This section covers on how to start Data Crow. The easy part is to to start it from the Launcher or Start Menu (depending on your operating system) after having installed Data Crow using the installer.

Using multiple installations / environments #

If you use multiple Data Crow installations you have several choices to make:

• Set up a user folder on a network share. Each of the Data Crow installations will point to this user folder. This is established by selecting the same user folder on each of the Data Crow installations.
• In case you run multiple Data Crow instances on one machine you can either have them using the same user directory (sharing the same settings and data) or assign a separate user folder to each of the installations (-userdir parameter).
• In addition to the above you can share the user folder between the various installations but have them using a different database per installation (-db parameter).

The various parameters are explained in the next paragraph.

Start-up parameters #

Each of the parameters listed below can supplied when starting the datacrow.exe file or when using the Java command to start Data Crow.

Using a different database #

Data Crow stores information on your items in a database. By default Data Crow uses a database named “dc”.
To use another database (for testing purposes for example) you can use the following parameter:
-db:<database name>.
Example: Java -jar datacrow.jar -db:dc_new

Specifying the user folder #

The user folder is the place where Data Crow will store all of its data. Normally, when Data Crow starts, you will be asked to select a user folder. After having specified this, Data Crow will remember the user folder you selected. Data Crow might ask you to reconfirm your option and will use this folder by default from then onwards. Your selection is stored in a file called datacrow.properties and is stored in the user folder as dictated by your operating system.

If you want to run multiple instances of Data Crow you will have to supply the user folder as a startup parameter. This way you can have multiple shortcuts starting completely separate instances of Data Crow. Data Crow will just use the folder as specified with this parameter, even without updating the before mentioned datacrow.properties file.

In short, use this parameter when you want to run multiple instances of Data Crow.
Parameter: -userdir:<user directory>
Example: Java -jar datacrow.jar -userdir:C:\Data Crow\Data

You can also make the path relative to the Data Crow installation folder by supplying the path as ‘./’.
Example:-userdir:./data

Specifying the installation directory #

In case Data Crow can’t find the installation folder you can specify the installation folder yourself.
This can happen on platforms other than Windows.
Parameter: -dir:<installation path>
Example: Java -jar datacrow.jar -dir:/usr/home/datacrow

Connection to a server #

Please also read the user manual on the Data Crow Server.
In case you want to connect to a Data Crow application server, you have to supply the client parameter. Using this parameter will open the server login dialog on startup.
Parameter: -client
Example:Java -jar datacrow.jar -client

Specifying the login credentials #

This option can be used to skip the login dialog.
Parameter: -credentials:username/password
Example: Java -jar datacrow.jar -credentials:me/12345

Add additional information to log (debug) #

Append -debug to the startup command of Data Crow to log debug information.
Parameter: -debug
Example: Java -jar datacrow.jar -debug