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ESL Documentation

The EslConfig.ini file contains the parameters that configure ESL for your computer.

A sample EslConfig.ini file is installed with ESL.

Whilst the Development Tools have been converted to use the Windows Registry for holding parameters and local settings, there are a number of configuration files that are needed by the runtime. To aid the distribution of ESL applications, these have not been converted and have been left as files. If the configuration file is not specified in the command line, ESL uses the file "EslConfig.ini" located in the installation directory, as recorded in the registry when ESL is installed. As a number of User do not use the supplied installer, should there be no Installation Directory recorded in the registry, ESL will default to the location of the executable.

To minimize the installation requirement and allow a flexible distribution of the ESL runtime (i.e. Client Services), both the Compiler and Runtime program create an Environment Variable, "Esl_Path" containing the location of the executable. This environment variable can be used in the configuration file, to ensure the correct relative directory is used to locate essential resources.

You can make a  change to any option by entering the options and values in the EslConfig.ini file.

Do not remove any lines from the EslConfig.ini file, instead add to or amend the existing entries.

BEEPFREQ=NUMBER

Tone frequency, in Hertz, of the pointing device sound for correct selections.

The higher the number, the higher the frequency.

1250

BOOPFREQ=NUMBER

Tone frequency, in Hertz, of the pointing device sound for incorrect selections.

The higher the number, the higher the frequency.

250

ESLERR=FILENAME

Name of source file for error messages.

This can be translated using EslMsgMgr

%Esl_Path%ESLERR.EMI

EXETYPE=EXTENSION

Default file extension for executables (e.g. Local Applications)

.EXE

FONTCNT=NUMBER

Number of fonts that can be loaded into memory at any one time by an ESL program.

20

FONTPATH=PATH

Directories to search for font files. CAUTION: Do not place a copy of the listed Font DLL files in your current directory.

%Esl_Path%

FONTDLL=FONTFILES

A semi-colon delimited list of Font Files (typically .ttf or .fon), containing the fonts to be temporarily installed for the ESL Application. As of version 21.10 all the ESL fonts are installed during installation of the ESL product.

 

DEFAULTFONT=NAME

The name of the Font to be used by default.

Esl Mono

 

FONTHEIGHT=PIXELS

The height in pixels of the default Font

20

FONTWIDTH=PIXELS

The width in pixels of the default Font

12

GLBSIZE=NUMBER

Initial size of ESL global memory, in kilobytes (this must be greater than 0). This value may be overridden by the value specified after the command line option -g (if specified).

128

GLBMAX=NUMBER

The maximum size of the ESL global memory, in kilobytes (this must larger than the GLBSIZE parameter, otherwise GLBSIZE will be used).

32768

HLDELAY=NUMBER

Highlight delay parameter. A value between 0 and 64000 can be specified. The larger the value, the longer ESL will flash a highlight.

8000

INCPATH=PATH

Directories to search for include files.

%Esl_Path%INCLUDE

INCTYPE=EXTENSION

Default file extension used for include files.

.INC

KBDTABWID=NUMBER

Number of spaces to translate a tab character into when typed from the keyboard. 0 (zero) leaves the tab character instead of translating it to spaces.

0.

LOCALDLL=NAME

Name of DLL for supporting local applications.

This value is set by the installation procedure and should not be changed.

LOCAL

MAPENTRY.LOGICAL_NAME=PHYSICAL_NAME

Mapping of a logical filename to a physical filename.

This mapping scheme allows you to use constant, logical names for DLLs in your ESL source code.

LOGICAL_FILE_NAME should be identical to the name of the DLL file that appears in your ESL source code. Note that logical names are not case-sensitive; for example, "esldde" and "ESLDDE" are the same and would match.

PHYSICAL_FILE_NAME must be the actual name of the file on disk. Do not include a file extension for DLLs. In addition, do not include any spaces around the equals sign (=).

You can add MAPENTRY specifications to EslConfig.ini to reflect use of your own DLLs within your applications.

For example, suppose you install a new software package that uses a DLL that clashes with an ESL DLL like "MESSAGE.DLL". Instead to amending the ESL source code, merely rename the ESL DLL to a unique name, say "ESLMSG.DLL", then amend the corresponding MAPENTRY.

If a mapping does not exist for a DLL, ESL assumes that the logical and physical names are the same (i.e., it uses the name as it appears in the ESL source code).

 

MODPATH=PATH

Directories to search for modules.

%Esl_Path%MODULES

POINTER=POINTER

ESL's default pointing device. POINTER can be mouse or touchscreen.

mouse

PRGSIZE=NUMBER

The initial size of ESL program memory, in kilobytes. This value can be overridden by the value specified after the command line option -m, if specified.

ESL initially allocates program memory equal to the size of PRGSIZE, rounded up to the next kilobyte boundary. The value for NUMBER depends on the nature of the ESL application, what applications are running concurrently, and the amount of memory installed on the machine. This value should be larger than the size of the .WEB file.

512

PRGMAX=NUMBER

The maximum size of the ESL global memory, in kilobytes (this must larger than the PRGSIZE parameter, otherwise PRGSIZE will be used).

32768

MEMINCR=NUMBER

The size of the memory allocations in kilobytes as ESL increases its physical memory footprint from the initial allocation to the maximum specified. This value must be large enough to accommodate the largest ESL item, e.g. the longest string.

 

REMOTE=STRING

Remote application settings. This string is inserted before the settings specified in the start remote action statement.

1200 nopar stopbits 1 tandem

REMOTEDLL=NAME

Name of the Dynamic Link Library (DLL) for supporting remote applications. The currently supported libraries are: socket & serial

socket

SLEEPMAX=NUMBER

Maximum number of seconds allowed for a wait action statement.

60

TABWIDTH=NUMBER

Standard number of columns per tab, during application input. If this value is 0, tab characters are not translated into spaces in application input.

8

TEXTPATH=PATH

Directories to search when reading files into a textual region. Only current directory is searched.

%Esl_Path%

TEXTTYPE=EXTENSION

Default extension for files read into and written from textual regions. Looks for a file with no extension.

.TXT

PICPATH=PATH

Directories to search when reading files into an image region. Only current directory is searched.

None

PICTYPE=EXTENSION

Default extension for files read into an image regions. Looks for a file with no extension.

None

MAXMENUITEMS=NUMBER

The maximum number of menu items that an application can declare, either statically or added dynamically. Menu items cannot be deleted, but they can be re-used. The higher the maximum number, the slower the ESL application will respond.

500

SCALEX=FLOAT

A floating point number that defines the multiplication factor used to scale the width of objects plotted on a printer using the plot statement.

1.0

SCALEY=FLOAT

A floating point number that defines the multiplication factor used to scale the height of objects plotted on a printer using the plot statement.

1.0