The following new_york.pf file is a sample parameter file:

-db  /usr/disk0/newyork          # new york central db

-B   200                         # database buffers
-H   nysystem -S nyserver        # host, service
-L   10000                       # lock table entries

#    All other parameters receive their default values.

The format of the parameter file is the same for all operating systems. Follow these rules when creating a parameter file:

• Place a parameter and its argument on the same line.
• Use a maximum of 40 tokens per line in a parameter file.
• Use a maximum of 256 characters per line in a parameter file.
• Specify parameters with the UNIX syntax.
• Use a pound sign (#) to begin a comment. OpenEdge ignores the rest of the line.
  Note: A generated parameter file uses different comment indicators for different categories of parameters. See Format of the generated parameter file.
• Enclose a value in single (') or double (") quotes. Any white space inside the quotes is treated as part of the token.
• Any parameter not named in a parameter file receives a default value. To remind yourself of the default values, consider specifying all parameters and their values in the parameter file and adding the comment "# default" to those values that do not change.
• Use a tilde (~) to suppress the special meaning of the single (') or double (") quotes or tilde (~). A tilde also prefixes the control characters that OpenEdge can recognize in a parameter file, as listed in the following table.

  Character	Description	Octal code
  ~nnn	The character having octal code nnn	—
  ~b	BS character	~010
  ~t	HT (horizontal tab) character	~011
  ~n	LF (line feed) character	~012
  ~r	VT (carriage return) character	~013
  ~f	FF (form feed) character	~014
  ~E	ESC character.	~033

  On UNIX, use the backslash (\) in place of a tilde.