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      VAL a terminal I/O package
 
           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.
 
                          (213) 825 8113

