Install and Start Neural Log

Neural Log is a DevExpress XAF Blazor Server application backed by XPO and SQL Server Express, with one database per radio group. These instructions prepare a local development or evaluation environment.

Prerequisites#

Initial setup#

Run the following PowerShell commands from the repository root after cloning. Preserve an existing configuration:

if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath 'src/NeuralLog.Blazor.Server/appsettings.json')) {
    Copy-Item -LiteralPath 'src/NeuralLog.Blazor.Server/appsettings.example.json' -Destination 'src/NeuralLog.Blazor.Server/appsettings.json'
}
dotnet restore NeuralLog.sln
dotnet build NeuralLog.sln --no-restore

Edit the connection string in appsettings.json to match your SQL Server instance. The default targets .\SQLEXPRESS with database NeuralLog_Dev.

Schema verification#

Run schema tests to verify the data model before starting the application:

dotnet run --project tests/NeuralLog.SchemaTests --no-build

This checks manifest coverage, associations, runtime schema construction, and persistence.

Start the application#

Use the provided launch script to initialize local settings, update the database, and start the server:

./tools/Start-NeuralLog.ps1 -UpdateDatabase

The script starts the application in the background on http://localhost:5168. It waits for the TCP listener to confirm readiness.

After the first start:

./tools/Start-NeuralLog.ps1

Use -UpdateDatabase only when schema changes are deployed.

Administrator credential#

For a new local development installation, the initializer creates the Admin account credential in the protected local configuration and writes local sign-in details to .local/dev-credentials.txt. Existing local configuration is preserved. Keep these files out of source control and use your deployment administrator's credential procedure for an existing installation.

Check status and stop#

./tools/Get-NeuralLogStatus.ps1
./tools/Stop-NeuralLog.ps1

Get-NeuralLogStatus.ps1 reads the current process and listener state independently of saved records. Stop-NeuralLog.ps1 validates process identity before terminating and does not rely on a stale PID alone.

Common parameters#

Readiness#

Startup can take several minutes depending on machine load. The launcher reports Listening after both the application log and the process listener confirm the port. The first authenticated view may still require additional XAF model initialization.

Related pages#