Option Control

Each line after the line [Options], up until a blank line or the end of the file, contains an option specifier. When the program is started, it will use those specifiers to determine a number of aspects of the program's behavior. This makes it possible to encode your personal preferences so that the program will always use them. Do not place a hyphen in front of an option in the initialization file.

A few of these options can also be changed while the program is running, by giving suitable commands. See section Changing Modes.

Here are the available options:

singlespace

This makes the program write the output file with single spacing instead of the usual double spacing. This may be useful for those who use special fonts or special printer arrangements. This option is the same as giving the toggle singlespace mode command while the program is starting a sequence.

concept_levels

This allows all concepts, even those that are not actually legal at the specified level, to be used. It is the same as giving the toggle concept levels command while the program is running.

active_phantoms

This turns on the "active phantoms" behavior, which makes phantoms persist throughout calls. This option is the same as giving the toggle active phantoms command while the program is running.

minigrand_getouts

This turns on the acceptance of "mini-grand" getouts in the resolver. This option is the same as giving the toggle minigrand getouts command while the program is running.

no_warnings

This suppresses the display and printing of the warning messages that are sometimes given to help less-experienced callers. It is the same as giving the toggle nowarn mode command while the program is running.

retain_after_error

This makes the program automatically retain all concepts that had been typed prior to the current call whenever an error occurs. The usual behavior is to discard all typed concepts when an error occurs. It is the same as giving the toggle retain after error command while the program is running. See section Retaining Concepts After an Error.

discard_after_error

This is the opposite of retain_after_error. Since this is the usual behavior, you don't need this option. It is present only for compatibility with older versions. If it is in your `sd.ini' file, take it out.

single_click

This makes Sd respond immediately to a single mouse click in a menu. Normally, a double click, or pressing the `Accept' button, is required. This option is meaningless in Sdtty. It is the same as giving the toggle singleclick mode command while the program is running.

no_checkers

Sd normally draws the formation on the screen with icons that are intended to look like callers' "checkers". This option disables that, and displays dancers by more normal means. Pictures drawn in the output file never use these icons. This option is meaningless in Sdtty.

no_graphics

This suppresses the use of special PC graphics characters ("triangles") when drawing pictures on the screen. These characters are not standard on all PC's. Pictures drawn in the output file will never use the special graphics characters. This is not meaningful in Sd unless no_icons is also given.

no_color

Sdtty and Sd normally color-code the dancers shown on the screen, according to various color schemes that are controlled by options listed below. This option disables the use of color. Pictures drawn in the output file will never be in color, and will never use "checkers" or triangles.

no_intensify

Sdtty normally displays text at full brightness, rather than the 3/4 brightness that is customary for Command Prompt windows. This option leaves the brightness at the lower level. It is meaningless in Sd.

color_by_couple

This draws dancers on the screen in four colors, one for each couple. In the absence of this option, girls are drawn in red and boys in blue. Pictures drawn in the output file never use color.

color_by_corner

Like color_by_couple, but dancers have the same color as their respective corners.

reverse_video

This displays the transcript area (or the whole window in Sdtty) with a black background and white text. This is the default for Sdtty, so you only need this option for Sd. If you are using color_by_couple or color_by_corner, you may want to use this also, to make yellow easier to see.

normal_video

This displays the transcript area (or the whole window in Sdtty) with a white background and black text. This is the default for Sd, so you only need this option for Sdtty.

pastel_color

This causes the colors for the usual girls-are-red and boys-are-blue scheme to use lighter shades. This may be preferable if reverse_video is used. It has no effect when using the color_by_couple or color_by_corner schemes. This is the default for Sdtty, so you only need this option for Sd.

bold_color

This is the opposite of pastel_color---it uses darker shades. This is the default for Sd, so you only need this option for Sdtty.

no_sound

Do not ring the bell or make any other sound when reporting errors.

db filename

location of the calls database. The default is `sd_calls.dat' in the current directory.

sequence filename

base name of the file to write sequences to. The calling level will be used as the extension of the file name. The default base name is `sequence', so a complete file name might be `sequence.C1'.

sequence_num number

Initial sequence number. This overrides any sequence number given in a session from the initialization file.

no_cursor

Dumb terminal mode: do not use cursor motion commands to keep the screen up-to-date efficiently. Use this if the cursor motion and screen manipulation operations of your terminal or operating system are not available or are not working satisfactorily. This is only legal in Sdtty, and is meaningless on Windows 95 or similar systems. See section Sdtty.

no_console

Extremely dumb terminal mode: turn off all special input/output processing completely. This allows input or output to be redirected from files.

lines nlines

The number of lines on the screen. Default is 25. This is only legal in Sdtty, and is meaningless on Windows 95 or similar systems.

no_line_delete

Do not use the insert line or delete line cursor control commands. Use this if these commands are not working satisfactorily on your terminal. This is only legal in Sdtty, and is meaningless when running Windows.

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