NET/MASTER Network Control Language (NCL) Programmer's Guide

Language Features
NCL Summary
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Table 2-4 shows some examples that illustrate this point.
Table 2-4. Nonalphanumeric Characters and the Current Context
What You Type Meaning of Nonalphanumeric Characters
&A=SUBSTR(ABC,1,2) Parentheses delimit arguments in a built-in function.
&B=((1+2)*&Z) Parentheses determine order of precedence in an expression.
&SYS.DATE.DAY Periods delimit segments in a compound variable.
&C=&D*3.5 Period is a decimal point in a number.
/* Good morning */ Asterisks are part of comment delimiters.
&E=&F*&G Asterisk is a multiplication operator.
SHRVARS=(&A*,&B*) Comma delimits items in a list.
CALL PROC1(A,B,C) Commas delimit parameters in a procedure call.
SAY "Hi: I’m here" Colon is part of an expression that evaluates to a quoted string.
LABEL1: Colon delimits a label.
SAY Hi;SAY Hi again Semicolon terminates a statement.
SAY "Hi; I’m here" Semicolon is part of an expression that evaluates to a quoted string.
For more information on how the current context affects the meaning of special
characters, refer to the discussion on compiler operation in the NonStop NET/MASTER
NCL Reference Manual.
Abbreviations You can abbreviate NonStop NET/MASTER Management Services (MS) commands
when you enter them at a command input line. Accordingly, you can abbreviate
commands in an NCL procedure. You can replace NonStop NET/MASTER MS
commands in an NCL procedure by using the %%DEFINE compiler directive. The
%%UNDEFINE compiler directive removes a replacement.
You cannot abbreviate (or replace) NCL keywords except through the use of the
compiler directive %%DEFINE. The %%UNDEFINE compiler directive removes an
abbreviation (or replacement).
Refer to individual commands in the NonStop NET/MASTER MS Command Reference
Manual for valid abbreviations. For more information on compiler directives, refer to
the discussion on compiler operation in the NonStop NET/MASTER NCL Reference
Manual.
Block Structure NCL is a block structured language. That is, its language constructs lend themselves
to creating modular code.
This feature of NCL allows you to break down a complex task into simple steps. The
main language constructs that allow you to do this are the DO, FUNCTION,
PROCEDURE, and SELECT core statements.