Sharperlight 6.

0
Install Guide

www.sharperlight.com
info@sharperlight.com
Sharperlight 6.0 Install Guide

Published by Philight Software International Pty Ltd

Copyright 2008-2023 Philight Software International Pty Ltd
All other copyrights and trademarks are the property of their respective owners

Printed: December 2023

Document Version: 2.8.0

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 Contents 3

Table of Contents

Part I Introduction 4
1 Getting
...................................................................................................................................
Started 5
2 Prerequisites
................................................................................................................................... 5

Part II Preparation 6
1 System
...................................................................................................................................
Database 7
2 SQL...................................................................................................................................
Server Authentication 8
3 Sharperlight
...................................................................................................................................
Service 9
4 Supported
...................................................................................................................................
Software 10
5 Hardware
...................................................................................................................................
Scaling 10
6 Command
...................................................................................................................................
Line 11

Part III Installation 13

1 Checklist
................................................................................................................................... 14
2 Steps
................................................................................................................................... 15
Step .........................................................................................................................................................
1 - Prerequisites 15
Step .........................................................................................................................................................
2 - Manual Uninstall 16
Step .........................................................................................................................................................
3 - Setup Wizard 16
Step .........................................................................................................................................................
4 - License Agreement 17
Step .........................................................................................................................................................
5 - Setup Types 17
Step..................................................................................................................................................
5a - Client Only 18
Step..................................................................................................................................................
5b - Custom 18
Step..................................................................................................................................................
5c - Complete 19
Step .........................................................................................................................................................
6 - Install and Authorisation 20
Step .........................................................................................................................................................
7 - Setup Completed 21
Step .........................................................................................................................................................
8 - Post Install 21
Step..................................................................................................................................................
8a - Client 21
Step..................................................................................................................................................
8b - Server 22
Step .........................................................................................................................................................
9 - Testing 25

Part IV Configuration 26
1 Import
...................................................................................................................................
License 27

Part V Troubleshooting 29
1 Re-register
...................................................................................................................................
Excel Add-in 30

Index 31

Copyright 2008-2023 Philight Software International Pty Ltd Simplified Intelligence

Part

I
 Introduction 5

1 Introduction
Thank you for your interest in Sharperlight, this document explains the installation steps for
deploying Sharperlight onto a Windows desktop computer or application server.
For those unfamiliar with Sharperlight, it is a self-service analysis and reporting framework that can
seamlessly access multiple application systems at the same time. Users benefit from a simple query
interface that can be used to construct queries that can then be linked into Microsoft Excel® and/or
published to a web browser. Sharperlight uses a data abstraction layer, called a Datamodel, to
simplify and secure the user interaction with data sources.

1.1 Getting Started

The Sharperlight software is designed to be installed on a centralised application server which then
securely connects to the data sources, using its own proprietary data access layer. Information
consumers can log into the Sharperlight Web Service hosted on the application server, and open
reports and dashboards in a web browser. The published queries are authored in a rich desktop
client which remotely connects to the Sharperlight Service. The same desktop client can seamlessly
integrate into Microsoft Excel.
Most Sharperlight implementations consist of a server install on an application server and then
client installs on computers, for people who will manage web queries or what to use the
Sharperlight XL Add-in. Users who access the web service in a browser do not need any client
installation. The server and client components are packaged together in a single installer file but the
install can be tailored by enabling or disabling features.
When installing Sharperlight, if it is a new green-fields site then the application server needs to be
installed and configured before the client computers are installed. Upgrading an existing site to a
new version of Sharperlight, consists of upgrading the server and then upgrading the client
computers.
The loading of datamodels with the Datamodel Installer and the configuration of Local Connections
in Client Setup SHOULD ONLY BE DONE on an application server that will host the Sharperlight
Service. End-users who access the Sharperlight desktop client should be using Remote Connections
in Client Setup; this will generate faster queries, a more stable network connection and it is easier to
upgrade.

1.2 Prerequisites
This release of Sharperlight 6.0 is developed with and relies on Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8. This
means the minimum operating system requirement for Sharperlight 6.0 is Windows 7 with Service
Pack 1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1. Other operating systems can still access and utilise the
web content published by the Sharperlight Web Service because the web reports, charts and
dashboards can be viewed in most web browsers (without the need for additional plug-ins).
Sharperlight needs an instance of Microsoft SQL Server® to host a database that stores licensing and
user settings. Microsoft SQL Express is a free alternative to installing a licensed edition of Microsoft
SQL Server.
The Sharperlight Excel Add-in is compatible with Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021
and a local off-line install of Office 365. The Add-in will be automatically registered into Microsoft
Excel, during the installation process.

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Part

II
 Preparation 7

2 Preparation
Installing Sharperlight on a client computer is relatively simple because after the installation, only
the remote connections in Client Setup need to be updated and the connectivity tested. Installing
Sharperlight on an application server requires some preparation because their are network and
database accounts to be confirmed and a System Database to be created.

2.1 System Database

Central to the architecture of Sharperlight is the existence of a System Database that stores
licenses, user details, security settings and published queries. At a site all client computers should be
accessing the same System Database, either directly from a Local Connection or indirectly through a
Remote Connection or the Sharperlight Web Service.
The System Database must be created in Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 or higher. The free SQL
Server Express can be used in environments where SQL Server does not already exist and the
customer does not want to purchase a SQL Server licence.
In most situations, the System Database can have any name and collation. The common convention
is to name the database Sharperlight and use the default collation set. However, sometimes the
System Database is used as a temporary table space for querying other SQL Server databases and
the collation set may need to match these other databases. If in doubt confirm the setup
requirements with the software reseller or datamodel author.
The Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio can be used to create the System Database. After
connecting to the database engine instance, right hand mouse click on the Databases folder and
select the New Database menu item. The New Database window has default settings for database
size, collation, recovery model and compatibility level which should work for most installations. Just
enter the name Sharperlight in the Database name and select OK to create the database.

New Database - System Database

A newly created System Database is an empty container waiting for the Sharperlight system tables.
These tables are created when the System Connection in Client Setup is validated using the Test
button. If the database is empty an Installation Required message will appear, prompting the user to
install the missing tables. Selecting the Yes button will run an installation script which creates the
system tables.

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 8 Sharperlight 6.0 Install Guide

Installation Required

The System Database only has a few tables and will rarely grow bigger than 20 megabytes.
However, it still needs to be backed up on a regular basis and it is extremely unwise to install the
system tables in the database of another application. Keeping the system tables self-contained in a
System Database makes it easier to recover and Sharperlight needs full rights to this database
because the application and datamodels may need to create and update database artefacts.

2.2 SQL Server Authentication

Microsoft SQL Server allows for database access using Windows and Database Server
authentication. The later can be disabled during the installation of SQL Server and thus, users can be
forced to use Windows authentication. With Sharperlight it is recommended that Local Connections
to a SQL Server connection in Client Setup, use Database Server authentication. This simplifies the
management of user access to the source databases and allows easier debugging of connection
issues.

Database Server Authentication

Unfortunately, Database Server authentication is not always available with some installations of
SQL Server due to it being disabled or due to more rigid security requirements. If database access
has to be achieved using Windows authentication, then it is still relatively simple exercise but their
are a few challenges that administrators need to consider. Windows authenticated access to a SQL
Server database means the user or a Windows Group they are a member of, has to be added as a
SQL Server login, with rights to the source database.

Windows Authentication

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 Preparation 9

If a user logged into a computer with Windows authenticated Local Connections and they tried to
open the Query Builder, then SQL Server uses their Windows authentication to validate their
database access. This is where it can get tricky because Windows authentication can give the user
access to Sharperlight but if they don't have query rights in SQL Server they will be blocked from
executing SQL queries.
Users don't normally directly access Local Connections to a SQL Server database, they should be
using a Remote Connections to a server hosting the Sharperlight data services. With the Remote
Connections the Windows authentication is completed on the server using the log on account that
started the Sharperlight Service. Windows Services default to using a Local System Account and it is
highly unlikely that this type of account will have access to SQL Server databases. Standard practice
for configuring the Sharperlight Service is to allocate a network account which would then need
database access if Windows authentication has been set on any of the SQL Server Local
Connections.

2.3 Sharperlight Service

The Sharperlight Service is a self-contain web service that combines a RESTful web service and a
Gateway API for remote desktop clients to access datamodels, published queries and to use
centralised functionality, eg Materialised Query, Report Rows, Custom Tables. When the Server
feature is installed there are two additional executables in the Sharperlight bin directory, they are
md.Service.exe and md.WS.Service.exe. The md.Service is commonly referred to as the Manual
Service and there will be a shortcut to run this application from the Sharperlight Start menu folder.
The md.WS.Service is configured as a Windows Service called the Sharperlight Service. The Manual
Service is used for testing and development purposes because it displays an interactive window
whilst the Sharperlight Service is for production environments.
When implementing Sharperlight on a new application server, the implementer should initially use
the Manual Service to test connection details and remote access. Once they are satisfied that the
configuration is working successfully then set up the Sharperlight Service under the Windows
Services. The Sharperlight Service entry will already existing in the list of service entries because the
installer creates the entry. To configure the Sharperlight Service, set its Startup Type to Automatic
and set a network account to log on the service. Do not leave the Local System Account as the log
on because network policies and Windows updates can stop Sharperlight from working.

Sharperlight Service - Log On

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 10 Sharperlight 6.0 Install Guide

2.4 Supported Software

To successfully install Sharperlight it requires a Microsoft Windows operating system with .NET
Framework 4.8 or later installed. This reliance on the .NET 4.8 Framework means that Sharperlight
cannot be installed on releases of Windows prior to Windows 7 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server
2008 R2 SP1.
Installing Sharperlight on a computer is only required for servers that host the Sharperlight Web
Service and clients that want to use the Microsoft Excel Sharperlight Add-in and/or want to author
published queries. Access to the web content published by the Sharperlight Service does not require
a Sharperlight installation and the consuming web browsers do not need plug-ins. The delivery of
content through the Web Channel is designed to be browser agnostic and should be available in
most web browsers. For quality assurance and consistency purposes the Sharperlight software is
tested with Microsoft Internet Explorer and Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari.
The three key dependencies that Sharperlight requires to operate are a Windows operating system,
a SQL Server database to store configuration and license details, and Microsoft Excel on the client
computers if they want to use the Sharperlight XL Add-in. The supported software for these three
items are listed below.

Item Description
Operating Systems
Microsoft Windows 7 Service Pack 1, Windows 2008 R2 SP1, Windows 8,
Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 2012, Windows 2012 R2,
Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019 and Windows Server
2022
System Database Engine
Microsoft SQL Server 2005, SQL Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 R2, SQL Server
2012, SQL Server 2014, SQL Server 2016, SQL Server 2017, SQL
Server 2019 and SQL Server 2022
Microsoft Office for Excel Add-in
Microsoft Office 2007, Office 2010 (32/64 bit), Office 2013 (32/64 bit), Office
2016 (32/64 bit), Office 2019 (32/64 bit), Office 2021 (32/64bit)
and local off-line install of Office 365

2.5 Hardware Scaling

The hardware required to implement Sharperlight depends on the number of end-users, how they
will connect to the query service and the size of the data store. In a small five to ten user site with a
few million transactions in the source database tables, a central application server can quite
efficiently run both the database engine and the Sharperlight Service. The hardware for this
application server could easily be a quad core with eight gigabytes of RAM. The client computers
accessing this installation do not need to be heavily resourced because the bulk of the query
computation is completed on the application server. The client computers could be as low as a dual
core computer with two gigabyte of RAM, however if they want to use the Sharperlight Excel Add-in
it is recommended they have a faster processor and four gigabytes of RAM because Microsoft Excel
has a heavy resource footprint in its own right.
As a general guideline the table below recommends the minimum specifications and allowances
that should be considered when deploying Sharperlight in a client server environment. The
fundamental assumption in these recommendations, is that the computer hardware is not already

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 Preparation 11

heavily utilised because installing Sharperlight on a stressed computer will result in substandard
response times.

Description Small Medium Large

(5 to 10 users) (15 to 25 users) (30 to 100 users)
Server
Dedicated Application Server No Yes Yes
Application Server CPU and RAM Dual Core / 8 Gb Four Core / 12 Gb Eight Core / 24 Gb
System Database 10 Mb Hard disk 20 Mb Hard disk 50 Mb Hard disk
space space space
Client
Web Browser (Tables and Charts) Dual Core / 2 Gb
Web Browser (Dashboards) Dual Core / 2 Gb
Excel Add-in Dual Core / 4 Gb

Virtualising hardware and deploying a virtual Sharperlight application server provides a flexible
environment where the number of processor cores and available RAM can be scaled. However, the
resourcing of the virtual machines should be reviewed on a regular basis to address performance
bottlenecks.

2.6 Command Line

The Sharperlight installer is packaged as an MSI file and when it is installed it uses the Microsoft
Windows Installer program (msiexec.exe) to process the installation. There are several switches
available that can change the installation behaviour and the installed features. The command line
syntax is the Sharperlight MSI filename, then add the switches and then the ADDLOCAL command
which can nominate the features to be installed.
"Sharperlight 4.6.57 64bit.msi" /log install.log /passive ADDLOCAL="XL"
"Sharperlight 4.6.57 64bit.msi" /log install.log /quiet ADDLOCAL="XL,AppShortCut"

Item Description
Switches
/log Logs all the installer actions into a file. The filename should be
specified after the log switch.
/quiet Instructs the installer to not show any graphical interface during
the installation.
/passive This options displays a progress bar but no prompts or error
messages.
Features
XL Installs the Excel libraries and registers the Excel Add-in.
Server Installs the service runtime files and adds a Windows Service entry
for the Sharperlight Service.
Developer Adds menu shortcuts to the Studio and Foundry.
SchedShortCut Adds a menu shortcut to Scheduler.

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 12 Sharperlight 6.0 Install Guide

Item Description
ExplorerShortCut Adds a menu shortcut to Explorer.
SiteSetupShortCut Adds a menu shortcut to Site Setup.
AppShortCut Adds a menu shortcut to the Application menu.
DMInstallerShortCut Adds a menu shortcut to the Datamodel Installer.
MQShortCut Adds a menu shortcut to Materialised Query.
RRShortCut Adds a menu shortcut to Report Rows.
StudioShortCut Adds a menu shortcut to the Studio.
FoundryShortCut Adds a menu shortcut to Foundry.
SolutionsShortCut Adds a menu shortcut to Solutions.

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Part

III
 14 Sharperlight 6.0 Install Guide

3 Installation
When planning the installation of Sharperlight, consider how end-users will interact with its query
content. A client installation is only necessary if users are intending to create and maintain their
own queries, or they are planning to use the rich desktop client.

3.1 Checklist
This checklist covers the main installation and configuration actions that need to be completed at a
new site.

Item Description Done

Section 1: Preinstallation
Microsoft Windows operating system for application install Y/N
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 or later for System Database Y/N
Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8 or later Y/N
Optional: Microsoft Office 2007 or later Y/N
Optional: Data Providers not installed with the .NET Framework Y/N
Access rights to the data sources (user name and password) Y/N
Network account to log on as, for the Sharperlight Service Y/N
Section 2: Installation Steps 1 to 7
Manually uninstall Sharperlight 4.1 or earlier Y/N
Download installation files and run the appropriate 32bit/64bit MSI installer Y / N
Follow the Setup Wizard Y/N
Accept the License Agreement Y/N
Select Setup Type and Features Y/N
UAC Authorisation Y/N
Section 4: Installation Step 8a Client
Disable Local Connections Y/N
Configure Remote Connections in Client Setup and test Y/N
Section 5: Installation Step 8b Server
Use the Datamodel Installer to add and/or update datamodels as required Y/N
Update Local Connection details and test them in Client Setup Y/N
Use Client Setup to configure the Service settings Y/N
Run the Manual Service using the menu shortcut and check remote Y/N
connectivity
Close Manual Service and configure Sharperlight Service in the Windows Y/N
Services
Test Sharperlight Service for Web Channel and rich client connectivity Y/N
(monitor Windows Event Log for service messages)
Open Site Setup and import license file Y/N

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 Installation 15

Item Description Done

Lock down the Instance, password protect the Admin login and disable Y/N
default user logins
Decide on native application logins or windows authentication, add user and Y/N
group accounts to Site Setup
Reconfigure Service in Client Setup to preferred authentication method and Y/N
restart Service
Section 6: Installation Step 9
Use Query Builder to preview data and verify the installation works Y/N

3.2 Steps
These instructions cover the main steps in installing and configuring Sharperlight.

3.2.1 Step 1 - Prerequisites

The Sharperlight 6.0 application requires the Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8 or later to be installed.
This version of the .NET Framework, cannot be installed on Windows operating systems prior to
Microsoft Windows 7 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1. Therefore, this Sharperlight
release cannot be installed on Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008; these operating systems
should be using Sharperlight 5.5. If an installation is attempted on a computer that lacks the correct
.NET Framework, the installer will return a warning message and end the setup.

Requires 4.6 .NET Framework

The installation media for Sharperlight consists of MSI installer files in either 32bit or 64bit. The
64bit installer is only for a 64bit operating systems whilst the 32bit installer could be installed on a
64bit operating system but it is recommended that it is only used on 32bit operating systems. Each
pair of 64bit and 32bit installers are compiled one after the other, using the same source code and
with sequential builder numbers. The naming convention for Sharperlight installer files is the build
number and then a 32bit/64bit designator.

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 16 Sharperlight 6.0 Install Guide

Installers

3.2.2 Step 2 - Manual Uninstall

The install packaging software that was used for all the releases up to the Sharperlight 4.1 has been
deprecated. With the 4.6 release there was a new installer and it cannot upgrade the older
installations. When migrating from a Sharperlight 4.1 or an earlier release, the existing installation
needs to be manually uninstalled before installing the 4.6 or later release. Datamodels and Client
Setup configuration settings are retained after an uninstall and Sharperlight will re-use these
settings.
With the new installer, it will check for an existing installation of 4.1 or earlier, and if it exists it will
return a message explaining the the previous version needs to be uninstalled. A manual uninstall is
only necessary, to handle the upgrades from 4.1 or earlier to later releases. All releases after 4.6
will automatically uninstall the previous build and install the new software.

Manual Uninstall

3.2.3 Step 3 - Setup Wizard

The Setup Wizard is the start of the installation. The Sharperlight 32bit or 64bit MSI installers
combine both client and server components. These applications are only required if the destination
computer is going to host the Sharperlight Services or the computer is going to provide the client
applications, eg Excel Add-in. Access to the Web Channel, Dashboards and Web Reporting does not
require the rich client.

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 Installation 17

Setup Wizard

3.2.4 Step 4 - License Agreement

The End-User License Agreement (EULA) is a legally binding agreement between the software
author and the individual or legal entity that is using Sharperlight. After reading the terms and
conditions, enable the acceptance check box to accept this governing agreement.

Licence Agreement

3.2.5 Step 5 - Setup Types

The next stage in the installation is to select the preferred Setup Type. Client Only and Complete are
pre-configured with a respectively, small selection and a complete set of features. Selecting either
of these will move the setup to the install phase. Selecting Custom will display another window
where features can be enabled and disabled individually or by module. For a Server install use
Complete and the Excel Add-in is included in the Client Only install but it can be excluded with
Custom.

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 18 Sharperlight 6.0 Install Guide

Setup Type

The "Force the install..." checkbox at the bottom of the Setup Type window, allows the install to be
forced over the top of an existing Sharperlight installation. The primary purpose of this checkbox is
to allow upgrades from Sharperlight 4.1 to later releases, where for some reason the existing install
cannot be successfully uninstalled. Enabling the "Force the install..." checkbox will overwrite
existing files and registry keys, and subsequent upgrades will recognise the forced installation. The
use of this setting retains the existing Client Setup configuration and existing datamodels.

3.2.5.1 Step 5a - Client Only

The Client Only Setup installs the core components to operate the query engine and includes the
libraries to work with Microsoft Excel. However, it does limit the program shortcuts in the
Sharperlight Start Menu to just Client Setup, Publisher, the Query Builder and the utility to re-register
the Excel Add-in.

Start Menu - Client Only Install - Sharperlight Program Shortcuts

3.2.5.2 Step 5b - Custom

The Custom Setup shows a selection tree for the Query Engine, Server, Excel Add-in and
Development modules. The Query Engine and Server have additional features that can be viewed
and selected by expanding their features. Each node in the tree has an item menu which can be
opened by mouse clicking on the node.
The default selection for a Custom install includes all the features for a Client Only install but this
can be expanded with additional selections. All the features in a module can be installed by using
the "Entire feature will be installed on local hard drive" or individual features can be installed using
the "Will be installed on local hard drive".

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 Installation 19

Custom Setup

The Query Engine, Server and Excel Add-in modules determine which files get installed in the
Sharperlight program directory. The core Query Engine is mandatory and all the features are
accessible from the same md.Application executable. Hence, all the features are available but the
program shortcuts may not be added to the Start Menu - Programs - Sharperlight menu.

3.2.5.3 Step 5c - Complete

The Complete Setup includes the core query engine, server components, the libraries to integrate
into Microsoft Excel and the development tools.

Start Menu - Complete Install - Sharperlight Program Shortcuts

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 20 Sharperlight 6.0 Install Guide

3.2.6 Step 6 - Install and Authorisation

At the install stage, the modules and features have been selected and clicking the Install button will
initiate the installation process.

Install

The installation is machine based where all users share the same application files and user settings.
To allow this scope, the user privileges will need to be elevated and an authorisation window for
User Account Control (UAC) will be displayed to confirm the software installation. If the current
user does not have the rights to install software then an alternative login and password will be
requested.

User Account Control

The UAC challenge window will not be displayed if User Account Control has been turned off on the
target computer. The install scope, per machine, means that the Start Menu program shortcuts will
be available to all users on the computer.

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 Installation 21

3.2.7 Step 7 - Setup Completed

At the end of the installation the Setup Wizard will show that it has completed. Clicking Finished will
close the window.

Setup Completed

3.2.8 Step 8 - Post Install

The settings in Client Setup are not removed when Sharperlight is uninstalled and reinstalled or
upgraded. Therefore, an existing computer that runs Sharperlight does not need to be reconfigured
to work with an updated installation. However, an installation on a new client computer or server
that hasn't previously had Sharperlight, will need to follow the instructions in Step 8a for a client and
8b for a server.

3.2.8.1 Step 8a - Client

Open Client Setup using the shortcut from Start Menu - Programs - Sharperlight. A client computer
accesses the datamodel services on a centralised application server which is operating as the
Sharperlight Server. This is the most efficient and secure method for connecting to data sources. To
reinforce this pattern the Client Only setup will hide the configuration settings for Location
Connections and Services in Client Setup.
Client installations that used the Custom or Complete setup should have the Local Connections
disabled and there is no need to add datamodels to the client because they will not be used. To
disable the Local Connections, right hand mouse click on the Local Connections branch in the tree
and select Disable, and this will update the connection icon to include a red cross. There is also no
need to configure Service entries and these should be all disabled.
A client computer should only be using Remote Connections to the server. The connection settings
will be retained even if Sharperlight has been uninstall and reinstalled, or upgraded. To check
existing connection details, click on the enabled connection and use the Test button to validate the
settings. On a new installation, select the first available Remote Connection and update the
connection details with the Protocol, Port Number, Server Name and Service Code. Then use the
Test button to confirm a successful connection. If the connection works but it is disabled, the Test
will add an option to enable the connection. The Client Setup window has to be closed to save all
the configuration changes.

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 22 Sharperlight 6.0 Install Guide

Client Setup - Remote Connections

Access to the Local Connections and Services settings in Client Setup are still possible with a Client
Only setup. There is a right hand mouse click menu on the tree with the option "Local Connections -
Show Configuration".

3.2.8.2 Step 8b - Server

The Server is the computer that connects directly to the data sources, has local datamodels and
hosts the Sharperlight Service. A new clean server environment will need to touch the Datamodel
Installer, Client Setup, Manual Service, Sharperlight Service and Site Setup. Whilst a server software
upgrade may just involve stopping the Sharperlight Service, upgrading the software and restarting
the service.
Datamodel Installer
The Datamodel Installer is the utility for adding, deleting and updating datamodels. The System
datamodel is mandatory and added by the installer. Additional datamodels are supplied by the
software author, resellers and custom datamodels can be created. Add, delete or update each
datamodel as required and then use the Finish button to close the window; this will force a
recompile of all the available datamodels.

Datamodel Installer

Client Setup
Opening Client Setup will show all the local datamodels under Local Connections. The System
Connection is for the System Database where licensing, user settings and published queries are
stored. Read the topic Preparation - System Database to create the System Database and read
Preparation - SQL Server Authentication to understand the implications of Windows and Database
Server Authentication.

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 Installation 23

Many datamodels connect to relational databases and there connections details consist of the
Server Name, Database (Catalog), User Name and Password. Provide these details and use the Test
button to confirm a successful connection. Datamodels that are not currently in use, can be
disabled, by right hand mouse clicking on the datamodel name and using the Disable option. To save
the settings in the Client Setup window, use the OK button.

Client Setup - Local Connections and Services

Remote Connections are not normally used on a server and should be disabled. To configure the
service on the server, select the first service template and review the Protocol, Port Number,
Service Code, Web Channel Port Number and Authentication. The default settings should work but
they may need to be tweaked to make them more consistent with the organisations network
policies and how Sharperlight will be secured.
There are three default service templates, only one can be used at any one time. The first enabled
template will be used and if all of them are disabled, then the top one will be used. Remember to
close the Client Setup window with the OK button to save configuration changes the services.
Manual Service
The Manual Service is for testing purposes and provides a service window of runtime information
that is not available when running the service as a Windows service. The Manual Service can be run
from the Service shortcut in the Start Menu - Programs - Sharperlight folder. It is recommended that
the Manual Service is used to confirm web server addresses and to see if firewalls are blocking the
operation of the service. After everything is working then move onto configuring the Sharperlight
Service.

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 24 Sharperlight 6.0 Install Guide

Manual Service

Sharperlight Service
The Sharperlight Service is created as a Windows Service entry by the installer. This service is the
recommended method of providing remote access to the Sharperlight data services and web
services. The Sharperlight Service should have its start type set to automatic and thus, it will restart
if the server is rebooted. Read the topic Preparation - Sharperlight Service for assistance on
configuring the log on account.

Sharperlight Service

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 Installation 25

Site Setup
To open Site Setup, the user logging in must be an Administrator in Sharperlight. On a clean
installation of the System Database, the default administrator is named admin with no password.
From within Site Setup, license files can be loaded, global properties set, user and user groups define
and application security enforced. It is recommended that the software vendor or reseller is
involved in the licensing and configuration of Site Setup to ensure license compliance and to
properly secure the Sharperlight environment. Refer to the topic Configuration - Import License to
understand the steps in applying a new license.

Site Setup - Licenses

3.2.9 Step 9 - Testing

To confirm that the Sharperlight installation is a success, open the Query Builder using the shortcut
from the Start Menu - Programs - Sharperlight folder. On a clean installation the Login window will
be displayed, use the default guest user with no password to open the Query Builder. On a secured
installation the user login will need to exist in Site Setup.
Create a simple query using the one of the available datamodels and use Preview to test the
connection and confirm that data is being returned. The Query Builder will still work even on an
unlicensed installation but it will limited to the top 99 rows. To license the installation, refer to the
topic Configuration - Import License.

Copyright 2008-2023 Philight Software International Pty Ltd Simplified Intelligence

Part

IV
 Configuration 27

4 Configuration
Site Setup and Client Setup are the two main configuration interfaces in Sharperlight. The Client
Setup window controls the connections to datamodels and the configuration of the Sharperlight
Service. Site Setup controls licensing, user security and it maintains settings that affect the
operation of each datamodel.

4.1 Import License

Sharperlight has an unlicensed mode where the query engine will only return the top 99 rows in
every query. The mode will restrict an unlicensed System Database and it will effect an existing
license that has expired. To license a Sharperlight installation, a license file needs to be imported
into the appropriate License form in Site Setup. There are Custom, Distributed and Application
licenses available to users of Sharperlight, and the software vendor can advise which licenses are
needed and assist in requisitioning new and renewal licenses.
Licenses are issued as an XML document with an LIC extension. To import a license file, start by
opening Site Setup. Only Sharperlight user accounts that have been specified as administrators can
open Site Setup. All System Databases are created with a default administrator account called
admin with no password. Therefore, on a greenfields Sharperlight site, use the admin login to open
Site Setup but an existing implementation is more likely to have been secured with an admin
password. Obtaining the admin password or utilising another administrator account is the only way
to open Site Setup.
On opening Site Setup the first folder in the navigation tree is for licenses. Expand the Licenses
folder and it will display all the available license forms. Each license file is unique to the license type
and can only be imported into the applicable license form. The license file name will often contain
the unique attributes of the license but if in doubt, contact the software supplier that provided the
license key.

Site Setup - Unlicensed

All the license forms in Site Setup look similar and some license forms may be left unlicensed
because the site is not utilising the functionality. On the license form there are two buttons, the
Clear button will wipe the existing license information whilst the Import License File button will
open a file navigation window for selecting a license file for import. Importing a new license will
completely wipe the existing settings and the Sharperlight Service has to be restarted for the new
license to be applied to remote and browser connections.

Copyright 2008-2023 Philight Software International Pty Ltd Simplified Intelligence

 28 Sharperlight 6.0 Install Guide

Site Setup - Import License File

Copyright 2008-2023 Philight Software International Pty Ltd Simplified Intelligence

Part

V
 30 Sharperlight 6.0 Install Guide

5 Troubleshooting
5.1 Re-register Excel Add-in
The Sharperlight Excel Add-in loads into Microsoft Excel and makes the Query Builder available in
Excel to create query formulas. This Add-in must be registered in Microsoft Excel and when loaded
it will display a Sharperlight XL menu. Registration of the Excel Add-in is attempted during the
Sharperlight install, however the add-in can sometimes unload when Excel becomes unstable.
If the Sharperlight XL Add-in does dropped out of Excel, run the md.InstallExcelAddin.exe file
located in the Program Files\Philight\Sharperlight\bin or Program Files (x86)
\Philight\Sharperlight\bin, for 64bit and 32bit respectively. Make sure to close Microsoft Excel
before running the executable and then re-open Excel to confirm that the Sharperlight XL menu is
visible.

Copyright 2008-2023 Philight Software International Pty Ltd Simplified Intelligence

 Index 31

Index
-C-
Checklist 14
Command Line 11

-H-
Hardware Scaling 10

-I-
Import License 27
Installation 14
Authorisation 20
License Agreement 17
Manual Uninstall 16
Post Install 21
Prerequisites 15
Setup Types 17
Setup Wizard 16
Testing 25

-S-
Sharperlight Service 9
SQL Server Authentication 8
Supported Software 10
System Database 7

Copyright 2008-2023 Philight Software International Pty Ltd Simplified Intelligence