Software Release Note 43.2
Software Release Note 43.2
William S. Higgins
The purpose of the program RONALD is to create and execute ``script'' files which hold commands for setting EPICURE devices to various values. It is a menu-driven application with a user interface based on Jack Schmidt's skeleton program. Script files have the extension ``.ESF'' (for ``Epicure Script File'').
The command syntax is:
where ``verb'' is one of the words SET, MULTISET, or CONTROL, and ``devicename'' is a device in the EPICURE Device Database.verb devicename value
In the case of the SET command, ``numeric_value'' is a number.SET devicename numeric_value
MULTISET issues four SET-like commands, with an 8-second delay between them. Command processing waits until the last command is complete; since there are four commands and three delays between them, this command will take about 24 seconds to execute. It is useful for such devices as valves or small children, which need to be told several times what to do. Users should cultivate the virtue of patience.MULTISET devicename numeric_value
The MULTISET command may be abbreviated to MUL.
CONTROL devicename Boolean_value
``Boolean_value'' is the name of a Boolean control value, from the set:
ON OFF POS NEG RAMP DC RESET OPEN CLOSE
Abbreviating CONTROL to CON is acceptable.
The rest of the line is ignored.! This is a comment line.
I recommend that users create RONALD script files with a standard header. The header consists of several lines, each of which begins with an exclamation point (the comment character). Blanks are left for the name, author, date, and purpose of the script file; the file's author is encouraged to fill them in.
! Script name: ! Date: Author: ! Purpose:
When RONALD begins, it displays a menu bar at the top of the screen and places the cursor in a corner of the ``work area'' beneath the menu bar.
To choose an option, the user hits the ``DO'' key on his terminal-which moves the cursor upstairs into the menu bar-and moves among the options with the left and right arrows. Hitting ``Return'' causes RONALD to take the action represented by the selected option.
Text typed in the work area will be echoed on the screen, but will be ignored by RONALD except when it is a response to a prompt.
Files may be created or modified using the familiar EDT editor. Existing File prompts the user to type the name of a file. Only the filename, with no extension (as in FILENAME.EXTENSION), should be typed here. RONALD will append the extension ``.ESF'' to the requested filename. After this happens, the EDT editor is invoked and the file is opened. New File prompts the user for the name of a new file, then calls EDT with that filename. Upon EXITing or QUITting the EDT session, the screen is updated.
EDT tips: To include the contents of another file (for example, one named FILENAME.ESF) in the file you're editing,
Keypad [PF1], then keypad [7] (which yields the prompt ``Command:'')INCLUDE filename.ESF (then hit)
keypad [ENTER] (Hit [ENTER], not [RETURN]!)
The SECTION key (keypad [8]), used in conjunction with the ADVANCE and BACKUP keys (keypad [4] and [5]), is convenient for scrolling through large files.
If you are confronted with the asterisk (*) prompt, then EDT is in its line-editing mode. Type ``c [RETURN]'' to enter screen-editing mode. Control-Z will send you back to line-editing mode again.
File Directory writes in the work area a list of files on the default directory which have the `` .ESF'' extension. If there are more files than will fit on the screen, the screen will fill with 40 filenames in two columns, then filename 41 will ``wrap around'' by overwriting filename 1, and listing will continue from there. Change Directory allows the user to specify a different default directory.
Execute Script prompts the user for the name of a script file, then executes the commands in that file.
Command line text is printed to the screen as commands are executed. After 18 lines have been printed, the lines begin at the top of the screen again.
Your node should also be running DARSERVER to make RONALD work. To check on this, do a SHOW SYSTEM at the DCL level. One of the ``Process Names'' you see should be DARSERVER; if not, RONALD won't execute commands on your machine. (But it will still allow you to edit script files.)
When the execution runs into trouble, error messages may appear on the screen. It is helpful to know what errors we're getting in order to track down problems; users are encouraged to jot error messages down and report them to me at WARNER::HIGGINS.