Installation notes

Get AIMS in silico

Download AIMS in silico from http://abif.freeflux.net/projects/ais, “Download” link will redirect you to http://epigenetic.narod.ru/files/AimsInSilico.dl.html as far as freeflux.net does not allow to store large files. Click the appropriate link to download installation package for your particular platform (x86 or x64). There are two files inside the downloaded .zip package: setup.exe and AimsInSilico.xNN.msi, where xNN stands for your platform (x86 or x64). Setup.exe file contains boostrapper instructions to check and provide prerequisites for running AIMS in silico such as Microsoft .Net Framework 4.0. You can install it manually or Setup.exe downloads it from the Internet (if connection is available) and installs it for you. AimsInSilico.xNN.msi is a Windows Installer File and contains AIMS in silico program itself. It is recommended to run setup.exe file. You will answer standard questions of the installation wizard such as Installation Folder and availability to run AIMS in silico for other users on the machine. After completing installation wizard reminds you that AIMS in silico stores data in Microsoft SQL Server database. You can use any type of Microsoft SQL Server (2005 or newer) if there is some in you network environment or use Microsoft SQL Server Express Edition, which is free to use and available for downloading at http://www.microsoft.com/express/sql.

Note: mind the instructions below to install Microsoft SQL Server Express Edition properly.

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Express Edition Setup

Download and run SQL installation file. You will be presented the SQL Server Installation Center. Choose “New installation or add features to an existing installation”.

We recommend you to further proceed through the default installation process with the following essential interventions:

    • at stage “Feature Selection” in feature tree check “Database Engine Services” (Fig. 2.1), because database server main service is a database engine service;

    • at stage “Server Configuration” on tab “Service Accounts” in settings of “SQL Server Browser” service in column “Startup Type” select value “Automatic” (Fig. 2.2), because “SQL Server Browser” service lets AIMS in silico program discover your MS SQL Server Express Edition instance and display it in the lists;

    • at stage “Database Engine Configuration” on tab “Account Provisioning” in group “Specify SQL Server administrators” press button “Add Current User” (Fig. 2.3), because an account with administrator privileges allows you to create AIMS in silico database.

Setup database connection

Being rung for the first time, AIMS in silico program shows the message “Database connection failed…” with instructions to setup database connection (delay up to 30 seconds is possible, Fig. 3.1). Press “OK” and in the appeared main program window “Aims in silico” in the popup menu clicking the “Tools” and selecting “Options” menu items (Fig. 3.2) opens “Application settings” dialog (Fig. 3.3). “Database connection” group is destined to setup database connection.

  • you have NOT AIMS in silico database yet:

    • clicking “Create” button opens “Database Create” dialog (Fig. 3.4); to select Database Server (MS SQL Server) click “Connect” button to open “SQL Server Connection” dialog (Fig. 3.5), where you can select Server Name from the dropdown list (discovering database servers may take for a while) or manually key in its name; you must specify an account with administrator privileges for creating the database (if you use Microsoft SQL Server Express Edition and install it with our recommendations specify “Current User – Integrated Security” credential type). After filling “SQL Server Connection” dialog fields press “OK”; specify desired “Database Name” (RP for example) and press “Create” to create new AIMS in silico database; program shows creating database progress and returns you to “Application settings” dialog filling “Connection string” field with suitable connection string for the created database;

  • you have AIMS in silico database (somewhere at MS SQL Server):

    • clicking “Connect” button opens standard “SQL Connection” dialog (Fig. 3.6); choose “Server name” from the dropdown list or manually key in its name; specify an account for the database use (if you use Microsoft SQL Server Express Edition and install it with our recommendations choose “Use Windows Authentication” log on to the server mode); select existing AIMS in silico database name in “Connect to a database” group; use “Test Connection” button to ensure correctness of your input; press “OK” to fill “Connection string” field of “Application settings” dialog.