8.8.2 The ptop configuration file

Creating and distributing a configuration file for ptop is not necesarry, unless you want to modify the standard behaviour of ptop. The configuration file is never preloaded, so if you want to use it you should always specify it with a -c ptop.cfg parameter.

The structure of a ptop configuration file is a simple buildingblock repeated several (20-30) times, for each pascal keyword known to the ptop program. (see the default configuration file or ptopu.pp source to find out which keywords are known)

The basic building block of the configuration file consists out of one or two lines, describing how ptop should react on a certain keyword. First a line without square brackets with the following format:

keyword=option1,option2,option3,...

If one of the options is ”dindonkey” (see further below), a second line (with square brackets) is needed like this:

[keyword]=otherkeyword1,otherkeyword2,otherkeyword3,...

As you can see the block contains two types of identifiers, keywords(keyword and otherkeyword1..3 in above example) and options, (option1..3 above).

Keywords are the built-in valid Pascal structure-identifiers like BEGIN, END, CASE, IF, THEN, ELSE, IMPLEMENTATION. The default configuration file lists most of these.

Besides the real Pascal keywords, some other codewords are used for operators and comment expressions. table (8.1)

The Options codewords define actions to be taken when the keyword before the equal sign is found, table (8.2)

The option ”dindonkey” requires some extra parameters, which are set by a second line for that option (the one with the square brackets), which is therefore is only needed if the options contain ”dinkdonkey” (contraction of de-indent on assiociated keyword).

”dinkdonkey” deindents if any of the keywords specified by the extra options of the square-bracket line is found.

Example: The lines

mean the following:

• The keyword this block is about is else because it’s on the LEFT side of both equal signs.
• The option crbefore signals not to allow other code (so just spaces) before the ELSE keyword on the same line.
• The option dindonkey de-indents if the parser finds any of the keywords in the square brackets line (if,then,else)
• The option inbytab means indent by a tab.
• The option upper uppercase the keyword (else or Else becomes ELSE)

Try to play with the configfile step by step until you find the effect you desire. The configurability and possibilities of ptop are quite large. E.g. I like all keywords uppercased instead of capitalized, so I replaced all capital keywords in the default file by upper.

ptop is still development software, so it is wise to visually check the generated source and try to compile it, to see if ptop hasn’t made any errors.