How To: Install and Configure the Yellow Dog Launcher

How To: Install and Configure the Yellow Dog Launcher



The Yellow Dog Launcher lets you access multiple Yellow Dog Inventory (YDI) environments from one application


Before installing the launcher, confirm the following:

  • Access to log into Mobile apps 
  • Local administrator rights (recommended)
  • Access to existing Yellow Dog install folders (if applicable)
  • Connection details for each YDI database
  • .NET 10.0 framework
    • If it is not installed, the launcher installs it on first run)



Create the Yellow Dog Instances folder

Choose one setup method.

Option 1: Shared install by version
  1. Create a main folder (for example, C:\Yellow Dog Instances)
  2. Create a folder for each YDI version
    1. If all databases use the same version, create one folder
    2. Use the full version number as the folder name (for example, 377.11.17.2025) 

To find your version:
  1. Open Yellow Dog
  2. Go to Help > About
  3. View Assembly Information > Common

    3. Create a folder named Settings inside the main folder
    4. Move all .ini settings files into the Settings folder
    5. Rename each file to prevent overwrites
  1. Example: Location1_Settings.ini, Location2_Settings.ini

Option 2: Dedicated install per database
  1. Open File Explorer
  2. Create a folder named Yellow Dog Instances
  3. Save it in one of the following locations:
    1. C:\
  4. Move each existing Yellow Dog install folder into this directory 

Example structure: C:\Yellow Dog Instances
├── YellowDogInventory_Stadium
├── YellowDogInventory_Retail
└── YellowDogInventory_Training

Install the Yellow Dog Launcher

Download  Launcher

  1. Go to balto.yellowdog.software
  2. Sign in using your Yellow Dog Client ID, Username, and Password
  3. Select the User icon (top-right)
  4. Select Client Install Guide
  5. Select Launcher Installer

The file downloads as a ZIP file.

  1. Open your Downloads folder
  2. Right-click the ZIP file
  3. Select Extract All
  4. Choose a destination (for example, C:\)
  5. Open the extracted folder

Create a Desktop Shortcut

  1. Locate the YDILauncher application inside the extracted folder.
  2. Right-click the application.
  3. Select Create Shortcut.
  4. Drag the shortcut to your desktop.

This shortcut will be used to open the launcher.

Run the Launcher for the First Time

  1. Right-click the YDILauncher desktop shortcut.
  2. Select Run as administrator.

Install .NET (if prompted)

If .NET 10.0 is not installed:
  1. Download when prompted
  2. Open the installer
  3. If you see Windows protected your PC, select:
    1. More info > Run anyway
  4. Complete the setup

Then relaunch the application as administrator.

Set the Launcher database location

  1. On first launch, review the database file path
  2. Select Set Database to confirm the default

Optional:

  1. Paste a custom path into Full Path to the Database File
  2. Select Set to Default to reset

Set Password

  1. Click on the Lock icon in the top right corner
  2. Enter a password.
    1. This password is per PC and will need to be assigned per user.

Once the password has been established users will be able to see additional management options on the left

Configure the launcher

  1. Select Settings (gear icon) on the right 
  2. Enter Instance Title
    1. Example: company or property name
  3. Configure Auto-Scan Install Directory
    1. Example: C:\Yellow Dog Instances
  4. Configure Auto-Scan Config Directory
    1. If installs and configs are together, use the same path
    2. If separated, enter the path to the Settings folder
  5. Select Scan Now
  6. Enable Always Scan Install & Config directories for new items on Start-Up
Additional Setup Options

  1. Always validate connections and versions on start-up - Checks all connection statuses when launcher opens
  2. Display all connections by default on connections page on start-up - Displays all connections regardless of group filter
  3. Automatically assign new configs to a group (db/schema version) - New configs are automatically grouped by database version
  4. Automatically close this program when a connection is launched - Launcher closes after you connect to a site

Verify connections

  1. Select Connections in the left navigation
  2. Click on the  icon
  3. Click on the arrows to expand your connections 

Figure: Example of the connections tab, and where to make your connections visible

If configured correctly:

  • Each environment is available to launch

Verification

Confirm setup is complete:

  • Launcher opens successfully
  • Installs and configs are detected
  • Connections display in the Connections screen
  • You can launch a YDI environment


1.    Connections – Your main dashboard; launch Yellow Dog from here

2.    Configs - Manage database configurations for all sites

3.    Installs – Register Yellow Dog application versions

4.    Settings – configure launcher settings, like auto-scan on start up, and password reset

5.    Logs – view application logs

6.    Lock – where you will enter password to access additional settings.
  1.       Without entering password, you will only be able to access the connections tab 


 



 




 



 




 




 

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