Customizing VMS V1.0

UNDER CONSTRUCTION - NOT YET FINISHED!

The aim of this tutorial is to show how to customize VMS V1.0 on the SIMH VAX-11/780 simulator or a real VAX-11/780 ;-).

Tools and skills needed for customizing

The SOS line editor

You need an Editor to customize VMS.

Using an old fashioned editor is something that really needs getting used to.

VMS V1.0 includes SOS, a "Line Editor", i.e. you work on single lines of your text, no simple scrolling as we're used to nowadays.

see: AA-D030B-TE VAX-VMS Primer

Creating a New File

You create a new file by calling the EDIT command followed be the name of your new file.

$ EDIT TEST.TXT
Input: DMA0:[SYSMGR]TEST.TXT;1
00100   

The editor echos device, directory, and file name of your new file and presents the first (empty) line with its line number (100). Now you just proceed als follows:

$ EDIT TEST.TXT
Input: DMA0:[SYSMGR]TEST.TXT;1
00100   This is the first line of a new text file.
00200   Pressing [Enter] starts a new line.
00300   Using [ESC] switches to command mode.
00400   The command mode prompt is "*".
00500   At the command mode "W" writes the file to disk,
00600   and "E" ends the editor.
*W
[DMA0:[SYSMGR]TEST.TXT;1]
*E
[DMA0:[SYSMGR]TEST.TXT;1]   (NO CHANGES)
$

That's all (at least if you writing without typos and changes)!

Editing an Existing File

$ EDIT TEST.TXT
Edit: DMA0:[SYSMGR]TEST.DAT;1
*

The asterix (*) is the editor's command mode prompt.

When you see an * at the beginning of a line, the editor expects a command.

Specifying Lines

To specify lines you use the marks:

: (colon)

. (dot)

^ (caret)

* (asterix)

and line numbers.

Mark	Meaning	Example	Explanation of Example
:	Range	100:500	Lines 100 through 500
.	Current Line	.:500	Current line through 500
^	First Line	^:.	First line through current line
*	Last Line	.:*	Current line through last line

Displaying Lines

To display lines 100 to 600 type: P100:600

*P100:600
00100   This is the first line of a new text file.
00200   Pressing [Enter] starts a new line.
00300   Using [ESC] switches to command mode.
00400   The command mode prompt is "*".
00500   At the command mode "W" writes the file to disk,
00600   and "E" ends the editor.
*

To display all lines of a file type: P^:*

Inserting Lines

Insert after the current line: I.

Insert after e.g. line number 300: I300

Renumbering Lines

Renumbering Lines: N

Deleting Lines

Delete current line: D.

Delete e.g. line number 300: D300

Replacing Lines

Replace current line: R.

Replace e.g. line number 300: R300

Replace a range of lines, e.g. 300:600: R300:600

Finding Line Contents

Find line contents following the current line:

FEnter<ESC><RETURN>

To search the whole text

P^

Find remembers the last string searched for, so:

F<RETURN>

finds the next occurrence (if any)

Substituting Text

All occurrences on a line

Ssearchtext<ESC>replacetext<ESC><RETURN>

SOS Help

*help
SOS Help Package
 
To print this entire package on the line printer, type the
DCL command:
        PRINT LB:[1,2]SOS.HLP
 
This package is made up of 11 modules (listed below).  Each 
module in turn will now be printed at your terminal.  
 
To skip to the next module, discarding the rest of the one 
that is printing, type:
 
        <^O>  (Type O while pressing CTRL.)
 
To discard the rest of the Help package at any time, and to 
return to Edit-mode command level, type:
 
        <^C>  (Type C while pressing CTRL.)
 
The next time you issue a Help command, you can follow it 
with a colon and a number (H:n<CR>); SOS will print the 
Help package from module number n through the end.
 
The modules are:
 
 1. SOS Modes of Operation
 2. Edit-Mode Commands -- Functions
 3. Edit-Mode Commands -- Formats
 4. Definitions for Edit-Mode Command Formats
 5. Tag Options for Edit-Mode Commands
 6. Alter-Mode Commands
 7. Decide-Mode Commands
 8. Shorthand Characters in Position Arguments
 9. SOS Parameters
10. SOS Switches
11. Special Pattern-Matching Constructs


Module 1: SOS Modes of Operation
 
The underline (_) represents the next character position after
the prompt.   nnnnn is a 5-digit line number.
 
       Mode             Prompt           Use
-------------------    ---------   ------------------------------------
Edit                   *_          Edit: add, change text.
Input                  nnnnn   _   Type in lines of text.
Alter                  nnnnn   _   Edit within a line.
Alter/insert           (none)      Insert text within Alter mode.
Read-only              R*_         Examine a file without changing it.
Copy-file              C*_         Search, copy from another file.
Decide                 D*_         Decide case-by-case on substitutions.
 Decide Alter          nnnnn   _   (Submode.)  Like Alter mode. 
 Decide Alter/insert   (none)      (Submode.)  Like Alter/insert. 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
 
        To Change from One Mode to Another:
 
FROM mode    TO mode     You type:
---------    ---------   --------------------------
 Edit        Input       Input or Replace command
             Alter       Alter command
             Read-only   /READONLY<CR>
             Copy-file   Copy command with final /C

 Input       Edit        <AL>

 Alter       Edit        <CR>
---------------------------------------------------


Module 2: Edit-Mode Commands -- Functions
 
Command             Function
------------------  -----------------------------------------
A  Alter            Enter Alter mode for intraline, char-
                    acter-by-character editing.
 
C  Copy             Copy a range of lines to another place
                    within a file, or from another file.
 
D  Delete           Delete a range of lines.
 
E  End              End SOS, return to MCR.
 
F  Find             Search for the occurrence of one or more
                    specified strings of text.
 
H  Help             List this Help file at the terminal.
 
I  Input            Enter Input mode to insert lines of text.
 
J  Join             Join two text lines into one line.
 
K  Kill Page Mark   Delete a page mark.
 
L  List             List a range of lines on the printer or
                    to a file.
 
M  Mark             Insert a page mark.
 
N  reNumber         Renumber a range of lines.
NA reNumber         Renumber by adding the increment 
                    to each line in the range
NP reNumber         Renumber continuing to increment 
                    line numbers across page marks
 
P  Print            Print a range of lines on the terminal.
 
R  Replace          Delete a range of lines and enter Input
                    mode.
 
S  Substitute       Replace one or more text strings with
                    other string(s) in a range of lines.
 
T  Transfer         Copy a range of lines to a new location
                    and delete the original lines.
 
W  Save World       Write a new file containing all the
                    changes made so far.
 
X  eXtend           Enter Alter/insert mode to add text to the
                    end of a line or a range of lines.
 
.  Move Position    Reset the position of the current line.
 
=  Give Parameter   Give the value of an SOS internal para-
                    meter or switch.
 
/  Set Parameter    Reset an SOS parameter or switch.
 
@  Indirect File    Execute the SOS commands contained in an
                    indirect file.
 
<CR>                Print next line.
 
<AL>                Print previous line.


Module 3: Edit-Mode Commands -- Formats
 
Command          Format (*)
---------------  -------------------------------------------------
Alter            A [range]
 
Copy             C position[=filespec],range[,incr1[,incr2]]
                   position=filespec/C
 
Delete           D [range]
 
End              E [B][Q][S][T][:filespec]
 
Find             F [[string]<AL>[range][,A][,N][,E][,-][,n]]
Help             H [:n]
 
Input                        [{,incr}]
                 I [position][{;incr}]
                             [{ ;!n }]
 
Join             J [position]
 
Kill Page Mark   K /page
 
List             L [range][,[S][,P[:n] or [:filespec]]]
                   [range][,[S][,F:filespec]]
 
Mark             M [position]
 
reNumber         N [A P][incr][,[range][,start]]
 
Print            P [range][,S]
 
Replace                   [{,incr}]
                 R [range][{;incr}]
                          [{ ;!n }]
 
Substitute       S [[oldstring<AL>newstring]<AL>[range][,D][,N][,E]]

Transfer         T position,range[,incr1[,incr2]]
 
Save World       W [B][:filespec]
 
eXtend           X [range][,N]
 
Move Position    . position
 
Give Parameter   = parameter
 
Set Parameter    / parameter[:value]
 
Indirect File    @ filespec
 
<CR>             <CR>
 
<AL>             <AL>
------------------------------------------------------------------
(*) The space after the single-character command is optional.  End 
    each command with <CR> (except the commands <CR> and <AL>).


Module 4:  Definitions for Edit-Mode Command Formats
 
Upper-case letters represent literals that you type verbatim.  (SOS 
accepts either upper- or lower-case letters.)  Lower-case terms 
represent variables, defined below.  The symbols we use mean:
 
:=  "Is defined as."
 
[ ] Brackets indicate optional parts of the argument string (except  
    in "directory" of "filespec," in which one set of brackets 
    must be typed).

{ } Stacked braces mean to choose one of the enclosed expressions.
 
< > Angle-brackets enclose descriptive terms.
 
<AL> represents the altmode key (or ESCape, or SELect).  
 
 filespec := [node::][device:][[directory]]filename[.type[.version]]

     incr := <a positive integer line-number increment>
 
        l := <a line number> (less than 65536)
 
             { l }
     line := { ^ } [+ or - m]
             { * }
             { . }
 
        m := <an integer line-number offset>

        n := <a positive integer>

        p := <a page number>

             { p }
     page := { ^ } [+ or - q]
             { * }
             { . }
 
parameter := <a legal SOS parameter or switch>
 
 position := { line [/page] }
             {     /page    }
 
        q := <an integer page-number offset>

             {                         }
             { position [{:position}]  }
             {          [{    !n   }]  }
    range := {                         }
             {       :position         }
             {                         }
             {          !n             }
 
    start := <a positive integer line number>
 
   string := string1[<CR>string2[<CR>string3[<CR>string4
                    [<CR>string5[<CR>string6]]]]]
 
    value := <a legal parameter value>


Module 5: Tag Options for Edit-Mode Commands
 
 Tag
option   Meaning                    In commands
------ --------------------------   ------------------------
  ,A   Enter Alter mode             Find
  ,D   Enter Decide mode            Substitute 
  ,E   Require exact case match     Find, Substitute
  ,F   List to disk file            List
  ,N   Type only number, not line   Find, Substitute, eXtend 
  ,P   Select printer               List
  ,S   Suppress line numbers        List, Print 
  ,-   Find line not matching any   Find
        of specified strings
------------------------------------------------------------


Module 6: Alter-Mode Commands
 
   Command        Meaning
---------------   -----------------------------------------------------
      B           Move pointer to start of line
[-][n]Cx...       Change next/previous n characters to given characters
[-][n]D           Delete next/previous n characters
      E           End Alter mode for this line; do not print line
[-][n]Itext<AL>   Insert after/before current character; use temporary
                   increment n for new lines
[-][n]Kx          Kill (delete) all until nth occurence of character x
      L           Print rest of line; recycle to beginning of line
                   with edits incorporated
      P           Print rest of line; recycle to current position
                   with edits incorporated
      Q           Quit Alter mode for this line; restore original line
[-][n]Rtext<AL>   Replace next/previous n characters with inserted text
[-][n]Sx          Skip forward/back to nth occurence of character x
[-][n]W           Skip forward/back n words
[-][n]X           Delete next/previous n words 
[-][n]<BS>        Space back/forward n characters
      <CR>        Finish Alter mode for this line; print rest of line
[-][n]<DE>        Space back/forward n characters
      <CR>        Finish Alter mode for this line; print rest of line
[-][n]<SP>        Space forward/back n characters
[-]   <TA>        Skip to end/start of line
      <^R>        Retype line to current position
      <^U>        Start fresh -- discard edits, recycle to beginning of
                   line, do not print line
[-][n]^           Invert case of next/previous n characters
[-][n]<           Convert next/previous n characters to upper case
[-][n]>           Convert next/previous n characters to lower case
-----------------------------------------------------------------------


Module 7: Decide-Mode Commands
 
  Command      Meaning
-----------    ----------------------------------------------------
  <SP> or Y    Yes, make the change as shown
  <DE> or N    No, do not make the change
   A           Alter: enter Alter mode with the change already made
   E or Q      End: do not make the change, return to Edit mode
   G           Go: make the change, and make all further changes 
                automatically (leave Decide mode)
-------------------------------------------------------------------


Module 8: Shorthand Characters in Position Arguments
 
 Char-   Meaning
 acter
------   ------------------
  .      Current line
  /.     Current page
  ^      First line on page
  /^     First page in file
  *      Last line on page
  /*     Last page in file
---------------------------


Module 9: SOS Parameters
 
1. You can set any settable parameter by using the Edit-mode command 
   "/" (Set Parameter).
2. You can specify any settable parameters as switches on the initial 
   SOS command.
 
           Can be   Initial
Name(*)     set?     value    Description
-------    ------   -------   ----------------------------------------
BIG          no       --      Highest page number
ERROr        no      (null)   Last error message
ESCApe       yes     (null)   Character for input/output of escapes
ID           no       --      Current SOS version number
INCRement    yes     100      Increment fornoumbering inserted lines
ISAVe        yes       0      Controls auto-W on inserts
LENGth       yes      55      Page size for List command
LOCAtion     no      ^/1      First line in edit buffer
MATCh        yes     (null)   Special pattern-matching flag character
NAME         no       --      Output filespec
PLINes       yes      16      Number of lines printed by P<CR>
SAVE         yes       0      Controls auto-W on commands
STARt        yes     100      Starting line number
STEP         yes     100      Increment for initial line numbering 
STRIng       no      (null)   Current Find and Substitute strings
SUBStitute   no        0      Number of matches in last Substitute
 .           no      00000/1  Current position
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(*) Minimum abbreviation is given in upper-case letters.


Module 10: SOS Switches
 
1. You can turn on any switch by using the Edit-mode command 
   Set Parameter (/).
2. You can specify any switches in the initial SOS command.
3. You can turn off any switch by using the letters NO before
   its name; thus, /NOBAK<CR> turns off the BAK switch.
 
             Initial
Name(*)       value   Description
-------      -------  -------------------------------------
BAK           on      Create backup file 
DECIde        off     Auto Decide mode on Substitute
EXACt         off     Exact case match for Find, Substitute
EXPErt        off     Experienced SOS user
LINE          on      Use existing line numbers
LOWEr         on      Uppercase, lowercase as is
READonly      off     Read-only file
SEPArator     off     Treat % $ . as alphanumeric
SEQUence      on      Leave output-file line numbers
-----------------------------------------------------------
(*) Minimum abbreviation is given in uppercase letters.


Module 11: Special Pattern-Matching Constructs
 
To enable special pattern-matching, type /MATCH<CR>.  To enable 
it with a flag character other than ?, type /MATCH:x<CR>, where
x is the desired flag character.  To disable special pattern-
matching, type /MATCH:<CR> (note the colon).
 
 Con-   Internal     Meaning
struct  represen-
         tation
------  ---------    ----------------------------------
  ?/      <^T>       Match any character
  ?:       |         Match any separator
  ?%x     <^E>       Match any character except x
  ?)x     <^N>       Match 0 or more of the character x
  ?!      <^A>       Match any letter, either case
  ?&      <^F>       Match any upper case letter
  ?1x     <^V>       Match 1 or more of the character x
  ?9      <^X>       Match any alphanumeric character
  ?+      <^P>       Match any decimal digit 0-9
  ?2      <^W>       Match any lower case letter
  ?<      <^\>       Match a space or tab
  ?>      <^]>       Match if at either end of line
  ??       ?         Match the flag character (?)
-------------------------------------------------------

The text strings that match the above constructs are available
to be used in the Substitute strings.  Each construct above that
appears in the find string is numbered from left to right, starting
at one.  To place the n'th such matching string into the resulting
text, use the following construct in the replacement string:
                ?*n?*
which will be replaced by the string of characters matching the
n'th special construct in the find string.  To access sequential
substrings, the ?" construct can also be used:
                ?*n?*?"
will take the n'th and n+1'st string.

*