HP 3000 Manuals HP 3000 Manuals
COMMAND SYNTAX
A DICTDBM command string has the following syntax:
Syntax
[option] COMMAND subcommand
option a list of one or more command options which enhance or
modify the action of the command. For example, REPEAT,
SORT, etc. (See Options Used With Commands, described
next, for an explanation of each option.)
COMMAND specifies the command action. For example, ADD, RELATE,
etc.
subcommand specifies the target of the command's action. For
example, ELEMENT, GROUP, etc.
For each command except the EXIT and HELP commands, you must enter both
the command and the subcommand. Optionally, each command string can be
preceded by one or more options. Only one command string is allowed for
each command prompt.
The appropriate abbreviations may be used for the commands and
subcommands.
Options Used with Commands
The following is a list of options which enhance or modify the action of
the command. When used, they must appear first in the command syntax and
can not be abbreviated.
PRINT directs the display to the line printer rather than to
the user terminal.
TPRINT formats the terminal display in line printer format.
SORT sorts the display listing alphabetically before output.
REPEAT repeats a command until the termination character (]) or
the RETURN key is entered in response to a prompt.
A single command string can have multiple options that are separated by
commas.
When to Use the Options
The PRINT option is useful when you are displaying information. For
example, use PRINT with the LIST, DISPLAY, or SHOW command.
The TPRINT option is useful before directing output to the line printer.
The listing will be displayed on your terminal in line printer format.
Line printer format includes a banner line which shows the date and time
of the report and where page breaks occur including page numbering.
The SORT option is useful when you want an alphabetical listing from the
LIST and DISPLAY commands. The REPORT command automatically displays the
list in alphabetical order.
When used, the REPEAT option causes the prompts for the command and/or
subcommand to be repeated until terminated by the RETURN key or the
termination character (]). One use for the REPEAT option is with the
CREATE command when more than one data element is to be created. For
instance, if you enter REPEAT CREATE ELEMENT, the prompt for ELEMENT is
repeated, allowing you to create many data elements without re-entering
the command. The ELEMENT prompt is repeated until you enter the
terminating character.