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Diffstat (limited to 'static/unix-v10/man1/form.1')
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diff --git a/static/unix-v10/man1/form.1 b/static/unix-v10/man1/form.1 new file mode 100644 index 00000000..4087d531 --- /dev/null +++ b/static/unix-v10/man1/form.1 @@ -0,0 +1,84 @@ +.pa 1 +.he 'FORM (I)'6/15/72'FORM (I)' +.ti 0 +NAME +.br +form -- form letter generator +.sp +.ti 0 +SYNOPSIS +.br +form____ proto arg918 ... +.sp +.ti 0 +DESCRIPTION +.br +form____ generates a form letter from a prototype +letter, an associative memory, arguments and in a special case, the +current date. +.sp +If form____ is invoked with the proto_____ argument 'x', the associative memory is +searched for an entry with name 'x' and the contents filed under that name are +used as the prototype. If the search fails, the message "[x]:" is typed on +the console and whatever text is typed in from the console, terminated by +two new lines, is used as the prototype. +.sp +If the prototype argument is missing, '{letter}' is assumed. +.sp +Basically, form____ is a copy process from the prototype to the output file. +If an element of the form [n] (where n_ is a digit from 1 to 9) is encountered, +the n_th argument arg___9n8 is inserted in its place, and that argument is then +rescanned. If [0] is encountered, the current date is inserted. If +the desired argument has not been given, a message of the form "[n]:" is +typed. The response typed in then is used for that argument. +.sp +If an element of the form [name] or {name} is encountered, the name is looked up in the +associative memory. If it is found, the contents of the memory under this +name replaces the original element (again rescanned). If +the name is not found, a message of the form "[name]:" is typed. +The response typed in is used for that element. The response is +entered in the memory under the name if the name is enclosed in []. +The response is not entered in the memory but is remembered for the +duration of the letter if the name is enclosed in {}. +.sp +In both of the above cases, the response is typed in by entering +arbitrary text terminated by two new lines. Only the first of the +two new lines is passed with the text. +.sp +If one of the special characters [{]}\\ is preceded by +a \\, it loses its special character. +.sp +If a file named "forma" already exists in the users directory, "formb" is +used as the output file and so forth to "formz". +.sp +The file "form.m" is created if none exists. Because form.m is +operated on by the disc allocater, it should only be changed by using +fed___, the form letter editor, or form____. +.sp +.fi +.ti 0 +FILES +.br +form.m associative memory +.br +form? output file (read only) +.sp +.fi +.ti 0 +SEE ALSO +.br +fed(I), type(I), roff(I) +.sp +.fi +.ti 0 +DIAGNOSTICS +.br +"cannot open output file" "cannot open memory file" +when the appropriate files cannot be located or created. +.sp +.fi +.ti 0 +BUGS +.br +An unbalanced ] or } acts as an end of file but +may add a few strange entries to the associative memory. |