Settings Format

Each of the settings contain their own format

This page specifies all the possible configuration formats.

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Kernel Configuration Entries

The most basic pseudo-representation of the settings entry file is printed below to illustrate the concept:

[
    {
        "Name": "SectionName",
        "Desc": "Description of the section, usually a short one.",
        "DisplayAs": "Section name to be displayed in the app",
        "Keys": [
            {
                "Name": "Key name to be displayed in the app",
                "Type": "SType",
                "Variable": "VarName",
                "Description": "Description of the key, usually a short one."
            }
        ]
    }
]

Basically, all of the settings entry files start with an array containing one or more of the sections under the selected name for reference.

Configuration section entries

Each section contains these necessary entries:

Variable	Description	Type
Name	This variable holds the short section name.	string
Desc	This variable holds the description of the section to be displayed in the bottom of the application.	string, localizable
DisplayAs	This variable holds the text to display in the settings application.	string, localizable
Keys	This variable holds the settings entries.	array

Configuration key entries

In the Keys variable, it contains an array of objects containing the settings entry information. They get used by the settings application to determine what to do when getting and setting the variable value.

The entry information is detailed below (in general case):

Variable	Description	Type
Name	This contains the key name to be displayed by the settings application.	string, localizable
Type	The type of a variable, depending on the variable and on the purpose.	string
Variable	The variable to get and to set the values from/to.	string
Description	The description of the entry, to describe what is the purpose.	string, localizable

Optional key entry variables

The variables that can be omitted are specified below:

Variable	Description	Type
Masked	Specifies whether the string is a secret or not (shows as asterisks when editing).	boolean
IsEnumeration	If the variable is an enumeration, set to true.	boolean
IsValuePath	If the value takes a path, then true.	boolean
IsPathCurrentPath	If the value takes a relative path, then true to neutralize the input path to the current path.	boolean
UnsupportedPlatforms	The value is unsupported on one or more of the host platforms. The settings application won't display this value on an unsupported platform.	array of strings, one of "windows", "unix", "macos"
ValuePathType	The path type to use for values. IsPathCurrentPath must be false.	string

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Requirements for key types

In special cases, each type might require different variables to be set before the settings application knows what to do.

These types are listed below:

• SBoolean

• SInt

• SString

• SSelection

• SList

• SColor

• SChar

• SIntSlider

• SDouble

• SPreset

• SFiglet

• SMultivar

Only the types that require additional configuration are listed below. The below variables must be set to work with these types:

SSelection

This type is a selection from the list of the values that a function or an enumeration returns.

Case 1: (IsEnumeration is false)

The format is as below:

{
    "IsEnumeration": false,
    "SelectionFunctionName": "FunctionThatReturnsAList",
    "SelectionFunctionType": "TypeThatImplementsTheFunction",
    "SelectionFunctionArgs": [
        {
            "ArgType": "System.Boolean",
            "ArgValue": "False"
        }
    ],
    "SelectionFallback": [ "Fallback 1" ]
}

If the target listing is not an enumeration, the list can be obtained using a function that returns a list of possible options that can be set here.

Variable	Description	Type
SelectionFunctionName	The function within the below specified type that returns the list. It must contain no arguments.	string
SelectionFunctionType	The type containing the function above (must be a fully-qualified type name).	string
SelectionFunctionArgs	An array of arguments to be passed to the function (if omitted, nothing is passed to the function).	object
SelectionFallback	An array of the fallback values in case the function fails.	array

SelectionFunctionArgs is an object that contains the two keys:

Variable	Description	Type
ArgType	A fully qualified name of a target type (must be simple types, such as System.String).	string
ArgValue	A valid value that can be converted to the target type.	string

In the SelectionFunctionArgs value, please make sure that you pass the correct number of parameters in their correct order and in their correct types.

Case 2: (IsEnumeration is true)

The format is as below:

{
    "IsEnumeration": true,
    "EnumerationInternal": false,
    "Enumeration": "Namespace.Enum",
    "EnumerationAssembly": "Assembly",
    "EnumerationZeroBased": false
}

If the target listing is an enumeration, the list can be obtained immediately with a list of possible options that can be set here.

Variable	Description	Type
EnumerationInternal	Specifies whether the enumeration is found within the kernel or within an external assembly.	boolean
Enumeration	The fully qualified name of the enumeration, including the whole namespace. If internal, Nitrocid. can be omitted. Enumerations inside the static classes must be appended with the plus sign, for example, ConsoleBase.Inputs.Styles.ChoiceStyle+ChoiceOutputType.	string
EnumerationAssembly	An assembly name containing the enumeration. It can be omitted if enumeration is internal.	string
EnumerationZeroBased	If the enumeration is zero-based, then true. Otherwise, the enumeration is assumed to start from one.	boolean

SList

This type allows lists to be made in kernel settings. It contains list of configured values.

Case 1 (dynamic delimiter)

The format is as below:

{
    "SelectionFunctionName": "GetPathList",
    "SelectionFunctionType": "Filesystem",
    "DelimiterVariable": "PathLookupDelimiter"
}

The target list is always a parameterless function that always returns a list that is found under a Nitrocid type. The list type takes a string and splits it using the specified delimiter found in a variable.

Variable	Description	Type
SelectionFunctionName	The function within the below specified type that returns the list. It must contain no arguments.	string
SelectionFunctionType	The type containing the function above.	string
DelimiterVariable	The variable containing the delimiter character.	string
DelimiterVariableType	The type containing the delimiter variable name (must be a fully-qualified type name)	string

Case 2 (hardcoded delimiter)

The format is as below:

{
    "SelectionFunctionName": "GetPathList",
    "SelectionFunctionType": "Filesystem",
    "Delimiter": ";"
}

The target list is always a parameterless function that always returns a list that is found under a Nitrocid KS type. The list type takes a string and splits it using the specified delimiter.

Variable	Description	Type
SelectionFunctionName	The function within the below specified type that returns the list. It must contain no arguments.	string
SelectionFunctionType	The type containing the function above.	string
Delimiter	The delimiter character.	string

SPreset

This type is a shell preset that is treated as a string in the kernel configuration file, but it's actually set by the shell preset manager.

General case

The format is as below:

{
    "ShellType": "Shell"
}

It provides only one variable, ShellType, that specifies the shell type for listing all the presets. It delegates the listing functions to PromptPresetManager.PromptForPresets() function with the shell type in the Nitrocid.Shell.Prompts namespace.

Variable	Description	Type
SelectionFunctionName	The function within the below specified type that returns the list. It must contain no arguments.	string

SIntSlider

This type is for integer values which are limited. They're surrounded between the minimum number and the maximum number, which can be represented like this (x is a value):

$N_{min} < x < N_{max}$

General case

The format is as below:

{
    "MinimumValue": 0,
    "MaximumValue": 10
}

There are two variables that must be set. One for the minimum value and one for the maximum value.

Variable	Description	Type
MinimumValue	The minimum value to be set.	integer
MaximumValue	The maximum value to be set.	integer

SMultivar

This type is to group multiple settings entries, which are indicated in an array value of the Variables key in the entries JSON file. The format is as below:

{
    "Name": "Kernel color schemes",
    "Type": "SMultivar",
    "Description": "This allows you to set multiple kernel color schemes",
    "Variables": [
        {
            "Name": "User Name Shell Color",
            "Type": "SColor",
            "Variable": "UserNameShellColor"
        },
        (...)
    ]
}

You can nest the SMultivar entries, since the Variables value gets deserialized into an array of the settings entries instance used internally, and the settings application takes this into account.

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Other configuration types

There are other configuration types that different parts of Nitrocid uses, such as user configuration.

User Configuration

The kernel makes a user configuration entry for each new user created either by the adduser command or by the call of the UserManagement.InitializeUser() function in the Nitrocid.Users namespace under the name of Users.json found in the kernel configuration directory.

Format

The format of the file looks like this:

[
  {
    "Username": "name",
    "FullName": "Full Name",
    "PreferredLanguage": "",
    "Groups": [],
    "Password": "encrypted password",
    "Flags": 1,
    "Permissions": [],
    "CustomSettings": {
      "key1": [
        "value1"
      ],
      (...)
    }
  }
]

Explanation

Let's explain each key one by one:

Variable	Description	Type
Username	Stores the username.	string
FullName	Stores the full name.	string
PreferredLanguage	Stores the preferred user language in three-letter language name format. Can be left blank to use the kernel-wide language.	string
Groups	What groups the user is in?	array of string
Password	Stores the password.	string (SHA256)
Flags	Specifies a number representing the flags.	integer
Permissions	Stores the array of permissions found under the permission list, PermissionTypes.	array of string
CustomSettings	Specifies the customized settings entries	array of properties

The type of Flags is an integer that can be a sum of the following flags:

• 1: Administrator

• 2: Anonymous

• 4: Disabled

Group configuration

The kernel also supports user groups created either by the addgroup command or by the call of the GroupManagement.AddGroup() function in the Nitrocid.Users.Groups namespace under the name of UserGroups.json found in the kernel configuration directory.

Format

The format of the file looks like this:

[
  {
    "GroupName": "testGroup",
    "Permissions": []
  }
]

Explanation

Let's explain each key one by one:

Variable	Description	Type
GroupName	The name of the group.	string
Permissions	Stores the array of permissions found under the permission list, PermissionTypes.	array of strings

Alias configuration

The kernel makes an alias configuration entry for each new alias created either by the alias command or by the call of the AliasManager.ManageAlias() function in the Nitrocid.Shell.ShellBase.Aliases namespace under the name of Aliases.json found in the kernel configuration directory.

Format

The format of the file looks like this:

[
  {
    "Alias": "alias",
    "Command": "cmd",
    "Type": "ShellType"
  }
]

Explanation

Let's explain each key one by one:

Variable	Description	Type
Alias	Stores the alias.	string
Command	Stores the target command.	string
Type	The shell type	boolean

Debug Device Configuration

The kernel makes a debug device configuration entry for each new device connected to the remote debugger under the name of DebugDevicesNames.json found in the kernel configuration directory.

Format

The format of the file looks like this:

[
  {
    "Address": "192.168.1.100",
    "Name": "device",
    "Blocked": false,
    "MuteLogs": false,
    "ChatHistory": []
  }
]

Explanation

Let's explain each key one by one:

Variable	Description	Type
Address	Stores the device address.	string
Name	Stores the name of the remote debug device.	string
Blocked	Whether the device is banned or not.	boolean
MuteLogs	Whether to mute the kernel debug logs or not. Useful for conversations.	boolean
ChatHistory	Recent chat history	array of strings

Event configuration

The kernel makes an event file for each event made in the KSEvents folder by calendar event saveall.

Format

The format of the file looks like this:

{
    "EventDate": "2023-12-18T00:00:00",
    "EventTitle": "Test",
    "IsYearly": false,
    "StartMonth": 1,
    "StartDay": 1,
    "EndMonth": 1,
    "EndDay": 1,
    "Calendar": "Gregorian"
}

Explanation

Let's explain each key one by one:

Variable	Description	Type
EventDate	Stores the date (and time) of the event.	date
EventTitle	The event title that's usually what's happening on the specified date.	string
IsYearly	Whether or not this event is a yearly event.	boolean
StartMonth	For yearly events, specifies the start month.	integer
StartDay	For yearly events, specifies the start day.	integer
EndMonth	For yearly events, specifies the end month.	integer
EndDay	For yearly events, specifies the end day.	integer
Calendar	The calendar used while parsing the event date.	string

Reminder configuration

The kernel makes a reminder file for each reminder made in the KSReminders folder by calendar reminder saveall.

Format

The format of the file looks like this:

{
    "ReminderDate": "2023-12-17T16:00:00",
    "ReminderTitle": "W2",
    "ReminderImportance": 1
}

Explanation

Let's explain each key one by one:

Variable	Description	Type
ReminderDate	Stores the date (and time) of the reminder.	date
ReminderTitle	The reminder title that's usually what you're reminded of.	string
ReminderImportance	The reminder importance shows how important is the thing that you're reminded of.	string

where ReminderImportance is one of Low, Medium, or High.

MAL and MOTD configuration

The configuration files for the message of the day before login (MOTD) and after login (MAL) are found under the kernel configuration directory. They are just plain-text files with the kernel placeholder support found in the below page linked to you below:

Kernel placeholders

Both of these files are read every time the kernel log-in handler starts. The functions that are responsible for loading such info are both the ReadMotd() and the ReadMal() functions found under their respective namespaces Nitrocid.Misc.Probers.Motd and Nitrocid.Misc.Probers.Mal.

Changes to both files are done by the SetMotd() and the SetMal() functions under the same namespace. They're invoked either manually or by the usage of the chmotd and the chmal commands in the main shell.