Default Parameter files

Whenever any DocOrigin application starts it will look for a special default parameter file, Default-DocOrigin.prm, for options to be included in the command line automatically.

It will then look for an application-specific default parameter file. That file's name is Default- followed by the application name (e.g. Merge), and a .prm file extension. This Default- .prm file is located in the same file folder as the program itself.

For example, with a standard DocOrigin install, Merge is located at:

C:/DocOrigin/DO/Bin/Merge.exe

and its associated Default prm file is at:

C:/DocOrigin/DO/Bin/Default-Merge.prm

These files are optional. If the file is present, the parameters in the file will be processed before any others on the command line.

Default parameter files can be useful in defining site-wide default configuration of email options, standard logfiles, error message files, etc. Note that certain programs that are run automatically in the background such as the DocOriginSendmailServer program will rely on its default parameter file for its required settings — in this case, SMTP settings, etc.

The standard DocOrigin install creates Default .prm files for most of the DocOrigin applications. These files are readonly when installed. They WILL be overwritten when you re-install DocOrigin.

DocOrigin allows you to set up your own set of default settings. Prior to 3.1.001.23, the default .prm files ended with a soft @@ reference to a similarly named .prm file e.g. @@$O/Merge.prm, in the $O, i.e. .../User/Overrides, folder. Starting in 3.1.001.23, no ending @@ line is required or desired. Instead, whenever a DocOrigin executable loads a .prm file with a Default- prefix in its name, and residing in the DO/Bin folder, then that program will automatically look for a possible user override .prm file of the same name, but without the Default- prefix in the $O folder.

FYI: This was automated because users, to create their override file, would copy the entire Default-xxxxx.prm file to $O and would forget to remove the trailing @@$O line. The result was a near endless loop that made program start times soar.

The User/Overrides folder is NOT overwritten when DocOrigin is re-installed. This allows developers to conveniently alter or add additional default settings without modifying the standard Default-ApplicationName.prm file.