PROC procedure language
Encyclopedia
PROC is the name of Pick operating system
's procedure language. PROC is comparable to a UNIX
shell script
or a DOS
/Windows
batch file
, and has similar features such as control-flow constructs
, file manipulation, subroutine
calls, and terminal input and output. The PROC language itself consists of terse macro commands. A PROC script contains a sequence of PROC language macros and PICK TCL (Terminal Control Language) commands. A PROC script is often used as a "front-end" for a program or application, interactive or not.
PROC utilizes two input buffers (primary and secondary) and two output buffers (primary and secondary). 9 file buffers. Some Pick emulations (e.g. Reality X) release extended versions of PROC, sometimes called New PROCs with an additional 9 file buffers. New PROCs are identified with a PQX or PQN on the first line of the script, whereas traditional PROCs commence with PQ.
In about 1975 an expanded version of PROC called "PORC" was developed by John Timmons and Paul Desjardins. This was then further developed by Tim Holland under the employ of SMI
in Chicago, initially called "SMILE" (SMI Language Extension?) and then renamed Realtime Programming Language
(RPL). RPL was a compiled language featuring 250 input buffers but still recognisably derived from PROC.
A number of large scale manufacturing applications were developed in RPL, including that which was in use at Plessey/GPT limited in Liverpool and also the Trifid
suite of manufacturing software.
Pick operating system
The Pick operating system is a demand-paged, multiuser, virtual memory, time-sharing operating system based around a unique "multivalued" database. Pick is used primarily for business data processing...
's procedure language. PROC is comparable to a UNIX
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
shell script
Shell script
A shell script is a script written for the shell, or command line interpreter, of an operating system. It is often considered a simple domain-specific programming language...
or a DOS
DOS
DOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
/Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
batch file
Batch file
In DOS, OS/2, and Microsoft Windows, batch file is the name given to a type of script file, a text file containing a series of commands to be executed by the command interpreter....
, and has similar features such as control-flow constructs
Control flow
In computer science, control flow refers to the order in which the individual statements, instructions, or function calls of an imperative or a declarative program are executed or evaluated....
, file manipulation, subroutine
Subroutine
In computer science, a subroutine is a portion of code within a larger program that performs a specific task and is relatively independent of the remaining code....
calls, and terminal input and output. The PROC language itself consists of terse macro commands. A PROC script contains a sequence of PROC language macros and PICK TCL (Terminal Control Language) commands. A PROC script is often used as a "front-end" for a program or application, interactive or not.
PROC utilizes two input buffers (primary and secondary) and two output buffers (primary and secondary). 9 file buffers. Some Pick emulations (e.g. Reality X) release extended versions of PROC, sometimes called New PROCs with an additional 9 file buffers. New PROCs are identified with a PQX or PQN on the first line of the script, whereas traditional PROCs commence with PQ.
In about 1975 an expanded version of PROC called "PORC" was developed by John Timmons and Paul Desjardins. This was then further developed by Tim Holland under the employ of SMI
SMI
SMI may refer to:Business:*Snow Machines, Inc., a Michigan based snowmaking equipment manufacturer.*Supplier Managed Inventory, a business model*Swiss Market Index, Switzerland's blue-chip indexCompanies:...
in Chicago, initially called "SMILE" (SMI Language Extension?) and then renamed Realtime Programming Language
Realtime Programming Language
Realtime Programming Language is a compiled database programming language used on CMC/Microdata/McDonnell Douglas REALITY Realtime Programming Language (RPL) is a compiled database programming language used on CMC/Microdata/McDonnell Douglas REALITY Realtime Programming Language (RPL) is a...
(RPL). RPL was a compiled language featuring 250 input buffers but still recognisably derived from PROC.
A number of large scale manufacturing applications were developed in RPL, including that which was in use at Plessey/GPT limited in Liverpool and also the Trifid
Trifid
Trifid is Latin for "split into three parts" or "threefold" and may refer to:*Trifid , a Czech-language periodical*Trifid Nebula in the constellation Sagittarius*Trifid cipher, a fractionated cipher-Distinguish from:...
suite of manufacturing software.