Features

Benefits of using PhraseExpress with a SQL server compared to a serverless use:

• Phrase changes are immediately available to all users.
• SQL servers are designed to handle a large number of clients.
• Multiple users can edit the phrase database simultaneously. No need to wait until a user has finished editing.
• The client-/server architecture prevents write collisions and version conflicts.
• Clients load the phrase contents on demand in the moment of text insertion to minimize memory consumption on the local clients.
• Read and write access rights for individual phrase folders allow users to configure personal vs public phrases.
• The phrase database is centrally stored can be included in your existing SQL backup mechanism.
• Use of a SQL server enables additional PhraseExpress client features, such as phrase version history, multiple phrase levels and usage counters for each phrase, allowing you to sort phrases by usage.
• A "master user" can centrally configure client program settings of all users.

Limitations

• If you need to share phrases over the internet or if you want to share phrases with a Mac or iOS client, you would need to use cloud synchronization. Phrase sharing with the SQL Server is limited to the local network. VPN may work, but is not officially supported by us due to the potential configuration complexity.
• Using PhraseExpress with a SQL Server is very easy, but its setup requires certain IT administration skills and is reserved for advanced users.
• If a phrase is being triggered, the phrase is loaded from the SQL Server over the network connection, causing a small delay. For timing-critical applications such as spelling correction text replacements, you might want to use a separate local phrase file for all phrases, that shall reside in local memory for quick insertion.
• The SQL database is not available if the network connection is interrupted. Workaround: Copy the phrases you need abroad from the SQL node to the to a local phrase file node.

SQL vs PhraseExpress Server

When using a PhraseExpress Server, the clients load the entire phrase file on startup of the clients. Inserting phrases is snappy as all phrases are present in the local computer memory. This comes at the cost of memory consumption and a limit of maximum number of phrases you can store in the PhraseExpress Server (around 5,000-30,000, depending on the phrase length and formatting).

Whenever any client starts editing a phrase, all other clients are blocked to edit the central phrase file to prevent version conflicts. After saving the edit, the phrase file is updated on the server and the server sends the updated phrase file to all other clients.

Instead, if any user changes a phrase stored in a SQL server, only this actual phrase is locked for other users. Other users can still edit other phrases simultaneously.

After saving the edit, no data needs to be sent to all other clients, as the phrase contents is transmitted to the client in the moment when being triggered, only.