# Reliably detecting that Flame database initialization has already been done

**URL:** <https://forum.logik.tv/t/reliably-detecting-that-flame-database-initialization-has-already-been-done/13782>\
**Category:** Tools and Tech\
**Tags:** automation\
**Created:** [November 15, 2025, 12:39am UTC](https://forum.logik.tv/t/reliably-detecting-that-flame-database-initialization-has-already-been-done/13782 "2025-11-15T00:39:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![panisset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aeb1de/32.png) [@panisset](https://forum.logik.tv/u/panisset)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2025, 12:39am UTC](https://forum.logik.tv/t/reliably-detecting-that-flame-database-initialization-has-already-been-done/13782/1 "2025-11-15T00:39:20Z")

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I’m scripting a Flame (project server) deployment, but I want to make 1000% sure that the database hasn’t already been initialized and contains valid data before my scripts run:

./igniter --init --auth=trust

Has anyone found a fool proof way to check for this?

JF

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**Author:** ![ALan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a87d85/32.png) [@ALan](https://forum.logik.tv/u/ALan)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2025, 1:00am UTC](https://forum.logik.tv/t/reliably-detecting-that-flame-database-initialization-has-already-been-done/13782/2 "2025-11-15T01:00:19Z")

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Grok wrote this for me which I use. I don’t attest to the quality, but it has been working.

```auto
CHECKSWDB=$(sudo -u flame_db -i "/opt/Autodesk/bin/igniter" --status 2>&1)

# Check if the output matches the expected string
if [["$CHECKSWDB" == $'\nPGDATA not set or invalid.']]; then
echo "No SWDB found, running initialization..."
sudo -u flame_db -i "/opt/Autodesk/bin/igniter" --init --auth=trust
else

echo "SWDB found."

fi

```

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**Author:** ![philm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.logik.tv/philm/32/9286_2.png) [@philm](https://forum.logik.tv/u/philm)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2025, 1:39am UTC](https://forum.logik.tv/t/reliably-detecting-that-flame-database-initialization-has-already-been-done/13782/3 "2025-11-15T01:39:41Z")

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@panisset - it’s mind boggling that there is anything that JFP does not know - this has to be an AI agent…

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**Author:** ![panisset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aeb1de/32.png) [@panisset](https://forum.logik.tv/u/panisset)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2025, 11:28pm UTC](https://forum.logik.tv/t/reliably-detecting-that-flame-database-initialization-has-already-been-done/13782/4 "2025-11-15T23:28:00Z")

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These days I do a lot more storage / networking / virtualization / security / … than actual Flame stuff unfortunately. But I do like the direction 2026 is going in, the infrastructure is so much cleaner / simpler, can’t wait to see some of the remaining 1990s legacy go away.

And thanks Alan for “igniter –status”, that looks like exactly what I need.

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**Author:** ![panisset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aeb1de/32.png) [@panisset](https://forum.logik.tv/u/panisset)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2025, 12:35am UTC](https://forum.logik.tv/t/reliably-detecting-that-flame-database-initialization-has-already-been-done/13782/5 "2025-11-16T00:35:53Z")

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Also it looks like if you try to run `igniter –init` on a machine where the database is already configured, you helpfully get:

**`$`** `sudo ./igniter --init`  
`initdb: error: directory "/var/opt/Autodesk/pgsql/17/data" exists but is not empty `  
`initdb: hint: If you want to create a new database system, either remove or empty the directory "/var/opt/Autodesk/pgsql/17/data" or run initdb with an argument other than "/var/opt/Autodesk/pgsq`  
`l/17/data". `

`Failed initialising DBMS.`