General HydroStatics
Ship Stability Software
Command of the Week
(New or interesting aspects of GHS that you may not know about)

The LF File
(Requires GHS and your favorite cold beverage.)

LF, for those wondering, stands for Library File, and it is a special type of user-supplied library file that augments the GHS environment. You may already be using an LF file unknowingly.

The LF file is typically used as a type of intialization file, i.e. something that is executed when launching GHS, and not when called by the user during a GHS session. In this way, it is very similar to a .SAV file. In fact, the .LF file is always loaded after any existing GHS.SAV file. All of this harkens back to the days when GHS was launched via command line (see HELP MAIN):


...and that handy /L parameter could be used to specify the LF file of your choice. Just like a slash parameter on a GHS command, this is a slash parameter on GHS itself...whoa.

But you don't need to launch GHS from Command Prompt to take advantage of the LF file. All you need to do is create a file named "GHS.LF" and place it in a special location.

Where is this special location you ask? That can always be learned by entering the MESSAGE PATH command, which returns, among other things, your library directory path. This is the ideal location for an LF file (and other library files for that matter). You can also move your library path to a different location using the MESSAGE LIBPATH "newpath" command or choosing File -> Setup paths -> User library from the GHS menu system.

When GHS launches, it will always look for GHS.LF in the library directory and run the file automatically, if found.

To configure an LF file, you simply add commands, macros, and other goodies just like you would any other library file. To build a useful example, I asked around the office and included a few of our favorite items. We encourage you to explore and modify the contents of this file and include it in your GHS library directory to see how it works.

Questions, comments, or requests?
Contact Creative Systems, Inc.

support@ghsport.com

USA phone: 360-385-6212 Fax: 360-385-6213
Office hours: 7:00 am - 4:00 pm Pacific Time, Monday - Friday

Mailing address:
PO Box 1910
Port Townsend, WA 98368 USA

www.ghsport.com

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