Installation – Quick Guide
Step 1: Install Sharperlight Software
Download and run the Sharperlight installation file from the Sharperlight website.
A complete setup is usually recommended, especially if you are planning to import datamodels, have local connections to the database, or are planning to use the Power BI connector.
A client setup is a limited option that should only be used when installing on a client computer that has access to an application server with the complete Sharperlight setup.
Step 2: Set up a Sharperlight Database
If required, install Microsoft SQL Server here.
Alternatively, any version of Microsoft SQL Server (2008 R2+) will be sufficient, including LocalDB.
SQL Server Management Studio is also needed and can be downloaded here.
Open SQL Server Management Studio. The server type should be Database Engine, the server name should be your computer name\SQLEXPRESS and authentication should be set to Windows Authentication. The details should automatically be entered correctly. Click connect.
Right click on Databases and select New Database.
Type in Sharperlight as the Database Name and click OK. The database has now been created.
Step 3: Import a Datamodel
The next step is to install a datamodel for your solution database. Visit the Sharperlight website and download the datamodel that matches your solution database.
http://sharperlight.com/datamodels
If you do not have an existing solution database or you are unable to find a datamodel that matches your solution, use the Sample Demo Data pack from the manuals and guides section on the Sharperlight website. Please see Sample Demo Data for more details on how to restore the database.
Once you have downloaded the Datamodel, open Datamodel Installer found on the Sharperlight application menu. Add the datamodel(s). Once they have been successfully added, they will appear in the list and can also be found in the file location: “C:\ProgramData\Sharperlight\MetaData”.
Click on Force Recompile when you have finished adding all the datamodels.
Note: you cannot install a Datamodel by clicking on the file. It is best installed via the Datamodel installer.
Step 4: Client Setup
Client setup can be found in the application menu. Use Client Setup to connect all datamodels to their sources.
On the left under local connections, you should be able to see all the datamodels that are currently installed in Sharperlight.
The first datamodel in the Client Setup list is System, which is the datamodel for the Sharperlight database. Enter the details for the database you created and click test. You will then be prompted to install the necessary tables, select yes and they will be automatically installed.
Go through the rest of the datamodels and add the connection details (green ticks) and click test. This will test the connection to the databases. Use Windows or SQL Authentication as appropriate.
If it does not test successfully, check again to make sure the details entered are correct. Make sure the Server, Database and user details are accurate. Sharperlight needs read access to all solution databases and ownership of the System Database.
Step 5: Run a test query
Open query builder from the Sharperlight application menu and create a simple test query.
In the Product section, click on the button to select the datamodel you just imported. Select a superfield (if applicable) and select a table. Fill in any mandatory filters (different shade of grey). Double click on a few fields under Selection to output them.
Once the query has been created, click Preview and check the data
Step 6: Starting the WebChannel Service
The Sharperlight WebChannel service needs to be started before reports and remote clients can be connected to the WebChannel. The service needs to be restarted when a change is made to datamodels, client setup or site setup.
For testing, the developer service can be started from the Sharperlight application menu. This developer process will stop when the user logs out of Windows.
*Note: the developer service and Sharperlight service (see below) cannot be running simultaneously. Neither can be started properly while the other is running.
Alternatively, Windows services control panel can be used to run the Sharperlight WebChannel Service when remote connections are required for your setup in a production environment. Make sure that the Sharperlight Service is running with a user account that has the appropriate permissions. The developer service previously mentioned must be stopped for this to work.
Find the Sharperlight Service in the Services list and right click and select properties. In the Log On tab, set the user settings (if unsure, leave it as Local System account).
In the General tab, there is a Startup type option. If you would like the service to automatically start on startup, select Automatic.
For more information on services, click here.
*Demo Licence is limited to 99 rows. Contact us for a full trial license key.
License Installation Guide
Optional Step: Sample Items
When downloading a datamodel, there are also optional sample packs. These come with items that can help you get started, such as sample published reports, dashboards, report rows, etc. Once downloaded, double click on each of these items and you will be prompted to import them into your workspace.
The Report Pack excel document holds many useful sheets with queries powering them.
If the Sample Demo Data pack was used, there should be an excel document with writeback in its name. Open that up and click the Load button on each of the sheets, this will writeback the data to the database.
