Configuration Information

   CORRECTION: Currently, there are three, not two configuration files - client.properties, mde.cfg, and config.xml. The config.xml file is designed to replace the client.properties file and take advantage of the hierarchical structure of XML documents. The use of client.properties has not yet been replaced in all segments of code, however. Thus its presence is still required and any changes must be present in both client.properties and config.xml.
 
  MORPHO currently saves configuration information in two files: client.properties for general application information, and mde.cfg for information used specifically by the built-in XML metadata editor.

    An example of a client.properties file is:

#
# Properties file defining options for the XML Client
# Dan Higgins
# '$Id: client.properties,v 1.10 2000/10/05 20:31:25 higgins Exp $'
#
# xmlcatalogfile=D:/VisualCafe/Projects/XML_Client_new/catalog/catalog
MetaCatServletURL=http://dev.nceas.ucsb.edu/metadata/servlet/metacat
local_dtd_directory=./catalog
local_xml_directory=./heather
searchlocal=true
searchnetwork=false
log_file=true
username=higgins
password=xxxxx

Lines beginning with '#' are comments. Other lines take the form "parameter name=value".

In some cases the meanings of the parameters are evident from the parameter name. Some explanation are:

MetaCatServletURL - the url of the servlet that is is the interface to the metadata catalog
local_dtd_directory - local directory where dtds are stored
local_xml_directory - top directory where local metadata xml files are located
searchlocal - local search flag
searchnetwork - catalog search flag
log_file - flag to save all error messages to a file called "stderr.log"
username=higgins - user name (used for registered logins)
password=xxxxx  - password for login

In most cases, the user should never have to set these parameters

The mde.cfg file is most easily varied using the Options menu item under the Edit menu. It is a simple text file, so it can be examined and edited directly if one wishes.

Note that usually the current working directory is the base directory where MORPHO files are installed. Starting MORPHO from some other directory may cause problems with relative paths. It is thus suggested that the user always make the MORPHO home directory the current working directory and then launch MORPHO from that directory.