Database (Overall Properties)

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Options and Configuration > Options Dialog > Database

Here is where you control what databases you want to connect to when ClipMate starts.  By default, every ClipMate installation creates a database called "My Clips", stored on your local hard drive, set for single-user mode.

But you can add others, if you like.  The most popular use for this is to enable multi-user sharing on a network.  Other users may have secondary data sources on ZIP disks, or CD-ROM.  Or you may want to keep old databases available for occasional use.  Whatever the need, ClipMate can probably handle it.

Database Definitions

Each database is listed here.  The checkmark determines whether it will be loaded at startup or not.  The individual fields are explained in detail on the Database Properties dialog.
Add Button - creates a  new entry and edits with the Database Properties dialog.
Edit Button - edits the current entry with the Database Properties dialog.
Delete Button - deletes the current entry.
Open Folder In Windows Explorer - uses Windows Explorer to open the directory.  You'll likely see the list of database files.  ClipMate uses a series of .DAT (Clip and COLL headers), .IDX (Database Indexes), and .BLB (The actual data) files.   You'll have about 22-24 of them.  If you have files ending in K, those are backups left over from database cleanup or repair, and can be deleted.
Note that each database must reside in its own directory, and there should be nothing else in there. Don't try to put two databases in the same directory, and don't put the database into a directory that's used for other things.  You can put it BELOW common directories like "My documents", but don't just set it to "My documents".

Database Maintenance

Internal Backup Interval - how often to invoke the built-in database backup routine.
Set Offline Daily - use this option to cause ClipMate to close the databases, to allow external disk utilities (backup programs, antivirus, compression, defrag, etc.) programs to access the database without running into "file in use" issues or errors.
Backup Interval and Countdown - Same settings that you see on the backup screen.

About our database:

We're using the award-winning DBISAM by Elevatesoft.  DBISAM is small, fast, and can scale to handle dozens of simultaneous users and thousands of clips.

Also See: Database Maintenance for detail on running backup, restore, and repair/compress.