VAX OPS5 Reference Manual

This "VAX OPS5 Reference Manual," with order number AA-EZ19C-TE and dated May 1989, provides a comprehensive description of the components of VAX OPS5. It is designed as a reference tool for programmers writing VAX OPS5 programs, assuming a basic understanding of VAX OPS5 and some familiarity with the VMS operating system. This document supersedes the earlier AA-EZ19B-TE version.

The manual is structured into three main parts:

• Part I: VAX OPS5 Components This section introduces the core elements of the VAX OPS5 system. It describes the VAX OPS5 structure, including Working Memory (a global database of elements with class names and attributes), Productions (condition-action rules with a Left-Hand Side for matching and a Right-Hand Side for actions), and the Recognize-Act Cycle (the continuous process of matching, conflict resolution, and acting). It also details the various types of Atoms (symbolic, integer, floating-point, and quoted) and basic Program Elements (declarations, executable statements, and comments).

• Part II: Writing VAX OPS5 Programs This part explains how to develop programs using VAX OPS5. It covers:

  • Using VAX OPS5 Statements, Actions, and Functions: This includes initializing a program, modifying working memory (creating, deleting, and changing elements), copying atoms, saving and restoring the program state, stopping execution, binding variables, performing arithmetic computations, and handling input/output operations. It also describes controlling program loops and using system-generated atoms.
  • Using Routines Written in Other VAX Languages: This section details how a VAX OPS5 program can call external routines (functions or subroutines written in other VAX languages) and how a VAX OPS5 program can be called as a subroutine. It explains concepts like the Result Element, declaring and calling external routines, handling data type conversions, and synchronizing asynchronous system traps (ASTs).

• Part III: VAX OPS5 Operator, Declaration, Statement, Action, Function, Command, and Support-Routine Descriptions This section serves as an alphabetical reference, providing detailed descriptions of:

  • Operators: Symbols like ^ (attribute), = (equal), <> (not equal), > (greater than), < (less than), { } (conjunction), << >> (disjunction), // (quote), and \\ (unquote).
  • Declarations: Statements for defining attributes (LITERALIZE, LITERAL, VECTOR-ATTRIBUTE) and external routines (EXTERNAL).
  • Statements: Program control structures like CATCH, PRODUCTION, and STARTUP.
  • Actions: Operations performed by productions, such as MAKE, MODIFY, REMOVE, BIND, WRITE, OPENFILE, CLOSEFILE, HALT, SAVESTATE, RESTORESTATE, ADDSTATE, AFTER, BUILD, CALL, and CBIND.
  • Functions: Operations that return a value, including ACCEPT, ACCEPTLINE, COMPUTE, CRLF, GENATOM, LITVAL, RJUST, SUBSTR, and TABTO.
  • Command Interpreter Commands: Commands used at the OPS5 prompt for debugging and control (e.g., @, ADDSTATE, BACK, BUILD, CALL, CS, DEFAULT, DISABLE, ENABLE, EXCISE, EXIT, MAKE, MATCHES, MODIFY, NEXT, OPENFILE, PBREAK, PPWM, REMOVE, REPORT, RESTART, RUN, SAVESTATE, SHOW SPACE, STRATEGY, WATCH, WBREAK, WM).
  • Support Routines: Routines (e.g., OPS$ACCEPT, OPS$ASSERT, OPS$ATOM, OPS$CVAF, OPS$EQL, OPS$HALT, OPS$INITIALIZE, OPS$PARAMETER) for enabling communication and operations between VAX OPS5 and external routines.

Additionally, Appendix A covers the %INCLUDE compiler directive. The manual specifies compatibility with VMS Version 5.1 or higher for the VAX OPS5 Development Environment, and VMS Version 5.0 or higher for the VAX OPS5 compiler and run-time system (VAX OPS5 Version 3.0).