TACL programming

Prerequisites

• Concepts and facilities course
• Knowledge of at least one other programming language
• At least six months of programming experience

Audience

• System programmers
• System and network managers
• Application designers
• Application programmers
• System analysts
• Data communications programmers and analysts

Ways to save

Benefits to you

• Segment files
• Define process
• MACRO and ROUTINE functions
• Variable editing
• Server functions
• Exception handling
• Debugging

Course outline

• Overview of TACL features
• Productivity aids provided by TACL: HISTORY, FC, ? , ! HELP facility
• Function key, custom prompts, file name templates, and macro files
• TACL features as a programming language
• TACL variables
• Obtaining information about variables using either commands or built-in functions
• Using commands or built-in functions to create, initialize, modify, and eliminate variables
• Concept of a "frame" and how it relates to managing variables
• Variable stacks and their levels: what they are and how to create, reference, and eliminate them
• Syntax rules for writing TACL functions
• Lab Exercise (20 minutes):
• Learn and understand how to logon and use TACL function keys
• Directories and segments
• Creating a segment file containing a library function
• Using the existing segment file by attaching it to a directory
• Getting information on the segment file
• Syntax rules for writing TACL functions
• Lab Exercise (30 minutes):
• Learn to create and use a segment file
• Editing variables
• Performing variable file I/O
• Performing global editing of a variable
• Performing line editing of a variable
• Performing character editing of a variable
• Locating the position of a string in a variable
• Extracting lines and characters from a variable
• Writing functions-macros
• Syntax required to write macro functions
• TACL's handling of arguments to macro functions
• TACL's expansion of macro functions
• Writing macro functions
• Writing functions-#IF statements
• Write functions that use the TACL #IF |THEN| |ELSE| construct
• Lab Exercise (1 hour):
• Describe the syntax required to write functions in general and macro type functions in particular
• Describe the different forms of the "control" built-in #IF and contrast when to use one form or the other (#IF or #IF NOT)
• Write a macro type function that accepts one or more arguments and ensures that the arguments are correct by making use of the "control" built-in #IF
• Writing functions-#LOOP statements
• Writing functions that use the TACL #LOOP |DO| |UNTIL| construct
• Writing functions that use the TACL #LOOP |WHILE| |DO| construct
• Lab Exercise (1 hour):
• Describe the syntax required to write general functions, with particular focus on macro type functions
• Describe the two forms of the "control" built-in #LOOP and determine when to use #LOOP | DO | | UNTIL | or #LOOP | WHILE | | DO |
• Write a macro type function that outputs all of the volume names on the system
• Writing functions-#CASE statements
• Writing functions that use the TACL #CASE construct
• Writing functions-debugging
• Using the TACL debugging facility provided by TACL to aid in getting functions to work
• Lab Exercise (2 hours):
• Start and stop the Debugger
• Set and clear breakpoints
• Display and modify the contents of a variable
• Single step through your function and resume execution of your function
• Describe the syntax for #IF, #LOOP, and #CASE constructs
• Write a function that employs the #CASE built-in
• Writing functions-file I/O
• How TACL is able to do device independent I/O
• Using #REQUESTER and #WAIT to perform either "waited" or "no-waited" I/O to files and devices
• Writing functions-routines
• Writing "Routine" type functions and use #ARGUMENT, #MORE, and #REST
• Lab Exercise (3 hours):
• Modify and write routine functions
• Describe the syntax and usage of #ARGUMENT and #MORE
• Describe additional capabilities that routines offer that macros do not
• Describe the use of the built-ins: #MYSYSTEM, #PROCESSORSTATUS, and #PROCESSORTYPE, #LOOP, and #CASE
• Using structures
• Using a STRUCT to access data
• Inline processing
• Performing process I/O using the INLINE facility
• Controlling the display of the process output
• Logging the process output to a variable debugger
• Lab Exercise (30 minutes):
• Describe the syntax required to write INLINE functions in general
• Use the INLINE facility for interfacing with the PERUSE utility
• Practice coding techniques using the variable editing built-ins
• Review the usage of #INPUTV, #LOOP, and #IF
• Describe the use of #INLINEPREFIX, INLPREFIX, #INLINETO, and INLTO
• Write a macro-type function that purges jobs from the spooler and prompts the user for permission to purge each job
• Writing functions-server files
• How the server file facility provides for communication between a TACL function and a process it has activated
• Situations in which it is appropriate to use implicit server files
• Writing functions that use implicit server files
• Lab Exercise (45 minutes):
• Describe the syntax and usage of functions that employ implicit servers
• Describe the usage of the RUN-options:
• INV DYNAMIC PROMPT