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CLI Routines

 *Conan The Librarian (sorry for the slow response - running on an old VAX)

    The command language interface (CLI) routines process command
    strings using information from a command table. A command table
    contains command definitions that describe the allowable formats
    for commands. To create or modify a command table, you must
    write a command definition file and then process this file with
    the Command Definition Utility (the SET COMMAND command). For
    information about how to use the Command Definition Utility, see
    the OpenVMS Command Definition, Librarian, and Message Utilities
    Manual.

  1 - CLI$DCL_PARSE

    The CLI$DCL_PARSE routine supplies a command string to DCL for
    parsing. DCL separates the command string into its individual
    elements according to the syntax specified in the command table.

    Format

      CLI$DCL_PARSE  [command_string] ,table [,param_routine]

                     [,prompt_routine] [,prompt_string]

 1.1 - Returns

    OpenVMS usage:cond_value
    type:         longword (unsigned)
    access:       write only
    mechanism:    by value

    Longword condition value. Most utility routines return a
    condition value in R0. Condition values that this routine can
    return are listed under Condition Values Returned.

 1.2 - Arguments

 command_string

    OpenVMS usage:char_string
    type:         character string
    access:       read only
    mechanism:    by descriptor-fixed length
    Character string containing the command to be parsed. The
    command_string argument is the address of a descriptor specifying
    the command string to be parsed. If the command string includes
    a comment (delimited by an exclamation mark), DCL ignores the
    comment.

    If the command string contains a hyphen to indicate that the
    string is being continued, DCL uses the routine specified in
    the prompt_routine argument to obtain the rest of the string.
    The command string is limited to 256 characters. However, if the
    string is continued with a hyphen, CLI$DCL_PARSE can prompt for
    additional input until the total number of characters is 1024.

    If you specify the command_string argument as zero and specify a
    prompt routine, then DCL prompts for the entire command string.
    However, if you specify the command_string argument as zero and
    also specify the prompt_routine argument as zero, DCL restores
    the parse state of the command string that originally invoked the
    image.

    CLI$DCL_PARSE does not perform DCL-style symbol substitution on
    the command string.

 table

    OpenVMS usage:address
    type:         address
    access:       read only
    mechanism:    by value
    Address of the compiled command tables to be used for command
    parsing. The command tables are compiled separately by
    the Command Definition Utility using the DCL command SET
    COMMAND/OBJECT and are then linked with your program. A global
    symbol is defined by the Command Definition Utility that provides
    the address of the tables. The global symbol's name is taken
    from the module name given on the MODULE statement in the command
    definition file, or from the file name if no MODULE statement is
    present.

 param_routine

    OpenVMS usage:procedure
    type:         procedure value
    access:       read only
    mechanism:    by reference
    Name of a routine to obtain a required parameter not supplied in
    the command text. The param_routine argument is the address of a
    routine containing a required parameter that was not specified in
    the command_string argument.

    To specify the parameter routine, use the address of LIB$GET_
    INPUT or the address of a routine of your own that has the
    same three-argument calling format as LIB$GET_INPUT. See the
    description of LIB$GET_INPUT in the OpenVMS RTL Library (LIB$)
    Manual for information about the calling format. If LIB$GET_
    INPUT returns error status, CLI$DCL_PARSE propagates the error
    status outward or signals RMS$_EOF in the cases listed in the
    Description section.

    You can obtain the prompt string for a required parameter from
    the command table specified in the table argument.

 prompt_routine

    OpenVMS usage:procedure
    type:         procedure value
    access:       read only
    mechanism:    by reference
    Name of a routine to obtain all or part of the text of a command.
    The prompt_routine argument is the address of a routine to obtain
    the text or the remaining text of the command depending on the
    command_string argument. If you specify a zero in the command_
    string argument, DCL uses this routine to obtain an entire
    command line. DCL uses this routine to obtain a continued command
    line if the command string (obtained from the command_string
    argument) contains a hyphen to indicate that the string is being
    continued.

    To specify the prompt routine, use the address of LIB$GET_INPUT
    or the address of a routine of your own that has the same three-
    argument calling format as LIB$GET_INPUT. See the description
    of LIB$GET_INPUT in the OpenVMS RTL Library (LIB$) Manual for
    information about the calling format.

    If LIB$GET_INPUT returns error status, CLI$DCL_PARSE propagates
    the error status outward or signals RMS$_EOF in the cases listed
    in the Description section.

 prompt_string

    OpenVMS usage:char_string
    type:         character string
    access:       read only
    mechanism:    by descriptor
    Character string containing a prompt. The prompt_string argument
    is the address of a string descriptor pointing to the prompt
    string to be passed as the second argument to the prompt_routine
    argument.

    If DCL is using the prompt routine to obtain a continuation line,
    DCL inserts an underscore character before the first character
    of the prompt string to create the continuation prompt. If DCL is
    using the prompt routine to obtain an entire command line (that
    is, a zero was specified as the command_string argument), DCL
    uses the prompt string exactly as specified.

    The prompt string is limited to 32 characters. The string
    COMMAND> is the default prompt string.

 1.3 - Description

    The CLI$DCL_PARSE routine supplies a command string to DCL for
    parsing. DCL parses the command string according to the syntax in
    the command table specified in the table argument.

    The CLI$DCL_PARSE routine can prompt for required parameters if
    you specify a parameter routine in the routine call. In addition,
    the CLI$DCL_PARSE routine can prompt for entire or continued
    command lines if you supply the address of a prompt routine.

    If you do not specify a command string to parse and the user
    enters a null string in response to the DCL prompt for a command
    string, CLI$DCL_PARSE immediately terminates and returns the
    status CLI$_NOCOMD.

    If DCL prompts for a required parameter and the user presses
    Ctrl/Z, CLI$DCL_PARSE immediately terminates and returns the
    status CLI$_NOCOMD, regardless of whether you specify or do not
    specify a command string to parse. If DCL prompts for a parameter
    that is not required and the user presses Ctrl/Z, CLI$DCL_PARSE
    returns the status CLI$_NORMAL.

    Whenever CLI$DCL_PARSE encounters an error, it both signals and
    returns the error.

 1.4 - Condition Values Returned

    CLI$_INVREQTYP     Calling process did not have a CLI to perform
                       this function, or the CLI did not support the
                       request.
    CLI$_IVVERB        Invalid or missing verb.
    CLI$_NOCOMD        Routine terminated. You entered a null string
                       in response to a prompt from the prompt_
                       routine argument, causing the CLI$DCL_PARSE
                       routine to terminate.
    CLI$_NORMAL        Normal successful completion.
    RMS$_EOF           Routine terminated. You pressed Ctrl/Z in
                       response to a prompt, causing the CLI$DCL_
                       PARSE routine to terminate.

  2 - CLI$DISPATCH

    The CLI$DISPATCH routine invokes the subroutine associated with
    the verb most recently parsed by a CLI$DCL_PARSE routine call.

    Format

      CLI$DISPATCH  [userarg]

 2.1 - Returns

    OpenVMS usage:cond_value
    type:         longword (unsigned)
    access:       write only
    mechanism:    by value

    Longword condition value. Most utility routines return a
    condition value in R0. The condition value that this routine
    can return is listed under Condition Values Returned.

 2.2 - Argument

 userarg

    OpenVMS usage:longword_unsigned
    type:         longword (unsigned)
    access:       read only
    mechanism:    by value
    Data to be passed to the action routine. The userarg argument
    is a longword that contains the data to be passed to the action
    routine. This data can be used in any way you want.

 2.3 - Description

    The CLI$DISPATCH routine invokes the subroutine associated with
    the verb most recently parsed by a CLI$DCL_PARSE routine call.
    If the routine is successfully invoked, the return status is the
    status returned by the action routine. Otherwise, a status of
    CLI$_INVROUT is returned.

 2.4 - Condition Values Returned

    CLI$_INVREQTYP     Calling process did not have a CLI to perform
                       this function or the CLI did not support the
                       request.
    CLI$_INVROUT       CLI$DISPATCH unable to invoke the routine. An
                       invalid routine is specified in the command
                       table, or no routine is specified.

  3 - CLI$GET_VALUE

    The CLI$GET_VALUE routine retrieves a value associated with a
    specified qualifier, parameter, keyword, or keyword path from the
    parsed command string.

    Format

      CLI$GET_VALUE  entity_desc ,retdesc [,retlength]

 3.1 - Returns

    OpenVMS usage:cond_value
    type:         longword (unsigned)
    access:       write only
    mechanism:    by value

    Longword condition value. Most utility routines return a
    condition value in R0. Condition values that this routine can
    return are listed under Condition Values Returned.

 3.2 - Arguments

 entity_desc

    OpenVMS usage:char_string
    type:         character string
    access:       read only
    mechanism:    by descriptor
    Character string containing the label (or name if no label is
    defined) of the entity. The entity_desc argument is the address
    of a string descriptor that points to an entity that may appear
    on a command line. The entity_desc argument can be expressed as
    one of the following:

    o  A parameter, qualifier, keyword name, or label

    o  A keyword path

    The entity_desc argument can contain qualifiers, parameters,
    keyword names, or labels that were assigned with the LABEL clause
    in the command definition file. If you used the LABEL clause to
    assign a label to an entity, you must specify the label in the
    entity_desc argument. Otherwise, use the name of the entity.

    Use a keyword path to reference keywords used as values of
    parameters, qualifiers, or other keywords. A keyword path
    contains a list of entity names or labels separated by periods.
    If the LABEL clause was used to assign a label to an entity, you
    must specify the label in the keyword path. Otherwise, you must
    use the name of the entity.

    The following command string illustrates a situation where
    keyword paths are needed to uniquely identify keywords. In this
    command string, you can use the same keywords with more than one
    qualifier. (This is defined in the command definition file by
    having two qualifiers refer to the same DEFINE TYPE statement.)

    $ NEWCOMMAND/QUAL1=(START=5,END=10)/QUAL2=(START=2,END=5)

    The keyword path QUAL1.START identifies the START keyword when it
    is used with QUAL1; the keyword path QUAL2.START identifies the
    keyword START when it is used with QUAL2. Because the name START
    is an ambiguous reference if used alone, the keywords QUAL1 and
    QUAL2 are needed to resolve the ambiguity.

    You can omit keywords from the beginning of a keyword path if
    they are not needed to unambiguously resolve a keyword reference.
    A keyword path can be no more than eight names long.

    If you use an ambiguous keyword reference, DCL resolves the
    reference by checking, in the following order:

    1. The parameters in your command definition file, in the order
       they are listed

    2. The qualifiers in your command definition file, in the order
       they are listed

    3. The keyword paths for each parameter, in the order the
       parameters are listed

    4. The keyword paths for each qualifier, in the order the
       qualifiers are listed

    DCL uses the first occurrence of the entity as the keyword path.
    Note that DCL does not issue an error message if you provide
    an ambiguous keyword. However, because the keyword search order
    may change in future releases of OpenVMS, you should never use
    ambiguous keyword references.

    If the entity_desc argument does not exist in the command table,
    CLI$GET_VALUE signals a syntax error (by means of the signaling
    mechanism described in the OpenVMS Programming Concepts Manual).

 retdesc

    OpenVMS usage:char_string
    type:         character string
    access:       write only
    mechanism:    by descriptor
    Character string containing the value retrieved by CLI$GET_
    VALUE. The retdesc argument is the address of a string descriptor
    pointing to the buffer to receive the string value retrieved
    by CLI$GET_VALUE. The string is returned using the STR$COPY_DX
    Run-Time Library routine.

    If there are errors in the specification of the return descriptor
    or in copying the results using that descriptor, the STR$COPY_DX
    routine will signal the errors. For a list of these errors, see
    the OpenVMS RTL String Manipulation (STR$) Manual.

 retlength

    OpenVMS usage:word_unsigned
    type:         word (unsigned)
    access:       write only
    mechanism:    by reference
    Word containing the number of characters DCL returns to retdesc.
    The retlength argument is the address of the word containing the
    length of the retrieved value.

 3.3 - Description

    The CLI$GET_VALUE routine retrieves a value associated with a
    specified qualifier, parameter, keyword, or keyword path from the
    parsed command string.

                                   NOTE

       Only use the CLI$GET_VALUE routine to retrieve values from
       parsed command strings (through DCL or CLI$DCL_PARSE). When
       you use a foreign command to activate an image, the DCL
       parsing process is interrupted. As a result, CLI$GET_VALUE
       returns either values from the previously parsed command
       string or a status of CLI$_ABSENT if it is the first command
       string parsed.

    You can use the following label names with CLI$GET_VALUE to
    retrieve special strings:

    $VERB  Describes the verb in the command string (the first four
           letters of the spelling as defined in the command table,
           instead of the string that was actually typed).
    $LINE  Describes the entire command string as stored internally
           by DCL. In the internal representation of the command
           string, multiple spaces and tabs are removed, alphabetic
           characters are converted to uppercase, and comments are
           stripped. Integers are converted to decimal. If dates and
           times are specified in the command string, DCL fills in
           any defaulted fields. Also, if date-time strings (such
           as YESTERDAY) are used, DCL substitutes the corresponding
           absolute time value.

    To obtain the values for a list of entities, call CLI$GET_
    VALUE repeatedly until all values have been returned. After
    each CLI$GET_VALUE call, the returned condition value indicates
    whether there are more values to be obtained. Call CLI$GET_VALUE
    until you receive a condition value of CLI$_ABSENT.

    When you are using CLI$GET_VALUE to obtain a list of qualifier
    or keyword values, get all values in the list before starting to
    parse the next entity.

 3.4 - Condition Values Returned

    SS$_NORMAL         Returned value terminated by a blank or an
                       end-of-line. This shows that the value is the
                       last, or only, value in the list.
    CLI$_ABSENT        No value returned. The value is not present,
                       or the last value in the list was already
                       returned.
    CLI$_COMMA         Returned value terminated by a comma. This
                       shows there are additional values in the list.
    CLI$_CONCAT        Returned value concatenated to the next
                       value with a plus sign. This shows there are
                       additional values in the list.
    CLI$_INVREQTYP     Calling process did not have a CLI to perform
                       this function or the CLI did not support the
                       request.

  4 - CLI$PRESENT

    The CLI$PRESENT routine examines the parsed command string to
    determine whether the entity referred to by the entity_desc
    argument is present.

    Format

      CLI$PRESENT  entity_desc

 4.1 - Returns

    OpenVMS usage:cond_value
    type:         longword (unsigned)
    access:       write only
    mechanism:    by value

    Longword condition value. Most utility routines return a
    condition value in R0. Condition values that this routine can
    return are listed under Conditon Values Returned.

 4.2 - Argument

 entity_desc

    OpenVMS usage:char_string
    type:         character string
    access:       read only
    mechanism:    by descriptor
    Character string containing the label (or name if no label is
    defined) of the entity. The entity_desc argument is the address
    of a string descriptor that points to an entity that may appear
    on a command line. An entity can be expressed as one of the
    following:

    o  A parameter, qualifier, or keyword name or label

    o  A keyword path

    A keyword path is used to reference keywords that are accepted
    by parameters, qualifiers, or other keywords. A keyword path
    contains a list of entity names separated by periods. See the
    description of the entity_desc argument in the CLI$GET_VALUE
    routine for more information about specifying keyword paths as
    arguments for CLI routines.

    The entity_desc argument can contain parameter, qualifier, or
    keyword names, or can contain labels that were assigned with
    the LABEL clause in the command definition file. If the LABEL
    clause was used to assign a label to a qualifier, parameter, or
    keyword, you must specify the label in the entity_desc argument.
    Otherwise, you must use the actual name of the qualifier,
    parameter, or keyword.

    If the entity_desc argument does not exist in the command table,
    CLI$PRESENT signals a syntax error (by means of the signaling
    mechanism described in the OpenVMS Programming Concepts Manual).

 4.3 - Description

    The CLI$PRESENT routine examines the parsed command string to
    determine whether the entity referred to by the entity_desc
    argument is present.

    When CLI$PRESENT tests whether a qualifier is present, the
    condition value indicates whether the qualifier is used globally
    or locally. You can use a global qualifier anywhere in the
    command line; you use a local qualifier only after a parameter.
    A global qualifier is defined in the command definition file
    with PLACEMENT=GLOBAL; a local qualifier is defined with
    PLACEMENT=LOCAL.

    When you test for the presence of a global qualifier, CLI$PRESENT
    determines if the qualifier is present anywhere in the command
    string. If the qualifier is present in its positive form,
    CLI$PRESENT returns CLI$_PRESENT; if the qualifier is present
    in its negative form, CLI$PRESENT returns CLI$_NEGATED.

    You can test for the presence of a local qualifier when you are
    parsing parameters that can be followed by qualifiers. After you
    call CLI$GET_VALUE to fetch the parameter value, call CLI$PRESENT
    to determine whether the local qualifier is present. If the local
    qualifier is present in its positive form, CLI$PRESENT returns
    CLI$_LOCPRES; if the local qualifier is present in its negative
    form, CLI$PRESENT returns CLI$_LOCNEG.

    A positional qualifier affects the entire command line if
    it appears after the verb but before the first parameter. A
    positional qualifier affects a single parameter if it appears
    after a parameter. A positional qualifier is defined in the
    command definition file with the PLACEMENT=POSITIONAL clause.

    To determine whether a positional qualifier is used globally,
    call CLI$PRESENT to test for the qualifier before you call
    CLI$GET_VALUE to fetch any parameter values. If the positional
    qualifier is used globally, CLI$PRESENT returns either CLI$_
    PRESENT or CLI$_NEGATED.

    To determine whether a positional qualifier is used locally,
    call CLI$PRESENT immediately after a parameter value has been
    fetched by CLI$GET_VALUE. The most recent CLI$GET_VALUE call to
    fetch a parameter defines the context for a qualifier search.
    Therefore, CLI$PRESENT tests whether a positional qualifier was
    specified after the parameter that was fetched by the most recent
    CLI$GET_VALUE call. If the positional qualifier is used locally,
    CLI$PRESENT returns either CLI$_LOCPRES or CLI$_LOCNEG.

 4.4 - Condition Values Returned

    CLI$_ABSENT        Specified entity not present, and it is not
                       present by default.
    CLI$_DEFAULTED     Specified entity not present, but it is
                       present by default.
    CLI$_INVREQTYP     Calling process did not have a CLI to perform
                       this function, or the CLI did not support the
                       request.
    CLI$_LOCNEG        Specified qualifier present in negated form
                       (with /NO) and used as a local qualifier.
    CLI$_LOCPRES       Specified qualifier present and used as a
                       local qualifier.
    CLI$_NEGATED       Specified qualifier present in negated form
                       (with /NO) and used as a global qualifier.
    CLI$_PRESENT       Specified entity present in the command
                       string. This status is returned for all
                       entities except local qualifiers and
                       positional qualifiers that are used locally.
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