Most aspects of DP4 installation and operation are configurable. There are three main configuration files:
The DP4 licence file, (named datafit.sys up to release 4.619, but now called dp4.sys), which as well as containing licence information contains many settings connected with database file locations and limits. This file is supplied separately from the CD ROM containing DP4. (Any licence files contained on that are temporary or evaluation licence files only). Unless it has multiple installations of DP4, a computer will have only one DP4 licence file. Most of the configuration information in the DP4 licence file is manipulated using the DFSETUP utility. One very important piece of information, the system database name is manipulated using the SYSDB utility.
The userdata.sys file, which contains user and "terminal" related information, such as security levels, key transalaction tables,color preferences etc. userdata.sys is usually created at install time using the USERDATA program, or it may be installed from the DP4 CD ROM. Depending on how it is installed there may be one or several userdata.sys files present in a DP4 installation. Once created, most of the configuration information in USERDATA.SYS is manipulated using DFSETUP, though other DP4 utilities also update this file in various circumstances.
An additional text-based DP4 configuration file, (named datafit.ini up to release 4.619, but now called dp4.ini. Where relevant, an initial version of this file is installed during DP4 installation.
The DP4 configuration file is a text file. It can be read and edited using any text editor. Double-clicking on its icon in a Windows system will normally load it into NOTEPAD. There is no DP4 utility for editing the DP4 configuration file.
Before making any changes to the DP4 configuration file, we recommend that you make a backup copy of the file in its present form and keep this in a safe place. If your changes have undesirable effects, you may find it easier and safer to delete the modified file and copy the backup to its original location than to remember and undo the changes you made.
The SYSTEM database also contains a certain amount on configuration information:
Where the DP4 menu system is used, or the corresponding user/menu facilities of QAB, it contains the list of users, together with user-specific information such as user preferences and passwords. This information is usually set up using MENUEDIT and DFSETUP.
It contains information about the printers, and any specialised hardware devices such as cash registers that your DP4 system uses. This information is usually set up using DFSETUP.
Your system database contains the maps and menus used by the standard DP4 utilities. You may wish to customise these, but this Guide does not contain any information on doing this.
An additional method of configuring the base DP4 utilities is via the use of command line options, often called command tails or program arguments. The command line options available with the standard DP4 utilities are described in the DP4 Quick Reference guide.In addition most of the options described in this manual can also be specified as command line options for programs. This is often very useful if you only want to change a setting temporarily or you require a different setting from normal in a particular situation.
The DFSETUP program is used to change the settings in the DP4 licence file and userdata.sys. This program has extensive help messages for most settings. In its present form this guide mainly deals with the third configuration file, henceforth called "the DP4 configuration file".
The names and locations of these files are dependent on the operating system, and also the version and release of DP4 in use. This is described in detail in the Names and Locations of DP4 Configuration Files.