Variable Syntax

Configuration variables are maintained in a runtime configuration file. This standard text file can be modified by the host system's text editor. Each entry in the run-time configuration file consists of a single line. All entries start with a keyword, followed by one or more spaces or tabs, and then one or more values.

Some examples of runtime configuration variables are:

AUTO_PROMPT   0 
BELL   1 
COMPRESS_FACTOR   70 
CURSOR_TYPE   3 
MENU_ITEM   Edit=Delete   200 
SCROLL   on 

For all runtime configuration variables, "=" placed between the keyword and the first value is optional and is interchangeable with a space.

For the following configuration variables, a colon (:) may be used instead of an equals sign (=) in the value portion of the entry:

In the above cases, allowing a colon instead of an equals sign in the value portion of the entry makes it possible to specify these values in environment variables. This accommodates systems that do not allow an equals sign in the environment variable.

For some runtime configuration variables, the words on, true, and yes are synonyms for 1, and the words off, false, and no are synonyms for 0. The entry for each variable in this appendix indicates when these synonyms are allowed.

In the keyword, all lower-case characters are treated as upper-case and all hyphens are treated as underscores. Keywords longer than 60 characters are truncated to 60 characters.