Does this site look plain?

This site uses advanced css techniques

Evolution Logo
NOTE: With the Peru release of Evolution, manually installing Firebird has no longer been required, as the Deployment Manager does this automatically. But occasionally, Evolution Payroll support may request manual installation of Firebird for testing or research; these instructions may be used for that.

When configuring a Windows machine for use by the Evolution™ payroll service-bureau system, a common step is installing the open-source Firebird database software; this Evo Tip details the process.

Though the process is not difficult, missing a step can cause more to be installed than necessary, or perhaps even to not work at all. We'll walk through the whole procedure.

Start by downloading the proper Firebird 2.0 installer (in .EXE form) from the iSystems /sbupdate website; we usually download it to a common "downloads" directory for installation on multiple machines.

Double-click the installer icon, and if given a security warning by Windows, approve the installer: Security Warning
Select English as your favorite language, then click [OK]. Choose language
Just click [Next] to move on. Welcome dialog
Firebird uses a license that explicitly permits the kind of use we have with Evolution; click the radio button to accept the agreement, and click [Next]. License Agreement dialog
The installer displays some setup information: there is nothing here you need to think about (we've done that for you). Click [Next]: Setup Information dialog
The default location for Firebird is fine, and probably a good idea. Leave this default alone, and click [Next]. Select Destination Location dialog
Uncheck the checkbox for "Server Components" - we don't need it on the middle tier. The Firebird server runs on the Linux DB server, and installing the server components gets some runtime services that are wasteful (yet more or less benign). After unchecking, click [Next]: Select Components dialog The "Developer and admin tools components" includes tools such as gbak and isql, and these are required often enough to be worth installing as a matter of course.
The user of this machine doesn't use Firebird, Evolution does, so there is no point in putting icons anywhere (though they are harmless, it's just clutter). Check this box, then click [Next]: Select Start Menu Folder dialog Note that some installers will say "Don't create a Start Menu folder" instead; check the box in any case.
This is the most important dialog box in the whole installation! If either of these checkboxes is left unchecked, Evolution won't find Firebird, and nothing will work. Check both, then click [Next]: Client library options dialog
Now the hard part is done: review your handiwork, tnen click [Next]: Ready to Install!
Watch it go! Installing progress dialog
Curiously, after it finishes installing, it again presents the "important information", the same thing presented in the prior step. Just click [Next]: Important Information
Just about done: uncheck the "What's next" checkbox (or it will bring up a harmless readme file), then click [Finish] to close the installer. Setup complete dialog

Firebird is now installed!

This information is not produced or endorsed by iSystems, LLC.

First published: 2008/02/19