NOTES ON THE ALARM SERVER FOR DSEE
The alarm_server program, part of standard DOMAIN software, can monitor a
variety of system conditions, including additions to DSEE tasklists. When one
of these conditions (known as an alarm event) occurs, alarm_server pops an alarm
window on the display and, optionally, sounds an audible alarm.
To run alarm_server whenever you log in, add the following command to your
personal start-up file:
cpo /sys/alarm/alarm_server -n alarm_server
By default, alarm_server pops an alarm window and sounds an alarm whenever a new
task is added to your personal tasklist and any tasklists named by the watch
tlists command. The DSEE facility records the tasklists named by watch tlists
in the special file dsee_alarmed_tlists, which is located in your user_data
directory. By default, if neither the personal tasklist nor the
dsee_alarmed_tlists file exists at start-up time, alarm_server disables its
tasklist checker and posts an alarm window that contains the message, "The DSEE
tasklist checker is being disabled since there are no tasklists to watch." (To
lift this restriction, start alarm_server with the -tlists option described
below).
You can modify alarm_server's default behavior by starting it with one or more
options. Simply change the cpo command in your personal start-up file as
follows:
cpo /sys/alarm/alarm_server [option...] -n alarm_server
Alarm Server Options
Normally, alarm_server sounds a distinctive tone pattern for each kind of alarm
event. The -bell1 option reduces the audible alarm to a single "beep" for all
events. The -no_bell option, as its name implies, turns off the audible alarm
entirely.
The -tlists option directs alarm_server to continue checking for tasklist
additions even if neither the personal tasklist nor the special file
user_data/dsee_alarmed_tlists exists at start-up time.
The -no_personal option for alarm_server causes the program to ignore additions
to your personal tasklist. If you want alarm windows only when tasks are added
to tasklists that are not personal tasklists, start alarm_server with this
option. Then issue the DSEE command watch tlists to name the tasklists you want
alarm_server to watch. (Type help watch tlists for information about the watch
tlists command.)
You can even disable alarm_server for the DSEE facilty while maintaining its
alarm functions for other DOMAIN software. To do this, start alarm_server with
the -no_tlists option.
Alarm Server Options
Option Effect/Meaning Default
-tl[ists] Pop window for each Pop window for each
addition to personal addition to personal
tasklist and tasklists in tasklist and tasklists
dsee_alarmed_tlists in dsee_alarmed_tlists
(the tasklists named (the tasklists named
by watch tlists). by watch_tlists).
Continue checking If neither the personal
for tasklist additions tasklist nor
even if neither the dsee_alarmed_tlists
personal tasklist nor exists at start-up time,
dsee_alarmed_tlists disable tasklist checking.
exists at start-up time.
-no_tl[ists] Ignore additions to Pop window for each
all DSEE addition to personal
tasklists. tasklist and task-
lists named by the
watch tlists command.
-no_p[ersonal] Ignore additions to Pop window for each
user's personal addition to personal
tasklist. tasklist.
-nobell Suppress audible Sound audible
alarm. alarm.
-bell1 Sound a single Sound event's
short beep distinctive alarm
for all events. tone.
-p[eriod] nnn Set polling period Default polling
to "nnn" minutes, period is
where "nnn" is four minutes.
a decimal integer
greater than or
equal to 1.
(Polling period refers
to how often
alarm_server
checks for events.)
-w[indow] initx [inity [width [height]]]
Set the screen position Default values: initx, 1;
of first alarm window inity, 1; width, 225;
and the size of height, 100
the alarm windows. (top left corner
of display.)
-v[ector] dx [dy]
Separate alarm windows Default values: 235, 0
by "dx" and optionally,
"dy", where "dx" is
the difference between
the horizontal coordinates
of each alarm window
and "dy" is the difference
between the vertical
coordinates. Specify
"dx" and "dy" as decimal
integers.
Personal Start-up File:
Your personal start-up file resides in the user_data subdirectory of your home
(node) directory, and has the following pathname:
home_directory/user_data/startup_dm[suffix]
The suffix has the same format as that used in system start-up files; it
indicates the display type of the node executing the file. If you use more than
one type of display, you should have more than one personal start-up file.
Your personal start-up file executes every time you log in, provided it is
invoked from the login start-up file startup_login (in `node_data or /sys/dm).
Check startup_login to see that it contains the command
cmdf user_data/startup_dm[suffix]
which invokes the personal start-up file. If this command is preceded by the
comment designator (#), remove the comment designator.