Enform Plus Reference Manual

Enform Plus Reference Manual—422684-001
6-1
6
Commands
This section contains a complete description of the syntax of the Enform Plus
commands. The commands are arranged in alphabetic order.
Enform Plus commands are compiler directives that instruct the Enform Plus
compiler/report writer to perform a specific operation. The compiler/report writer
recognizes a command by the presence of a question mark in column 1. You can either
enter commands at the level of the Enform Plus prompt (>) or place commands in an
Edit-format file. Enform Plus executes commands in an Edit-format file as if they were
entered interactively with one exception: Enform Plus ignores a ?RUN command in an
Edit-format file.
The following commands are not saved in a compiled query file (created by the
?COMPILE command): ?ATTACH, ?COMPILE, ?EDIT, ?EXECUTE, ?EXIT, ?HELP,
?OUT, ?RUN, ?SECTION, ?SHOW, ?SOURCE. For this reason, these commands cannot
be used:
•
Through the host-language interface (described in the Enform User's Guide). The
host-language interface requires a compiled query file.
•
When you specify the ?EXECUTE command. The ?EXECUTE command can be
used only with a compiled query file.
•
If the file name specified in the IN option of the ENFORM command is a compiled
query file.
Table 6-1
lists the Enform Plus commands and their functions.
Table 6-1. Summary of Commands (page 1 of 2)
Command Function
?ASSIGN Associates a new physical file with a record description.
?ATTACH Specifies a query processor (QP) to use during an Enform Plus
session.
?COMPILE Compiles an Enform Plus query and saves it in a compiled
query file.
?DICTIONARY Names a subvolume that contains a dictionary. It also clears the
internal table and reclaims table space.
?EDIT Accesses the Text Editor without leaving Enform Plus.
?EXECUTE Executes a compiled query file.
?EXIT Terminates the current Enform Plus session.
?HELP Displays information about the syntax of the Enform Plus
language. This command can also display user-defined
information.
?OUT Specifies the output device for a report.