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Getting Started with Arc Desktop for Windows

Getting Started with Arc Desktop for Windows

Getting Started with Arc Desktop for Windows

Arc Desktop is a Windows application that includes an embedded Arc Server. It provides a multi-window experience similar to IBM Architect, making it ideal for developers who prefer a native desktop app.

Arc Desktop vs Arc Server: Arc Desktop and Arc Server share the same features. The key advantage of Arc Desktop is the ability to use multiple windows. For teams, Cubewise recommends a shared Arc Server that Arc Desktop instances can connect to remotely.

Prerequisites

  • TM1 11+ (Planning Analytics 2+) is recommended.

  • The TM1 REST API must be enabled: set HTTPPortNumber=8111 in tm1s.cfg.

  • Arc Desktop should not be installed on the server. Install it on your developer workstation.

Installation Steps

  1. Download Arc Desktop from code.cubewise.com/arc-download.

  2. Unzip the file and Run as Administrator the Arc.x.x.x.exe installer.

  3. Click Next on the Welcome page.

  4. Accept the license agreement and click Next.

  5. Choose the installation location and click Next.

  6. Click Install — Arc Desktop components will now install.

  7. Click Finish — Arc Desktop will start and show the Settings window.

First-Run Settings

When Arc Desktop starts for the first time, you will see a Settings window:

Setting

Description

Setting

Description

Version

Arc version number

Connect Remotely

Set to true to connect to a remote Arc Server (embedded server will not start)

Admin Hosts

TM1 admin host where TM1 instances are located

Connections

Direct REST API URL to connect to a specific TM1 instance

Local vs Remote Arc Server

Arc Desktop includes its own embedded Arc Server. You can choose to:

  • Use the embedded server (default): Leave "Connect Remotely" unchecked. Arc Desktop manages its own server.

  • Connect to a remote Arc Server: Enable "Connect Remotely" and point to the shared team Arc Server. The embedded server will not start.

Team Recommendation: Use a shared Arc Server on the TM1 server, and connect Arc Desktop instances to it remotely. This ensures all developers share the same configuration, snippets, and templates.

Activate a Trial or License

On first run, click Start Trial or Buy Now to activate a license. See Trialling and Buying Arc for full details.

Troubleshooting

If Arc Desktop cannot connect to your TM1 instances, create a support issue on GitHub or see Getting Started with Arc for common troubleshooting steps.