Environment > Projects > IDL Project Properties

# IDL Project Properties

The IDL Project Properties page controls a project’s execution (run) properties.

To display the IDL Project Properties page, right click on a project in the Project Explorer, select Properties, then in the Properties dialog, select the IDL Project Properties page.

Property | Description | Default
--- | --- | ---
Update IDL Path when project is opened or closed | If this option is selected, IDL will modify the !PATH system variable to include the open project. Similarly, IDL will remove a closed project from the path. Either operation (opening or closing a project) may cause IDL to update the !PATH system variable. See IDL Path Management with Projects. | Selected
Execute .RESET_SESSION before running project | If this option is selected, IDL will execute the .RESET_SESSION executive command before the Run Command is executed. | Unselected
Build project before running result | If this option is selected, IDL will build the project (as if you had manually selected Project > Build Project) before executing the IDL Run Command. See Building IDL Projects. | Unselected
Run Command | The Run Command can be any IDL command or routine, although it is usually the name of a single procedure that launches the project application. You can execute multiple commands sequentially by separating them with the ‘&’ character. Note: Executing the Run Command does not force IDL to recompile all routines in the project (unless the Execute .RESET_SESSION before running project option is selected). As a result, changes to code for routines that have been previously compiled are not automatically incorporated when the project is run. Instructing IDL to automatically recompile files when you save them avoids this situation; refer to the Enable compile on save property on this dialog page. See Running IDL Projects. | The project name, converted to lowercase letters with spaces replaced by underscores.
Enable compile on save | Click on this link to display the Editor page of the Preferences dialog, on which you can set the Enable compile on save preference. Set this preference to compile a file when it is saved. | N/A