APLSF.HLP - Help File for APLSF-20 v2 September, 1979 SYSTEM COMMANDS --------------- A maximum of 4 characters are necessary for uniqueness. < > = Required Specifier [ ] = Optional Specifier ! = Choice Between Two Options )BLOT [N] Provides a random pattern mask of length N. )C [N] Terminates the current APL session, runs the filename specified with a default device specification of SYS:, and facilitates a return to APL. )CALL [N] Terminates the current APL session, runs the filename specified, and facilitates a return to APL. )CHARGE Displays the record of activity (connect, CPU...). )CLEAR Replaces active workspace with CLEAR WS. )CONTINUE [HOLD] Saves the active WS as CONTINUE and exits from APL. )COPY [PASSWORD] [NAMED-OBJECT-LIST] Copies objects from WSNAME. )CREATE [NUMBER-OF-COMPONENTS] [PASSWORD] [RECORD-SIZE] Creates a file for use with direct access I/O. )DIGITS [N] Displays or changes the number of significant digits. )DROP [SWITCH-LIST] Deletes the workspace WSNAME from the user's disk area. )ECHO [ON!OFF] Allows or suppresses the printing of error lines. )ERASE Erases the named objects from the current workspace. )FNS [LETTER] Displays an alphabetic list of function names in the WS. )GROUP [GROUP-MEMBER-LIST] Collects named objects in the group-member-list into the group group-name. )GRP Lists the members of a particular group. )GRPS [LETTER] Displays an alphabetic list of group-names. )INPUT [FILENAME] [/CHARACTER-SET] Changes source of terminal input to be FILENAME. )LIB [WSNAME] [SWITCH-LIST] Displays names of workspaces. )LOAD [MAGTAPE-POSITION] [PASSWORD] Retrieves a workspace from secondary storage. )MAXCORE [K-OF-CORE] Displays or changes the setting for the maximum WS size. )MINCORE [K-OF-CORE] Displays or changes the setting for the minimum WS size. )MODE [KEYWORD!ESCAPE] Displays or changes the mode of output for teletype devices. )MON Returns the user directly to monitor mode. )OFF [HOLD] Terminates the current APL session. )ORIGIN [0!1] Displays or changes the index origin. )OUTPUT [FILENAME] [/CHARACTER-SET] Directs the destination of terminal output to FILENAME. )OWNER Displays the PPN of the user who created the active workspace. )PASSWORD [PASSWORD] Displays or alters the password of the WS. )PCOPY [PASSWORD] [NAMED-OBJECT-LIST] Copies objects from WSNAME to the current workspace. )R [N] Terminates the APL session and runs the filename specified, with a default device of SYS:. )RUN [N] Terminates the APL session and runs the filename specified. )SAVE [MAGTAPE-POSITION] [WSNAME] [PASSWORD] Saves a copy of the active WS on secondary storage. )SEAL [ON!OFF] Turns the workspace seal on or off. )SI Displays the WS state indicator of function execution progress. )SIV Displays the WS state indicator with local variable names. )SIZE Displays the size of the currently active workspace. )TABS [N] Displays or sets to N the increment between tab settings for APL output. )TIME Displays connect and CPU times accumulated. )VARS [LETTER] Displays an alphabetic list of global variables. )VERSION Displays the APL version number with which the WS was last saved. )WIDTH [N] Displays or alters the terminal line width. )WSID [WSNAME] [PASSWORD] Displays or changes the name of the WS. SYSTEM INFORMATION (I-BEAM) --------------------------- VALUE ACTION OR RETURNED VALUE ----- ------------------------ 17 Symbol table size, entries used. 18 Status of WS (0=OK). 19 Time in 60ths of a second during which the keyboard has been unlocked. 20 Time of day in 60ths of a second. 21 CPU time since APL sign-on in 60ths of a second. 22 The maximum size your workspace may increase (in words). 23 User's job number in base 10. 24 Your APL sign-on time in 60ths of a second since midnight. 25 Today's date as mmddyy in base 10. 26 First line number in the state indicator. 27 Vector of line numbers of functions in the state indicator. 28 0 for the APL character set, 1 for the TTY character set. 29 Returns the user's project-programmer number in base 10. 30 Clears state indicator. 31 Number of APL statements executed since sign-on. 32 Number of APL operations executed since sign-on. 33 Returns zero on the DECSYSTEM-20. SYSTEM VARIABLES ------------------------------ SYNTAX DESCRIPTION ------ ----------- The following variables can be set by the user: .BXAUS Automatic save indicator. If this variable is 1 the workspace is automatically backed up each time a function definition is closed. .BXCT Degree of tolerance or relative fuzz to be applied in performing comparisons. Value must be in range 0 to approximately 1E-8. .BXGAG Allow other users to communicate with your terminal. Value of 1 means allow such action; 0 means disallow. .BXIO Index origin for arrays. Possible values are 0 or 1. .BXLX Latent expression to be executed automatically when the workspace is activated. .BXPP Precision of non-integer numeric output. Value must be integer in range 1 to 18. .BXPW Maximum number of characters that may appear on an output line. Value must be integer in range 30 to 390. .BXRL Current link in the chain of random numbers generated by the roll and deal operators. .BXSF Prompt or signal message for evaluated input. .BXTIMELIMIT Amount of time APL waits for user input when doing quote-quad and quad-del input. .BXTRAP Expression to be executed automatically when an error occurs. The following variables retain system specified values: .BXAI Account information on the current APL session. .BXALPHA Vector containing the 27 characters: .LD and A-Z. .BXALPHAU Vector containing the 27 characters: .Z@ and .ZA-.ZZ. .BXASCII Vector containing the 128 ASCII characters: octal 000-177. .BXAV Vector of all possible characters which can be expressed in the APL system. .BXCTRL Vector containing the 32 ASCII control characters: octal 000-037. .BXERROR Error message from last error. .BXLC Vector of the line numbers in the APL workspace's state indicator. .BXNUM Vector containing the 10 digits: 0-9. .BXTIMEOUT Flag indicating whether or not .BXTIMELIMIT expired on last quad input. Also indicates whether or not last input from a PTY was terminated with a LF. .BXTS Current date and time in base 10 format. .BXTT Type of terminal being used in the current APL session. .BXUL Job number associated with the current APL session (in base 10). .BXWA Returns the amount that the active workspace may increase. SYSTEM FUNCTIONS ------------------------------ SYNTAX DESCRIPTION ------ ----------- .BXBREAK A Causes execution to terminate, suspending the current function and entering immediate mode. .BXCR A Returns a canonical representation of the defined function whose name is the character string A. .BXDL S Delays execution for S seconds. .BXEX A Erases an existing use of a name in the user's workspace. .BXFI A Parses the character vector A as a numeric vector. .BXFX M Reverses the operation performed by .BXCR. .BXNC A Returns the classification of one or more names. Values returned are 0-available for any use, 1-label name, 2-variable name, 3-function name, 4-not available for use as a name. [A] .BXNL N[...] Constructs a list of named objects in the user's workspace. .BXQCO A Quietly Copies a workspace according to the information in A. .BXQLD A Quietly Loads a workspace according to the information in A. .BXQPC A Quietly Protected Copies a workspace according to the information in A. ['TEXT'] .BXSIGNAL E Signals the error E from the current function. .BXVI A Validates the character vector A as a numeric vector. The following functions are related to the file system: A .BXAPPEND C,H,T Appends a data item to a /BU or /DA file. .BXASS '[N] [FILENAME] [PASSWORD] [/FILE-TYPE] [/SHARE] [/DUMP]' Assigns a file on the (optionally specified) channel. Returns channel number used. .BXCHS N Returns file status on channel N. A .BXCIQ H,T Interprets part of a logical input record made up of different data types. .BXCLS N Closes files on one or more channels. A .BXCOQ H,T Combines several different data types into a single logical output record. .BXDAS N Deassigns files on one or more channels. .BXDEQ N [LOCK-NUMBER] [SHARE-BIT] Synchronizes shared access to multiple-user files by releasing the locked file. .BXDVC N Returns device characteristics word and block size for one or more channels. .BXENQ N [LOCK-NUMBER] [SHARE-BIT] Synchronizes shared access to multiple-user files by locking the requested file. .BXFCM N Returns component numbers and sizes for all components in a direct access file. .BXFLS N Returns sharing status, record size, and pointer information for one or more files. N .BXMTP OPS Performs a variety of magnetic tape operations. N .BXRENAME C Renames the file associated with channel C using the file specification N. [End of APLSF.HLP]