# Environment Variables

In the early days of filePro, the program was known as ProFile. Because of this, all environment variables were first designed as PFxxxx. When the first versions of filePro were released, all PFxxxx environment variables were linked to the same name staring with FP. For compatibility, this convention has been kept up forever. Any variable shown that starts with PF, such as PFDIR, PFDSK, PFNOBOX, etc. can also be used starting with FP, as in, FPDIR, FPDSK and FPNOBOX. You may feel free to use either version of the variable.

This reference shows the syntax for setting environment variables as: variablename=value. On Unix systems, these variables also need to be exported as: variablename=value for them to be recognized by filePro.

The method for setting environment variables on Microsoft platforms is "set variablename=value and they do not have to be exported.

VERY IMPORTANT: All environment variables can be set using the filePro Configuration Editor (Choice ? on the filePro Plus Main Menu), EXCEPT the following three special cases: PFPROG, PFDATA and PFDIR. These MUST be set externally in the environment for filePro to use them.

In Version 5.8.01, PFDIR2 and PFDATA2 were added to support filePro's mirroring (dual write) feature. (not available in Lite)