Creating a Connection File

Create a connection file to make it quick and easy for you or another project manager to access the database containing the Citavi projects.

Creating a Connection File for a Project Manager

  1. Start the Citavi DBServer Manager if you haven't done so already: double-click the file Citavi DBServer Manager.exe in the folder \Citavi 5\bin\.
  2. Under Actions > Database, click Save DBServer Manager connection file.
  3. Save the file and send it to the project manager.

Sample email message to the project manager

You are using Citavi. Use the attached connection file to access the Citavi DBServer Manager. Here you can create new projects and assign roles and permissions to other users.

  1. Save the attached connection file to your computer.
  2. Double-click the file. Citavi opens the Citavi DBServer Manager.

Save the connection file in a place where you can continue to access it in the future. Additional information can be found in the Citavi Manual at www.citavi.com/c5dbserver

Creating a Connection File for Project Users

A project connection file makes it easy for users to open the new server projects.

  1. Start the Citavi DBServer Manager if you haven't done so already: double-click the file Citavi DBServer Manager.exe in the folder \Citavi 5\bin\ or double-click the DBServer Manager connection file.
  2. Under Actions > Project, click Save Citavi connection file.
  3. Send the file to the project users.

Sample email message for project users

You are using Citavi. A new Citavi project is now available. To open the project for the first time, use the attached connection file:

  1. Save the attached connection file to your computer.
  2. Double-click the file. Citavi opens the project.

From now on, the project will appear on the Citavi Welcome Screen and you can access it by clicking it. You can delete the connection file unless you're going to switch computers sometime in the near future.

If you haven't worked with Citavi before, we suggest starting here: www.citavi.com/shows5.

Please note:

When you open the connection file the connection string for the database server is automatically entered under Tools > Configure DBServer. Under File > Open project > Open DBServer project other projects on the database server are displayed that you have access to. If you want to open a project form on another database server, use the connection file that was sent to you by the project leader. The connection string for the database server will then be overwritten by the new file.

Technical Background

The connection file contains the connection string, which in turn contains all relevant information for connecting to the server. The following information is included:

Data Source=localhost\CitaviServer 

Server name\Instance name

Initial Catalog=CitaviDB

Database name

Integrated Security=true

Only for Windows authentification

User ID=jane.doe;Password=******** 

When using SQL Server logins or impersonations

Schema Name=MyProject 

Project name (= the Citavi-specific part of the connection string)

If one part of the connection string is not available (for example, if the server is not running or the database was renamed), it will not be possible to connect to the database.