How To Connect to the TradeSoft Database via VPN Using ProjectPAK 7.15 or older/ShopPAK 4.11 or older

When trying to access the database from “outside the office” you will need to point the client software to where the database resides. Once you have the VPN set up you will then need to update a couple of files to allow the software to make the connection.

1)      Get the server IP address from where the TradeSoft database is running.

2)      Edit the client.txt file. It’s located in C:\ProgramData\TradeSoft\ProjectPAK. The Program Data folder is by default a hidden folder. If you don’t see it, go to the View tab and check the box that says ‘Hidden items’.

 

 

For other versions, below is a link that walks you through how to have hidden folders show.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/14201/windows-show-hidden-files

 

Open the client.txt file and make yours look like the one below by adding the bracket right after ‘TCPIP’ and enter in the HOST parameter (HOST=your server’s IP address) and then close with the bracket. HOST needs to be in all caps and there should be a space between the ending bracket and the TradeSoft11 db server name. Save the file.

3)    Edit the ODBC entry. In 64 bit Windows, you’ll access this via C:\Windows\SysWow64\odbcad32.exe.  For 32 bit, you access it via the Control Panel | Administrative Tools | Data Sources. Select the TradeSoft11 entry and click Configure. Select the Network tab, remove whatever you have inside the TCP/IP field and put in the HOST parameter just like you did in the client.txt file. Click Ok to save the change.