Chapter 20 PAR Export File Format

This supplement describes the format of the export files used to specify data to be inserted into a PAR file.

File Format

The export file consists of lines containing a keyword, followed by a colon (:) and white space delimited fields. The from: line is required and it must be the first line of the file. Lines beginning with # are treated as comments.

from: types name

The from line indicates what entity is being exported. The types can be channel, provider, or channel,provider, and channel+provider. The name indicates the channel name, or a provider name if a provider is being exported. The name must be URL encoded if the name contains white space, commas (,), colons (:), semicolons (;), plus signs (+), or percent signs (%).

file: root|. path [types]

The file line indicates that a file, based on a property setting, is to be included. The property can come from either the desktop properties file, located by default in /var/opt/SUNWportal/portals/portalID/config/desktopconfig.properties file. The root specifies the root of the file location and path specifies the path to the rest of the file. The root is a property name that corresponds to a directory (like). If root is given as ., the file is assumed to be static content located at the web server's doc root. You can also specify the types of operation the file is to be associated with, defaulting to channel. The types can be channel, provider, or channel,provider, and channel+provider.

class: class [types]

The class line indicates that a class file is to be packaged with the entry, and you may optionally specify the types of operations that the class file are associated with. If not specified, provider is assumed. Types can be channel, provider, or channel,provider, and channel+provider; also, when specifying both channel and provider, you can use a space.

directory: root|. dir +|.|filter [types]

The directory line implies an entire directory search with all non-directory files to be included as if entered as file lines. It includes the capability of specifying a filter that is a directory component which must be present in recursive directory searches. The root specifies the root of the directory, or . to indicate static content. The dir is the directory underneath the root to search from, which can be given as . to start at the root itself. The filter specifies the filter component which must be in the directory, which implies a recursive descent. It can be given as + for a recursive descent with no filter, or . for no recursive descent (just the contents of the actual directory). You can also specify the types of operation, which default to channel. Types can be channel, provider, or channel,provider, and channel+provider.

entry: name

The entry line specifies the entry name used in the .par file. If not specified, it defaults to the name from the from: line.

desc: text

Any number of desc lines may appear. These are concatenated together as a user-visible description packaged with the entry.