About your software database

The software database for your Niagara Workbench is located under the Niagara build folder’s “sw” subdirectory. If Workbench was installed using the “use as an installation tool” option, this directory will contain a several subdirectories, each named using “version numbers”.

You can see your sw subdirectory structure using either Windows Explorer or the local “My File System” in Workbench, as shown in Figure 69.

Figure 69. Software database is everything under sw

Numbers of subdirectories and version number names in your sw subdirectories will be different, this is only a simple example. Do not manually create or rename subdirectories in this area for proper operation—instead, let the Software Manager automatically administer this database.

Using the Figure 69 example of an AX-3.7 installation, this sw software database has many versioned subdirectories, a few of which are described in this example as follows:

1.1.26 — Reflects version of Sedona Framework-related modules. Contains 6 module files.
1.6.0.31 — Reflects version of Sun JVM for Win32/Win64 hosts. Contains 2 "sun-jre" dist files.
2.3.20110520.2 — Reflects version of IBM J9 JVM used on older QNX-based platforms. Contains an “ibm-j9” dist file.
2.6.17 — Reflects version of QNX operating system. Contains 9 different qnx dist files.
3.6.44 — Reflects a previous Niagara release, by build number. Contains 358 files, including module files as well as dist files for nre “core” and “config”. Likely this was created in a software import.
3.7.36 — Reflects the current Niagara release, by build number. Contains numerous Niagara nre “config” and “core” dist files, installed by the “installation tool” Workbench installation option. Also, after the Software Manager is first used, contents of the build’s modules directory (module .jars) are automatically copied here too.
inbox — Provides a means for you to copy any installable file here, and have the Software Manager automatically create a proper “versioned” subdirectory for it. Or, if the correct subdirectory already exists, the Software Manager will copy the inbox file(s) there.

As an equivalent to the inbox feature, you can use the Import button at the bottom of the Software Manager to add to your Workbench software database. For details, see Software Import.

When you add different-versioned installable files, the number of different subdirectories under your sw directory will continue to increase. By default, the Software Manager displays only the most recent version of any module as the “Avail. Version”.

You can select to install an older version of any module listed in the Software Manager, if available in your software database. See Right-click option to install earlier version.Note that older software files (modules, dists) are also useful in your software database when restoring a backup dist for a JACE, if the backup was made using a previous software release. You use the platform Distribution File Installer to restore a backup.