Accessing and working with the xpconfig primary window

This topic explains how to access and work with the xpconfig primary window.

Accessing the xpconfig primary window

You can start the xpconfig configuration utility and access the xpconfig primary window either from:

• PATROL Developer Console
• Within a native UNIX environment

If you do not have either a PATROL Developer Console or UNIX environment, you must use the pconfig command-line configuration utility. For information about the pconfig command-line configuration utility, see Using pconfig to configure the BMC PATROL Agent.

Accessing the xpconfig primary window from a PATROL Developer Console

The recommended method for starting the xpconfig configuration utility and accessing the xpconfig primary window is through a PATROL Developer Console.

To start the xpconfig configuration utility from a PATROL Developer Console and access the xpconfig primary window, perform the following action:

Using MB3, click the icon for the computer running the PATROL Agent and select Development > Agent Configuration.

The system displays the xpconfig:<hostname> window (the primary window).

Accessing the xpconfig primary window from within an UNIX system

An alternate method of starting the xpconfig configuration utility and accessing the xpconfig primary window is from within a native UNIX System environment.

To start the xpconfig configuration utility and access the xpconfig primary window from an xterm session, use the xpconfig command at the command line.

Before you begin

Before starting xpconfig from the command line, you must run one of the following scripts from the PATROL installation directory:

. ./patrolrc.sh (for Korn and Bourne shell) or source.patrolrc (for C shell). You also must set the display variable.

Syntax of the command for the xpconfig configuration utility

The command for the xpconfig configuration utility is xpconfig. The format of the xpconfig utility is as follows:

xpconfig [-host name [,...]] [-port num]

Options for starting the xpconfig Configuration Utility from the command line

Use the following table to find the xpconfig configuration utility option for the task you want to perform.

Options for starting the xpconfig from the command line

To Access the xpconfig Primary Window from the command line

Start the xpconfig configuration utility and access the xpconfig primary window from an xterm session command line by performing the following action:

Type the file name xpconfig and any host or port options and press Enter.

The system displays the xpconfig:<hostname> window (the xpconfig primary window).

The xpconfig primary window

The xpconfig window displays the current configuration. Highlighting a host name on the left causes the Variables box on the right to display the name and path of each variable associated with the host. Log messages are displayed at the bottom of the xpconfig window.

Example of the xpconfig primary window

The following figure is an example of the xpconfig primary window.

xpconfig primary window

Closing the xpconfig primary window

When you are finished making changes, select File > Exit. If you have not saved the current file, you will get a dialog box asking whether you want to save your changes. If the current file is already saved, the program will exit.

Cancelling changes not applied

To cancel any changes not applied and to return to the primary window, click Cancel.

Stopping an operation

While it is not recommended, if you feel you have received enough information to consider an operation complete, you can click Stop to halt the operation.

Clicking Stop does not abort the operation. The operation is considered complete with whatever information is retrieved when you clicked Stop.

Returning to the xpconfig primary window

Before returning to the xpconfig Primary Window, you must decide whether to save the unapplied changes, abandon these changes, or stop viewing the change file. Select one of the following methods based on your decision.

To save changes and return to the xpconfig primary window

Perform one of the following actions:

• Select File > Close
• Click OK

If you added a new variable or changed a default variable, an asterisk (*) is displayed to the left of the variable name in the primary window.

To abandon any changes not yet applied and return to the xpconfig primary window

Click Cancel.

To stop viewing the change file and return to the xpconfig primary window

Select File > Exit.

Selecting a change file

How you select a change file depends on whether you know the path of the file.

To select a change file when you do not know the file path

1. Click Filter to list only the configuration files.
2. Scroll the Directories list and double-click the appropriate directory name.
3. Scroll the Files list and double-click the appropriate file name.
4. Click OK.

To select a change file when you know the file path

1. Type the file path and name in the Selection box.
2. Press Enter, or click OK.

When changes take effect

Most of the PATROL Agent's configuration variables take effect immediately after you select Apply Configuration in the primary window.

For a detailed listing of the variables that take effect immediately, see When changes to the configuration take effect.

For information about reinitializing the PATROL Agent so that the other variables take effect, see Reinitializing the BMC PATROL Agent.