02/13/84 com_err_ The com_err_ subroutine is the principal subroutine used by commands for printing error messages. It is usually called with a nonzero status code to report an unusual status condition. It can also be called with a code of 0 to report an error which does not have a status code associated with it. Status codes are described in the Programmer's Reference Manual. See also the active_fnc_err_ subroutine which should be used by active functions for printing error messages. Entry points in com_err_: (List is generated by the help command) :Entry: com_err_: 02/13/84 com_err_ Function: formats an error message and then signals the command_error condition. The default handler for this condition simply returns control to the com_err_ subroutine, which then writes the error message on the error_output I/O switch. Syntax: declare com_err_ entry options (variable); call com_err_ (code, caller, control_string, arg1, ..., argN); Arguments: code is a standard status code, which normally is fixed binary (35), but can be any computational data type. (Input) If it is not already fixed binary (35), it will be converted to fixed binary (35). caller is the name (char(*)) of the procedure calling the com_err_ subroutine. (Input) It can be either varying or nonvarying. control_string is an ioa_ subroutine control string (char(*)). (Input) This argument is optional (see "Notes" below). argI are ioa_ subroutine arguments to be substituted into the control_string argument. (Input) These arguments are optional. They can only be used, however, if the control_string argument is given first (see "Notes" below). Notes: The error message prepared by the com_err_ subroutine has the following format: caller: system_message user_message caller is the name of the program detecting the error. system_message is a standard message from the error table corresponding to the value of code. If code is equal to 0, no system_message is printed. user_message is constructed by the ioa_ subroutine from the control_string and argI arguments. If the control_string and argI arguments are omitted, no user_message is printed. If code is error_table_$active_function, com_err_ will print a slightly different message and signal the active_function_error condition to prevent the command from being restarted. The message printed will be: caller: This command cannot be invoked as an active function. user_message error: Attempt to invoke command caller as an active function. If the com_err_ subroutine is passed a nonzero code that does not correspond to a standard format error table entry, the system_message is of the form: Code ddd where ddd is the decimal representation of code. The argument caller must not be null or blank; if it is, the handlers for command_error cannot identify the signalling procedure. :Entry: suppress_name: 02/13/84 com_err_$suppress_name Function: This entry point should be used when the caller name and colon are not wanted. The caller name is still passed to the command_error condition handler. Otherwise, this entry point is the same as the com_err_ entry point. Syntax: declare com_err_$suppress_name entry options (variable); call com_err_$suppress_name (code, caller, control_string, arg1, ..., argN); Arguments: code is a standard status code, which normally is fixed binary (35), but can be any computational data type. (Input) If it is not already fixed binary (35), it will be converted to fixed binary (35). caller is the name (char(*)) of the procedure calling the com_err_ subroutine. (Input) It can be either varying or nonvarying. control_string is an ioa_ subroutine control string (char(*)). (Input) This argument is optional. argI are ioa_ subroutine arguments to be substituted into the control_string argument. (Input) These arguments are optional. They can only be used, however, if the control_string argument is given first. Notes: See "Notes" under the com_err_ entry point. ----------------------------------------------------------- Historical Background This edition of the Multics software materials and documentation is provided and donated to Massachusetts Institute of Technology by Group BULL including BULL HN Information Systems Inc. as a contribution to computer science knowledge. This donation is made also to give evidence of the common contributions of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Bell Laboratories, General Electric, Honeywell Information Systems Inc., Honeywell BULL Inc., Groupe BULL and BULL HN Information Systems Inc. to the development of this operating system. Multics development was initiated by Massachusetts Institute of Technology Project MAC (1963-1970), renamed the MIT Laboratory for Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence in the mid 1970s, under the leadership of Professor Fernando Jose Corbato. Users consider that Multics provided the best software architecture for managing computer hardware properly and for executing programs. Many subsequent operating systems incorporated Multics principles. Multics was distributed in 1975 to 2000 by Group Bull in Europe , and in the U.S. by Bull HN Information Systems Inc., as successor in interest by change in name only to Honeywell Bull Inc. and Honeywell Information Systems Inc. . ----------------------------------------------------------- Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute these programs and their documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted,provided that the below copyright notice and historical background appear in all copies and that both the copyright notice and historical background and this permission notice appear in supporting documentation, and that the names of MIT, HIS, BULL or BULL HN not be used in advertising or publicity pertaining to distribution of the programs without specific prior written permission. Copyright 1972 by Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Honeywell Information Systems Inc. Copyright 2006 by BULL HN Information Systems Inc. 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