OPAC-Related Environment Variables

Environment Variable

Purpose

TAL_BOOKING
_INTERCEPT

Certain terminals (for example, those used for Public Renewals) may be allocated the role of issuing and renewing Bookable Items, by setting the environment variable TAL_BOOKING_INTERCEPT=YES. This environment variable ensures the checks for booking exceptions take place. The Due Date when loaning a bookable Item will default to the end of the current booking slot.

TAL_BOOKING_NO_SLOT

Terminals used for Public Renewals may need to have the Due Date calculated from normal Loan Rule parameters instead of the end of the current booking slot. This is achieved by setting the variable TAL_BOOKING_NO_SLOT=YES.

TAL_CANCEL
_WAITING_RES

For those Libraries that allow users to cancel reservations, this variable defines whether OPAC users will be permitted to cancel reservations which are status "Awaiting collection". The default is unset. If this variable is not set then users can only cancel "Active" reservations. For example: TAL_CANCEL_WAITING_RES=YES.

TAL_DATE_RESTRICTORS

This variable defines the maximum number of simultaneous Date restrictors that can be used in a search. The maximum (and default) is "10". TAL_DATE_RESTRICTORS=x

TAL_DEF_COLLECTION

This is used to set the default collection to which the terminal will log on (where multiple collections have been defined using MINDEX). A numeric ID should be used rather than a code. For example: TAL_DEF_COLLECTION=2, where "2" might be the ID for a serials collection.

TAL_DEWEY_ON

This variable is used to tell OPAC to treat input for a Class number search as Dewey. Note that this only needs setting if the Library uses both LC and Dewey classification schemes.
For example, TAL_DEWEY_ON=YES. If the Library uses both schemes, OPAC will determine from the search string which type of search to carry out. See also TAL_LC_ON. 

TAL_FKEY_AUTO_SPREAD

This controls the display of alternative function keys. When set to "YES", there will be dynamic display of Escape-based and/or Return-based function keys. If the function key template is set to use 8 keys, but there are more than 8 Escape/Return-based keys, the system will dynamically change to support 10/12 keys, as appropriate. This variable only needs to be set if users do not have the use of their cursor keys, when they are running Escape-based or Return-based function keys.

TAL_FKEY_DISP_MODE

This variable enables specified function keys to be displayed. The options include:
(i) Normal function keys (TAL_FKEY_DISP_MODE=1). (ii) Alternate function keys(TAL_FKEY_DISP_MODE=2)
(iii) Return-based mode (i.e. a letter followed by <Enter>) (TAL_FKEY_DISP_MODE=4).

TAL_FKEY_MODE

This enables the system to provide any combination of three alternative modes of using function keys:
(i) Normal function keys (<F1> through to <F12>) (TAL_FKEY_MODE=1). This is the default.
(ii) "Alternate" function keys (using any specified initial key such as <Esc> represents the function initiator) (TAL_FKEY_MODE=2).
(iii) Return-based keys (i.e. a single character followed by <Enter>) (TAL_FKEY_MODE=4).
(iv) All three (TAL_FKEY_MODE=7).

TAL_FMT_RESTRICTORS

This variable defines the maximum number of simultaneous Format restrictors that can be used in a search. The maximum (and default) is 10. TAL_FMT_RESTRICTORS=x.

TAL_IMPLICIT_STACK

This variable sets the number of implicit searches which a user can stack. TAL_IMPLICIT_STACK=x. The default and maximum is 5. If this is set to "0" then Authority Cross-References will not work.

TAL_INTR_TIMEOUT

To turn off the search interrupt facility, set TAL_INTR_TIMEOUT=no. This will diasable the operation of search interrupt time intervals and messages.

TAL_LANG_RESTRICTORS

This variable defines the maximum number of simultaneous Language restrictors that can be used in a search. The maximum (and default) is "10". TAL_LANG_RESTRICTORS=x.

TAL_LC_ON

This variable is used to tell OPAC to treat Class Number searches as Library of Congress (LC) numbers, when it is set to TAL_LC_ON=YES. If the input cannot be found as an LC number, it will try again as a Dewey number. If no matches are found, the user will then be placed at the nearest equivalent LC number.

TAL_MAX_BROWSE

The number of WORK_IDs brought back from the server can be been restricted to facilitate browsing. The variable TAL_MAX_BROWSE has a default of 250 and is set in the Talis script.

TAL_MAX_END

This variable "TAL_MAX_END" allows the Library to specify the maximum number of rows for which using the <End> key will move the user to the last row in the set of references. "TAL_MAX_END" defaults to 1000. This is expected to prevent problems where a user might try to use the <End> key to move many thousands of rows to the end of an index. For example:
TAL_MAX_END=n; export TAL_MAX_END
where "n" is value chosen.

TAL_MAX_SIZE

To prevent Talis growing beyond reasonable limits, the value specified against this variable represents the upper limit for the amount of memory which may be allocated to a user. If memory allocation exceeds that shown the user will be terminated (with results similar to a core dump). This prevents a process growing indefinitely and slowing the system. TAL_MAX_SIZE defaults to 6,000 Kbytes. It is set in the "talis" script. This is not OPAC-specific.

TAL_MIN_TITLE

Users are normally required to enter a minimum of 2 letters of the Title to prevent any performance problems. Libraries may specify an alternative minimum number of letters required using the variable TAL_MIN_TITLE=x, where x is the minimum number of letters required. For example:
TAL_MIN_TITLE=3;export TAL_MIN_TITLE

TAL_NO_BACK_BROWSE

Talis is shipped with back-browsing turned off by default. For there to be no back browsing, this environment variable should be set as follows in the "talis" script in /usr/opt/blcmp/talis/bin:TAL_NO_BACK_BROWSE=on;export TAL_NO_BACK_BROWSE. If you want back browsing to be available, simply delete the above line or "comment" it out.

TAL_NO_CLASS

This variables govern suppression of the Classification Number in Reference List. If this variable is set to TAL_NO_CLASS=ON the classmark display from the Work will not appear on the single line, except in a Class search.

TAL_OPAC_A_SORT

This environment variable controls the ordering within a set of references from an Author search. For full instructions on the use of sort variables in the format TAL_OPAC_XX_SORT refer Section 4.4.2: Sort Variables.

TAL_OPAC_AK_SORT

This environment variable controls the ordering within a set of references from an Author/Keyword search.

TAL_OPAC_AT_SORT

This variable controls the ordering within a set of references from an Author/Title search.

TAL_OPAC_C_SORT

This variable controls the ordering within a set of references from a Class Number search.

TAL_OPAC_CAN_ISSUES

The "TAL_OPAC_CAN_ISSUES" environment variable can be used to mask display of the "cancelled" status for Serial Issues. This variable may be defined as any single word up to 11 characters. It is case sensitive. If set, then the text (up to 11 characters) is displayed in the Status column. If not present, "cancelled" Serial Issues display with the default Cancelled status. This environment variable is not set by default.

TAL_OPAC_CLM_ISSUES

The "TAL_OPAC_CLM_ISSUES" environment variable can be used to mask the display of the "claimed" or "claimable" status for Serial Issues. This variable may be defined as any single word up to 11 characters. It is case sensitive. If set, then the text (up to 11 characters) is displayed in the status column. If not present, claimed and claimable Serial Issues display with the status text itself. This environment variable is not set by default.

TAL_OPAC_EXP_ISSUES

causes OPAC to display details of the next ten issues expected. If there are fewer issues than the specified number expected, all expected Issues are listed.

TAL_OPAC_ISSUE
_CANDATE

The "TAL_OPAC_ISSUE_CANDATE" environment variable can be set to suppress the display of cancelled date from the Serial Issues List. If set to "NO", then no dates appear in the Date field for cancelled Issues. If not set, or set to any other value than "NO", the cancelled date displays alongside cancelled Issues. This environment variable is not set by default.

TAL_OPAC_ISSUE
_CLMDATE

The "TAL_OPAC_ISSUE_CLMDATE" environment variable can be used to suppress the display of claimed or claimable Issue dates from the Serial Issues List. If set to "NO", no dates display on the Date field for claimed / claimable Issues displayed on the Serial Issues List. If not set, or set to any other value than "NO", the claimed / claimable date displays alongside the claimed Issues. This environment variable is not set by default.

TAL_OPAC_ISSUE
_EXPDATE

The "TAL_OPAC_ISSUE_EXPDATE" environment variable can be set to suppress the display of the expected date from the Serial Issues List. If set to "NO", then no dates will display in the Serial Issues List for any expected issues displayed. If not set, or set to any other value than "NO", the expected date(s) will display alongside the expected issues. This environment variable is not set by default, so that the expected delivery date for future issues is available for customers to see.

TAL_OPAC_K_SORT

This variable controls the ordering within a set of references from a Keyword search.

TAL_OPAC_LIMIT_PMT

If this variable is set to "YES", then users who make use of the novice interface for limiting searches will be returned to the search prompt before the search is carried out. The default is unset, in which case the system will carry out the search as soon as users press <Enter> at the novice prompt. The intention behind setting this to "YES" is to allow Libraries to educate users in the expert search syntax for search restriction etc.

TAL_OPAC_RECENT_ISS
_NO

The "TAL_OPAC_RECENT_ISS_NO" environment variable controls how many ITEM_CHECK_IN rows are selected from the database in order to retrieve the most recent Issue for a subscription. This defaults to 20 for reasonable performance. Note: There may be conditions where this could cause the incorrect Issue(s) to be selected as the most recent for a given subscription. If, for example, a number of old Issues have been receipted and this number is greater than the environment variable's setting then some of the recent Issues might not be displayed to the user.

TAL_OPAC_RESTRICTOR

This variable defines the maximum number of combined search restrictors that can be applied to a single search. For example: TAL_OPAC_RESTRICTOR=5. The default and maximum is 10.

TAL_OPAC_RL_SORT

In Talis Version 8.02+, this variable controls the order of references on a Reading List, in a manner similar to how search results can be sorted elsewhere in Talis OPAC / TalisWeb OPAC. For further information on the use of this variable, refer to Reading List References Sort.

TAL_OPAC_VOLS

This variable used to turn-off the display of the Serials Volumes List, but was withdrawn in Talis Version 8.0 as it was replaced by the "Serial Volumes Display" enablement.

TAL_OPAC_WANTS_NOTE

This variable determines whether or not Wants Notes are displayed in the OPAC Item Notes display. The default condition is unset. This should be set to "YES" if it is required.

TAL_OPUS_RESTRICTORS

This variable defines the maximum number of simultaneous Opus restrictors that can be used in a search. The maximum (and default) is 10. In practice, this is unlikely to need to be more than "1". TAL_OPUS_RESTRICTORS=x.

TAL_PHYSMED_LEN

This defines the length of the Physical Medium data which will be displayed on the References List. If this variable is not set, or is set to "0" (zero), then Physical Medium information will not display.

TAL_SEL_CHAR_ATT

0 Normal (this is the default)
1 Reverse video
2 Flashing
3 Flashing and reverse video
4 Underline
5 Underline and reverse
6 Underline and flashing
7 Underline, flashing and reverse
8 Bold
9 Bold and reverse
10 Bold and flashing
11 Bold, flashing, reverse
12 Bold and underline
13 Bold, underline and reverse
14 Bold, underline and flashing
15 Bold, underline, flashing and reverse

TAL_SUPPRESS_SSHOLDS

When set to "Yes", the COLL_RULES table is checked before Site-Serial-Holdings information is displayed. If "TAL_SUPPRESS_SSHOLDS" is not set (or set to any value other than "Yes") then all Serial Holdings are displayed, irrespective of the Sites included in COLL_RULES.

TAL_TYPE_AHEAD

Stops users typing ahead, when set to TAL_TYPE_AHEAD=no. (The "NO" may be in upper or lower case). It should not be used for any terminals using keyboard scanners.

Environment Variable

Purpose

STD_OUT_DEF

This variable (set as STD_OUT_DEF=YES; export STD_OUT_DEF) controls whether terminals are prevented from printing. If this is not set then only those terminals that have been specifically set-up to print will allow printing. When this is set, printing is possible from any terminal, regardless of whether it has been added to a Device Group.

TAL_OUTPUT_CONTROL

This variable controls whether OPAC users will be prompted for a Borrower Number when requesting a hardcopy output. This should be set to "YES". The default is unset.

TAL_OUTPUT_DIR=
/users/talis/output

This variable is used for specifying the destination for temporary print files. It defaults to /scratch/tal_output. Libraries are unlikely to wish to change this default in practice.

Environment Variable

Purpose

TAL_SELF_CHARGE

This variable determines whether or not the Borrower "Outstanding charge" exception prevents a public reservation, public renewal request (in Talis v.8.02+), self-service interloan request, public booking or self-issue^*. If set to "TAL_SELF_CHARGE=NO", then an "Outstanding charge" exception will not disallow a public reservation, public renewal request (in Talis v.8.02+), self-service interloan request, public booking or self-issue. If this variable is set to any other value, or is not set, then the "Outstanding charge" exception operates normally and disallows a public reservation, public renewal request (in Talis v.8.02+), self-service interloan request, public booking or self-issue transaction.

TAL_SELF_MESSAGE
_LEVEL

If there are no active standard messages against the Borrower then a public reservation, public renewal request (in Talis v.8.02+), self-service interloan request, public booking or self-issue is allowed regardless of "TAL_SELF_MESSAGE_LEVEL".

TAL_SELF_OVERDUE

This environment variable determines whether or not the Borrower "Overdue loans" exception disallows a public reservation request, public renewal request (in Talis v.8.02+), self-service interloan request, public booking or self-issue. If this is set to "TAL_SELF_OVERDUE=NO", this exception will not prevent a public reservation, public renewal request (in Talis v.8.02+), self-service interloan request, public booking or self-issue^*. If this environment variable is set to any other value, or is not set, the "Overdue loans" exception operates as normal to disallow a public reservation, public renewal request (in Talis v.8.02+), self-service interloan request, public booking or self-issue.

TAL_SELF_RECALL

This environment variable determines whether or not the Borrower "Recalled loans" exception disallows a public reservation request, public renewal request (in Talis v.8.02+), self-service interloan request, public booking or self-issue. If set to "TAL_SELF_RECALL=NO", this exception will not prevent a public reservation, public renewal request (in Talis v.8.02+), self-service interloan request, public booking or self-issue^*. If this variable is set to any other value, or is not set, then the "Recall loans" exception operates as normal to disallow a public reservation request, public renewal request (in Talis v.8.02+), self-service interloan request, public booking or self-issue.