Using a properties file to specify viewlet parameters

You can use a properties file to specify parameters for a Dashboard viewlet. One or more viewlets can reference the properties file. This simplifies configuration because you can change the parameters within the properties file instead of editing each HTML file.

Two parameters may be used to specify a properties file:

com.smarts.propertiesFile specifies properties common to all viewlets. Such properties might include the location of the VMware Smart Assurance Broker and the name of the Global Manager.
com.smarts.viewletProperties specifies properties for a single viewlet. Such properties might enable context sharing or set the focus of a map viewlet.

The parameters to specify a properties file for the viewlet are nested inside the <APPLET> tags and have the following syntax:
```
<param name=”name” value=”value”>
```
"value" indicates the name of the file containing the properties. You can use any name for a properties file.

In the following example, the HTML for a Notification Log viewlet references a properties file named dashboard.properties:
```
<APPLET TYPE="applet"
 CODE="com.smarts.webapps.SmWebNotificationsApp.class"
 WIDTH=”100%” HEIGHT=”100%”
 ARCHIVE="masterpiece.jar,jcommon-0.7.0.jar,\
 jfreechart-0.9.3.jar,tsgdtj50.jar,tsgetj50.jar,\
 tsglt50.jar,tsgltc50.jar,tsgmtj50.jar">
 <PARAM NAME="com.smarts.propertiesFile" \
VALUE ="dashboard.properties">
</APPLET>
```
Additional viewlet properties on page 38 and Encrypted connections on page 29 describes the dashboard properties file. The properties are assigned using the following syntax:
```
parameter_name=”value”
```
Quotes around the value are optional unless you need to have leading or trailing spaces as part of the value.

The following properties file example sets the location of the VMware Smart Assurance Broker and the name of the Global Manager:
```
smarts.remote.broker=host1.smarts.com:426
com.smarts.autoAttachDM=INCHARGE-SA
```
As a result, when a user opens the web page that displays the viewlet, the Attach dialog box includes the information about the Broker and Global Manager. The user simply provides a username and password to connect.