Getting Started

October 2020

Getting started with XML Control Circuit - Critical Initial Setup Procedure

Once you have installed Circuit, there are a few important steps to get things setup which must be followed… the first is to ensure SQL Server is up and running.

1. SQL Server Setup (entirely optional, you can create simple Bill of Materials using the CSV tools described later).

Circuit can use SQL Server Express as the back-end database (which you do not need to use if you’re only entering simple data into your components).

The intention of SQL (Structured Query Language) is to allow you to use your own tools and mechanisms to manage the data, and of course add information to components and create your own reports, etc.

Whilst Circuit has a built in form for adding components, this in no way limits your own particular methods - feel very free to control the database outside of Circuit as your needs require, just do not delete any of the data fields that are pre-defined by Circuit.

The best free tool from Microsoft to manage your database is Sequel Server Management Studio. It is currently 64-Bit, however the older 32-Bit version (2014) is still available with a quick search.

Plus any recent version of SQL Server will be sufficient for Circuit to interact with.

Get It Working

After installation of Circuit on the target machine, SQL Server may not run properly (or even be installed)… so follow these steps:-

To test the SQL Server connection, try this inside XML Control Circuit… from the Data Menu select SQL Query...

When the dialog opens, just press the [Execute Query] button using the default query, and if successful you will get a response as follows...

Otherwise, you will get an error message, indicating that SQL Server is either not installed or not working properly.

Is Sequel Server even Installed?

SQL Server MAY NOT EVEN BE INSTALLED, run SERVICES.MSC from a command prompt (press the Windows icon, then type CMD) then search for anything that looks like this…

If not found, then search for and download any compatible SQL SERVER EXPRESS installation from Microsoft… 2014 worked well with Windows 10 32 BIT, so just make sure a compatible version is installed and then prove the service is running.

If you're confident SQL Server is installed and running then proceed...

File Permissions

The first thing to check is your file access permissions in the application folder (where Circuit has been installed), and in particular the Microsoft Database File (.MDF).

Without the correct ADMIN rights, MDF files cannot appear to be read/written to when in the Program Files folder of the machine (which makes sense actually), but it should be possible somehow

Right-click anywhere in the folder (deselect the MDF file first) and choose "Properties"...

Un-check [Read Only] then press [Apply]. Test SQL Settings again to see if that works.

Move The Database Option

As a work around, just moving the MASTER-DB and MASTER _LOG files outside of Program Files to somewhere, like in the root of C:\ is plenty fine… once moved, then inside XML Control Circuit use this option…

Then check [ ] Use My SQL Connection String and VERY CAREFULLY edit the underlined text to reflect the location of where you moved the files to...

(NOTE! Move both the MDF and the LOG files, but only refer to the MDF file in the connection string.)

Once done, press the [Test Connection] button to verify that SQL Server can locate and access the file Ok.

2. Folder Path Setup

Next, you'll want to save all your files somewhere easy to get to, and easy to back up - for example "My Documents".

Projects, Symbols, Borders and Forms all have separate folder locations... and the files they contain are listed in the Project Explorer...

To set each location, choose Options > Set Path To and the required folder, as shown below...

Once you've set your paths, press the [Update Libraries] button to reflect the changes in the Project Explorer...

3. Environment Setup

There are settings that are applied across all projects and the workspace, and most of these are applied via the Environment settings.

Press Options > Environment to access these...

Although there are many options here, only concern yourself with $sheetWidth and $sheetHeight for now...

$sheetWidth and $sheetHeight for relate to the actual pixels of the drawing area on your screen, and 1600 W x 1200 H seems to work nicely for an A4 or A3 print-out.

This type of dialog box is typical within Circuit, to adjust a value just click the row with your left mouse button... then click the value required and press [Apply]...

(Note! Where no default options are available, you will be able to enter your own value).

And finally, after updating the Environment, you will be prompted that certain settings may require a restart of Circuit to take effect...

That's all the important settings done for now.