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      CLONE command language system
 
           CLONE is a  multi-user  interpretive  command  language  system  for
      RSX11M  V3.2  which  enables  user  written  tasks to be executed under a
      control program stored in a file or entered in 'immediate  mode'  at  the
      terminal.   CLONE  was initially developed for the control of programs in
      medical image processing,  but  is  of  use  in  all  applications  where
      automatic  or  semi-automatic  control  of  programs  can  save  time and
      increase reliability.
 
           CLONE has a high-level block  structured  syntax  which  is  readily
      accepted  by  novice  users  but  which provides a full range of language
      capabilities and thus permits sophisticated programming.
 
 
 
           CLONE (and other  similar  command  languages)  give  the  following
      advantages:
 
 
           1.  Less operator intervention is required in a  process  controlled
               by CLONE thus the probability of error is greatly reduced.
 
           2.  CLONE may be used to group all the questions for an operation at
               one point.  This means that the operator does not need to remain
               by the  terminal  during  long  processing  operations  and  may
               perform other tasks.
 
           3.  CLONE enables a precise sequence of operations  to  be  defined.
               Thus  a  protocol may be executed many times in exactly the same
               manner.  This enables experiments to be performed more  exactly,
               provides  a  written record of previous protocols and provides a
               formal method of defining a protocol.
 
 
 
           Unlike system orientated command languages (indirect  MCR  in  RSX),
      CLONE  is  designed  to  communicate with all programs in an applications
      package.  This requires that all programs which are to take advantage  of
      CLONE  use  a  special set of utility routines for terminal input.  These
      routines are described fully in the document:  VAL TERMINAL I/O  PACKAGE;
      they  provide a general purpose terminal interface for applications tasks
      whether they use CLONE or not.  The VAL package appears on  the  Fall  81
      SIG tape in [301,62].  See README.2ND for CLONE installation details.
 
                          Dave Plummer
                          Division of Biophysics, Department of Radiology
                          UCLA Center for the Health Sciences
                          405 Hilgard Avenue, Los angeles, CA 90024 USA.
 
                          (213) 825 8113

