HP 3000 Manuals HP 3000 Manuals
INVOKING FORMSPEC IN BATCH MODE
FORMSPEC in batch mode can be invoked from within a job stream or from
within a session. When invoked, FORMSPEC can accept batch mode commands
from a command file or from $STDIN.
To invoke FORMSPEC to accept batch mode commands from a command file, use
the MPE :RUN command with the INFO=filename parameter, where filename is
the name of the command file. For example:
:RUN FORMSPEC.PUB.SYS;INFO="COMMANDS.PUB.MFG"
will execute FORMSPEC in batch mode using COMMANDS.PUB.MFG as the command
file. Remember, before you can invoke FORMSPEC in batch mode to accept
commands from a command file, you must first create the command file
using a text editor and enter the batch mode commands into the file.
(See the end of this section for a sample of a command file.)
The INFO=filename parameter directly invokes batch mode. In addition,
FORMSPEC will always execute in batch mode within a job stream. When the
INFO=filename parameter is omitted within a job stream, $STDIN becomes
the command file by default and commands are accepted from within the job
stream. In order to use $STDIN as the command file within a session, the
INFO=filename parameter is required. For example:
:RUN FORMSPEC.PUB.SYS;INFO="$STDIN"
In response to the greater than (>) prompt, enter the batch mode
commands. Although this usage of batch mode will not free up a terminal,
users will have the ability to react to any error conditions which may
occur.
When FORMSPEC detects an error in batch mode, the error message is sent
to the output file ($STDLIST by default). The number of errors can be
checked with FORMSPECERRORJCW; number of warnings can be checked with
FORMSPECWARNJCW. An error will cause one of the following actions:
* If any batch mode command except the FILE command causes an error,
then FORMSPEC will skip that command and continue to the next
command.
* If a FILE command caused the error or the error occurred because
FORMSPEC did not recognize a batch mode command, then all batch mode
commands, except the FORMS command, will be skipped until the next
FILE or the EXIT command is encountered.
Batch mode output (errors, warnings, or messages) will normally be
directed to $STDLIST. However, output can be redirected to another file
by using the MPE :FILE command to redefine the formal file designator,
FORMOUT. For example, since $STDLIST in a session is the terminal, you
may want to redirect output to the line printer as follows:
:FILE FORMOUT;DEV=LP
When the output file is redirected to a disc file or the list device, the
batch mode commands will also be echoed to the output file as they are
executed. This will help to determine the cause of any errors that may
occur.