A useful technique for controlling an OpenEdge client session or server is to use a parameter (.pf) file with a startup or connection command. OpenEdge provides parameter files that set up OpenEdge sessions appropriately for a wide range of countries. You can use parameter files to specify the correct code-page settings for international applications. For example, you could use the following parameter file to specify the code page settings for a Swedish application:

-d ymd -cpcoll Swedish -cpcase Basic 

The OpenEdge session you start with this parameter file displays dates by year, month, and day. OpenEdge sorts character data according to Swedish alphabetization rules (-cpcoll Swedish). And it follows the guidelines in the Basic case table when converting between uppercase and lowercase characters (-cpcase Basic).

International parameter files are located in the OpenEdge/prolang subdirectories. Parameter files are region or country specific rather than language specific, because they set options that can vary from country to country. The OpenEdge/prolang/ger directory has parameter files for Austria, Germany, and Switzerland to account for differences among these German-speaking countries.