Configuring Database, Icon, and Help Services

Usually, the action and data type definitions, icons, and help data files associated with an application are installed onto the same system as the application.

For example, consider the typical configuration of help data files:

• The help files for File Manager are usually located on the session server. The desktop finds them because the help search path automatically searches the proper locations on the session server.

• The help files for other applications are usually located on the same application server as the application. The session server finds them because modifying the application search path automatically modifies the help search path.

  There may be situations in which you want to place database (actions and data types), help, or icon data elsewhere on the network. For example, if your network uses multiple session servers, you might want to create a help server on which all the help data files for desktop applications (File Manager, Style Manager, and the like) are stored. This conserves disk space because the help files do not need to be duplicated on each session server.

To Create a Database, Help, or Icon Server

1. Provide the operating system network configurations required by the desktop.

   See Configuring Base Operating System Networking for the Desktop.

2. Provide the general desktop configuration required for clients.

   See To Configure Desktop Clients and Servers.

3. Install the database, help, or icon files.

   The files can be located anywhere on the system. However, it may be easier to use the following locations, since these are the directories automatically searched when a system has been designated an application server.

   • Database files: /etc/dt/appconfig/types/language

   • Help files: /etc/dt/appconfig/help/language

   • Icon files: /etc/dt/appconfig/icons/language

     If you are setting up a database server, the actions must be written to specify where their commands (EXEC_STRINGs) will run. See Specifying a Remote Execution Host.

To Configure the Session Server to Find a Database, Icon, or Help Server

1. Provide the operating system network configurations required by the desktop.

   See Configuring Base Operating System Networking for the Desktop.

2. Provide the general desktop configuration required for clients.

   See To Configure Desktop Clients and Servers.

3. Add the database, icon, or help server to the appropriate search path.

   • If you placed the data files in the locations specified in Step 3of To Create a Database, Help, or Icon Server,” you can modify the application search path.

   • If you placed the data files in other locations, you must modify the specific search path.

     For example, if you placed the help files in directory /etc/dt/help on system SysCCC, you would add the following line to /etc/dt/config/Xsession.d/0010.dtpaths:

     		export DTSPSYSHELP=/net/SysCCC/etc/dt/help

     For more information about setting search paths, see:

   • Database (Action/Data Types) Search Path

   • Icon Search Path

   • Help Search Path

   • Setting the Value of a Search Path