# Baan IV and Infor LN BSE Command-Line Tools Reference

> Source: https://netray.co/tools/baan-iv-infor-ln-bse-command-line-tools-reference
> Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems.
> Section: Free Tools

## Short answer

What each program and file under $BSE does, with a usage example and Baan IV versus LN notes: bshell, database tools, compiler, shared memory, IPC, config files and clients.

## Category

infor-ln

## Erp

Baan IV / Infor LN

## Audience

- ERP administrator
- System administrator
- LN developer

## Tool

**Kind:** worksheet

**Mode:** reference

**Columns:**

#### Name

**Key:** name

**Type:** text

#### Type

**Key:** type

**Type:** select

**Options:**

- executable
- config file
- directory
- variable
- client

#### Purpose

**Key:** purpose

**Type:** text

#### Typical usage example

**Key:** example

**Type:** text

#### Baan IV / LN 10.x availability

**Key:** versions

**Type:** text

#### Notes

**Key:** notes

**Type:** text

**Rows:**

#### bshell

**Type:** executable

**Purpose:** The virtual machine (logic server) that runs sessions and scripts

**Example:** Options passed from the BW configurator, e.g. -set CORE=1 -keeplog

**Versions:** UNIX bshell6.2, Windows ntbshell.exe; Baan IVc environments use the 6.1 file set

**Notes:** -logfile <file> logs stdout and stderr to a file; -keeplog keeps $BSE_TMP/bshell.<pid>.

#### bshcmd

**Type:** executable

**Purpose:** Change log and debug settings of a running bshell, or kill bshells

**Example:** bshcmd -p (process list); bshcmd -k <pid> (kill one bshell)

**Versions:** Enterprise Server porting sets

**Notes:** -d sets the debug level (octal); -m shows memory usage.

#### ba

**Type:** executable

**Purpose:** ASCII display server

**Example:** Used for job management on UNIX

**Versions:** UNIX only, not used on Windows

**Notes:** Character-based client path.

#### bdbpre

**Type:** executable

**Purpose:** Export tables to a sequential dump

**Example:** bdbpre -Ntcmcs023 -C100 -O tcmcs023_100.dmp

**Versions:** UNIX bdbpre6.2, Windows bdbpre.exe

**Notes:** -C takes a list or range (000-005); -I reads table names from a file; related session ttaad4226m000.

#### bdbpost

**Type:** executable

**Purpose:** Create or append tables from a bdbpre dump

**Example:** bdbpost -c 200 -A -I tcmcs023_100.dmp

**Versions:** UNIX bdbpost6.2, Windows bdbpost.exe

**Notes:** -c target company, -A append without overwrite, -R replace, -k drop existing tables; related session ttaad4227m000.

#### bdbreconfig

**Type:** executable

**Purpose:** Reconfigure tables to a new data dictionary; analyse differences

**Example:** bdbreconfig6.2 -m -c -A <source pacc> -A <target pacc> -C 0

**Versions:** Enterprise Server porting sets

**Notes:** Normally called by 4GL sessions; run it directly only for the -A change analysis.

#### refint

**Type:** executable

**Purpose:** Check or repair referential integrity

**Example:** Run for a list of tables with -I file

**Versions:** Enterprise Server porting sets

**Notes:** Use after imports done with bdbpost -n.

#### bic

**Type:** executable

**Purpose:** 3GL program compiler (Baan C compiler)

**Example:** Called when you compile scripts from the development sessions

**Versions:** Baan IV and LN

**Notes:** std_gen is the 4GL preprocessor; repgen the report generator.

#### bic_info

**Type:** executable

**Purpose:** Show information about a compiled object

**Example:** bic_info <object> to check what an object contains

**Versions:** Enterprise Server porting sets

**Notes:** Useful to confirm which object version is deployed.

#### shmmanager / shmserv

**Type:** executable

**Purpose:** Shared memory manager

**Example:** shmmanager6.2 -i (initialize), -s (show contents)

**Versions:** shmmanager on UNIX, shmserv on Windows

**Notes:** -k deletes and -r resets shared memory only when no process is attached.

#### shmtimer

**Type:** executable

**Purpose:** Daemon that keeps the current time in shared memory

**Example:** Started when shared memory is initialized

**Versions:** UNIX porting sets

**Notes:** Part of shared memory start-up.

#### srdd_init6.2

**Type:** executable

**Purpose:** Loads the data dictionary for the bshell from shared memory

**Example:** Part of the shared memory set-up

**Versions:** LN and Baan 5 file set (6.2)

**Notes:** Which components load is set in srdd_tab6.2 (srdd_tab6.1 for Baan IVc).

#### pdaemon6.2

**Type:** executable

**Purpose:** Printer daemon for print requests

**Example:** pdaemon6.2 -r in rc.start

**Versions:** UNIX only

**Notes:** Must be started by root; defaults in $BSE/lib/defaults/pdaemon6.2.

#### ipc_boot

**Type:** executable

**Purpose:** Start remote processes such as database drivers

**Example:** Looks up the server name in $BSE/lib/ipc_info

**Versions:** Enterprise Server porting sets

**Notes:** fs handles remote file I/O and is also configured in ipc_info.

#### rc.start / rc.stop

**Type:** executable

**Purpose:** Start or stop the environment: shared memory, printer daemon, database

**Example:** $BSE/etc/rc.start at system boot

**Versions:** UNIX only

**Notes:** rc.startjobdm and rc.stopjobdm start and stop the job daemon.

#### $BSE/lib/tabledef6.2

**Type:** config file

**Purpose:** Which database driver and server serve each table

**Example:** Read by bdbpre and the bshell to pick the driver

**Versions:** tabledef6.2 for Baan 5 and LN; tabledef6.1 for Baan IVc

**Notes:** Error 505 ENOSERVER points here.

#### $BSE/lib/compnr6.2

**Type:** config file

**Purpose:** Mapping of logical to physical companies

**Example:** Used for logical table sharing

**Versions:** compnr6.2 for Baan 5 and LN; compnr6.1 for Baan IVc

**Notes:** Generated by tools; do not edit by hand.

#### $BSE/lib/ipc_info

**Type:** config file

**Purpose:** Server name, protocol (socket, pipe, direct) and executable for each service

**Example:** bshell s $BSE_BIN/bshell6.2 style lines

**Versions:** Enterprise Server porting sets

**Notes:** Direct connections load the driver into the client (combo driver).

#### $BSE/lib/defaults/db_resource

**Type:** config file

**Purpose:** Database driver resources

**Example:** Driver tuning resources set by the DBA

**Versions:** Enterprise Server porting sets

**Notes:** Takes precedence over the same resource in $BSE/lib/defaults/all.

#### $BSE/lib/user

**Type:** directory

**Purpose:** u<User> files with each user's start menu, package combination and default company

**Example:** Generated from user data in the tools sessions

**Versions:** Baan IV and LN

**Notes:** Optional r<User> remote user files live here too.

#### $BSE/log

**Type:** directory

**Purpose:** Program log files

**Example:** bshell.log, or bshell-001.log with rotation (porting set 9.0b and later)

**Versions:** Older porting sets use log.<program name>

**Notes:** log_size and log_rotation_count resources control rotation.

#### BSE_TMP

**Type:** variable

**Purpose:** Directory for temporary files

**Example:** BSE_TMP=$BSE/tmp

**Versions:** Baan IV and LN

**Notes:** The running bshell writes bshell.<pid> here.

#### BW (Infor BW)

**Type:** client

**Purpose:** Windows client for Baan and LN sessions

**Example:** BW configurator command field passes bshell options

**Versions:** Baan IV and LN releases that still support it

**Notes:** BwPrint is part of the BW installation.

#### LN UI

**Type:** client

**Purpose:** HTML5 browser user interface

**Example:** Standard client for LN 10.4 and later

**Versions:** LN 10.3 supports LN UI, Web UI and WorkTop; LN 10.4 and later support only LN UI

**Notes:** Web UI and WorkTop are not supported from LN 10.4.

**Notes:** Names, options and version statements follow the Infor Enterprise Server Technical Manual. On UNIX most binaries carry the 6.2 suffix (bdbpre6.2), on Windows the .exe extension (bdbpre.exe), and a few have different Windows names (ntbshell.exe). The manual advises not to edit files in $BSE/lib by hand, because many are maintained by Infor tools.

## Content

**Intro:** This reference lists the programs, configuration files, directories and clients under $BSE that Baan IV and Infor LN administrators use, with what each one does and a typical usage example. Version notes show where Baan IVc uses the 6.1 file set and where LN 10.x differs.

**Sections:**

#### How the pieces fit

**Body:** The bshell is the virtual machine that runs every session. It reads the runtime data dictionary from shared memory, which shmmanager (UNIX) or shmserv (Windows) manages, and it reaches the database through a driver chosen from $BSE/lib/tabledef6.2. ipc_boot starts the driver or other servers using $BSE/lib/ipc_info, which lists each server name, the protocol and the executable. On UNIX, rc.start in $BSE/etc brings shared memory and the printer daemon up at boot and rc.stop shuts them down. Logs land in $BSE/log, temporary files in BSE_TMP, and per-user files in $BSE/lib/user. Database tools such as bdbpre and bdbpost use the same tabledef6.2 lookup as the bshell, so they reach the same database.

#### Worked example: copy a general table to another company

**Body:** To copy item groups from company 100 to company 200, export with bdbpre -Ntcmcs023 -C100 -O tcmcs023_100.dmp. Check the record count bdbpre prints. Import with bdbpost -c 200 -A -I tcmcs023_100.dmp, where -c sets the target company and -A appends without overwriting existing codes; use -R instead to replace matching keys. If you import a range of related tables with -n to skip reference checks, repair the reference counters afterwards. Read Log.bdbpost in $BSE/log if the import fails. Try the import in a test company first.

**Bullets:**

- Export: bdbpre -N table -C company -O file
- Import: bdbpost -c company -A or -R -I file
- Same sessions: ttaad4226m000 and ttaad4227m000

#### Baan IV versus LN 10.x

**Body:** Baan IVc environments use the 6.1 files (tabledef6.1, compnr6.1, srdd_tab6.1, include6.1), while Baan 5 and LN use the 6.2 set. Clients changed most: Baan IV and older LN used BW and the ASCII client, LN 10.3 supports LN UI, Web UI and WorkTop, and LN 10.4 and later support only LN UI. bdbreconfig is normally driven by the 4GL conversion sessions; run it by hand only for the -A change analysis that reports which tables need an ALTER or an export and import.

#### Common mistakes

**Body:** Editing files in $BSE/lib by hand is the classic one: the manual warns that many files are delivered by Infor or regenerated by tools, so manual changes are lost or break start-up. Running shmmanager -k or -r while processes are still attached fails or disrupts users, so stop sessions first. Importing with bdbpost -k drops existing tables, which is rarely what you want on a live company. And forgetting that UNIX binaries carry the 6.2 suffix while Windows uses .exe causes scripts copied between platforms to fail on the first line.

**Cta:** If you run Baan IV or LN on your own servers and want admins to ask questions about logs, jobs and data in plain English, we can set up a private AI assistant next to it.

**Faq:**

#### What are the main Baan tools under $BSE?

**Answer:** The bshell virtual machine, the database tools bdbpre, bdbpost, bdbreconfig and refint, the bic compiler with std_gen and bic_info, the shared memory manager, the printer daemon on UNIX, ipc_boot and fs for remote processes, and the start and stop scripts rc.start and rc.stop. Configuration lives in $BSE/lib.

#### What is BW in Baan IV?

**Answer:** BW is the Windows client for Baan and LN sessions, configured through the BW configurator, whose command field can pass options to the bshell. It includes BwPrint for local printing. From LN 10.4 the supported user interface is LN UI, the HTML5 browser client.

#### What does tabledef6.2 do?

**Answer:** tabledef6.2 in $BSE/lib tells the bshell and database tools which database driver serves each table and, for remote tables, on which system. Baan IVc uses tabledef6.1. If no server is defined or the driver cannot start, sessions fail with error 505 ENOSERVER.

#### How do I export a table in Baan IV or LN?

**Answer:** Use bdbpre with -N for the table, -C for the company and -O for the output file, or session ttaad4226m000. Import the dump with bdbpost, setting the target company with -c and choosing -A to append or -R to replace. On UNIX the programs are bdbpre6.2 and bdbpost6.2.

## Search terms

baan tools, baan iv bw, baan iv installation, baan iv software, bdbpre bdbpost, tabledef6.2, bshell command line options, infor ln bse directory

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