Software

We are not yet in a position to deliver a NOV94 release of the GILDAS software. Among the reasons for which this release had to be delayed is an anticipated change of syntax for the SIC command monitor.

Users of CLASS, GRAPHIC and CLIC, please note:
We would like to modify the rules for substituting character variables and symbols within character strings in command lines parsed by SIC. For example, if HERE is a character variable or symbol containing "in this place",
the old syntax was:

	"a character string is substituted 'HERE'"

	a character string is substituted in this place

	"a character string is substituted "'HERE'

	a character string is substituted in this place

When compared to the old syntax, the new one brings several improvements, by allowing:

• string concatenations, which were not easily available before,
• easy mixing of upper and lower case letters,
• use of the single-quote character within character strings without ambiguity.

	SYMBOL FILE "MY_file"
	FILE IN "/users/me/"'FILE'".30m"

The drawback is that the new syntax is not compatible with the old one. A quick look into the distributed command procedures showed that only 3 procedures do need modifications.

Some users might have developed sets of procedures which could be affected by such a modification. Accordingly, we ask those users to send an e-mail to guillote@iram.fr in order to identify what will be the real impact of the proposed change. The final decision, whether to implement the change or not, will depend on the result of this enquiry. The deadline for receiving answers is December 15, 1994.

Stéphane GUILLOTEAU