# Starting and Running Winston

You've installed MySQL and Java, you've tested the Winston software, and you've configured your config files. Now you're ready to start the Winston System. There's not a lot to it. At the command line, either at a DOS prompt or a Linux/Unix shell, first start the `ImportEW` process with either:
`ImportEW.bat` (Windows)
or
`ImportEW.sh` (Linux/Unix -- make sure this file is executable)
Note that if you don't want a GUI (for example, if you don't have a windowing system running), remember to use the `--noui` option. Also, if you intend to redirect output from `ImportEW` to a file, you'll need to turn off interactivity with the `-i` option. You'll know pretty quickly if `ImportEW` is running properly since by default it gives a fair amount of information about what it's doing. If you see a lot of Java exceptions, you've got a problem. Mostly likely it is an incorrect config file. If you see errors about inability to connect to the database or about not having permissions to create tables, you've almost certainly incorrectly specified the JDBC url, or not created a MySQL user with the appropriate privileges.

Once `ImportEW` is running, the next step is to start the Winston Wave Server with `WWS.bat`, or in Linux/Unix with `WWS.sh`. `WWS` doesn't have a GUI, but you'll still need to turn off interactivity with the `-i` option if you intend to redirect output to a file. The same trouble-shooting tips given above for `ImportEW` apply to `WWS` as well.

To check that everything is running as you expect, use Swarm or your favorite Earthworm application to visualize the wave data.

On Linux, we typically start the Winston system as follows, redirecting output to log files.
`ImportEW.sh --noui -i >& ImportEW.log &
WWS.sh -i >& WWS.log &
` On Windows, we usually run with the GUI for `ImportEW` and just let the logging information stream along in a command window. Since the command window remains open and nothing goes into the background, the `-i` is not necessary. Likewise for `WWS`.