This guide will show how to use ScratchTools under Windows XP (it should be the same for Vista also). To start ScratchTools (assuming you've already installed it), click on Start ~> Run. This will bring up a little window, type in "cmd" (no quotes) and hit OK.



This will bring you into Command Prompt.


The first thing you want to do in Command Prompt is switch to the ScratchTools directory, so type this to switch to the ScratchTools folder...


cd C:\Program Files\ScratchTools


hit enter, then on the next line, type in


java -jar -Xms512m -Xmx512m ScratchTools.jar





and hit enter. This will bring up the various functions in ScratchTools.



Now, this step wasn't absolutely necessary, but here's a TIP. If you plan on doing multiple things and don't want to have to retype java -jar -Xms512m -Xmx512m ScratchTools.jar every time, you can hit the F9 key and type in the number 2. This will automatically retype the last command, which was java -jar -Xms512m -Xmx512m ScratchTools.jar, so this will save you some time. Or simply press the cursor-up key to get to the previous line you just entered.




Now, for all functions, after "ScratchTools.jar" you have to specify where your ScratchLIVE folder that contains the database and crate files is located. This must be in quotes in the command line. So, for tracks that are on your internal C:\ drive, you will want to type

"C:\Documents and Settings\"Your User Name Here"\My Documents\My Music"

and for files that are on an external drive, partitioned drive, another internal drive, basically any drive that's not the C:\ drive, it will be just the drive letter

"X:/" ( where X = the drive's letter, i.e. D:, E:, F:, etc.)

since SSL stores crates files on external/partitioned drive in the _ScratchLIVE_ folder on the root level of the external drive . Also note that for external/partitioned/other drives, you must use a forward slash, NOT a back slash.



So now that we (hopefully) understand the basic setup, let's look at some of the individual functions...

Reset Columns = [forum.scratchtools.de]
Export Crates to Textfile/Excel = [forum.scratchtools.de]
Find Lost/Moved Files = [forum.scratchtools.de]
Delete Orphaned Entries in Library = [forum.scratchtools.de]
Synchronize Crates With Folders = [forum.scratchtools.de]
Sync Subcrates and Parent No Crate (to build new crates/subcrates from folders) = [forum.scratchtools.de]


More to come.