Yes, you can backup the database through SQL Server (if you have the SQL Server Management Studio installed).  Or, you can just stop the SQL Server service and copy the StrataFrame.mdf file over to a backup location.  Either way, you will only need to restore the database if your data is lost.  The install will only change the structure of the database, not the data within it, but it never hurts to have a backup.

I think I am stuck with option 1 because we didnt buy the DDT. Do I need to backup the StrataFrameInternal database as well as the StrataFrame database? Can I use SQL Server to backup these databases? Then once I uninstall and re-install StrataFrame can I use SQL Server to restore these databases overtop of the existing ones? (assuming they are overwritten by the install)

The repair option re-runs the install using the same optios that you specified when you first installed, so unless you chose to install the sample database when you first installed 1.5, you cannot just repair and have it reinstall the sample.  There are two options to install the sample.

1) Uninstall and reinstall SF, in which you might want to backup your StrataFrame database so you won't have to worry about losing your settings.

2) (better) open up the DDT to any profile you want and choose to deploy the profile to a server.  When the deployment dialog pops up, change the path to the c:\program files\common files\microfour\strataframe\strataframesample.pkg file and change the password to "framework" and deploy it to the server where the StrataFrameSample database is installed and it will re-deploy the database.

I have deleted the StrataFrameSample database and run the repair option of the StrataFrame install twice and it doesnt re-create the sample database. I'm not sure why.



Any suggestions.

The sample database must be reloaded because there were a number of changes.  It in no way touches the actual StrataFrame database so it will not cause you any harm.  So go ahead and run the setup again and let the sample databases get installed.

FYI, you can even delete teh StrataFrameSample database from your SQL Server instance without having any troubles with StrataFrame itself.  In fact, if you have a problem with the StrataFrameSample database getting installed, there is a post under the Developer Blog Topics that tells you how to manually delete the StrataFrameSample database before installing the data without hurting you actual development data, which is stored in StrataFrame.

I just installed StrataFrame 1.5. I skipped installing the sample databases because I already had them, now it looks like I need to install them because you changed the field names in your sample database tables. My concern is that if I re-install the sample databases it will destory my messaging and other settings.



Can I install the new sample database without having to reinstall StrataFrame 1.5?