If a default database is specified, the connection will be made to this database by default.

Clear all passwords allows you to delete all saved passwords for all databases for the logged-in user, and to disable the automatic login and password-saving options.

Delete all connections deletes the local connections file. On the next start-up, Gestan will restart with the start-up wizard.

Empty the database allows you to delete all files from the database, and optionally delete the corresponding connection once the deletion is complete. This deletion is permanent.

When you click the New button in the list, the following screen prompts you to select the type of connection you wish to configure.

Whether used as a standalone application or on a network, Gestan can operate in two modes:

• the Classicmode, in which Gestan communicates directly with the database,
• Client/Servermode, in which Gestan communicates with a data server (the HFSQL server), which in turn communicates with the database.

There are two main criteria to consider when making this choice: the number of users and data security.

• **Number of users: ** For more than approximately 5 users, the Gestan CS - Client/Server mode client/server mode is recommended, as it significantly improves response times.
• **Data security: ** In client/server mode, the data directory is better protected against unauthorised access, as instances of Gestan only communicate with the HFSQL server. Database administration tasks are also made easier.

In this mode:

• the programme Gestan communicates directly with the database
• the database is installed either in a directory on the machine or in a network directory

In local mode, you simply need to specify the main GESTAN directory .

This directory will be used to store the data (DATABASE subdirectory), the documents (DOCUMENTS subdirectory), backups (in the BACKUPS sub-directory), and the resources directory (in the RESSOURCES sub-directory).

There are two possible methods for establishing a Client/Server connection.

On a LAN:

• the ‘ Gestan ’ programme communicates with an HFSQL server, which in turn communicates with the database
• the database is installed either in a directory on the machine or in a network directory

On a WAN:

• the ‘ Gestan ’ programme communicates with an HFSQL server, which in turn communicates with the database
• the database is installed in a directory located outside the local network and is accessible via a dedicated line or the Internet

The WAB mode allows remote access to your data, provided you have a high-performance Internet connection.

The working directory will store the preceding subdirectories: DOCUMENTS, BACKUPS and RESSOURCE. This directory must be shared and accessible with read and write permissions for all users of Gestan.

The Server field is for the name of the HFSQL server or its IP address (it is recommended to use the IP address).

Specify the C/S port the programme should communicate on. The standard port is 4900, but you may use a different one (provided the same setting is configured on the HFSQL server).

Specify the Database using the same name as you used when importing it into the HFSQL server.

The frame compression may be useful when connecting over a low-bandwidth connection. In most cases, leave it unchecked.

For use on a LAN, it is not necessary to encrypt the data, as the network is considered secure (this takes a few microseconds longer).

Finally, enter the User and the Password specified in the HFSQL control centre.

The test button 1 allows you to check that the connection to the database has been established correctly.

In this mode (remote connection), it is not possible to manage documents, so the working directory is not specified.

The connection settings for the HFSQL server are the same as in the previous case.

Frame compression may be useful, depending on three factors:

1. the speed of the network being used,
2. the CPU performance of the client machines
3. the type of data being transferred.

If you are using a Gigabit network, compression will reduce performance.

If you are using a GPRS, EDGE or 3G network (charged by data volume), frame compression is a cost-effective option.

If you are transferring images, video, audio, ZIP files, etc., frame compression will not improve performance.

In all other cases:

• on client machines with high-performance processors, and if your application is transferring text or text notes, it will likely be more efficient to compress the frames.
• on client machines with less powerful processors, the slower the transfer speed, the more beneficial compression will be.

Use the benchmark screen to make comparisons.

You can connect to database types other than HFSQL databases by using the coding convention below for the first four characters of your database name:

• %MSL: MySQL
• %SSR: SQL Server
• %MDB: MariaDB
• %PSL: PostgreSQL
• %ORA: Oracle
• %SLT: SQLite

For example, if your database is called GESTAN, naming it %MSLGESTAN will establish a connection to a MySQL database.

This feature is available at Gestan for testing purposes. It requires you to have technical knowledge of the database system you wish to use. It may require additional native access modules, which can be downloaded from the PCSoft website.

Other “Configuration” articles