Configuring MadCap Feedback Server Admin

Important Feedback is deprecated in Flare, which means that it is slated to be removed in a future version.

After you install the MadCap Feedback Server Admin and the other necessary components, you can open the admin to do any of the following:

  • Require and set a password for use in Feedback Explorer
  • Set up an SMTP server for various email notifications.
  • Test your settings.

  • Specify redirection web pages for end users who register to enter Feedback comments

    The author can configure MadCap Feedback to require end users to register before submitting comments. After the end user registers, a specific web page displays, depending on whether the registration was successful. You can use the Feedback Server Admin to specify the pages that end users see when successful or unsuccessful registrations occur.

  • Schedule automatic backups of the database and transaction log.

How to Configure and Maintain the MadCap Feedback Server Admin

  1. Open the Feedback Server Admin application.

  2. Select the General tab.

    Notice that the server, database name, and website that you selected during installation are populated. Because multiple Feedback servers can use the same SQL Server, a unique name is generated for each database and is displayed in the Database Name field.

  3. If you want to require a password for access to the data in Feedback Explorer, click Require password from Feedback Explorer. Click Set new password to enter the password. Anyone attempting to view statistics for that server in Feedback Explorer must then enter the password.

    Example An employee who had been using Feedback Explorer leaves your company. In order to keep your project statistics confidential, you might change the password so only current employees can access that information.

  4. In the SMTP Server section, enter the appropriate server, user name, and password. This is the server that will be used to support the Feedback comments that end users can submit, as well as to send emails for the user registration process. If you have an existing SMTP server (such as Microsoft Exchange) set up, you can use it for this purpose. In the "From" Address field, enter the email address that you want email notifications to contain in the "From" field.

    Note If you elect to use Windows Integrated Authentication, leave the user name and password fields blank. Otherwise, if your SMTP server requires specific credentials, specify them in the provided fields.

  5. (Optional) You can click the Test button next to any of the sections on this tab to make sure that the SQL Server, website, and SMTP Server are working. If you click the Test button in the SMTP Server section, a dialog opens, letting you enter an email address for sending a test email.
  6. Select the Advanced tab.

  7. In the Activation success page field, enter the URL to the web page that you want to be displayed if the registration process is successful.

    Note You can localize the activation success page by using a server-side scripting language (e.g., ASP.NET, PHP). See Localizing Activation Success and Failure Pages.

  8. In the Activation failure page field, enter the URL to the web page that you want to be displayed if the registration process is unsuccessful.

    Note You can localize the activation failure page by using a server-side scripting language (e.g., ASP.NET, PHP). See Localizing Activation Success and Failure Pages.

  9. Select the Maintenance tab.

    Note The tasks on the Maintenance tab are applicable to SQL Server Express when it is located on the same computer as IIS only. If instead you have SQL Server Standard, you can perform these remaining maintenance tasks in that application (see the steps below). Automatic database backups by Feedback Server are not currently supported if you are using SQL Server Express, but it is located on a remote computer.

  10. In the Location field, enter the path where you want backups of the database and transaction log to be stored.

  11. In the Day & Time field, specify whether you want the backups to be created daily or weekly. Also, specify the day and time when you want the backup process to run.

    In the SQL Server Express Maintenance Service section, the Start button should already be engaged. This enables backups to be created. Backups will be created for the database and the transaction log. In addition, this action "shrinks" the transaction log (which steadily grows over time).

Note You can use the button in the local toolbar to uninstall Feedback Server.

How to Set Up a Maintenance Plan in SQL Server 2005 Standard

The following prerequisites, steps, and verification process are necessary only if you are working with SQL Server 2005 Standard. They are not necessary for SQL Server Express.

Prerequisites

  • Install Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (not SQL Server Management Studio Express) and Integration Services.
    1. Run the SQL Server 2005 setup from the SQL Server 2005 installation disk.
    2. In Feature Selection, click Advanced.
    3. Click Integration Services and select Will be installed on local hard drive.
    4. Similarly, under Client Components, click Management Tools and select Will be installed on local hard drive.
    5. Click Next and finish the setup.
  • Make sure SQL Server Agent is running and set to run automatically when Windows starts up.
    1. Select Start > Programs > Microsoft SQL Server 2005 > Configuration Tools > SQL Server Configuration Manager.
    2. Select SQL Server 2005 Services.
    3. In the right pane, ensure thatSQL Server Agent is running and starts on Windows startup.
      1. Right-click SQL Server Agent and select Properties.
      2. On the Service tab, make sure Start Mode is set to Automatic.
      3. Click OK.
      4. Right click SQL Server Agent again and select Start. If Start is grayed out but Stop is not, then it is already started.

Steps

  1. Open Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio.
    1. Select Start > Programs > Microsoft SQL Server 2005 > SQL Server Management Studio.
    2. In the Connect to Server dialog, select your SQL Server from the Server name drop-down.
    3. Click Connect.
  2. In the Object Explorer, expand Management.
  3. Right-click Maintenance Plans and select Maintenance Plan Wizard. The Maintenance Plan Wizard opens.
  4. Click Next.
  5. On the Select a Target Server page, click in the Name field and enter a name for this maintenance plan (e.g., "Feedback Server Maintenance Plan").
  6. Click Next.
  7. On the Select Maintenance Tasks page, place a check mark next to the following.
    • Shrink Database
    • Back Up Database (Full)
    • Back Up Database (Transaction Log)
  8. Click Next.
  9. On the Select Maintenance Task Order page, use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to configure the three previous tasks in the following order from top to bottom.
    • Back Up Database (Full)
    • Back Up Database (Transaction Log)
    • Shrink Database
  10. Click Next.
  11. On the Define Back Up Database (Full) Task page, click the down arrow next to the Databases field and place a check mark next to the name of the appropriate database (i.e., the same database that is listed on the General tab of the Feedback Server Admin).
  12. Click OK.
  13. (Optional) Next to the Folder field, you can select the folder where the backup will be saved.
  14. Click Next.
  15. On the Define Back Up Database (Transaction Log) Task page, click the down arrow next to the Databases field and place a check mark next to the name of the appropriate database (i.e., the same database that is listed on the General tab of the Feedback Server Admin).
  16. Click OK.
  17. (Optional) Next to the Folder field, you can select the folder where the backup will be saved.
  18. Click Next.
  19. On the Define Shrink Database Task page, click the down arrow next to the Databases field and place a check mark next to the name of the appropriate database (i.e., the same database that is listed on the General tab of the Feedback Server Admin).
  20. Click OK.
  21. In the field labeled Shrink database when it grows beyond, enter 1 so that the database shrinking occurs when the database is larger than 1 MB.
  22. Click Next.
  23. On the Select Plan Properties page, click Change to define a maintenance schedule. The New Job Schedule dialog opens.
  24. In the Name field, type a name for this schedule (e.g., "Feedback Server Maintenance Schedule").
  25. From the Occurs drop-down menu, select Daily.
  26. (Optional) In the field labeled Occurs once at, you can select a time you prefer the maintenance plan to be executed or use the default (12:00:00 AM). It is recommended that the maintenance plan run during a time when there is the least amount of traffic using the database.
  27. Click OK.
  28. In the Maintenance Plan Wizard, click Next.
  29. (Optional) On the Select Report Options page, you can select to have a report written to a text file after each time the maintenance plan is executed. To do so, place a check mark next to Write a report to a text file.
  30. (Optional) Next to Folder location, you can select the folder where the text file will be saved.
  31. Click Next.
  32. The Complete the Wizard page shows a summary of the options that you selected. Review them and click Finish.
  33. The Maintenance Plan Wizard Progress page displays the progress of creating the maintenance plan. After it is completed, click Close.

Verify the Maintenance Plan

  1. Open Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio
  2. In the Object Explorer, expand Management.
  3. Expand Maintenance Plans.
  4. Right-click Maintenance Plans and select Refresh to ensure that all maintenance plans are displayed. The new maintenance plan should appear in the list.
  5. On the same level as Maintenance Plans, expand SQL Server Agent.
  6. Expand Jobs.
  7. Right-click Jobs and select Refresh to ensure that all jobs are displayed. A new job should appear in the list with the same name as the maintenance plan you created.
  8. To test executing the maintenance plan, right-click the job and select Start job. A dialog appears, displaying the progress and status of the job. All statuses should show "Success."
  9. Using Windows Explorer, browse to the various locations you chose to save the database backup, transaction log backup, and report text file. Verify that each file exists.