Command line interface for a data processing system

• Main Authors: OWEN STEPHEN ANTON, CHEN DAVID DE-HUI, GERING MICHAEL FREDERICK, SPRINGER ALLEN LEWIS
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 20.04.2004
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: CALCULATING; COMPUTING; COUNTING; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING; ELECTRICITY; PHYSICS; TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHICCOMMUNICATION

A command line interface for a data processing system includes an output facility that displays outputs to an operator, a parser that validates inputs entered a command line, a command processor that processes commands validated by the parser. The command line interface preferably supports a prompt mode in which the output facility displays an editable prompt that may be modified by the user to construct a command. In addition, the parser preferably defines separate validation and execution point inputs including at least one validation-only point input, so that inputs are permitted to span multiple input lines and so that atomic sets of commands can be constructed by entering multiple commands on a single input line. The command line interface is also equipped with an in-line help facility that, in response to the parser detecting a help request in a partial command entered at the command line, automatically presents possible input options that can be entered at the command line to complete the partial command.