1 10/20/86  modify_list, mdls
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 3 Syntax as a command:  mdls path -control_args
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 5 
 6 Function:  modifies a field or fields in selected lister records.
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 8 
 9 Arguments:
10 path
11    is the pathname of the lister file.  The suffix lister must be the
12    last component of the lister segment name; however, if path does not
13    have a suffix of lister, one is assumed.
14 
15 
16 Control arguments:
17 -brief_errors, -bfe
18    suppresses the warning when no records match the selection
19    expression.
20 -field_name field_name STR, -fn field_name STR
21    causes the value of STR to be assigned to the field indicated by
22    field_name.  If STR contains spaces, it must be enclosed in quotes.
23    This control argument is required and may be given more than once.
24 -select STR, -sel STR
25    specifies those records to be modified.  If this control argument is
26    not specified, then all the records are modified.
27 
28 
29 -string STR, -str STR
30    uses STR as a character string with no special interpretation.  This
31    is useful for preventing STR from being interpreted as a control
32    argument.  It is to be used with the -field_name control argument
33    (e.g., "-field_name rating -string -20").
34 -total, -tt
35    displays the number of records modified.
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37 
38 Notes:  The modify_list command sets the "lister" severity indicator.
39 A severity of 2 is set when the modification is not performed, for some
40 reason other than no records matching the selection expression, or the
41 invocation of modify_list terminates abnormally.  A severity of 1 is
42 set when the selection expression finds no match.  A severity of 0 is
43 set when at least one record is modified and the command terminates
44 normally.