1 01/24/84  Questions
 2 
 3 Many multics programs ask questions of the user when they require some
 4 information.  These questions are all handled by the same program, and
 5 there are some system-wide conventions regarding them.
 6 
 7 
 8 Command processor escape:
 9 Any answer beginning with ".." is passed directly to the Multics
10 command processor (cu_$cp) with the leading dots stripped off, rather
11 than being returned to the caller of command_query_.  After the
12 command line has executed, command_query_ prompts again with "Answer:",
13 rather than asking the question again, since the question can be
14 long and it has already been printed once.
15 
16 This escape feature allows the user considerably more flexibility in
17 answering the question; if the question is unexpected, and apparently
18 makes no sense, the user can issue a command or two to try and find
19 out what prompted it.
20 
21 
22 Examples:
23 ! delete *.pl1
24 
25   delete: calliope.pl1 is protected.  Do you want to delete it?  ! ..list
26 
27   Segments = 3, length = 7
28 
29   re     2  calliope
30   re     1  calliope.pl1
31   re     4  calliope.list
32 
33   Answer:  ! ..print_wdir
34   >udd>CIRCUS>Elephant>work
35   Answer:  ! ..repeat_query
36 
37   delete:  calliope.pl1 is protected.  Do you wish to delete it?  ! no
38 
39 
40 The repeat_query command:
41 As seen in the example, the repeat_query command can also be used
42 during a question sequence, if it is necessary to see the question
43 again; if it has been scrolled off the top of a CRT terminal screen,
44 for instance.  Type "help repeat_query" for details.