Setting Preferences

Contents


Overview

In this window the user can modify the default options. All these options are stored in a file called ".AArc". There are two ways to modify the default options: (1) chose "Preferences" menu options under Modify Menu (better choice) which opens Preferences Window, or (2) modify the preferences file .AArc directly. Please see the structure of the .AArc file if you want to modify .AArc file directly. When AutoClient starts, it searches for .AArc file in the local directory. If it is not found, then it searches in the user's HOME directory. If it is not found, then it searches for .AArc under AutoDir. If it is not found, then an error message comes up and the program exists. AutoClient needs to have access to .AArc file to store important information and if it can not find .AArc file, it can not run properly.

The following options can be modified in the Preferences Window:

Connecting Preferences Tab

Preferences Connecting
Default Host Name - host is the name (or IP address) of the computer where the server is located. Default host name is visible when one brings up the connect to server dialog. If the default host name is modified in the preferences file, the host name in the connect dialog will be modified next time one connects to the server (even if the program is closed and opened in the later time). For example, one can type "lion@cabm.rutgers.edu" as the default host name.

Default Port Number - port number specified on which port the server is located. Default port number is visible when one brings up the connect to server dialog. If the default port number is modified in the preferences file, the port number in the connect dialog will be modified next time one connects to the server (even if the program is closed and opened in the later time). For example, one can type "8050" as the default port number.


Viewing Preferences Tab

Preferences Viewing
Web Browser - which browser to use to view the help files for AutoAssign. The typical browser picked are firefox or mozilla.

Text Editor - text editor is used to display information to the user and for the user to create macros and general text files. The two options for the text editor are (1) build in java text editor ("Java Editor"), or (2) user specified text editor ("Other Editor"). In the built-in java text editor, one can type text, cut/copy/paste the text, change the size of the font, and save the text to a file. The "OtherEditor" is any system editor, for example Emacs or vi. If the user chooses "OtherEditor", the user must provide two command strings: one to open an empty text editor, and second to open a file in a text editor.


Other Editor Options:

For example, in Unix, command:
"emacs"
will open an empty Emacs editor; and, specifying the command:
"emacs %s"
will open a file in emacs.
If the editor is vi, the first command should be:
"xterm -exec vi"
and the second command should be:
"xterm -exec vi %s"
"%s" is replaced by the file name when the file needs to be opened. "%s" is required in the command which opens a file in the text editor. If "Java Editor" is selected, then the two commands to open an editor are not necessary (and will be ignored). Some files are opened in the text editor as read only and can not be modified. When the files are opened in any text editor, a temporary file is created in the directory specified in "Location of AA_TMP Temp Files" textfield in Preferences Dialog. If there is no directory specified in this textfield, then the temporary files will be saved in the system temp directory ( /tmp/ ) if it exists; if the /tmp/ directory doesn't exist, the temporary files will be saved where the user started Client. The name of files have the form "AA_TMP" + user name + unique number at the end. If the Client exited properly, these temporary files will be removed automatically. But if the Client locked up or if the user 'killed' the Client process, then these temporary files are not removed and the user should remove them themselves. Note: In the future release of AutoClient, the option to close all the opened text editors when exiting Client will be implemented.


Execution Preferences Tab


Execution Preferences
Default Execution - the location of the default execution macro. Either full path or the name of the macro can be specified. If the name of the macro is specified, the program first searches for this macro under the "User's Macros Directory" from the Preferences Dialog. If this macro exists under this directory, then it is executed. If this macro does not exist under this directory, then the program searches for this macro under AutoDir/Macros/ directory.

Refined Execution - the location of the refined execution macro. Either full path or the name of the macro can be specified. If the name of the macro is specified, the program first searches for this macro under the "User's Macros Directory" from the Preferences Dialog. If this macro exists under this directory, then it is executed. If this macro does not exist under this directory, then the program searches for this macro under AutoDir/Macros/ directory.

User's Macros Directory - specifies where the user stores their macros. If this field is not filled in, then if the user specifies only the name of the macros (no directory, i.e. not a full path), the macros located under AutoDir/Macros/ directory are executed. If the user types in a valid directory in this field, then the macros located under this directory are executed if they exist; if the macros do not exist under this directory, then the macros located under AutoDir/Macros/ are executed. If the user specifies an invalid directory, an error message comes up. If the user specifies the full path for the macro, then this directory is ignored.


Save/Defaults Preferences Tab

Save/Defaults Preferences
Save Preferences - specifies where to save the preferences, either in the user HOME directory or in the local directory. If the HOME directory can not be accessed, then the preferences are saved in the local directory. The local directory is where the Client was opened.

Get Default Information - specifies where to get the default preferences information, either from the AutoDir or the user HOME directory. The default information is located in .AArc file. If the HOME directory can not be accessed, then the default information is read in from the AutoDir.

Temporary Files Location - specifies where the temporary files generated by the Client will be saved. If no directory is specified, the temporary files will be saved in the system temp directory ( /tmp/ ), if it exists; if the /tmp/ directory doesn't exist, the temporary files will be saved where the user started Client. The name of files have the form "AA_TMP" + user name + unique number at the end. If the Client exited properly, these temporary files will be removed automatically. But if the Client locked up or if the user 'killed' the Client process, then these temporary files are not removed and the user should remove them themselves.


Preferences File Format

.AArc file is the preferences file for AutoAssign. It includes important information needed to run the Client and one should not directly modify this file. It is recomended that one should modify the preferences through the Preferences dialog under the Preferences menu options under Modify menu.

But, if one feels confident in modifying .AArc file, here is some information. All the comments are specified by # (pound sign) and each line (except a comment line or a blank line) in a file represents a different default option. Each option in the file has two parts to it: first, the tag that specifies which option is being set ("WebBrowser:" for example), and second is the actual value of the tag ("JavaBrowser"). The tags are case insensitive. Please note that initially, the .AArc file is not empty and includes build in default options. Also, if certain options have no values (an example is when the TextEditor is set to JavaEditor, then TECommand1 and TECommand2 have no values), then the tags don't have to be in the .AArc file. If some tags are removed from .AArc file by accident, a Warning message will show up in the main window in the Client. If the tags are mispelled or if the values are incorrect, then an Error dialog will come up.

Here is the list of options (tags and values) in .AArc file ( order does not have to preserved):

Host: < host name >
Port: < port number >
TempFilesLocation: < specify directory to save temp files >
TextEditor: < "JavaEditor" or "OtherEditor" >
TECommand1: < command to open empty text editor >
TECommand2: < command to open file in text editor >
WebBrowser: < firefox >
DefaultExecutionMacroLocation: < specify full path and the name or just the name of default execution macro >
RefinedExecutionMacroLocation: < specify full path and the name or just the name of refined execution macro >
UserSpecifiedMacrosLocation: < specify a directory where the user keeps their macros >
SavePreferences: < "Home" or "Local" >
GetDefaultInfo: < "Auto" or "Home" >

Note: Values in quotes must be typed in as is.