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TOPS-20 Commands Reference Manual

CREATE

Invokes your defined editor to create a file.

Format

@CREATE (FILE) /switch(es) filespec

where:

Summary of CREATE Command Switches (defaults in boldface)

Characteristics

Input Mode and Edit Mode

The CREATE command runs the EDIT system program, first in Input mode and then in Edit mode. (However, see also Special Cases, below.) Input mode automatically begins each line with a line number (unless you have given the /NONUMBER switch), and allows you to put any alphabetic or numeric information into the file. When you have finished doing this and press the ESCAPE key, the EDIT program puts you into Edit mode and prompts you with an asterisk (*), just as if you had typed the EDIT command with the specifications of the newly-created file as argument. If you want to save the file in its present state, give the E (for end) command to the EDIT program. Otherwise, you can give any other EDIT command to change or add to the file before saving it.

Hints

Saving Backup Files Periodically

Give the /ISAVE:n switch to save an updated copy of the file you are creating after every n lines inserted. Then you will lose only a few lines of input in the event of a system failure. The similar /SAVE:n switch is useful for the CREATE command only in Edit mode, where it saves an updated copy of the file after every n EDIT program commands that modify the file.

SWITCH.INI File

If there is a group of CREATE command switches that you always or often use with CREATE or EDIT commands, put them into a file of specification SWITCH.INI in your log-in directory, in a line of that file beginning with EDIT:abc, where abc is any set of characters you choose to identify the line. Then if you include the single switch /OPTION:abc when you give a CREATE or EDIT command, all these switches will be in effect.

Further Information

For more information about the EDIT program, see the TOPS-20 EDIT Reference Manual.

Special Cases

Using an Editor Other than EDIT

The CREATE, EDIT, and PERUSE command descriptions in this manual assume that these commands call on the EDIT program for their action. If your job uses another editing program, for example EDT, the switches and examples shown here will not be applicable.

The editor used by CREATE, EDIT, and PERUSE is specified by logical name EDITOR:, so you can find out the name of this program by giving the command, INFORMATION LOGICAL-NAMES EDITOR:. The job-wide definition (if any) will be given first, followed by the system-wide definition; the job-wide definition prevails if both exist. If the definition of EDITOR: is SYS:EDIT.EXE, the CREATE, EDIT and PERUSE commands will function as described in this manual. Otherwise, you must consult the appropriate manual (for example, the EDT-20 Reference Manual) for information.

You can use the DEFINE command to define logical name EDITOR: to be any editing program available at your installation. Then this editor will be in effect when you give the CREATE or EDIT command.

Effect on Memory

The CREATE command clears any unkept forks from memory, then loads the editor program defined by the logical name EDITOR.

Related Commands

Examples

1. Create a file.

   @CREATE FILE1.TXT
   Input: FILE1.TXT.1
   00100   !THIS IS A SHORT TEXT FILE.
   00200   $
   *E
   
   [FILE.TXT.1]
   

2. Create and edit (using the P and R commands to the EDIT system program) another file.

   @CREATE FILEB.TXT
   Input:FILEB.TXT.1
   00100   !THIS IS ANOTHER SHORT TEXT FILE.
   00200   $
   *P
   00100   !THIS IS ANOTHER SHORT TEXT FILE.
   *R100
   00100   !THIS IS A SECOND TEXT FILE.
   00200   $
   1 Lines (00100/1) deleted
   *P
   00100   !THIS IS A SECOND TEXT FILE.
   *E
   
   [FILEB.TXT.1]
   

3. Create, then execute, a FORTRAN program.

   @CREATE FILEE.FOR
   Input: FILEE.FOR.1
   00100   C       THIS IS A SHORT TEST PROGRAM.
   00200           TYPE 101
   00300   101     FORMAT ( ' THIS IS ONLY A FORTRAN TEST.')
   00400           END
   00500
   *E
   
   [FILEE.FOR.1]
   @EXECUTE FILEE.FOR
   FORTRAN: FILEE
   MAIN.
   LINK:   Loading
   [LNKXCT FILEE Execution]
   
   THIS IS ONLY A FORTRAN TEST.
   
   END OF EXECUTION.
   CPU TIME: 0.04  ELAPSED TIME: 0.44
   EXIT