Friday, September 27, 2013

Installing SQL Server 2014 CTP1 on a Windows 8 computer

This post describes  installation of SQL Server 2014 CTP1 on a Windows 8 partition of a computer which has Windows 7 Ultimate on the other partition.

The reason for installing SQL Server 2014 CTP1 on the Windows 8 partition were described in the previous post here:

 http://hodentekmsss.blogspot.com/2013/09/some-problems-to-install-sql-server.html

The setup program was run from a disc created from an .iso file from the download page here:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/dn205290.aspx

The installation steps and the various considerations have been described in great detail in my two books here.
http://hodentek.blogspot.com/2013/06/learn-sql-server-2012-reporting.html

http://www.packtpub.com/learning-sql-server-2008-reporting-services/book?mid=010409ofvkyp

I will present only the screen shots with some relevant explanations.

The disc is in the dvd drive with the OS as Windows 8 Preview (expired at this time).

 
 
Running the Setup.exe brings up the installation center which does the setup support rules check as shown.

 
Clearly to proceed further the Visual Studio program shown in the next screen must be removed.
 
 
After removing the file the Setup.exe was run again and this time there are no complaints regarding older programs.

Click OK.


 
 The option is the 'Evaluation edition'. Click Next. Then you accept the license terms and click Next to install the files required for this installation.
 
 
When this is finished click Install.
 
Installation steps will start.
 

There is only one warning. No worry,  Click Next. In the Setup Role window you can choose the way you want to install the server. Here only the first option was chosen. In 'Learning SQL Server Reporting Services 2012' book I have completely described all the options. Herein, only first option will be used.

 
Click Next. In the Feature Selection window all options have been chosen. You should install only those you require as it will require lot more resources for everything to be installed. The screen was fully stretched out to see everything there is to install. The explanation for the highlighted item is shown alongside on the right.
 
 
Click Next. The program checks to see if the installation will proceed without a problem.
 

Click Next.

 
Now you need to specify whether you require a named instance of the server or a default instance. The default instance will be named MSSQLSERVER, but the named instance takes whatever name you provide here.
 
Although the author planned a named instance and went through the complete steps, the computer automatically shutdown (may be something that was built-in to windows 8 if the license has expired) and the server was not configured completely. A default instance was later installed following essentially the same steps.
 
click Next. Now the program looks at the space available for the program. The program requires over ~7GB.
 
 
 
Click Next. You need to configure the server as well as collation. The screen shows the default that comes up.
 
 
 
This was modified so that the 'admin' (single user) can work with the server. The same Account Name and password (that of the computer administrator) for all the programs and services as shown in the next image was used.
 

The entry for object name was arrived at by clicking the Advanced button on the above and choosing the appropriate account as shown here. The chosen user is one at the very bottom of the screen. When you double click the line in this window, it gets into the previous window (you need not type in).

 
Click OK to Select User or Group window and it gets into the Account Name window. Type in the password for the user. Repeat the same for all programs and services as shown.
 
 
Choose the default collation. Click Next. Next is  Database Engine Configuration
 
 
Here the Windows Authentication will be used and the current user is the administrator
as well. The Windows 8 partition has the name 'Newwin8' and the Windows 7 partition was called 'Hodnetekwin7' which was used in the previously cited book.
Also Windows 8 uses the LiveID of the user for username and therefore the current user is 'Jayaram Krishnaswamy' shortened as 'Jayaram'. I am not sure if this will create a problem while typing in credentials. Data Directories are part of the Database Engine Configuration.

 
FileStream is also part of Database Engine Configuration. Place check marks as shown.
 
 
Click Next. Analysis Services configuration page comes with two options to choose from. Here the 
Multidimensional Model configuration is chosen. In the early stages of SQL Server 2012 you were required to use the 'Tabular Model' option to be able to create Power View reports in SQL Server Reporting Services in SharePoint Integrated mode. This restriction does not apply anymore. 
 
 
Similar to Database Engine you designate the current user as admin (or any other you choose to). The Data Directories tab gives you an option to modify the location but here the defaults are chosen. Click Next. 

You move on to Reporting Services Configuration as shown. Install only is not the option used and it works better as quite a lot of the Configuration will be complete when you finish the installation. Otherwise you need to configure from scratch. For SharePoint Integration only necessary files are installed and you will have to use SharePoint's Central Administration to complete. This part is explained in detail in my previously cited book here, http://hodentek.blogspot.com/2013/06/learn-sql-server-2012-reporting.html
 
 
Click Next.  The Distributed Replay Controller is very much like SQL Profiler but more versatile and scalable. It is included here for completeness only. Read the notes on the right. The Current user has unlimited access to this service.
 
 
Click Next. You need to specify the controller and the directories for the client files. Default is chosen.
 
 
Click Next. The error reporting so that Microsoft can improve installations.  Place checkmark (suggested).
 
 
Click Next. Installation Configuration Rules will be checked.  It is looking good!
 

Click Next. Ready to Install page is displayed. Review all the options you have chosen. Of  course you could still make changes by hitting the 'back<<' button and make changes.


Click Install. The installation begins.


During this process the computer shutdown (automatically) due to Windows 8 problem. When it was rebooted it did not pick up from this point.

The Setup.exe was run once again and a default instance was installed following the same line as indicated above). The installation was a success as shown.

 
The SQL Server 2014 CTP1 related items appear as apps as shown here.


Clicking on the last app, 'SQL Server Management Studio' brings up the splash as shown.

 
The login is very similar to the previous versions and brings up the Object Explorer after entering the credentials.


An attempt was made to look at the instances of SQL Server installed through the discovery tool as shown.

 
Looks like Analysis Services (mysore) was installed but not configured.
 
This completes the installation of SQL Server 2014 CTP1 on Windows 8 preview.




 

Some problems to install SQL Server 2014 CTP1 on a computer with older versions

My previous post showed that although SQL Server 2012 was uninstalled many of the related programs still stayed in the memory.

http://hodentekmsss.blogspot.com/2013/09/uninstalling-sql-server-2012.html

In addition to SQL Server 2012 the HodentekWin7 computer also had two versions of Visual Studio 2012 and Visual Studio 2013 Preview.

SQL Server 2014 CTP1 cannot be installed on such a computer. In order to install SQL Server 2014 CTP1 all these needed removing. The messages from the setup support rules shown in this image from SQL Server 2014 Setup program.



 

Read the Hardware and Software requirements here:

Hardware and Software requirements here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143506(v=sql.120).aspx

Solution:

This is a very labor intensive process and therefore SQL Server CTP1 will be installed on the Windows 8 partition on the same computer. Windows 8 partition has no SQL Server although it has a Windows 8 Phone CTP. The partition does not have a RTM version of Windows 8 but a Windows 8 Preview.

 

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Uninstalling SQL Server 2012

Installing SQL Servers may pose problems depending on the resources on your computer, but uninstalling SQL Servers may also present problems. However installing / uninstalling SQL Servers have become very easy and straight forward lately. In the following I present some screen shots of uninstalling SQL Server 2012 instances (Evaluation Enterprise) on a Windows 7 (x64) Ultimate OS on Toshiba Satellite P775 Laptop used in the preparation of materials used in my recent book. These instances were used to completely document Reporting Services 2012 in both Native Mode and SharePoint Integrated mode.

You start from Control Panel and go to uninstall programs and locate Microsoft SQL Server 2012 and right click and pick Uninstall.  SQL Server Installation Center takes control. The program processes the support rules.


You Click OK to go to the next step.

 
I need to uninstall two instances. Instance HI is installed for Reporting Services for Native mode.
 
I choose to uninstall the HI instance first and click Next to select the features to uninstall.
 
 
I select all the displayed features and click Next.


The program checks for removal rules. I click Next.


Program is now ready to remove. I click Next.
It removed the items selected.



I close out and run the Uninstall from Control Panel once again.


The program processes the support rules.

This time I choose to removed the instance NJ which was used to investigate Reporting Services in
SharePoint Integrated mode and Analysis Services to support Tabular Data Model.


I select all features and click Next.


Program runs thru' removal rules.


Program is ready to remove. I click Next.


Looks like the program did a good job of removal.

I close out and verify in Control Panel.


All shortcuts are gone. 

However there are still items in the Control Panel (Programs) that may interfere with my installing SQL Server 2014 CTP1. I will cross the bridge when I come to it.

Removing SQL Server 2012 did not present any problems. I have a Windows XP machine with several instances of SQL Server 2005, 2008, 2008 R2 that I was unable to remove completely and resorted to flattening the lap top.
 

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Report Builder Report using data from SQL Anywhere 16

Report Builder 3.0 is the present version shipped at the same time as SQL Server 2012. It is a one-stop report authoring tool which can even be launched from Report Manager or from a Reporting services Integrated SharePoint Site. Of course you can download and launch it after installing on your desktop.

The most viewed Report Builder tutorials are here:
Report Builder is described in great detail here:
http://jayaramkrishnaswamy.sys-con.com/node/982742
Creating reports using Report Builder 2.0 is described here
http://jayaramkrishnaswamy.sys-con.com/node/1227111
 
You can master Report Builder 3.0, just follow the step-by-step instructions
Report Builder 3.0 is described exhaustively in my latest book



Out of the box it can connect to a variety of vendor products and the inclusion of ODBC and OLE DB makes it extremely convenient to connect to many other (not out of the box supported) products

Case in point is SQL Anywhere Server 16 for which you can set up an ODBC connection

This post shows you some of the steps that you can follow to turn out a report from SQL Anywhere 16. The following assumes that you have already started the SQL Anywhere Personal server. The procedure has still some unanswered questions, please read the last section

The following screen shows how you connect to an ODBC source for a connection embedded with the report




The next slide shows an ODBC System DSN 'demo' created using the SQL Anywhere 16. In reality this ODBC DSN gets registered when you install SQL Anywhere 16




 The next slide shows that connectivity is OK with 'dba' as username and 'sql' as password


The final connectivity screen after testing the authentication is shown in the next image





 The Credentials for this connection are shown in the next image




In order to create a dataset for your report use of Query Designer is not possible as it is not supported. You need to have this information on your hand to insert into the Report Builder's data set page.

The next image shows the InteractiveSQL tool in which a SQL Select statement is used to choose a all the fields from the Contacts table.




The dataset will be created using this embedded connection as shown.




For this, the query contacts.sql created in Sybase's InteractiveSQL is used and persisted to the desktop. This is imported into Report Builder's data set interface as shown using the import button
.




The next image shows the report designer interface taking in a few columns from the data set shown on the left.





This last image shows the report being displayed in Report Builder 3.0





Caution
While the above procedure is correct you may find problems while repeating this procedure and this will be mainly due to the odbc32 and odbc64 problems as I understand it

However, take a look at my bug report to Microsoft connect here




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