NS 3000/iX Operations and Maintenance Reference Manual > Chapter 6 Using NETTOOL

Using NETTOOL

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You can run NETTOOL either interactively or through a batch job. In interactive mode, you can take advantage of the flexibility provided by the NETTOOL menu structure. You can also access the available help information.

If you need to perform a simple operation, however, you might choose to run in program mode, passing the information required to run the tool you have chosen in the run command.

Running NETTOOL Interactively

To run NETTOOL interactively, perform the following steps.

Enter the program name at the MPE prompt:
NETTOOL.NET.SYS
The root menu will appear.
Enter the command from the main menu that corresponds to the tool that you want to use. NETTOOL will launch the tool you select.
For instructions on running a tool, see the section that describes that tool.

NOTE: NETTOOL can also accept an info string from the :RUN command. For example, you could enter the following command to run the NAME-ADDRESS MANAGER to display the name cache:

:RUN NETTOOL.NET.SYS;INFO="NAMEADDR;CACHE;NAME;QUIT"

Getting Help

Help is available on any command that is valid at the current point in the NETTOOL command tree. It is not possible, however, to direct the output of a help request using the OUTFILE command.

To see a list of the commands available at the current menu, type:
HELP (or ?)
To see a list of the available commands with a one line description, type:
HELP COMMANDS
To see a description of a specific NETTOOL command, type:
HELP commandname
If the same command is available in several menus, the help information you see will be the information that pertains to the way the command operates for the current menu. Abbreviations are not allowed for the command name.
To get general information on NETTOOL use, type:
HELP OPERATION
To get help on adding comments to input scripts, type:
HELP COMMENT
To get help on executing MPE commands from within NETTOOL (the colon capability), type:
HELP COLON
To browse the entire help text, type:
HELP BROWSE

Using Commands

To execute a command within NETTOOL, you enter the command and any parameters required for the desired execution of the command. Each menu provides a list of the commands that are available at that point in the NETTOOL utility. Commands may be abbreviated.

Commands may be chained together, up to 150 characters total. Separate the individual commands by semicolons. For example:

NAMEADDR;CACHE;OUTFILE myfile;FILTERS

If any command requires the inclusion of a semicolon, then that command must be the last one in a command string.

Global Commands

A number of commands are available from all NETTOOL menus. These commands are listed below along with their function.

DATA: Enable/disable NETTOOL data going to $STDLIST. If you have not defined an output file with an OUTFILE command, data will go to $STDLIST regardless of this setting. If you have defined an output file and the data flag is on, data goes to both $STDLIST and the data file. If you have defined an output file and the data flag is off, data goes only to the data file. The data flag is on by default. See also MESSAGES command.
DEBUG: Enter the MPE debug facility. Return to NETTOOL when done.
DO: Execute a specific command from the redo stack, using the syntax DO commandnumber. If no commandnumber is specified, execute the previous command.
EXIT: Step back one level in the command menus. If you enter this command from the root level, NETTOOL will prompt you to determine if you really meant to quit.
HELP: See a list of commands available.
HELP ALL: View all the help text for the current menu.
HELP BROWSE: Browse through the entire help file for all of NETTOOL.
HELP COMMANDS: See a list of commands with one line descriptions.
HELP command: Get detailed help on the specified command.
INFILE: Redirect NETTOOL input commands from the file specified, using the syntax INFILE filename[.group[.account]]. NETTOOL will read and execute commands from this file until all commands are executed or an error is encountered in the command input.
LISTREDO: Show a list of previously executed commands (the redo stack).
MAIN: Return directly to the root menu.
MANUAL: Format the NETTOOL manual into a file for printing.
MENUS: Turn on/off the available commands display. Command displays are on by default.
MESSAGES: Enable/disable NETTOOL messages going to an OUTFILE. If the messages flag is on, messages will go to the file defined in the OUTFILE command, if the file exists. If the messages flag is off, messages will go only to $STDLIST. It is not possible to prevent messages from going to $STDLIST. The messages flag is on by default. See also DATA command.
OUTFILE: Redirect NETTOOL output to the file specified, using the syntax OUTFILE filename[.group[.account]]. The redirection will remain in effect until you issue a new command to specify a different output file, cancel redirection by entering the OUTFILE RESET command, or exit NETTOOL.
QUIT: Exit NETTOOL from any point in the menus.
REDO: Make changes to last command and then execute the command again. You can choose a command from the redo stack by specifying its command number using the syntax REDO commandnumber. The "d", "i", and "r" edit commands are allowed as well as direct replacement.
SETVAR: Set variable to given value using the syntax SETVAR variable value.
SHOWVARS: Show the variables in use.
VERSION: Display the revision numbers of NETTOOL modules and of the NS transport.
:: Interactively execute MPE commands.
:MPEcommand: Execute one or more MPE commands then return to NETTOOL.
#: Designates a comment. Comments may be inserted in a command string or in an INFILE record. Comments must be separated from any previous text in a record or string by a semicolon.
?: Shows the current menu.

Running NETTOOL in Batch Mode

You can run NETTOOL from a job with very few restrictions. The commands can come from either a job file or from an input file. For example, you could use the following job to print a copy of the NETTOOL manual in batch mode:


  !job nettool,user/userpass.account/acctpass;outclass=pp,2
  !nettool.net.sys
  :file printdev;dev=pp;env=elite2.hpenv.sys
  manual
  *printdev
  60
  quit
  !eoj

You could perform the same operation using an INFILE for the user input, as follows:


  !job nettool,user/userpass.account/acctpass;outclass=pp,2
  !nettool.net.sys;info="infile filename"

  !eoj

The input file must contain all the user input, including the QUIT command.

Keep the following in mind when running NETTOOL in batch mode:

Be sure to consider any optional parameters. For example, if an output file for a command might already exist, you will need to tell the program whether or not to purge it.
Help is not available on the commands or user tools if an INFILE is active.

NETTOOL Tools

Using the NETTOOL Tools