# Starting ij using properties

You set ij properties in any of the following ways:

1. by using the -D option on the command line
2. by specifying a properties file using the `-p propertyfile` option on the command line

Remember: ij property names are case-sensitive, while commands are case-insensitive.

The following examples illustrate how to use ij properties:

To start ij by using a properties file called `ij.properties`, use a command like the following (with the addition of the file paths):

    java -jar derbyrun.jar -p ij.properties

To start ij with a maximumDisplayWidth of 1000:

    java -Dij.maximumDisplayWidth=1000 -jar derbyrun.jar

To start ij with an ij.protocol of jdbc:derby: and an ij.database of sample, use the following command:

    java -Dij.protocol=jdbc:derby: -Dij.database=sample derbyrun.jar

To start ij with two named connections, using the ij.connection.connectionName property, use a command like the following (all on one line):

    java -Dij.connection.sample=jdbc:derby:sample
    -Dij.connection.History=jdbc:derby:History
    -Dderby.system.home=c:\derby\demo\databases
    -jar c:\derby\lib\derbyrun.jar

To see a list of connection names and the URLs used to connect to them, use the following command. (If there is a connection that is currently active, it will show up with an * after its name.)

    ij version 10.4
    ij(HISTORY)> show connections;
    HISTORY* -    jdbc:derby:History
    SAMPLE -     jdbc:derby:sample
    * = current connection
    ij(HISTORY)>

Parent topic: Using ij
Related concepts
Getting started with ij
Related tasks
Starting ij
Creating a database using ij