Invantive Drive has two parts. The app is the window and the tray icon. The engine serves the drive folder to Windows File Explorer. The app starts the engine and stops it again. ```mermaid flowchart TD Explorer[Windows File Explorer] --> Engine[Engine of Invantive Drive] Engine --> SQL[Invantive UniversalSQL] SQL --> Platform[Platform such as Exact Online] App[App of Invantive Drive] -->|starts and stops| Engine ``` ## Databases A database is a set of connections to platforms, as it is defined on Invantive Credentials Server or in the settings files of the other Invantive products on the same computer. Only a connection whose platform offers documents shows up in the drive. A database without such a platform would show nothing, so the wizard warns about it. The layout of the drive follows from the number of databases and connections: - With one database, the drive shows the folders of the platform directly. - With more databases, the drive shows one folder per database, named after the database. - With more connections that offer documents in one database, the drive shows one folder per connection, named after its alias. Adding a database or a connection can move existing folders one level down. ## Partitions A platform can hold several partitions, such as the divisions of Exact Online. Per database the user chooses which partitions are in the drive. See [[Invantive Drive/Procedures/Choose Partitions|Choose Partitions]]. ## Browsing and Opening Windows File Explorer lists a folder when it is opened for the first time. Invantive Drive answers with placeholders: names, sizes and dates, but not the content. A subfolder is listed only when it is opened, so a deep tree costs only what is browsed. The content of a file is downloaded when an application opens it. File Explorer shows the progress of the download. ## Saving and Changing A file that is changed and closed is uploaded to the platform. The file is marked as in sync again when the upload has succeeded. Delete, rename and move are passed to the platform first. File Explorer completes the action only when the platform accepts it. When the platform refuses, the item stays where it was and "Notifications" tells why. A move out of the drive, such as to the Recycle Bin, counts as a delete. All changes can be switched off. See [[Invantive Drive/Procedures/Allow Changes in the Platforms|Allow Changes in the Platforms]]. ## Changes in the Platform The engine checks the platform regularly and updates the files in the drive. Opening a folder in File Explorer, or pressing F5 in it, queues that folder for an update at once. ## Stopping and Starting Stopping the drive only disconnects it. The drive folder stays, with what was listed and downloaded before, and File Explorer waits for the next start. At the next start, the engine catches up with the changes made in the platform in the meantime. When the databases or the mapping path have changed, the drive starts afresh. Files that exist only on the computer are put aside before that and are put back after the start.