.\" @(#)
.TH GDCT 1 "07 Oct 1993"
.SH NAME
gdct \- create and edit EPICS records in ascii ".db" files
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B gdct
[
.B \-s sdr_file_name
]
.SH AVAILABILITY
The tool in available under Unix from the EPICS application directory 
provided by getrel in release 3.11 or greater.
.SH DESCRIPTION
.LP
See the GDCT User's Manual for a description of how to use this tool.
The Graphical Database Configuration Tool (GDCT) allows the user to build
EPICS databases and visualize links between records and process variables.
.sp
The tool starts out with an empty drawing area ready to add records to.
The user can choose to open an existing database or start creating a new
one.  There are several important items from the user's manual to 
remember which will be summorized here.
.sp
This tool edits and maintains a graphical information file and a ".db" file.
The graphical infomation file is the file you specify to open and save
from the menus, not the
".db" file.  The ".db" file contains the record instances that were editted
graphically.  The name of the ".db" file is the same as the graphical file
with the extension ".db" at the end.
.sp
When the tool is started, two windows will appear: the drawing area and 
a tool palette.  Depending on window manager placement resources, the
two gdct windows may appear on top of one another.
.SH OPTIONS
.TP
.B \-s
Names the default dctsdr file.  If not specified, it first checks for the
file ./default.dctsdr.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.BR dbfile(5),
.BR db2database(1),
.BR dbLoadRecords(3),
.sp
.B "GDCT User's Manual"