The preference file is used to control the following functions in Web-based System Manager:
When Web-based System Manager is started, the preference file that is chosen displays the session using the preferences stored when it was last saved. This includes such preferences as the console window format and the machines being managed. By default the preference file is saved to:
$HOME/WebSM.pref
where $HOME is the user's home directory on the managing machine.
To save the state of the console, use the menu option Console -> Save.
The state of the console can also be saved to other preference files. To save the state of the console to a file other than the default, use the menu option Console -> Save As... to display a dialog where you can specify an alternative pathname.
To use a preference file other than the default, see Modes of Operation.
A child window within the console window for Web-based System Manager has multiple components that can be displayed or hidden, based on your preference. These child window format preferences are saved in the preference file, and are used whenever a session is started with the the specified preference file. The components of the child window can be displayed or hidden by using the cascade menu option View -> Show. The actual components of the child window that can be displayed or hidden, and whether they are saved in the preference file, are as follows:
| Component | Status saved in preference file? |
|---|---|
| Navigation Area | No |
| Tool Bar | Yes |
| Tips Bar | Yes |
| Description Bar | Yes |
| Status Bar | Yes |
During a Web-based System Manager session, you can open multiple child windows. The child window format preferences that are saved when a session ends (assuming the user indicates that preferences are to be saved during exit) are those of the child window that had focus when you end the session. When this preference file is used to start another session, the child window in the console window (only one child window is created when a session is started) uses the saved child window format preferences.
For each application that is loaded, you can define the objects that are displayed and how they are displayed through view, sort, and filter options. The options you select for each application are stored in the preference file. These options are then used whenever a session is started with the preference file where they were saved. You can set these options in the following ways:
The host computers that are managed during a Web-based System Manager session are saved in the preference file. This allows you to manage different domains of machines by starting sessions with different preference files. Thus you can have a preference file that represents a group of machines that are HTTP Servers, and a preference file that represents a group of machines that are transaction servers.
For a group of machines to be saved to a preference file, they must be added to the Web-based System Manager Management Environment during a session. To add machines to the Management Environment during a session, select the menu option Console -> Add -> Hosts.... This menu option displays a dialog where you can enter individual host computers or a list of host computers from a file.
The following situations can cause errors to occur: