Paradox Command Line Switches

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		Paradox Command Line Switches
		by Lance Leonard	Posted: 10 August 2000
		Derived from PDOXWIN.HLP	Applies to: Paradox 5.0 and later
			Audience: Everyone

Question: What are Paradox's Command Switches and how do I use them?

Answer: The following is based on the Help files provided with Paradox 9.00.512 (SP2).

Option	Description
-b	Prevents multiple instances of Paradox.
-c	Start Paradox with a clear Desktop.
-d	Use alternate PDOXWORK.INI
-e	Prevents writes to the system registry.
-f	Forces writes to the system registry.
-i	Use alternate PDOXWIN.INI file.
-m	Load Paradox minimized.
-n	Prevents saving of PDOXWORK.INI files to working and private directories upon exit.
-o	Use alternate IDAPI[32]/BDE.CFG file.
-p	Specifies alternate private directory.
-q	Hides the Paradox splash screen while loading.
-s	Prevent users from resizing the Paradox window.
-t	Allow users to resize the Paradox window.
-w	Specifies the working directory
-y	Forces Paradox to save PDOXWORK.INI files in the private and working directories upon exit.
<Filename>	After loading, Paradox opens the specified file.

Syntax, Notes and Usage:

-b

Syntax: -b
When you attempt to start another instance (copy) of Paradox while a session started with this switch is active, the current instance appears and an error message ("BDE could not be initialized") is displayed. This is useful for impatient users who inadvertently start Paradox by choosing Desktop shortcuts multiple times.
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-c

Syntax: -c

When you exit Paradox, it checks for files left open on the Desktop, records them, and then uses the recorded information to re-open them the next time you start Paradox. This can be a time-saver, however, it can also lead to mysterious error messages if those files refer to corrupted tables or are located on a drive that's no longer available to the computer, such as a disconnected network drive or a removable disk (Zip, Jaz, Orb, etc.).
If you are having problems starting Paradox, use this switch and see if it resolves the problems. If so, you should then verify the tables in your database to ensure they're not corrupted.
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-d

Syntax: -d <Filename>

Paradox normally saves certain settings in directory-specific files called PDOXWORK.INI files. When you change working and/or private directories, Paradox creates a PDOXWORK.INI file in the target directory. You can use these to override specific configuration settings. The -d switch lets you specify an alternate settings file for directory containing that file. Paradox uses the alternate file instead of PDOXWORK.INI.
When using this switch, be sure to use the shortened version of any long file name references. For example, instead of c:\My Documents\My Settings.ini, use c:\mydocu~1\mysett~1.ini.
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-e

Syntax: -e

This switch prevents Paradox from writing configuration information to the Registry or the PDOXWIN.INI file in your Windows directory. It can help you control a user's environment or troubleshoot certain problems.

For example, if Paradox crashes (GPF's, GPV's, AV's, ARF's, whatever) when you exit the program, see what happens after starting Paradox with this and the -n switch. If the crash doesn't repeat, you may have an incomplete upgrade from a 16-bit to a 32-bit version of Paradox. You should reinstall the 32-bit version in that event.
You can also use this switch to control the configuration of Paradox, though it may be preferable to use code for this. An example will be posted in a future article.
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-f

Syntax: -f
This switch is the reverse of -e and is generally used to allow developers or administrators to update the Registry while preventing users from doing so.
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-i

Syntax: -i <Filename>

This switch lets you specify an alternate PDOXWIN.INI file, the file used by 16-bit versions to track your configuration settings and choices. You can use this to provide a specific configuration for specific applications. Be sure to provide fully-qualified filenames.
Because 32-bit versions of Paradox store these settings in the Registry, this switch is largely obsolete. It's retained, however, for compatibility reasons.
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-m

Syntax: -m
Loads Paradox as a minimized application; useful for those using Paradox as a web server database.
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-n

Syntax: -n
This switch prevents Paradox from saving changes to the Registry or to PDOXWORK.INI files. It can help troubleshoot problems such as GPF's encountered while exiting Paradox.
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-o

Syntax: -o <Filename>

This specifies an alternate BDE configuration file for the Paradox session and is generally used to support situations where Paradox is installed on laptops that may not have access to the standard network environment. Use fully qualified filenames.
The reason this is -o stems from Paradox for Windows v1.0, when the Borland Database Engine was called ODAPI (Object Database Application Programming Interface).
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-p

Syntax: -p <Directory>
This lets you specify the private directory for the session being started and is needed if you plan to run multiple instances of Paradox on the same machine. A future article will discuss this in more detail.
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-q

Syntax: -q

Hides the startup splash screen. This is useful if you are creating a vertical market application and want to provide your own splash screen. A future article will discuss this in more detail.
The "q" stands for "quiet" mode.
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-s

Syntax: -s
This prevents user's from resizing the Paradox desktop. This can help when your data-entry personnel have limited Windows experience or spend too much time playing Solitaire.
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-t

Syntax: -t <Directory>
The reverse of -s; this lets users resize the Paradox Desktop window.
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-w

Syntax: -w <Directory>
This lets you specify the initial working directory for the session being started. It's generally used when creating shortcuts (or icons) to a specific Paradox application.
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-y

Syntax: -y
This is the reverse of -n; it lets Paradox update the Registry and PDOXWORK.INI files when exiting.
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<Filename>

Syntax: <Filename>

This lets you specify a file to be loaded onto the Paradox Desktop as soon as Paradox is loaded. You can use this in a number of ways, but is most frequently used to create Start Menu shortcuts to specific Paradox applications for end-users.
For best results, use fully qualified filenames that are not long file names.
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Note: Many of the command-line options have "reverse" options because it's possible to use configuration files to control your Paradox configuration; the reverse options let you override the default settings. A complete discussion is beyond the scope of this article, but will appear in a future one.

To start Paradox with one or more command-line options:

Choose the run command from your Windows Start Menu.
Enter the fully-qualified path to PDXWIN32.EXE, type a space at the end of the path, and then type the option(s) you want to use.

You can also locate PDXWIN32.EXE with the Browse button; if you installed it using default choices, it's probably located in c:\program files\corel\programs.
To use multiple options, separate them with spaces.

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Article last updated on 31 May 2003

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