dx - start one or both of the Data Explorer user interface (dxui) and the executive (dxexec).

dx

[ -arch <ibm6000 | sun4 | indigo | hp700 | ibmpvs> ]
[ -cache < on | off > ]
[ -data < path list > ]
[ -directory <dir> ]
[ -display < display name > ]
[ -execute ]
[ -exec < dxexec executable > ]
[ -highlight < on | off > ]
[ -help ]
[ -host < host name > ]
[ -image | -edit ]
[ -include < path list > ]
[ -local ]
[ -log < on | off > ]
[ -macros < path list > ]
[ -mdf < mdf file > ]
[ -memory < # of MB > ]
[ -port < # > ]
[ -queue ]
[ -script [ <script file> ] ]
[ -server < host name > ]
[ -suppress ]
[ -trace < on | off > ]
[ -timing < on | off > ]
[ -uionly | -execonly ]
[ -verbose ]
[ -version]
[ -wait ]
[ -xrm < X resource > ]
[ visual program file ]

dx is a C shell script that provides an interface to the Data Explorer User Interface and Executive. The user interface is an X windows/Motif based application that provides a visual programming environment and an interface to the executive. The executive provides the computational tools and mechanisms to create data visualizations. For a more thorough description see the IBM Visualization Data Explorer User's Guide.

The dx script optionally takes a file containing a visual program (also called a network) and a set of options as described below and starts either one or both of the user interface and the executive. If arguments are in conflict (i.e. -host dxwizard -local ), then the latter of the conflicting arguments is used.

-arch <ibm6000 | sun4 | indigo | hp700 | ibmpvs>

Generally, this option should not be required but allows for the specification of the path to the executive within /usr/lpp/dx/. For example, "-arch ibm600" indicates that the executive in /usr/lpp/dx/bin_ibm6000/dxexec should be used.

-cache < on | off >

Turn on or off the executive caching system. When the Data Explorer caching mechanism is enabled the Data Explorer executive automatically caches the intermediate results generated during its visualization computations. Unlike standard caching mechanisms, these results are accessed by means of their functional derivation. This allows for automatic graph optimization and helps to avoid the recomputation of previously utilized intermediates, especially when the Data Explorer sequencer is being used. In certain rare instances, a machine with a small amount of memory may want to disable this caching to conserve memory and reduce paging. Default = on.

-data <path list>

Override DXDATA environment variable (see ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES below).

-directory < dir >

Cause the executive to be run in the given directory.

-display < display name >

Set the name of the X display to be used by the user interface and the executive.

-edit

Cause the user interface to be started with the Visual Program Editor (VPE) window as the top level window of the user interface (the top level window is denoted by an anchor in the upper left hand corner). Edit mode is the default. Also see -image.

-exec < executive executable >

Use the given file as a replacement for the executive. This option allows a user to build and use his/her own custom executive.

-execonly

Start the executive in remote mode in which it will then await a connection from the user interface. The user interface is not started with this option. Also see -script.

-execute

Execute once after the user interface has made a connection with the executive.

-help

Print a listing of options and usage for dx.

-highlight < on | off >

Turn on or off module execution highlighting. If highlighting is turned on, the user interface will highlight each module as it is executed. Default = on (off for PVS).

-host < host name >

Override DXHOST environment variable (see ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES below).

-image

Cause the user interface to be started with the image window as the top level window of the user interface. Also, control panels that are configured to open automatically are opened. Also see -edit.

-include < path list >

Override DXINCLUDE environment variable (see ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES below).

-local

Override the DXHOST environment variable (if set) and cause the executive to be run on the local host. In the absence of the DXHOST environment variable, this is the default.

-log < on | off >

Turn on or off executive logging. If logging is on then the executive logs output to the file dx.log in the directory where the executive is executing. Default = off.

-macros < path list >

Override the DXMACROS environment variable (see ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES below).

-mdf < mdf file >

Override the DXMDF environment variable (see ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES below).

-memory < # of MB >

Set the maximum amount of memory, in megabytes rounded up to a two megabyte boundary, that the executive is able to allocate. Default = the amount of physical memory minus 8 MB.

-port < # >

Request that the given number be used by the executive as the port number to use when communicating with the user interface. If the given port is unavailable, the port number is incremented until an available port is found.

-queue

"PVS only" argument that when used with the -execonly option, causes d to wait in the dxui queue for the PVS to become available. Also see -wait.

-script [ <script file> ]

Run just the executive in script mode. If a file name is provided then the executive reads and executes commands from the given script and then terminates. If a file is not provided then when the executive starts up it enters script mode where it waits for script commands. Also see -execonly.

-server < host >

This is an alias for '-arch ibmpvs -hostname host", and indicates that the executive should be started on the PVS server connected to an RS/6000 console with hostname host.

-suppress

Inhibit the automatic opening of control panels in image mode (-image).

-timing < on | off >

Turn on or off the executive timing mechanism. If enabled, then when the executive exits it will list on standard output or the logging file timing statistics for each module that was used during the course of execution. Default = off.

-trace < on | off >

Turn on or off the executive trace mechanism. When tracing is enabled the executive displays informative messages about the execution sequence on either standard output or the log file if logging is enabled. Default = off.

-uionly

Cause the user interface to be started without making a connection to an executive.

-verbose

Echo commands in the dx script as they are executed.

-version

Print version numbers of various executables.

-wait

"PVS only" argument that when used with the -execonly option, causes dx to wait until the server is available. Also see -queue.

-xrm < Xresource=value >

Set an X resource.

DXMACROS

This contains a colon separated list of directories in which the user interface searches for macros that will be automatically loaded. When running in script mode one must "include" all the macros by hand prior to referencing them. Also see the -macros option.

DXDATA

This contains a colon separated list of directories in which the executive will search for data files. Also see the -data option.

DXARGS

This contains the default set of arguments used by the dx script. The arguments are prepended to those given to dx on the command line. This variable allows for the dx command to be easily customized.

DXHOST

This contains the name of the host machine that will run the executive. If this is not set then a default of "localhost" is used, unless the local host is a PVS console in which case the default is to run the executive on the PVS. Also see the -host, -local and -server options.

DXMDF

This contains the name of a module description file (mdf) that contains user defined modules for a customized version of the executive. Also see the -mdf option.

DXINCLUDE

This contains a colon separated list of directories in which the executive will search for "included" scripts. Also see the -include option.

/usr/lpp/dx/ui/DX - application defaults file for DX.

README* - The README file(s) found in the dx installation directory are an added source of information.