Command Interpreting Processor

When a terminal or batch job is initiated under SINTRAN III, it is first connected to the Command Interpreting Processor (CIP) which reads each command line from the terminal or batch input device, checks its validity, and performs the requested action. After a particular command is executed, or when a user program or subsystem terminates, the control is returned to the CIP.

Prompt
The prompt for the CIP is @ character. During a terminal session, the prompt is printed to indicate that the previous action is terminated and that SINTRAN III is ready for a new command. Note: the @ character should not be typed by the user.

Non-terminal input
When submitting batch jobs, or reading commands from other devices than the terminal, all commands must start with the @ character to recognize them as commands.

Command
A command is a string of characters separated into words by a comma or by a number of spaces. The first word is the command name, followed by parameter words if necessary.

In batch jobs the command name and all parameters must be contained on one line or card. In the terminal session missing parameters will be requested by the CIP.

Certain parameters may take a default value which will be used if the parameter word is omitted, by giving the comma separators or by responding with a carriage return when the parameter is asked for.

Abbreviation
Command names and parameter words may be abbreviated by giving sufficient characters to distinguish it from other permissible values. A special character, the - is used to separate words in two or more distinct parts. any part may be abbreviated as long as it doesn't become ambiguous.

Example
As an example, the commands @LOAD-BINARY and @LIST-FILE. The first command may be typed as @LOAD @LOAD-B @L-BINARY @LO-BI The second command may be typed as @LIST-FI @L-FIL @LI-FI and so on. However, if only @L is typed the CIP respond with the error message AMBIGIOUS

File name abbreviation
The abbreviated file lookup function may be utilized by the user when typing names of files or devices, except when naming a file the first time.

Command line editing
This also works in QED.

Editing on the current line
Any typing errors may be corrected before the command line is terminated by the carriage return. CONTROL-A deletes one character (the last one typed), CONTROL-W deletes the last word, CONTROL-Q deletes the whole line. CONTROL-E turns on / off insert mode.

Edit from the previous line
This lets you copy and skip parts of the previous line entered.

Copy from the previous line
CONTROL-C copies one character from the previous line, Control-H copies the rest of the previous line, CONTROL-D copies the rest of the previous line, and adds carriage return. CONTROL-Ox (CONTROL-O followed by character "x") copies from the previous line up to character "x", CONTROL-Zx (CONTROL-Z followed by character "x") copies from the previous line up to and including character "x".

Skip from the previous line
CONTROL-S skips one character from the previous line, CONTROL-Fx (CONTROL-F followed by character "x") skips characters from the previous line up to and including character "x", entering carriage return after CONTROL-F skips the rest of the line. CONTROL-Xx (CONTROL-X followed by character "x") skips characters from the previous line up to and including character "x".