[Info-vax] Radical command line suggestion

[David Froble]

JF Mezei wrote:
> Since I have never been accused of being normal, I am allowed wacky
> ideas from time to time...

One doesn't necessarily allow the other ...

> In ios (the cisco one), typing ? on the command line gives you list of
> options at this point of entering command:
> 
> router1(config)#ip access ?
>   extended    Extended Access List
>   log-update  Control access list log updates
>   logging     Control access list logging
>   resequence  Resequence Access List
>   standard    Standard Access List
> 
> router1(config)#ip access
> 
> so you can then continue to enter command .
> 
> Imagine if DCLTABLES.EXE had a short description for each qualifier, it
> should theoretically be possible for DCL to give you a list of valid
> arguments and qualifiers along with short explanation  based on what you
> have entered so far.
> 
> And say you are on a decterm, pressing some special key could pop up a
> window where the command's full pedigree would be available and you
> could click on whaver options you wanted with the display adapting as
> you go along. ( so "delele" followed by the key would pop up a DELETE
> window along with options such as  file, /QUEUE, /ENTRY, etc. You click
> on file, and you then get a place to enter text for filename(s), as well
> as qualifiers for command and for each file (if applicable)
> 
> 
> This would be a really great tool for command you don't use often, and
> especially for newbies.
> 
> For all the discussions about DCL needing a rework, one thing VMS has
> that unix doesn't is that the DCL command line knows about commands due
> to DCLTABLES.exe and can help you enter such commands.
> 
> You have this very long command and hate the terminal driver's inability
> to wrap properly ? press that key and you get the pop up window where
> the command is all there and you can then easily modify infividual
> items/qualifiers in the command because they are all broken  out on
> their own fields/lines.
> 
> 
> 

Visual Basic has something like this.  Enter the name of a control, and 
a dot, and start on a property, enter tab, and it will complete the 
property, or, you can also get a list of valid properties, use the 
arrows to traverse the list, and hit <CR> (or maybe Tab) to select an 
item.  Can't remember details, it's been a while ....

But, the proper thing for VMS would be to use the help library.  This 
would do several things.  For one, there would be only one place the 
help comes from, avoiding the possibility of mis-matched help.  Also, 
it's already there.

Of course, this means that the CLI knows what you're typing before you 
hit <CR>.  You might want this on a development system, but, do you want 
to eat valuable CPU cycles on a production system?  Should not be doing 
much weird stuff on a production system, it should be tested elsewhere, 
and anything not normal is "weird stuff" on a production system.