[Info-vax] VMS porting/rewrite, was: Re: [OT] Wirth style languages, was: Re: Obscure Ada compiler vendors?

[Stephen Hoffman]

On 2013-04-09 12:43:17 +0000,   VAXman-  @SendSpamHere.ORG said:

> You don't like a particular command or utility, write your own.  You can
> replace these things just as easily.  Saying that it is not easy to do on
> VMS means you shouldn't be a part of the project trying to do so. ;)

Is it possible to create a CLI?  Sure.  SMOP.

Writing a CLI is not documented by HP, AFAIK.

There's some info on the activation path and related in the IDSM, and 
the rest of what you need is in the OpenVMS source code.

> There is nothing sacred or special
> about a CLI on VMS.  Of course, if you're still expecting to use any DCL
> constructs, then you'll have to provide that in your CLI.  Sheesh, talk
> about mythconceptions.  Hint: Shareable image; entry point at 0!  'Nuff
> said.

There's also fielding the incoming sys$cli requests from programs, and 
a few other details such as properly contending with a spawn request 
and particularly when you're spawning a different CLI.  Some doc on how 
to debug your new CLI would be helpful.  Maybe a CLI example would be 
nice, too.





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