Database (Action/Data Types) Search Path

The database search path directs the desktop to search specified locations for files containing:

• Action and data type definitions (*.dt files)

• Front Panel definitions (*.fp files).

  You may need to modify the database search path when you create a database server, or when you add a local location for database files.

Default Database Search Path

The default database search path includes personal, system-wide, and built-in locations. The default language is C.

Personal location—HomeDirectory/.dt/types

System-wide location—/etc/dt/appconfig/types/language

Built-in location—/usr/dt/appconfig/types/language

How the Application Search Path Affects the Database Search Path

When a location is added to the application search path, the appropriate database subdirectory is automatically added to the database search path (see How the Application Search Path Affects the Database, Icon, and Help Search Paths).

For example, if the application server hosta: is added to the application search path, the directory hosta:/etc/dt/appconfig/types/language is automatically added to the database search path.

Database Search Path Environment Variables

The database search path is assembled from the built-in locations and the following input variables:

DTSPSYSDATABASEHOSTS—system-wide database search path input variable

DTSPUSERDATABASEHOSTS—personal database search path input variable

Use these input variables to specify locations outside the application search path.

The assembled database search path is specified by the output variable DTDATABASESEARCHPATH.

Syntax for the Database Search Path Input Variables

The syntax for the variables DTSPSYSDATABASEHOSTS and DTSPUSERDATABASEHOSTS is:

VARIABLE=location [,location...]

where location can have the syntax:

/path—specifies a directory on the local (session server) system. Use this syntax to add a local directory.

hostname:—specifies the system-wide directory /etc/dt/appconfig/types/language on system hostname.

hostname:/path—specifies a directory on the remote system hostname.

How the Database Search Path Is Assembled

The value of the database search path (DTDATABASESEARCHPATH) is created by assembling the following locations, listed in order of precedence:

• Locations specified using the DTSPUSERDATABASEHOSTS variable

• Locations derived from the DTSPUSERAPPHOSTS variable

• The default personal location: HomeDirectory/.dt/types

• The default location: /etc/dt/appconfig/types/language

• Locations specified using the DTSPSYSDATABASEHOSTS variable

• Locations derived from the DTSPSYSAPPHOSTS variable

• /usr/dt/appconfig/types/language

  The syntax:

  hostname:

  is expanded to specify the directory /etc/dt/appconfig/types on system hostname.