V1 R3 Configuration Files

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Table of Contents

Release 3 Configuration Files

If you decide to hand edit configuration files, the changes that you make may conflict with IBM's default parameter settings, causing errors on the Network Station. Your changes may conflict with configuration changes made through the IBM Network Station Manager program.

The information in this section applies to Version 1 Release 3 of the IBM Network Station Manager licenced program.

Introduction

Configuration files are organized into three groups: hardware, application, and startup. Hardware configuration files contain hardware and operating system settings such as keyboard, monitor, and printers. Application configuration files contain settings for applications that are run by the user such as the 3270 and 5250 emulators, NC Navigator, and Login. Startup configuration files contain the list of applications that are launched for the user, the user environment variables, and the user menu bar buttons.

Within these groups there are three types of configuration files as defined below:

Type	Description
1	This type of file is shipped from IBM and is replaced by the installation program.
2	This type of file is created through the use of the IBM Network Station Manager program and is migrated from release to release. This file is not replaced by the installation program.
3	This type of file can be edited by the user. This type of file is not migrated from release to release and is not replaced by the installation program. Some of these files are created by the user. When you create these files, make sure that they are created with the same file system authorities as the Type 1 and Type 2 files.

The files that are created through the IBM Network Station Manager program (Type 2) can have different scopes.

• System-wide configuration files apply to all Network Stations or users.
• Individual IBM Network Station configuration files apply to a particular Network Station.
• Individual user configuration files apply to a particular user.
• Group configuration files apply to a group of users.

IBM Network Station Manager Program Setup Tasks

To find which particular file is affected, use the table below to find the file catagory, then go to the section for that file catagory. For example, if you change NC Navigator preferences for a group, the affected file would be listed in the Group Configuration Files table under the Application Files catagory.

Files	Setup Tasks
Hardware Files	Hardware->Workstations Hardware->Printers Internet->Applet Viewer
Application Files	Desktop->Standard Desktop 5250 3270 Internet->NC Navigator
Startup Files	Startup->Programs Startup->Menus Startup->Environment Variables Internet->Network Language Select User's Group

Server Directory Structure

Hardware Files

A description of the hardware configuration parameters can be found in NCDware's Remote Configuration Parameter Quick Reference. You can obtain this document from Network Computing Devices, Inc. (the US telephone number is 650-694-0650).

This information is also available on some platforms in the following files:

• RS/6000 - /usr/netstation/configs/configd.doc
• OS/390 - /usr/lpp/nstation/standard/StationConfig/configd.doc
• PC Server - d:\nstation\configd2.doc where d: is a drive letter

Shipped Configuration Files

These files are located in PRODBASE/StationConfig/. For PC Server, these files are located in PRODBASE/configs\.

System-Wide Configuration Files

These files are located in USERBASE/StationConfig/. For PC Server, these files are located in PRODBASE/configs\.

Individual IBM Network Station Configuration Files

These files are located in USERBASE/StationConfig/. For PC Server, the files are located in PRODBASE/configs/.

Group Configuration Files

These files are located in USERBASE/groups/"groupname"/.

Individual User Configuration Files

These files are found in USERBASE/users/"username"/.

Application Files

Product Configuration Files

Shipped Configuration Files

These files are located at PRODBASE/SysDef/"application"/.

System-Wide Configuration Files

The file pref.dft is located at USERBASE/SysDef/. All of the other files are located at USERBASE/SysDef/"application"/.

Group Configuration Files

These file are located at USERBASE/groups/"groupname"/"application"/.

Individual User Configuration Files

These files are located at USERBASE/users/"username"/"application"/.

Startup Files

Shipped Startup Files

These files are located at PRODBASE/SysDef/.

System-Wide Startup Files

These files are located in USERBASE/SysDef/.

See Application Startup File Formats for more information about startup.dft.

Group Startup Files

These files are located in USERBASE/groups/"groupname"/.

Individual User Startup Files

These files are located in USERBASE/users/"username"/.

How the Network Station Reads Configuration Files

Configuration File Download Sequence

• A parameter set in an individual user configuration file overrides (replaces) the same parameter in a group configuration file.
• A parameter set in a group configuration file overrides the same parameter set in a system-wide configuration file.
• A parameter set in an individual IBM Network Station configuration file overrides the same parameter set in a system-wide configuration file.
• A parameter set in a system-wide configuration file overrides the same parameter set in a shipped (Type 1) configuration file.

• Remote printers, under Hardware
• Menu bar buttons, under Startup
• Programs to auto-start, under Startup

Notes:

1. Some files may source (cause the Network Station to read) other files. Generally the sourcing statement is the first line in the file.
2. In this document we show all of the files that could exist on the server, but not all files must exist. For example the individual Network Station, individual user, group, and system-wide configuration files do not have to exist on the server.

Access to Server Directories

• Which server the Network Station is accessing for a directory
• What path name the Network Station is using for the directory
• What file protocol the Network Station is using

Servers generally make their directories available to outside systems by exporting them. The exported directory is usually the same path as the actual directory on the server. However, some platforms export different directory paths that their actual directories. For example, on the PC Server, the directory exported by NFS is /netstation/ while the actual directory is c:\nstation\.

For Release 3, the local mount points follow a naming convention that is independent of the directory that is exported by the server. Therefore, for most servers the local mount point for a directory does not equal the remote mount point.

The file service table (a configuration table on the Network Station), lists the mount points and the server they go to. For Release 3, the Network Station can access separate servers for boot data (kernel, fonts, and so forth), terminal configuration data (attached printers, and so forth), and user configuration data (NS5250 preferences, and so forth). Mount points to the boot and terminal configuration servers are controlled by DHCP or NVRAM Setup. Mount points to user configuration data are controlled by the Network Station Login daemon (NSLD) that runs on the Login server. When the user logs-in, the NSLD communicates with the login program on the Network Station to set these user mount points.

The file service table may be viewed on the Network Station by pressing Alt-Shift-Home to bring up the Console. Then Setup-> Change Setup Parameters -> File Service should be selected.

The following steps describe the process that the Network Station uses to set the mount points in the file service table.

1. The kernel initializes the file service table with the following before the login program is called:

Local Directory	Remote Directory	Protocol	Server
/netstation/prodbase/	<directory on boot server>	<protocol on boot server>	<boot server>
<directory on boot server>	<directory on boot server>	<protocol on boot server>	<boot server>
/netstation/prodbase/configs/	<directory on 1st configuration server>	<protocol on 1st configuration server>	<1st configuration server>
<directory on 1st configuration server>	<directory on 1st configuration server>	<protocol on 1st configuration server>	<1st configuration server>
/netstation/prodbase/configs/	<directory on 2nd configuration server>	<protocol on 2nd configuration server>	<2nd configuration server>
<directory on 2nd configuration server>	<directory on 2nd configuration server>	<protocol on 2nd configuration server>	<2nd configuration server>
Where: <directory on boot server> is specified by DHCP option 67 or NVRAM setup. This would normally be set to the server's exported PRODBASE/. <protocol on boot server> is specified by DHCP option 211, DHCP option 43(AS/400) or NVRAM setup. The choices are tftp, rfs/400, or nfs. If DHCP option 43 is "AS/400", the root (/) directory is also mounted to the boot server using rfs/400. <boot server> is specified by DHCP option 66 or NVRAM. <configuration server> refers to the IBM Network Station configuration server (hardware). <directory on 1st configuration server> and <directory on 2nd configuration server> is specified by DHCP option 213 or NVRAM setup. Option 213 can specify 2 directories. These would normally be set to the server's exported PRODBASE/configs/. <protocol on 1st configuration server> and <protocol on 2nd configuration server> are specified by DHCP option 214 or NVRAM. Option 214 can specify 2 protocols. The choices are tftp, rfs/400, or nfs. <1st configuration server> and <2nd configuration server> are specified by DHCP option 212 or NVRAM. Option 212 can specify 2 servers.

2. When the user logs-in, the login program appends the following to the file service table:

Migrating to Release 3

Before you begin making any changes to the existing files, you might want to consider why the files were changed in the first place. It is quite possible to discard the previous edits that were made due to new and enhanced features in the Release 3 IBM Network Station Manager program.

In Release 2.5 you may have edited files to allow a single full-screen session to a host, such as a 5250 session. This most likely disabled the Network Station login program. In Release 3 it is not desirable to disable the Network Station login program. You can allow a single full-screen session to a host by using a slightly different method. This method allows the Network Station login program to run, but suppresses the Network Station login dialog. Refer to Full-Screen Solutions for more information.

If ypu editied defaults.dft, "name".trm, or "username".nsm in Release 2.5, your changes will remain after installing Release 3. If you edited a different IBM Network Station Manager configuration file. follow the steps below:

1. Save your hand edited Release 2.5 configuration files before installing Release 3.
2. To avoid errors during the installation of Release 3, remove all added or changed statements from Release 2.5 files that you hand edited. You can compare your files to original copies of the Release 2.5 shipped files to find your changes. Click here to access a copy of the Release 2.5 shipped files.These files are licensed by IBM for use only by persons who have a valid licensed copy of IBM Network Station Manager Release 2.5.
3. Install Release 3. You may want to view (BUT DO NOT SAVE) the Release 3 shipped files to assess the impact of your changes.
4. Move only the added or changed statements from the saved files from step 1 to the files that are shown in the table below. Refer to previous topics in this document to understand the design of the Release 3 files.

 

 
 
 

Attention: Do not simply copy the contents of the changed files to the editable files. This may cause unpredictable results. Move only the new or changed information to the editable files.

Editing Configuration Files

The configuration files that are marked Yes in the Edit column should be in UNIX format. This means that lines must end with a line feed, not a carriage return-line feed. The editor that you use must not insert carriage returns.

The exceptions are startup files, which may contain carriage returns. Any ASCII editor may be used for these files.

The files marked ASCII in the file format column must only contain invariant (ISO 8859-1) characters.

Generally you are not required to edit Unicode (UCS-2) files. All of the files that are marked Yes in the Edit column may be ASCII files. You would create Unicode files only if you need to enter UCS-2 characters (for example, Chinese). Unicode files must contain big endian UCS-2 characters. The first 2-bytes must contain the byte order mark (BOM). The BOM must be FEFF (big endian).

On a PC, we recommend editing the files by using one of the following editors to avoid damaging the files:

• Microsoft WordPad
• IBM EPM

On the RS/6000 platform, you can use the vi editor or any other UNIX editor.

On the OS/390 platform, we recommend using the aedit editor.

On the VM/ESA platform, we recommend using the ASCXED editor to edit files in the client mode.

You may also want to consult the Redbooks for additional information on selecting editors and editing the configuration files.

In order to edit "name".trm and "username".usr files, you must first create these files by using the IBM Network Station Manager program. For example, to create the bob.usr file, you first need to create a user preference for bob (such as a mouse setting) using the IBM Network Station Manager program. The IBM Network Station Manager program creates these files with the proper permissions and links.