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SHELL -- General Information 83/08/02


  SHELL COMMANDS


  Programs  which  perform frequently required tasks, such as printing a file or
  creating a link, are called utilities.  A program called the Shell invokes the
  selected utility when you type the appropriate Shell command.  Use  the  Shell
  commands to compile and run programs, copy files and directories, etc.


  o  ENTERING A SHELL COMMAND


  Enter  a  Shell  command  beside  the "$" prompt.  For example, to display the
  current date and time, type:


           $ DATE <RETURN>


  The DATE utility prints the current system date and time.  You can enter Shell
  commands in uppercase or lowercase.  Remember to press <RETURN> at the end  of
  each command line.


  o  SHELL COMMAND NAMES


  Most Shell commands are abbreviations of command descriptions.  For example,


           $ CPF


  stands  for  COPY  A  FILE.   Many commands consist of a verb and a noun (COPY
  FILE, LIST DIRECTORY, etc.).  Some command names consist  of  nouns  or  verbs
  alone and imply the rest. For example,

         $ DATE

     implies  DISPLAY the date.

     For a complete list of command names, type:

         $ HELP COMMANDS

     For a list of commands arranged by topic, type:

         $ HELP SHELL COMMANDS

              or

         $ HELP DM COMMANDS

  o  SHELL COMMAND ARGUMENTS


  Most  Shell  commands  accept command arguments.  A command argument specifies
  the object upon which the command will act.  Very often, the required argument
  is a pathname.  For example,


           $ CRD //dickens/barb/ref_guide  <RETURN>


  creates the subdirectory  "ref_guide"  in  the  directory  "barb".    In  this
  example,  the pathname, //dickens/barb/ref_guide is the command argument.  You
  can specify more than one argument for many of the Shell commands.    Separate
  commands  from  arguments,  and one argument from another, with a blank space.
  For more information on pathnames, type:


         $ HELP PATHNAME



  o  SHELL COMMAND OPTIONS


  You can modify most Shell commands by specifying one or more command  options.
  Precede each option with a space and a hyphen.  Do not include a space between
  the hyphen and the option.  For example,


           $ PRF my_file -PR spin


  prints  a  copy of my_file on a spinwriter.  The -PR name option specifies the
  printer name.


  o  REDIRECTING SHELL COMMAND INPUT AND OUTPUT


  When you use a Shell command, the Shell normally reads  your  input  from  the
  Shell  command  line and directs output to the process transcript pad. You can
  change where the the Shell gets input and sends output. For information  about
  how  to  do  so,  see  the section on INPUT/OUTPUT CONTROL in Chapter 3 of the
  DOMAIN System Command Reference Manual.