1 01/24/84 Questions
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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.
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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.
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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.
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22 Examples:
23 ! delete *.pl1
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25 delete: calliope.pl1 is protected. Do you want to delete it? ! ..list
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27 Segments = 3, length = 7
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29 re 2 calliope
30 re 1 calliope.pl1
31 re 4 calliope.list
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33 Answer: ! ..print_wdir
34 >udd>CIRCUS>Elephant>work
35 Answer: ! ..repeat_query
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37 delete: calliope.pl1 is protected. Do you wish to delete it? ! no
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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.