Although the Preferences dialog box is the most convenient way to set preferences, you can also set them directly in the preference file (usually called CAUPREFS.ORA).
The preference file that enforces Oracle Forms options is automatically updated every time you change your preferences. Oracle Forms reads the updated preference file when you start Oracle Forms. This file contains keywords and settings that allow you to preset each of the Oracle Forms and Forms Runtime options.
You can use any of the Oracle Forms or Forms Runtime keyword parameters listed in this chapter in a user preference file. For example, to ensure that any form that you run from Oracle Forms runs in quiet mode, you would include the following line in the user preference file:
FORMS.QUIET=ON
The preference file also allows you to preset a mapping for Oracle Forms. On most platforms, the preference file must be named CAUPREFS.ORA and must reside in the login directory.
If you start Oracle Forms with a command line parameter that specifies a preference setting or mapping, the command line parameter overrides the setting in the preference file. Also, if a line in the preference file contains an error, Oracle Forms ignores that line when it reads the file.
To preset a Oracle Forms or Forms Runtime option, include the appropriate keyword and setting in the preference file, just as you would on the command line. Use the following syntax:
keyword = {on | off | string}
For a list of keywords and appropriate values, save your preferences, then examine the current contents of your CAUPREFS.ORA file.