.help dparam Apr87 language
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NAME
dparam -- dump the parameters of a pset as a series of assignments
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USAGE
dparam pset [pset ...]
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PARAMETERS
.ls pset
The name of the parameter set to be listed.
.le
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DESCRIPTION
\fIDparam\fR lists one or more parameter sets.  Psets are specified either by
the name of the task with which the pset is associated, or by filename (pset
files have the ".par" extension).  If a file type pset is listed the extension
must be included, since it is the presence or absence of the filename
extension which \fBdparam\fR uses to distinguish between task-psets and named
(file) psets.

Each parameter is listed on a single line with the following format.
The list of assignments is terminated by the string "# EOF" so that programs
reading the list from a stream can easily distinguish the end of the variable
length list of parameters.

	task.param = value

Here "task.param" is the name of the parameter, and "value" is the current
value of the parameter.  The assignment is skipped if the value is undefined.
There is no way to distinguish between hidden parameters and query parameters.

The output from \fBdparam\fR is often used as input to programs, whereas
the output from \fBlparam\fR is formatted in a way which makes it easier for
humans to read.  For example, the output from \fBdparam\fR may be redirected
into a file and used on the IRAF main command line to set the task's
parameters, when debugging a task standalone.
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EXAMPLES
1. List the parameter for the task \fIdelete\fR.  Note that the positional
parameters are listed first, in the order in which they must be specified
on the command line, followed by the hidden parameters.

.nf
	cl> dparam delete
	delete.files = "temp"
	delete.go_ahead = yes
	delete.verify = no
	delete.default_action = yes
	delete.allversions = yes
	delete.subfiles = yes
	delete.mode = "ql"
	# EOF
.fi

2. List the contents of the file pset "delete.par".  Named psets such as this
are most commonly produced using the \fB":w filename"\fR colon command in
\fBeparam\fR, e.g., to prepare several different versions of the parameter
set for a task.

	cl> dparam delete.par

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BUGS
You cannot list the parameters of a task that does not have a parameter
file (e.g., all builtin tasks).
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SEE ALSO
eparam, lparam, cache
.endhelp
