04/05/85  config_edit, config

Syntax as a command:  config {file_name}


Function:  enters the config deck editor.  This editor is identical in
function to the qedx text editor, except that buffer 0 contains a copy
(in ASCII source form) of the config deck.  This command is not valid
at the "crash" command level.


Arguments:
file_name
   is the name of a file to be read into the config deck.


Notes:  If a file_name is supplied on the command line, the specified
file is read into the config deck without entering the config deck
editor.

If a file_name is not supplied, the current config deck (that found in
the CONF partition on the RPV) is read into buffer 0.  It is converted
to a labeled ASCII form which is an expanded form of that used in the
configuration card description section.  Arbitrary text editing
operations may be performed on this buffer, as well as any other.
Performing a w (write) request on buffer 0 writes the edited buffer
back into the config deck.


The read (r) and write (w) requests (when used with a file name) may be
used to insert a file into the copy of the config deck or to make a
copy of the config deck in a file, respectively.  When used with a file
name, these two requests do not change the default file name of
config_edit's copy of the config deck.  When used without a file name,
these two requests always refer to config_edit's copy of the config
deck.

The qedx request line 1,$dr can be used to restore the original config
deck if no write request has been performed.  If a write request has
been performed, this request line will only discard those changes made
since the most recent write.


In the labeled format, each field on a config card, except for the card
name, may be optionally preceded by a label.  Labeled fields may appear
in any order.  The interpretation of a card in labeled form is that all
labeled fields are placed into their proper places; any unlabeled
fields then fill in the missing spaces.  Thus,

      iom -state on -port 1 a nsa

becomes

      iom a 1 nsa on

in its standard format.


The various labeled formats are described in the Multics System
Maintenance Procedures manual, Order No.  AM81.  If a card is to be
entered whose format has been locally changed or whose format or type
is otherwise unknown, a "."  may be placed in front of the card name to
avoid errors during parsing of the card.  Such a card may not have any
labeled fields.

Refer to the discussion under "Config Deck and Device Accessibility" in
the Multics System Maintenance Procedures manual, Order No.  AM81, for
details on the implications of the use of this command.

See the description of the qedx command in the Multics Commands and
Active Functions manual, Order No.  AG92, for complete information on
qedx requests and their options.


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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