Specifying output data file location?

[David McFarlane]

Liza,

OK, now that I have looked at the documentation, I can say that the 
StartupInfo file absolutely addresses your original question, i.e., 
it provides a fine mechanism for managing the data file name and path 
in any way you like, and many more things besides.  Your programs can 
even modify the StartupInfo file with your own script.  Think of the 
possibilities!  Every once in a while PST gets something right, and 
this looks like one of those times.  It's just too bad that they are 
so stingy in releasing the information.

However, you have only EP2 "base" rather than Pro.  You need Pro if 
you want to use the StartupInfo Editor.  OTOH, if you understand the 
format then you can edit the StartupInfo file with any text editor 
(which may well offer some advantages over PST's clumsy StartupInfo 
Editor).  Then again, I do not yet know whether non-Pro installations 
can use StartupInfo files even if they cannot edit them, nor do I 
have any solid information on what version numbers can use 
StartupInfo files.  Matt Lenhart at PST tells me, "the *.startupinfo 
files should work in any version of E-Prime 2.0 that supports them 
(2.0.8.11 or later)".  However, my own tests with EP2.0.8.22 Pro 
failed -- I have asked Matt to send me a full working demo (or even 
better, to post one for us all up on the PST web site), we will see 
where that goes.  Note also that, although EP1.2 generates script 
that hints at the ability to use StartupInfo files, "Support for 
*.startupinfo files is not included in E-Prime 1.x."

<editorial>
That said, I cannot imagine why Cindy Carper set you on the wrong 
path to using the E-DataPath environment variable instead of guiding 
you to the StartupInfo file, which actually addresses your 
question.  She should know better.
</editorial>

-- David McFarlane, Professional Faultfinder


At 1/28/2010 04:24 PM Thursday, David McFarlane wrote:
>For the record, Jacqueline Ann Mogle of Syracuse University came 
>through for us and posted some documentation on the StartupInfo 
>file, and did a much better job than PST staff.  You may find her 
>post at http://www.pstnet.com/forum/Topic4015-6-1.aspx .  Thanks, Jacquie!
>
>-- David McFarlane, Professional Faultfinder
>
>
>At 1/28/2010 03:02 PM Thursday, you wrote:
>>At 1/21/2010 04:08 PM Thursday, David McFarlane wrote:
>>>As discussed below, the StartupInfo file facility promises the 
>>>answer for EP2.  This was announced at least as far back as Oct 
>>>2007 (see http://support.pstnet.com/forum/Topic609-6-1.aspx ), but 
>>>no details have been forthcoming since then.  I myself have a Web 
>>>Support request about this very issue going back to Dec 2008, at 
>>>which time Matt said that the StartupInfo file would "be available 
>>>in an upcoming build" when a public editor became available (a 
>>>"public editor"!?  why not just use a plain old text file that we 
>>>can view and edit as we like??), and that he would notify me when 
>>>this happened.  Over a year later, and I have not seen any such 
>>>notice.  Perhaps it's time for me to update my support request.
>>
>>OK, I did some legwork and at long last got the following response 
>>from Matt at PST:
>>
>>"The public build that includes the StartupInfo Editor (2.0.8.73) 
>>was just released in December. Anyone can get it via the Download 
>>section on the support site or via 
>>http://www.pstnet.com/e-prime/support/getep2.asp. Note that this is 
>>available in E-Prime 2.0 Professional only.
>>
>>"The StartupInfo Editor functionality is documented in the New 
>>Features Guide, available through the E-Prime 2.0 folder on the 
>>Windows Start menu.
>>
>>"Basically, the StartupInfo Editor is an easy way to edit 
>>*.startupinfo files, which are XML-based. You don't have to use the 
>>editor, however, and the *.startupinfo files can be edited through 
>>Notepad or some other text editor. You can also make changes to the 
>>files through E-Prime (e.g., to increment a subject number for the 
>>next run, etc). The syntax for doing this is provided in the New 
>>Features Guide."

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