6/15/72 FORM (I)
NAME form -- form letter generator
SYNOPSIS form proto arg ...
1
DESCRIPTION form generates a form letter from a prototype
letter, an associative memory, arguments and in a
special case, the current date.
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 pro-
totype.
If the prototype argument is missing, '{letter}'
is assumed.
Basically, form is a copy process from the proto-
type to the output file. If an element of the
form [n] (where n is a digit from 1 to 9) is en-
countered, the nth argument arg is inserted in
n
its place, and that argument is then rescanned.
If [0] is encountered, the current date is in-
serted. 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 argu-
ment.
If an element of the form [name] or {name} is en-
countered, the name is looked up in the associa-
tive memory. If it is found, the contents of the
memory under this name replaces the original ele-
ment (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 en-
closed in {}.
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.
If one of the special characters [{]}\ is pre-
ceded by a \, it loses its special character.
If a filE named "forma" already exists in the
users directory, "formb" is used as the output
file and so forth to "formz".
The file "form.m" is created if none exists. Be-
cause form.m is operated on by the disc allo-
cater, it should only be changed by using fed,
the form letter editor, or form.
FILES form.m associative memory
form? output file (read only)
SEE ALSO fed(I), type(I), roff(I)
DIAGNOSTICS "cannot open output file" "cannot open memory
file" when the appropriate files cannot be lo-
cated or created.
BUGS An unbalanced ] or } acts as an end of file but
may add a few strange entries to the associative
memory.
OWNER rhm,lcc