Concise Command Language

Concise Command Language (CCL)
Developer(s)	Digital Equipment Corporation
Operating system	OS/8, TOPS-10, RT-11, RSTS/E
Platform	PDP-6, PDP-8, PDP-10, PDP-11
Successor	DIGITAL Command Language (DCL)
Available in	English
Type	Command shell

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. ^[1]

The first operating system to include CCL was DEC's TOPS-10. ^[2]

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 DOT is a monitor prompt and the Star/Asterisk is an application prompt)

The PDP-10 monitor (later called TOPS-10) had CCL. Key to its improvements over its predecessor were: ^[2]

• 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. ^[1]

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.
PRINT	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[ citation needed ]
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

1. "Concise Command Language" (CCL). "OS/8 Handbook" (PDF). Digital Equipment Corporation. April 1974. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
2. Peter Clark (July 1982). "DEC TIMESHARING (1965)". The DEC Professional. p. 34.