WrenGROGGS options and switches

WrenGROGGS commands take command-line arguments that are classified into :

Options - key/value pairs.
Switches - flags, indicated by a leading '/'.
Parameters - arguments which are not switches, or part of key/value pairs.

WrenGROGGS isn't very good at spotting mistakes in its parameters (this is a side effect of the way it emulates the PHOENIX keying system). It will quite happily allow you to shoot yourself in the foot - be careful, and if in doubt, always use a key.

The following switches and options are defined by default. Any command will accept them, but most won't do anything with them (since eg. greaditem /latest is a nonsensical instruction). The switches and options relevant to a particular command are listed in that commands entry in the command index.

from <filename> - Take input from this file.
to <filename> - Send output to this file.
ver <filename> - Send debugging, informational, and error output to this file.
grogname <grogname> - Set my grogname to this for the duration of the action.
item <item> - With respect to this item.
using <editor> - Use this editor.
pagewaiter <pagewaiter> - Use this pagewaiter.
level <level> - Attempt to log on at this access level.
server <hostname:port> - Attempt to log on to this server.
user <userid> - Attempt to log on as this user.
last <number> - display only the last 'number' days worth of entries.
hours <number> - display only the last 'number' hours worth of entries.
rclevel <number> - changes error reporting levels. There is additional documentation on the allowable values for this.
/check - On exit from an editor, check that no-one else has replied since you last read the item - equivalent to setting GROGCHANGE = 'yes'.
/test - Don't output anything, just tell me if you had something to say or not (eg. in gindex and gnewitems - return with code 0 iff there was something in the index).
/display - Don't use a pagewaiter - write the data direct to the terminal.
/latest - Only show the latest index entry for each item (ie. show items as they would appear in 'readnew', if it still existed).
/stdin - Take data from standard input rather than a file or terminal.
/secureterm - It's OK to display secrets on this terminal.
/expert - I know what I'm doing - don't warn me when I shoot myself in the foot.
/editwhole - Instead of displaying an item and then putting it in the editor, just dump me in the editor with the item and a separator line, and eliminate all text up to the separator line when I exit.

All filenames are '~' and '//' processed before being used (ie. '~' expands to the name of the calling users home directory, and '//' means '/' - eg. /usr/groups/m3//spong -> /spong).

You can find out more about how WrenGROGGS deals with stdin, stdout, stderr, and about the input, output and ver datasets here.

Back to configuration or the WrenGROGGS home page.

Last modified: Tue Sep 19 17:34:20 1995

Richard Watts <Richard.Watts@cl.cam.ac.uk>