This document covers the following topics:
You can create your own parameter files and customize them to your requirements. You can then invoke Natural with one of these parameter files. See Invoking Natural with an Alternative Parameter File for further information.
Initially, each parameter file that you create contains Natural's default settings.
Tip:
It is recommended that you create your own parameter file instead
of modifying the default parameter file NATPARM which is delivered
with Natural.
To create a new parameter file
From the menu, choose .
Or:
Choose the following toolbar button:
Or:
Press CTRL+N.
A new parameter file with the default name "NEWn" is now shown in the tree. The default name is selected so that you can immediately enter a new name. Any text you enter automatically deletes the selection.
Enter a name for the new parameter file.
Press ENTER.
Or:
Click any other position in the tree.
The parameters in the new file are set to the default values. You can set all parameters as required.
Note:
You can also create a new parameter file by
copying an existing file or
by saving an existing
file under a new name.
You can locate a parameter in different ways:
If you know in which parameter group and category the parameter can be found, you can expand the tree and locate the parameter as described below.
If you do not know the parameter group and category, you can search for the parameter. See Finding a Parameter.
To locate and change a parameter
Expand the node for a global or local configuration file or for a specific parameter file.
For parameter files: expand the node for a parameter group (for example, Natural Execution Configuration).
Select the category containing the parameter that you want to change (for example, Buffer Sizes).
The parameters are shown on the right of the window. In the case of a parameter file, the names of the Natural profile parameters are shown in parenthesis on the right of the window, behind the label of the corresponding control.
Or:
Expand the node for a category.
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.
Set the parameter to the required value. See Overview of Configuration File Parameters or Overview of Profile Parameters for further information.
Notes:
When a parameter has been changed, an asterisk (*) appears next to the corresponding node name in the tree.
Save your changes as described in Saving the Changes.
If you do not know in which category a parameter can be found, you can search for it. The search is always performed in the currently selected parameter file, global configuration file or local configuration file.
To find a parameter
Select a node which belongs to the parameter file or configuration file in which you want to search for the parameter.
From the menu, choose .
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.
Select the parameter from the drop-down list box in the toolbar.
Note:
When a configuration file is currently selected, you can
select a category (for example, Printer Profiles
which belongs to the global configuration file) from the drop-down list
box.
The category containing the selected parameter is shown on the right of the window.
Different save commands are available. An asterisk (*) appears next to each node name in the tree where a parameter has been changed.
To save the changes for the selected configuration file or
parameter file
Select the node for the file that you want to save.
From the menu, choose .
Or:
Choose the following toolbar button:
Or:
Press CTRL+S.
To save a parameter file under a different name
Select the node for the parameter file that you want to save under a different name.
From the menu, choose .
A new parameter file with the default name "NEWn" is now shown in the tree. The default name is selected so that you can immediately enter a new name. Any text you enter deletes the selection automatically.
Enter a name for the new parameter file.
Press ENTER.
Or:
Click any other position in the tree.
To save the changes to all files
From the menu, choose .
Or:
Choose the following toolbar button:
It is possible to discard your changes and return to the last saved version.
To return to the last saved version of the selected configuration
file or parameter file
Select the node for the file for which you want to discard your changes.
From the menu, choose .
Or:
Choose the following toolbar button:
The settings of the last saved version are restored.
You can also create a new parameter file by copying an existing file and pasting it in the tree.
To create a new parameter file
Select the node for the parameter file that you want to copy.
From the menu, choose .
Or:
Choose the following toolbar button:
Or:
Press CTRL+C.
From the menu, choose .
Or:
Choose the following toolbar button:
Or:
Press CTRL+V.
A new parameter file with the default name "NEWn" is now shown in the tree. The default name is selected so that you can immediately enter a new name. Any text you enter automatically deletes the selection.
Enter a name for the new parameter file.
Press ENTER.
Or:
Click any other position in the tree.
You can now set all parameters as required.
You can rename the parameter files in the tree.
When you invoke Natural with a parameter file that has been renamed, make sure to changed its name in the corresponding shortcuts. See Invoking Natural with an Alternative Parameter File for further information.
To rename a parameter file
Select the node for the parameter file that you want to rename.
From the menu, choose .
Or:
Press F2.
The name is selected so that you can immediately enter a new name. Any text you enter automatically deletes the selection.
Enter a new name for the parameter file.
Press ENTER.
Or:
Click any other position in the tree.
You can delete the parameter files in the tree.
When you invoke Natural with a parameter file that has been deleted, make sure to adapt the corresponding shortcuts. See Invoking Natural with an Alternative Parameter File for further information.
To delete a parameter file
Select the node for the parameter file that you want to delete.
From the menu, choose .
Or:
Choose the following toolbar button:
Or:
Press DEL.
When you export a parameter file, a text file is generated which contains the values of the current parameter file. Such a text file can be used on Windows, UNIX and OpenVMS platforms; to use it there, you have to import it.
To export a parameter file
Select the node for the parameter file that you want to export.
From the menu, choose .
The Export dialog box appears. The name of the selected parameter file is proposed as the file name. The extension of the resulting file is "LST".
Optional. Specify another file name. You can also select another folder.
Choose the button to export the file.
If you have not selected another folder, the file is stored in the Natural folder which has been defined for the temporary files. See also Installation Assignments.
You can import a parameter file which has previously been exported. The import generates a binary parameter file from the text file with the extension "LST" which has been generated during the export.
To import a parameter file
From the menu, choose .
The Import dialog box appears.
Select the file that is to be imported. The extension of such a file is "LST".
Choose the button.
When a file with the same name does not yet exist, the imported parameter file is shown in the tree.
When a file with the same name already exists, you are asked whether you want to overwrite the existing file. When you choose not to overwrite the existing file, the new file is created with the name "NEWn".
The menu provides different ways of accessing help for the Configuration Utility.
To access the Configuration Utility documentation
From the menu, choose .
Or:
Choose the following toolbar button:
To invoke context-sensitive help
Select the node or parameter for which you want to invoke context-sensitive help.
From the menu, choose .
Or:
Press F1.
To display information about the Configuration Utility
From the menu, choose .
A dialog box appears, displaying information such as the current version number.