---
title: Creating a tools properties file
description: You can set properties that apply to all tools or are tool-specific. These properties serve as defaults for the command-line options they represent.
component: pingauthorize
version: 11.0
page_id: pingauthorize:pingauthorize_server_administration_guide:paz_create_tools_props_file
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingauthorize/11.0/pingauthorize_server_administration_guide/paz_create_tools_props_file.html
revdate: July 29, 2022
section_ids:
  steps: Steps
---

# Creating a tools properties file

You can set properties that apply to all tools or are tool-specific. These properties serve as defaults for the command-line options they represent.

## Steps

1. Use a text editor to open the default tools properties file (`config/tools.properties)` or a different properties file.

   |   |                                                                                                                                                             |
   | - | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
   |   | If you use a file other than `config/tools.properties`, invoke the tool with the `--propertiesFilePath` option to specify the path to your properties file. |

2. Set or change properties that apply to all tools.

   Use the standard Java properties file format (name=value) to set properties. For example, the following properties define a set of LDAP connection parameters.

   ```
   hostname=server1.example.com
   port=1389
   bindDN=cn=Directory\ Manager
   bindPassword=secret
   baseDN=dc=example,dc=com
   ```

   |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
   | - | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
   |   | Properties files do not allow quotation marks of any kind around values.Escape spaces and special characters.Whenever you specify a path, do not use `~` to refer to the home directory. The server does not expand the `~` value when read from a properties file. |

3. Set or change properties that apply to specific tools.

   Tool-specific properties start with the name of the tool followed by a period. These properties take precedence over properties that apply to all tools. The following example sets two ports: one that applies to all tools (`port=1389`) and a tool-specific one that `ldapsearch` uses instead (`ldapsearch.port=2389`).

   ```
   hostname=server1.example.com
   port=1389
   ldapsearch.port=2389
   bindDN=cn=Directory\ Manager
   ```

4. Save your changes and close the file.