03/31/83  syn_


Function: This I/O module may be used to attach an I/O switch, x, as a
synonym for another switch, y.  Thereafter, performing an operation
other than attach or detach on x has the same effect as performing it
on y.  There is one exception: if the attach description specifies
that an operation on y is to be inhibited, performing that operation
on x results in an error code.

Entry points in the module are not called directly by users:  rather
the module is accessed through the I/O system.  See the Programmer's
Reference Manual for a general description of the input/output system
and a discussion of synonym attachments.


Syntax and Attach Description:
     syn_ switch_name {-control_arg}


Arguments:
switch_name
   is the name of the I/O switch, y, for which the attached switch, x,
   is to be a synonym.


Control arguments:
-inhibit names, -inh names
   specifies which I/O operations are to be inhibited.  The name
   arguments are separated by spaces and must be chosen from the
   following:
            open                close
            get_line            put_chars
            get_chars           write_record
            read_record         delete_record
            rewrite_record      position
            read_length         read_key
            seek_key            modes
            control


Switch Operation:  The detach operation detaches the switch x (the
switch attached via syn_).  It has no effect on the switch y for which
x is a synonym.


Inhibited Operations:  An inhibited operation returns the code
error_table_$no_operation.


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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