Configuration File

Owned by Andy Tseng
Last updated: Jun 21, 2024 by Wei Liu
3 min read

The unimelb command line clients use a configuration file (stored on the same computer that you are running the client application on) to specify the connection parameters for connecting to the Mediaflux server. The configuration file will be automatically loaded if named mflux.cfg and located in the .Arcitecta or .arc directory within your home directory (called the User Profile folder on Windows) but can be located anywhere and loaded with a command-line argument.

When scripting with aterm, you can specify the location of the config file with a command line argument, or use a wrapper script to manage loading it.

Make sure that that configuration file or directory is only accessible by you as it may contain an access token or your login credentials which provide access to your Mediaflux project.

The file consists of key=value pairs.

Authenticating with user credentials

host=mediaflux.researchsoftware.unimelb.edu.au
port=443
transport=https
domain=YourDomain
user=YourUsername

Note: domain, user (and actually password) are optional, if any of them is not specified you will be prompted for them.  

  • password - although the configuration file can be used to store your password, we do not recommend that you do this.  If you don't specify a password, you'll be prompted for it when you run the command and it won't be logged or visible.
  • The domain may be one of:
    • unimelb for University of Melbourne staff accounts
    • student for University of Melbourne student accounts
    • local for local accounts
  • If using the unimelb or student domain, user is your staff or student username.

Authenticating with a secure identity token

You can request a secure token which will allow you to connect to Mediaflux without entering a password. The token can optionally have additional restrictions placed on it so it is targeted to a specific context.  Contact Research Computing Services to request a token.  This is useful when you need to run scripts which cannot prompt you interactively for a password.

host=mediaflux.researchsoftware.unimelb.edu.au
port=443
transport=https
token=XXX_TOKEN_XXX

How to Make a Configuration File

Windows 10 or 7

  • Open Notepad
  • Copy/paste the configuration file contents from the link above, and update with your own details
  • File -> Save As...
  • Click in the address bar at the top of the window and type %userprofile%. This will take you to your home folder.
  • If you don't have a .Arcitecta folder in your home folder, create one with the “New Folder” button, then double click it to enter it. If you see the error You must type a file name, name the folder .Arcitecta. (the trailing . will be dropped).
  • Change the Save as type drop down to All Files (*.*).
  • Save the file as mflux.cfg.

macOS

  • Run TextEdit
  • Format -> Make Plain Text
  • Copy/paste the configuration file contents from the link above, and update with your own details
  • File -> Save...
  • Press the keyboard shortcut Command-Shift-H to go to your Home directory
  • Press the keyboard shortcut Command-Shift-Period to show hidden files and directories
  • Open the .Arcitecta directory (create it if it doesn't exist, with the New Folder button)
  • Uncheck both Hide extension and If no extension is provided, use “.txt”
  • Save as mflux.cfg

Linux

  • Open a terminal. On Ubuntu this can usually be done by pressing the keyboard shortcut ctrl-alt-t.

  • Make a .Arcitecta directory in your home directory:

    mkdir ~/.Arcitecta

  • Create or edit the .Arcitecta/mflux.cfg file using an editor of your choice. E.g., using GNU nano:

    nano ~/.Arcitecta/mflux.cfg
  • Copy-paste the contents from above and update with your details, then save by pressing ctrl-x, y, enter

  • Make the config file inaccessible to others

    chmod -R go-rwx ~/.Arcitecta