When you install PHDwin for the first time, the first database must be created by a system administrator. This creates additional System Databases needed to manage user logins. The first database may take longer to create than any subsequent databases.

To Log in and Create New Database

1.Double-click on the PHDwin icon on your desktop – This opens the login window. Note that your build version may be different from the one shown below.

2.Click on the browse button  button to the right of the SQL Server Instance drop-down menu to browse for a server/instance of SQL, and choose the desired server instance.

a.Note: If you did the bundled install, the name of the instance should be “PHDWIN”. If you did a custom install and did not name the instance during install, the default instance name should be “SQLEXPRESS”.

3.Validate your login by either leaving the Use Windows Authentication credentials box checked (recommended) or clear this checkbox to input the SQL Server Username and Password that was created for you.

4.If you’re logging in to an instance of SQL with no PHDwin databases, type in the name of a new database next to the input box and click Create.

5.If you are logging in to an instance that already has PHDwin databases, choose <Add New Database> from the Database drop-down menu, type in the name, and click Create.

PHDwin Database Names

When you create a new database in PHDwin, any spaces in the name will be automatically converted to underscores. Also, when looking at the database through SQL Server Management Studio, all databases created by a user will start with “Phd_”. This is how PHDwin filters the list of available databases visible on the login screen.

It’s important to know that SQL has a few rules for naming of databases:

•names cannot contain any spaces – though these are automatically converted to underscores by PHDwin.

•names cannot contain any non-alphanumeric characters.

•names should avoid using any SQL reserved words.