🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <873@rti-sel.UUCP> rcb@rti-sel.UUCP (Random) writes:
>
>>Most Unix programs will print out a line or so of "usage" diagnostics if you
>>invoke them with bogus arguments.  Do VMS programs do this?
>>
>
>No. VMS programs will not let you invoke them with bogus arguments. Since
>the arguments are parsed by DCL before the program is invoked, if you give
>too many parameters or an unknown switch DCL will reject it with an error
>message that points out the specific problem.

	Oh, *great*:-) How does the DCL parse the arguments for a user
written application program?? I can't see how it can do this without
some rather messy interface requirements.  This really sounds like a
way to make user-written programs second class citizens on the system.
I think the individual program is better qualified to analyse its own
arguments, whay is really needed is a *standard* for this, like getopts(3)!
-- 

				Sarima (Stanley Friesen)

UUCP: {ttidca|ihnp4|sdcrdcf|quad1|nrcvax|bellcore|logico}!psivax!friesen
ARPA: ??