default value boolean parameter getter

diff --git a/src/jalview/bin/JalviewLite.java b/src/jalview/bin/JalviewLite.java
index 7ae85dc..43f7f19 100755 (executable)
--- a/src/jalview/bin/JalviewLite.java
+++ b/src/jalview/bin/JalviewLite.java
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@ public class JalviewLite extends Applet
 
         newAlignFrame.statusBar.setText("Successfully loaded file "
                 + file);
-
+        
         String treeFile = applet.getParameter("tree");
         if (treeFile == null)
         {
@@ -1194,4 +1194,24 @@ public class JalviewLite extends Applet
   {
     this.separator = separator;
   }
+
+  /**
+   * get boolean value of applet parameter 'name' and return default if parameter is not set 
+   * @param name name of paremeter
+   * @param def the value to return otherwise
+   * @return true or false
+   */
+  public boolean getDefaultParameter(String name, boolean def)
+  {
+    String stn;
+   if ((stn=getParameter(name)) == null)
+   {
+     return def;
+   }
+   if (stn.toLowerCase().equals("true"))
+   {
+     return true;
+   }
+   return false;
+  }
 }