Graphics

My IT has been able to build an election results database on an MSSQL server built on an old ENPS server. He gave me a .udl file, but in poking around in the Datalinq server, we couldn't find anything he thought would work. Does anybody have any suggestions? Convertors? Could Dashboard help?

So we won't be using the UDL file at all.
Hopefully your new SQL server is on the same network as the XPression?
What you want to do is get the Windows DSN on the XPression PC to connect to the MSSQL database directly. By using the Windows System DSN to connect we can eliminate XPression from the connection entirely, so no one can blame the XPression software ;)
(And this is the best way to establish the connection)

Can your IT add the MSSQL server to the System DSN on the XPression PC?
Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Data Source (ODBC) > System DSN

It's possible they will need to use a 32bit connector and the 32bit System DSN to connect. Depends on the DSN type and connector support.
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe

So before even working with the XPression software we need to get a successful Windows System DSN connection to the MSSQL server in Windows itself.

After that connection is established all you have to do is go to Datalinq, select a ADODB data source and in the connection string put in 'DSN='name_of_DSN_in_Windows_System_DSN;'. See the attached image.

#XPression

IT tells me we have data!

I have been trying to combine @bford 's Election Sorting script and a script to load candidate photo materials from @djensenwrex based on the last name of the candidate in several Candidate mug/results graphics. I have the lastname to photo script running in OnOnline, but when I include it in OnPreviewRender, the online photos will change if I select the item in my Xpression Studio sequence. Since I plan to publish these templates and play them through one of the Studio outputs via our RossVideo Remote Sequencer, I'm hoping this isn't an issue. I have been working toward renaming my layers to work with the Election Sorting script..and expanding it to include vote percentages. To avoid having a template for every race, I want my producers to be able to enter the race name as the graphic title and have that reference the correct place in the database. Any ideas?

#XPression