RCONN@SIMTEL20.ARPA (03/28/84)
From: Rick Conn <RCONN@SIMTEL20.ARPA>
ZCPR3 - Command Processing
When a ZCPR3 user issues a command, an
involved sequence of tests and steps takes place in
order to identify that command and execute it.
This sequence is outlined briefly:
1) the command is parsed; the first word
in the command line (or subline if semicolons are
used to place several commands on one line) is
taken to be the name of the command
2) ZCPR3 checks to see if this command
is a Flow Command (IF/ELSE/FI/XIF), and, if so,
ZCPR3 runs the command
3) ZCPR3 then checks to see if the
current IF condition is TRUE; IFs may be nested
eight levels deep under ZCPR3; if the current IF
condition is TRUE, ZCPR3 continues, else it flushes
the command and goes on to the next command
4) continuing, ZCPR3 then checks to see
if the command is built into the ZCPR3 Command
Processor itself; if so, ZCPR3 runs the command
5) ZCPR3 then checks to see if the
command is built into the current Resident Command
Package (RCP); if so, ZCPR3 runs the command
6) ZCPR3 then searches along a series of
directories indicated by a command-search path for
a COM file with the same name as the command; if
found, ZCPR3 loads the COM file and runs it
7) finally, if all of the above fails,
ZCPR3 invokes an error handler or an extended
command processor to process the command as an
error or to try to resolve it further
Let's look at some examples:
A0:BASE>work2:
B1:WORK2>dir
B1:WORK2 -- 0 Files Using 0K ( 302K Left)
B1:WORK2>NOTE in many ZCPR3 systems, you will find RCPs -
B1:WORK2>NOTE Resident Command Packages
B1:WORK2>NOTE this system has several, located in the ROOT
B1:WORK2>dir root:*.rcp
SYS .RCP 2r| SYS1 .RCP 2r| SYS2 .RCP 2r| SYS3 .RCP 2r
A15:ROOT -- 4 Files Using 8K ( 204K Left)
B1:WORK2>NOTE SYS.RCP is the default RCP I use
B1:WORK2>NOTE the H command tells the user what RCP he has loaded and
B1:WORK2>NOTE what commands are available in it
B1:WORK2>h
SYS 1.0A
CP ECHO ERA LIST
NOTE P POKE PROT
REN TYPE
B1:WORK2>NOTE there are 10 commands in this RCP
B1:WORK2>cp work2:=base:rhex.com
Done
B1:WORK2>dir
RHEX .COM 2
B1:WORK2 -- 1 Files Using 2K ( 300K Left)
B1:WORK2>cp rhex2.com=rhex.com
Done
B1:WORK2>dir
RHEX .COM 2 | RHEX2 .COM 2
B1:WORK2 -- 2 Files Using 4K ( 298K Left)
B1:WORK2>era *.com i
RHEX .COM - Erase (Y/N)? n
RHEX2 .COM - Erase (Y/N)? y
B1:WORK2>cp rhex1.com=rhex.com;cp rhex2.com=rhex.com
Done
Done
B1:WORK2>prot *.* r
RHEX .COM Set to R/O
RHEX1 .COM Set to R/O
RHEX2 .COM Set to R/O
B1:WORK2>dir
RHEX .COM 2r| RHEX1 .COM 2r| RHEX2 .COM 2r
B1:WORK2 -- 3 Files Using 6K ( 296K Left)
B1:WORK2>prot rhex1.com
RHEX1 .COM Set to R/W
B1:WORK2>era *.com
RHEX .COM is R/O
RHEX1 .COM
RHEX2 .COM is R/O
B1:WORK2>dir
RHEX .COM 2r| RHEX2 .COM 2r
B1:WORK2 -- 2 Files Using 4K ( 298K Left)
B1:WORK2>echo this command simply echos the command line, as in messages
THIS COMMAND SIMPLY ECHOS THE COMMAND LINE, AS IN MESSAGES
B1:WORK2>ed demo.txt
NEW FILE
: *i
1: This is a test
2: This is only a test
3:
: *e
B1:WORK2>cp demo2.txt=demo.txt
Done
B1:WORK2>dir *.txt
DEMO .TXT 2 | DEMO2 .TXT 2
B1:WORK2 -- 2 Files Using 4K ( 294K Left)
B1:WORK2>ren demo1.txt=demo2.txt
B1:WORK2>cp demo2.txt=demo.txt
Done
B1:WORK2>dir *.txt
DEMO .TXT 2 | DEMO1 .TXT 2 | DEMO2 .TXT 2
B1:WORK2 -- 3 Files Using 6K ( 292K Left)
B1:WORK2>ren demo1.txt=demo2.txt
DEMO1 .TXT - Erase (Y/N)? n
B1:WORK2>type demo.txt
This is a test
This is only a test
B1:WORK2>type *.txt
This is a test
This is only a test
Typing DEMO .TXT -
This is a test
This is only a test
Typing DEMO1 .TXT -
This is a test
This is only a test
B1:WORK2>p 8000 801f;NOTE I look at memory
Peek at 8000
8000 - C3 29 00 C3 CE 80 C3 47 81 C3 82 81 C3 67 81 C3 |C).CN.CG.C..Cg.C|
8010 - 7E 81 C3 E9 80 C3 22 81 C3 10 81 80 F3 00 00 11 |~.Ci.C".C...s...|
B1:WORK2>p 0 f;NOTE anywhere in memory
Peek at 0000
0000 - C3 03 E2 01 11 C3 06 D4 00 FF 00 FF 00 FF 00 FF |C.b..C.T........|
B1:WORK2>poke 8000 1 2 3 "this is a test
Poke at 8000
B1:WORK2>p 8000 801f
Peek at 8000
8000 - 01 02 03 54 48 49 53 20 49 53 20 41 20 54 45 53 |...THIS IS A TES|
8010 - 54 81 C3 E9 80 C3 22 81 C3 10 81 80 F3 00 00 11 |T.Ci.C".C...s...|
B1:WORK2>NOTE the RCP commands can be changed by loading a new RCP
B1:WORK2>ldr root:sys3.rcp
ZCPR3 LDR, Version 1.0
Loading SYS3.RCP
B1:WORK2>h
SYS 1.0C
CP ECHO ERA NOTE
P POKE REN TYPE
WHL WHLQ
B1:WORK2>cp demo3.txt=demo.txt
No Wheel
B1:WORK2>era *.txt
No Wheel
B1:WORK2>wheel system s
WHEEL, Version 3.0
Wheel Byte is ON
B1:WORK2>cp demo3.txt=demo.txt
Done
Now let's take a look at some examples of
Flow Commands, invoked from Flow Command Packages
(FCPs):
B1:WORK2>NOTE now for Flow Command Packages:
B1:WORK2>NOTE under FCPs, we have IF/ELSE/FI (ENDIF)/XIF (Exit All IFs)
B1:WORK2>NOTE Flow Commands:
B1:WORK2>if exist demo.txt
IF T
B1:WORK2>type demo.txt
This is a test
This is only a test
B1:WORK2>else
IF F
B1:WORK2>type demo2.txt
B1:WORK2>fi
To No IF
B1:WORK2>if ~exist demo.txt
IF F
B1:WORK2>type demo.txt
B1:WORK2>else
IF T
B1:WORK2>type demo2.txt
This is a test
This is only a test
B1:WORK2>fi
To No IF
B1:WORK2>if exist *.txt
IF T
B1:WORK2>type demo.txt
This is a test
This is only a test
B1:WORK2>echo we are in a TRUE IF
WE ARE IN A TRUE IF
B1:WORK2>xif
To No IF
B1:WORK2>NOTE IFs can be nested up to 8 levels deep:
B1:WORK2>if exist demo.txt
IF T
B1:WORK2>if exist demo2.txt
IF T
B1:WORK2>if exist demo.txt
IF T
B1:WORK2>if exist demo3.txt
IF T
B1:WORK2>else
IF F
B1:WORK2>fi
To IF T
B1:WORK2>fi;fi;fi
To IF T
To IF T
To No IF
And, of course, let's start to think about
command files and command file processors. Under
ZCPR3, ZEX, a memory-based command file processor,
is designed to be the principal tool used.
B1:WORK2>NOTE ZEX is the command-file processor, memory-based
B1:WORK2>NOTE Under ZEX, there is a GOTO command which works
B1:WORK2>NOTE in conjunction with IFs to provide looping capability
B1:WORK2>ed demo.zex
NEW FILE
: *i
1: NOTE Set Register 1 to 0;reg s1 0
2: ;=loop
3: NOTE Exit all pending IFs;xif
4: NOTE Add 1 to Register 1;reg p1
5: NOTE Test for end of loop;if ~1 3
6: NOTE Branch to LOOP if Register 1 <> 3;goto loop
7: NOTE Done with IF if Register 1 = 3;fi
8:
: *e
B1:WORK2>type demo.zex
NOTE Set Register 1 to 0;reg s1 0
;=loop
NOTE Exit all pending IFs;xif
NOTE Add 1 to Register 1;reg p1
NOTE Test for end of loop;if ~1 3
NOTE Branch to LOOP if Register 1 <> 3;goto loop
NOTE Done with IF if Register 1 = 3;fi
Here is an actual run of a ZEX command file
(DEMO.ZEX), illustrating looping:
B1:WORK2>zex demo
ZEX, Version 3.0
-- Pass 1 --
B1:WORK2> ZEX: NOTE Set Register 1 to 0;reg s1 0
REG, Version 1.0
Reg 1 = 0
B1:WORK2> ZEX: ;=loop
B1:WORK2> ZEX: NOTE Exit all pending IFs;xif
To No IF
B1:WORK2> ZEX: NOTE Add 1 to Register 1;reg p1
REG, Version 1.0
Reg 1 = 1
B1:WORK2> ZEX: NOTE Test for end of loop;if ~1 3
IF T
B1:WORK2> ZEX: NOTE Branch to LOOP if Register 1 <> 3;goto loop
GOTO Label LOOP
-- Pass 2 --
B1:WORK2> ZEX: NOTE Exit all pending IFs;xif
To No IF
B1:WORK2> ZEX: NOTE Add 1 to Register 1;reg p1
REG, Version 1.0
Reg 1 = 2
B1:WORK2> ZEX: NOTE Test for end of loop;if ~1 3
IF T
B1:WORK2> ZEX: NOTE Branch to LOOP if Register 1 <> 3;goto loop
GOTO Label LOOP
-- Pass 3 --
B1:WORK2> ZEX: NOTE Exit all pending IFs;xif
To No IF
B1:WORK2> ZEX: NOTE Add 1 to Register 1;reg p1
REG, Version 1.0
Reg 1 = 3
B1:WORK2> ZEX: NOTE Test for end of loop;if ~1 3
IF F
-- Done --
B1:WORK2> ZEX: NOTE Branch to LOOP if Register 1 <> 4;goto loop
B1:WORK2> ZEX: NOTE Done with IF if Register 1 = 3;fi
To No IF
B1:WORK2> ZEX: Done>
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