-------- SIMTEL20 Ada Software Repository Prologue ------------
--                                                           -*
-- Unit name    : PARSER
-- Version      : 1.0
-- Author       : Richard Conn
--              : Texas Instruments, Ada Technology Branch
--              : PO Box 801, MS 8007
--              : McKinney, TX  75069
-- DDN Address  : RCONN at SIMTEL20
-- Copyright    : (c) 
-- Date created :  21 July 85
-- Release date :  30 July 85
-- Last update  :  30 July 85
-- Machine/System Compiled/Run on : DG MV10000 (ROLM ADE) and
--					DEC VAX 11/785 (DEC Ada)
--                                                           -*
---------------------------------------------------------------
--                                                           -*
-- Keywords     :  parser, generic parser, UNIX, ARGC, ARGV
----------------:
--
-- Abstract     :  
--
--|   PARSER is a generic parser that functions in a manner similar to
--| the ARGC/ARGV parser of UNIX.  It contains one procedure, PARSE,
--| which accepts a string as input and returns ARGC, a count of the number
--| of tokens in the string, and ARGV, a vector of strings, each string
--| containing a token.
--|
--|   PARSER is instantiated with two strings (DEL for DELIMITER and
--| DEL_TOKEN for DELIMITER_TOKEN).  The DEL string is composed of characters
--| which delimit each token (and are not a part of the token).  All
--| characters less than space are automatically delimiters, and the DEL
--| string should contain at least one character (such as a space).
--| DEL_TOKEN is a string composed of characters which delimit tokens and
--| which are tokens themselves.  If "=" is a DEL_TOKEN, for example, then
--| "CAT= DOG" is composed of three tokens, "CAT", "=", and "DOG", where if
--| "=" is a DEL, then "CAT= DOG" is composed of two tokens, "CAT" and "DOG".
--| This assumes that the space character is a DEL.
--|
--|   PARSER may also be instantiated with ARGC_LIMIT, which indicates the
--| maximum number of tokens allowed.  If this limit is exceeded, then the
--| last ARGV token contains the remainder of the string.  The default value
--| of ARGC_LIMIT is 20.
--|
--|   ARG_STRING_LENGTH is the last instantiation option for PARSER.  It
--| indicates the maximum length of an ARGV string, and it defaults to 80.
--|
--                                                           -*
------------------ Revision history ---------------------------
--                                                           -*
-- DATE         VERSION	AUTHOR                  HISTORY
-- 19850730        1.0  Richard Conn            Initial Release
--                                                           -*
------------------ Distribution and Copyright -----------------
--                                                           -*
-- This prologue must be included in all copies of this software.
--
-- This software is released to the Ada community.
-- This software is released to the Public Domain (note:
--   software released to the Public Domain is not subject
--   to copyright protection).
-- Restrictions on use or distribution:  NONE
--                                                           -*
------------------ Disclaimer ---------------------------------
--                                                           -*
-- This software and its documentation are provided "AS IS" and
-- without any expressed or implied warranties whatsoever.
-- No warranties as to performance, merchantability, or fitness
-- for a particular purpose exist.
--
-- Because of the diversity of conditions and hardware under
-- which this software may be used, no warranty of fitness for
-- a particular purpose is offered.  The user is advised to
-- test the software thoroughly before relying on it.  The user
-- must assume the entire risk and liability of using this
-- software.
--
-- In no event shall any person or organization of people be
-- held responsible for any direct, indirect, consequential
-- or inconsequential damages or lost profits.
--                                                           -*
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