Version 6.3.8 for Windows
 —  Using Natural Studio  —

Using Session Parameters

When you start Natural Studio, the Natural parameter file (which contains the so-called "profile parameters") is read to determine the settings of several parameters which customize Natural to your specific environment and requirements. Some of these parameters can be updated after the Natural session is up and running; these are the so-called "session parameters".

Note:
The profile parameters are defined with the Configuration Utility. It is possible to start Natural Studio with your own parameter file. See Invoking Natural with an Alternative Parameter File in the Configuration Utility documentation.

Modifications to the session parameters are only valid for the current session. When you exit Natural, your modifications are discarded. The next time you start Natural Studio, the settings in the Natural parameter file (which are defined with the Configuration Utility) are used again.

Note:
This default behavior can be changed by setting the profile parameter PERSIST in the Configuration Utility.

This document describes parameters that can be updated during a running session. The following topics are covered below:

For a full description of all available session parameters, see the Parameter Reference or follow the links provided in this section.

When you are working in a remote development environment using SPoD, the Natural Session Parameters window may contain parameters which do not apply to the Windows version of Natural and which are not listed in this document. See the Natural documentation for the corresponding platform for further information on these parameters.


Invoking the Natural Session Parameters Window

A separate application is available for setting the Natural session parameters. This application is invoked from Natural Studio.

Start of instruction setTo invoke the Natural Session Parameters window

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Locating and Changing a Parameter

You can locate a parameter in different ways:

Start of instruction setTo locate and change a parameter

  1. Select the parameter group containing the parameter that you want to change.

    The names of the Natural session parameters are shown in parenthesis on the right of the window, behind the label of the corresponding control. Example:

    Example

    Or:
    Expand the node for a parameter group.

    Descriptions for the parameters are shown in the tree, below the node. When you select a description in the tree, all parameters for this group are shown on the right of the window. For the description that has been selected in the tree, the corresponding parameter is also selected on the right of the window and can be modified immediately.

  2. Set the parameter to the required value (see the remainder of this section for further information).

    Note:
    The following applies for check boxes: when a check box is selected, the corresponding parameter is set to "ON"; when a check box is not selected, the corresponding parameter is set to "OFF".

    When a parameter has been changed, an asterisk (*) appears next to the top-level node in the tree.

  3. Optional. From the File menu, choose Restore Saved to discard your modifications and thus to restore the settings to the last saved state.

    Or:
    Choose the following toolbar button:

    Toolbar button

  4. From the File menu, choose Save to save your modifications.

    Or:
    Choose the following toolbar button:

    Toolbar button

    Or:
    Press CTRL+S.

    The new settings are now used in Natural Studio.

  5. Close the window in which you have set the session parameters.

Start of instruction setTo find a parameter

  1. From the Edit menu of the Natural Session Parameters window, choose Find.

    Or:
    Press CTRL+F.

    When the toolbar is currently not shown, it is automatically activated and the drop-down list box containing the parameters is opened.

    Note:
    When the toolbar is already visible, you can simply open the drop-down list box, without having to use the above command.

  2. Select the parameter from the drop-down list box in the toolbar.

    The parameter group containing the selected parameter is shown on the right of the window. You can now change the parameter setting and save your changes as described above.

Alternatives

Session parameters can also be set as follows:

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Character Assignments

The following session parameters are used to change default character assignments.

Option See the Parameter Reference for a description of this session parameter
Terminal command character CF
Decimal character DC
Input assign character IA
Input delimiter character ID
Thousands separator character THSEPCH

All character assignments must be mutually exclusive.

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Command Execution

The following session parameter is used to control the execution of commands.

Option See the Parameter Reference for a description of this session parameter
Disable Natural commands NC

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Compiler Options

The following session parameters are used to set options for the Natural compiler.

Option See the Parameter Reference for a description of this session parameter
Interpretation of database field short names DBSHORT
Dump generation DU
Length/format specification FS
Structured mode SM
Generate symbol tables SYMGEN
Endian mode ENDIAN
Generation of global format identifiers GFID
Active cross reference XREF

See also Compiler Options in the Configuration Utility documentation and the description of the system command COMPOPT.

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Date Representation

The following session parameters are used to control the representation of dates.

Option See the Parameter Reference for a description of this session parameter
Date format in output DFOUT
Date format in STACK DFSTACK
Date format in report titles DFTITLE

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Error Handling

The following session parameters are used to control error handling within Natural.

Option See the Parameter Reference for a description of this session parameter
Automatic REINPUT REINP
Sound terminal alarm SA
Record hold processing WH
Zero division ZD
Code page conversion error CPCVERR

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Field Appearance

The following session parameters influence I/O handling.

Option See the Parameter Reference for a description of this session parameter
Filler chars protected FCDP
Overwriting protected OPF
Zero printing ZP
Message line position ML
Print mode PM

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Limits

The following session parameters are used to prevent a single program from consuming an excessive amount of internal resources.

Option See the Parameter Reference for a description of this session parameter
Error on loop limit LE
Processing loop limit LT

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Report Parameters

The following session parameters are used to control various attributes of Natural reports.

Option See the Parameter Reference for a description of this session parameter
Page eject EJ
Line size LS
Page size PS
Spacing factor SF
Default input terminal mode IM

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Remote Procedure Call

The following session parameters apply to the Natural Remote Procedure Call (RPC).

Option See the Parameter Reference for a description of this session parameter
Retry service on alternative server TRYALT
Send-buffer compression COMPR
Request timeout TIMEOUT

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