[301,062] account contents VAL a terminal I/O package This directory contains a set of terminal input and output routines which provide the writer of application programs with facilities such as defaults, range checking and an interface to a command language system. The routines are FORTRAN or MACRO callable and require 11M V3.2 or higher. It is intended that by the use of this package programs may be given more power for very little effort and users may be provided with a more forgiving interface than is obtained with FORTRAN input. The use of these routines is also required if the CLONE command language described in the UIC [301,63] is to be used. VAL provides the following basic features: 1. Free format input. Values are type converted as required and may be presented multiply on a line. Values are accepted in exponent form (ex. 1.65E3). 2. Output formatting in a single statement. The combination of the format string with the argument list simplifies writing and reading programs. 3. A default value may be specified in an input request and will be returned if the reply is CR or ';'. 4. Range limits may be specified for any value requested. If the reply is out of range an error message is printed and the question is re-posed. If ? is replied to any question the details of the type and range of the item required will be printed. 5. Replying to any question with CTRL-Z causes a user specified abort routine to be called. The programmer then has the choice of closing files and exiting, performing some special function or ignoring the interruption. 6. The prompt is included in the input call. This permits a question to be interrupted (by a range error for example) and the question to be re-posed on return. 7. Input and output calls may be easily issued from assembly code programs and routines. 8. All input and output is under user control. It is thus simple to interface to some form of command language and provide extensive task control features. The current implementation supports the CLONE command language. The special characters @ and ESCAPE invoke the CLONE processor. See the CLONE users guide for further details of the CLONE system. See README.2ND for installation details. Dave Plummer Division of Biophysics, Department of Radiology UCLA Center for the Health Sciences 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los angeles, CA 90024 USA. (213) 825 8113