Control files

AFP Visual Environment control files contain information about the enhancements made to sample AFP files. AFP Visual Environment commands use control files to make the same enhancements to production AFP files.

When you enhance a sample AFP file, AFP Visual Environment creates a control file that contains information about how to make the enhancements. The enhancements are not made in the sample AFP file. To see the enhancements when you open the sample AFP file in a subsequent session, you must also open the control file that was used to enhance the sample file.

If you enhance the same sample AFP file (or a similar AFP file) again in another session, AFP Visual Environment can use the same control file. All enhancements for the sample AFP file must be defined in the same control file. AFP Visual Environment can add all enhancements to the same control file regardless of which component you use to make the enhancements.

Unless you change the name of the control file and its directory path, the control file has the same name as the sample AFP file with a .ctl extension and is saved in the same directory as the sample file. If you want to use a different naming scheme, use one that associates the sample AFP file with its control file.

Parent topic: Overview