03/21/85 x

Syntax as a command:  x function {args}


Function:  allows drivers to execute an admin exec_com on a
site-defined basis.


Arguments:
function
   is a site-defined function name.


Control arguments:
   are any arguments needed to implement function.


Notes:  When the user issues the x command, the driver constructs the
command line:

      exec_com >ddd>idd>NAME function {args}

where function and args are as above; NAME is either
<major_device>_admin.ec for standard drivers or <station_id>_admin.ec
for remote drivers.  If NAME is not found, the driver will look for the
default of iod_admin.ec.  Added names can be used to group exec_coms
into categories.


An I/O daemon admin exec_com is written by a site administrator to
provide site-defined driver x command functions.  The use of admin
exec_coms is optional, but when missing, the driver x command will not
work.  See the Multics System Maintenance Procedures manual, Order No.
AM81, for the application of the admin exec_com to the creation of a
driver-to-driver message facility.


Each I/O daemon admin exec_com is located in the >ddd>idd directory and
follows standard exec_com rules.  There are two types of admin
exec_coms:  general and device specific.  These differ only in segment
name, to allow the site to separate x command functions by device name
(station_id for remote stations).  The iod_admin.ec segment is the
general exec_com and will be used by any driver that cannot find a
device-specific exec_com.  A <device>_admin.ec segment is a
device-specific exec_com for the given major device; for example,
prta_admin.ec is specific to device prta.  Added names can be used to
group several devices under a single device-specific exec_com.


The Multics command iod_command may be used within an admin exec_com to
execute arbitrary I/O daemon commands.  For example:

      iod_command defer_time 30

may be used in an admin exec_com to change the auto defer time limit
for the current driver to 30 minutes.

When writing an I/O daemon admin exec_com, the administrator must
remember that the process that executes it will, most likely, have full
SysDaemon access and privileges to the system.  Therefore, care must be
given in choosing what functions should be placed at the hands of a
remote station operator or an inexperienced device operator.


The Multics command iod_command may be used within an admin exec_com to
execute arbitrary I/O daemon commands.  For example:

      iod_command defer_time 30

may be used in an admin exec_com to change the auto defer time limit
for the current driver to 30 minutes.


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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. .

                                          -----------------------------------------------------------

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