If you don't have a .dispatch_preferences file yet, simply create a text file with any preferences you want, name it .dispatch_preferences and upload it in ASCII format to your account. If you need any assistance with this, please contact Dispatch support.
- Artist_Serial_Comma = AP, White, or List
Sets the serial comma style you prefer. Examples of the styles are listed on the UserField_Serial_Comma preference..
Values: AP, White or List
Default: AP
- Author_Serial_Comma = AP, White, or List
Sets the serial comma style you prefer. Examples of the styles are listed on the UserField_Serial_Comma preference..
Values: AP, White or List
Default: AP
- auto_url_limit = #
This preference is used to limit the number of times a URL will be converted to a link within a single story. It will link the same URL only that many times -- if it shows up more than that number of times in the same file, further instances will be ignored. When set to 0, no URLs will be linked.
Values: 0 or greater
Default: Infinite
- auto_url_target = window_name
When Dispatch converts your stories to HTML, it automatically creates links to web sites and email addresses. You can use this preference to have Dispatch automatically give the link a target window name. Great for opening a new browser, or targeting a framed window.
Values: target window name (e.g._blank)
Default: n/a (no target)
- close_p = 0 or 1
This preference tells Dispatch to use single <p>'s for paragraphs (the default) or closed p's <p></p> for paragraphs when converting Quark xtg files to HTML.
Values: 0 or 1
Default: 0 (just <p>'s)
- edit_story_parts = catalog, story, images
Allows you to choose what content items you want to see when you press edit from Pagination or Review.
Values: catalog, story, images
Default: catalog, story, images
- emdash_style = {replacement characters}
Allows you to define how you want Dispatch to convert internal QuarkXPress emdashes. The default conversion is "--"
Values: any replacement characters you want
Default: --
Examples:
emdash_style = --
emdash_style = --
emdash_style = —
emdash_stle = <img src="http://www.mypub.com/images/emdash.gif"
width="5" height="6" alt="--">
Note: we do not recommend using — as it is not an accepted standard.
- file_extension = value
This
preference will allow you to change the default file extension (.html) that
Dispatch adds to stories. This is a global preference and will only effect
stories that get built by Publisher "after" you add the preference.
Values: .html, .asp, .php, .shtml, .anything_you_want
Default: .html
- ftp_publish = value
By default Dispatch publishes to a local directory on the same machine, or uses NFS to publish to a remote machine. A third option is FTP publishing to a remote machine. NOTE: Like NFS publishing, this option should only be setup by a DesertNet technician or the system administrator in charge of your Dispatch installation. This feature requires that you have an FTP server running on your destination web server.
Values: (see below)
Default: n/a
To enable FTP publishing, simply add one of the following to your .dispatch_preferences file:
For Unix Web Servers:
ftp_publish = ftp://user:password@host.domain/home/pubname/
For Windows Web Servers:
ftp_publish = ftp://user:password@host.domain/c:/apache/htdocs/pubname/
For Macintosh Web Servers:
ftp_publish = ftp://user:password@host.domain/HardDriveName/path/
For VMS Web Servers:
ftp_publish = ftp://user:password@host.domain/disk$desnet/pubname/www/
- http_cache_timeout = 0
Duration of time, in seconds, that Publisher's HTML pages will be cached by the browser. By default pages are not cached at all. Set it to a longer time (eg. 60) to allow 'View Source' for debugging purposes.
Values: time in seconds
Default: 0
- ignored_files = cover.jpg, *-large.jpg
Filename wildcards for files you want
Files Found to automatically ignore. Ignored files are not processed
and are safely kept aside until you publish. Note: you may only use one * wildcard per pattern match.
Values: comma separated filenames and wildcards.
Default: <nothing>
- ignored_publish = current, micro_sites.html, tv.html
A list of filenames and/or directories you do not want Dispatch to publish. This is most commonly used to prevent the "current" directory from publishing, or to prevent a configuration file, like micro_sites.html, from publishing.
Values: comma separated filenames and wildcards.
Default: <nothing>
Note: you may list files or directories, but can not list combinations of files and directories.
- pagination_show_filename = 1 or 0
Used to display the original uploaded file name on Pagination/Review. This is only visible until you publish the issue.
Values: 1 or 0
Default: 0
- pagination_skip = 1 or 0
Allows you to skip the pagination page if you want to. This was created for users who would prefer Pagination, or Review, but not both. NOTE: It is NOT recommended to skip both.
Values: 1 or 0
Default: 0
- pagination_style = all or section
Tells Dispatch to display all the stories on one Pagination page or to break up Pagination into multiple pages by section.
Values: all or section
Default: The default is "all", but Dispatch will automatically break it out into sections if there are too many stories in a section. This is to prevent a browser ceiling limitation.
- pagination_threshold = #
Preference to set the maximum number of stories per page in Pagination. NOTE: Setting this threshold higher is not recommended, as it may push browser memory limitations.
Values: any decimal number
Default: 40
- publish_current = mirror or repository
This preference defines how you want Dispatch to manage your "current" directory. Mirror would mirror your latest issue in the current directory. Repository would always contain the latest issue like mirroring, but it would also contain miscellaneous files from your previous issues that weren't overwritten by your latest issue. There are design benefits and cons to both settings.
Values: mirror or repository
Default: repository
- review_skip = 1 or 0
Same as pagination_skip, but refers to skipping the Review page or not.
Values: 1 or 0
Default: 0
- review_style = all or section
Tells Dispatch to display all the stories on one Review page or to break up Review into multiple pages by section.
Values: all or section
Default: The default is "all", but Dispatch will automatically break it out into sections if there are too many stories in a section. This is to prevent a browser ceiling limitation.
- review_threshold = #
Preference to set the maximum number of stories per page in Review. NOTE: Setting this threshold higher is not recommended, as it may push browser memory limitations.
Values: any decimal number
Default: 40
- silent_publish = 1
Disables the detailed publish information that displays while Dispatch is publishing an issue.
Values: 1 or 0
Default: 0
- UserField_Serial_Comma = AP, White, or List
Sets the serial comma style you prefer.
Values: AP, White or List
Default: AP
Examples of styles:
AP (Associated Press):
sci-fi, horror and comedy
ham and eggs
White:
sci-fi, horror, and comedy
ham and eggs
List:
sci-fi, horror, comedy
ham, eggs
