Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!ames!ucbcad!ucbvax!uvacs.UUCP!uucp From: uucp@uvacs.UUCP.UUCP Newsgroups: comp.os.vms Subject: Submission for mod-computers-vax Message-ID: <8704260343.AA03396@uvacs.cs.virginia.edu> Date: Sat, 25-Apr-87 22:43:06 EDT Article-I.D.: uvacs.8704260343.AA03396 Posted: Sat Apr 25 22:43:06 1987 Date-Received: Fri, 1-May-87 04:21:14 EDT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Distribution: world Organization: The ARPA Internet Lines: 68 Path: uvacs!virginia!umd5!eneevax!mimsy!seismo!rutgers!ll-xn!mit-eddie!genrad!decvax!ucbvax!unh.UUCP!wfc From: wfc@unh.UUCP (William F. Costa) Newsgroups: mod.computers.vax Subject: (none) Message-ID: <8704230917.AA05773@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> Date: 23 Apr 87 00:45:37 GMT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Distribution: world Organization: The ARPA Internet Lines: 57 I'm new to the NET, so I can't help feeling a little nervous about this, my first contribution. However, a number of letters about defining 'new' commands for VMS users has struck a cord, so here's my two-cents on the subject. At the University of New Hampshire (UNH) we've added quite a few home-grown programs as well as the usual second-party stuff (SAS, SPSSX, System 1032, etc.) Since not everybody uses these products, we do not automatically make them available for all users. This obviously helps keep the system login file a reasonable size (and duration). However, we did create one new command that all users get, it's called "SETUP". Essentially, if a user wants to access any of these non-native VMS programs, they simply ask for it: $ SETUP S1032 This will define S1032 (System 1032) as a command for the remainder of their terminal session. (Those users who use such applications day in and day out can simply place this command into their own LOGIN.COM.) We feel that this approach makes access to these 'new' commands as easy as possible for the users who need it, while at the same time limiting the overhead for everyone else. We also hope that doing this helps reinforce the fact that what they have just ask for is NOT a normal part of VMS, but rather a tool that UNH has added. (This is also why we put the help information for these programs into a separate HELP library and keep the Digital supplied version as virgin as possible.) By the way, the SETUP program is dirt simple. Right now it is simply a command procedure that, when asked to 'setup' the program FRED, will search a particular system directory for the file "FRED.SETUP". If the file does NOT exist, the user is told that there is no such command as FRED, and that they should check their spelling. If FRED.SETUP is found, it is simply "@'d". In other words, FRED.SETUP is itself a command procedure that will do WHATEVER IT TAKES to make FRED a command for the user. (For some programs, it may mean defining a dozen or so logicals and inserting the command into their DCL command table. For others, it may be as simple as defining a symbol; "FRED :== @UTL:FRED.COM"). We've added a few other bells and whistles, but I think you get the general idea. If you have any more questions, please feel free to contact me directly, I'd be happy to supply the current source to SETUP.COM as well as documentation that we've written for our users about it. Bill Costa Academic Services Group UNH Computer Services Durham, New Hampshire ------------------------------------------------------------------ Standard disclaimer: I deny my own existence. If you ask anybody at UNH who this turkey is, they'll just say: "Bill WHO?". ------------------------------------------------------------------