SSM Option 4 - Define Environment Settings

This option allows you to create, review and update operating environments; that is, named collections of environment settings that change the way in which Reality functions.

For example, you might create an environment to emulate a different type of MultiValue system, or for backwards compatibility with an earlier version of Reality.

Environments are of two types: direct and synonym. A direct environment is complete in itself and does not reference any other environment. A synonym environment is a pointer to another environment, which may be a direct environment or yet another synonym environment, although eventually such synonyms must resolve to a direct environment (which is the one whose settings are displayed).

Several predefined direct and synonym environments are shipped with Reality. Typically, the predefined DEFAULT synonym environment references the most recent predefined direct environment (for example, REALITY.V15.4).

Predefined direct environments —also known as system environments— cannot be modified, although they can be compared to other environments and used as references and templates when creating new environments.

A synonym environment can be converted to a direct environment (and vice versa, although this is less common).

Environment settings are of two types: general settings and environment options. The general settings are:

The environment options are all toggle settings; that is, they can either be set (Y) or clear (N).

The environments you create can be applied at TCL by using the SET-ENVIRONMENT command, or associated with user profiles so that each user is given a suitable environment at log on (see SSM Option 2 - Define User Profiles).

ENVIRONMENT CONFIGURATION screen

When you choose Option 4 from the main SSM menu, or use the DEFINE-ENVIRONMENT TCL command, you see the following screen:

               E N V I R O N M E N T   C O N F I G U R A T I O N
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Environment Name :

















Enter environment id.
(or 'CR' to exit, '?' for list, 'D' for default, or '*' for current)

At the Environment Name : prompt, do one of the following:

The layout of the ENVIRONMENT CONFIGURATION screen differs according to whether it is showing a pointer environment, a direct environment, or a new environment.

Synonym environment

If you select an existing synonym environment, a screen similar to the following appears.

               E N V I R O N M E N T   C O N F I G U R A T I O N
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Environment Name :UNREALITY                                                Value



General settings:                                                          -----

  T) Environment type.                                                   Synonym
  E) Referenced Environment.                                       REALITY.V15.2







Enter setting to view/change (T,E):

R to view/change referenced environment:
EX to exit: FD to delete:
New Item to compare with ('?' to list)

From here you can:

  • Enter T to change the type of the environment from synonym to direct, with settings based on the referenced environment:

    Convert to Direct type, based on referenced environment (Y/N) :

  • Enter E to change the environment that this synonym environment references:

    Enter an existing ID to reference.
(or 'CR' to exit. '?' for list, 'D' for default, or '*' for current)

  • Enter R to view the first page of settings (showing the first eight environment options) of the direct environment to which this synonym resolves (as described below).

More generally, you can also:

  • Enter the name of another environment with which to compare this environment's settings.

  • Enter ? to list the available environments.

  • Enter EX to exit.

  • Enter FD to delete this environment. If you delete the current environment, the DEFAULT environment is used instead.

And whenever there are outstanding changes to an environment, you can also:

  • Enter FI to file (save) the environment.

Direct environment (non-system)

If you select an existing direct environment, and it is not one of the predefined system environments (which cannot be modified), a screen similar to the following appears.

               E N V I R O N M E N T   C O N F I G U R A T I O N
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Environment Name :MY.REALITY                                               Value

Based on         :REALITY.V15.2                        Value

General settings:                                      -----               -----

  T) Environment type.                                Direct              Direct
  C) Default DataBasic Compiler                   BASIC*15.2          BASIC*15.2
  S) DOT / TCL Stacker name.                         REALITY             REALITY






Enter setting/option to view/change (T,C,S,1-51):

(CR)/N(ext) page;
EX to exit: FD to delete:
New Item to compare with ('?' to list)

Among other things, from here you can:

  • Enter T to change the type of the environment from direct to synonym, referencing a specified environment.

    Enter an existing ID to reference.

  • Enter C to change default DataBasic compiler used in this environment:

    Select default DataBasic compiler, (1-10) :
 1) BASIC*15.2   2) BASIC*15.1   3) BASIC*15.0   4) BASIC*14.2   5) BASIC*14.1
 6) BASIC*14     7) BASIC*11     8) BASIC*10     9) BASIC*09   10) BASIC*08

  • Enter S to set the emulation mode of the TCL Stacker Recall command:

    Select stacker type, (1-7) :
 1) REALITY          2) D3             3) MVENTERPRISE    4) MVBASE
 5) UNIVERSE         6) UNIVISION      7) UNIDATA

  • Enter a number between 1 and 51 to view or change the environment option with that number.

  • Press Return to move to the next page of settings.

The next page of settings shows the first eight environment options.

               E N V I R O N M E N T   C O N F I G U R A T I O N
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Environment Name :MY.REALITY                                               Value

Based on         :REALITY.V15.2                                      Value

Environment options:                                                 ----- -----

  1) (PROCX) Makes X command in Proc work like RTN                     N     N
  2) (ALTFCORR) Reverses order of operands in Fcorr Div, Rem, Sub ...  N     N
  3) (ALTHEADING) Subtly changes the relationship of heading and p...  N     N
  4) (UCASEDATES) Causes month output names and abbreviations to b...  N  #  Y
  5) (TCLDELIMITER) This enables the '\' as a delimiter equivalent...  N     N
  6) (KEEPLIST) This allows a process which has SELECTed a list, a...  N     N
  7) (EMBEDDED.OPTIONS) Allows options in the middle of TCL line.      N     N
  8) (UCASEMSGS) Causes output of ERRMSGS to be in upper case only.    N     N

Enter setting/option to view/change (T,C,S,1-51):

P(revious) page; (CR)/N(ext) page:
EX to exit: FD to delete:
New Item to compare with ('?' to list)

Environment options are listed, eight to a page, in (approximately) the order in which they were added to the system; so more recent options tend to be at the end. If an option has a value in this environment that differs from its value in the reference, template or comparison environment (or vice versa), this is marked by a # character between the two values.

Among other things, from here you can:

  • Enter P to move to the previous page of settings.

  • Enter a number between 1 and 51 to view or change the environment option with that number.

  • Press Return or N to move to the next page of settings.

Whenever you enter the number of an environment option, the page on which that option is listed appears (if it is not displayed already), the full description of the item is shown, and (if this environment is modifiable) you are allowed to change it. For example:

Current Option: (UCASEDATES)
Causes output month names and abbreviations to be upper case only.

Enter Y or N, or press Return to leave the option unchanged.

Note

When you are comparing one environment to another, the screens are similar except that Based on is replaced by Compare with. In either case, the environment that is named is the direct environment found after all synonyms are resolved.

New environment

If you enter an unknown environment name at the Environment Name : prompt, the command assumes you are creating a new environment.

               E N V I R O N M E N T   C O N F I G U R A T I O N
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Environment Name :NEW.REALITY

















Do you want to create a synonym item? (Y/N):

At the Do you want to create a synonym item? (Y/N): prompt, you can either:

  • Enter Y to create a synonym environment.

    You must specify the existing environment that it references:

    Enter an existing ID to reference.
(or 'CR' to exit. '?' for list, 'D' for default, or '*' for current)

  • Enter N to create a direct environment.

    You must specify the existing environment that it is based on:

    Enter an existing ID to use as a template.
(or 'CR' to exit. '?' for list, 'D' for default, or '*' for current)

For example:

               E N V I R O N M E N T   C O N F I G U R A T I O N
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Environment Name :NEW.REALITY               *NEW ITEM*                     Value

Based on         :REALITY.V15.2                        Value

General settings:                                      -----               -----

  T) Environment type.                                Direct              Direct
  C) Default DataBasic Compiler                   BASIC*15.2          BASIC*15.2
  S) DOT / TCL Stacker name.                         REALITY             REALITY






Enter setting/option to view/change (T,C,S,1-51):

(CR)/N(ext) page:
EX to exit: FI to file:
New Item to compare with ('?' to list)