Overriding Default Program

Behaviour (Admin.ini file)

User Guide

PC and Mac™
UK Edition
TP-1528-UK
Issue 2
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 Overriding Default Program Behaviour

Table of Contents
About This Document..........................................................................1
About the ADMIN.INI File ....................................................................1
Description of Entries ..........................................................................2
Key 0 – Sets the users profile path. ...................................................................... 2
Key 1 – The layout filename to be used by the program....................................... 2
Key 2 – The settings filename to be used by the program.................................... 2
Key 3 – The path where shared resources can be opened from and saved to..... 2
Key 4 – The path where personal resources can be opened from and saved to.. 2
Key 5 – The flipchart specified will be shown on startup
(currently not implemented) .................................................................................. 3
Key 6 – The tickertape specified will be shown on startup
(currently not implemented) .................................................................................. 3
Key 7 – The notes specified will be shown on startup
(currently not implemented) .................................................................................. 3
Key 8 – The initial path for opening and saving shared resources
for new users only. ................................................................................................ 3
Key 9 – The initial path for opening and saving personal resources
for new users......................................................................................................... 3
Key 10 – The path where the program suite will look for application
data which is common to all users. ....................................................................... 3
Rules ................................................................................................4
Path Substitution................................................................................4
ADMIN.INI Example 1 .........................................................................5
ADMIN.INI Example 2 .........................................................................5
ADMIN.INI Example 3 .........................................................................6

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 Overriding Default Program Behaviour

About This Document

This document relates to functionality implemented within ACTIVstudio

Professional v2.0.292 (or greater), ACTIVprimary2 and Px v3.1.32.

This document describes how to edit the ADMIN.INI file in order to configure
and control certain program behaviour. Example ADMIN.INI files are also
included to illustrate how this can be used in practice.

About the ADMIN.INI File

The format of the ADMIN.INI file must conform to the standard Windows INI
file definition (standard ASCII text file) of sections and settings. All settings
contained within ADMIN.INI must appear under a section labeled [General].

If you wish to make use of the ADMIN.INI for controlling the program, the file
must be present in the same folder as the program executable.

The following settings can appear within the [General] section of the file. Refer
to ‘Description of Entries’ for a full explanation about each setting.

Key Description

0 Users profile path

1 Layout filename

2 Settings ini filename

3 Shared resources path

4 Personal resources path

5 Start up flipchart filename

6 Startup tickertape filename

7 Startup notes filename

8 Initial shared resources path

9 Initial personal resources path

10 Path to Application Data

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Description of Entries

Key 0 – Sets the users profile path.

This is a fully qualified folder path where a users program settings and Toolbox
layout files will be stored between sessions. This will override a users \My
Documents\ACTIVstudio 2, \My Documents\ACTIVprimary2 or \My
Documents\My Px folder, or any path entered by the user within the Profiles
and Resources Settings. If this key is specified, it prevents users from altering
the profile path within the Profiles and Resources section Settings.

Key 1 – The layout filename to be used by the program.

Note: This key ONLY applies if BOTH Key 0 and Key 2 have been
specified within the ADMIN.INI file.

This key forces the program to use a specific layout filename, which is located
within the folder specified by Key 0. The filename MUST have the file
extension .a2l for ACTIVstudio2 layout files, .ap2l for ACTIVprimary2 layout
files or .p3l for Px layout files. If a layout filename is specified, the program will
use this layout file each time any user runs the program.

Note: ACTIVstudio2 and Px users only. When this key is specified, the
‘Toolbox Customise’ menu option will be removed from the Main
Toolbox menu.

Key 2 – The settings filename to be used by the program.

Note: This key ONLY applies if BOTH Key 0 and Key 1 have been
specified within the ADMIN.INI file.

Key 2 forces the program to use a specific settings filename, which is located
within the folder specified by Key 0. The filename MUST have the file
extension .INI. If a valid settings file is specified, the program will apply these
settings each time any user runs the program and the ‘Settings’ menu option
will be removed.

Key 3 – The path where shared resources can be opened from

and saved to.

This will override any path entered by the user within Profiles and Resources
Settings. If this key is specified, it prevents users from altering the path to
Shared Resources within the Profiles and Resources section of Settings.

Key 4 – The path where personal resources can be opened from

and saved to.

This will override any path entered by the user within Profiles and Resources
Settings. If this key is specified, it prevents users from altering the path to
Personal Resources within the Profiles and Resources section of Settings.

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Key 5 – The flipchart specified will be shown on startup

(currently not implemented)

Key 6 – The tickertape specified will be shown on startup

(currently not implemented)

Key 7 – The notes specified will be shown on startup

(currently not implemented)

Key 8 – The initial path for opening and saving shared resources
for new users only.

This key allows new users to be given an initial path to shared resources the
first time they run the program. Unlike Key 3, it does not prevent the individual
user from changing this path in the Profiles and Resources Settings.

Note: Any fixed path specified in Key 3 always takes precedence over
Key 8.

Key 9 – The initial path for opening and saving personal

resources for new users.

This can be specified to allow new users to be given an initial path to personal
resources the first time they run the program. Unlike Key 4, it does not prevent
the individual user from changing this path in the Profiles and Resources
Settings.

Note: Any fixed path specified in Key 4 always takes precedence over
this Key 9

Key 10 – The path where the program suite will look for
application data which is common to all users.

Note: The program suite refers to ACTIVstudio2, ACTIVprimary2 or Px

and all related programs such as ACTIVslate or PRESENTA pad
Registration, etc.

This key allows a user to place files like the program license file (.dat) and
registration files (e.g. rfslate.dev) in a known location. If this path is not
specified, the program will default to using the relevant folder in the Windows
All Users area. For ACTIVstudio2 and ACTIVprimary2 users this will be
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\ACTIV Software. For Px
users this will be C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application
Data\Promethean.

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Rules

• All values contained in the ADMIN.INI file must be valid. If invalid

values are found when the program is run:

o Any invalid data will result in the program displaying an error

message detailing the key errors. These can then be reported to
the administrator.

o The program will run with the default local settings. This may
restrict access to parts of the program.

• The paths defined in ADMIN.INI must be fully qualified UNC or drive

letter paths (mapped or otherwise). The ADMIN.INI file is not able to
create new folders from a path specified; any folder names specified in
the path must already exist.

• Any values must be placed in the [General] section of ADMIN.INI

• All values need not be present, but some keys rely upon others (see
above).

Path Substitution

Its is also possible to use one of the following two variable substitution values
within ADMIN.INI path definitions:

{APP_DRIVE} - will be substituted for the current drive string

{APP_PATH} – will be substituted for the full drive and path to the application

These values can be used in combination with sub-folder strings. For example:

{APP_DRIVE}\Data

{APP_PATH}\sub folder\sub sub folder

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ADMIN.INI Example 1

[General]

3 = {APP_PATH}\Shared

10 = c:\

If the program is installed in the following location:

• ACTIVstudio2 users, C:\Program Files\ACTIV Software\ACTIVstudio 2

• ACTIVprimary2 users, C:\Program Files\ACTIV Software\ACTIVprimary2

• Px users, C:\Program Files\Promethean\Px

This example ADMIN.INI file will cause the program suite to look to the
following folder for the shared resources:

• ACTIVstudio2 users,
C:\Program Files\ACTIV Software\ACTIVstudio 2\Shared

• ACTIVprimary2 users,
C:\Program Files\ACTIV Software\ACTIVprimary2\Shared

• Px users,
C:\Program Files\Promethean\Px\Shared

The program will also look to the root of C: for the license file etc.

ADMIN.INI Example 2

[General]

0 = Z:

3 = H:\Pool

4 = Z:\Own

Assuming every user on the network has a mapping to Z: for personal data,
this ADMIN.INI file will point every user to the root of their personal network
folder for the storing of their personal settings and layout. They will be able to
alter their settings and layout due to the absence of keys 1 and 2.

Also, each user will be pointed to a fixed location H:\Pool for the shared
resources folder structure.

Finally, each user will be looking at their own Z:\Own folder for personal files.
For example, My Flipcharts will be the folder Z:\Own\My Flipcharts

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ADMIN.INI Example 3

[General]

0 = F:\Locked\

1 = FixedLayout.a2l (ACTIVstudio2) or 1 = FixedLayout.ap2l (ACTIVprimary2)

or FixedLayout.p3l (Px)

2 = FixedSettings.ini

In this situation, every user is forced to use one fixed layout and one fixed
settings file, located in the folder F:\Locked\. All users are prevented from
altering the toolbox layout or program settings.

The fixed layout and settings files above are copies of the layout and settings
files that have been generated using the unrestricted version of the program.

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