01/24/82  Standard subsystem request:  help

Syntax:  help {topics} {-control_args}


Function:  prints information about various subsystem topics including
detailed descriptions of most subsystem requests.


Arguments:
topics
   are the topics on which information is to be printed.  The topics
   available within a subsystem can be determined by using the
   list_help request if available.


Control arguments:
   The most useful control arguments for the help request are:
-title
   prints section titles and section line counts, then asks if the user
   wants to see the first paragraph of information.
-brief, -bf
   prints only a summary of a request or active request, including the
   Syntax section, list of arguments, control arguments, etc.
-section STRs, -scn STRs
   begins printing at the section whose title contains all the strings
   STRs.  By default, printing begins at the top of the information.
-search STRs, -srh STRs
   begins printing with the paragraph containing all the strings STRs.
   By default, printing begins at the top of the information.


List of responses:
   The most useful responses which can be given to questions asked by
   the help request are:
yes, y
   prints the next paragraph of information on this topic.
no, n
   stops printing information for this topic and proceeds to the next
   topic if any.
quit, q
   stops printing information for this topic and returns to the
   subsystem's request level.


rest {-scn}, r {-scn}
   prints remaining information for this topic without intervening
   questions.  If -section or -scn is given, help prints only the rest
   of the current section without questions and then asks if the user
   wants to see the next section.
title {-top}
   lists titles and line counts of the sections which follow; if -top
   or -t is given, help lists all section titles.  help then repeats
   the previous question after titles are printed.


section {STRs} {-top},
scn {STRs} {-top}
   skips to the next section whose title contains all the strings STRs.
   If -top or -t is given, title searching starts at the top of the
   information.  If STRs are omitted, help uses the STRs from the
   previous section response or the -section control argument.
search {STRs} {-top},
srh {STRs} {-top}
   skips to the next paragraph containing all the strings STRs.  If
   -top or -t is given, searching starts at top of the information.  If
   STRs are omitted, help uses the STRs from the previous search
   response or the -search control argument.


skip {-scn} {-seen}
s {-scn} {-seen}
   skips to the next paragraph.  If -section or -scn is given, skips
   all paragraphs of the current section.  If -seen is given, skips to
   the next paragraph which the user has not seen.  Only one control
   argument is allowed in each skip response.


?
   prints the list of responses allowed to help queries.
.
   prints "help" to identify the current interactive environment.
.. command_line
   treats the remainder of the response as a Multics command line.


Notes:
If given no topic names, the help request will explain what requests
are available in the subsystem to obtain information on the subsystem.

For a complete description of the control arguments and responses
accepted by this request, type:
   .. help help


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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