Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web pdp-10.trailing-edge.com

PLEASE

The PLEASE program allows you to communicate either with  your  system
operator  or  with  a remote-node operator.  For instance, you may ask
the operator to perform a task or ask for information about  your  job
or the system, or give the operator information about your job.

Note:  The PLEASE command that  you  use  in  a  batch  job  does  not
function  like  the  timesharing  PLEASE  program.  For information on
using the PLEASE command in a batch job, refer to the  TOPS-10/TOPS-20
Batch Reference Manual.


Switches Used with PLEASE

The PLEASE program has two switches:

/HELP                    prints information about this program on your
                         terminal

/NODE:node-name::        specifies the  node  name  of  the  operator,
                         other  than  your  system  operator, that you
                         wish to communicate with.  You must terminate
                         the node name with two colons (::).


Message Terminators Used with PLEASE

<RET>                    the only terminator  for  a  message  on  the
                         PLEASE  command  line.   (The message must be
                         limited to a single line.)

<ESC>                    a valid terminator only for a  message  being
                         sent in dialogue mode.  It indicates that you
                         do not expect a reply,  and  returns  you  to
                         system level.

<CTRL/Z>                 a valid terminator for a message  being  sent
                         in dialogue mode.  It indicates that you want
                         to wait for a reply from the operator.


Running PLEASE

To send a message to your own system operator, you can use  PLEASE  in
either the DIALOGUE or MESSAGE mode.

The simplest way to enter DIALOGUE Mode is to type PLEASE, followed by
a  one-line  message,  and  then  press  RETURN.   The  PLEASE program
acknowledges the message and notes the time your operator received it.
You then see your operator's reply.  That is followed by a prompt from
PLEASE, which indicates that you are now  in  DIALOGUE  mode  and  can
respond  with  one  or  more  additional messages, as in the following
example:

     @PLEASE When is the system scheduled to go down?<RET>
     [PLSOPN Operator at KL2102 has been notified at 10:04:42]
     10:05:58  From Operator at terminal 3
            => At noon
     Enter text, terminate with CRTL/Z to wait for response
     Or ESC to send message and Exit
     Thank you <ESC>
     @

To terminate DIALOGUE mode, you press ESC after your  final  reply  to
the  operator  in  order to return to the system level.  In this case,
the user has chosen to end the interchange by  thanking  the  operator
and typing <ESC> to return to the system level.

The second way to communicate with your own operator in DIALOGUE  Mode
is  to  type  PLEASE  and  then press RETURN.  You enter DIALOGUE mode
immediately and receive the PLEASE prompt for your message, as

     @PLEASE<RET>
     Enter text, terminate with CTRL/Z to wait for response
     Or ESC to send message and exit<RET>

     When is the system scheduled to go down?<CTRL/Z>

To communicate with a remote-node operator,  type  PLEASE,  the  /NODE
switch,  and the node name of the remote operator, and press RETURN to
enter dialogue mode and receive the PLEASE prompt for your message, as

@PLEASE/NODE:node-name::<RET>
Enter text, terminate with CTRL/Z to wait for response
Or ESC to send message and exit<RET>

From the point where you enter DIALOGUE mode and receive  the  message
prompt,  messages  to  both  your  own  operator  and to a remote-node
operator follow the same format.

If you do not need a reply from the operator, use MESSAGE mode.  After
you have accessed PLEASE and typed your message, type <ESC> to end the
message.  PLEASE acknowledges that  the  message  has  been  sent  and
records the time the operator received it, before returning you to the
system level, as

@PLEASE I am leaving here at 4 today<ESC>
[PLSOPN Operator at KL2102 has been notified at 11:00:03]

In this example, you have sent a message to the operator and have been
immediately  returned  to the system level.  You are not requesting an
immediate reply.


PLEASE Messages

Informational  messages  are  enclosed  in  brackets  ([]).    Warning
messages  are  preceded  by  a percent sign (%); for these, processing
will continue but perhaps not in the way you  intended.   Fatal  error
messages  are  preceded  by  a  question  mark  (?); such messages may
terminate the program.

Each message is followed by a brief explanation of the problem you may
encounter, which may in itself tell you what you need to do to correct
it.  In most cases, simply trying the procedure again is sufficient to
correct the problem.  In some cases, though, you may need to call your
Software Specialist.

For a listing and description of the PLEASE messages, see the  TOPS-20
User Utilities Manual.