SHELL 22.1

The Preferences Editor

The Preferences Editor

The editor can be accessed from within the SHELL or from within D3PLOT, T/HIS, PRIMER and REPORTER.

The Preferences Editor Layout

The preferences editor window is divided into two frames with a menu bar across the top.

Oasys preferences editor, initial display

File options:


Save preferences : Save current preference settings. This will save the personal oa_pref file in the user's home directory. Only those preferences which differ from the preferences saved in the general oa_pref file will be saved.

Exit : Exit the preferences editor without saving.



File menu

Edit options:


Check Preferences : Checks the current preferences for any errors. These errors will be listed in a seperate window detailing the preferences with the errors and the nature of those errors.

Expand all branches : Expands the categories in the Left Hand Frame.

Collapse all branches : Collapses the categories in the Left Hand Frame.

Reset all : Resets all values.

Reset all to OA_INSTALL values : Resets all values to the defaults stored in the main $OA_INSTALL preference file.


Edit menu

The Preferences Editor Left Hand Frame

The left hand frame will contain the names of all preferences available to set. Preferences will be listed under the headings: PRIMER, D3PLOT, T/HIS, REPORTER and SHELL according to which program they are applicable to.

These categories can be expanded to reveal their respective preferences/contracted to hide their preferences by clicking on the box to the left of the respective category, alternatively, use the edit drop down menu and select Expand all branches or collapse all branches.

Green Means that the option has been read from your $HOME/$USERPROFILE file.
Red Means that the option has been read from the $OA_INSTALL file.
Magenta Means that the option had been read from the $OA_ADMIN file.

Preferences which aren't highlighted indicate preferences that haven't been set.

Preferences in bold type indicate preferences which haven't been assigned the default value.

A list of all the preferences available and their default value can be found in any oa_pref file written by the preferences editor.

Preferences editor left hand frame

The Preferences Editor Right Hand Frame

The right hand frame will contain information about the currently selected preference and provides the opportunity to edit this preference.


Name : States the name of the currently selected preference.

Type : Specifies the type of variable applicable to this preference.

Default : States the default value of the preference. Description : Provides a brief description of the function performed by this preference.

Active tab: Highlighted in Green when the preference has been assigned a value. Press this tab to activate/ deactivate the currently selected preference. If the currently selected preference was defined in the general oa_pref file, deselecting this will bring up an error message as it is not possible to deselect preferences stored in the general oa_pref file.

Value : States the currently selected value for the preference. Clicking on the arrow to the left of this box brings up a drop-down menu which lists the possible values this preference can take and allows the user to select one of these values.

 Preferences editor right hand frame

Locking Preferences

From version 9.4 onwards preferences can be locked. Beside each option in the preference editor is a padlock symbol. If the symbol is green then the option is unlocked, if it is red then it is locked. If a preference option has been locked in a file that the user can not modify then an error message will be generated if the user tries to edit that option.

If a user manually edits the "oa_pref" file to try and set an option that has been locked in another preference file then the option will be ignored in the users preference file.



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