instead. This means that a Username and Password will need to be entered so EVE can access the database. This 'database user' should not be confused with 'EVE users' that you will create once EVE is running. EVE is the only only one that will use the database user - your staff members will each have their own EVE user account created in the EVE program itself. One database user called EveUser is defined by default in each database and that is probably the only database user you will need. Please contact ISSYS if you need help with this. |
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Password |