tcl.introduction

gateway to all Pick functionality.

The Pick System Terminal Control Language (TCL) is a system-level command language with system-defined or user-defined statements that can be executed individually or sequentially.

System-defined statements are called TCL verbs or commands. User-defined statements are: macros, menus, PROC's, and cataloged Pick/BASIC programs. The first word of a TCL statement must be either a system verb, macro, menu, PROC or cataloged Pick/BASIC program.

TCL commands can be typed in when the TCL prompt ':' (colon) (or '>', when a select list is active) displays. The completed command is entered for processing by pressing <return>, <enter>, <linefeed>, or <ctrl>+m. Because mistakes do occur, the TCL editor (UP) and TCL command stack facilities are provided. The UP/TCL editor allows corrections to commands after they are entered, but before they are executed. The 'tcl-stack' file stores every TCL command, so that they may be recalled for correction and/or execution.

AP also has Access commands. Access is a system-level information retrieval language that allows users to query data bases without writing complex programs. Access uses the TCL commands as verbs with the addition of connectives to specify how the information is to be manipulated and output.

Another feature within the TCL commands are the Spooler commands. These commands control how information is output to the printer.