Entering Commands

The abbreviated command syntax for the menu options is displayed on the panels to help you learn the commands easily. The full and abbreviated command syntax for functions performed by the prompter panels are displayed on those panels.

You can skip the prompter panel by entering these commands. However, if the complete command is longer than the 76 spaces available in a command line, use the prompter panel. A command cannot be continued to another line.

In most cases, for commands that replace prompter panels, you can use the asterisk (*) with the base word of the command to indicate that you want the command to apply to the anchored occurrence. For example:

DISP ATT *: Displays the Attribute Display Panel for the anchored occurrence.
UPD TEXT *: Displays a Text Maintenance Panel for the anchored occurrence.

To display HELP panels for most commands, enter HELP, followed by the command. The HELP panel explains the functions and options for using that particular command.

To issue commands to CA Datacom Datadictionary, enter the command in the command area (region 0) at the top of the panel and then press Enter. If a command is only valid in a specific processing mode, select the appropriate mode before you enter the command. Select a processing mode by entering the appropriate option on the DATADICTIONARY Mode Select Panel or by entering the SET MODE command with the selected mode identifier.

Except where noted, you can enter more than one command on a panel as shown in the following examples. You can change the number of command lines displayed with the SET CMD LIN command. For more information, see Setting Session Default Values.

You can type each command on a separate line. For example:

 => apply
 => end
 =>

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Or, you can type several commands on the same line and separate them with a semicolon (;), the default delimiter. You can change the delimiter with the SET CMD DLM command. For more information, see Setting Session Default Values. For example:

 => apply;end
 =>
 =>

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

When you enter only a portion of a command, CA Datacom Datadictionary presents the prompter panel or menu for that function with the information you have filled in on the panel. For example, if you enter the incomplete command ADD AREA ACCTS-REC in the command area of the DATACOM/DB Structure Maintenance Menu Panel, CA Datacom Datadictionary displays the following prompter panel for you to complete the required information:

 =>
 =>
 =>
 1-DDOL000196A - CMPP - PLEASE COMPLETE REQUIRED INFORMATION FOR COMMAND
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 DATACOM/DB Structure Maintenance
                                                                                                                                      TACF
 ADD AREA         ACCTS-REC
 ADD ARA           (name)

 TO  DATABASE ________________________________ in STATUS ____
 TO  BAS           (name)                         STA   (status)

 with PASSWORD           using LOCK 0          LIKE ________________________________
      PSWD      (pswd)         LOC (lock)      LIKE   (name)







 PF1=HELP  PF2=END  PF3=CLARIFY  PF4=PROCESS  PF5=MENU    PF6=STATUS
 PF7=SCB   PF8=SCF  PF9=APPLY    PF10=PATH    PF11=NEXT   PF12=INPUT

Remember that on a prompter panel, do the following:

Supply all required entries.
Supply any desired optional entries.
Press Enter or PF9 (APPLY) to continue processing.