From:	CSBVAX::MRGATE!RELAY-INFO-VAX@CRVAX.SRI.COM@SMTP 15-SEP-1988 01:38
To:	ARISIA::EVERHART
Subj:	RE: Emulating argc/argv in VMS (using Pascal)...


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Date: 14 Sep 88 11:36:00 EST
From: "IVAX::IJAH400" <ijah400%ivax.decnet@gold.bacs.indiana.edu>
Subject: RE: Emulating argc/argv in VMS (using Pascal)...
To: "info-vax" <info-vax@kl.sri.com>


njin!limonce@rutgers.edu  (Tom Limoncelli) writes in message i.d.
<Sep.10.15.10.10.1988.22351@pilot.njin.net>:
< I am writing a program in VaxPascal.  I need to be able to pass it
< parameters.  I've been messing with Lib$Get_foreign and it's not
< working.  It asks for the parameter from sys$input no matter
< what.

Since we don't have v5.0 yet (we're still running v4.7), I don't have
the PL/1 example; but given below is an example of using LIB$GET_FOREIGN
from a Pascal program.  If you want prompting if no arguments are given,
see the description of the user_prompt and force_prompt arguments in
the entry for LIB$GET_FOREIGN in the Run-Time Library Routines Reference
Manual...
[PHOTO: Recording initiated 14-SEP-1988 11:07]
$ type example.pas
[inherit ('SYS$LIBRARY:STARLET')]
program example (output);

type
    string = varying [256] of char;
    unsigned_byte = [byte] 0..255;
    unsigned_word = [word] 0..65535;

var
    status: integer;
    command_line: string;

[external] function LIB$GET_FOREIGN (
    %descr GET_STR : [writeonly] varying [u1] of char;
    %descr USER_PROMPT : [readonly] varying [u2] of char := %immed 0;
    %ref OUT_LEN : [writeonly] unsigned_word := %immed 0;
    %ref FORCE_PROMPT : [readonly] integer := %immed 0)
    : integer;  extern;

begin { example }
    status := LIB$GET_FOREIGN (GET_STR := command_line);
    if odd(status) then
	writeln(output,'LIB$GET_FOREIGN returned ',command_line)
    else
        $EXIT(status)
end { example }.
$ pascal example
$ link example
$ run example
LIB$GET_FOREIGN returned
$ example :== $sys$disk:[]example
$ example
LIB$GET_FOREIGN returned
$ example just echos the command line
LIB$GET_FOREIGN returned JUST ECHOS THE COMMAND LINE
$ example "use quotes to preserve case"
LIB$GET_FOREIGN returned "use quotes to preserve case"
$ logout
  Process PHOTO_6E2E logged out at 14-SEP-1988 11:08:42.19
[PHOTO: Recording terminated 14-SEP-1988 11:08 EXAMPLE.LOG;1]

Hope this helps...

     - Jim Harvey, Analyst/Programmer, IUPUI Computing Services
     ijah400@indyvax (bitnet) or ijah400%ivax.decnet@gold.bacs.indiana.edu