RCONN@SIMTEL20.ARPA (03/28/84)
From: Rick Conn <RCONN@SIMTEL20.ARPA> ZCPR3 - Aliases Aliases are COM files created by the ALIAS command which contain one or more command lines which are invoked when the Alias name is typed. Parameter passing into the command lines within an Alias is supported in a manner similar to command file parameter passing. Aliases are convenient to create command scripts which are used repeatedly, and the special commands, such as STARTUP (used on cold boot to run a series of programs to initialize the system), are created as Aliases. B1:WORK2>NOTE you have to be a WHEEL to create ALIASes B1:WORK2>wheel /s WHEEL, Version 3.0 Wheel Password? Wheel Byte is ON B1:WORK2>NOTE a number of parameters and some information can be determined B1:WORK2>NOTE and expanded by an alias B1:WORK2>alias ALIAS, Version 1.0 Input Alias (RETURN to Abort) --> echo The name of this Alias is $0; <-- I ended these echo The current DU is $d$u:; <-- lines with ^E echo and the first 4 parameters are:; echo $1 $2 $3 $4 Name of ALIAS Command (RETURN to Abort)? cmdstat Alias Created B1:WORK2>NOTE the alias is a very short file (under 2K) B1:WORK2>dir cmdstat.com CMDSTAT .COM 2 B1:WORK2 -- 1 Files Using 2K ( 292K Left) B1:WORK2>cmdstat THE NAME OF THIS ALIAS IS CMDSTAT THE CURRENT DU IS B1: AND THE FIRST 4 PARAMETERS ARE: B1:WORK2>cmdstat this is a very short demo THE NAME OF THIS ALIAS IS CMDSTAT THE CURRENT DU IS B1: AND THE FIRST 4 PARAMETERS ARE: THIS IS A VERY B1:WORK2>cmdstat hello, world THE NAME OF THIS ALIAS IS CMDSTAT THE CURRENT DU IS B1: AND THE FIRST 4 PARAMETERS ARE: HELLO, WORLD B1:WORK2>NOTE aliases are convenient for a number of things -- B1:WORK2>NOTE they are intended primarily to replace tedious command B1:WORK2>NOTE sequences with a simple command B1:WORK2>alias ALIAS, Version 1.0 Input Alias (RETURN to Abort) --> dir $1;era $1 i;dir $1 Name of ALIAS Command (RETURN to Abort)? exera Alias Created B1:WORK2>NOTE I now have an ALIAS which displays a directory of selected B1:WORK2>NOTE files, allows me to erase them with inspection, and then B1:WORK2>NOTE displays the same directory again to let me see the B1:WORK2>NOTE results B1:WORK2>dir CMDSTAT .COM 2 | DEMO .TXT 2 | DEMO .ZEX 2 | DEMO1 .TXT 2 DEMO2 .TXT 2 | DEMO3 .TXT 2 | EXERA .COM 2 | RHEX .COM 2r RHEX2 .COM 2r B1:WORK2 -- 9 Files Using 18K ( 284K Left) The following runs an Alias: B1:WORK2>exera demo?.txt DEMO .TXT 2 | DEMO1 .TXT 2 | DEMO2 .TXT 2 | DEMO3 .TXT 2 B1:WORK2 -- 4 Files Using 8K ( 284K Left) DEMO .TXT - Erase (Y/N)? n DEMO1 .TXT - Erase (Y/N)? y DEMO2 .TXT - Erase (Y/N)? y DEMO3 .TXT - Erase (Y/N)? n DEMO .TXT 2 | DEMO3 .TXT 2 B1:WORK2 -- 2 Files Using 4K ( 288K Left) B1:WORK2>exera demo3.txt DEMO3 .TXT 2 B1:WORK2 -- 1 Files Using 2K ( 288K Left) DEMO3 .TXT - Erase (Y/N)? y B1:WORK2 -- 0 Files Using 0K ( 290K Left) B1:WORK2>NOTE also, since IFs are everywhere, they can be used in aliases: B1:WORK2>alias ALIAS, Version 1.0 Input Alias (RETURN to Abort) --> if exist $1;type $1 p;fi Name of ALIAS Command (RETURN to Abort)? typeit Alias Created B1:WORK2>typeit demo.txt IF T This is a test This is only a test To No IF B1:WORK2>cp demo1.txt=demo.txt Done B1:WORK2>dir demo?.txt DEMO .TXT 2 | DEMO1 .TXT 2 B1:WORK2 -- 2 Files Using 4K ( 286K Left) B1:WORK2>typeit demo?.txt IF T This is a test This is only a test Typing DEMO .TXT - This is a test This is only a test To No IF B1:WORK2>typeit nofile.txt IF F To No IF B1:WORK2>NOTE or I can expand TYPEIT to be better B1:WORK2>alias typeit ALIAS, Version 1.0 Alias Name: TYPEIT Old Alias Command Line: 1 --> IF EXIST $1; 2 --> TYPE $1 P; 3 --> FI Input Alias (RETURN to Abort) --> if exist $1;type $1 p;else;echo file $1 not found;fi File TYPEIT .COM Exists - Overwrite (Y/N)? Y Alias Created B1:WORK2>typeit demo.txt IF T This is a test This is only a test IF F To No IF B1:WORK2>typeit nofile.txt IF F IF T FILE NOFILE.TXT NOT FOUND To No IF -------