Creating a New ILLiad DBC File

When creating a new database connection, it's best practice to name the new dbc file with the database name. For example, illiaddata.dbc or cc211.dbc. 

The reason for renaming the dbc file with the database name versus logon.dbc stems from how the default is chosen in the SQL Alias Manager (SAM). If there are multiple DBC files, the SAM follows a specific order of operations when locating the database connection. As soon as it locates a dbc file, that file will be utilized despite the default set in the SAM. Please see the sequence below for how the DBC connection file is chosen:

1. The SAM looks for the dbc file that exists in the root of the application directory for the executing application. For ILLiad 9.0, the default application directory is C:\Program Files (x86)\ILLiad\
2. Then, it looks for the dbc specified by the current user registry settings– Current User\Software\AtlasSystems\<Product>\LogonSettingsPath
3. Next, it looks for the dbc specified by the local machine registry settings – Local Machine\Software\AtlasSystems\<Product>\LogonSettingsPath
   • Note- This location is set by assigning a default in the SAM
4. Finally, the SAM checks the legacy install paths– C:\ILLiad\Logon.dbc

Even if you create a new logon.dbc file and set it as default, it will not become the new priority. This is why we suggest an alternative naming system. If you were to name a new dbc file logon.dbc and place it in the same directory as another logon.dbc file, you will override any defaults set in the SAM. This adversely impacts the specific application based upon which directory the file resides in. For example, if you were to place the file in C:\Program Files(x86)\ILLiad it would affect the Client because that is the Client directory; however, it would have no impact on the Billing Manager since that application is in another directory.

Essentially, if the dbc file utilizes the database name instead of logon.dbc, the SAM's order of operations will not override the new default of databasename.dbc and that file will remain a priority as per the default settings.