This directory contains a set of terminal input and output routines
which provide the writer of application programs with facilities such as
defaults, range checking and an interface to a command language system.
The routines are FORTRAN or MACRO callable and require 11M V3.2 or higher.
It is intended that by the use of this package programs may be given more
power for very little effort and users may be provided with a more
forgiving interface than is obtained with FORTRAN input. The use of these
routines is also required if the CLONE command language described in the
UIC [301,63] is to be used.
VAL provides the following basic features:
1. Free format input. Values are type converted as required and may
be presented multiply on a line. Values are accepted in exponent
form (ex. 1.65E3).
2. Output formatting in a single statement. The combination of the
format string with the argument list simplifies writing and
reading programs.
3. A default value may be specified in an input request and will be
returned if the reply is CR or ';'.
4. Range limits may be specified for any value requested. If the
reply is out of range an error message is printed and the
question is re-posed. If ? is replied to any question the
details of the type and range of the item required will be
printed.
5. Replying to any question with CTRL-Z causes a user specified
abort routine to be called. The programmer then has the choice
of closing files and exiting, performing some special function or
ignoring the interruption.
6. The prompt is included in the input call. This permits a
question to be interrupted (by a range error for example) and the
question to be re-posed on return.
7. Input and output calls may be easily issued from assembly code
programs and routines.
8. All input and output is under user control. It is thus simple to
interface to some form of command language and provide extensive
task control features. The current implementation supports the
CLONE command language. The special characters @ and ESCAPE
invoke the CLONE processor. See the CLONE users guide for
further details of the CLONE system.
See README.2ND for installation details.
Dave Plummer
Division of Biophysics, Department of Radiology
UCLA Center for the Health Sciences
405 Hilgard Avenue, Los angeles, CA 90024 USA.