Changing the Defaults

ftnchek includes two mechanisms for changing the default values of all options: by defining environment variables or by creating a preferences file. When ftnchek starts up, it looks in its environment for any variables whose names are composed by prefixing the string FTNCHEK_ onto the uppercased version of the option name. If such a variable is found, its value is used to specify the default for the corresponding switch or setting. In the case of settings (for example, the -common strictness setting) the value of the environment variable is read as the default setting value. In the case of switches, the default switch will be taken as true or yes unless the environment variable has the value 0 or NO .

Note that the environment variable name must be constructed with the full-length option name, which must be in uppercase. For example, to make ftnchek print a source listing by default, set the environment variable FTNCHEK_LIST to 1 or YES or anything other than 0 or NO . The names FTNCHEK_LIS (not the full option name) or ftnchek_list (lower case) would not be recognized.

Here are some examples of how to set environment variables on various systems. For simplicity, all the examples set the default -list switch to YES .

1. UNIX, Bourne shell:      $ FTNCHEK_LIST=YES
                            $ export FTNCHEK_LIST
2. UNIX, C shell:           % setenv FTNCHEK_LIST YES
3. VAX/VMS:                 $ DEFINE FTNCHEK_LIST YES
4. MSDOS:                   $ SET FTNCHEK_LIST=YES

After processing any environment variables, ftnchek looks for a preferences file containing options and settings. It will search in the following order, using only the first file found: (1) .ftnchekrc in the current directory, (2) ftnchek.ini in the current directory, (3) .ftnchekrc in the user's home directory, (4) ftnchek.ini in the home directory. If such a file is found, the options defined in it are used as defaults in place of the built-in defaults and overriding any defaults set in the environment..

Each option or setting in the preferences file must be on a separate line. They are given in the same form as on the command line, except without the initial dash. The preferences file can contain blank lines and comments. Comments are introduced at any point in a line by a space character (blank or tab) or the '#' character, and are terminated by the end of the line.

Command-line options override the defaults set in the environment or in the preferences file, in the same way as they override the built-in defaults.

Next: Using Project Files