ABSTRACT
This chapter explains some of the terminology, guidance, and recommendations related to configuration data. Configuration data provide a flexible, yet controlled, way to configure and reconfigure a system. Configuration files such as symbology data, bus specifications or aircraft/engine configuration files are segregated from the rest of the embedded software for modularity and portability purposes. Airborne system databases may consist of script files, interpretive languages, data structures, or configuration files. Configuration data are separate from the executable object code. A parameter data item is also a configuration item. Airborne software may consist of one or more executable object code configuration items and one or more parameter data configuration items. A parameter data item file is an instantiation of the parameter data item containing defined values for each data element. Configuration data cover a wide variety of scenarios. Parameter data items are assigned the same software level as the software component that uses the parameter data.
