This tables summarizes the general configuration settings that control miscellaneous aspects of RealServer operation. A detailed description of each setting follows the table. To change these settings, double-click General on the Config Variable Groups list.
Setting |
Description |
BasePath | The path to the root directory of your media files. |
CustomerName | Your customer name, as received from RealNetworks. Must be correct for the server to operate. |
Group | Default group ID (GID) for server. (UNIX only) |
LicenseKey | Encrypted license string from RealNetworks. Must be correct for the server to operate. |
LocalHost | Fully-qualified name that overrides the system default name. |
MaxThreads | Limits the number of threads used by the server. |
MinPlayerProtocol | The minimum PN protocol that a Player must have to connect to the server. |
PnaPort | The TCP/IP port on which the server listens for connection requests from clients. |
PIDPath | The file that records the server's process ID. (UNIX only) |
Timeout | The number of seconds the server waits before disconnecting an inactive Player. |
User | The default user ID (UID) for the server. (UNIX only) |
RestoreOriginalPrivilegeOnReload | Allows user logged on with name specified by User setting to issue the SIGHUP command to load changed configuration file settings, even if the server has already been started by someone with Root permissions. |
HTTPPort | Enables players that may be behind firewalls to access content served from your server. |
ResolverPort | The TCP port to use for resolving DNS addresses. |
IOBufferSize | Determines the amount of memory the RealServer allocates for each sequential read of a RealFlash (.swf) content file. |
MobilePlaybackOversendRate | The multiple of the streaming rate that is used to determine the effective bit rate at which the server transfers files to Mobile Playback enabled RealPlayers via TCP. |
Path to root directory of your media files. Most media content delivered by your RealServer resides in, or in a subdirectory of, the directory specified by BasePath.
By default, BasePath points to the content subdirectory of your RealServer installation directory, since this directory contains several sample documents. For further information about organizing media content see "Bandwidth Negotiation" in the RealAudio and RealVideo Content Creation Guide.
Default value | content |
Range of values | Valid directory names |
BasePath <path>
BasePath c:\real\server\content
BasePath /user/local/pnserver/content
Name specified in the license you received from RealNetworks (by e-mail) or from your RealNetworks reseller. For your RealServer to function, you must enter this parameter. When prompted for Customer Name and License Key, use copy and paste.
If you purchase a new or upgraded license, type the new CustomerName and LicenseKey values that you receive from RealNetworks or from your RealNetworks reseller.
Default value | (none) |
Range of values | Valid alpha-numeric string |
CustomerName <licensename>
CustomerName Very Big Corporation
RealServer sends a Player an error message when a requested file is not available. If you set the DefaultErrorFile setting, RealServer plays the specified media file instead of sending the error message.
The path to your error file should be an absolute path. Your error file should be an audio file recorded in 14.4 format and indicate that there was a format compatibility problem. For example, "We are sorry but the file requested is not available in your Player's format. Please try another file."
You can specify a video (.rm) file for DefaultErrorFile rather than an audio (.ra) file. However, because RealAudio Players 3.0 (or earlier) will not be able to play a video file, this is not recommended.
Default value | error.ra |
Range of values | Media file name and path |
DefaultErrorFile <path>
DefaultErrorFile pnserver/content/nofile.ra
DefaultErrorFile c:\real\server\content\nofile.ra
Default group name for RealServer for UNIX. The group name must exist on the computer on which RealServer is running; otherwise, RealServer will not start.
If you do not specify a group name when installing RealServer, the group name defaults to the group name of the user who first starts RealServer.
Default value | (none) |
Range of values | Valid user and group names |
Group users
Encrypted license string enabling your RealServer to operate. The default license allows two streams. For your RealServer to operate, you must type the license key exactly as you received it from RealNetworks or your reseller; use copy and paste to ensure there are no errors.
Default value | none |
Range of values | N/A |
Syntax
LicenseKey <encryptedkey>
If you downloaded your software, encryptedkey
is in the e-mail message that gave you access to the download
URL. If you purchased your software on CD-ROM, encryptedkey
is provided via e-mail from RealNetworks or is affixed to
your CD-ROM case or RealServer software package.
If you purchase a new or upgraded license, you must type the new CustomerName and LicenseKey values that you receive from RealNetworks or from your RealNetworks reseller.
LicenseKey |
43819m554420998372983729857298752983758hf2938299192384j6esu3829879298 |
Fully-qualified name that overrides the system default domain name. If you experience problems running multiple processes, you can set the LocalHost parameter in your RealServer configuration file.
On some platforms, the system does not return a fully-qualified domain name, which causes difficulty for RealServer in locating other RealServers in a multiprocessing configuration. With the LocalHost parameter, you can override the system default domain name and provide RealServer with a fully-qualified domain name.
Default value | (none) |
Range of values | Valid domain name |
LocalHost <domain name>
LocalHost mycomputer.mydomain.com
Maximum number of threads or processes. This entry lets RealServer run multiple processes within a single machine. RealServer can take advantage of multiple CPUs.
This configuration parameter affects your computer's CPU usage.
Default value | 1 |
Range of values | Integers greater than zero |
MaxThreads <count>
MaxThreads 5
The minimum protocol supported by RealServer. Players that do not supply a protocol number equal to or greater than this value as part of their connection information cannot connect to RealServer.
Default value | 0 |
Range of values | 0 All players 4 RealAudio Player 1.0 and later
(same a 0)7 RealAudio Player 2.0 and later9 RealAudio Player 3.0 only10 RealPlayer only |
MinPlayerProtocol <number>
To allow only RealAudio 2.0 and later players, type:
MinPlayerProtocol 7
Number of the TCP port RealServer uses for receiving requests from clients. The only reason to use a port other than the default is to allow several Servers to coexist on one system, or to achieve some level of privacy when serving information by using an unusual port number.
Default value | 7070 |
Range of values | Valid port number |
PnaPort <number>
To use a port lower than 1024 on a UNIX system, you need to be logged on as super-user.
PnaPort 7074
File used by RealServer for UNIX to record its process ID. If you do not specify a PidPath, RealServer records its process ID in pnserver/logs/pnserver.pid.
For administration, the process ID file should reside in the same directory as your access and error log files.
Default value | pnserver.pid |
Range of values | Valid path and file name |
PidPath <path/filename>
PidPath /pnserver/logs/pnserver.pid
Number of seconds RealServer waits before disconnecting an inactive Player. Because every connection consumes valuable resources, connections should not be permitted to sit idle for long periods of time. A connection is idle when the Player has paused playing of media or has reached the end of the media program without disconnecting. The client can automatically reconnect after being timed out by RealServer if the user clicks the Play button.
Default value | 300 |
Range of values | 120 - 900 |
Timeout <Seconds>
Timeout 240
Enable Players that may be behind firewalls to access content from your server. If not set, the port is not opened and HTTP cloaking is not available.
Default value | 80 |
Range of values | none or 80 |
HTTPPort <port>
HTTPPort 80
The TCP port to use for resolving DNS addresses.
Default value | PnaPort + 1 |
Range of values | Valid port number |
ResolverPort <port>
ResolverPort 8081
Default user name for RealServer for UNIX. The user name must exist on the computer on which RealServer is running; otherwise, RealServer will not start.
If you do not specify a user name when installing RealServer, the user name defaults to the user name of the user who first starts RealServer.
Default value | Username of first person to log in |
Range of values | Valid user and group names |
User <UserName>
User fredk
When set to True, allows user logged on with name specified by User setting to issue the SIGHUP command to load changed configuration file settings, even if the server has already been started by someone with Root permissions. If RestoreOriginalPrivilegeOnReload is set to False, only the person who started the RealServer can issue the SIGHUP command to reload the new settings without restarting the Server.
Default value | False |
Range of values | True, False |
RestoreOriginalPrivilegeOnReload <value>
RestoreOriginalPrivilegeOnReload False
This setting is specific to RealFlash media. It determines the amount of memory the RealServer allocates for each sequential read of a RealFlash (.swf) content file. Higher values increase the RealServer's streaming performance, but higher values also reduce the amount of memory available to the system.
RealFlash is an optional feature controlled by the license you purchase from RealNetworks.
Default value | 4096 |
Range of values | 4K to 64K |
IOBufferSize <size>
IOBufferSize 4096
The multiple of the streaming rate that is used to determine the effective bit rate at which the server transfers files to Mobile Playback enabled RealPlayers via TCP. The file is sent via TCP at the effective bit rate or the network bandwidth, whichever is lower.
Default value | 10 |
Range of values | 1-100 |
MobilePlaybackOversendRate <number>
To serve 6.5 Kbps encoded files at 19.5 Kbps:
MobilePlaybackOversendRate 3