Deploy PhraseExpander in your organization

This guide is for IT administrators who install PhraseExpander for many users. It explains how PhraseExpander stores its data, how to install and license it on every machine, and how to apply the same settings for everyone with a configuration file.

PhraseExpander runs on 64-bit Microsoft Windows. It works offline and stores all data on your computers or your network: there is no online account.

How PhraseExpander stores data

Each user has:

a database (PhraseExpanderData.pedb), with all their templates, both private and shared
a settings folder (by default %appdata%\PhraseExpander\v5)

Both must be unique to each user. Never let two users open the same database: it can cause data loss or corruption.

To share templates, use shared glossaries: a glossary file (.peglo) saved in a shared folder (a network folder, or a cloud folder such as OneDrive or Dropbox) that every user links to. See Template sharing in a team. Shared glossaries are available in the Professional edition and above.

Install PhraseExpander

Install PhraseExpander on each machine with the EXE or the MSI installer from the download page. Both installers accept /silent and /verysilent for unattended installation: see Centralized installation from the command line.

The default installation folder is C:\Program Files\PhraseExpander.

You can also install PhraseExpander once on a shared folder (e.g. H:\SharedApps\PhraseExpander) and run PhraseExpander.exe from there on every machine: install it on one machine, add the license file and the configuration file described below, then copy the whole installation folder to the shared folder. Upgrades are then applied in one place.

License all users

Put your license key in a text file named licensekey.txt in the installation folder. PhraseExpander activates automatically and users don't need to enter the key. See Install a license key via static license file.

Apply the same settings to every user

Create a file named PhraseExpander.exe.config in the installation folder. The settings in this file apply to every user who runs PhraseExpander from that folder.

A setting with a value is locked: users can't change it in File → Options.
A setting that is missing or empty is left to the user. You only need to add the settings you want to control.

This example gives each user their own database and settings folder on a network drive, and applies changes to shared glossaries automatically for read-only users:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<configuration>
  <appSettings>
    <add key="SettingsFolder" value="H:\UserData\%USERNAME%\PhraseExpander"/>
    <add key="DefaultDb" value="H:\UserData\%USERNAME%\PhraseExpander\PhraseExpanderData.pedb"/>
    <add key="AutoupdateLinked" value="readonly"/>
    <add key="BlockUpdatesCheck" value="false"/>
  </appSettings>
</configuration>

Because the paths contain %USERNAME%, every user gets their own folder. You can use any environment variable (e.g. %APPDATA%) in SettingsFolder, DefaultDb and BackupFolder, and $APP_PATH$ for the folder PhraseExpander runs from.

The most important settings

Setting	What it does
`SettingsFolder`	The folder for the user's settings. Use `%USERNAME%` in the path so each user gets their own.
`DefaultDb`	The database opened at startup. If the file doesn't exist, PhraseExpander creates it. Use `%USERNAME%` in the path so each user gets their own.
`AutoupdateLinked`	Applies changes to shared glossaries automatically, when the PhraseExpander window is minimized. `true`: only if the glossary has no local changes. `force`: always, local changes are lost. `readonly` (Enterprise): only for users with read-only access, see Automatic glossary updates for non-admin users.
`BlockUpdatesCheck`	`true`: PhraseExpander never checks for updates, so you control which version users run.
`Offline`	`true`: PhraseExpander never connects to the internet. It doesn't check for updates and doesn't send usage statistics or error reports. For networks without internet access.
`SendUsageStats`	`false`: PhraseExpander doesn't send anonymous usage statistics.
`AutoexportStatsPath`	(Enterprise) A shared folder where PhraseExpander saves each user's usage statistics every day. See Automatically export usage stats in a central location.
`BackupFolder`	The folder for automatic database backups.

The full list of settings (backups, clipboard, confirmation key, notifications, applications where PhraseExpander is active, and more) is in the manual: Company deployment.

Note: if the file contains an XML error, PhraseExpander shows an error message at startup and ignores the whole file. Check the file after every change.

Start PhraseExpander automatically

To start PhraseExpander when the user logs in, add a shortcut to the Windows Startup folder (or deploy it with a group policy) that runs:

"C:\Program Files\PhraseExpander\PhraseExpander.exe" /autorun

/autorun starts PhraseExpander minimized. Use the path of your installation folder. Other command-line options are in the manual: Command line parameters.

Set up new users with the shared glossaries

Create a database that already links to all the shared glossaries your users need. This is your template.
When you add a user, copy the template database to the path set in DefaultDb for that user (e.g. H:\UserData\<username>\PhraseExpander\PhraseExpanderData.pedb).

The new user starts PhraseExpander with all the shared glossaries already linked. The shared glossary files must be at the same path for every user (e.g. the same network drive letter).

Apply upgrades

Run the new installer on each machine (with /verysilent for an unattended upgrade), or, if PhraseExpander runs from a shared folder, upgrade it once there. The license file and the configuration file stay in the installation folder; check they are still there after the upgrade.

Citrix and Remote Desktop

Use the same installation and configuration file in your Citrix or Remote Desktop image. PhraseExpander must run in the same session as the applications users type in. See Working with Remote Desktop applications or Citrix and Running PhraseExpander in applications that require admin privileges.

Admin and read-only users

In PhraseExpander Enterprise, you decide who can edit each shared glossary with the folder permissions of the shared folder: users with write access can edit it, users with read-only access see it locked. See Assigning access rights. To keep read-only users always up to date, set AutoupdateLinked to readonly (see above).