## Ploticus config files | Welcome Gallery Handbook |
| Manual page for Ploticus_config_files(PL)

## DESCRIPTION

A configuration file may be used in order to initialize each invocation of ploticus in a certain way.`` Upon execution, ploticus checks for an environment variable called PLOTICUS_CONFIG, which should contain the full path name of your config file.`` A configuration file is not required (unless running in cgi mode ). If no config file is found, standard defaults will generally be used.``

The config file may be used to:

  set default modes of operation

  make month and weekday names appear in languages other than English

  make the standard absolute unit centimeters instead of inches

  set the default date format, and other date parameters

  set the default notation for numbers

## EXAMPLE

Examples of config files set up for Spanish and Russian are located in the gallery directory, named plconfig.spanish and plconfig.russian Note: Ploticus now has locale support so that non-latin alphabets may be used. See pl(1) environment

## SYNTAX

One parameter is specified per line (see the example below).`` Parameters are case-insensitive and must begin in the first column of the line.`` Lines beginning with `//` or `#` are taken as comments; blank lines are skipped.``

## PARAMETERS

The following parameters may be set.`` Parameters that are not set assume the default value, which is shown in (parentheses).``

option: option [arg]

  Set any pl command line option (see pl(1) for a list of supported command line options). Command line options that are specific only to pltab are not supported.`` The given command line option will be in effect for all invocations of pl and pltab.`` This parameter may be used as many times as necessary.``
  Example:
  `option: -gif`
  `option: -viewer xv`

varvalue: varname=value

  Preset a variable to a value.`` This may be used as many times as desired within the config file to set various variables.`` This may also be used to set a variable that will be referenced later in the config file.``
  Example: `varvalue: MODE=normal`

putenv: varname=value

  Set an environment variable for current process and all subprocesses.`` This may be used as many times as desired within the config file to set various environment variables. Especially useful when operating in cgi mode since a CGI process often inherits an environment that is not under the developer's control.``
  Example: `putenv: ERRMODE=normal`

tmpdir: dirname

  The directory that ploticus uses for temporary files.`` By default this is /usr/tmp. This can also be set in `pl.h`.``
  Example: `tmpdir: /tmp`

pathslash: slashchar

  The slash character used in path names. Default is for `/` unix. For windows/nt use `\`.`` This can also be set in `pl.h`.``

units: `in` | `cm`

  The measurement unit to be used for absolute units, either inches or centimeters.`` Default is `in`.``
  Example: `units: cm`

projectroot:

  The directory from which ploticus will operate. This must be specified when using pl in cgi mode.``

numbernotation: `standard` | `us` | `euro`

  Specifies how decimal point and thousands separators will be displayed. Default is `standard`.`` The following table illustrates:

       standard           us             euro
      ----------    ------------    -------------
           79              79               79
           79.5            79.5             79,5
         4321.79         4321.79          4321,79
        54321          54,321           54.321
       654321.07      654,321.07       654.321,07
      1987654321    1,987,654,321    1.987.654.321

## SYSTEM ENVIRONMENT

cpulimit:

  Number of seconds of CPU time that will be allowed to the pl or pltab process or any spawned subprocesses. Default is 10 seconds.`` Any process exceeding this will abort.``

filesizelimit:

  Number of bytes that will be allowed in any file that pl or pltab process or any spawned subprocesses creates. Default is 5000000 bytes.`` Any process exceeding this will abort.``

uid:

  Set the effective user id of the pl or pltab process and all its subprocesses.`` Only useful in CGI environments where programs are invoked as root,

gid:

  Same as uid, but sets the group id.``

## DATE-RELATED

dateformat: format

  Set the default date format.`` Supported date formats are described in dates
  Example: `dateformat: dd-mmm-yyyy`

pivotyear: yy

  Set the two digit year that should be used to convert two-digit years to four-digit years. If two-digit years are used, year values that are less than the pivot year are assumed to be 21st century years. Default is 77.``
  Example: `pivotyear: 50`

months: list

  Specify the three-character month abbreviations to be used, all in lower case, beginning with the first month.`` Default is the English (`jan feb mar apr may jun jul aug sep oct nov dec`).``
  Example (Spanish) (must all be on one line):
  `months: ene feb mar abr pue jun jul ago sep oct nov dic`

months.abbrev: list

  short month names, capitalized for presentation, begining with the first month.`` Default is English (`Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec`).``
  Example (Spanish) (must all be on one line):
  `months.abbrev: Ene Feb Mar Abr Pue Jun Jul Ago Sep Oct Nov Dic`

months.full: list

  full month names, capitalized for presentation.``
  Example (Spanish) (must all be on one line):
  `months.full: Enero Febrero Marcha Abril Pueda Junio Julio Agosto Septiembre Octubre Noviembre Diciembre`

weekdays: list

  three-character weekday abbreviations, capitalized for presentation, beginning with Sunday.``
  Example (French): `weekdays: Dim Lun Mar Mer Jeu Ven Sam`
  Example (Spanish): `weekdays: Dom Lun Mar Mie Jue Vie Sab`
  data display engine
  Copyright Steve Grubb

Markup created by unroff 1.0, `` `` September 17, 2001.