Installing PARS Connect

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The PARS Connect network topology

PARS Connect is a browser-based version of PARS. Even if you are using PARS .Net only and you have not paid for a PARS Connect licence, you still need to install PARS Connect using the Service Pack, as PARS Connect handles automation, licencing and version updates. Instructions for this are found below.

Installation is performed on an IIS server. To install PARS on your IIS server, the server will need the following components installed:

Installing or Updating

Download the latest PARS Service Pack from our website, www.tascsoftware.co.uk and run it on the IIS server. A window will open - follow the instructions below to install or update PARS.

Please note that the Service Pack must be run on the IIS server, not any other machine.

Prerequisites

This tab will check that you have the required prerequisites in order to install or update PARS. If any components are missing, install them then rerun the PARS Service Pack.

Prequisites.jpg

Database

At this stage the Service Pack will check the connection to the SIMS database. If the Service Pack cannot find your SIMS database, you will need to find out why then resolve the issue before running the PARS Service Pack. Running SIMS on the server may provide some clues as to why the PARS Service Pack could not connect to the SIMS database.

Database.jpg

Installation

If you are installing PARS you will be asked for your SQL System Administrator (sa) password.

Sapwd.jpg

Enter your SQL sa password then click "Connect".

Updating

If you are updating PARS for the first time since migrated your SIMS SQL server, you may be asked for your SQL SA password. If this is not the case and you are being asked to provide an SA password when updating PARS then do not proceed any further and contact our helpdesk immediately.

Application

This tab allows you to select the website where PARS will be installed.

Application02.jpg

Installation

You should see a message box asking whether you wish to perform a new install. If you do not see the window below, contact our helpdesk.

Newinstall.jpg

You will see "Default Web Site" and "Create new website", as well as the names of any other websites hosted by this IIS server. We recommend installing PARS as a new website. However if you do not know where to install the files for the PARS website, you can use the Default Web Site instead.

Updating PARS

If you see a message box like the one below, please contact our helpdesk.

Newinstall.jpg

You will see a list of websites here, one of which should have an asterisk (*) after its name and will already be selected. If you can see multiple sites with an asterisk their names then PARS has been installed more than once.

Session State

This tab gives options for handling the session state of logged in users. If you are unsure of which option you need to select, or do not know the pros and cons of each option, then you should choose the top option.

Sessionstate.jpg

Commit

As long as there are no errors, you will not see this tab. The installer will skip past this tab and perform all of the steps for you.

Commit01.jpg

Auxiliary

If your window looks like the one below then the installation or update has completed successfully and you can click the "Finish" button to finalise it.

Auxiliary01.jpg

If you see the following image then the Service Pack thinks that the server you have used is not your main PARS IIS server. If this is correct, click "Finish".

Whichmain.jpg

If this server is your main PARS IIS server (perhaps because you have migrated your server) then select "Yes", then click "Finish".

Extras

CAPTCHA

If you wish you can set a CAPTCHA which will be required for users to log in to PARS Connect. To enable this, find the web.config file on the IIS server (by default it is found in c:\inetpub\wwwroot\pars) and open the file in Notepad. Find the lines of text below and make sure that "value" is set to "On".

<setting name="CAPTCHA" serializeAs="String">
  <value>On</value>
</setting>

PINS

Each user can be assigned a temporary PIN that is required along with their password in order to log in. The PIN is valid for 5 minutes after it is issued and is send to a person's email address or as an SMS message when a person tries to log in. To enable this, find the web.config file on the IIS server (by default it is found in c:\inetpub\wwwroot\pars) and open the file in Notepad. Find the lines of text below and make sure that "value" is set to "On".

<setting name="PINS" serializeAs="String">
  <value>On</value>
</setting>