davem@seismo.CSS.GOV@escargot.UUCP (12/08/86)
In article <8612010704.AA22552@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> <LEICHTER-JERRY@YALE.ARPA> writes: > > Is there a way in VMS 4.4 to retrieve the command line exactly as the user > typed it, without having DCL chomp on it. Among the many features of > LIB$GET_FOREIGN(), DCL converts case, ignores text after !, and invokes > its own quoting mechanism. I simply wish to obtain exactly what the user > typed. I am willing to work in almost any language to get this done. Is There is a little known DCL command that should do just what you want. Have you ever noticed that when you use SHUTDOWN.COM, and give the reason for the shutdown, that whatever you type is what VMS uses for its reply (including whatever the case you used was)? Well, I was curious too, so I looked at the command file and came to learn all about the READ command. I use this all the time in my own DCL utility command files any time that I want to retain case, or just copy the command line verbatim. You CAN'T use this from straight DCL, but it works fine in a command file. I hope that this helps. Dave Morgan Electro Scientific Industries (503) 641-4141