Appian uses .properties and .xml files to set or modify standard configuration settings. This page describes how to set custom parameters in these files so that your customizations are retained whenever Appian is updated.
Most system settings can be centrally managed by configuring a single properties file called custom.properties located at <APPIAN_HOME>/conf/. In multiple server environments, the contents of this file must be identical on all Appian servers.
custom.properties file you create is not overwritten when an upgrade occurs.A custom.properties.example file is installed in the same directory to provide you with general examples. Be sure you are familiar with each setting in the example file before implementing its settings.
Most properties can safely be left at their default settings. For any properties that must be set for the system to work correctly, see also: Required Configurations.
Once the custom.properties file is created and Appian is running, some properties can be read dynamically while others require the application server to restart.
The table below lists the various property prefixes and whether or not changes to them require the Application Server to be restarted to have the changes take effect.
| Property Prefix | Application Server Restart Needed |
|---|---|
| conf.forms.* | No |
| conf.mailhandler.* | No |
| conf.node.webservice.* | No |
| conf.security.* | No |
| resources.appian.ag.application.* | No |
| resources.appian.ag.constants.* | No |
| resources.appian.applications.applications.* | No |
| resources.appian.km.file_icons.* | No |
| resources.appian.process.email-expressions.* | No |
| server.conf.* | No |
| All other prefixes | Yes |
The filenames, locations, and content of log files can be configured using appian_log4j.properties file.
See also: Modifying Log Output
Appian allows you to manage server configurations using a custom topology file. An example file named appian-topology.xml.example is included in the following location:
<APPIAN_HOME>/conf/Common uses for a custom topology configuration file include:
Custom Configurations
