10/20/86 describe_list, dls

Syntax as a command:  dls path {-control_args}


Syntax as an active function:  [dls path {-control_args}]


Function:  displays information about a lister file.  As an active
function, return information about a lister file.


Arguments:
path
   is the pathname of the lister file.  The suffix lister must be the
   last component of the lister segment name; however, if path does not
   have a suffix of lister, one is assumed.


Control arguments:
-delimiter {record|field}, -dm {record|field}
   displays the value of the record or field delimiter.  If the record
   and field keywords are omitted, then both delimiters are printed.
-field_name, -fn
   displays the field_names in the lister file.
-header, -he
   prints a heading line.  A header is normally printed if none of -dm,
   -tt and -fn are specified.
-no_header
   omits the heading line.
-select STR, -sel STR
   specifies those records to be indicated by the -total control
   argument.  If this control argument is not specified, then the total
   number of records in the file is used.


-total, -tt
   displays the total number of records.


Notes:  If no control arguments are given, or only the -select control
argument is given, then the record and field delimiters, total, and the
field names are displayed.


If none or more than one of -delimiter {record|field}, -total, or
-field_name are specified, the values are returned in the following
order:  record_delimiter, field_delimiter, total, and field_names.


The describe_list command sets the "lister" severity indicator.  A
severity of 2 is set when the information is not returned or the
invocation of describe_list terminates abnormally.  A severity of 1 is
set when the information is returned but no records match the selection
expression.  A severity of 0 is set when the information is returned
and at least one record matches the selection expression.


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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