This routine allows the user to set attributes for an AST Object (see SUN/210). The value to which an attribute is set in the returned Object is determined as follows.

• If the user supplies a value for the attribute using the given parameter, then the Object is returned with the attribute set to the supplied value. The user supplies the attribute values as a GRP group expression in which each element is an AST attribute setting. The group expression may comprise persistent and/or temporary attributes, the former preceding the latter separated by a delimiting string (see argument PARAM). Persistent values are recorded in the parameter’ s current value and so can be re-used, whereas temporary attributes are not recorded and only apply to the current invocation of a task.

• Otherwise, if the Object already had an explicit value set for the attribute on entry (i.e. if AST_TEST returns .TRUE. for the attribute), then the value is unchanged on exit.

• Otherwise, a search is made for a default value for the attribute using the search path described below. If a default value is found for the attribute then the Object is returned with the attribute set to the default value. The use of these defaults can be suppressed by including the string " CLEAR" as the first element in the group of attribute values supplied for the specified environment parameter.

Defaults are specified as a group of attribute setting strings within a " defaults" text file. This file is found using the following search path:

1) If the environment variable $<$APP$>$_$<$PARAM$>$ is defined ($<$APP$>$ and $<$PARAM$>$ in upper case), its value is taken to be the full path to the defaults file.

2) If $<$APP$>$_$<$PARAM$>$ is not defined, the file $HOME/$<$app$>$_$<$param$>$.def is used ($<$app$>$ and $<$param$>$ in lower case).

3) If the file $HOME/$<$app$>$_$<$param$>$.def cannot be accessed, the file $KAPPA_DIR/$<$app$>$_$<$param$>$.def is used.

4) If the file $KAPPA_DIR/$<$app$>$_$<$param$>$.def cannot be accessed, the value of environment variable KAPPA_$<$PARAM$>$ is taken to be the full path to the defaults file.

5) If KAPPA_$<$PARAM$>$ is not defined, the file $HOME/kappa_$<$param$>$.def is used.

6) If the file $HOME/kappa_$<$param$>$.def cannot be accessed, the file $KAPPA_DIR/kappa_$<$param$>$.def is used.

Each attribute setting within a group of settings should be of the form " $<$name$>$=$<$value$>$" , where $<$name$>$ is taken to be the name of a Object attribute (or synonym set by KPG1_ASPSY), and $<$value$>$ is taken to be the value to assign to the attribute. These attributes are described in SUN/210. No error is reported if unrecognised attribute names or illegal attribute values are specified.

Before being used, the attribute settings are edited to replace any synonyms by their corresponding AST attribute names established by earlier calls to KPG1_ASPSY. Colour names are also replaced by corresponding PGPLOT colour indices.

CALL KPG1_ASSET( APP, PARAM, IOBJ, STATUS )

APP = CHARACTER $\ast$ ( $\ast$ ) (Given)

PARAM = CHARACTER $\ast$ ( $\ast$ ) (Given)

IOBJ = INTEGER (Given and Returned)

STATUS = INTEGER (Given and Returned)

• Colour attribute values may be supplied in any form recognised by KPG1_PGCOL (e.g. colour name, MIN, MAX, integer index), and the nearest colour in the current KAPPA palette is used.

• If a null value is supplied for the parameter, the error is annulled and the Object is returned unchanged (except for any defaults obtained using the usual search path).