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diff --git a/docs/user/overview_of_comhan.tex b/docs/user/overview_of_comhan.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e4b10b1 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/user/overview_of_comhan.tex @@ -0,0 +1,38 @@ +\chapter{Overview of COMHAN} +\label{overview_of_comhan} + +\section{The Command Handler} + +All of your interactions with MPX-OS \index{MPX-OS} will be through the +``Command Handler,'' \index{Command Handler} referred to +as ``comhan.'' The command handler is a process that is loaded when MPX-OS first starts +and allows users to execute commands such as getting help, running programs, setting the +date, and other system-wide functionality. + +To use the command handler, you must only start MPX. You will see the prompt {\tt mpx>} +which indicates that the system is ready to accept commands. You may then type in a +command on the keyboard and press return. The command handler will then attempt to parse +your command. If what you have entered is a valid system command, MPX will execute your +request and then prompt you for the next command. If the text you enter at the MPX prompt +is not valid, you will see an error message. + +Note that the command handler parses your input case insensitively; that is, typing +{\tt version}, {\tt VERSION}, and {\tt vERsiOn} at the prompt will result in identical +output. + +All of the commands used in MPX-OS are listed in \ref{summary_of_commands}. Alternately, +when in MPX-OS, the command {\tt help} will display a list of commands and a brief usage +description. Of particular note, however, is the {\tt stop} command, which will terminate +MPX-OS and return control of the computer to DOS. + +\section{A Note on Errors} + +When writing MPX-OS, we have subscribed to the philosophy that the user does not need to +know what the system is doing unless it pertains to their actions. Thus, for the most part, +the normal behavior of a command is to see no output. For example, when changing the +prompt (see p. \pageref{prompt_cmd}), there is no ``prompt changed'' message; the user +should be able to trust the system to perform correctly. + +Thus, messages will generally only be displayed when some unexpected behavior has occurred. +For full and more precise details on exactly what the output of each command, see the +appropriate documentation in this Manual. |