Getting help and further information

Besides the manual, on-line information is available. General HELP on using EDA, specific syntactic help for each command as well as other documents.

Note that EDA offers a series of tools to expand help and other textual information, even command syntax help can be customized.

HELP command

The Help command comes in different flavours.

HELP

The HELP command without a further option lets you read through a series of hierarchically structured help texts pertaining to general concepts of the EDA system, command lists, definitions and similar more conceptual information. In order to access one of the items you will need to type the first letters of an item; back up to the previous level by hitting the return key. Quit at all times using the // cancel operator.

HELP ERROR

HELP ERROR explains the current error, i.e. type HELP ERROR immediatly after an error message is displayed. If you specify HELP ERROR=num, where num is an error number (shown with each error), you will get an explanation for error <num>.

HELP RESVARS

HELP RESVARS shows the ResVars (Result variables) of the last command, if typed immediately after it; HELP RESVARS <cmd> shows the ResVar for the command <cmd>. Note that macro related commands dealing directly with ResVars are documented in the manual and on-line with the normal ?<cmd> help.

HELP SECTIONS

A number of more technical documents can be found on-line. Type HELP SECTIONS to see a list of available documents. Please not that when accessing a specific document, the name has to be included in double quotes, as in

i.e. you want to read the document COMLIN from the TECH section.
If you want to see a list of the documents in the sections listed by
HELP SECTIONS, you need to type e.g HELP "TECH:" where TECH: is a
section name.

 Further HELP options
While on-line type ?HELP for a list of other help options, including the
possibility to produce a mini-manual.

 Syntax Help
For all commands a short help text on its syntax can be found on-line using
a question mark:
display the syntax chart for the PLOT command. If you enter just a
question mark help for the current command will be shown.


 Question mark
Whenever EDA asks questions and you are unsure what to answer try
a question mark; a short help text will be displayed.
 Documents found only on the Web

 Obsolete commands
Lists obsolete commands still available but not recommended
for use by new users. Previous users of these facilities may continue to
use them, however there are newer facilities which should be better.

 Old upgrade information
Information on changes between the different versions of EDA
is available from

The changes from the previous version to the current version can be
listed with the EDA command

 Information on various EDA implementations

Information on implementations on various operating systems can be
found at


this includes information on EDA for VMS systems, Univac 1100,
Multics and Prime systems. You find there also information on host
programs.