System parameters

System parameters define either server or client properties.

  • Other parameters do not have a value unless a system administrator sets one. For example, the system parameter determines the port that clients use to access the Service Manager server. The initial value for this parameter is set during installation and stored in the sm.ini file. If no value is set for the system parameter in the sm.ini file, then Service Manager clients do not know what port to connect to on the server.
  • Some parameters affect the server and all the clients that connect to it, while others only affect a particular client or connection.
  • Furthermore, a particular parameter can affect all connections or a particular connection, based on where it is set.

Parameters provide a method to handle each of the following requirements:

  • In a production environment, the system administrator may want to prevent all client connections from printing or unloading data.
  • In a production environment, a user may want to change the font within Service Manager.
  • In a development or testing environment, the system administrator may want to grant all developers certain debugging capabilities.
  • In a development or testing environment, an application developer may want additional debugging capabilities.

System parameters change the behavior of the Service Manager components. Parameters are typically designed to affect one of these components. The following table lists the components that can be influenced by system parameters.

Component Method to set parameter value or default file location Type of parameter
HPE Service Manager server
  • In the C:\Program Files\HP\ HPE Service Manager <x.xx>\Server\RUN\sm.ini file on the Service Managerserver
  • By using the operating system command line
client and server
Windows client
  • In the C:\Program Files\HP\ HPE Service Manager <x.xx>\Server\RUN\sm.ini file on the Service Managerserver
  • By using the operating system command line
  • In the Windows client, from the Window > Preferences menu

client
Web application server In the ..webtier_<x.xx>/WEB-INF/web.xml file on the web application server web
Web client
  • In the ..webtier_<x.xx>/WEB-INF/web.xml file on the web application server
  • In the URL
web
Help Center
  • In the Windows client, from the Window > Preferences menu
  • In the ..webtier_<x.xx>/WEB-INF/web.xml file on the web application server
web

Because system parameters can be set from a variety of locations and by a variety of people, the values that are set may conflict. Therefore, it is important to know which parameter values take precedence when a conflict exists.

  • Parameters that you set from the operating system command line or configuration file take precedence over parameters that are set in the sm.ini file on the server. You can use parameters from the command line or configuration file to override the standard sm.ini settings.
  • Parameters that you set in the sm.ini file on the server take precedence over the preferences that are set in the Windows client.
  • Parameters that you set in the sm.ini file on the server take precedence over the parameters that you set in the web.xml file on the web application server.
  • Parameters you set in the URL of the web client take precedence over parameters that you set in the web.xml file on the web application server.

Getting help with parameters

Service Manager includes two sources of information about parameters. This Help center is one of those sources. Additionally, you can open a command line on the Service Managerserver, navigate to the "C:\Program Files\HP\ HPE Service Manager <x.xx>\Server\RUN" directory, and then run the sm -helpall command that is, an sm command with the helpall parameter). Help provides detailed descriptions of each parameter and its use, while helpall provides a list of parameters and a brief description of each.