overview of TACL features
- Productivity aids provided by TACL: HISTORY, FC, ? , ! HELP facility
- Function key, custom prompts, file name templates, and macro files
- TACL features as a programming language
TACL variables
- Obtaining information about variables using either commands or built-in functions
- Using commands or built-in functions to create, initialize, modify, and eliminate variables
- Concept of a 'frame' and how it relates to managing variables
- Variable stacks and their levels: what they are and how to create, reference, and eliminate them
- Syntax rules for writing TACL functions
- Lab Exercise (20 minutes): Learn and understand how to logon and use TACL function keys
directories and segments
- Creating a segment file containing a library function
- Using the existing segment file by attaching it to a directory
- Getting information on the segment file
- Syntax rules for writing TACL functions
- Lab Exercise (30 minutes): Learn to create and use a segment file
editing variables
- Performing variable file I/O
- Performing global editing of a variable
- Performing line editing of a variable
- Performing character editing of a variable
- Locating the position of a string in a variable
- Extracting lines and characters from a variable
writing functions-macros
- Syntax required to write macro functions
- TACL's handling of arguments to macro functions
- TACL's expansion of macro functions
- Writing macro functions
writing functions - #IF statements
- Write functions that use the TACL #IF |THEN| |ELSE| construct
- Lab Exercise (1 hour)
- Describe the syntax required to write functions in general and macro type functions in particular
- Describe the different forms of the 'control' built-in #IF and contrast when to use one form or the other (#IF or #IF NOT)
- Write a macro type function that accepts one or more arguments and ensures that the arguments are correct by making use of the 'control' built-in #IF
writing functions - #LOOP statements
- Write functions that use the TACL #LOOP |DO| |UNTIL| construct
- Write functions that use the TACL #LOOP |WHILE| |DO| construct
- Lab Exercise (1 hour)
- Describe the syntax required to write general functions, with particular focus on macro type functions
- Describe the two forms of the 'control' built-in #LOOP and determine when to use #LOOP | DO | | UNTIL | or #LOOP | WHILE | | DO |
- Write a macro type function that outputs all of the volume names on the system
writing functions - #CASE statements
writing functions - debugging
- Using the TACL debugging facility provided by TACL to aid in getting functions to work
- Lab Exercise (2 hours)
- Start and stop the Debugger
- Set and clear breakpoints
- Display and modify the contents of a variable
- Single step through your function and resume execution of your function
- Describe the syntax for #IF, #LOOP, and #CASE constructs
- Write a function that employs the #CASE built-in
writing functions - file I/O
- How TACL is able to do device independent I/O
- Using #REQUESTER and #WAIT to perform either 'waited' or 'no-waited' I/O to files and devices
writing functions - routines
- Writing 'Routine' type functions and use #ARGUMENT, #MORE, and #REST
- Lab Exercise (3 hours)
- Modify and write routine functions
- Describe the syntax and usage of #ARGUMENT and #MORE
- Describe additional capabilities that routines offer that macros do not
- Describe the use of the built-ins: #MYSYSTEM, #PROCESSORSTATUS, and #PROCESSORTYPE, #LOOP, and #CASE
using structures
inline processing
- Performing process I/O using the INLINE facility
- Controlling the display of the process output
- Logging the process output to a variable debugger
- Lab Exercise (30 minutes)
- Describe the syntax required to write INLINE functions in general
- Use the INLINE facility for interfacing with the PERUSE utility
- Practice coding techniques using the variable editing built-insReview the usage of #INPUTV, #LOOP, and #IF
- Describe the use of #INLINEPREFIX, INLPREFIX, #INLINETO, and INLTO
- Write a macro-type function that purges jobs from the spooler and prompts the user for permission to purge each job
writing functions - server files
- How the server file facility provides for communication between a TACL function and a process it has activated
- Situations in which it is appropriate to use implicit server files
- Writing functions that use implicit server files
- Lab Exercise (45 minutes)
- Describe the syntax and usage of functions that employ implicit servers
- Describe the usage of the RUN-options:
- INV <var> DYNAMIC PROMPT <var>
- OUTV <var>, and STATUS <var>
- Describe the usage of the following built-ins:
- #APPEND, #APPENDV
- #EXTRACT, #EXTRACTV
- #WAIT
- #REQUESTER
- Describe the conditions under which to use implicit servers
- Write functions that make use of implicit servers
define process
- Define Process facility
- Using the Define Process variables to start, stop, and manage processes
- Specifying where complete information on the Define Process facility can be found
writing functions - exception handling
- Three types of exceptions that TACL allows a function to handle in its own way
- Using the built-in functions #ERRORTEXT, #EXCEPTION, #FILTER, #RAISE, #RESET, and #RETURN
- Structure and the organization of a function that contains 'exception handling' code
- Writing functions that contain their own 'exception handling' code
using DEFINEs
- Four types of DEFINE classes
- Their usage and comparing them to ASSIGNs
- Using the DEFINE command within TACL to create a DEFINE, delete a DEFINE, and alter a DEFINE
