SOFTVVARE MANUAL

AMOS
USER'S GUIDE

DWM-oo 1 00-35
REV. BOO

'--_____B_lphB mll::::rc
SOFTWARE MANUAL

AMOS
USER'S GUIDE

DWM-OO 1 00-35
REV. BOO
 FIRST EDITION
April 1979

REVISIONS INCORPORATED
REVISION
I DATE

ADO Apr; L 1979

A01 15 October 1979
BOO 1 January 1983

©1986 ALPHA MICROSYSTEMS

THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL IS BELIEVED TO BE ACCURATE AND

RELIABLE. HOWEVER, NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS OR USE
OF THIS INFORMATION IS ASSUMED BY ALPHA MICRO.

Th;s document refLects AMOS versions 4.6A and Later,

and AMOS/L versions 1.0A and Later.

This document may contain references to products covered under the following U.S. Patent
Number(s): 4,530,048

THE FOLLOWING ARE TRADEMARKS OF ALPHA MICROSYSTEMS, SANTA ANA, CA 92799

AMOS AM-100 AlphaACCOUNTING AlphaBASIC

AlphaCALC AlphaFORTRAN AlphaPASCAL Alpha Micro
AlphaRJE AlphaSERVE AlphaWRITE

ALPHA MICROSYSTEMS
3501 Sunflower
P.O. Box 25059
Santa Ana, Ca 92799
AMOS USER'i GUIDE Page iii

PREFACE

If you've already read the Introduction to AMOS, DWM-00100-6S, you have a

good idea of what goes on inside your Alpha Micro computer, and a basic
understanding of the theory behind the operation of computers in general.
Now, in this manual, you wilL have the opportunity to put your knowledge to
practical use.
If you are aLready familiar with the operation of a computer system, but
have not read the Introduction to AMOS yet, you might want to skim over
that book anyway before continuing with this one. This way you'll be able
to pick out the differences between the ALpha Micro computer and whatever
other computers you may already be familiar with.
The AMOS User's Guide contains instructions for the operation and use of
your Alpha Micro computer system. Not onLy does it contain guidelines for
operating the various pieces of equipment attached to your system, but aLso
rules for entering the many availabLe AMOS commmands, creating your own
commands, and manipuLating files and data sets.
When you're through with this book, you can move on to more specialized
documentation (on programming Languages, word processing, and much more)
listed in the final chapter.

DWM-00100-3S, Rev. BOO

AMOS USER'S GUIDE Page v

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TO THIS MANUAL

1.1 GETTING STARTED ••••••••••••••••••••••••• 1-1
1.1.1 AMOS VS AMOS/L ••••••••••••••••••• 1-2
1.2 SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS ••••••••••••••• 1-2
PART I GETTING YOUR HANDS ON THE SYSTEM
CHAPTER l THE EQUIPMENT
2.1 TURNING THE SYSTEM ON ••••••••••••••••••• 2-2
2.2 TURNING THE SYSTEM OFF •••••••••••••••••• 2-5
2.3 WHAT IS A TERMINAL? ••••••••••••••••••••• 2-7
2.~.1 Prompt and Cursor Symbols •••••••• 2-7
2.4 LOGGING ON AND OFF THE SY~TEM ••••••••••• 2-8
2.4.1 Using your Keyboard •••••••••••••• 2-9
2.4.2 Control Characters ••••••••••••••• 2-10
2.4.3 Correcting Typing Mistakes ••••••• 2-12
2.5 CHANGING DISK CARTRIDGES
AND FLOPPY DISKS •••••••••••••••••••••••• 2-13
2.5.1 The MOUNT Command •••••••••••••••• 2-13
CHAPTER 3 REQUESTING INFORMATION FROM THE COMPUTER
3.1 THE HELP COMMAND •••••••••••••••••••••••• 3-1
3.2 FINDING OUT WHAT ACCOUNT
YOU ARE LOGGED INTO ••••••••••••••••••••• 3-2
3.3 THE STAT AND SYSTAT COMMANDS •••••••••••• 3-3
3.4 FINDING OUT THE STATUS OF YOUR JOB •••••• 3-3
CHAPTER 4 COMMAND FORMATS, SWITCHES, AND DEFAULTS
4.1 FORMAT •.•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 4-2
4.2 SWITCHES •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 4-3
4.3 DEFAULTS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 4-3
CHAPTER 5 CREATING AND USING FILES
5.1 CREATING FILES WITH ALPHAVUE •••••••••••• 5-2
5.1.1 Finding Out What Files are in
Your Account ••••••••••••••••••••• 5-2
5.1.2 Reserved File Extensions ••••••••• 5-2
5.1.3 Creating a Sample File •••• ~ •••••• 5-3
5.1.4 Getting Back to
AMOS Command Level ••••••••••••••• 5-4
5.2 DISPLAYING FILES •••••••••••••••••••••••• 5-5
5.3 COPYING FILES ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 5-6
5.4 RETRIEVING FILES FROM BACKUPS ••••••••••• 5-6
5.5 RENAMING FILES •••••••••••••••••••••••••• 5-7
5.6 PRINTING FILES •••••••••••••••••••••••••• 5-7
5.7 ERASING FILES ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 5-8
DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO
AMOS USER'S GUIDE Page vi

PART II MAKING THE SYSTEM DO THE WORK

CHAPTER 6 USING WILDCARD SYMBOLS

6.1 WHAT ARE WILDCARD SYMBOLS? •••••••••••••• 6-1
6.2 SOME RULES FOR USING WILDCARD SYMBOLS ••• 6-2
6.3 WILDCARD FILE SPECIFICATIONS •••••••••••• 6-3
6.3.1 Input File Specifications •••••••• 6-3
6.3.2 Output File Specifications ••••••• 6-4
6.3.3 Ersatz Device Specifications ••••• 6-4
6.4 WILDCARD SWITCHES ••••••••••••••••••••••• 6-S
6.4.1 File and Operation Switches •••••• 6-S
6.S WILDCARD DEFAULTS ••••••••••••••••••••••• 6-6
6.6 WILDCARD SYMBOLS IN COMMANDS •••••••••••• 6-8
6.6.1 DIR - File Directory DispLay ••••• 6-8
6.6.2 COpy - Transferring FiLes •••••••• 6-11
6.6.3 ERASE - DeLeting FiLes ••••••••••• 6-14
6.6.4 RENAME - Changing FiLe Names ••••• 6-16
6.6.S PRINT-
Getting a Printed Listing •••••••• 6-18
CHAPTER 7 COMBINING AND SORTING FILES
7.1 THE APPEND COMMAND •••••••••••••••••••••• 7-1
7.1.1 How to Combine FiLes ••••••••••••• 7-2
7.1.2 How to Add FiLes
to an Existing FiLe •••••••••••••• 7-2
7.2 THE SORT COMMAND •••••••••••••••••••••••• 7-3
7.2.1 How to Use the SORT Command •••••• 7-3
7.2.2 Some SORTirig Hints ••••••••••••••• 7-5
CHAPTER 8 BACKING UP YOUR FILES
8.1 BACKUP PROCEDURES ••••••••••••••••••••••• 8-2
8.2 BACKING UP THE FILES IN YOUR ACCOUNT
(USING COpy) ••••.••••••••••••••••••••••• 8-3
8.2.1 The System Operator
and the COpy Command ••••••••••••• 8-4
8.3 BACKING UP ENTIRE DISKS (DSKCPY) •••••••• 8-S
8.4 BACKING UP ONTO VIDEO CASSETTE
• RECORDERS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••..• 8-6
8.5 BACKUP ON OTHER MEDIA ••••••••••••••••••• 8-7
CHAPTER 9 ACCOUNTS AND PASSWORDS
9~1 PROJECT-PROGRAMMER NUMBERS •••••••••••••• 9-1
9.2 PASSWORDS ••...••.•..••..•..••••...•••••• 9-2
9.3 LOGGING INTO ANOTHER ACCOUNT •••••••••••• 9-3
9.4 THE START COMMAND FILE •••••••••••••••••• 9-4
9.S SENDING MESSAGES TO OTHER USERS (SEND) •• 9-S

DWM-00100-3S, Rev. BOO

AMOS USER'S GUIDE Page vi i

CHAPTER 10 COMMAND FILES, DO FILES, AND CONTROL FILES

10.1 WHAT IS A COMMAND FILE? •••••••••••••••• 10-1
10.2 HOW TO CREATE A COMMAND FILE ••••••••••• 10-3
10.2.1 Comments in a Command file ••••• 10-4
10.2.2 The System Initialization
Command file ••••••••••••••••••• 10-S
10.2.3 Special Symbols
in Command Files ••••••••••••••• 10-S
10.3 HOW IS A .00 FILE DIFFERENT
FROM A COMMAND FILE? ••••••••••••••••••• 10-9
10.3.1 How to Make a DO file •••••••••• 10-10
10.3.2 Special Parameter Symbols •••••• 10-11
10.3.3 SAMPLE DO FILES •••••••••••••••• 10-13
10.4 THE TASK MANAGER ••••••••••••••••••••••• 10-17
10.4.1 Control Files •••••••••••••••••• 10-17
10.4.2 Submitting Tasks ••••••••••••••• 10-17
CHAPTER 11 USING ALPHA MICRO PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
11.1 WHAT IS ALPHABASIC? •••••••••••••••••••• 11-1
11.1.1 How to use AlphaBASIC •••••••••• 11-2
11.2 WHAT IS ALPHAPASCAL? ••••••••••••••••••• 11-4
11.2.1 How to use AlphaPASCAL ••••••••• 11-4
11.3 WHAT IS ALPHALISP? ••••••••••••••••••••• 11-S
11.3.1 How to use AlphaLISP ••••••••••• 11-S
11.4 ALPHA MICRO ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE •••••••••• 11-S
CHAPTER 12 WHERE TO GO FROM HERE
12.1 OTHER USEFUL COMMANDS •••••••••••••••••• 12-1
12.2 OTHER REFERENCES ••••••••••••••••••••••• 12-2
12.3 IF YOU ARE THE SYSTEM OPERATOR ••••••••• 12-4
APPENDIX A AMOS ERROR MESSAGES
A.1 COMMON ERROR MESSAGES A-1
A.2 OTHER ERROR MESSAGES A-6

APPENDIX 8 RESERVED FILE EXTENSIONS

APPENDIX C THE CONTROL CHARACTERS
DOCUMENT HISTORY
INDEX

DWM-00100-3S, Rev. BOO

 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION TO THIS MANUAL

The first book in this series, the Introduction to AMOS, gave you the
theoretical background you need to understand why the computer acts the way
it does, and why you have to treat it the way you do. This manual gives you
the opportunity to put the theory into practice.
The topics you'll read about in this chapter are:

The Contents of This Manual

A Comparison of AMOS and AMOS/L
A List of Common Abbreviations and Symbols

1.1 WHAT'S IN THIS BOOK

This book is a step by step guide to the Alpha Micro Operating System,
known as AMOS. It is necessarily general since there is such a wide
variety of possible ways to configuration your Alpha Micro computer
system. But whatever size computer you have, and whatever types of
equipment you have attached to your system in the way of terminals,
disks units, tape units, etc., the same basic principles apply.
First, we'll tell you how to start up the computer in the morning and
turn it off at night. Then, how to use your terminal, how to mount and
unmount disks, how to request information from the system, and how to
use the various commands that come with the system. Next we'll
describe how you can store, manipulate, and retrieve data in the form
of files.

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

INTRODUCTION TO THIS MANUAL Page 1-2

In Part 2, you'll find out how to make things even easier for yourself
by using the wildcard features of certain commands, how to rearrange
the data in your files, and how to create duplicate or backup copies of
your data. We also describe how you can use different disk accounts to
your advantage, how to protect them from unauthorized eyes, and how to
construct special files of system commands.
You will also get a brief introduction to several programming languages
you can use to write your own programs, and finally, we'll point you in
the direction of additional documentation you can read to get more
in-depth information on many of the topics we've covered only briefly
in this manual.

1.1.1 AMOS VS AMOS/L

A computer can do nothing without a set of instructions to tell it

what to do. The main set of instructions, or program, that controls
the entire operation of the system is the System Monitor. As you
learned in Introduction to AMOS, alL the other programs that run on
your computer are governed by this monitor program.
Alpha Micro supports two types of system monitors, AMOS and AMOS/L.
We've tried to make them act as much alike as possible in spite of
the differences in their processing capabilities. This manual is
designed for users of both types of systems, and for this reason you
may find that your system's displays are slightly different from the
ones we use as examples. Other differences, such as the file
extensions used for certain files, are pointed out as we go along.
So whenever we refer to AMOS in our discussions of the system monitor
and system commands, we are really talking about both the AMOS and
AMOS/L operating systems.

1.2 SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS

Like all the other manuals in the Alpha Micro Documentation Library,
this manual contains a number of standardized symbols and abbreviations
that make the examples easier to read and understand.

PPN Project-Programmer Number. This abbreviation

represents an account on a disk that you can
store files and data in. Project-programmer
numbers usually look like [100,2] or [1,4], and
are sometimes shown as [p,pnJ.

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

INTRODUCTION TO THIS MANUAL Page 1-3

devn: Device-Name. The "dev" is the three Letter

physicaL device code, and the "n" is the LogicaL
unit number. ExampLes of device names are
DSKO:, DSK5:, HWK1:, and MTUO:. UsuaLLy, device
names indicate disk units, but they can aLso
refer to magnetic tape drives and video cassette
recorders.
fiLespec FiLe Specification. A fiLe specification
identifies a specific fiLe within an account. A
compLete fiLespec is made up of the devn:, the
fiLename, the fiLe extension, and the
project-programmer number. For exampLe:
devn:fiLename.ext[p,pn]
-or-
DSKO:SYSTEM.INI[1,4J
{ } Braces are used in some exampLes to indicate
optionaL eLements of a command Line. In the
exampLe:
• DIR{/ swi t c h}
the braces teLL you that "/switch" is not a
required portion of the DIR command Line.
UnderLined characters in our exampLes are
those that AMOS sends to your terminaL. The
part you have to enter yourseLf is not
underLined. Most of the time you'LL see the
Monitor prompt shown as an underLined dot (.).
The prompt is the signaL AMOS gives you that
it's ready to perform your commands.
Return. The carriage return symboL teLLs you
when to press the RETURN key on your terminaL to
terminate a command Line.
Caret. This symboL in front of a capitaL Letter
means that the Letter is a controL character.
That is, you heLd down the CONTROL key on your
terminaL keyboard whiLe you typed in the Letter.
For exampLe, when you type a ControL-C, it
appears on your screen as AC. (AC is the controL
character used to canceL most programs and
return you to AMOS command LeveL.) You'LL find
out more about controL characters in Chapter 2.

But before you can start writing your own programs, entering your own
commands, and creating your own fiLes, you have to know how the equipment
operates. The next chapter teLLs you everything you need to know.

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

 PART I

GETTING YOUR HANDS ON THE SYSTEM

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

 CHAPTER 2

THE EQUIPMENT

In this chapter, you wiLL find out how to get started using your ALpha Micro
computer. Before you can begin using the computer for programs and text
processing, you have to know a bit about the equipment you are going to use.

Computers are generaLLy discussed in terms of hardware and software.

The term "hardware" refers to the machines and devices - the computer, your
terminaL, the printer, disk drives, etc.
"Software" refers to the sets of coded inst ructions that teLL the hardware
what to do. A set of instructions that performs a specific task or a series
of reLated tasks is a program. Software is further divided into system
software which supervises the generaL operation of the equipment and
controLs the running of other programs, and appLication software which
performs the routine processing of data under the controL of the system
software.
This chapter wiLL show you how to:

Turn your system (your hardware) on and off.

Use your terminaL.
log on and off the computer.
Use your keyboard.
Change disk cartridges and fLoppy diskettes.

Before you begin to use your computer system, make sure that the person
designated as your System Operator has instaLLed the system software so that
it operates in accordance with 'your system's specific hardware
configuration.
Ask the System Operator to assign to you an account or accounts on the
system. These accounts wiLL be yours to use when you Log into the system

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

THE EQUIPMENT Page 2-2

and when you are creating files. Your System Operator will assign you as
many accounts as you need.
Now you're ready to turn on your system.

2.1 TURNING THE SYSTEM ON

Below are explanations for turning on most of the equipment you will
need.
NOTE: Check with your System Operator or refer to the
instructions that came with each device for information on
how to turn the devices on and off. The procedure is
different for different brands of devices. In this manuaL,
we cannot detaiL alL of the procedures for aLL of the
equipment that we support, but each device should come with
compLete instructions for use.
The procedure for turning on your system wiLL depend on what types of
devices are on your particuLar system. Since Alpha Micro supports many
different types of storage devices (such as Winchester disks, FLoppy
disks or video cassettes), you will have to adjust your procedure
according to the needs of the specific devices you have.
When you come to the point of turning on your disk drive, use the
instructions for the type of system that you have. GeneraLly, you
should turn the devices on in the foLLowing order:

YOUR TERMINAL
There are several things you can do to extend the life of your
terminal. First, you can make your terminaL last Longer and be
more reliable if you don't turn it off and on frequentLy. The
surges of eLectricity that occur when it's turned on and off might
eventuaLLy cause certain components to wear out. ALso, you can
turn the screen contrast down so that the characters don't become
etched on the screen. It is a good idea, too, to clear the
screen of characters when you are going to be away from the
terminaL for any length of time. To do this, make sure that you
are at AMOS command LeveL, and press the "CLEAR" or "CLEAR ALL"
key, or press RETURN untiL the screen cLears.
If you do turn your terminaL off, it is best to do so after the
computer itseLf has been shut off, and to turn it on again before
turning on the computer. Turning a terminaL on or off whiLe the
computer is powered on can sometimes cause eLectrical "noise" on
the connecting cable that might interfere with your computer.

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

 CHAPTER 2

THE EQUIPMENT

In this chapter, you will find out how to get started using your Alpha Micro
computer. Before you can begin using the computer for programs and text
processing, you have to know a bit about the equipment you are going to use.

Computers are generally discussed in terms of hardware and software.

The term "hardware" refers to the machines and devices - the computer, your
terminal, the printer, disk drives, etc.
"Software" refers to the sets of coded instructions that tell the hardware
what to do. A set of instructions that performs a specific task or a series
of related tasks is a program. Software is further divided into system
software which supervises the general operation of the equipment and
controls the running of other programs, and application software which
performs the routine processing of data under the control of the system
software.
This chapter will show you how to:

Turn your system (your hardware> on and off.

Use your terminal.
Log on and off the computer.
Use your keyboa rd.
Change disk cartridges and floppy diskettes.

Before you begin to use your computer system, make sure that the person
designated as your System Operator has installed the system software so that
it operates in accordance with 'your system's specific hardware
configuration.
Ask the System Operator to assign to you an account or accounts on the
system. These accounts will be yours to use when you log into the system

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

THE EQUIPMENT Page 2-2

and when you are creating files. Your System Operator will assign you as
many accounts as you need.
Now you're ready to turn on your system.

2.1 TURNING THE SYSTEM ON

Below are explanations for turning on most of the equipment you will
need.
NOTE: Check with your System Operator or refer to the
instructions that came with each device for information on
how to turn the devices on and off. The procedure is
different for different brands of devices. In this manual,
we cannot detail all of the procedures for all of the
equipment that we support, but each device should come with
complete instructions for use.
The procedure for turning on your system will depend on what types of
devices are on your particular system. Since ALpha Micro supports many
different types of storage devices (such as Winchester disks, FLoppy
disks or video cassettes), you wiLL have to adjust your procedure
according to the needs of the specific devices you have.
When you come to the point of turning on your disk drive, use the
instructions for the type of system that you have. GeneraLly, you
shouLd turn the devices on in the foLLowing order:

YOUR TERMINAL
There are several things you can do to extend the Life of your
terminaL. First, you can make your terminaL Last Longer and be
more reLiabLe if you don't turn it off and on frequentLy. The
surges of eLectricity that occur when it's turned on and off might
eventuaLLy cause certain components to wear out. ALso, you can
turn the screen contrast down so that the characters don't become
etched on the screen. It is a good idea, too, to cLear the
screen of characters when you are going to be away from the
terminaL for any Length of time. To do this, make sure that you
are at AMOS command LeveL, and press the "CLEAR" or "CLEAR ALL"
key, or press RETURN until the screen clears.
If you do turn your terminaL off, it is best to do so after the
computer itseLf has been shut off, and to turn it on again before
turning on the computer. Turning a terminaL on or off whiLe the
computer is powered on can sometimes cause eLectricaL "noise" on
the connecting cable that might interfere with your computer.

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

 CHAPTER 2

THE EQUIPMENT

In this chapter, you will find out how to get started using your Alpha Micro
computer. Before you can begin using the computer for programs and text
processing, you have to know a bit about the equipment you are going to use.

Computers are generally discussed in terms of hardware and software.

The term "hardware" refers to the machines and devices - the computer, your
terminal, the printer, disk drives, etc.
"Software" refers to the sets of coded instructions that tell the hardware
what to do. A set of instructions that performs a specific task or a series
of related tasks is a program. Software is further divided into system
software which supervises the general operation of the equipment and
controls the running of other programs, and application software which
performs the routine processing of data under the control of the system
software.
This chapter will show you how to:

Turn your system (your hardware) on and off.

Use your terminal.
Log on and off the computer.
Use your keyboard.
Change disk cartridges and floppy diskettes.

Before you begin to use your computer system, make sure that the person
designated as your System Operator has installed the system sof·tware so that
it operates in accordance with ·your system's specific hardware
configuration.
Ask the System Operator to assign to you an account or accounts on the
system. These accounts will be yours to use when you log into the system

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

THE EQUIPMENT Page 2-2

and when you are creating files. Your System Operator will assign you as
many accounts as you need.
Now you're ready to turn on your system.

2.1 TURNING THE SYSTEM ON

Below are explanations for turning on most of the equipment you will
need.
NOTE: Check with your System Operator or refer to the
instructions that came with each device for information on
how to turn the devices on and off. The procedure is
different for different brands of devices. In this manual,
we cannot detail all of the procedures for all of the
equipment that we support, but each device should come with
complete instructions for use.
The procedure for turning on your system will depend on what types of
devices are on your particular system. Since Alpha Micro supports many
different types of storage devices (such as Winchester disks, Floppy
disks or video cassettes), you will have to adjust your procedure
according to the needs of the specific devices you have.
When you come to the point of turning on your disk drive, use the
instructions for the type of system that you have. Generally, you
should turn the devices on in the following order:

YOUR TERMINAL
There are several things you can do to extend the life of your
terminal. First, you can make your terminal last longer and be
more reliable if you don't turn it off and on frequently. The
surges of electricity that occur when it's turned on and off might
eventually cause certain components to wear out. Also, you can
turn the screen contrast down so that the characters don't become
etched on the screen. It is a good idea, too, to clear the
screen of characters when you are going to be away from the
terminal for any length of time. To do this, make sure that you
are at AMOS command level, and press the "CLEAR" or "CLEAR ALL"
key, or press RETURN until the screen clears.
If you do turn your terminal off, it is best to do so after the
computer itself has been shut off, and to turn it on again before
turning on the computer. Turning a terminal on or off while the
computer is powered on can sometimes cause electrical "noise" on
the connecting cable that might interfere with your computer.

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

THE EQUIPMENT Page 2-3

If your terminal has a REMOTE/LOCAL switch, the switch must be

turned to REMOTE in order to communicate with the computer. If it
has a HALF DUPLEX/FULL DUPLEX switch (sometimes labeled just
HALF/FULL), turn that to FULL DUPLEX.

THE PRINTER
If you are going to be using a printer, turn· it on. Like
terminals, you might have problems if you turn your printer on or
off while the computer is on. You may want to turn off your
printers if you also turn off your computer.
If it has a REMOTE/LOCAL switch, turn the switch to REMOTE. If it
has an ONLINE button or switch, turn that to ONLINE.

OTHER DEVICES
If you have any other devices on your system, such as magnetic
tape drives, video cassette recorders, modems, etc., turn them on
now. Check the instructions that came with the device to find out
the procedure for turning them on.

POWERING UP DISK DRIVES

There are many different configurations of Alpha Micro computers
available. In some of these configurations, the disk drives are
powered up when you turn on the power to the computer main
enclosure; other configurations require that you power up the disk
drives separately.
If your disk drives power up separately from the computer, turn
them on before you turn on the computer. In fact, with many disk
drives, you may wish to keep them powered up all the time. For
example, we strongly recommend that you leave power applied to a
Phoenix disk drive so that the blower runs continuously. This
drive contains a fiLter that cleans the air inside the unit. If
you turn off the power to this drive, the air within it is no
Longer being fiLtered, and contamination damage to the drive could
result.
Do not "spin-up" the drive - that procedure should come after the
computer is on. (Spinning up a disk involves setting the
removabLe and fixed disks in motion so that the mechanism inside
the cabinet can access the data on the disk surface.) If your
disk has a removable disk cartridge, make sure that the cartridge
in the drive is the one that you want to use; if it is not, you
may change it at this time following the instructions suppLied
with your drive. (ALso, see Section 2.5, "Changing Disk
Cartridges and Floppy Disks.")

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If you are going to be using fLoppy-disk drives in addition to

your ha·rd-disk drives, turn them on now.
NOTE: As a general ruLe, floppy disk drives are the last
components of the system to be powered up, and the first items to
be shut off.

THE COMPUTER
Turn on the power to your computer. With most Alpha Micro
systems, you have to hold down. the RESET button while you turn on
the power. In all cases, the RESET button is on the computer's
front panel.
NOTE: The exception is the AM-1000 computer-- just turn the
on/off switch to "on." If you hold in the RESET button on the
AM-1000 whiLe you turn on power, you will enable the Diagnostic
(testing) Mode.
In many Alpha Micro systems, your Winchester or floppy disk drives
will be powered up automatically when you turn on the power to
your computer.
You may find that you do not want to turn your computer off very
often. Since the Video Cassette Recorder software and the Task
Manager are time controlled, you may find it valuable to schedule
tasks and file-backups to run ir the evening.
It generally does not harm the computer to leave it on for Long
periods of time. And, in fact, turning power on and off
frequentLy to electronic circuits creates more wear and tear than
if you leave them on continuously.

HARD DISK DRIVES

After the computer and hard disk drives are powered up:
1. If you have an AM-1000 and your system software resides on the
Winchester disk drive, you have to press the RESET button so
the computer can signal the drive to start up.
2. Now, perform the steps needed to get the drives up and ready;
follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer of your
disk drive.

For example, in the case of the Hawk Drive (the disk used with
the AM-SaO Hard Disk Controller) you must push in the
START/STOP button. This button will then light up, telling
you the disk has started spinning.

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When the light behind the READY button comes on, the disk is
spinning at full speed and is ready to use. This process
usually takes a minute or so.

FLOPPY DISK DRIVES

After the computer and floppy disk drives are powered up:
If your system boots from a floppy-disk drive, insert your System
Disk into dr.ive zero (the System Drive). (The System Disk is the
disk that contains the programs that comprise AMOS.) Then close
the drive door and push the RESET button.
If you have more than one drive in your disk unit, you can go
ahead and insert other floppy disks that you are going to use.
(Refer to Section 2.5, "Changing Disk Cartridges and Floppy
Disks.")

Never turn the power on or off while there are floppy disks in the
drive.

2.2 TURNING THE SYSTEM OFF

We recommend that you do not turn off the computer during normal
day-to-day use. However, you should spin down your Winchester disk
drives by use of the MOUNT command with the proper option. If you have
a floppy disk unit, you should remove the diskettes when the system is
not in use. (You should remove and insert floppy diskettes only when
power is on.) These measures help to protect your stored data from
being damaged, in case of power surges or faiLures.
If you do want to turn off your system, follow the procedures below
(which also tell you how to spin down the disk drives).
NOTE: One of the reasons for turning off the power is if you are going
to move the computer equipment. You MUST turn off the power any time
you move the equipment, or you may damage your disk storage and/or your
Central Processing Unit. Users of the AM-1000 systems should
especially take note of this warning, since the AM-1000 is easy to
move.

Before you turn off your computer or disk drives, make sure that
everyone using the system is at AMOS command level, and make sure that
AMOS is not in the process of transferring data between the computer
and the disk.

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The procedures for shutting off both Hard disk and Floppy-disk systems
follow. Use the instructions for whichever type of system you have.

HARD DISK SYSTEMS

1. On some disks, such as the Winchesters, you have to spin down

the disk. Use the MOUNT command on your terminal (with the
proper option for your system) to unmount the disk. Refer to
the instructions shipped with your drive for the exact
power-down procedure for your disk drive.
2. If your disk drive has a removable cartridge and you want to
remove and store the cartridge, do so now. (Follow the
instructions supplied by the manufacturer of your drive.)
3. If you are going to turn off the power to your drive, power
down the hard-disk drive now. (Remember that Phoenix disks
should be left on continuously to filter the air and keep dust
from settling inside.) Usually this procedure consists of more
than just turning the power switch of the device off. For
example, on the Hawk drive, you must first release the
START/STOP button; and then wait for the light behind that
button to go off. You may then turn off the power to the
drive. It takes 60 seconds or so for the Light to go off.
In some cases, powering down the d~ives and shutting off the
power to your computer are done in the same step. If this is
true for your system, just go on to the next step.
4. Turn off the power to your computer.
FLOPPY DISK SYSTEMS

1. Remove and store the floppy disks that are in the drives.
2. Turn off the power to your floppy-disk drives.
3. Turn off the power to your computer. In many cases, turning
off the power to the disk and the computer is done in one
step.

When these major components of your system have been powered down, you
can turn off your terminals and printer.

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2.3 WHAT IS A TERMINAL?

A terminal is the device you use for communicating with AMOS. It has a
keyboard, upon which you type commands and enter data to the computer.
The terminal also has some method of displaying to you what you type in
and what is printed out by the computer.
If the terminal displays its output on a video screen, we call it a
Cathode Ray Tube Terminal (CRT), or a Video Display Terminal (VDT).

If the terminal dispLays its output by printing it on paper, we calL it

a hard-copy terminaL Ca teLetype, for exampLe). Section 2.4.1 wiLL
expLain how to use your terminaL.

2.3.1 prompt and Cursor SymboLs

When your system is turned on, you shouLd see a prompt symboL on the
Left side of your terminal screen. The prompt symboL is a period
C.), and indicates that AMOS is waiting for a command.
If you do not see this prompt symbol, type a ControL-C (hold down the
CONTROL key on the keyboard, and type a C).
You shouLd now see the AMOS prompt on the screen.
If you stiLL do not see the AMOS prompt, check to see that your
terminaL is on, and that the cabLes running between the computer and
the terminal are firmLy in pLace. If these are okay and you stiLL do
not see the prompt symboL, then consuLt the System Operator for
advice.
When the AMOS prompt is dispLayed, we say that you are at "AMOS
Monitor command LeveL"; that is, that you are communicating directLy
with AMOS.
At other times you may see other prompt symboLs that indicate that
you are communicating with a program that AMOS is executing.
For exampLe, when you use the text editing program, ALphaVUE, you see
the ALphaVUE prompt symboL: >. At that point you must enter commands
that the ALphaVUE program understands.
When you exit AlphaVUE, you are returned to AMOS command LeveL (you
see the AMOS prompt (.) again). The various prompt symboLs remind
you which program you are communicating with.
Remember: To enter AMOS commands, you must be at AMOS command Level.

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If you are using a CRT or VDT terminal, you also see another symbol
(the cursor) next to the prompt symbol. The cursor may be a small
white rectangle, a triangle, a blinking line, etc., depending on the
type of terminal you have.

The cursor always marks your current screen position. Any characters
that you type appear at that position on the screen. As you type,
the cursor moves forward as the new characters appear on the screen.

2.4 LOGGING ON AND OFF THE SYSTEM

Now you are ready to sit down at your terminal and begin working. The
first procedure you need to know is how to log onto and log off of the
computer.
Once you see the AMOS prompt, you are ready to log onto the system.
Type LOG, the device and account number you are going to use, and press
the RETURN key. For example:
~LOG DSK2:[200,SJ [RET)
The device this account is on is DSK2:, and The 200,5 ;s the
Project-Programmer Number (PPN) of the account. Your System Operator
should have already assigned you one or more of these account numbers
for your use. After you have typed the above command, you wiLL see:
Logged into DSK2:[200,SJ
Now you are ready to begin processing data on your computer system.
But before we get into using the computer, you should know how to Log
off. You shouLd Log off your computer whenever you are going to be
away from your terminal for an extended period of time. If you leave
your terminaL logged into an account whiLe you are gone, someone eLse
could gain access to your files.
The LOGOFF command Looks like this:
.LOGOFF (RET)
User 200,5 Logged off
You are now off the system. If you try to perform most commands or
access any programs when you are not logged in, you will see:
?Login please
To get back on the system, use the LOG command again.

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Once you are logged in, try typing a few characters on the keyboard.
As you type, the system displays the characters on your terminal
display.
If you should see each character displayed twice on the screen as you
type, check your terminal for a switch labeLed FULL/HALF or FULL
DUPLEX/HALF DUPLEX; turn the switch to FULL or FULL DUPLEX.)
Now you are ready to begin entering commands and instructions on your
keyboard.

2.4.1 Using your Keyboard

The first step in communicating with AMOS is to be able to type your

instructions on the terminal keyboard. The keyboard is very similar
to that of a standard typewriter, but you will find a few extra keys
that have special functions.
Take a moment to look at the keyboard of your terminal so that you
can easily locate these keys later:

RETURN (or RET) RETURN is the carriage return key. Just as you
type a carriage return on a typewriter to begin a
new line on the page, a RETURN tells the system
that you are ending a line of input and that you
want to begin a new line.

The monitor will not process an instruction from

you until you type a RETURN to let it know that
you are finished with that line.
RUB (or DELETE,
DEL, or RUBOUT) RUB is the deletion key; it backspaces AND
deletes.
If you make a mistake while typing an instruction
to AMOS, you can erase it by using the RUB key.
Press the RUB key -- if you are using a CRT
terminal, you will see the cursor move to the
left, erasing the character in its new position.

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Keep pressing the RUB key until the incorrect

characters are gone, then type the correct
characters. (If you are using a hard-copy
terminal, rubouts usually appear as a backslash
(\) followed by the characters you've deleted and
another backs lash. For example, deleting the
word THE appears as: \EHT\.)

SHIFT The shift key on most keyboards acts much like

the shift key on a typewriter. By holding down
the shift key, you can type upper case letters
and the symbols that occur on the upper half of
the keys that bear two symbols.
ALPHA
(or CAPS LOCK) While the ALPHA key is locked down, all of the
letters you type appear as upper case letters.
The keys that have two symbols on them, however,
are not affected by the ALPHA key on most
keyboards.
That is, to type a %, you must hold down the
shift key while you press the 5 key, even if the
ALPHA key is down. (NOTE: Not aLL terminals have
ALPHA keys.)
ESC (or ESCAPE
or ALT MODE) The Escape key is used with severaL appLications
on the system to signal the end of input, or to
switch between command modes. However, you do
not use Escape at AMOS command level.
CONTROL (or CTRL) The ControL key is used in conjunction with other
keys to give you the ability to enter a different
kind of character-- a Control-character.
To enter a Control-character, hold down the
CONTROL key while you press another key. For
example, to type a ControL-C, you hoLd down the
CONTROL key whiLe you type a C. (See beLow for a
List of the important ControL-characters that
AMOS recognizes.)

2.4.2 Control Characters

ControL characters allow you to perform special functions. The

foLLowing List contains the most important controL characters. See
Appendix D for a List of aLL of the ControL characters and their
function.

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Control-C The Control-C is the system interrupt command. Use it

to interrupt whatever program is in progress and
return to AMOS command level. After typing a
Control-C to interrupt a program, you cannot resume
execution of that program; you must start it over from
the beginning.
You may usually interrupt programs even when they are
displaying data.
Some programs, such as AlphaVUE, do not recognize a
Control-C as an exit command; instead you must use the
exit command for that program if you want to return to
AMOS command level.
Other programs do recognize a Control-C. However, if
an exit command exists for a program, it is usuaLLy
better to use that command than to enter a ControL-C.
Many programs perform various cLosing functions when
you use their normaL exit commands and would not have
a chance to perform those procedures for an orderly
exit if you bypass them by using a ControL-C.
Control-U At AMOS command Level, you may erase the Line you are
typing by entering a Control-U.
On CRT Terminals, the erased line of characters simply
disappears, and the cursor moves to the left edge of
the dispLay. On a hard-copy terminaL, you see a AU,
and the terminaL readies itself for a new line of
input.

Control-I Control-I is a tab character. (Many terminaLs have a

TAB key that you can use instead of typing ControL-I.)
A tab moves the cursor to the next tab stop on your
terminaL display.
Control-S If you have a CRT or VDT TerminaL, it often happens
that a program or command displays more data on your
terminaL than will fit on one screen-page. To stop
the screen display, type a Control-So
You may now read the data on the screen at your
leisure. Not only does the display freeze, but AMOS
actually stops sending data to your terminaL until you
type a Control-Q (see beLow); at that point AMOS
resumes sending information where it Left,off.
While a Control-S is in effect, AMOS stores (but does
not act upon) anything that you type except for a
Control-Q. There is, however, a limit to how much can
be stored. The exact number of characters depends
upon your initial system set-up.

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Control-Q When you type a Control-S (described above) to freeze

the screen display, you must type a Control-Q to
resume the screen display. If you have typed anything
while the Control-S was in effect, a Control-Q tells
AMOS that it can now go ahead and act upon that input.
Try this sample. Enter a Control-S, then type OIR and
press RETURN, and then PRINT and press RETURN. The
commands aren't displayed on the screen and it appears
that nothing happened. Now use Control-Q to release
the display, and you will see first a list of the
files in your account printed on the screen, and then
a display of the files waiting to be printed. (You'll
learn more about the OIR and PRINT commands later on.)
Control-R This control function shows you what commands are in
your command buffer (the command buffer is an area of
memory where the computer stores commands that have
been entered, but not yet executed). If you type
commands faster than the system can process them (for
instance, you type a command to "PRINT" while AMOS is
still processing your last command to "TXTFMT"), your
command is stored in the command buffer.
Since AMOS is still working on the one command, the
characters you typed when you entered your latest
command wilL be intermixed with the output of the
command that is processing.

Some commands, like TXTFMT and COMPIL, take several

seconds to process, so you may want to type in the
next command or commands that you will be using while
you are waiting. If you want to see the commands you
have already typed but which haven't been been
processed yet, you can use Control-R, which will
display them to you.

2.4.3 Correcting Typing Mistakes

If you make a mistake while typing a command line, you may always
correct any mistakes in that line if you have not yet typed a RETURN.
Use the RUB key to erase single characters, or type a ControL-U to
erase the entire current Line. (See the paragraphs above for an
explanation of the RUB key and Control-U.) You may also use a
ControL-C to teLL AMOS to ignore the current line.
If you press the RETURN key before correcting your mistake, and the
command you entered was not a valid AMOS command, AMOS tells you that
it did not recognize the command:

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• PRIMT [RET]
?PRIMT?

(You meant to say PRINT.) After letting you know that it does not
understand PRIMT, AMOS displays its prompt symbol. You are now free
to try again.

2.5 CHANGING DISK CARTRIDGES AND FLOPPY DISKS

To change disk cartridges or floppy disks, folLow the instructions that

accompanied your disk drives. You do not need to reset the. computer in
order to change a disk; but before you cycle it down, you should
consult other users who might be accessing the same device.
DO NOT turn off the disk drive units or the computer when changing a
disk.
After changing a disk cartridge or a floppy disk, you must always
"mount" that new disk by using the MOUNT command. (AMOS always mounts
the System Disk (DSKO:) for you when you first turn on or reset the
system.)

2.5.1 The MOUNT Command

Type MOUNT and the name of the device which contains the new disk.
(Remember to incLude the colon.) Then press the RETURN key on your
terminal keyboard. For example:
..:.MOUNT AMS1: [RET]

This command mounts the floppy disk that is in drive AMS1:.

Using a MOUNT command is the only way you have of letting AMOS know
that you have changed a disk. If you do not use MOUNT after changing
a disk, AMOS assumes that the disk that was previously in the drive
is still there.
AMOS stores information in an area called a bitmap that telLs it
where data and fiLes are located on a disk. Each disk, having
different numbers and lengths of fiLes saved on it, has a different
bitmap.
Therefore, if AMOS is assuming that a certain disk is in the drive,
it writes to and reads from that disk according to the bitmap of the
disk. If the disk in the drive was not mounted when it was loaded,

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AMOS wiLL be using the wrong bitmap when it reads from and writes to
the disk.
This can cause your data to be overwritten or destroyed. When you
use the MOUNT command, AMOS reads the bitmap from the new disk, and
uses that when reading from and writing to the disk.
WARNING: Do not make any typing mistakes when entering
the MOUNT command. If you accidentLy attempt to mount a
disk that someone eLse is aLready using, you couLd cause
damage to the bitmap of_the disk, which wiLL probabLy cause
Loss of data. It does not harm a disk if it is aLready
mounted and you use the MOUNT command, unLess someone
eLse is using that disk.
On AMOS/L systems, you wiLL get a warning that other users are
accessing the disk, and asking you if you want to go ahead with the
MOUNT. On the AMOS systems, you wiLL not get this warning either
way, make sure the other users are aware of what you are doing before
you proceed.
If you shouLd incorrectLy enter the name of the device you want to
mount, you see a message something Like this:
.MOUNT ASM1: (RET)
?Cannot mount ASM1: -device does not exist
If you get this message, it means that you misspeLLed the device name
or that the device is not defined on your system. To find out what
devices are defined, use the DEVTBL command:
.DEVTBL (RET]

and you may see something Like this:

DSKO (sharabLe) (aLternate) (physicaL unit 0, LogicaL unit Q)
DSK1 (sharabLe) (aLternate) (physica[ unit 0, Logica[ unit 1)
DSK2 (sharabLe) (aLternate) (physicaL unit 0, LogicaL unit 2)
DSK3 (sharabLe) (aLternate) (physicaL unit 0, LogicaL unit 3)
LPRO
VCRO
HWKO (sharabLe)
HWK1 <sharabLe)

These are the devices that are currentLy defined for your system. If
you do not have a Winchester disk drive, the dispLay you see may be
substantiaLLy different from the first four Lines of the exampLe
above.
Now that you are fami Liar with the system hardware, we can show you some 'of
the wide variety of commands and programs you can use to retrieve
information and process data. In the next chapter weiLL show you a group of
commands that dispLay vaLuabLe system information.

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 CHAPTER 3

REQUESTING INFORMATION FROM THE COMPUTER

Some of the commands that you can use on the system are designed so that if
you enter only the command itself (with no specifications), AMOS will
display information pertaining to that command. With others, AMOS will
display instructions for the command if you leave out vitaL information.
The rest will give you some kind of error message if you do not enter the
command properLy, or leave out vitaL information.
The AMOS System Commands Reference Manual, DWM-00100-49, and the AMOS/L
System Commands Reference Manual, DSS-10004-00, contain information about
all of the commands available.
This chapter describes some of the commands that wilL help you get
information about the system. You can experiment with these commands to
familiarize yourself with using your terminaL and entering commands. The
foLLowing topics are discussed in this chapter:

The HELP command

The LOG command

The STAT and SYSTAT commands

The JOBS and JOBALC commands

3.1 THE HELP COMMAND

The purpose of the HELP command is to give information about the system
and the system commands to a user who is new to the system.

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You do not have to be logged into the system to use HELP. To find out
what topics the HELP command knows about, type HELP followed by a
RETURN:
~HELP [RET]

Depending on the selection of topics on your particular system, you may

see a display that looks something like this:
Help is available for the following:
APPEND BAUD COpy DEL ERASE LOAD
To see information about one of the topics listed, type HELP followed
by the name of the topic:
.HELP COpy {RET]

The screen clears and the terminal displays information on that topic.
If you ask for information on a topic that HELP doesn't know about, it
wilL dispLay the subjects it does have information about.
Of course, there are more HELP fiLes than in the dispLay above, and you
may create your own HELP topics by using one of the system editors to'
create text fiLes with .HLP extensions in the HELP library fiLe on
DSKO:[7,1J. (See Chapter 4 for a discussion of fiLe extensions.)
The HELP command automaticaLly incLudes the .HLP files that you create
in its list of topics, and displays your HELP files on command.

3.2 FINDING OUT WHAT ACCOUNT YOU ARE LOGGED INTO (LOG)

If you don't know or cannot remember which account your terminaL is

Logged into, type LOG and a RETURN, and AMOS wiLL telL you:
.LOG [RET]
Current login is DSKO:[321,10J
If you are not logged in, you will see the message:
Not logged in

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3.3 THE STAT AND SYSTAT COMMANDS

The System Status commands give you a quick summary of tasks the
computer is currentLy performing. The dispLays List aLL the jobs on
your computer system and teLL you what programs they are running.
Jobs, you recaLL from Introduction to AMOS, are subdivisions of you
computer's memory and each is usuaLLy attached to a terminaL.
SYSTAT dispLays on your terminaL screen one Line for each job on the
system. Each Line gives the name of the job, the name of the terminal
that the job is using, the account that the job is Logged into, the
octaL base address in system memory where the system maintains
information about the job, the status of the job, the name of the Last
program run by the job, the number of bytes (decimaL) in the memory
partition being used by the job, and its base address in memory
(octaL> •
BeLow the job information Lines is a List of all storage devices
currently mounted on the system and the number of bLocks free on those
devices.
To see the SYSTAT display, enter:
.SYSTAT [RET)

The STAT command is much like the SYSTAT command, except that the
display is updated continuousLy untiL you use Control-C. This can be
very useful if you wish to watch the progress of a task, or to see what
other users or devices are doing. To see the STAT dispLay, enter:
..:..STAT [RET}

ConsuLt the Reference Sheets for SYSTAT and STAT in the AMOS System
Commands Reference Manual, DWM-00100-49, or the AMOS/L System
Commands Reference Manual, DSS-10004-00, for examples and further
expLanatlons.

3.4 FINDING OUT THE STATUS OF YOUR JOB (JOBS AND JOBALC)

To interpret the SYSTAT and STAT dispLays mentioned above you wilL need
to know your job name. ALso, if you wish to use the SEND command
(explained in Section 8.6, SEND), aLL users on the system wilL need to
know the names of their jobs.

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Because of differences in the two systems, the two commands discussed

below, JOBS and JOBALC, have different functions. On the AMOS/L
system, the commands will function as we show them below. On the AMOS
system, there is only the JOBS command, but it shows you the same
display as the JOBALC command does on the AMOS/L system.
To find out your job name, type JOBALC (JOBS on AMOS systems) and a
RETURN:
.JOBALC [RET)
YOUR JOB NAME IS JOB1
The JOBS command on AMOS/L systems shows you how many jobs are
allocated on your system, and also how many are currently assigned.
The command and display look something like this:
.JOBS [RET)
13 jobs allocated, 13 currently assigned

Now that you know the basics of how to operate your terminal and keyboard,
and how to use a few commands to extract information from the system, we can
move on to the structure of more complex commands. The next chapter tells
you how to arrange various pieces of data when you enter commands and how
the arra~gement affects the commands' behavior.

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

 CHAPTER 4

COMMAND FORMATS, SWITCHES, AND DEFAULTS

Every AMOS command is actually an individual assembly language program or

command file stored on the disk that processes data according to the
arguments and switches you specify when you enter the command name. Most
commands require that you enter these arguments and switches in a relatively
fixed sequence.
One measure of your system's versatility is that, in addition to the many
commands supplied with your Alpha Micro Operating System, you can write your
own commands, and we'll tell you how to do that in Chapter 10, "Command, Do,
and Control Fi les."
In the previous chapter we discussed several commands that did not need
additional information to perform their job. You merely entered the command
name and pressed RETURN. However, most commands require certain data,
entered in a certain sequence, to produce the desired results.
In this chapter, we'll talk about how commands expect to receive this
additional information. Here are the topics this chapter contains:

Command Syntax
(How to fit the pieces of a command together.)
Command Switches
(Special options that change the way a command works.>
Command Defaults
(What AMOS assumes if you leave something out.)

First, let's look at how the elements of a command are arranged.

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COMMAND FORMATS, SWITCHES, AND DEFAULTS Page 4-2

4.1 FORMAT

Although some commands consist of the command name alone, many commands
need additional information to do what you want them to. How you
arrange this additional information is determined by the format
(syntax) of the individuaL command.
Each command requires different types of information depending on what
the command does. Some pieces of data are required, whiLe others are
optionaL. ALso, the amount of data you give on a command line and the
order you enter it in determines how the command performs.
Here is a command format that shows what order the options must be in •
• COMMAND {outfiLespec=}{infiLespec1{ ••• ,infiLespecN}}{/switch} [RET)
The command name (six characters or less) is required, but everything
eLse (as indicated by the {} symboLs) on this sampLe command Line is
optionaL. In this case, the "outfilespec=" is followed by the
"infiLespecs" and the "/switches." In this exampLe, the phrase
{ ••• ,infiLespecN} means that you can specify any number of infiLespecs,
each separated by commas.
An ~nfiLespec is an input fiLe specification-- a fiLe the command takes
and manipuLates in some way. An outfiLespec is an output fiLe
specification-- a file the command creates or a fiLe where it pLaces
its resuLts. We'LL expLain switches in just a moment.
Notice that the outfiLespec comes before the equaL sign, and the
infiLespecs come after it. If you're used to scientific equations,
this arrangement may seem strange to you. But computers usually treat
an equaL sign as an "is repLaced by" sign, rather than "is equaL to."
That's why you'LL often hear the phrase "repLacement statement" used
instead of "equation" when taLking about programming instructions or
system commands. ALL you have to remember is that the output of a
command or instruction comes before the equaL sign and the inputs or
factors the command uses to get that resuLt come afterward.
You've aLready been introduced in Chapter 1 to the abbreviations and
symboLs we use in our exampLes, but here's a quick review.

AMOS Prompt symboL. When the cursor is positioned next to this

dot, it means that AMOS is ready for your next command. In aLL
our exampLes, this dot is underLined to indicate tha~ AMOS pLaces
it on your screen.
{} Braces. Anything encLosed in braces in a command syntax exampLe
is optionaL.

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COMMAND FORMATS, SWITCHES, AND DEFAULTS Page 4-3

/ Slash. A command switch is always preceeded by a slash. Some

commands allow you to string several switches after a single
sLash, whiLe others require a separate sLash ahead of each switch
you use.
[RET] Return. This symboL appears at the end of a command Line and
teLls you when to press the RETURN key.

4.2 SWITCHES

Switches are indicators that turn on and off various command options.
They are always preceeded by a sLash. The command reference sheets in
the AMOS or AMOS/L System Commands Reference ManuaL teLL you how to
specify switches for each command.
You can specify switches in commands by their fulL name (such as /QUERY
or /KILL), or you can use their abbreviation (such as /Q or /K). Many
switches have counterparts that reverse their effect. For example, the
INOQUERY switch reverses the effect of the /QUERY switch, and can be
abbreviated /NOQ.

4.3 DEFAULTS

You don't always have to specify compLete fiLe specifications because

every command assumes certain values unless you teLL it otherwise.
These assumed values are caLLed defauLts, and they enable you to use
the command in many situations without having to type in a Long string
of additionaL information.
Let's look at the DIR command for a moment. This command displays a
list of the fiLes in certain accounts, and we'll discuss it more fully
in the next chapter. For now, just enter the command name on your
terminal, Like this:
.DIR [RET]

The DIR program assumes that you want to see a directory of all the
fiLes in the account you're currently logged into. This is the most
general usage of DIR.
If you want to see a directory listing of just the files in your
account that have a file name of MEMO, you can enter the specific
filename to limit the display •
• DIR MEMO [RET]

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COMMAND FORMATS, SWITCHES, AND DEFAULTS Page 4-4

The DIR command still assumes you want to see the files in your own
account. But if you want to see a list of the MEMO files in another
account (we'll talk more about accounts and PPNs in Chapter 9), all you
have to do is add an account number. Like this:
~DIR MEMO[220,15J [RET]
DIR assumes the account is on the same logical device as your own
account. So if you want to see a list of the MEMO files in a certain
account on another device, add a device specification. For example:
~DIR HWK1:MEMO[200,15J [RET]
As you can see, the more information you give a command, the more
easily you can control the results. As we explain the use of each
command, we'll tell you the default values each command uses and what
other information each command assumes.

The next step is to create some files to use these commands on. The next
chapter introduces you to AlphaVUE, an extremely useful and powerful program
that enables you to create and modify files. You'll also learn about a
number of system commands that make it easy for you to handle these files
once you've created them.

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

 CHAPTER 5

CREATING AND USING FILES

Files are the basic units for organlzlng and storing related data. All the
data you work with on the computer is eventually stored on your disk in the
form of files, so before we do anything else, let's find out how to create
files and retrieve data from them.
This chapter covers the following topics:

Creating a new fiLe in your disk account

Finding out what files you already have
Which fiLe extensions have reserved meanings
DispLaying a fiLe on your terminal
Making another copy of a file
Restoring a file from a backup device
Changing the name of a file
Erasing a fiLe
Printing a copy of a fiLe on your printer

Let's start off by creating a new fiLe.

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CREATING AND USING FILES Page 5-2

5.1 CREATING FILES WITH ALPHAVUE

To create a new fiLe, you must first seLect a fiLe name six or fewer
characters Long. Every fiLe name aLso has an extension of three or
fewer characters. The extension is usefuL for identifying the type of
data a fiLe contains and is separated from the fiLe name by a dot, Like
this:
DATA.LST
DupLicate extensions are acceptabLe within an account as Long as the
fiLe names preceding them are different. And you can have fiLes with
the same name and extension in different accounts, but not in the same
account.
ALthough you can theoreticaLLy use any fiLe extension you wish, there
are a number of fiLe extensions that have taken on speciaL meanings.

5.1.1 Reserved FiLe Extensions

A fiLe extension can be any combination of Letters you choose. For

many fiLes that you need to process routineLy, there are certain fiLe
extensions that AMOS automaticaLLy generates or expects to receive.
Appendix B contains a brief description of each reserved fiLe
extension and where it's used. For exampLe, ALphaVUE uses the
extension .BAK. ALphaBASIC uses .BAS, .RUN, .SBR, and .DAT. TXTFMT
uses .TXT and .LST. Other reserved extension incLude .HLP, .CMD,
.PAS, and .LSP. GLance over this appendix to famiLiarize yourseLf
with the various extensions that have speciaL significance.
After you've seLected a fiLename and extension, you might wish to
find out if the name you've chosen is aLready being used.

5.1.2 Finding Out What FiLes are in Your Account (DIR)

To see if the fiLe name is in use, you can request a dispLay of your
account directory with the DIR command. Entering DIR by itseLf
causes a singLe coLumn List of the fiLes in your account' to appear on
your screen. If this List is Longer than one screenfuL, you can use
ControL-S to stop the dispLay and ControL-Q to start it up again.

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CREATING AND USING FILES Page 5-3

Perhaps an easier way to view the account directory is by using the

IW switch with the DIR command. This switch widens the display to
four coLumns. Just enter:
.DIR/W [RET]

The display that appears on your screen now is much easier to read,
especialLy if your account contains a large number of files.

5.1.3 Creating a Sample FiLe

Let's say you are assigned to write a Letter to a customer, and the
fiLe you want to create is caLLed LETTER. TXT. Enter:
.VUE LETTER. TXT [RET]
AMOS Loads the ALphaVUE program into memory, and ALphaVUE searches
for the fiLe name you entered. If there were aLready a fiLe by that
name in your account, you'd see it displayed on your screen. (To get
back to AMOS command level from here, you could press the ESCAPE key,
then press the letter Q, and finalLy press RETURN. Section 5.1.4
goes into this procedure in more detail.) But since it's a file that
doesn't exist yet, AlphaVUE responds:
LETTER.TXT does not exist, do you wish it created?
You do, so enter a Y for yes and press RETURN. (AlphaVUE asks this
question just in case you make a typing mistake when asking for an
existing file.) Your screen cLears and fills with asterisks, and the
cursor moves to the upper left corner, ready for you to start typing
your note. If a different dispLay appears-- one where the cursor
appears next to a > sign-- press the Escape key (ESC) to see the
screenful of asterisks.
Now you can enter the sampLe Letter, just to get the feeL of creating
a document. Just type it in, and don't worry about mistakes. It
might seem a bit different, especiaLLy if you are used to a
typewriter. Later on, you'll learn more about ALphaVUE from the
AlphaVUE/TXTFMT Training Guide, DSS-10000-03, and the AlphaVUE
User's ManuaL, DWM-00100-15. These manuals will show you how useful
and easy AlphaVUE can be for entering, correcting, and editing
documents.

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CREATING AND USING FILES Page 5-4

Here is the sample letter for you to type:

Mr. John R. Baxter

Autonomic Neurosystems
P.O. Box 12
Commerce, CA 92714
Dear Mr. Baxter:
Your recent order helped us surpass our sales goal for
last month, and we wish to express our sincere appreciation.
Thank you for your confidence in our products. We are looking
forward to your continued patronage.

Sincerely,

George Morton

5.1.4 Getting Back to AMOS Command Level

Now that you have typed your note into memory, you need to store it
on your disk and return to AMOS. Pressing the ESCAPE key brings you
to AlphaVUE command level. The AlphaVUE prompt is a right
angle-bracket (» and if you enter an F (for Finish) and a RETURN,
your file is stored on the disk. As AlphaVUE stores your file, it
prints one dot on your screen for each block of the file it
transfers.
Your cursor appears next to the AMOS prompt indicating that you have
left AlphaVUE and are once again talking to AMOS. The whole
operation looks like this:
>F •••

If you decide that you don't want to save what you just typed, you
can still return to AMOS by entering a Q (for Quit) at AlphaVUE
command level instead. Like so:
>Q (RET)

You can do a lot more things with AlphaVUE than we've described here,
and you can learn more about both AlphaVUE and TXTFMT by reading the
AlphaVUE User's Manual, DWM-00100-15,' the TXTFMT User's Manual,
DWM-00100-07, and the AlphaVUE/TXTFMT Training Guide, DSS-10000-03.

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CREATING AND USING FILES Page 5-5

5.2 DISPLAYING FILES (VUE, TYPE)

Once your fiLes are stored in your account on the disk, you can Look at
them and modify them whenever you wish by using the VUE command or the
TYPE command.
The VUE command is the same one you used to create the fiLe in the
first pLace. Here's how to Look at that note you wrote earLier:
.VUE LETTER. TXT [RET)

Since it now exists in your account, ALphaVUE has no troubLe Locating

it and dispLays it on your screen. If your fiLe is bigger than one
screenfuL, you can page back and forth using ControL-R and ControL-T.
To go directLy to the end of the fiLe, use ControL-E; and to return to
the front of the fiLe, use ControL-A or the HOME key.
When you're through Looking at your fiLe or changing it, you use the
same method of storing it on the disk as you did when you created it.
That is, you use the Escape key to get to the command LeveL, and enter
"F" to write the file to the disk and bring you back to AMOS.
NOTE: On the AMOS/L system, ALphaVUE won't Let you Look at
fiLes with certain extensions, either because they contain
data your terminaL can't dispLay (such as .RUN fiLes), or
because they shouLd not be modified (such as .BAK fiLes). If
you try to Look at a fiLe you shouLdn't, ALphaVUE sends you
an error message. For exampLe:
?Cannot VUE or UNYANK fiLe with .BAK extension

Another way to Look at a fiLe is with the TYPE command:

.TYPE LETTER. TXT [RET)
You can't modify a fiLe with the TYPE command the way you can with the
VUE command, and instead of showing you onLy one screenfuL at a time,
TYPE scroLLs through the entire fiLe from beginning to end without
stopping.
The onLy way you can haLt the dispLay is with a ControL-S. To start it
up again, use ControL-Q. (On AMOS/L systems, you can use the /P switch
with the TYPE command to dispLay one page of data at a time.)
ALso, TYPE does not aLLow you to go backward in the fiLe ~r jump around
the way the VUE command does. ALthough you'LL probabLy use the VUE
command most often, TYPE is usefuL when you just want to verify the
contents of a particuLar fiLe.

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CREATING AND USING FILES Page 5-6

5.3 COPYING FILES (COpy)

If you need to send the same letter you wrote at the beginning of this
chapter to a different customer, you can easily make another copy of it
and just change a few of the words. The COpy command lets you do this
with a mlnlmum of bother. Decide on another file name that does not
already exist in your account and enter the following command.
~COpy NOTE.TXT=LETTER.TXT/NOD [RET)

where NOTE. TXT is the name of the new file, and LETTER. TXT is the name
of your original letter. Now you have two copies of the same thing and
you can use AlphaVUE to change one or the other.
The INOD on the end stands for INODELETE. It means that if, by chance,
the file name you chose (NOTE. TXT) was already in use in your account,
the file you copy (LETTER. TXT) will not wipe out whatever was in that
file before. Rather, AMOS will inform you that the file NOTE. TXT
exists, and not do any copying. You can then choose an unused name for
your file.

5.4 RETRIEVING FILES FROM BACKUPS

There are several different backup devices available where you can
store files that you are not actively using. Storing your inactive
files on floppy disks, video cassettes, or streaming tape cartidges
keeps your disk from becoming cLuttered, and also prevents the fiLes
from being accidentaLLy modified or erased. We'll taLk about backing
up your files in Chapter 8, "Backing Up Your Files."
Each backup device has special commands that enable you to store and
retrieve data. FLoppy disks that are used with Winchester technology
disks use the commands WINFLP, FLPWIN, and FLPDIR to copy fiLes back
and forth from one device to the other, and to display a directory of
the fiLes stored on a particular floppy disk.
1/2" magnetic tape drives use TAPFIL, FILTAP, and TAPDIR commands for
the same procedures.
The video cassette recorder uses the commands VCRSAV, VCRRES, and
VCRDIR to perform the same functions. And the 1/4" streaming tape
drive uses the commands STRSAV, STRRES, and STRDIR.
You can Learn more about these devices and commands by reading the
appropriate AMOS or AMOS/L documents listed in Chapter 12: Video
Cassette Recorder Backup Software, 1/4" Streamer Backup Software,
and the System Operator's Guide.

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CREATING AND USING FILES Page 5-7

5.5 RENAMING FILES (RENAME)

There are times when you may wish to change the name of a file, and the
RENAME command was developed for this purpose. It's a good idea to
verify that the new file name you picked is not already being used;
RENAME sends you an error message if it is.
If you suspect the file name is in use and you don't wish to save the
contents of the file if it is, you can use the 10 switch which deletes
the file before renaming your current file to the new name. Here's how
it works:
.RENAME/D MISSIV.TXT=NOTE.TXT [RET]
where MISSIV.TXT is the new name given to the current file, and
NOTE. TXT is the current file name. When the command is finished, the
file NOTE. TXT no longer exists and you can use that file name again for
another file.

5.6 PRINTING FILES (PRINT)

Now that you've finished your letter, you need a printed copy of it to
put in the mail. To use the PRINT command, enter the name of the
command and the name of the file:
.PRINT LETTER. TXT [RET)

The command above causes your letter to be sent directly to the

printer. If you have more than one printer attached to your system,
your printing wiLL automaticaLly go to whichever one the System
Operator has defined as the default printer. If you want to use a
printer other than the default, you must specify the printer name in
your PRINT command. If it's a DiabLo printer, for example, your PRINT
command might Look Like this:
~PRINT DIABLO=LETTER.TXT [RET]
The file automaticalLy begins printing. See the System Operator for a
List of printer names on your system.
To check on the progress of a file being printed, enter just the
command:
.PRINT [RET)
The resulting display telLs you how much of your fiLe is left to print.

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CREATING AND USING FILES Page 5-8

5.7 ERASING FILES (ERASE)

When you want to deLete a fiLe from your account, you can use the ERASE
command to get rid of it. Suppose you want to get rid of the
LETTER. TXT fiLe. Just enter:
.ERASE LETTER. TXT (RET]

The fiLe is gone and does not appear on the directory Listing of your
account. If you want to create another LETTER. TXT fiLe, you can do so
by foLLowing the same steps you used to create the first one.
NOTE: Depending on how your system is set up, you
may see an error message if you try to ERASE,
RENAME, or access a fiLe. It's possibLe that the
fiLe has been protected during system
initiaLization from being accessed. If you need to
access such a fiLe, contact your System Operator
for heLp.

These first four chapters have given you a broad, basic knowLedge of how the
AMOS and AMOS/L computer systems work, and how you can use them to your
advantage. The next six chapters teLL you how to add Leverage to the
commands you've aLready used, and introduce you to some new commands that
make your job even easier.

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 PART II

MAKING THE SYSTEM DO THE WORK

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

 CHAPTER 6

USING WILDCARD SYMBOLS

So far, you've Learned the basic operation of severaL system commands, but
usefuL as these commands are, they can become tedious if you have to repeat
them for a Large number of fiLes. If you have to make dupLicate copies of
twenty ALphaBASIC programs, or rename aLL your .TXT fiLes, or erase the .BAK
fiLes in your account one by one, you couLd become extremeLy frustrated if
it weren't for wiLdcard symboLs.
A seLect group of the most often used commands recognize these speciaL
symboLs and aLLow you to process groups of fiLes without having to specify
each and every fiLe name. Many commands do not recognize these wiLdcard
symboLs, so if you're ever in doubt, check the appropriate command reference
sheet in the AMOS or AMOS/L System Commands Reference ManuaL.
This chapter contains the foLLowing information:

Definitions of the various wiLdcard symboLs

Some ruLes for using wiLdcard symboLs in account specs
ExampLes of how wi Ldcarding works

Before we do anything eLse, we shouLd define wiLdcard symboLs.

6.1 WHAT ARE WILDCARD SYMBOLS?

In some card games, you can use a joker (or some other card) as a wiLd
card which can be used in pLace of any other card in the deck.
Likewise, you can substitute wiLdcard symboLs for various parts of fiLe
and account specifications in certain AMOS commands and enabLe the
command to process severaL fiLes with a singLe fiLe specification.

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USING WILDCARD SYMBOLS Page 6-2

The list beLow explains what each of the wildcard symbols means.
* Asterisk. This symbol stands for any group of characters in
file names, file extensions, and account numbers. For
example, *.BAS means every file that has the extension .BAS.
Also, PR*.BAS means all files that start with PR and have
.BAS extensions like PRIVAT.BAS, PROOF.BAS, PRT23.BAS, and
PR.BAS.
? Question mark. This symbol stands for a single character in
file names, file extensions, and account numbers. For
example, EX?PT.LST includes all files whose names begin with
EX and end with PT (with only one character in between), and
have .LST extensions, such as EXMPT.LST, EXRPT.LST, and
EX9PT.LST, but not EXERPT.LST or EXPT.LST. A series of
question marks at the end of a file name indicates that many
or fewer characters.
ALL: All Logical Devices. This symbol stands for any
file-structured, mounted device. For example, ALL:START.DO
means all START.DO files on all logical devices.
dev: All logical devices whose names begin with the code "dev"
where "devil is the device abbreviation. If you leave off the
unit number from a device specification, wildcard commands
search for the files you specify on all units of the
specified device type. For example, HWK:BAKUP.CMD stands for
any file named BAKUP.CMD on any logical device whose name
begins with "HWK" (such as HWKO:, HWK1:, HWK2:, etc.).
[] Brackets. This symbol stands for any account number (PPN).
For example, SORT.HLP[J means all SORT.HLP files in any
account. [] is the same as [*,*J.
The system commands that recognize these wildcard symbols as valid
arguments allow you to manipulate numerous files with a single command.
But before we give specific examples of how each of these wildcard
commands operates, there are a couple of general rules that you need to
keep in mind when using wildcard symbols in account numbers.

6.2 SOME RULES FOR USING WILDCARD SYMBOLS

First, when you use an asterisk (*) in an account number, you can
either use it to represent the entire project or programmer number (as
in [*,5] and [45,*]), or you can use it as a partial project or
programmer number with one or more numbers following it (as in [*41,12]
and [22,*2J). The catch is that you cannot put numbers ahead of the
asterisk in a partiaL project or programmer number. (This wiLdcard
account number is iLLegaL: [25*,6].)

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USING WILDCARD SYMBOLS Page 6-3

Here are some examples of valid wildcard account numbers:

FOLIO.LST[*,12J covers FOLIO.LST[5,12J and FOLIO.LST[120,12J
PROG.BAS[15,*J covers PROG.BAS[15,1J and PROG.BAS[15,34J

WWTIRE.TXT[*3,*J covers WWTIRE.TXT[3,OJ, WWTIRE.TXT[23,5J, and

WWTIRE.TXT[103,14J
When you use an asterisk as part of a fiLe specification, just the
opposite is true. You can still use the * to represent the entire fiLe
name or extension (as in *.TXT or PRGRAM.* or *.*), but you cannot put
any characters behind the asterisk in a partial fiLe name or
extension. (These are valid wildcard file names: PAY*.LS* and X*.B*,
but these are invalid: F*M.*AS and *RX.F*L.)
The question mark symbol (?) at the beginning of a project or
programmer number stands for that many or fewer numbers. (For
exampLe, EASY.PRG[??1,??J covers EASY.PRG[1,2J and EASY.PRG[21,14J.)
If you use the? symbol in the middle or at the end of a project or
programmer number, the exact number of characters must match. (Thus,
FINDIT.LST[1?1,2?J covers FINDIT.LST[101,20J, FINDIT.LST[141,24J, and
FINDIT.LST[111,26J, but not FINDIT.LST[11,2J or FINDIT.LST[1,245J.)

6.3 WILDCARD FILE SPECIFICATIONS

The way you specify fiLes in wildcard commands determines the way the
commands perform. The paragraphs beLow describe how the pLacement of
input fiLe specifications (infiLespecs) and output fiLe specifications
(outfiLespecs) aLters the results of these commands.

6.3.1 Input File Specifications

Most commands, wildcard commands included, use infiLespecs. These
are the file specifications that the command works upon to perform
its designated function. In a wildcard command, you are able to use
one infilespec to represent a group of files. For example, if you
want to refer to DSKO:MCSAM.RUN and DSK1:MCELI.RUN, you could
condense them into a singLe fiLespec: DSK:MC*.RUN.
NOTE: There are certain situations, however, when
wildcard commands should be used with caut~on
since you might unintentionaLly include more
files in the wiLdcard filespec than you bargained
for. Such is the case when you are ERASEing or
RENAMEing files.

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USING WtLDCARD SYMaOLS Page 6-4

6.3.2 Output File Specifications

A few of the wildcard commands require you to supply an outfiLespec

under certain circumstances. The outfilespec, if used, always comes
immediately after the command name itself, ahead of any infilespecs,
and indicates the destination or result of the command's designated
function. For example, the RENAME command requires both an
outfilespec and an infilespec:
~RENAME *.SAV=*.BAK [RET)
In this command, *.SAV is the outfiLespec and *.BAK is the
infilespec. All the files having .BAK extensions in the account
you're currently logged into are automatically renamed with .SAV
extensions.
If we changed the command to say:
~RENAME *.SAV=BRUT.BAK,SEC.BAK (RET)
••• only the two specified files in the account you're currently
Logged into would be renamed with .SAV extensions.
A~other way to use wildcard symbols in outfiLespecs is this:
.RENAME AR*=*.FIN (RET)
This RENAME command takes all the files with .FIN extensions in the
account you're currently logged into and changes the first two
letters of the filename to AR.

6.3.3 Ersatz Device Specifications

The more data you have to enter on your screen, the easier it is for
you to make a typing mistake. The less you have to type, the better.
So for your convenience, several abbreviated substitutes have been
invented for the device and account specifications that you use most
frequently. These ersatz specifications are only four characters long
and reduce the possibility of error a great deal.

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The foLLowing tabLe Lists the ersatz specs and the devices and
accounts they correspond to:
ERSATZ DEVICE SPEC LIBRARY NAME
RES: System Memory
MEM: User Memory
OPR: DSKO: [1 ,2J System Operator's Account
SYS: DSKO: [1 ,4] System Program Library
DVR: DSKO: [1 ,6] Device Driver Library
CMD: DSKO:[2,2] Command FiLe Library
LIB: DSKO: [7,OJ MisceLLaneous FiLe Library
HLP: DSKO:[7,1] HeLp FiLe Library
BOX: DSKO: [7,2] MaiLbox Data FiLe Library
LSP: DSKO:[7,4] ALphaLISP Language Library
PAS: DSKO: [7,5] ALphaPASCAL Language Library
BAS: DSKO:[7,6] ALphaBASIC Language Library
MAC: DSKO: [7, 7J Macro Language Library
You can use these ersatz specifications anytime you want to refer to
one of the Library accounts Listed above. For example, to see a
directory listing of all the files in the HeLp File Library, you
couLd enter either:
.DIR DSKO:[7,1J [RET] -or- .DIR HLP: (RET]

6.4 WILDCARD SWITCHES

Most ordinary commands permit you to put switches onLy at the end of a
command Line. WiLdcard commands give you added fLexibiLity by
permitting you to pLace switches anywhere in the command Line. Where
you place a particular switch within a command will then affect how the
switch operates.
WiLdcard commands recognize two types of switches: fiLe switches that
pertain to individuaL fiLe specifications in the command Line, and
operation switches that affect the entire command Line regardLess of
thei r pLacement.

6.4.1 FiLe and Operation Switches

A fiLe switch usuaLly appLies to a single fiLe specification, and you

can pLace it anywhere in a command Line depending on the resuLts you
want. We'LL taLk more about fiLe switches and where to put them when
we begin setting switch defauLts.

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You can place an operation switch anywhere in the command line and
its effect is always the same. For example, the IK switch in the
PRINT commands below is an operation switch:
.PRINT/K MEMO.LST,REPORT.LST,LETTER.LST [RET)
is the same as •••
~PRINT MEMO.LST/K,REPORT.LST,LETTER.LST [RET]
and is the same as •••
• PRINT MEMO.LST,REPORT.LST,LETTER.LST/K [RET)
The description of each command will tell you whether its switches
are File Switches or Operation Switches.

6.5 WILDCARD DEFAULTS

We discussed command defaults and rules of syntax back in Chapter 4,

an~ those same basic rules apply to wildcard commands as well. But
there are some significant additional features of wildcard command
syntax that increase their power tremendously.
Setting the Device Defaults:
If you do not specify the device or account in an infilespec, most
commands default to the device and account you are logged into.
Wildcard commands allow you to reset these default values within c
command line. Let's take an example:
~ERASE *.BAK,HWK1:*.LST,*.BAK,*.CMD (RET)
The first thing this ERASE command does is get rid of all the files
with .BAK extensions in the account and device you are currently logged
into, say DSK1:. Then the device specification changes to HWK1:, so
ERASE deletes all the files with .LST extensions on that device, but
still with the same account number as the account you are logged into.
For the next filespec, ERASE stays on HWK1: (it's now the default
device), and deLetes all the fiLes with .BAK extensions, and *.CMD
extensions.
Setting the Account DefauLts:
But that's not alL. Here's another exampLe:
.ERASE DSKO:SAVE.*,RESTOR.*,[200,1]PRT04.LST,MGMT.LST,DSK1:*.RST [RET)

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This ERASE command sets the default device right away to DSKO:, and
deletes all files named SAVE and RESTOR from the account on that device
with the same number as the account you're currently logged into. So
far, so good.
NOw, notice that there is an account number ahead of the next filespec.
Placing the account number in this position resets the default account
number, so that the files PRT04.LST and MGMT.LST are both deleted from
account [200,1] on DSKO:. The last filespec contains a different
device name, but since the account number default has been changed to
[200,1], ERASE deletes all the files with .RST extensions from that
account on DSK1:.
That example might seem complicated at first, but if you analyze it one
part at a time, you'LL see how much you can accompLish with a single
command.
Setting the Project-Programmer Number DefauLts:
Here's another defauLt feature you can use.
~ERASE [24,0]TAXI.BAS,JRNL.LST[,S],[211,3JGRT.PGM,SRT101.SLR[212,] [RET]
If you Look cLoseLy at the account numbers in this command, you'LL
notice that one is missing a project number and one is missing a
programmer number. If you Leave one or the other of these numbers out
of an account number, wiLdcard commands defauLt to the currentLy set
defauLt project or programmer number. In this exampLe, the project
number for JRNL.LST and the programmer number for SRT101.SLR defauLt to
the previousLy set project and programmer numbers. This command couLd
aLso have been written:
~ERASE TAXI.BAS[24,O],JRNL.LST[24,S],GRT.PGM[211,3],SRT101.SLR[212,3] [RET]
As your use of fiLes becomes more extensive and your need to manipuLate
a lot of files quickLy increases, you'll find that the ability to
condense commands into the shortest possibLe space (especiaLLy in
Command and Do fiLes which we'LL discuss in Chapter 10), whiLe having
them process the maximum number of files, is extremeLy important.
Setting FiLe Switch DefauLts:
If you put a wiLdcard fiLe switch right ,after the command name Like
this:
~ERASE/Q TEXT1.TXT,RPT23.TXT,SUMX.TXT,FILE.TXT,GAME.TXT [RET]
the switch appLies to everything on ,the command Line. (In this case,
the Query switch wiLL cause the ERASE command to pause after each fiLe
for your confirmation before actuaLLy erasing it.)

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If the switch comes after one of the file names, •••

••• RPT23.TXT/Q,SUMX.TXT,FILE.TXT, •••
the command only stops for confirmation for that one file, since it is
a file switch.
When you place the switch ahead of the file specification, it remains
in effect for the rest of the command line. Such as:
••• RPT23.TXT,/Q SUMX.TXT,FILE.TXT, •••
From these examples, you can see that the placement of the switches in
the command line can greatly alter the outcome of the command.

The preceeding examples have given you just a small taste of how
wildcard symbols operate. Now we can look at some of the wildcard
commands themselves to see how they operate and how they can save you
hours of work.

6.6 WILDCARD SYMBOLS IN COMMANDS

All the commands described in the remainder of this chapter recognize

wildcard symbols. There are countless ways to use these commands and
we'll try to show you as many uses for each one as we can. It would be
impossible for us to give examples of all the possible combinations of
options and wildcard symbols, so we encourage you to experiment and use
your imagination.
The ultimate source of information on the features and use of any
command is, of course, the Command Reference Sheet for that command.
Each reference sheet contains a complete listing of command
characteristics, switches, defaults, etc., so refer to your AMOS or
AMOS/L System Commands Reference Manual for all the details-on-each
command.

6.6.1 DIR - File Directory Display

You've already seen a few of the things the DIR command can do for
you, but now let's explore some of this command's other capabilities.
Before we go any further, though, here is a list of the command's
syntax and defaults.

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COMMAND SYNTAX:
.DIR {{listfiLespec}=}{fiLespec1{, ••• filespecN}}{/switch{/switch}} [RET)

COMMAND DEFAULTS:
ListfiLespec DIRECT.LST, and the device and account you're
currently Logged into.
fiLespec *.*, and the device and account you're
currently Logged into.
Iswitch IWIDE:1/NOBASE

How to Create a Directory FiLe

The first thing you probabLy noticed about the syntax of this command
is that it contains an optionaL ListfiLespec. This corresponds to
the outfiLespec you read about earlier in this chapter. If you
specify a fiLename foLLowed by an equaL sign (or just an equaL sign
if you want to use the default DIRECT.LST), DIR creates for you a
fiLe containing the directory dispLay you requested. Here are some
examples:
~DIR/W = [RET)

(Creates a fiLe named DIRECT.LST containing a four column

wide list of the fiLes in the account you're currently
logged into.)
.DIR/W:3 FILES.LST=*.TXT,*.LST [RET)
(Creates a fiLe named FILES.LST containing a three coLumn
wide List of the fiLes in your current account that have
.TXT and .LST extensions.)
~DIR TOC.LST[20,2]=MY??*[24,1] [RET)
(Creates a fiLe named TOC.LST containing a singLe column
directory List in account [20,2] on your current device.
This fiLe contains a List of all the files in account
[24,1] on your current device whose names contain four
characters or fewer, start with the letters MY, and have
any extension.)

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How to Print a Directory List on the Printer

If you ever need to retain a permanent, printed record of a directory

display, you can do it two ways.
a. Use the DIR command with a listfilespec to create a disk
file that contains the display you want to print, and then
print it with the PRINT command (more on PRINT later), or •••
b. Substitute the name of the printer (or any other terminal)
for the listfilespec in the DIR command. Ask the System
Operator what the terminal identification of your printer
is, or type TRMDEF followed by a RETURN to see a list of all
the terminals attached to your system. Then to send a list,
say, of all the .CMD files in all the accounts on the device
you're logged into, to the printer TI810, enter:
.DIR TRM:TI810=*.CMD[]
The prefix TRM: tells DIR that the following name applies to
a terminal rather than a disk file.

How to Find a Lost File

If you're looking for a specific file, but you can't remember where
it is, you can use the DIR command to locate it for you. For
example, if the file you're searching for is called LOST.FIL, enter:
.DIR ALL:LOST.FIL[] [RET)

This DIR command searches through every account ([]) on every disk
device (ALL:) and displays the location of every LOST.FIL it finds.

How to Use Switches with DIR

The DIR command allows you to use a variety of switches. You can see
a complete list of these switches and their capabilities in the DIR
command reference sheet, but here are some highlights.
1. IDATA (an operation switch) This switch causes DIR to
list the complete file specification for each file it
selects. Instead of displaying just the file name, for
example: TARIFF.AMT, the IDATA switch tells DIR to display
DSK5:TARIFF.AMT[143,10J. If you create a list file of a
directory display using the IDATA switch, your AlphaBASIC

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programs can read the fiLe to access these fiLe

specifications and determine which fiLes to open for data
transfer.
2. IKILL - (an operation switch) NormaLLy, when you use DIR
to create a fiLe containing a directory List, DIR won't
create the fiLe if one aLready exists with the same name in
that particuLar device and account. The IKILL switch teLLs
DIR to go ahead and destroy the previousLy created fiLe, if
there is one.
3. IWIDE - (an operation switch) This switch teLLs DIR to
dispLay the List of fiLe names in four coLumns instead of
one. You can specify a different number of coLumns by
pLacing a coLon and the desired number after the switch.
Like so:
.DIR/WIDE:3 [RET)

6.6.2 COpy - Transferring FiLes

Many times, it's more convenient to make a dupLicate copy of a fiLe

and change it to suit a new purpose than it is to create a new fiLe
from scratch. It's aLso desirabLe to make backup copies of important
fiLes frequentLy to prevent their Loss in case of accident or
emergency. The COpy command, by virtue of its wiLdcard features, is
suited perfectLy to this task.

COMMAND SYNTAX:
.COPY {outfiLespec}={infiLespec1{, ••• infiLespecN}}{/switches} [RET)

COMMAND DEFAULTS:
outfiLespec *.*, and the device and account you're
currentLy Logged into. If the System Operator
uses COpy from account [1,2] on any disk, the
same defauLts appLy except the defauLt account
number is the wiLdcard symboL []. This means
that unLess the device and account are
expLicitLy stated, the fiLes' the System
Operator copies are pLaced on the device the
System Operator is Logged into, in the account
number corresponding to the one they came
from.

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infilespec *.*, and the device and account you're

currently logged into.
!switch !DELETE!NOQUERY

How to Copy a File Within Your Account

To make a duplicate copy of a file, you can use the COpy command.
Choose a filename that's not already being used in your account (use
the DIR command to see the file names), and enter the command like
this:
.COPY NEWFIL.DAT=OLDFIL.DAT [RET)
where OLDFIL.DAT is the existing fiLe and NEWFIL.DAT is the file you
want to create. Now you have two copies of the same fiLe under two
different names, and you can modify one or the other to suit your
needs.

How to Copy a File from Another Account

Many times the fiLe you want a copy of is in a different account.

You can copy it into your own account under the same name (if that
name is not used aLready in your account), or you can give it a new
name. Note that if a fiLe already exists in your account with the
same name, the copy is written over it and the fiLe's former contents
are lost. Here's an example of copying a file from another account:
.COPY MINE.TXT=DSK3:YOURS.TXT[120,2] [RET)
In this example, the file YOURS. TXT was copied from DSK3:, account
[120,2] into a file called MINE. TXT on the device and account you're
currently logged into.
If you want to copy several files into your account keeping their
names the same, the command might look like this:
~COPY =DFCLT.*[120,2],HWKO:EASY.*[50,6] [RET]
Here we copied all fiLes named DFCLT from account [120,2] on the
device you're currently logged into, and all the files named EASY
from account [50,6] on HWKO:, into the account you're currently
logged into keeping the same names they had before.

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How to Copy a File Between Accounts

Most of the time, you'll be copying files to and from the account
you're logged into. You can also copy files between accounts without
being logged into either one as long as they share the same project
number as the account you are logged into.
The System Operator has the added ability to copy files to and from
accounts that he or she is not logged into, regardless of project
number. The System Operator must be logged into account number [1,2]
on any device to do this, however. If someone needs a copy of all
the program fiLes in a certain account written in ALphaBASIC, the
System Operator couLd enter a command Like this:
~COPY DSK2:[44,10]=DSKO:*.BAS[12,3] [RET]
The System Operator's account shouLd have special protection so no
one can log into it without knowing the special password. If you
need something like this done, submit your request to the System
Operator.
Also, if the System Operator is logged into [1,2] and tries to copy
files into an account that hasn't been established on the disk, COpy
automatically creates the new account, and gives it the same password
a~ the original, if any.

How to Use Switches with COpy

Like the other wildcard commands, COpy allows you to use a number of
switches which enabLe you to alter the effect of the command. Check
the COpy command reference sheet for a complete list of switches.
1. IQUERY - (a file switch) This switch tells COpy to pause
before copying a fiLe and wait for you to enter a Y (Yes) or
an N (No). You don't need to press RETURN.
If you enter Y, COpy goes ahead and copies the fiLe, but if
you enter N, it doesn't. You can deactivate the IQUERY
switch with the INOQUERY switch. Here's an exampLe:

~COPY/Q *.MAJ=*.MIN,*.INT/NOQ,*.KEY,*.FLT,*.SHP ~ET)

This command pauses before copying all the fiLes with .MIN,
.KEY, .FLT, and .SHP extensions, but copies the .INT files
without stopping.
2. INODELETE (a fiLe switch) The INODELETE switch teLLs
COpy not to delete a file if it has the same fiLe name and
extension as the outfilespec in the command line. This

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prevents you from losing a file that might have a duplicate

filename. The INODELETE switch counteracts the IDELETE
switch, the default, which causes the COpy command to erase
an existing file before copying one with the same filename
and extension to that same account and device.

6.6.3 ERASE - Deleting Files

After you're finished using a particular file, there is no need to

keep it on your disk any longer. You might as well get rid of it and
make room for new files. This is especially true if you already have
a backup copy of the file on a removable disk or video cassette, so
here is the ERASE command. We used ERASE in several examples near
the beginning of this chapter, so you already know a lot about this
command.

COMMAND SYNTAX:
.ERASE {outfilespec=}filespec1{, ••• filespecN}{/switch} [RET]

COMMAND DEFAULTS:
outfilespec *.*, and the device and account you're logged
into.
filespec The account and device you're logged into.
The extension defaults to a nulL extension
(one that's zero characters long).
Iswitch INOQUERY

How to Delete Files from Another Account

You can erase fiLes from your own account or from another account as
long as the project number is the same as your own, even if the
accounts are on different devices. For exampLe, if you are Logged
into account [200,2] on DSKS:, you can enter the folLowi~g command:
~ERASE *.BAK,DSK4:CRT?*[200,S],VCR?*[200,6J [RET]
In this command, ERASE deLetes aLL the fiLes having .BAK extensions
from the account you're logged into, [200,2]. DSK4: sets the defauLt
device for the rest of the command Line, and ERASE deLetes aLL fiLes

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with four character names that start with CRT from account [200,5]
and all files with four character names that start with VCR from
account [200,6], both on DSK4:.
If you try to delete a file that doesn't share the project number of
your own account, you see an error message like this:
?cannot delete FILESPEC - protection violation
The System Operator, when logged into DSKO:[1,2], can use the ERASE
command to delete any file in any account.

How to Delete Duplicate Files

When you specify an outfilespec using wildcard symbols, the ERASE

command compares the infilespecs to the outfilespecs and if there is
a match, it deletes the matching outfile. Here's how it works:
.ERASE *.GRT=*.NOM[105,0] [RET]
ERASE selects all the files with .NOM extensions in account [105,0]
and compares them to all the files with .GRT extensions in the
account you're currently logged into. If there are two files with
the same filename, ERASE deLetes the one with the .GRT extension from
your account.
You can use this feature within your own account to get rid of
duplicate files you may no longer need.

How to Use Switches With ERASE

The only switches available with the ERASE command are the /QUERY and
/NOQUERY switches. Both are file switches. The query switch forces
ERASE to pause before erasing the files you specify. ERASE waits for
you to enter either Y (Yes) or N (No) before erasing the fiLe and
proceeding on to the next. It's not necessary to press RETURN after
the Y or N. Suppose you're logged into account [20,3] •••
• ERASE *.BAK,/Q A*.BAS,DEBIT.*,CREDIT.*,SUM??*/NOQ [RET]

In the command above, ERASE deletes all the fi le.s with .BAK
extensions in the account you're logged into. The /Q switch sets the
default, to QUERY for the next group of files. ERASE pauses before
erasing all the .BAS file that begin with the letter A, all the
DEBIT, and all the CREDIT files. Finally, the /NOQ switch
counteracts the /Q switch for the last group of files, all those with
five character filenames that begin with the letters SUM.

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6.6.4 RENAME - Changing File Names

The RENAME command operates much the same as the COpy command. The
difference is that RENAME gets rid of the file under the old name.
It's really a combination of the COpy command and the ERASE command,
but it saves you from having to perform those two separate steps to
change the name of a file or group of files.

COMMAND SYNTAX:
.RENAME outfilespec=infilespec1{, ••• infilespecN}{/switches} (RET)

COMMAND DEFAULTS:
outfilespec The default device and account is ALL:CJ, and
the default filename is *.*.
infilespec *.*, and the device and account you are
currently logged into.
NOTE: You must specify at least a partial
outfilespec and partial infilespec for this
command to work correctly.
Iswitches INODELETE/NOQUERY

How to Change Filenames in Your Own Account

Occasionally, you may wish to rename a group of fiLes in your

account. If you should want to change the extension of aLL your .BAK
files to something else, Like .SAV, you could enter:
.RENAME *.SAV=*.BAK (RET)
If you want to organize a variety of files with different extensions
into a group with the same extension, you could say:
.RENAME *.GRP=HEADER.TXT,AR*.SAV,MKT??LST (RET)
Here, we renamed the HEADER.TXT file, all the fiLes whose names start
with AR and have .SAV extensions, and alL the files whos~ names begin
with MKT, are five characters or fewer, and have .LST extensions.
Now they all have .GRP extensions.

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How to Change Filenames in Other Accounts

It's possible for you to rename files in accounts that have the same
project number as the one you're logged into. The other account can
be on the same device as your account, or on a different device, as
in this example:
.RENAME MFG*.*=DSK1:[55,2]BOM?BAS,WRK??LST,COG.L? [RET)

Assuming your project number is also 55, this rename command changes
the names of all the files in account [55,2] on DSK1: whose four
character names start with BOM and have .BAS extensions; all the
files in that account whose five character names start with WRK and
have any extension, and all the files in that account named COG whose
two character extensions start with L.
These files all stay in the same account you found them in, and they
keep their original extensions, but now the first three characters of
all their names are MFG.
You can't move a file to a different account using the RENAME
command, so don't specify an account in the outfilespec. If you do,
an error message like this appears on your screen:
?cannot rename FILESPEC - protection violation
The System Operator can rename files in any account, regardless of
project number, when logged into DSKO:[1,2].

How to Use Switches with RENAME

The RENAME command recognizes two pairs of switches.

1. /QUERY (a file switch) Depending on where you place
this switch in the command line, this switch forces RENAME
to pause before renaming certain files and wait for you to
respond either Y (Yes) or N (No).
This switch enables you to selectively rename files within a
large group without having to enter each filename in a
RENAME command line. The effect of this switch can be
reversed by using the /NOQUERY switch.
2. /DELETE - (a file switch) If you specify this switch,
RENAME deletes an existing fi le if you are renaming another
file to the same name. You can turn off this switch by
using the /NODELETE switch.

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6.6.5 PRINT - Getting a Printed Listing

Nine times out of ten, you'll want to get a printed listing of your
file. Often it will be the final copy of a letter or memo, a listing
of your AlphaBASIC or AlphaPASCAL program, or perhaps a copy of the
report that your program generates.
Since a printer can only print one file at a time, a special program
known as the Spooler maintains a list of the surplus files until the
printer finishes printing the file it's currently working on. The
list of pending files waiting to be printed is called the "print
queue." And as soon as one file is finished printing, the spooler
checks to see if there is another file waiting in the queue to print.
If there is, it automatically sends this next file to the printer.

COMMAND SYNTAX:
.PRINT {printerspec=}{infilespec1{, ••• infilespecN}{/switches}} ~ET)

COMMAND DEFAULTS:
, pri nterspec The default printerspec is the printer having
the fewest blocks of data currently in its
print queue or, more likely, the printer set
as the default by the System Operator.
infilespec The default infiLespec is the account and
device you're currentLy logged into, and
extension of .LST, and a null fiLename.
switches The defauLt switches are set up by the System
Operator when the Printer SpooLer is installed
on your system. Check with your System
Operator for the current switch defauLts.

How to Check the Print Queue

To find out how many fiLes are currentLy waiting to be printed, or to

find out how many blocks of the currently printing fiLe remain, you
can use the PRINT command without any arguments:
.PRINT [RET)

If the print queue is empty, a message on your screen will tell you
so.

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How to Print Multiple Files

When you have a series of files to print, you can use a single PRINT
command to do so. If the files in that series share common elements
in their names, you can make the command even simpler by using
wildcard symbols. For example, if you have written a series of
chapters for a certain document, and their filenames all begin with
CHAP, to print them you might enter:
.PRINT CHAP* ~ET)

This command causes all the files in the account you're currently
logged into, whose filenames begin with CHAP and have .LST
extensions, to be placed in the print queue.
If you have more than one printer attached to your system, you can
specify which one you want the file printed on by entering a
printerspec:
.PRINTER DIABLO=*.BAS,*.TXT [RET)
The command above places all the files with .BAS and .TXT extensions
into the print queue for the Diablo printer.
Check with the System Operator to find out the names of the printers
on your system.

How to Use Switches with PRINT

The PRINT command has a large number of switches that you can use to
control the files you send to the printer. They are all described in
detail on the PRINT reference sheet in the AMOS or AMOS/L System
Commands Reference Manual. The most important -ones are described
below.

1. ICOPIES:n (a file switch) Prints the number of copies

you specify.
2. IKILL - (an operation switch) Deletes the files specified
from the print queue. If the file is currently printing, it
will stop printing when it reaches the end of the current
block.
3. IFORMS:xxxxxx - (a file switch) Forces the printer to
pause before printing a fiLe if the forms name is not the
same as for the previously printed file. This allows you
time to change the paper. The typical default is
IFORMS:NORMAL if you do not use this switch. The System

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USING WILDCARD SYMBOLS Page 6-20

Operator must specify the default form name when the printer
spooler is first set up.
4. IWAIT (an operation switch) If you want to print more
files than the spooler can keep track of, the extra file
requests are discarded. You can use the IWAIT switch to
tell PRINT not to discard these file requests if there's no
room for them in the print queue. The catch is that PRINT
ties up your terminal until it's able to print enough of the
earlier files to make room in the queue for the extras.

In this chapter, you've read about several useful commands that use wildcard
symbols. But there are many more commands in Alpha Micro's repetoire, and
in the next chapter we'll discuss two of them that can lighten your workload
a great deal.

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

 CHAPTER 7

COMBINING AND SORTING FILES

This chapter introduces you to two commands that you can use to combine
several files together and organize according to conditions you specify.
These two commands do not recognize wildcard symbols.
Many times, a large file can be organized into several smaller sub-files
which are easier to keep track of and to work with. Then, when you're ready
to process all the files together, you can combine them into one. If the
records in these files need to be arranged in a certain sequence, you can
sort them into the proper order. Here are the two topics we'll talk about
in this ~hapter:

Appending several files together

Sorting data within files

let's start with the APPEND command.

7.1 THE APPEND COMMAND

This command allows you to combine two or more files into one. You can
use APPEND to create an entirely new file that contains the same data
as its components, or you can add additional data to an existing file.

COMMAND SYNTAX:
.APPEND outfilespec=infilespec1{, ••• infilespecN} [RET)

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COMBINING AND SORTING FILES page 7-2

COMMAND DEFAULTS:
outfilespec At least a partial filespec is required. The
extension defaults to a null extension (that is, an
extension zero characters long), the account and
device default to the account and device you're
currently logged into.
infilespec At least one partial filespec is required. The
account and device default to the account and
device you're currently logged into. The extension
defaults to the extension of the outfilespec, and
each subsequent infilespec defaults to the
extension of the infilespec preceeding it.

7.1.1 How to Combine Files

For certain purposes, such as formatting a group of text files, you

may wish to combine the files into a completely new file rather than
processing them separately. You can do it like this:
~APPEND BOOK.TXT=INTRO,CHAP1,CHAP2,CHAP3 (RET)
In this command, we combined four individual text files into a new
file call BOOK.TXT. All these files defaulted to the device and
account we were currently logged into, and their extensions all
defaulted to .TXT. BOOK. TXT now contains a copy of each file in the
order you specified, and the original files remain intact.

7.1.2 How to Add Files to an Existing File

You don't necessarily have to create a new file each time you append
files together. You can simply append additional files to an
existing one. Here's how:
~APPEND PRGM.BAS=PRGM.BAS,RTN1.BAS,RTN2.BAS,RTN3.BAS [RET]
Note that we used the same file, PRGM.BAS, as both the outfilespec
and the first infilespec. All the subsequent files are thus added on
at the end of the existing PGRM.BAS file. (We could' have placed
PRGM.BAS anywhere in the string of infilespecs depending on what
order we wanted the files arranged in.) PRGM.BAS now contains its
former self plus the contents of the other three files. Those other
three files remain as they were.

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COMBINING AND SORTING FILES Page 7-3

7.2 THE SORT COMMAND

The SORT command arranges the records in a single sequential file in

the order you specify. SORT asks you several questions to determine
your criteria and arranges the records in the file accordingly. SORT
only works on sequential files, and like APPEND, SORT does not
recognize Wildcard Symbols.

COMMAND SYNTAX:
.SORT filespec [RET)

COMMAND DEFAULTS:
filespec SORT assumes the device and account you're
currently Logged into. The file extension defaults
to .DAT (indicating a data file).

7.2.1 How to Use the SORT Command

Every file is made up of individual records, and each record is a
colLection of reLated information about a certain subject. SORT
enabLes you to reorganize the records within a singLe file in either
ascending or descending alpha-numeric sequence. Each record in your
file must be terminated with a RETURN. Here's a sample file that
contains customer address records:

1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7
•... 5 •... 0 .••• 5 .... 0 ..•. 5 .••• 0 .•.. 5 •••• 0 .... 5 .•.. 0 .•.• 5 •... 0 •..• 5 •••• 0

001 CarLson, Ander 43 Beekman PLace New York NY 12/24179

002 Lorenson, WiLL P.O. Box 1221 San Diego CA 04/30/77
003 Mathews, Michael 6701 23rd Street Denver CO 04/27177
004 LincoLn, Thomas 12992 Dover pLace Concord MA 08/01178
005 Hunt, Linda 605 CharLeston St. Las Vegas NV 06/30178
006 Carter, MariLyn 5443 Via Verde Tucson AZ 02/19179
007 LincoLn, Jeff 4225 Larimore Omaha NE 06/30/81
008 O'Grady, Rosie R.R. 1, Box 143 GoLeta CA 06/02/81
009 WaLker, Joan 4 pLeasant CircLe Newport RI 09/14/80
010 Smith, Steven 1675 Seaside Drive Monterey CA 01/25/82
•••• 5 •••• 1 •••• 1 •••. 2 •••. 2 •.•• 3 •••• 3 •••• 4 •••• 4 •••• 5 •••• 5 •••• 6 •••• 6 •••• 7
o 5 o 5 a 5 a 5 o 5 a 5 a

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COMBINING AND SORTING FILES Page 7-4

(NOTE: The scales at the top and bottom are not

part of the file; they're there to make it easier
for you to figure out the relative positions of
the data within each record.)

Each of the ten records in this file contains the same pieces of
data: a customer ID number, the name of the customer, the customer's
address, and the date of the customer's last purchase.
Take a minute or two to use AlphaVUE to create a file called CUST.DAT
containing the ten records shown above. When you're ready to sort
them, enter:
.SORT CUST.DAT [RET)
Now SORT asks you several questions to determine how you want the
file sorted.
1. Record size: Although the records in our file are all the
same length (70 characters), that might not always be the
case. Some files may contain records of differing lengths,
so you must enter the maximum record size in your file. If
you underestimate, any records larger than the size you
specify will be truncated to that length in the sorted file.
The records in our file are 70 characters long, so enter
that number.
2. Key size: A key is a piece of data within each record
that you want the file sorted by. Let's put the file in
alphabetical order by customer name. We've allowed for
twenty characters in the name field of our file, so enter 20
here.
3. Key position: Now you have to tell SORT where that field
begins in the records to be sorted. Looking back at the
listing of the individual records, you can see that the
customer name starts in position 7 of the record. Enter
that number.
4. Key order: Do you want the records sorted in ascending or
descending order? Answer A for ascending or D for
descending.
5. Key size: If you want to specify an additional sort key,
you can enter the size of a second key field here. SORT
then requests the Key position and Key order fpr the second
key. You can specify up to three key fields each time you
sort a file. Or just enter a RETURN, and SORT begins
rearranging your file right away.

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COMBINING AND SORTING FILES Page 7-5

It takes SORT only a short time to reorganize your file, and when
it's done, SORT displays a group of statistics similar to the ones
shown below:
Records sorted: 10
Runs generated from sort phase: 0
Passes over data in merge phase: 0
Record comparisons made: 20
Sector reads: 0
Sector writes: 0

7.2.2 Some SORTing Hints

You can sort files that are larger than available memory (as little
as 6K is enough in some cases), but as a general ruLe the more memory
you have availabLe, the more efficientLy (faster) SORT works.
If your fiLe won't fit into memory, SORT performs the sort on disk.
This takes longer, but it still gets the job done.
When you specify the dimensions of the key fields, make sure they
faLL completely within the record to be sorted. For exampLe, in our
LittLe customer fiLe, you couLd not specify a key size of 6 and a key
position of 69 since the record is onLy 70 characters Long.
You can specify as many as three key fieLds for SORT to use. The
first fieLd is the major sort key and determines how the entire fiLe
is sorted. Those records that have dupLicate information in the
major sort key fieLd are arranged in order by the second key fieLd
you specify. And finaLLy, records that have duplicate information in
both the major and intermediate sort keys are arranged in order by
the third, or minor, sort key fieLd.
If you use a date as a sort key, keep the format of the date fieLd in
mind. In our customer fiLe the date fieLd is in the MM/DD/YY format,
wher~ MM represents the month, DD represents the day, and YY
represents the year. When we sort by this fieLd, the year is more
important than the month and day. We therefore have two choices: we
could either convert aLL the dates on our fiLe to YY/MM/DD format, or
we could spLit the date fieLd into two separate keys.
If we decided to specify two separate keys, two digits for the year
and five digits for the month and day, the proc~ss wouLd Look
something Like this:

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COMBINING ANO SORTING FILES Page 7-6

.SORT CUST.DAT [RET]

Record size: 70 (RET)
Key size: 2 (RET]
Key pos it i on: 69 (RET)
Key order: A (RET)
Key si ze: 5 (RET)
Key position: 63 [RET]
Key 0 rde r : A (RET)
Key size: [RET)

And the file would be arranged like this:

003 Mathews, Michael 6701 23rd Street Denver CO 04/27177

002 Lorenson, Wi II P.O. Box 1221 San Diego CA 04/30/77
005 Hunt, Linda 605 Charleston St. Las Vegas NV 06/30178
004 Lincoln, Thomas 12992 Dover Place Concord MA 08/01178
006 Carter, Marilyn 5443 Vi a Verde Tucson AZ 02119179
001 Carlson, Ander 43 Beekman Place New York NY 12/24179
009 Walker, Joan 4 Pleasant Circle Newport RI 09/14/80
008 0' Grady, Rosie R.R. 1, Box 143 Goleta CA 06102181
007 Lincoln, Jeff 4225 Larimore Omaha NE 06/30/81
010 Smith, Stev·en 1675 Seaside Drive Monterey CA 01/25/82

The two commands we've discussed in this chapter are extremely usefuL but
they can also cause some confusion if you use them incorrectly. Before you
start manipulating your files drastically, it's a good idea to make a backup
copy that you can always go back to, in case something unforeseen happens.
The next chapter explains several different ways to back up your data.

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

 CHAPTER 8

BACKING UP YOUR FILES

If there is one lesson learned early in the computer business, it is this:

BACK UP YOUR DATA II I

Backing up your programs and data by regularly copying them onto a spare
disk, magnetic tape, or video cassette is perhaps the most important habit
you can ~evelop.
Computers are generally very reliable machines, but nobody can completely
guard against such an accident as someone tripping over the power cord or
spilling a cup of coffee into the disk drive. There are also natural
disasters such as power outages, floods, fires, etc. that cannot be
prevented, but must be planned against.
Your programs and data are irreplaceable, so keeping a current copy of them
in a safe place will save you the frustration of losing several days worth
of programming or data entry.
In this chapter, we will discuss the following topics:

Backup Procedures
Backing up a single account (COpy)
Backing up an entire disk (DSKCPY)
Backing up onto a VCR cassette

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BACKING UP YOUR FILES Page 8-2

8.1 BACKUP PROCEDURES

We will discuss specific backup techniques in a later section of this

chapter. For now, let's talk about some other things that you can do
when using the system to keep data loss to a minimum.
Since Alpha Micro supports a number of types of data recording devices,
we will refer to those devices as "backup media" or "media." These
include such methods of data storage as Hard disks (Winchester, Hawk or
Phoenix disk drives), Floppy disks., 1/2" Magnetic tape drives, 1/4"
Streaming tape drives, and Video Cassette Recorders.

1. Whenever you change a disk cartridge or floppy disk, you MUST

use the MOUNT command; if you do not, AMOS may well write over
data that is already on the disk. (See Section 2.5.1. for an
explanation).
2. If your text files begin to show strange typographical errors
(that you didn't make), ask the System Operator to run a
memory diagnostic test program you may have a memory
problem. (The System Operator should be running memory and
disk diagnostic tests on a regular schedule, anyway.)
3. Keep your text editing sessions short; never use one of the
text editors for more than half an hour or so without exiting
and saving your file.
If that unexpected catastrophe should occur, it is better to
have lost a half an hour's worth of work instead of a day's.
(The changes and additions that you make while you are editing
are only changed in your temporary memory, you have to save to
permanent memory in order to make those changes permanent.)
4. As a general rule, never leave your terminal without Logging
off the system (using the LOGOFF command). Change your
password occasionaLly (if you have one). These measures
protect your system and accounts from unauthorized use.
5. Treat your backup media with respect. Whether your backup
media are disk cartridges, fLoppy disks, magnetic tape, or
video cassettes, handLe them carefuLLy and gentLy.
Do NOT stack your media in taLL piLes on top of the disk
drives, and do NOT leave them lying about where they can be
knocked off counters or desks.

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BACKING UP YOUR FILES Page 8-3

If at all possible, you should have several spare disks, tapes, or

video cassettes that you can use for backup. You should never have
just one backup media (what happens if something should really go wrong
while you are in the process of backing up, and you lose the data on
both your backup and original media?)
The usua l procedure is to follow the "grandfather-father-son"
philosophy of backup. That is, you always have several backups of
varying age. The next time you back up, use the media with the oldest
version of your data (the "grandfather").
By rotating your backup media, you can ensure that you always have
several fairly recent backups of your data.

8.2 BACKING UP THE FILES IN YOUR ACCOUNT

The command that you wiLL use to transfer copies to your backup media
wiLL vary depending on what the media is. COpy is one of the commands
you use to copy between disks.
You can use the COpy command to make backup copies of all the fiLes in
your account, all of your accounts, and even of aLL accounts on the
disk. The COpy command is a wildcard command, so you may want to
review Chapter 6, "Using WiLdcard SymboLs," before proceeding.
Use the SET command to tell AMOS to notify you of any soft disk errors
encountered during the backup procedure:
-=.SET DSKERR (RET)

NOW, decide what fiLes you want to back up. For exampLe, let's say
that you are Logged into DSKO:[300,4J, and want to copy aLL files in
that account to the same account on DSK1: •
• COPY DSK1:= [RET)
CRMINV.BAS to DSK1:CRMINV.BAS
RESET.BAS to DSK1:RESET.BAS
CRITEM.BAS to DSK1:CRITEM.BAS
PRINT.TXT to DSK1:PRINT.TXT
Total of 4 files transferred
The fact that nothing appears on the right side of the equal sign in
the command line above teLls COpy that we want to copy ALL the fiLes
from the device and account we are logged into.
The DSK1: on the Left hand side of the equaL sign tells COpy to
transfer copies of those files under their own names to the same
account on DSK1:.

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BACKING UP YOUR FILES Page 8-4

The next command:

.COPY DSK1:[]=[300,*] [RET)
FUNC.BAS[300,1] to DSK1:FUNC.BAS[300,1]
PRTYP.LIT[300,2] to DSK1:PRTYP.LIT[300,2]
IBUF.LIT[300,2] to DSK1:IBUF.LIT[300,2]
PARSER.LIT[300,10] to DSK1:PARSER.LIT[300,10]
Total of 5 files transferred
tells AMOS to copy all of the files from all of the accounts in
Project 300 on the device you are logged into (DSKO:) over to the same
accounts on DSK1:.
You must remember to include the wildcard account symbol [] on the left
side of the equal sign -- if you do not, AMOS will copy every file on
the device you are logged into (DSKO:) into the account that you are
logged into on DSK1:. (In the example above, you must be logged into
an account in Project 300 to avoid a protection violation error.)
You should perform file backup frequently if you create and change
files often. Perhaps at the end of every working day you should copy
those files onto a backup disk.
Creating a command or DO file to perform this function for you can make
your task simpler; see BACKUP. DO" in Section 10.3.3, for an example of
a DO file that backs up files from one disk cartridge to another.

8.2.1 The System Operator and the COpy Command

The System Operator (if logged into [1,2]) can use COpy to back up
all of the accounts on a disk regardless of their project numbers.
For example:
.COPY HWK1:[]=DSK1:[] [RET)
copies alL of the fiLes in all of the accounts on DSK1: over to their
corresponding accounts on the device HWK1:.
NOTE: The System Operator may omit the wildcard PPN symbol in the
outfiLespec-- when it is used from account [1,2], COpy assumes a
default outfiLespec of *.*, the device you are Logged into, and an
account specification of [].)

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8.3 BACKING UP ENTIRE DISKS (DSKCPY)

Rather than copying over individual files from one device to another,
DSKCPY makes a literal image copy of an entire disk. We will assume
for the purposes of this discussion that you want to back up the System
Disk.
You can only copy between devices of the same type; that is, where
the first three characters of the device name are the same, (e.g.,
AMS1: to AMS2:, DSK2: to DSK3:, DDS1: to DDS2:, etc.).
If you are using a floppy-disk based system, place the backup disk in a
drive other than the System Drive. If you are using a hard-disk based
system, see the note at the end of this section for cautions.
The backup disk must have been formatted at some time in the past.
(Check with the System Operator for information on what formatting
program to run to format a brand new disk.) Note that DSKCPY
completely obliterates any data previousLy on the backup disk.
To MOUNT the backup disk, enter:
• MOUNT DS K1: (RET]

The'n enter the DSKCPY command. The DSKCPY program fi rst asks you for
the INPUT DRIVE. Enter the specification of the device you are going
to back up. Then the DSKCPY program asks you for the OUTPUT DRIVE.
Enter the specification of the disk you are going to copy onto (the
backup device).
For example, if you want to copy DSKO: onto DSK1:, use the DSKCPY
command in this way:
• DSKCPY (RET)
Input drive: DSKO: [RET]
Output drive: DSK1: (RET)

DSKCPY begins to make a literaL image of DSKO: onto DSK1:, and dispLays
how many blocks it is copying. After it has finished the backup,
DSKCPY teLls you that it has finished copying the disk; then it
proceeds to verify the duplication by checking the data on the backup
disk against the data on the source disk.

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BACKING UP YOUR FILES Page 8-6

After this verification is complete, DSKCPY returns you to AMOS command

level. The entire process looks something like this:
• DSKCPY [RET]
Input drive: DSKO: (RET]
Output drive: DSK1: [RET]
[Copying 9696 recordsJ
[Duplication completedJ
[Verification completedJ

NOTE FOR HAWK HARD-DISK SYSTEM USERS:

If you have been working on a disk cartridge, and want to back up the
entire disk, you can use DSKCPY.
However, this process is tricky if you only have one Hawk drive, since
you must back up the System Disk, temporarily load certain programs
into memory, and then erase the contents of the System Disk in order to
transfer data.
Therefore, this procedure must not be undertaken lightly. We advise
tha,t the System Operator be in charge of thi s kind of operation.
Of course, if you happen to have more than one Hawk drive on your
system, you can simply copy the cartridge from one drive onto a backup
cartridge on the other Hawk drive.

8.4 BACKING UP ONTO VIDEO CASSETTE RECORDERS

Alpha Micro supports the use of video cassette recorders as backup

media. VCRs are portable, relatively inexpensive, and can also be used
for other business purposes when not being used with your computer.
If your VCR contains a time of day clock that allows you to program it
to begin recording at a specific time, you can combine that with the
VCR software to automatically run your backup at night.
The command you use to save data onto video cassettes is called VCRSAV.
There are also other commands that are used with the VCR, such as
VCRDIR, which display a directory of what is on your VCR t~pes.
The procedure for the backup of data onto video cassettes is fully
explained in our manuals, AMOS Video Cassette Recorder Backup
Software, DSS-100027-00, and AMOS/L Video Cassette Recorder Backup
Software, DSS-10032-00.

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BACKING UP YOUR FILES Page 8-7

8.5 BACKUP ON OTHER MEDIA

We also support two kinds of magnetic tape backup systems. These are
the 1/2 inch magnetic tape drives and the 1/4 inch streaming tape
drives.
Information on the 1/2 inch magnetic tape drive can be found in the
AMOS System Operator's Guide, 05S-10001-00, and in the AMOS/L System
Operator's Guide, OSS-10002-00.
Information on the 1/4 inch streaming tape drive can be found in AMOS
1/4" Streamer Backup Software, OSS-10033-00, and in AMOS/L ~
Streamer Backup Software, OSS-10031-00.
Finally, there are our programs for backing up onto Floppy Disks from
Winchester disks. See the AMOS System Operator's Guide,
~~~~~~~~~--~~--~~
OSS-10001-00, for the AMOS system; and the AMOS/L System Operator's
Guide, OSS-10002-00, for the AMOS/L system.

OWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

 CHAPTER 9

ACCOUNTS AND PASSWORDS

Every user of the system has one or more accounts in which to create, store,
and edit files. When you create files on a disk, the system marks those
files as beLonging to the account you are Logged into.
Each account has a directory that Lists aLL of the files in that account.
It may seem easier to have just one account, but it can get very hard to
find your fiLes if you have a Lot of them. The best way to organize your
accounts is by subject. If you set up each account so that it contains the
same type of fiLes (for instance, one account for storage, one for memos,
one for Letters, one for inventory documents, one for purchase order
records, etc.), it wiLL be easier to find the fiLes you are Looking for.
To provide security for your programs and fiLes, you can password protect
your accounts. In this chapter, we wiLL discuss accounts and passwords and
their use. The subjects covered wiLL be:

Project-Programmer numbers
Passwords
Logging into another account
Start command fiLes
Sending messages to other system users

9.1 PROJECT-PROGRAMMER NUMBERS

Accounts are assigned to each user on the system by the System

Operator. When you are assigned an account, you are given the account
number, which consists of a project number and a programmer number.

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ACCOUNTS AND PASSWORDS Page 9-2

Here are some exampLes of project-programmer numbers:

[110,5J [334,7J [250,12) [200,1J [100,100J
The account number is a unique, two-part number that distinguishes your
accounts from aLL other accounts on the same device. The first number
is caLLed the project number.
If severaL users' accounts have the same project number, those users
are said to be in the same project. Users in the same project have
certain priviLeges when it comes to transferring fiLes between each
others' accounts.
For instance, it is easier to copy fiLes between accounts that are in.
the same proj ect. See Chapter 6, "Using WiLcard SymboLs", the COpy
command, for exampLes.
Here is an exampLe of severaL accounts that are in the same project
(100):
[100,1] [100,7J [100,44J
The second number is caLLed the programmer number, and is separated
from the project number by a comma (in the exampLe above, the
programmer numbers are 1, 7, and 44). You wiLL usuaLLy see account
numbers encLosed within brackets.
Both the project and the programmer number may range from 0 to 377,
octaL. (For a discussion of the octaL numbering system, see the manuaL
Introduction to AMOS, DWM-00100-65; for now, the fact that the
numbers are octal just means that no singLe digit may be greater than
7.)

A programmer number of zero usualLy indicates a library account for

that project (e.g., the account [311,OJ contains files of interest to
aLL of the users in project 311).
Project numbers 1-77 are reserved by Alpha Micro for system software
and for the AlphaACCOUNTING business package. See Section 6.3.3 for a
list of the system software accounts.

9.2 PASSWORDS

The System Operator may assign you an account password. The password
is for your protection; if you maintain its secrecy, other users cannot
log into your account.
You do not have to enter a password if you are transferring to an
account that is in the same project. That is, if you are in account

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ACCOUNTS AND PASSWORDS Page 9-3

[100,2], and you want to log into account [100,1], you would not have
to enter the password if account [100,1] was password protected. You
would have to know the password if you were transferring from an
account such as [105,5].
If an account is password protected, you will be asked to enter the
password when you log in:
.LOG 100,3 [RET]
Password: [RET]

The system does not display your password on the terminal screen as you
type it. This prevents anyone from seeing what you entered. Remember
that the purpose of the password is to keep unauthorized users from
ga1n1ng access to the computer through your account. Keep your
password a secret!
Once you type your account number and password correctly, AMOS will
tell you that you are logged into the system:
.LOG 100,1 [RET]
Password: [RET]
Logged into DSKO:[100,1]
If you make a mistake in typing your account number or password, you
will see one of the following error messages:
?Account number invalid
?Bad password
?Command format error
and you will have to re-enter the LOG command with the correct
information.

9.3 LOGGING INTO ANOTHER ACCOUNT

Once you are logged into an account on the system, you can transfer to
another account by using the LOG command with the account number of the
account you want to tranfer to:

.LOG 100,3 [RET]

Password: [RET]
Transferred from [321,10] to [100,3]

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You can take short cuts if you are transferring to an account with
either the same project number or the same programmer number. For
example, if you are in account [100,1J and wish to transfer to account
[114,1J, you can type:
--=.LOG 114, [RET)

and AMOS will log you into [114,1J since you were already using
programmer number 1. Likewise, if you are in [100,1J and you want to
transfer to [100,4J, type:
--=.LOG ,4 [RET]

and AMOS will log you into [100,4J.

If the account you wish to log into is on another disk, you might have
to specify that device in the LOG command. You have to specify the
device if there is another account with the same account number
somewhere else, or if the device is on a different type of disk (for
instance, transferring from an account on DSKO: to one on HWK1:).
For example, if you are currently logged into DSK3:[107,3J, and you
wish to transfer to DSK2:[100,5J, enter:
, --=.LOG DSK2: [100,5J [RET)

You should enter the DSK2: here to make sure that you get to the right
place. If you did not, and DSK3: also contained an account [100,5J,
that is where you would end up.
If you're absolutely sure that there is only one account [100,5J on the'
system, you don't have to enter the DSK2: -- AMOS will search the other
LogicaL units of the same physicaL device beginning with unit #0.
However, if that account is on a different physical device, such as
HWK1:, you ~ include the device specification in your LOG command.

9.4 THE START COMMAND FILE

Whenever you Log into an account, AMOS looks for a file in that account
named START.CMD. If such a file exists, the system assumes that it is
a command fiLe, and begins executing it as such.
You can use this speciaL command fiLe to perform certain procedures
automaticalLy every time you log into an account, such as erasing aLL
backup fiLes, creating a directory listing for that account, etc. It
is aLso useful for pLacing a message on the screen that gives the
purpose of the account, and perhaps what files are contained in it.

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Command files of any other name will not execute automatically when you
log into the account, only the file named START.CMD. We discuss
command files in detail in the next chapter.

9.5 SENDING MESSAGES TO OTHER USERS <SEND)

The SEND command allows you to send messages to other jobs while you
are logged into the system.
You simply type SEND, a space, the jobname of the person you wish to
send the message to, and the message you would like to send.
The message can be one line long. The length of the line on your
screen is defined in the system initialization command file. This is
usually a little longer than the width of the screen. You can, of
course, send more than one message, if it will not fit on one line. A
typical SEND command might look like this:
.SEND BILL WILL YOU BRING OVER THE SALES REPORT FOR LAST WEEK? (RET)

This message will print out on the terminal of the user whose jobname
is BILL. It is usually effective, and an easy way to communicate short
messages to other people on your system.
The person whose jobname is BILL will see:
JOB -- WILL YOU BRING OVER THE SALES REPORT FOR LAST WEEK?
where JOB is the jobname of the person who sent the message-- in this
case, you.
This is not a foolproof method, because sometimes the other user will
be doing something that prevents the message from appearing, such as
running a program. In this case, you will be given the message:
?Busy
or
?Guarded
indicating that your message did not get through. You can try again
later, or use another method of contacting that person.

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 CHAPTER 10

COMMAND FILES, DO FILES, AND CONTROL FILES

One of the constants of everyday Life is repetition. Especia LLy in

business, you find that certain tasks have to be done on a reguLar basis.
The maiL has to be opened every day, somebody has to make the coffee, and if
you don't do the payroLL each week, peopLe tend to get upset.
Some of these tasks are done on your computer. One of the great strengths
of computers is their abiLity to free peopLe from repetitious tasks, and to
speed up the compLetion of those tasks. However, sometimes the operation of
the com~uter itseLf can be repetitious.
Many times a certain task on the computer is done by using the same string
of commands and operations every time. ALpha Micro provides speciaL fiLes
caLLed command, DO, and controL fiLes that can contain these strings of
commands and operations, making the ordinary operation of your computer
easier.
This chapter wiLL discuss the foLLowing points:

What is a command fiLe?

How to create command fiLes
How to create DO fiLes
The Task Manager

10.1 WHAT IS A COMMAND FILE?

One of the important features of the ALpha Micro system is that rather
than having a set of "buiLt in" commands that AMOS recognizes, aLL of
our commands are actuaLLy fiLes stored on the disk.

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In examples in earlier chapters, it looked like you were just typing

the name of the command, but what you were really doing was telling
AMOS to find and execute the file with that name.
Because of this feature, you can extend and customize the set of AMOS
commands that already exist on your system by creating your own
executable files.
And, you can design your own commands, combining the existing AMOS
commands with special instructions. You can also erase or rename AMOS
commands that do exist, if there are some commands you do not want
people on your system to use, or if you want to control who knows
and can use certain commands.
And the easiest way to do these things is to build command files.
A command file is a file that contains the same kinds of input that
you might enter from the keyboard. You can tell AMOS to read its
instructions from a command file instead of having to enter those
commands and data yourself.
For example, let's say that you often erase all of your backup files, ,
and then view the directory of your account. The process that you
must go through to accomplish this task is:
.ERASE *.BAK (RET]
MEMDOC.BAK
COMF.BAK
Total of 2 files deleted, 3 disk blocks freed
.DIR (RET]
MEMDOC TXT 12 DSKO:[100,4J
COMF TXT 5
VAR BAS 10
VAR RUN 7
Total of 4 files in 34 blocks
The example above is a simple one; sometimes a frequently used
sequence of commands may be quite long and tedious to type. An
extremely powerful tool for dealing with this problem is the command
file.
Let's say that you create the command file CLEAN.CMD to perform the
functions in the example above. The file contains the following lines
of text:
;This file erases BAK files and displays account, directory
:T
ERASE *.BAK ; Get rid of the backup files.
DIR ; Display Files

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The :T at the front of your command fiLe is a speciaL symboL that

aLLows you to see the Lines of your command fiLe on your terminaL
dispLay as AMOS processes them. The semi-coLon (;) indicates that the
text folLowing it is a comment. See section 10.2.1 for what the
comment means, and how it is used. ALL of these special symbols will
be discussed later in this chapter.
With this command file, instead of entering what you entered in the
first example each time, you merely have to enter:
.CLEAN [RET)

and AMOS reads the fiLe CLEAN.CMD and performs the process for you.
With this smaLL example, you do not save much typing, but imagine the
typing and time you would save if the sequence of commands you
reguLarly enter is ten or twenty Lines (or more) Long!

If the extension of a command file is .CMD or .DO, you do not have to

include the extension when entering the name of the command fiLe (you
saw that you only had to type CLEAN rather than CLEAN.CMD).
Otherwise, you must specify the fiLe extension. (That is, if your
command fiLe is caLled DOIT.TXT, you must include the .TXT when
specifying the fiLe.) This is why it is easiest to use .CMO (or .DO)
extensions.

10.2 HOW TO CREATE A COMMAND FILE

To create a command file, use one of the text editor programs to make
a text fiLe (usuaLly with a .CMO extension). FiLL the file with the
commands you would ordinariLy enter from the keyboard, pLus any
special symboLs.
A command fiLe can contain most commands or data that you might enter
from the keyboard; the fiLe can even contain the name of another
command fiLe.
AMOS continues to read Lines of text from the command file untiL the
fiLe ends. You may run, enter, and exit programs; suppLy data to
programs; or perform system functions - aLL under the control of a
singLe command fiLe.
As an exampLe, let us say that you have an ALphaBASIC program that you
want to edit, compiLe and then test.. Suppose that you also want to
deLete the backup fiLe created by the editor. You might want to
create a smaLL command fiLe to perform these functions:
WARNING: Do not use the commands MEMORY, JOBSIZ, or JOBMEM inside a
command fiLe. These commands change the memory aLlocation of your

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job; that is, they change the section of computer memory that you
have been assigned. Since your command file and any other files it is
using are in memory, changing that memory may cause serious problems.
:T
VUE AVRAGE.BAS
COMPIL AVRAGE ,· Compil the basic programs
RUN AVRAGE ,· Run the compiled program
3
12 ,· Enter data needed for the program
7
ERASE *.BAK ,· Erase backup files
The first line of the command file (:T) means that you see the lines
of text in the command file as AMOS processes them.
The next line puts you into the text editing program, AlphaVUE, and
tells AlphaVUE that you want to edit the AlphaBASIC source program
named AVRAGE.BAS.
After you make some changes to the program, you leave AlphaVUE by
using the AlphaVUE exit command (F). Now AMOS returns to your command
file and reads its next instruction.
You are again at AMOS command level, and the next line of the command
file tells AMOS to bring in the AlphaBASIC compiler and compile the
ALphaBASIC program.
The compiler produces a new fiLe named AVRAGE.RUN (the compiled
version of your original source program). Line four of the command
fiLe tells AMOS to run the compiled program (AVRAGE.RUN).
The next three lines provide test data for the program, which asks for
three numbers. When the ALphaBASIC program finishes, you are returned
to AMOS command leveL.
The final command in the command file then teLls AMOS to erase all
backup fiLes in your account.

10.2.1 Comments in a Command file

You may incLude comments within your file by preceding them with a
semicolon (;). AMOS does not process the comments. If a :T symbol
is used, any comments that foLLow it wiLL be printed out on your
terminal as the command file executes. If no :T is present, these
comments wiLL not be seen, but wiLL remain in the file to guide
anyone who looks at the file.

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Comments serve as expLanations of the purpose and function of a

command fiLe. Often a command fiLe wiLL not be used by just one
person, but by many. If a person wants to do a certain task, that
person might Look at the contents of a command fiLe to see if it
performs the needed task or not.
If speciaL symboLs or unusuaL commands are in the fiLe, the viewer
might not know what they do, and so, might not understand what the
command fiLe does.
Therefore, it is a good idea to LiberaLLy comment your command fiLes
so that other users wiLL know exactLy what functions the fiLe
performs.

10.2.2 The System InitiaLization Command fiLe

Of speciaL interest to the System Operator is a unique command fiLe

caLLed the system initiaLization command fiLe that the system uses
every time you turn on or reset the computer.
This command fiLe has speciaL properties and commands that heLp AMOS
~aiLor the system software for your particuLar hardware system.
The System Operator can find information on the system
initiaLization command fiLe in the AMOS System Operator's Guide,
OSS-10001-00 (for AMOS systems), or the AMOS/L System Operator's
Guide, OSS-10002-00 (for AMOS/L systems).

10.2.3 SpeciaL SymboLs in Command FiLes

In addition to normaL input that you might make on your keyboard,
there are severaL speciaL symboLs that appear onLy in command fiLes
that are never seen or processed by programs other than AMOS.
These symboLs MUST appear at the very beginning of a command fiLe
Line in order to be read as speciaL symboLs. The one exception is
the comment.

:T TRACE - Causes the Lines of the command fiLe and aLL of the
output to be dispLayed on your terminaL screen as AMOS
processes them.
Sometimes it's usefuL NOT to be abLe to see the commands and
data in a command fiLe as the fiLe is processed; in that
case, use the :R or :5 symboLs beLow.

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:S SILENCE - Causes the display of command file lines and

program output generated by the command file to be
suppressed. When:S is used, nothing that the command file
does will be displayed on the screen (except for messages).
If no :R or :T symbol is specified, :S is assumed (the
default).
:R RESULT - Causes the results of command file lines, but not
the lines themselves, to be displayed. You can use muLtiple
:S, :R, and :T symbols within one command fi le to al,low the
user of your command file to see some program output and
command fiLe lines, but not others.
:< ••• > MESSAGE - These symbols alLow you to include messages
within your command files that will be dispLayed on your
terminal. The AMOS Monitor displays all the characters
within the <> symbols when it reaches that point in the
command fi Le.
A command fiLe message is not acted upon by AMOS or any
other program. A message may be more than one line in
length. The end of the message must be indicated by the>
symbol. NOTE: Be careful! If you forget the> symbol, the
command file wilL keep printing indefiniteLy.
:K KEYBOARD INPUT - The :K symbol allows the user of the
command file to enter one line of data or commands to either
AMOS or the program currently being executed.
When AMOS finds a :K symbol in your command file, it haLts
the processing of the fiLe untiL the user of the fiLe
enters a Line of characters that end with a RETURN. This
input is then acted upon by AMOS or the program that is
executing.
,. COMMENT CHARACTER - the semicolon symboL marks a comment
line which is not processed, but is displayed with the rest
of the command fiLe if a :T is present at the top of the
file.
Certain commands, such as EXIT and LOOKUP, aLLow you to put
a message on the command line. If you put a comment after
these commands, they wiLL be taken for these messages, and
wiLL print out on the terminal, regardLess of whether :R or
:S are used.
:P PARTIAL INPUT The :P symbol is used in conjunction with
the :K symbol to provide you with the abiLity to make a
partial input. Whatever you input is added to the lines
that foLLow the :P in the command fiLe untiL it encounters a
:K symboL.

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For example, if you have these lines in a command file:

:T
:<Input the name of the file
you wish to VUE:
>
:P
VUE
:K
the command file will stop and wait for your input, and then
append to "VUE" whatever you enter to make one command line.
If you enter TEST.TXT, the command file will execute the
command VUE TEST. TXT.
Put the :P before the command you want to add to, and do not
forget the :K symbol after, or it will add other command
file lines also.
NOTE: The descriptions of the command file elements below
are necessarily brief and do not go into details on command
syntax and use. We just want you to know what is available
to you. See the examples in section 10.3.3 for samples of
how these are used, and see either the AMOS System Commands
Reference Manual, DWM-00100-49 or the AMOS/L System
Commands Reference Manual, DSS-10004-00, for the syntax of
these commands.
PAUSE When PAUSE appears in a command file, the file stops and
waits for the user of the command file to input a character.
If the user of the file presses RETURN, the rest of the
command file is then executed.
If the user of the file presses any other key, the control
file is suspended, and whatever is left in the command file
is placed into a file called CNT.CMD. You may also put a
message on the PAUSE line, which will print out before the
file pauses.
CONT CONTINUE This command, used either inside or outside (at
AMOS command level) of a command file, causes the command
file CNT.CMD to execute. This command continues the
execution of a command file that was interrupted by the
PAUSE command.
LOOKUP The lookup command is used in conjunction with the GO TO
command to cause AMOS to go to a new line in the command
file if a specified file exists, or to end th~ command file
if the file does not exist.
Enter LOOKUP followed by the filespec of the file you wish
to find.

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If the file is found, the rest of the command file is

executed. If it is not found, the file aborts. You can add
a message after the LOOKUP command that will print out on
your terminal.
You can also add the symbol "/" after the filespec. This
symbol means that the file will not abort if it does not
locate the filespec - rather, it will execute the next line
of the command file.
If "/" is specified, and AMOS finds the file, AMOS will then
execute the line after the next line. This allows you to
put a GOTO command immediately after the LOOKUP command, so
that the file can branch to different sections of your
command file depending on whether or not the file looked for
was or was not found.
When we say "branch" we mean that you are making a "fork in
the road" of your command fi le. AMOS looks for whatever
file you specify. If it finds it, it goes to one branch of
the file and does something. If if doesn't find it, it goes
to the other branch. This allows your command file to
choose between two different courses of action. It is
almost like an "IF-THEN" statement in a BASIC program.
GOTO Transfers control of a command file to a different line.
The GOTO statement is associated with a label. When the
command file executes a GOTO line, it branches to the
associated label in the command file and continues executing
from there.
The label can be either a legal command file element, or it
can be a comment. In either case, the label must be on a
line by itself. If the label is a comment, it must be
preceded by a semi-colon with no intervening spaces,
although the argument in the GOTO statement must not include
the semi-colon.
See the sample command file SEE.DO in Section 10.3.3 below
for an example of GOTO and other special symbols.
EXIT When this command is encountered in a command file, it
causes the command file to be terminated. You use this in
command files that have LOOKUP and GOTO statements in them.
Since you want the command file to go to a specific area
depending on whether or not a file exists, you. have to have
a way of stopping the command file after it has finished
processing the lines in the "branch". Otherwise, the
command file will continue to execute statements, and it
will process the commands in the second branch also.

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Thus, you use an EXIT command at the end of the statements

that make up a branch, and it wiLL end the command fiLe at
that point. You may add a message after EXIT on the same
command Line that wiLL be dispLayed on your terminaL.
BATCH BATCH is a command that Loads frequentLy used commands such
as GOTO, LOOKUP, EXIT, TRACE; PAUSE and LOAD into your
memory partition. You can use this command either at AMOS
command LeveL, or at the start of a command fiLe.
This may be a good idea if you are pLanning to use many of
these commands in your command fiLe, since those commands
wiLL execute faster if they are in your memory partition
rather than on the disk.
COM COM processes fiLes based upon their extensions. You use
COM foLLowed by a fiLespec. 00 NOT specify an extension for
the fiLespec. Your command fiLe wilL find the specified
fiLe, and process it according to its extension.
If it is a .TXT fiLe, it wiLL format it using the TXTFMT
command, if it is an ALphaBASIC program (with a .BAS
extension), it wiLL compiLe it, etc. The fiLe must be in
your account number, but you may specify a different device.
NOTE: Any commands in the command fiLe after a COM statement
wiLL not be executed because COM does not return controL to
the command file after whatever processing it has done.
Therefore, use COM as the last statement in a command file.

IMPORTANT: Do not use "CNT" as a name of a command fi le, since a

PAUSE command will create a file named CNT.CMD, and write over any
file of the same name that exists.
See the AMOS System Commands Reference Manual, DWM-00100-49, or
the AMOS/L System Commands Reference Manual, DSS-10004-00, for
more information on these commands.

10.3 HOW IS A .00 FILE DIFFERENT FROM A COMMAND FILE?

A DO file is a special type of command fiLe that allows you to pass

arguments to the fiLe. This type of fiLe has a .00 extension and
contains exactLy the same type of eLements as a regular' command fiLe
(including the speciaL symbols mentioned above), but aLso incLudes
some additional symbols that aLlow you to specify items of text to be
substituted into the command file at the time that you invoke the
file. (These additional parameter symboLs are: $0,$1,$2, ••• $9.)

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Because you can pass text items to a DO file, you can use DO files in
many different situations in which a regular command file would be too
specific.

10.3.1 How to Make a DO file

Create a DO file by using one of the text editors to build a text

file with a .00 extension. The fiLe may contain up to ten different
user-defined parameters (indicated by the parameter symbols SO-S9).
When you enter the name of the DO file at AMOS command level, you
also include an argument list, the items of which will be
substituted for the parameter symbols in the DO file. The items in
the argument list are separated by blanks. (To include a blank
within an argument, enclose the argument within <> symbols-- e.g.,
<argument #2>.)
Each parameter symbol becomes associated with one of the argument
list items (the first item with parameter SO, the second item with
parameter S1, and so on). For example:
:T
TXTFMT HEADER,SO
RENAME/D SO.LST=HEADER.LST
PRINT SO
TXTFMT HEADER,$1
RENAME/D S1.LST=HEADER.LST
PRINT S1
DIR/W S2
PRINT
If we name this file DOC.DO and execute it by typing:
~DOC PSTINV ACTPAY *.TXT [RET]
the SO is replaced with PSTINV, the S1 is replaced with ACTPAY, and
the S2 is repLaced with *.TXT. Thus, the DO fiLe above wiLL be
executed as if it were:
:T
TXTFMT HEADER,PSTINV
RENAME/D PSTINV.LST=HEADER.LST
PRINT PSTINV iprint defauLts to .LST
TXTFMT HEADER,ACTPAY
RENAME/D ACTPAY.LST=HEADER.LST
PRINT ACTPAY
DIR/W *.TXT
PRINT

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You can use a parameter symbol to represent an entire filespec, a

portion of a filespec, a command or any other piece of text inside a
DO command file. For example, say you have a DO file called
FORM. DO:
:T
;SO
TXTFMT DSKS1:S2.TXT
PRINT DSKS1:S2.LST
DIR DSKS1:S2.*
when you type:
.FORM <FILE IS PSTINV> 2 PSTINV [RET)

it will be executed as if it were:

:T
;FILE IS PSTINV
TXTFMT DSK2:PSTINV.TXT
PRINT DSK2:PSTINV.LST
DIR DSK2:PSTINV.*

If you have more items in your argument list than there are
parameter symbols in the DO file, the extra items are ignored. If
you have fewer items in your argument list than there are parameter
symbols, the extra parameters are ignored.
However, if you do not supply a parameter, the line it appears on
may still be processed, especially if there is a default for the
command that was specified. For example, if a line in your DO file
is DIR SO, and you do not specify that parameter, AMOS will assume
the default of DIR *_*, and process the line in that manner.
Argument list items are associated with parameter symbols NOT in the
order that the parameter symbols appear in the file, but in the
order in which the parameter symbols are numbered. (That is, the
first item in the argument list is associated with parameter SO,
even if parameter S2 appears before SO in the DO file.)

10.3.2 Special Parameter Symbols

In addition to the usual DO file parameter symbols and the special

command file symbols, five special parameter symbols allow you to
use DO files in a more flexible way and for a greater range of
applications.

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$: CURRENT DEVICE SYMBOL - Represents the device that the user of

the DO file is currently logged into. For example, if the user
of your DO file is logged into an account on DSKO: at the time
that he or she uses your DO file, the line in the DO file:
LOG $:[1,4]
is transformed into:
LOG DSKO:[1,4]
You can use this symbol in combination with the Current PPN
Symbol (below) to keep track of the current account and device
of the user of your DO file; the DO file can log the user into
another account to perform special functions, and then return
him to his own account and device.
$P CURRENT PPN SYMBOL - Represents the account that the user of the
DO file is currently logged into. For example, if the user of
your DO file is logged into account [230,5J, the DO file
statement:
DIR DSKO:[$PJ

will be executed as:

DIR DSKO:[230,5J
$ NULL PARAMETER SYMBOL - A single $ indicates a null parameter in
a default parameter list, or a null argument in an argument
List. This symboL allows you to designate which parameter wiLL
be associated with which argument. Take a look at the exampLe
beLow for an idea of how to use the $ symboL.
$$ DOLLAR SIGN SYMBOL - Represents an actuaL doLLar sign. If you
need to use a doLLar sign as part of a message within a DO fiLe,
you enter it as two dolLars signs to distinguish it from the
nuLL parameter symboL.
$D DEFAULT PARAMETER LIST - If you specify fewer items in the
argument List than there are parameter symboLs in the DO fiLe,
AMOS usuaLLy ignores the extra parameter symboLs.
You can, however, suppLy a defauLt argument List that AMOS wiLL
use if you omit an argument List when you invoke the DO fiLe at
AMOS command LeveL, or if you do not suppLy a compLete argument
List.

For exampLe, say that the ALphaVUE command's defauLt extension

is .TXT.
You can create your own VUE command (in this case named LOOK) in
which the defauLt extension is .CMD.

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SO S .CMO
:T
VUE SOS1
In the example above, the S represents the fact that the
parameter SO is a null, that is, it does not have a default
setting. The .CMO, then, is the default setting for S1.
So, if you invoke the DO file with an argument list containing
just a filename (which would be SO), without specifying an
extension (S1), you will see something like this:
.LOOK PSTINV [RET)

VUE PSTINV.CMO
This means that if you use your LOOK command without specifying
an extension, it will default to .CMO. Of course, with this
example, if you wanted to specify another extension, you would
have to use this form:
.LOOK PSTINV .TXT [RET)
NOTE: If a $0 line appears in your DO file, it MUST be the
first line of the file (even before a :T or :R symbol).

10.3.3 SAMPLE DO FILES

Below are some examples of the kinds of DO files you can create to
help you perform frequently used sequences of commands.
If you want all of the users on the system to be able to share your
command and DO files, have the System Operator copy them into the
System Command File Library, OSKO:[2,2J. If a command or DO file is
in this account, it can be called by any user on the system without
any disk or account specifications.

TFORM.OO

You can use the text formatting program, TXTFMT, to format a group
of text files so that they form one document. If you always begin
the filespec list with the same file or files, a DO file can be
convenient:
:T
TXTFMT HEADER,PRPNOT,PRFACE,$O

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COMMAND FILES, DO FILES, AND CONTROL FILES Page 10-14

For example, the DO file above tells TXTFMT to format a header

file (HEADER) that contains standard formatting information (page
size, line size, etc.), a file that contains an official
proprietary notice (PRPNOT), and a file containing a standard
preface (PRFACE).
Let us say that these three files are often formatted in front of
a document. You can call TFORM.DO with a filespec that specifies
the main body of the document:
.TFORM YEARLY (RE~
TXTFMT HEADER,PRPNOT,PRFACE,YEARLY
SEE.OO

This DO file allows you to enter AlphaVUE by specifying only the

filename of your file. Instead of typing VUE TEXT.CMD, you will
be able to type SEE TEXT. If the file TEXT has any common
extension, this DO file will find it.

:R
BATCH i Load commands into memory
LOOKUP SO.CMOI <CMD>
,. Is there a CMO file with that fiLename?
GOTO BRANCH i If not, go to BRANCH
VUE S.CMD i If there is, VUE it
EXIT ; End DO file once done with VUE
iBRANCH
LOOKUP $0.001 <DO>
GOTO BRANCH1
VUE SO.OO
EXIT
i BRANCH1
LOOKUP SO.CTLI <CTL>
GOTO BRANCH2
VUE SO.CTL
EXIT
iBRANCH2
LOOKUP $O.TXTI <TXT>
GOTO BRANCH3
VUE SO
EXIT
iBRANCH3
LOOKUP SO.LSTI <LST>
GOTO BRANCH4
VUE $O.LST
EXIT
iBRANCH4
LOOKUP SO.BASI <BAS>
GOTO BRANCH5
VUE SO.BAS

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COMMAND FILES, DO FILES, AND CONTROL FILES Page 10-15

EXIT
;BRANCH5
LOOKUP $O.DATI <OAT>
GOTO BRANCH6
VUE $O.DAT
EXIT
;BRANCH6 ; If the file was not found, print:
,.
:< The file does not exist with any usual extensions.
>
PRINTE.DO

When you are printing a long list of files (e.g., AlphaBASIC

programs), it is often convenient to separate those files by
sending a form-feed character to the printer after each file that
you print; then each file begins at the top of a page.
When you call PRINTE.DO, give it the Filespec of the file you want
to print. PRINTE prints the file, and then sends a form-feed
character (FF.TXT) to the printer.
PRINT $0
; FF.TXT is in System Command File Library
PRINT DSKO:FF.TXT[2,2J
FF.TXT is a text file that contains only one symbol-- a form-feed
character. To create FF.TXT, follow these steps:
1. Log into DSKO:[2,2J:
.:.LOG 2,2 [RET)

2. Enter AlphaVUE to create FF.TXT:

• VUE FF [RET]

Answer wi th a "Y" when it asks you if you wi sh to have

FF.TXT created.
3. In the blank file, type a Control-G, then a Control-L.
This enters a form feed character into the file. You
will see (AL). Use an escape and an "F" followed by a
RETURN to exit from AlphaVUE.

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COMMAND FILES, DO FILES, AND CONTROL FILES Page 10-16

TALK. DO

This DO file allows you to send every user on your system a

message at the same time:
:T
SEND MIKE SO
SEND DAVID SO
SEND JOB1 SO
SEND JOB2 SO
SEND BILL SO
If you wish to make the message longer than one word, enclose the
message in angle brackets <>:
~TALK <BE SURE TO TURN IN YOUR STATUS REPORTS BEFORE LUNCH> [RET)
Since spaces separate DO parameters, it will accept only the first
word up to a space as the $0 parameter unless you use the
brackets.

BACKUP.DO

This DO file transfers backup copies of the specified files in

account [200,1J from one disk cartridge (or floppy disk) to the
same account on another disk cartridge (or floppy disk):

:T
SET DSKERR ; Report disk errors
:<Backup Account [200,1J of Working Cartridge
onto Archives Cartridge
>
LOG DSK1:[200,1J
COpy DSKO:=$O ; Copy from DSK1:[200,1J to DSKO:[200,1J
:<Change the cartridge to Archives Cartridge;
when ready, press RETURN -
>
:K
MOUNT DSK1:
COpy =DSKO:SO ; Copy from DSKO:[200,1J to DSK1:[200,1J
:<Change the cartridge back to Working Cartridge; when
ready, press RETURN -
>
:K
MOUNT DSK1:
:<Clear DSKO:
>
ERASE DSKO:*.*[200,1J
LOG $:[SPJ ; Return to previous account.

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10.4 THE TASK MANAGER

ALpha Micro computers aLso support a system caLLed the Task Manager,
which aLLows you to perform tasks without tying up your terminaL.

The Task Manager is a batch processing program that aLLows you to use
reaL or pseudo terminals to run tasks without human control.
If some tasks that you do take a long time to run (an hour, for
instance), you can have the Task Manager perform them and still be
able to use your terminal for other things.
You can also schedule tasks to run at specific date and times, and you
can schedule tasks to remain permanently in the queue, running at
specified intervals (such as weekly, monthly, etc.)
See the AMOS/L Task Manager User's Manual, DSS-10010-00, for more
complete information about the use of the Task Manager.
Check with your System Operator to see if the Task Manager is
installed on your system.

10.4.1 Control Files

The Task Manager uses control files to give it directions. These
control files are similar to command fiLes, but have a different set
of special symbols, and are more versatile. Almost anything you do
on your terminal can be done in a control file.
Commands are entered into the control file just as they would be on
the terminal.

10.4.2 Submitting Tasks

The SUBMIT command is used to submit control files to the Task

Manager. The format is:
.SUBMIT {Control filespec} {/switch1 ••• /switchN} [RET)
If you do not specify a control filespec, the program will display
the contents of the queue file. See the SUBMIT command reference
sheet in the AMOS/L System Commands Reference ManuaL,
OSS-10004-00, for the switches and their use.
Once the control fiLe has been submitted, the Task Manager executes
the commands in the controL fiLe to complete the task. The Task
Manager alLows you to controL exactLy when the task is performed,
and gives you the capability of having tasks repeat automaticalLy at
regular intervals.

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

 CHAPTER 11

USING ALPHA MICRO PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES

In this chapter, we wiLL discuss the use of the various ALpha Micro
Programming Languages. Of course, we wiLL Leave detaiLed instructions to
the specific manuaLs for each Language, but we wiLL give you an idea of what
each Language can do, what appLications each Language wouLd be best for, and
how to access each Language.
These are just the standard Languages that are generaLLy supported. Your
ALpha Micro deaLer may have other Languages avaiLabLe. See him or her for
information about optionaL Languages and their capabiLities.

The topics discussed wiLL be:

ALphaBASIC
ALphaPASCAL
ALphaLISP
ALpha Micro AssembLy Language

11.1 WHAT IS ALPHABASIC?

The BASIC Language is probabLy the most commonLy used computer

Language, especiaLLy for micro-computers.
The acronym BASIC stands for Beginners' ALL-purpose SymboLic
Instruction Code. BASIC is a higher-LeveL programming Language that
was designed to be versatiLe tooL for Learning computer programming,
and aLso to provide a reLativeLy simpLe Language for a wide variety of
appLications.

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USING ALPHA MICRO PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES Page 11-2

BASIC is an easy to use programming language primarily because of its

similarity to the Engl ish language. Don't let the word "Beginners" in
its name fool you. BASIC is a good language for newcomers, but it is
also a powerful language used by all types of programmers.

Over the years since its inception, BASIC has been added to and
modified as new concepts of programming have emerged. Some versions
of BASIC are more extensive than others; the use of these extended
versions allows the programmer a wider range of applications, greater
ease in programming, and/or greater efficiency and speed.
AlphaBASIC is just such an extension of the BASIC language, with
several features not found in other implementations. For example,
AlphaBASIC provides a method for defining sophisticated data record
structures that adds flexibility and efficiency to business-oriented
programs.
These features not only enhance the performance of traditional uses of
the language but also make business applications easier to program.

11.1.1 How to use AlphaBASIC

You can use AlphaBASIC in one of two modes: Interactive or Compiler

mode.

INTERACTIVE MODE

In Interactive mode you create, edit and test your program whiLe it
resides in temporary memory. This mode is convenient for the
creation and debugging of new programs or for Learning ALphaBASIC.
Type BASIC and a RETURN, and you see:
.BASIC [RET)
READY
There is no prompt symboL, just type in either singLe Lines, or your
program. To exit, type:
.BYE [RET]

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USING ALPHA MICRO PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES Page 11-3

Here is a smaLL exampLe of how an ALphaBASIC program might Look in

interactive mode:
.BASIC [RET]
ALphaBASIC Version xx.(xxx)
READV
10 ! Program to print name in reverse [RET)
20 STRSIZ 20 [RET]
30 START: INPUT LINE "Enter your name: ",NAME$ [RET]
40 IF LEN(NAME$) = 0 THEN GOTO START [RET]
50 LOOP: COUNTER = LEN(NAME$) [RET)
60 FOR I = 1 TO COUNTER [RET]
70 PRINT NAME$[COUNTERi1Ji [RET)
80 COUNTER = COUNTER - 1 [RET]
90 NEXT [RET)
100 PRINT [RET)
110 INPUT "Another one? (V or N): ",QUERV$ [RET]
120 IF UCS(QUERV$) = "V" GOTO START ELSE PRINT "AL L done." [RET]
130 END [RET]
RUN [RET)
COMPILING
CompiLe time was 0.008 seconds, eLapsed time was 0 seconds
Enter your name: ALPHA MICRO ffikD
ORCIM AHPLA
Another one? (V or N): N (RET)
ALL done.
CPU time was 0.043 seconds, eLapsed time was 1 seconds

READV
BVE [RET]

COMPILER MODE

CompiLer mode is more usefuL for programs which are to be put into
production use, or for testing programs which are too Large to fit
in memory in the interactive mode.
In compiLer mode, you compiLe the program at AMOS command LeveL and
store the compiLed program on the disk.
During the actuaL running of the compiLed program, onLy the compiLed
program and a minimaL run-time execution package need to be in
memory, thereby conserving memory space.

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USING ALPHA MICRO PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES Page 11-4

To use compiler mode, use one of the text editing programs (AlphaVUE
is the best for programming) to create your program. When you are
back at AMOS Command level, enter:
• COMPIL MYPROG (RET]

Once your program is successfully compiled, you can execute it by

typi ng:
• RUN MYPROG [RET)

COMPIL assumes an extention of .BAS, and RUN assumes an extention of

.RUN.

11.2 WHAT IS ALPHAPASCAL?

Pascal is a newer programming language designed to meet new

programming needs - to be clearer and more powerful than most older
languages. It encourages programmers to use good programming style.
Style is becoming more and more important as programs and systems
be'come larger and more complex. To make maintenance and updating of
programs cost efficient, programs today need to be not only
functionaL, but aLso weLL-designed and readable.
ALphaPASCAL is an advanced version of PascaL that has been developed
specifically to run under the ALpha Micro Operating System.

11.2.1 How to use ALphaPASCAL

AlphaPASCAL programs are written in compiLer mode. This means that

you use one of the text-editing programs (AlphaVUE is the easiest
for writing programs) to create your program file. When you are
ready, you compiLe the fiLe (using the AlphaPASCAL compiler command,
PC instead of COMPIL) and run the compiled version. (See the
explanation of compiler mode in section 11.1.1 above).
The AlphaPASCAL User's Guide, DWM-00100-08, contains detaiLed
instructions on how to prepare an AlphaPASCAL file and how to
compiLe it. It aLso contains compLete instructions for programming
inA Lpha PASCAL.

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USING ALPHA MICRO PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES Page 11-5

11.3 WHAT IS ALPHALISP?

The LISP language was developed to handle symbolic expressions on a

computer. It is designed to be used in programs that process large
numbers of string variables, or that do large amounts of information
retrieval.
One of the possible uses of AlphaLISP might be in maiLing List
programs, where names, addresses, and other data are associated.

11.3.1 How to use AlphaLISP

AlphaLISP is used in Interactive mode. (See the definition of

interactive mode in section 11.1.1 above.) To enter the LISP
prog ram, type:
.LISP [RET]

The LISP Monitor wiLL then ask you:

Load Extended Library?
Type a Y or an N (Yes or No) to answer this question. The extended
library gives LISP more features, but also reduces the memory you
wiLL have in which to create your program.

You wiLL then see an asterisk (*). This is the LISP prompt symbol,
and indicates that LISP is waiting for an input. You may then enter
either singLe statements, or the Lines of your program.
To get out of LISP and back to AMOS, enter:
~(EXIn [RET)

See the ALphaLISP User's ManuaL, DWM-00100-05, for further

information on the LISP Language.

11.4 ALPHA MICRO ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE

ALL of the programming languages discussed above are caLled

"hi gher-level" languages. That means that they are one step removed
from the basic machine Language the computer understands. This makes
them easier to use and more efficient for normal programming needs
than the more hardware-oriented machine Language.

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USING ALPHA MICRO PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES Page 11-6

However, it means that they are not appropriate for programming

certain applications that require high speed execution and the ability
to communicate with hardware devices.
The programming language that you use to create machine language
programs is called "assembly language." Alpha Micro provides two
assembly languages, one for each of its two families of computers.
For information on the AMOS/L assembly language, refer to the
AM-100/L Instruction Set, 05S-10006-00 and the AMOS/L Assembly
Language Programmer's Manual, 055-10007-00.
See the AM05 Assembly Language Programmer's Manual, OWM-00100-43,
and the W016 Microcomputer Reference Manual, OWM-00100-04, for
information on the AMOS assembly language.

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

 CHAPTER 12

WHERE TO GO FROM HERE

In the previous chapters you've Learned many of the most usefuL commands and
features of the ALpha Micro Operating System, but of course there is stiLL
much more. By now, you've mastered the basic skiLLs you need to operate
your system and to create and edit your fiLes and programs.
You know everything that aLL ALpha Micro users need to know, and now you can
move on to the more speciaLized topics that appLy to your particuLar
equipment configuration and your specific business requirements.
Whether' it is a programming Language, a text-editing program, or a hardware
technicaL manuaL, we have documentation avaiLabLe. This chapter wiLL give
you some guideLines for finding the right document for your needs. The
points we wiLL discuss are:

Other usefuL commands

References to other manuaLs

GuideLines for the System Operator

12.1 OTHER USEFUL COMMANDS

There is a such wide variety of commands aLready avaiLabLe on your

ALpha Micro computer system that you wiLL find yourseLf using some
commands aLL the time, and others not at aLL. To famiLiarize yourseLf
with aLL the avaiLabLe commands, skim through the AMOS System
Commands Reference ManuaL, DWM-00100-49, or the AMOS/L System
Commands Reference ManuaL, DSS-10004-00.

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WHERE TO GO FROM HERE Page 12-2

The commands listed below are a few that we feel might be particularly
useful.
SRCCOM Compares the text of two files and shows you where they
are similar and different. This is useful if you are
not sure which of two files is the latest version.
CREATE This command creates an empty file, which you can then
access later and fill.
SET This command has many options. It a llows you to set
certain characteristics of your terminal and other
devices.
DSKANA This command scans the specified disk for errors. It is
a privileged program that can only be used from account
DSKO:[1,2], and is usually run by the System Operator.
See the Cautions in the DSKANA reference sheet before
attempting to use this command.
DATE Displays the date on your terminal. For Example:
.DATE (RET)
Friday, August 2, 1982
TiME Displays the time on your terminal. For Example:
• TIME (RET]
3:00:14 PM
TRMDEF Displays a list of the terminals that are defined on
your system.
DEVTBL Displays a list of all devices defined on your system.
PPN Devn: - Displays the current accounts for a specified disk or
device.

12.2 OTHER REFERENCES

The following is a general List of our manuals. Since we are

continualLy producing new products and manuals, by the time you read
this many other manuaLs may also be avaiLable. Your loca~ dealer or
the Alpha Micro Sales Administration Department can provide you with a
complete list of all documents available.

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WHERE TO GO FROM HERE Page 12-3

Refer to the appropriate manual for more specific information about

the topics that interest you:

Introductory Texts

Introduction to AMOS OWM-00100-65

AMOS User's Guide OWM-00100-35
AlphaMAIL User's Manual OSS-10000-06

Word Processing Manuals

AlphaVUE/TXTFMT Training Guide OSS-10000-03
AlphaVUE User's Manual OWM-00100-15
TXTFMT User's Manual OWM-00100-04

Programming Manuals
AlphaBASIC User's Manual OWM-00100-01
AlphaPASCAL User's Manual OWM-001 00-08
AlphaLISP User's Manual OWM-00100-05
AlphaFIX User's Manual OWM-001 00-69
AMOS Assembly Language Programmer's Reference Manual OWM-00100-43
AMOS/L Assembly Language Programmer's Manual OSS-10007-00
AlphaFIX/L User's Manual OSS-10005-00
ISAM System User's Guide OWM-00100-06
AMOS Monitor Calls Manual OWM-00100-42
AMOS/L Monitor Calls Manual OSS-10003-00
W016 Microcomputer Reference Manual OWM-00100-04
AM-100/L Instruction Set OSS-10006-00

Other System Manuals

Alpha Micro Integrated Systems User's Guide OWM-00101-00
AMOS System Commands Reference Manual OWM-00100-49
AMOS/L System Commands Reference Manual OSS-10004-00
AMOS System Operator's Guide OSS-10001-00
AMOS/L System Operator's Guide OSS-10002-00
AMOS Video Cassette Recorder Backup Software OSS-10027-00
AMOS/L Video Cassette Recorder Backup Software OSS-10032-00
AMOS 1/4" Streamer Backup Software OSS-10033-00
AMOS/L 1/4" Streamer Backup Software OSS-10031-00
AMOS/L Task Manager User's Manual OSS-10010-00
AMOS LOKSER User's Manual OSS-10022-00

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WHERE TO GO FROM HERE Page 12-4

12.3 IF YOU ARE THE SYSTEM OPERATOR

On Alpha Micro multi-user systems, one user is usually designated as

the System Operator. If you are the System Operator, you have a few
additional responsibilities, and you must have knowledge of some
things that other users don't have to worry about.

The System Operator:

1. Maintains the system initialization command file.

2. Assigns accounts and passwords to the other users.
3. Sets up the hardware (like printers, tapes, etc.)

4. Manages system memory.

5. Controls the special system libraries.
6. Periodically tests memory and disks for errors.

You can find special instructions for these tasks in the AMOS System
Operator's Guide, DSS-10001-00, or the AMOS/L System Operator's
Guide, DSS-100002-00.

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

 APPENDIX A

AMOS ERROR MESSAGES

Below is a list of error messages that you might see when operating at AMOS
command level. For information on the specific error messages you might see
when using a particular command, see the documentation for that command.
The format of the error message may differ slightly between the AMOS and the
AMOS/L systems, but the errors and their solutions are the same.

A.1 COMMON ERROR MESSAGES

The most common kind of error message that you will see on the system
consists of two parts. The message begins with:
?Cannot {init, open, close, read, write, input, output, wait,
delete, rename, assign, deassign, allocate record on,
deallocate record on, read bitmap on, write bitmap on,
lock directory on, unlock directory on, allocate random file,
mount, unmount, Load, or access} FiLespec or Devn: -
and ends with one of the messages below (for example: Cannot read AMS3:
- disk not mounted):
- BADBLK.SYS not found
The program BADBLK.SYS was not found on the disk, meaning that it
was erased or somehow lost. See your System Operator for help.
- BADBLK.SYS has a bad hash total
The BADBLK.SYS program is damaged. See your System Operator for
help.

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AMOS ERROR MESSAGES Page A-2

- BADBLK.SYS is in wrong (unsupported) format

You will only see this error if you have an AMOS/L system and your
version of BADBLK.SYS was certified on an AMOS system that was
version 4.2 or earlier. The AMOS/L system will not support it.
To correct this problem, your System Operator will have to
transfer your files to an AMOS system that has version 4.3 or
later, and then re-certify. ,
- bitmap kaput
Every time the system writes data to a file-structured device
(e.g., DSKO:, AMS1:), it checks that device's bitmap to determine
where on the disk to write the data. (A bitmap is a map of the
device -- it tells the system what records on the device already
contain data, and which are free for use.)
Every time the system checks the bitmap, it sums the data in that
bitmap and checks it against the value it has previously computed;
if there is a discrepancy, it means that something in the bitmap
has changed, and you see the bitmap kaput error message.
To solve this problem, MOUNT the disk. If you still get this
message, check with the System Operator for help -- he or she can
run the DSKANA program that will reset the bitmap.
- buffer not INITed
Before your assembly language program can perform an open, read or
write operation, the program must assign a buffer to the file DDB.
(Because you can use the monitor call INIT to do this, we say that
the buffer has been INITed.) If you fail to do this procedure,
you will see this message.
If you should see this message within AlphaBASIC, the message may
indicate memory problems; check with the System Operator.
- deadly embrace possible

You are trying to OPEN a file out of sequence from the sequence
defined in the LOKGEN program. This occurs if you have the LOKSER
file-Locking system installed on your system. Check the LOKGEN
program for the proper file-opening sequence.
- device does not exist
You've tried to access a device that the syst.em does not
recognize. For example:
.TYPE ASM1:FILE.TXT [RET)
?Cannot init ASM1:FILE.TXT - device does not exist

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AMOS ERROR MESSAGES Page A-3

You probably mis-typed the device name. You can use the DEVTBL
command to see a list of all the devices on the system.
- device error
A hard disk error has occurred; that is, the system was not able
to read data from a disk. Try to perform the operation again. If
you still have no success, check with the System Operator for
help; this message may indicate a hardware problem.

- device full
There is not enough room on the disk to complete the data
transfer. Start over again with another device, or make room on
the first device by erasing unnecessary files.
device in use
Another user is using the non-sharable device that you wish to
access (e.g., a paper tape punch). Wait and try again later.
- device not mounted
You have tried to access a valid system device, but that device is
not mounted. Use the MOUNT command to mount the device, and try
again.
- device not ready
You are trying to access a device that is not ready. For example,
you will see this message if you try to mount a disk before that
device is powered up and ready.
- disk not mounted
The disk drive that the command tried to access is not mounted.
Use the MOUNT command to mount that disk, then try again.
- file already exists

You've tried to create a file that already exists. For example,

if the file NEWCPY.MAC already exists in your account, and you try
to rename another fiLe to that name:
.RENAME NEWCPY=WRKFIL [RET]
WRKFIL.MAC to NEWCPY.MAC
?Cannot rename WRKFIL.MAC - file already exists
- file already open
Your assembly language program tried to open a file that is
already open. Check your program to see if you are opening the
file twice.

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AMOS ERROR MESSAGES Page A-4

- file cannot be DELETEd

You tried to delete a file that was specified as undeletable in
LOKGEN. This only occurs if you have the LOKSER file locking
system on your system.
- file cannot be RENAMEd
You tried to rename a file that was specified as unrenamable in
LOKGEN. This only occurs if you have the LOKSER file locking
system on your system.
- file in use
You tried to OPEN a file which is being used by another user.
Either you or the other user requested an exclusive lock on the
file. This only occurs when you have the LOKSER file-locking
system on your system.
- file not found
AMOS cannot find the file you've specified. For example:
.TYPE LABDAT [RET]
?Cannot open DSKO:LABDAT.LST - file not found
Check your spelling, and make sure that you've specified the
correct device and account.
- file not open
Your assembly language program has tried to access a file that is
not open for input. Check your program to see if you are
accessing the correct file.
- file specification error
You did not properly specify the command. Check your format and
spelling, and try again.
- file type mismatch
You've tried to use a program designed for sequential files on a
random file (or vice versa). For example, the TYPE program works
only on sequential files; if you try to use it on a random file,
you see:
.TYPE PRTIDX.DAT [RET]
?Cannot open DSKO:PRTIDX.DAT - file type mismatch

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AMOS ERROR MESSAGES Page A-5

- first logical unit is not mounted

The first logical unit accessed by the command is not mounted.
Use the MOUNT command to mount the unit once you have determined
which device or unit is not mounted.
- illegal block number
Your program has tried to access a disk block that doesn't exist,
or that is beyond the range of the file you are using.
- illegal user code
You've tried to access an account that does not exist. For
exampte, if there is no account [100,2] on DSK1:
~TYPE DSK1:MYFILE.TXT[100,2] [RET)
?Cannot open DSK1:MYFILE.TXT[100,2] - illegal user code
- insufficient free memory
There is not enough room in memory to complete the operation you
are attempting. Make sure that no unnecessary modules are in your
memory partition.
- {nsufficient queue blocks
There were not enough queue blocks to perform the requested
operation. Try the command again, and if that does not work, have
the System Operator increase the amount of queue block space in
the system initialization command file.
- invalid filename
You've specified a filename that AMOS does not understand. For
example:
.MAKE .TXT [RET]
?Cannot open - invalid filename
In this case, the filename is a space, which AMOS does not
recognize as a filename.
- LOKSER queue is full

All of the available queue space in LOKSER is used up. Have your
System Operator re-run LOKGEN and allocate more memory blocks.
- MFD is damaged
Your Master File Directory is damaged. Copy as many programs as
you can onto a backup media, and then run the SYSACT program with
the I (initialize) option.

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

AMOS ERROR MESSAGES Page A-6

- PPN does not exist

You've tried to access a user account that does not exist. For
example, if there is no account [100,2] on DSK1:
.TYPE DSK1:MYFILE.TXT[100,2J [RET]
?Cannot open DSK1:MYFILE.TXT[100,2J - PPN does not exist
- protection violation
You've tried to create a file in an account other than your own
that is outside of your project. For example:
.COPY [210,3]=ELIPSE.BAS[100,SJ [RET]
ELIPSE.BAS[100,SJ to ELIPSE.BAS[210,3J
?Cannot open ELIPSE.BASt100,5] - protection violation
record in use
You tried to access a record inside a fiLe that is already locked
by another user. Either one or both users have requested an
exclusive Lock on that record. This occurs only if you have the
LOKSER file-locking system installed on your computer.
- record not locked for output
You are attempting to output a record that was not previousLy read
and locked via an INPUTL statement. This only occurs if you have
the LOKSER fiLe-locking programs on your system.
- write protected
You are trying to write data to a device that is write-protected.
Make sure the write-protect button is off and try again. Make
sure aLso that you were writing to the correct disk.

A.2 OTHER ERROR MESSAGES

In addition to the error messages above, you can also see:

?Address error at nnnnnnnn

An address error occurred while your job was running. This error
appears whenever a program tries to access a word or longword on
an odd address boundary.

DWM-00100-3S, Rev. BOO

AMOS ERROR MESSAGES Page A-7

AMXXX ERROR n FOR DRIVE n BLOCK n (CYLINDER n HEAD n SECTOR n)

You will see a message something like this if you have SET DSKERR,
and a hard error occurs on a system that uses an AM-SOO, AM-420,
or AM-410 Disk Controller Hard Disk Subsystem (the XXX stands for
whatever controller you have). This message indicates a hardware
problem the Disk Controller wasn't able to successfully read
data from the disk.
The message tells you what kind of error occurred (refer to the
information supplied with the disk drive to find out what error
conditions corresponds to that error code), and where on the
device the data transfer operation failed (the drive, record,
cylinder, head and sector). Check with the System Operator for
help.
Bus error - PC ##
A bus error indicates that an illegal condition was recognized on
the data bus. The number following the letters "PC" tell you the
memory address the Program Counter was set to when the bus error
occurred.
?Bus error at nnnnnnnn
A bus error occurred at location nnnnnnnn. This is a special type
of error generated by the central processor hardware.
?CHK instruction at nnnnnnnn
Your job executed a CHK instruction wich caused the trap to be
taken. (This instruction is not currently supported on AMOS/L
systems.)
?Command terminated - insufficient memory
You tried to execute a program from inside a command file, but
there was not enough room to load the program into your memory
parti tion.
Use the MAP command to see what modules are in your memory
partition; delete those you do not need. If you still cannot use
the command file, talk to your System Operator about getting more
memory area allocated to your job.
?Divide by zero at nnnnnnnn

Your job attempted to perform a divide (DIV or DIVS) instruction

with a divisor of zero.

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

AMOS ERROR MESSAGES Page A-8

?EM1111 at nnnnnnnn
Your job executed on of the EM1111 instructions which are not
currently used by AMOS/L; they are reserved for future use. This
error is commonly caused by a program which begins executing in
non-existent memory.
ERROR n
You see this message if you SET DSKERR and a soft disk-error
occurs on a system using an AM-200 or AM-210 Floppy Disk
Subsystem. Frequent soft errors can indicate hardware problems
with the drives; check with the System Operator.
The number following ERROR indicates the type of soft error that
occurred; refer to the instruction supplied with the disk drive to
see what error condition corresponds to that error code.
Because this message reports a soft error (the system had to retry
a data read) and not a hard error (where the data could not be
read at all), you do not necessarily have to worry unless you see
a DEVICE ERROR message (see above), which indicates a hard error.
ERROR n CMD n, STS n, RECORD n (TRACK n, SECTOR n)
You see this message if you have SET DSKERR and a soft disk-error
occurs on a system that is using an AM-400 Hard Disk Subsystem.
The number following ERROR indicates the type of soft error that
occurred; refer to the instructions supplied with the disk drive
to find out what error condition corresponds to that error code.
The message tells you where on the disk the error occurred. Check
with the System Operator.
?Illegal instruction at nnnnnnnn
Your job attempted to execute an illegal instruction. Any bit
pattern not currently recognized by the CPU is considered an
illegal instruction.
?Illegal user interrupt on level n
An interrupt occurred on level "n" when none was expected. This
can be caused by a program that does not intitialize the interrupt
vector locations properly, or by faulty hardware that generates
spurious interrupts.
?Insufficient memory for program load
You do not have enough memory in your partition to load the
program you want to execute. Use the MAP command to make sure
that no unnecessary modules are in your memory partition. If you
still receive this message, check with the System Operator to see
if he or she can allocate more memory to your job.

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

AMOS ERROR MESSAGES Page A-9

?Login please
You've tried to enter an instruction to AMOS, but you are not
logged into the system. Use the LOG command (see Section
2.4,"Logging on and off the System"). If you need help in figuring
out what to do, you can use the HELP command even if you are not
logged in (see Section 3.1, "The HELP Command").
?Memory allocation failed
You used the monitor call GETMEM from within an assembly language
program to allocate space for a memory module within a memory
partition -- there wasn't enough room in the partition to perform
the allocation. Make sure that no unnecessary modules are in the
memory partition, or see the System Operator about increasing your
memory.
?Memory map destroyed
Each module in your memory partition maintains a pointer to the
address of the next module in memory; if these connecting links
become confused or broken, AMOS is not sure where your memory
modules are in your partition.
You may not need to reset the computer, but you may want to delete
the modules from memory and reload them just to be sure that your
memory map is intact.
?Memory parity error
A memory parity error occurred while your job was running. After
this error occurs on an AM-100/L system, you should examine the
memory boards to determine which one the error occurred on. On
both AM-100/L and AM-1000 systems, the System Operator may want to
perform memory diagnostics to isolate the cause of the parity
error.
?No memory availabLe

There is no more free memory available on the system. Consult

with the System Operator. The solution may be to change the
amounts of memory allocated to each job on the system.
?Privilege vioLation at nnnnnnnn
Your job tried to execute a privileged instruction whiLe in user
mode. Certain priviLeged instructions, such as STOP~ require that
you be in supervisor mode.

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

AMOS ERROR MESSAGES page A-10

?Privileged program - must be logged into OPR:

The program that you called can only be run from account
DSKO:[1,2J. This is the System Operator's account, and you should
have the System Operator run the command or program for you.
?Privileged program - must be logged into [1,2J
The program can only be run from account [1,2J (on any disk). Log
into [1,2J and run it again.
?Trace return at nnnnnnnn
Your job returned from an instruction trace, but your job's trace
trap address (JOBTRC) was not set up properly.
?TRAPV instruction at nnnnnnnn
Your job executed a TRAPV instruction which caused the trap to be
taken. This instruction is not currently supported by AMOS/L.
? ft specification error
The format of your command line was confusing. For example:
• VUE RND. COMD [RET]
? ft specification error
In the case above, you entered too many characters for the file
extension. Retype the command line, making sure that the syntax
you use is the correct form for that particular command.

DWM-0010Q-35, Rev. BOO

 APPENDIX B

RESERVED FILE EXTENSIONS

You can use fiLe extensions to categorize your fiLes and to indicate the
types of information they contain. The ones Listed beLow have become
standardized to represent specific types of fiLes that you use frequentLy.
What we mean when we say that a fi Le extension is "reserved" is that
commands on the system wiLL often work in different ways depending upon the
fiLe extension. ALso, many of the commands and systems (such as ALphaVUE)
have defauLts buiLt in or set in the system initiaLization command fiLe.
An exampLe is when you use the "G" command to ex it from an ALphaVUE file.
The "G" command is normally used on files with • TXT extensions to format
them with TXTFMT and store the resuLting formatted version on your disk in a
fiLe with a .LST extension. However, if you used a .CMD extension instead
of .TXT on your text fiLe, G wouLd try to execute the fiLe as a command, and
you wouLd get an error message.
ALso, certain programs and commands create intermediate fiLes with
extensions such as .TMP or .IPF that are automaticaLLy deLeted. If any of
your own fiLes has one of these extensions, it is in danger of being written
over and subsequentLy erased from your disk.
If you use ALphaPASCAL or ALpha Micro AssembLy Language, you'LL find
additionaL reserved fiLe extensions that those Lauguages recognize. These
additionaL extensions are expLained in the appropriate programmer's manuaL.

.TXT A text file. A memo, a Letter, or a report created using

ALphaVUE •
•BAK A backup fiLe created automaticaLLy when you use ALphaVUE. It
ensures that you have a copy of each fiLe in case something goes
wrong whiLe you're working on the current version.

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

RESERVED FILE EXTENSIONS Page B-2

.LST A List fiLe. This extension is created automaticaLLy when .TXT

fiLes are processed by TXTFMT, when you use DIR to create a
directory Listing fiLe, and when you use MACRO or M68 to create a
Listing of an assembLy Language program •
• HLP A heLp fiLe. A text fiLe that contains information on a specific
system reLated topic. (Type HELP and a RETURN to see a List of
these topics.)
.CMD A command fiLe. A type of text fiLe that contains a series of
system commands. You can make AMOS execute the series of commands
by entering the name of the command fiLe without the extension •
• DO A do fiLe. A type of command fiLe that aLLows you to send
variable data to the command fiLe for it to process •
• BAS An ALphaBASIC source program created from within the ALphaBASIC
program or with ALphaVUE •
• RUN A compiled AlphaBASIC program.
.SBR An AlphaBASIC subroutine, usuaLLy written in assembLy language,
that performs some frequently performed function within an
AlphaBASIC program •
• DAT A data file. This type of text fiLe is created by an ALphaBASIC
program for other programs to use •
• M68 or
.MAC An assembly language source program. (AMOS/L systems use .M68
whiLe other AMOS systems use .MAC.)
.OBJ An object module. An assembled assembLy language program •
• TMP A temporary work fiLe created by the LIB program. LIB generates
Library modules from .OBJ modules, and uses a .TMP file for
intermediate storage. You wiLL onLy find a fiLe with this
extension if something goes wrong whiLe LIB is processing your
.OBJ moduLe. The next time you run LIB it wiLL disappear.
.IPF An intermediate program file. FiLes with .IPF extensions are used
in several ALpha Micro software packages to pass data from one
program to another. When processing is compLeted, these files are
automaticaLLy erased from your disk •
• LIT or
.PRG An executabLe object moduLe that has been processed by the Linkage
editor. (AMOS/L systems u~e .LIT whiLe other AMOS systems use
.PRG.)
• SYM A symboL fiLe. Contains a symboL tabLe for a .PRG or .LIT fiLe •
Created by using the SYMBOL or SYMLIT program on a .OBJ fiLe.

DWM-00100-3S, Rev. BOO

RESERVED FILE EXTENSIONS Page B-3

.LSP A program written in ALphaLISP •

• PAS A program written in ALphaPASCAL •

• PSB An ALphaPASCAL assembLy Language subroutine.

DWM-00100-3S, Rev. BOO

 APPENDIX C

THE CONTROL CHARACTERS

Char. Monitor function Function in VUE ASCII Definition

Q) Null Null Null

A Last Word Start of Heading
B EOL* to Next Line Start of Text
C End run End of Text
D Delete Character End of Transmission
E End of File Enqui ry
F Insert Character Acknowledge
G Next Character=Text Bell Code
H Cursor Left Back Space
I Hori zontal Tab Hori zontal Tab
J Line Feed Cursor Down Line Feed
K Cursor Up Vertical Tab
L Cursor Right Form Feed
M Carriage Return Carriage Return Carriage Return
N Cursor to EOL* Shi ft Out
o Concatenate Shi ft In
P Mark Block of Text Data Link Escape
Q Resume Display Insert Mode Device Control 1
R Last Page Device Control 2
S Suspend Display Center Line Device Control 3
T Next Page Device Control 4
U Erase Command Line Cursor to Start of Line Negative Acknowledgement
V Delete Word Synchronous Idle
W Cursor to Next Word End of Transmission blocks
X Cursor to Next Marker Cancel
Y Erase to EOL* End of Med i um
Z Delete Line Special Sequence
[ Escape Escape .
/ Line Insert/Entry Mode File Separator
Cursor Home Group Separator

*NOTE: EOL stands for "End Of Line" -- the line the cursor is currently on.

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

AMOS USER'S GUIDE

AMOS USER'S GUIDE

DOCUMENT HISTORY

Revision AOO - AMOS Release 4.1 - (Printed 4/79) - New Document

Revision A01 - AMOS Release 4.3 - (Printed 10/79) - This edition includes
an enhanced version of the PRINT command documentation,
changes to the LOAD command, and changes to the SET command
to support magnetic tape. Also, we have incorporated
information in support of the Phoenix disk drives, new system
error messages, and miscellaneous corrections.
Revision BOO - AMOS Release 5.0 and AMOSIL Release 1.1 - (Printed 1/83) -
For this release, the manual was completely rewritten to
incorporate the latest features of both AMOS and AMOSIL
systems.

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

AMOS USER'S GUIDE - INDEX Page Index-1

Index

* symboL...... 6-2
(AMOS Prom pt) 4-2
I SLash 4-3
? symbol 6-2
Abbreviations 1-2, 4-2
Account directory. 9-1
Account Libraries. 9-2
Account number 6-2
Accounts 4-4, 9-1
ALL: 6-2
ALphaBASIC 5-2, 6-18, 10-3 to 10-4, 11-1 to 11-2
ALphaLISP • 11-5
ALphaPASCAL • • • • • 6-18, 11-4
ALphaVUE 2-7, 4-4, 5-2 to 5-6, 10-4
Command LeveL • • • • • • 5-4
Errors 5-5
Prompt 2-7, 5-4
AM-1000 Power-up Procedure 2-4
AM-500 • • • • • • • • • • • • • 2-4
AMOS • • • • • • • 1-1 to 1-2, 5-2, 5-4
AMOS command LeveL 2-6, 11-3
AMOS command s • 4-1
APPEND • • • • • 7-1
COpy 5-6, 6-11, 8-3 to 8-4
CREATE 12-2
DATE 12-2
DEVTBL 2-14, 12-2
DIR • • • 5-2, 6-8
DSKANA • • • • • 12-2
DSKCPY 8-5
ERASE 5-8, 6-14
HELP 3-1
JOBS 3-3
LOG •• 2-8
LOGOFF 2-8, 8-2
MOUNT •• 2-13, 8-2, 8-5
PPN •• 12-2
PRINT •• 5-7, 6-18
RENAME 5-7, 6-16

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

AMOS USER'S GUIDE - INDEX Page Index-2

SEND 9-5
SET •• 12-2
SORT 7-3
SRCCOM 12-2
STAT 3-3
SYSTAT 3-3
TIME 12-2
TRMDEF 12-2
TYPE 5-5
AMOS prompt • • 2-7
AMOS/L 1-2
APPEND 7-1
Arguments • 4-1
AssembLy Language • 11-5
Asterisk * . 6-2
Backing up files 8-1
BASIC acronym • 11-1
BASIC Language 11-2
Braces {}. 1-3, 4-2
Brackets [J 6-2
Caret 1-3
Cartridge • 2-3
Changing, disks 2-13
Combining fiLes. 7-2
Command
DefauLts 4-3 to 4-4
Format 4-2
Syntax 4-2, 6-7
Command file 10-1, 10-3
Comments 10-3 to 10-4
Creating 10-3
ExampLe • 10-3
Extensions 10-3
SymboLs • 10-5
Command fiLe symboLs
:< .•• > 10-6
:K 10-6
:P 10-6
:R 10-6
:S 10-6
:T 10-5
,. 10-6
BATCH 10-9
COM • 10-9
CONT 10-7
EXIT 10-8
GOTO 10-8
LOOKUP 10-7
PAUSE • 10-7
Compi Ler mode • 11-3
Cont roL files • 10-17

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

AMOS USER'S GUIDE - INDEX Page Index-3

Control key • • • • 2-10

Control-characters 2-10
Control-C 1-3, 2-7, 2-10, 2-12
Control-E • 5-5
Control-I • 2-11
Control-Q • 2-12, 5-2, 5-5
Control-R • 2-12, 5-5
Control-S 2-11, 5-2, 5-5
Control-T • 5-5
Control-U • 2-11
Control- A
5-5
COpy 5-6, 6-11, 8-3 to 8-4
Correcting typing mistakes 2-9, 2-12
Control-U • • • • • 2-11
RUB key ••• 2-9
CREATE 12-2
CRT terminal 2-7
Cursor 2-8
DATE 12-2
Defaults 4-3 to 4-4, 6-6
Dev: •••• 6-2
Dev ice-Name • 1-3
Devn: • • 1-3
DEVTBL 2-14, 12-2
DIR • • • • 4-3, 5-2, 6-8
Dis k ba c kup • 8-3, 8-5
DO file • • • • • 10-9
Argument list 10-10
Example • • • • • 10-10 to 10-11, 10-14 to 10-16
Extension ••• 10-10
Parameter symbols • 10-9
Special symbols 10-11
DO file symbols
S • • 10-12
$$ . . • • . 10-12
$: 10-12
SO • • • • 10-12
SP 10-12
DSKANA • • • • 12-2
DSKCPY 8-5
DUPLEX switch 2-9
Electrical "Noise" 2-2
ERASE • • • • • • 5-8, 6-14
Error messages A-1
LOG ••• 9-3
MOUNT ••• 2-14
System • • • • 2-12, A-1
Ersatz device specifications 6-4
Exiting programs 2-11
Exiting system commands 2-11
Extensions • • • • • • 5-2

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

AMOS USER'S GUIDE - INDEX Page Index-4

File backup • • • • • • • • 8-1

File extensions •• 5-2
Reserved • • • • • • • • 5-2
File specification 1-3
File Switch. 6-5
Filespec • • • • • • • • • • • • 1-3
Floppy disks • • • • 5-6
Floppy-disk system • • • • 2-5
Format • • • • • • • • • • • • • 4-2
Formatting disks •••• 8-5
Freezing screen display • 2-11
FULL DUPLEX/HALF DUPLEX • • • • • 2-9
Hard-copy terminal 2-7
Hard-disk system • • • • 2-2
Hardware ••• 2-1
Hawk drive 2-4
HELP 3-1
HELP files 3-2
Higher-level language • 11-1
Infilespec • • • • • • 4-2, 6-3
Input file specifications. 6-3
Interactive mode • • • • • 11-2
JOBS 3-3
Keyboard 2-9
ALPHA key • 2-10
CONTROL key 2-10
ESC key • •
RETURN key
........ 2-10
2-9
RUB key • 2-9
Shi ft key • 2-10
LOG • • • • •
Logging in
........ 2-8
START.CMD • 9-4
Transferring accounts •• 9-3
Logical devices • • ••• 4-4, 6-2
LOGOFF • • • • • • • • • • • • • 2-8, 8-2
Monitor prompt • • • • • • • • • 2-5
MOUNT • • • • • • • • • • • 2-13, 8-2, 8-5
Mounting disks 2-13
Operating System ••••• 1-1 to 1-2
Operation Switch • • • • 6-5 to 6-6
Outfi Lespec 4-2, 6-4
Output fiLe specifications 6-4
Password 9-3
Passwords • • 9-1 to 9-2

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

AMOS USER'S GUIDE - INDEX Page Index-5

PPN • 1-2, 4-4, 9-1, 12-2

PRINT 5-7, 6-18
Print queue • • • • • 6-18
Programmer number • 9-2
Programming languages • 11-1 to 11-3, 11-5
Project number •••• 9-2
Project-Programmer Number. 1-2, 6-2, 9-1
Prompt symbol • • • • • • • 2-7, 4-2
Query switch 6-7
Question mark ? 6-2
Queue •• 6-18
Releasing screen display 2-12
REMOTE/LOCAL •• • • • • 2-3
RENAME • • • • • • • 5-7, 6-16
Replacement statement 4-2
Reserved PPNs • • • • • 9-2
RESET button • • • • • 2-4
Retrieving files from backups 5-6
RETURN • • • • • • • • 2-9
Return symbol • • • • • 1-3, 4-3
SEND 9-5
SET • 12-2
SET DSKERR 8-3
Slash / 4-3
Software 2-1
SORT 7-3
Hints • • • • • • 7-5
Spooler • • • • • 6-18
SRCCOM • • • • • 12-2
START.CMD • 9-4
STAT 3-3
Streaming tape drive 5-6
Switch abbreviations 4-3
Switches 4-1 to 4-2, 6-7
Symbols • • • • • • • 1-2, 4-2
Syntax 4-2, 6-7
SYSTAT 3-3
System Disk • 2-5
System Drive 2-5
System error messages • • • • • • A-1
System initialization command file 10-5
System interrupt command • • • • 2-10
System Monitor •••••• 1-1 to 1-2
System Operator • 2-1, 8-4, 10-5, 12-4
Tabs • • • • • • 2-11
Task Manager • • • • • 10-17
Control files ••• 10-17
Task Manager commands
SUBMIT •• • • • • 10-17

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

AMOS USER'S GUIDE - INDEX Page Index-6

Teletype 2-7
Terminals 2-2
Definition 2-7
TIME 12-2
TRMDEF 12-2
Turning off the system 2-5
Turning on the system • 2-2
TYPE • • • • • • 5-5
VDT terminal 2-7
Video cassette recorder • 5-6
Video Cassettes • • • 2-2
View Command Buffer • 2-12
VUE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 5-5
Wildcard
Account number 6-2
Command syntax 6-6
Defaults 6-6
Infilespec 6-3
outfi lespec 6-4
Wildcard commands
COpy 6-11
DIR •• 6-8
ERASE • 6-14
PRINT • 6-18
RENAME 6-16
Wildcard symbols 6-1 to 6-2, 6-8
[] Brac kets • 6-2
Caret 1-3
{} Braces 1-3, 4-2
[RET) Return symbol 1-3, 4-3

DWM-00100-35, Rev. BOO

TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS FILE REFERENCE AMOS User's Guide, DWM-00100-35, Rev

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