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Concise Command Language
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<h2 id="history">History</h2> <p>The <a href="/facts/PDP-6/dlvBVlr8">PDP-6</a> monitor came with a simple set of commands. To compile and run a <a href="/facts/FORTRAN/m1KqjcMU">FORTRAN</a> program, one would </p> <ul><li>.<i>R F4</i> --- invoke the FORTRAN compiler</li> <li>*<i>DTA1:PROG3=DTA2:PROG3,SUB3A,SUB3B</i> --- specify binary output and source input</li> <li>.<i>R LOADER 30</i> --- invoke the loader, allocate 30K of memory</li> <li>*<i>DTA1:PROG3</i> --- specify binary object to load</li> <li>*<i>SYS:/S</i> --- let the loader find the appropriate subroutine libraries</li> <li>.<i>SAVE DTA1:PROG3</i> --- write the executable to DTA1</li></ul> (The <i>DOT</i> is a monitor prompt and the <i>Star/Asterisk</i> is an application prompt) <p>The PDP-10 had CCL. Key to its improvements over its predecessor were:<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> </p> <ul><li>multi-step commands: .EX PROG3,SUB3A,SUB3B</li></ul> <ul><li>would check to see if any of the 3 needed to be recompiled (and did so if necessary)</li> <li>run the object program loader (including needed subroutine libraries)</li> <li>start running the program</li></ul> <ul><li>advanced command file: .EX @RUNPROG3.CMD</li></ul> <ul><li>would run the command(s) in the .CMD file</li></ul> <h2 id="commands">Commands</h2> <p>The following table contains a list of CCL commands.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p> List of CCL commands<table><tbody><tr><th scope="col">CCL command(full form)</th><th scope="col">CCL command(short form)</th><th scope="col">Description</th></tr><tr><th scope="row">BACKSPACE</th><td>BAC</td><td>Runs CAMP. A <a href="/facts/Magnetic_tape/wj6IDTR1">magnetic tape</a> or cassette is spaced backward a specified number of files or records.</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">BOOT</th><td>BO</td><td></td></tr><tr><th scope="row">CCL</th><td>CCL</td><td>Disables the CCL program on the OS/8 Keyboard Monitor residing on the system device.</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">COMPARE</th><td><a href="/facts/Comp_(command)/U8uB3Tff">COMP</a></td><td>Runs SRCCOM. Compares/shows differences between two source files. Although line by line, permits "catch up."</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">COMPILE</th><td>COM</td><td>Produces <a href="/facts/Binary_file/ysttM8hh">binary files</a> and/or compilation listings for specified program files.</td></tr><tr><th scope="row"><a href="/facts/Copy_(command)/lC4UI6yN">COPY</a></th><td>COP</td><td>Transfers files from one <a href="/facts/Input%2foutput/WQTE8Jas">I/O</a> device to another.</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">CORE</th><td>COR</td><td></td></tr><tr><th scope="row">CREATE</th><td>CREA</td><td>Runs EDIT and opens a new file for creation.</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">CREF</th><td>CREF</td><td></td></tr><tr><th scope="row"><a href="/facts/Date_(command)/LtoSMX4v">DATE</a></th><td>DA</td><td></td></tr><tr><th scope="row">DEASSIGN</th><td>DEA</td><td></td></tr><tr><th scope="row">DELETE</th><td><a href="/facts/Del_(command)/8wLW0H0k">DEL</a></td><td>Deletes one or more files from disk or <a href="/facts/DECtape/aX1WcwKu">DECtape</a>.</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">DIRECT</th><td><a href="/facts/Dir_(command)/oosA54R0">DIR</a></td><td></td></tr><tr><th scope="row">EDIT</th><td>ED</td><td>Runs EDIT. Opens an already existing file for editing.</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">EOF</th><td>EOF</td><td></td></tr><tr><th scope="row">EXECUTE</th><td>EXE</td><td></td></tr><tr><th scope="row"><a href="/facts/Help_(command)/AouoTNSR">HELP</a></th><td>HE</td><td>Prints information on specified OS/8 programs.</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">LIST</th><td>LI</td><td></td></tr><tr><th scope="row">LOAD</th><td>LO</td><td></td></tr><tr><th scope="row">MAKE</th><td>MAK</td><td>Runs TECO. Opens the specified file for output.</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">MAP</th><td>MAP</td><td>Runs BITMAP.</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">MUNG</th><td>MUNG</td><td>Runs a TECO Macro; command line parameters give added adaptability.</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">PAL</th><td>PAL</td><td>Runs PAL8. Assembles the source file specified as the argument.</td></tr><tr><th scope="row"><a href="/facts/Print_(command)/XoxcBk4u">PRINT</a></th><td>PRI</td><td>Runs a program named LPTSPL.</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">PUNCH</th><td>PU</td><td>Runs PIP. Punches the file specified on <a href="/facts/Punched_tape/8HI7dThI">paper tape</a>.</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">RENAME</th><td><a href="/facts/Ren_(command)/qMNSpKv8">REN</a></td><td>Renames one or more files on disk or DECtape.</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">RES</th><td>RES</td><td>Runs RESORC.</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">REWIND</th><td>REW</td><td></td></tr><tr><th scope="row">SKIP</th><td>SKIP</td><td></td></tr><tr><th scope="row">SQUISH</th><td>SQ</td><td>Runs PIP's "squeeze" / defrag tool</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">SUBMIT</th><td>SU</td><td>Runs the BATCH program.</td></tr><tr><th scope="row"><a href="/facts/TECO_(text_editor)/c01K2Jcz">TECO</a></th><td>TE</td><td>(Text Editor and COrrector, a sophisticated <a href="/facts/Text_editor/jPCgtbvN">text editor</a> with MACRO capabilities).</td></tr><tr><th scope="row"><a href="/facts/TYPE_(DOS_command)/qREHhkfg">TYPE</a></th><td>TY</td><td></td></tr><tr><th scope="row">UA</th><td>UA</td><td></td></tr><tr><th scope="row">UB</th><td>UB</td><td></td></tr><tr><th scope="row">UC</th><td>UC</td><td></td></tr><tr><th scope="row">UNLOAD</th><td>UNL</td><td></td></tr><tr><th scope="row">VERSION</th><td><a href="/facts/Ver_(command)/x3Pz6hw2">VER</a></td><td>Prints the version numbers of the OS/8 Keyboard Monitor and CCL.</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">ZERO</th><td>ZERO</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Concise Command Language" (CCL)."OS/8 Handbook" (PDF). Digital Equipment Corporation. April 1974. Retrieved 1 May 2024. <a href="http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/dec/pdp8/os8/OS8_Handbook_Apr1974.pdf" target="_blank">http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/dec/pdp8/os8/OS8_Handbook_Apr1974.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Peter Clark (July 1982). "DEC TIMESHARING (1965)". The DEC Professional. p. 34. <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Peter Clark (July 1982). "DEC TIMESHARING (1965)". The DEC Professional. p. 34. <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"Concise Command Language" (CCL)."OS/8 Handbook" (PDF). Digital Equipment Corporation. April 1974. Retrieved 1 May 2024. <a href="http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/dec/pdp8/os8/OS8_Handbook_Apr1974.pdf" target="_blank">http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/dec/pdp8/os8/OS8_Handbook_Apr1974.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>