OpenBuildings Configurations
Bentley applications, based on the shared PowerPlatform, define configuration variables at the System and Application levels in configuration files that are delivered with the product. Administrators generally make changes at the Organization, WorkSpace, WorkSet, and Role levels, in user-supplied configuration files. Each Bentley application provides template configuration files that can be used as a starting point for those configuration files.
Configuration variables are organized into Framework Configuration Variables, which start with the " _USTN_ " prefix, and Operational Configuration Variables, most of which start with the " MS_ " prefix. In general, the framework configuration variables are used in configuration files, while operational configuration variables are used to direct program flow within the application. A few of the framework configuration variables are determined by the application installation directory. Other framework configuration variables default to locations relative to the installation directory, but can be (and some of them are expected to be) changed in configuration files provided by the user.
Configuration file processing can be regarded as interpreting a simple program, part of which is provided by system configuration files, which should not be modified by the user, and part of which is provided by configuration files that are intended to be user modified. All configuration files are simple text files that can be examined (and modified, in the case of user-modifiable configuration files) with any text editor.
The system configuration files are located in the <ApplicationName>/config installation directory, while user-modifiable configuration files are in the configuration installation directory or other user-specified directories. User-modifiable configuration files are included into the configuration file processing flow at appropriate times by the system configuration files.
Section 9 provides a walk through of the processing of Configuration Files, and identifies the touch points where user-modifiable Configuration Files can specify directories and application behavior.
An essential aid to understanding Configuration File processing is the command line argument -debug. That instructs the Bentley application to write out a text file that contains the history of how every Configuration Files was processed, and to open that file in whatever editor that your Windows system has configured to handle text files (usually Notepad). When you close Notepad, the parent the Bentley application closes also.
Within your Bentley application, you can also see the current values of all Configuration Variables using the new SHOW CONFIGURATION command. That also opens Notepad with the current Configuration Variables.
Configuration File Syntax
- Flow directives that control the flow through Configuration File
- Variable directives that control certain aspects of Configuration Variables
- Assignment statements that set the value of Configuration Variables
- Expressions and operators that manipulate strings or Configuration Variables to yield results that can be used in directives or assignments
Configuration File Processing
Configuration File processing starts with the Configuration File mslocal.cfg. It is a "bootstrap" file with only a few lines - it includes msdir.cfg, another small Configuration File that is generated at install time and identifies the OpenBuildings Designer installation directory, and then includes msconfig.cfg , which contains the main "program flow" of Configuration File processing.
The first opportunity for customization of your configuration is where msconfig.cfg includes WorkSpaceSetup.cfg .
Upon returning from including WorkSpaceSetup.cfg, msconfig.cfg includes your Organization Configuration Files (if any).
The next step is to include the User Configuration file. The User Configuration file is stored in the preferences directory as Personal.ucf, and stores the individual users preferences and state. It is included here, because the most recently used WorkSpace and WorkSet are stored in the User Configuration file.
The next step in the configuration process is to determine the The WorkSpace Configuration File . Each WorkSpace has a Configuration File named < WorkSpace Name>.cfg that must be located in the directory pointed to by _USTN_WORKSPACESROOT. As delivered, _USTN_WORKSPACESROOT is defined as $(_USTN_CONFIGURATION)WorkSpaces/, but that can be changed in the WorkSpaceSetup.cfg file.
After the WorkSpace Configuration Files have been processed, msconfig.cfg attempts to load one (and only one) WorkSet Configuration file. Each WorkSet within a WorkSpace has a Configuration File named <WorkSetName>.cfg that must be located in the directory pointed to by _USTN_WORKSETSROOT. By default, _USTN_WORKSETSROOT is defined as $(_USTN_WORKSPACEROOT)WorkSets/, but that can be changed in the WorkSet Configuration file.
After WorkSet Configuration files have been processed, msconfig.cfg checks to see whether _USTN_ROLECFG has been defined. If it has, the Role Configuration file that it is defined in _USTN_ROLECFG is processed.
Configuration Changes during WorkSet selection
Whenever a different WorkSet is selected, Configuration Variable actions are taken.