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Running the Community Portal against multiple database servers

You can configure the Community Portal to run against more than one database server. This is useful if you want to run a test database server. You can:

Configuring an additional database using a second XML Configuration file

To configure additional database servers:

  1. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the SynergeticCommunityPortal/Bin directory on your server.
  2. Double click the Synergetic.Application.SynCommPortalCreateConfig.exe.

    The Create SynergeticCommunityPortal Config File window is displayed.

    Create SynergeticCommunityPortal Config File window

  3. Change the database credentials to match the new database.

    Create SynergeticCommunityPortal Config File window (database highlighted)

  4. Change the Directory field to the name of the new configuration file. For example, SynCommPortalTEST.xml.

    Create SynergeticCommunityPortal Config File window (filename highlighted)

  5. Click Create File.

    The new configuration file is created.

    Note: To access the new configuration, append ?cfg= to the Community Portal URL, followed by the configuration filename without the .xml extension. For example, http://PortalServer.Name.com.au/login.aspx?cfg=SynCommPortalTEST.

Configuring an additional database using a second instance of the Community Portal

  1. Install a second instance of the Community Portal. For example, to SynergeticCommunityPortal2.

    Note: Do not change the authentication settings at this point, as they are still being used for your original Community Portal installation.

  2. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the SynergeticCommunityPortal2/Bin directory on your server.
  3. Double click the Synergetic.Application.SynCommPortalCreateConfig.exe.

    The Create SynergeticCommunityPortal Config File window is displayed.

    Create SynergeticCommunityPortal Config File window

  4. Change the database credentials to match the new database.

    Create SynergeticCommunityPortal Config File window (database highlighted)

  5. Change the Directory field to the name of the new configuration file. For example, SynCommPortal2.xml.

    Create SynergeticCommunityPortal Config File window (filename highlighted example 2)

  6. Click Create File.

    The new configuration file is created.

  7. Navigate to Site\Config in the SynergeticCommunityPortal2 directory.
  8. Copy UserExample.config.
  9. Rename the copy to User.config.
  10. Open User.config with Notepad.

    User config file for community portal

  11. Rename the value of the SynCommPortalConfigFileName to the configuration file you created in step 6.

    User config file for community portal (example highlighted)

    Note: Inform Synergetic Management Systems you have installed additional Community Portal instances so they include all of your portals when they perform upgrades.

Configuring Crystal Reports to run on multiple database servers

If you have configured the Community Portal to run against multiple database servers, you also need to configure Crystal Reports.

Note: You must test all your reports individually on the database server once you have reconfigured Crystal Reports.

To configure Crystal Reports to run on multiple database servers:

  1. Select Module > System > Configuration File Maintenance in the Synergetic main menu.
  2. Find the CommunityPortal:Reports:Connection:UseADOFlag configuration setting.

    Tip: Search for UseADOFlag to find this configuration setting quickly.

  3. Select the Value field to set the configuration setting to True.

    Configuration File Maintenance - UseADOFlag

  4. Test each report you want to use on the web server.
  5. If errors occur for a report, find the UseDSNProperties datasource property in the report.
  6. Set either the:
  7. Repeat steps 4 through 6 for each report.

Last modified: 21/06/2016 2:24:05 PM

See Also

Customising login and database authentication

Managing Community Portal accounts

Security settings for the Community Portal

Single sign on authentication settings

© 2017 Synergetic Management Systems. Published 19 July 2017.

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