02/08/85  compare_configuration_deck

Syntax as a command:
   compare_configuration_deck path1 {path2} {-control_args}


Syntax as an active function:
   [compare_configuration_deck path1 {path2}]


Function: compares either a saved copy of the configuration deck or
the configuration deck for the running system to a saved copy.
As an active function, returns either "true" or "false" to indicate
whether the two configuration decks are equivalent.


Arguments:
path1
   is the pathname of a saved copy of the configuration deck.
path2
   is the pathname of a copy of the configuration deck to be compared
   against path1.  If not supplied, >sl1>config_deck (the configuration
   deck for the running system) is used.


Control arguments:
-brief, -bf
   suppresses informational messages and printing of the identifying
   headers.
-label, -lbl
   displays cards with mnemonic labels for each field.
-long, -lg
   prints all output.  (Default)
-no_label, -nlbl
   does not display field labels.  (Default)


Notes on output format (-long mode): The long output format consists
of up to four sections, each of which is printed with an identifying
header if it is not empty.  The four sections are added cards, deleted
cards, changed cards, and mem cards.  The section for mem cards is
printed only if the order or number of mem cards in the two decks
differs; otherwise only changed mem cards are printed.  The changed
cards are listed in pairs, such as:
   Was:     mem  a  123.  on
	  mem  a  123.  off
The first line (prefaced by Was:) is the card from the saved deck and
the second is the current card.  If the two decks are different in
order or number, this is announced and both decks are printed entirely.


Notes on output format (-brief mode): The brief output format omits
the section headings and the message "The two decks are identical."
Cards are identified by preface--added cards are prefaced by "New:"
and deleted cards by "Old:".  Changed cards are listed in pairs, in
the same format as in the long output mode.  If the mem cards section
is printed, it is the last section.  The mem cards are listed in two
groups, with the first card in each group prefaced by Was: for the
first group or Now: for the second group, and all the other cards in
the group are listed with no preface.


Notes: This command is fairly accurate when identifying "changed"
cards--it knows about the cards (such as mem, cpu, etc.)  that may
appear several times and may specify multiple items and identifies them
by their operands as well as by name.  It decides that the two decks
are completely different if there appear to be more than 32 differences
between them.


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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. .

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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.
    Copyright 2006 by Bull SAS
    All Rights Reserved