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From: info-vax@ucbvax.ARPA
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Subject: Indirect arguments in DCL?
Message-ID: <4812@ucbvax.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 14-Feb-85 03:52:42 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.4812
Posted: Thu Feb 14 03:52:42 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 15-Feb-85 02:11:29 EST
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Organization: University of California at Berkeley
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From: ulysses!osu-eddie!pritch@BERKELEY (Norman Pritchett)

This is a very strange I happened upon while trying to define a logical name
for a mail distribution file in DCL (VMS v3.7).

Take a given command line, if you specify one of the arguments to be
@command_file , it will take the first line of the command file, substitute
it into the DCL command line, execute the DCL command then execute the rest
of the file as a command procedure.  for example:

	DIRECTORY @FOO

where FOO.COM contains:

	SYS$SYSTEM,SYS$HELP,SYS$LIBRARY
	$ WRITE SYS$OUTPUT "-------------------"
	$ SHOW USER

This will take a directory fo SYS$SYSTEM,SYS$HELP,SYS$LIBRARY, write a bunch
of dashes then do a show user.  Now I wouldn't be surprised if this were
documented but I've been through the manuals many times before in my
lifetime and I'm certain I would have noticed this.

What's really wierd is you can say something like: FORTRAN @TT: and it will
give you the $_ prompt like it does for line continuations.  When you give
the files you want compiled and hit return then it will give you another $_.
Now, its asking for DCL commands (they have to be preceded by $'s just like
command procedures though).

I've mentioned this discovery to some DCL wizard's and none have even heard
of this.  Has anyone else out there?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Norm Pritchett - The Generic Hacker
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