TCL Overview

Terminal Control Language (TCL) is the gateway to all D3 functionality. TCL is a system-level command language with system-defined or user-defined statements that can be executed individually or sequentially. System-defined statements are called TCL commands. User-defined statements are: macros, menus, and cataloged FlashBASIC programs.

The first word of a TCL statement must be either a system command, macro, menu, or cataloged BASIC program.

The : is the TCL prompt. TCL commands can be typed when the TCL prompt displays. The completed command is entered for processing by pressing CTRL+M or Enter. Because mistakes do occur, TCL editor and TCL stack facilities are provided.

The TCL editor allows corrections to commands after they are entered, but before they are executed. The TCL stack editor stacks each command entered at the TCL prompt and allows you to recall commands for correction and/or execution.

TCL commands include the Access Query Language (AQL) and spooler commands. AQL is a system-level information retrieval language that allows you to query your database without writing complex programs. The spooler commands allow you to control how information is output to the printer.

Example(s)

who

create-file test.file 3 7

copy md * (t

compile bp *

sort entity by name name

This overview includes information on these topics:

Dot Stack	Lists and describes the dot stack commands.
Dummy Restore	Describes the dummy restore, which is a method of validating that the save-type (account-save, file-save, and so on) backup are restored.
Dummy Save	Describes the dummy save, which performs the save command without actually writing to magnetic media.
Editing TCL Commands	Lists and describes the TCL Editor commands.
Level Pushing	Describes level pushing, which is the ability to interrupt a process, invoke a new TCL prompt, and execute any valid TCL command.
Macros (TCL)	Describes macros, which are processes that execute one or more TCL commands.
Macro Statements	Lists and describes the supported macro statements.
Menus (TCL)	Describes the use of TCL menus.
Options (TCL)	Describes the use of the standard TCL options.
Paragraph	Describes the use of the paragraph in TCL.
@ Shell Variable	Describes the use of the @ shell variable.
Spooler Overview	Describes the use of the spooler.
Tape Devices Overview	Describes the use of tape devices.
TCL Stack	Lists and describes the TCL Stack commands.