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Installing under Microsoft Windows

Downloading put a file w64.zip or w32.zip in your downloads folder. Extract the files to C:\, producing a new folder C:\q.

Installing elsewhere

You can install on a different filepath. If you do, in the following instructions simply replace C:\q with your filepath.

Confirm q is working

Open a command shell window: type -r or click the Start button, and type cmd.

Launch q by typing

  • C:\q\w64\q (64-bit)
  • C:\q\w32\q (32-bit)

You should see the kdb+ banner.

64-bit kdb+

Your q interpreter needs a license key file. If it does not find one, it signals a license error and aborts:

C:\Users\mr.user>C:\q\w64\q
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
KDB+ 3.6 2018.06.14 Copyright (C) 1993-2018 Kx Systems
w64/ 4()core 3974MB mr.user it1234567 192.168.0.37 55041-011-2084043-86863
'k4.lic
C:\Users\mr.user>

Kdb+ is working. You just need to install a license.

32-bit kdb+

Your q interpreter needs no license key file. You will see the q) prompt. Type til 6 to see the first 6 integers. Type \\ to exit q.

C:\Users\mr.user>C:\q\w32\q
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
KDB+ 3.6 2018.06.14 Copyright (C) 1993-2018 Kx Systems
w32/ 4()core 3974MB mr.user it1234567 192.168.0.37 NONEXPIRE

Welcome to kdb+ 32bit edition
For support please see http://groups.google.com/d/forum/personal-kdbplus
Tutorials can be found at http://code.kx.com/v2/tutorials/install
To exit type \\
To remove this startup msg, edit q.q
q)til 6
0 1 2 3 4 5
q)\\
C:\Users\mr.user>

Define q as a command

Defining q as a command allows you to invoke kdb+ without specifying the path to it.

In the MS-DOS shell:

32-bit kdb+

In what follows, substitute \w32 for \w64.

C:\Users\mr.user>setx QHOME "C:\q"

SUCCESS: Specified value was saved.

C:\Users\mr.user>setx PATH "%PATH%;C:\q\w64"

SUCCESS: Specified value was saved.

C:\Users\mr.user>exit

Installing elsewhere

You can install kdb+ where you please. The environment variable QHOME (specified above) tells kdb+ where its home folder is.

This will close your shell session. Open a new shell session and confirm q now works as a command.

C:\Users\mr.user>C:\q\w64\q
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
KDB+ 3.6 2018.06.14 Copyright (C) 1993-2018 Kx Systems
w64/ 4()core 3974MB mr.user it1234567 192.168.0.37 EXPIRE 2019.08.16 mr.user@gmail.com KOD #9999999

q)til 6
0 1 2 3 4 5
q)

You’re done. You have completely installed kdb+.

What’s next?

Learn the q programming language, look through the reference card, or see in the Knowledge Base what you can do with kdb+.