HELP.EX2 -- Demo 2 of HELP System for Ada Repository Richard Conn The following text shows the execution of the HELP program on the HELP.DAT data file after it has been processed by the HELP_BUILD program. See the directory PD: for documentation and source code on these programs. During the terminal displays, explanatory comments are presented as lines preceeded with the "--" characters. This example was run under a DEC VAX 11/785 running VMS 4.2; the DEC Ada compiler was used to compile the HELP System programs. This file is in PD: as HELP.EX2 on SIMTEL20. Users of the Ada Repository can periodically copy new HELP.DAT files from PD: as these files are released. HELP.DAT contains a current snapshot of the entire repository, and the HELP program allows the user to interactively query this data in a tree-oriented fashion. Details on all major directories, including current listings of all files in each directory, and details of each software item (program or software component) are available. The following session should illustrate. Please address questions to ADA-SW-REQUEST@SIMTEL20. ---- Terminal Session Follows ---- -- The HELP program is run and the default data file is selected. -- The top-level set of topics is presented with a prompt. HELP, Version 1.2 Help File (RETURN for Default)> Ada AI ANSI-LRM Benchmarks CM_Data Compilation_Order Components Cross_Reference DDN Editors Education External_Tools Forms_Generator General Graphical_Kernel_Sys Management_Tools Math_Library Menu Message_Handling Metrics Miscellaneous_Tools NOSC_Tools Online_Documentation Pager Pointers Pretty_Printers Program_Stubber Spelling_Checkers Starter_Kit Style_Checkers Virtual_Terminal WIS-ADA_Tools Level 0 Menu: (Exit, Selection) compo -- This prompt indicates that the user may exit or select a topic. -- To exit, the command "EXIT" or "X" followed by a RETURN may -- be issued. Case is never significant. To select a topic, the -- user need only type enough characters to make it unique. If not -- unique, the first topic in the list matching the user's characters -- will be selected. All user input is terminated by a RETURN. -- In this example, the user input is "compo", which matches "Components" 1 Components PD: This is the components subdirectory. Software components, including general-purpose procedures, packages, and generics, are stored here. Examples are: math packages, TERMCAP routines, generic linked list packages, and dynamic string packages. Level 0 Topic: 1 Components (Print, Exit, Up, Next, Menu) -- This prompt indicates that the user has the following options: -- "P" or "PRINT" will print this section out to a file; "this section" -- is this screen and all screens following, and does not -- include subtopics -- "X" or "EXIT" will exit the HELP program -- "U" or "UP" will take the user up to the previous level (the -- top-level menu in this case) -- "N" or "NEXT" or just the RETURN key will take the user to -- the next screen (in this case, I struck the RETURN key) -- "Menu" indicates that a menu of subtopics under this topic -- is available, and entering "M" or "MENU" will display this -- menu PD: Bytes(SZ) ABSTRACT.PRO.1 3433(7) .SRC.1 572620(7) CAS2.ADA.2 6942(7) .PRO.1 2452(7) CAS3.ADA.3 8259(7) .PRO.4 2755(7) CLI.CMM.1 4645(7) .DIS.1 92(7) .PRO.1 3745(7) .SRC.1 30039(7) COUNTADA.CMM.1 1313(7) .PRO.1 4139(7) .SRC.1 4587(7) CSET.PRO.2 3227(7) .SRC.2 17638(7) DSTR1.ADA.1 8598(7) .PRO.1 3014(7) DSTR2.ADA.1 14129(7) .PRO.1 2993(7) Level 0 Topic: 1 Components (Print, Exit, Up, Next, Last, Menu) m -- The "next" screen is a directory listing of all files under the -- "Components" directory in the Ada Repository. A "Last" prompt -- has been added to our prompt line, indicating that there are one or -- more screens in front of the current screen and typing "L" or "LAST" -- will back us up. When we are on the last screen of a section, -- the "Next" portion of the prompt line disappears. Also, when a -- Menu is being displayed, the commands in the prompt override, so -- if there is a Menu entry called "Exit", it can be referenced by -- typing "EX" or "EXI" or "E", but typing "EXIT" will run the exit -- function and knock the user out of the HELP program. -- -- In this example, I struck "m", causing a subordinate menu to display: Abstractions CAS2 CAS3 CLI CAS Character_Set Dynamic_String Dynamic_String_2 Dynamic_String_3 FGET Garbage_Collection IO_Support Limited_Prioritized_ Linked_list Message_IO Parser Permutations_Class Prioritized_Queue Quick_Sort Safe_IO SYSDEP_DEC SYSDEP_DG Singly_Linked_List Stack TBD VDT100 Variable_Length_Dire Level 1 Menu: (Exit, Up, Selection) abs -- Details of these pieces of software are now available. This is -- a menu, so our options are few. Like topic screens, menus may -- extend beyond one screen (more than 60 menu items) -- when this -- occurs, the "Next" and "Last" portions of the prompt may appear. -- -- In this example, I typed "abs", selecting the "Abstractions" topic: 2 Abstractions Author : Bill Toscano, Michael Gordon : Intermetrics, Inc, Keywords : Components, Reusable Software Components Abstract : ABSTRACTIONS contains a number of low-level support routines which are used by NOSC tools created by Intermetrics. Several routines are of general utility. Level 1 Topic: 2 Abstractions (Print, Exit, Up) u -- "Up", which is invoked by the "u" command that I typed, brings -- me back up to the menu: Abstractions CAS2 CAS3 CLI CAS Character_Set Dynamic_String Dynamic_String_2 Dynamic_String_3 FGET Garbage_Collection IO_Support Limited_Prioritized_ Linked_list Message_IO Parser Permutations_Class Prioritized_Queue Quick_Sort Safe_IO SYSDEP_DEC SYSDEP_DG Singly_Linked_List Stack TBD VDT100 Variable_Length_Dire Level 1 Menu: (Exit, Up, Selection) link -- "link" followed by a RETURN selects the "Linked_list" topic: 2 Linked_list Author : Richard Conn : Texas Instruments Keywords : DOUBLY-LINKED LIST, LIST MANIPULATION Abstract : This package provides a number of routines which can be used to manipulate a doubly- linked list. See the visible section for a rather complete set of documentation on the routines. Each element of the list is of the following structure: RECORD contents: element_object; -- data next: element_pointer; -- ptr previous: element_pointer; -- ptr END RECORD; Level 1 Topic: 2 Linked_list (Print, Exit, Up) x -- Finally, "x" exits the HELP program