Getting Started

Requirements

Client (Desktop)

IE6+/FF2+/Safari 3+/Google Chrome/Opera 9+

Client (Mobile)

Iphone/Android/WebOS (Palm Pre)/Windows Phone 7/Opera Mobile/Opera Mini

Server

Windows 2000/XP/2003/2008/Vista/7

IIS 5+ (Web server) or Web Development Server

ASP.NET

.Net Framework version 2+

Database

Sql Server CE or Sql Server (Express) 2000/2005/2008

When installing DbNetTime you are offered the choice between using either a full version of SQL Server or a compact version which is included in the download. The compact version is ideal for small to medium sized installations who don't want to install a full version of SQL Server.

If you don't have SQL Server currently installed you can download a free copy of SQL Server Express 2008 from the Microsoft Web site.

Connecting to the database

In most cases the connection to the DbNetTime database will be configured as a part of the installation process. If you need to install manually or modify the connection you can do so by editing the connection string in the web.config file. Connection to a SQL Server database can be done either with a user name and password in the connection string (sql server authentication) or by using the credentials of the application user (windows authentication).

SQL Server CE connection details

<configuration>
...
 <connectionStrings>
         <add name="DbNetTime" connectionString="Data Source=~/app_data/dbnettime.sdf"/>
 </connectionStrings>
...
</configuration>

Example SQL Server authentication connection

<configuration>
...
 <connectionStrings>
         <add name="DbNetTime" connectionString="Server=servername;Database=databasename;UID=username;PWD=password;"/>
 </connectionStrings>
...
</configuration>

Example Windows authentication connection

<configuration>
...
 <connectionStrings>
         <add name="DbNetTime" connectionString="Server=servername;Database=databasename;Trusted_Connection=yes;"/>
 </connectionStrings>
...
</configuration>

If you are using a windows authentication connection you must also apply windows authentication to the application.

Application Authentication

All DbNetTime users are authenticated to identify the person using the application. Authentication comes in two modes Windows and Forms. The method of authentication is determined by the value of the mode attribute in the authentication element in the web.config file.

Forms Authentication

Forms authentication requires the user to enter their user name and password in a login screen. The entered name and password must match a record in the DbNetTime user table. Forms authentication is most suitable for public networks where windows authentication is not possible.

<configuration>
 ...
 <system.web>
   ...
   <authentication mode="Forms">
   ...
 </system.web>
</configuration>

Windows Authentication

Windows authentication will by-pass the login screen as it use the windows account name of the user as the user name. Windows authentication is most suitable for internal networks and intranets where users have already logged into a network.

<configuration>
 ...
 <system.web>
   ...
   <authentication mode="Windows">
  ...
 </system.web>
</configuration>