Starting the server

User's Guide
PART 1. Working with Databases
CHAPTER 1. Running the Database Server

Starting the server

The general form for the server command line is as follows:

executable [ server-switches] [database-file [ database-switches ], ...]

The elements of this command line are as follows:

Executable This can be either the personal server or the network server. For the file names on different operating systems, see Introduction.

Can use either personal or network server
In this chapter, unless discussing network-specific options, we use the personal server in sample command lines. The network server takes a very similar set of command-line options.

Server switches These options control the behavior of the database server, for all databases that are running.
Database file You can enter zero, one, or more database file names on the command line. Each of these databases is loaded and available for applications.
Database switches For each database file you start, you can provide database switches that control certain aspects of its behavior.

For Info In this section, we look at some of the more important and commonly-used options. For full reference information on each of these switches, see The database server.

Commands must be entered on one line
In examples throughout this chapter where there are several command-line options, we show them for clarity on separate lines, as they could be written in a configuration file. If you enter them directly on a command line, you must enter them all on one line.

Case sensitivity

Command-line parameters are generally case sensitive. You should enter all parameters in lower case.