A host file may be supplied to the pvmd (or console, which passes it to the pvmd) as a command-line parameter. Each line of the file contains a host name followed by option parameters. Hosts not preceded by '&' are started automatically as soon as the master pvmd is ready. The syntax:
* option option ...changes the default parameters for subsequent hosts (both those in the host file and those added later). Default statements are not cumulative; each applies to the system defaults. For example, after the following two host file entries:
* dx=pvm3/lib/pvmd
* ep=/bin:/usr/bin:pvm3/bin/$PVM_ARCH
only ep is changed from its system default
(dx is reset by the second line).
To set multiple defaults,
combine them into a single line.