There are several types of data file which are used in PipeDream but which are not normal PipeDream documents. These include dictionaries, command files, printer drivers, the Choices file and the key file. Because you do not tell PipeDream where these files are by dragging them from a directory display to the PipeDream icon or a window, PipeDream has to know where to look for them. It needs two pieces of information to do this:
Sometimes PipeDream already knows the leafname. For example, the leafname of the Choices file is always Choices and the leafname of the master dictionary is always Master. But for other types of file, such as user dictionaries, you specify the leafname.
PipeDream also needs to know in which directory or directories it should look for the file. The path, PipeDream$Path (or more simply PipeDream:), tells it where to look. The path can be a single directory name or, more usually, a list of directories. By default, the path is a combination of three directories:
If you want to, you can modify the path to make PipeDream look for the files in other directories, discs, drives, filing systems or paths.
This can be useful for the following reasons:
The path is specified in the file !PipeDream.!Run, which may be found in the PipeDream application directory.
By default this is set up as follows:
Set PipeDream$Path Choices:PipeDream.,<PipeDream$Dir>.Resources.UK.,<PipeDream$Dir>.Resources.Neutral.
The Loader is used to create up a system variable called PipeDream$Path
and to set it to
Choices:PipeDream.,<PipeDream$Dir>.Resources.UK.,<PipeDream$Dir>.Resources.Neutral.
which are to be the directories PipeDream will look in for its files.
Note the dot on the end of each of the directory names.
This is necessary because PipeDream will simply append the leafname to each of the path elements in turn to create a whole filename.
If you want to change the path, you can edit the !Run file using !Edit.
The following table illustrates where PipeDream looks for each type of file. CWD stands for Current Window Directory and refers to the directory from which the document in the current window has been loaded. If there is no current window directory, because you have started a new document or renamed a loaded document, PipeDream will look only on the path.
File | Sub-directory | Loading | Saving |
Choices file | PipeDream$Path | <Choices$Write>.PipeDream | |
Command files | CmdFiles | CWD, PipeDream$Path | CWD, PipeDream$Path |
Dictionaries | Dicts | CWD, PipeDream$Path | CWD, PipeDream$Path |
External references | Library | CWD, PipeDream$Path | |
Key file | PipeDream$Path | <Choices$Write>.PipeDream | |
Picture files | Pictures | CWD | |
Printer drivers | PDrivers | CWD, PipeDream$Path | |
Template files | Templates | PipeDream$Path | <Choices$Write>.PipeDream |
If files are saved or placed in the sub-directories listed above, they will be included in the lists of files displayed in dialogue boxes, from which you can select the file you want. It is therefore recommended that you save each type of file in the appropriate sub-directory.
PipeDream’s paths make it possible to install PipeDream onto a network so that it looks for main application resources such as the program and master dictionary in the public area of the file server, but for user resources such as user dictionaries and template files in the user’s own area.