Acucorp Configuration File

Many aspects of the runtime system can be controlled through runtime configuration variables. These variables can be modified by each site that uses the runtime, as well as directly by an ACUCOBOL-GT program.

Runtime configuration variables may be placed in either the runtime configuration file or the machine's environment. When placed in the machine's environment, the keywords must be all upper case and must use underscores instead of hyphens. When they are placed in the runtime configuration file, upper and lower case are equivalent, as are hyphens and underscores. Entries consist of a keyword, one or more spaces or tabs, and then one or more values. The maximum length of a configuration file value is 4095 characters.

The runtime seeks the name of the runtime configuration file in this way:

1. Looks for "-c" runtime option

2. Looks for environment variable A_CONFIG

3. Uses name from table:

System Runtime Configuration File
MS-DOS \etc\cblconfi
Windows \etc\cblconfi
OS/2 \etc\cblconfi
MPE/iX /etc/cblconfig
UNIX /etc/cblconfig
VMS SYS$LIBRARY:A_CONFIG.DAT

It is possible to use multiple configuration files by nesting one inside another. Within the configuration file, you can specify another file to process within the configuration file you give to the runtime with the following syntax:

!COPY filename

No name expansion will be done to filename (for example FILE_PREFIX is not applied) so you must specify a file that the runtime can find.

Note: You can include remote name syntax if you are using AcuServer or AcuLaunch. Otherwise, the file must be an absolute path or a path relative to the current directory.

For example, if you have some configuration variables in a global place such as /etc/cblconfig, then individual users can execute the runtime using this configuration file instead of the usual one. The settings in the usual configuration file take effect also, because their settings are copied in with !COPY:

#Get all the standard variables
!copy /etc/cblconfig
#Now set personal settings
USE_MOUSE 1

Many runtime configuration variables may also be changed by the source program with the SET ENVIRONMENT verb. Note also that most configuration variables can be read with the ACCEPT FROM ENVIRONMENT verb. Variables that CANNOT be read with ACCEPT FROM ENVIRONMENT are marked with an asterisk (*). If the variable to be read is numeric, then the receiving field must be defined either as a numeric field or as an alphanumeric field of five or more characters. If it is defined as alphanumeric and is longer than five characters, then the value that is read from the environment will occupy the leftmost five characters of the field and the remainder will be space-filled. Keywords are:

System	Runtime Configuration File
MS-DOS	\etc\cblconfi
Windows	\etc\cblconfi
OS/2	\etc\cblconfi
MPE/iX	/etc/cblconfig
UNIX	/etc/cblconfig
VMS	SYS$LIBRARY:A_CONFIG.DAT