Sharing and Networking FarmIT 3000

Overview

Sharing or networking your FarmIT database between multiple computers on your own local network is very easy. The FarmIT data is stored in a standard Microsoft Access database file. The FarmIT program then connects to this data via a standard protocal known as ODBC. Connections to ODBC databases are configured on your computer via the Windows control panel "Adminstrative Tools" section. During the installation of the software the installation program creates the ODBC configuration settings which the program then uses to connect to the database. FarmIT also has a number of folders where specific configuration information, program report templates and maps are stored, you may also change the location of these.

The default installation process installs the FarmIT Program and database to the 'C:\FarmIT 3000' folder. The database is stored in a subfolder called 'Database'. You can actually select an alternative installation folder during the installation and we would even recommend this when installing on Windows Vista.

If you go to the windows control panel and open the Data Sources (ODBC) you will be able to view or modifiy the ODBC connection to the database. The FarmIT ODBC information is listed under 'System DSN' tab...

 

You may edit the settings by clicking the 'Configure...' button or add a new connection by clicking the 'Add...' button. If you select 'add' you will prompted to select the driver, you must select Microsoft Access Driver ( *.mdb). The data source name is merely a name to identify the connection. You could for example call a new connection 'FarmIT Shared'...

 
 

You may select an alternative FarmIT database by clicking on the 'Select' button and using the normal windows browsing system to select the alternative database file...

Setting Up On Multiple Machines.

1. Install the Software 

First install FarmIT 3000 on each machine. If you are sharing the database from a server but not running the software on the server, you do not need to install it on the server.

2. Copy the Data Folders 

Copy the Database folder, Maps folder and Reports folder to the required shared root folder, or simply share the FarmIT folder on the machine that is to hold the data.

3. Change the ODBC Configuration 

Change the ODBC settings (or add another) to provide the link to the FarmIT Database as explained above.

4. Select the Database 

Open FarmIT on each machine. You will need at this point to 'Select' the database again.

From the main 'File' menu select the 'Data Source' option. This displays the following window...

 

Click on the '...' button and select the ODBC datasource...

 

Click 'OK' to select it...

 

And finally 'OK' to connect and refresh the screen.

5. Set the FarmIT default Folders

You can change the default folder locations for reports, templates, maps etc from the main file menu, 'FarmIT 3000 Configuration' option. This displays the configuration options for the folders...