Concise Command Language (CCL) was the term used by Digital Equipment Corporation for the Command-line interpreter / User interface supplied on several of their computing systems; its successor was named DIGITAL Command Language (DCL).
CCL provides the user with an extensive set of terminal commands.
The first system to include CCL was DEC's PDP-10.
History
The PDP-6 monitor came with a simple set of commands. To compile and run a FORTRAN program, one would
- .R F4 --- invoke the FORTRAN compiler
- *DTA1:PROG3=DTA2:PROG3,SUB3A,SUB3B --- specify binary output and source input
- .R LOADER 30 --- invoke the loader, allocate 30K of memory
- *DTA1:PROG3 --- specify binary object to load
- *SYS:/S --- let the loader find the appropriate subroutine libraries
- .SAVE DTA1:PROG3 --- write the executable to DTA1
The PDP-10 had CCL. Key to its improvements over its predecessor were:3
- multi-step commands: .EX PROG3,SUB3A,SUB3B
- would check to see if any of the 3 needed to be recompiled (and did so if necessary)
- run the object program loader (including needed subroutine libraries)
- start running the program
- advanced command file: .EX @RUNPROG3.CMD
- would run the command(s) in the .CMD file
Commands
The following table contains a list of CCL commands.4
List of CCL commands| CCL command(full form) | CCL command(short form) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| BACKSPACE | BAC | Runs CAMP. A magnetic tape or cassette is spaced backward a specified number of files or records. |
| BOOT | BO | |
| CCL | CCL | Disables the CCL program on the OS/8 Keyboard Monitor residing on the system device. |
| COMPARE | COMP | Runs SRCCOM. Compares/shows differences between two source files. Although line by line, permits "catch up." |
| COMPILE | COM | Produces binary files and/or compilation listings for specified program files. |
| COPY | COP | Transfers files from one I/O device to another. |
| CORE | COR | |
| CREATE | CREA | Runs EDIT and opens a new file for creation. |
| CREF | CREF | |
| DATE | DA | |
| DEASSIGN | DEA | |
| DELETE | DEL | Deletes one or more files from disk or DECtape. |
| DIRECT | DIR | |
| EDIT | ED | Runs EDIT. Opens an already existing file for editing. |
| EOF | EOF | |
| EXECUTE | EXE | |
| HELP | HE | Prints information on specified OS/8 programs. |
| LIST | LI | |
| LOAD | LO | |
| MAKE | MAK | Runs TECO. Opens the specified file for output. |
| MAP | MAP | Runs BITMAP. |
| MUNG | MUNG | Runs a TECO Macro; command line parameters give added adaptability. |
| PAL | PAL | Runs PAL8. Assembles the source file specified as the argument. |
| PRI | Runs a program named LPTSPL. | |
| PUNCH | PU | Runs PIP. Punches the file specified on paper tape. |
| RENAME | REN | Renames one or more files on disk or DECtape. |
| RES | RES | Runs RESORC. |
| REWIND | REW | |
| SKIP | SKIP | |
| SQUISH | SQ | Runs PIP's "squeeze" / defrag tool |
| SUBMIT | SU | Runs the BATCH program. |
| TECO | TE | (Text Editor and COrrector, a sophisticated text editor with MACRO capabilities). |
| TYPE | TY | |
| UA | UA | |
| UB | UB | |
| UC | UC | |
| UNLOAD | UNL | |
| VERSION | VER | Prints the version numbers of the OS/8 Keyboard Monitor and CCL. |
| ZERO | ZERO |
References
"Concise Command Language" (CCL)."OS/8 Handbook" (PDF). Digital Equipment Corporation. April 1974. Retrieved 1 May 2024. http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/dec/pdp8/os8/OS8_Handbook_Apr1974.pdf ↩
Peter Clark (July 1982). "DEC TIMESHARING (1965)". The DEC Professional. p. 34. ↩
Peter Clark (July 1982). "DEC TIMESHARING (1965)". The DEC Professional. p. 34. ↩
"Concise Command Language" (CCL)."OS/8 Handbook" (PDF). Digital Equipment Corporation. April 1974. Retrieved 1 May 2024. http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/dec/pdp8/os8/OS8_Handbook_Apr1974.pdf ↩