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* (C) Copyright IBM Corp. 1992 *
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ALPHA V1.5
Lionel de Lambert - Iunius MMDCCXLIII AUC
IBM United Kingdom Laboratories Ltd.
This document describes the installation, function and commands of the ALPHA
code analysis and browse programme which runs under the OS/2 operating
system. The languages supported are :-
370 and 386 assembler, PASCAL(Ada), PL/AS(PL/I, REXX) and C.
Introduction.
This program may be of interest to those people who examine 370, 386
assembler, PASCAL(Ada), PL/AS(PL/I, REXX) and C etc. under OS/2.
This programme will provide basic browse functions for all files with a
record size <=132 as well as highlighting specified keywords and allowing
user defined Marker references and flow lines, and for language files
such as 370 & 386 Assemble, PASCAL, C, PL/AS etc. ALPHA will also draw
branch flow lines from 'Jump/GOTO' instructions to labels in the same
window, will display the programme call structure, and expand the
procedure call in a secondary window.
The programme is written in PASCAL and MASM for OS/2 using Presentation
Manager calls.
Installation
The minimum requirement is to transfer the binary file 'ALPHA EXEBIN' to
a directory on your PS/2 as 'ALPHA.EXE'.
If you want different colours, fonts etc. you can copy the text file
'ALPHA PRF' to the PS/2 as 'ALPHA.PRF' and edit the file. You can also
install the 'Alpha' fonts by transferring the binary file 'ALPHA FONBIN'
to the PS/2 as 'ALPHA.FON' and using the 'Add font' command of the
Installation menu on the 'Control Panel'. On OS/2 V2.0 select 'System Setup'
from 'OS/2 System' and use 'Add' in the 'Edit font' of the 'Font Palette'.
If you wish to access files from the host then you should also install
ALMCOPY. You can send commands to the host if you also install OS2CMD.
Starting up Alpha
The syntax for starting up the Alpha programme is :-
[C:\]. ALPHA
>
Where the option /m may be specified to cause the programme to be started
minimised. This is intended for use in the 'STARTUP.CMD' file as an
alternative to having the programme in the "Group - main" window, e.g.
START ALPHA /p /m
The option /p may be specified to cause the file of initial values of
colours, font etc. to be read. The default file name for this profile is
'ALPHA.PRF'. This file may be used to set alternative start up values such
as the keyword colours. If a file name is not supplied on the OS/2 command
line then the first display will ask for the file name to be browsed.
The Enter key or Enter button should be used to terminate the string, e.g.
C:\WORK\TEST.A37
If Alpha is minimised or active with or without a file allocated and the
file manager window is active then a selected file may be moved from the
file manager window by dragging mouse button 2 and releasing it over the
a icon or main window. This will cause the new file to be allocated.
note
If the window fails to appear the error, WinGetLastError, is written to the
OUTPUT device. This should be directed to a printer or file e.g.
ALPHA >PRN | >file_name
Description
This programme may be used to browse any file with a record size œ132 and
may also be used with language files such as :-
370, 386 assembler, PASCAL(Ada), C, or PL/AS(PL/I, REXX) programmes etc.
on a PS/2 under OS/2 to help in analysing their structure.
The basic browse functions are :-
1) Home - Move to top of file
2) End - Move to end of file
3) Page_up - scroll up 1 screen
4) Page_down - scroll down 1 screen
5) F7 - scroll up 1/2 screen
6) F8 - scroll down 1/2 screen
7) F19 (Shift+F7) - scroll left 1/2 screen
8) F20 (Shift+F8) - scroll right 1/2 screen
9) The Horizontal and Vertical scroll bars.
The mouse button 1 when pressed will isolate the addressed string
' ', ',', '+' etc. as separators, and highlight it and all references in
the window or as the file is browsed.
In Locate mode if mouse button 1 is pressed twice (double clicked) then the
isolated string will become a search argument. If mouse button 2 is pressed
once (clicked) then the next occurrence of the search argument will be
located. If mouse button 2 is double clicked then the search will start
at the top of the file.
In Expand mode if mouse button 1 is double clicked then the search string
is assumed to be a label or procedure name and a second window is opened
with the procedure code provided the label/routine name can be found.
Search commands may be issued from the command window, which may be invoked
by the F6 key or the system menu icon a {Code Page 437; the icon will be à
for Code Page 850 etc.}.
When the main window is displayed keywords which are associated with the
file extension will be highlighted using the colours specified in the
profile.
Note
Up to 128 language keywords may be specified with their corresponding
colour and the length of the record to be scanned. Only the first 16 key
words on the line will be highlighted and the search order is the order
specified in the profile. The keyword must be <=12 characters.
The File_type keyword in the profile may be used to introduce extra file
types but the first 5 types are assumed to refer to :- 370 assembler, 386
assembler, PASCAL, PL/AS, and C in that order. With Flow on for language
files branch flow lines will be drawn from 'Branch/GOTO' instructions to
labels in the same window.
If the profile specifies Read_file=Yes, the default, then the file may be
browsed as soon as the window is opened, performance then improves once
the file is read in.
Note
Only the first 132 characters of a record are read. Once the file is read
in there is an internal switch over. If a locate etc. was in progress at
the time of the switch over the window may not display the line found;
it may be necessary to repeat the command e.g.F5.
If the profile specifies Read_file=No then only 120 records from the file
are read in to storage and scrolling takes place within this buffer unless
F4+Ctrl is pressed when the whole file is read in to memory asynchronously.
As the file is scrolled up/down extra pages are read in to the buffer.
The affect is that on scrolling upwards, after the window is displayed,
there may be a pause (hour glass symbol) while extra data is read in.
Small parts (œwindow size) of the file may be remembered and redisplayed by
using the Clipboard function. Drag the mouse with button 1 down over the
lines to be saved and press Ctrl+Insert to save the highlighted lines.
To redisplay the saved lines press Shift+Insert. The lines are displayed
from the cursor position onwards. The highlighted records may be printed
on LPT1 by pressing Insert+Alt.
Function keys
The following keys are effective for the programme:-
Mouse button 1 will isolate and highlight the text. If button 1 is pressed
twice then the highlighted string may then be used as a search argument by
button 2.
Mouse button 2 will scan from the current position to the end of file for
the locate string, i.e. the string isolated by button 1 or by use of a
locate command from the command window (F6).
If the mouse button 2 is pressed twice then the scan will start from the
top of the file.
F1 is the help key.
F1+Alt will display/hide the current status {The statement number is
displayed in the MINMAX menu. R indicates that the file is being read in
to memory, S indicates that the programme structure is being recorded.}
of the programme.
F2 will change the font. The System Monospaced font is the default font,
unless the Alpha font is installed.
F3 will terminate programme.
F4 will allocate a new file
F4+Ctrl will read the currently assigned file in to memory.
Note
A separate thread is attached to read in the file whilst the file may
continue to be browsed within the 120 record buffer. The scrolling of the
file will be much faster but there may be some degradation of performance
while the file is read in to store. A maximum of 21,844 records can be read
in if there is enough memory available. The start of the process is
signalled by a 130HZ beep and when the file is read in there is a beep of
1760HZ and 880HZ, provided that "Quiet=No" is specified in the profile.
F5 will repeat the previous command
F6 will issue a command.
Note
This window may also be created from the system menu icon a. A child window
is created in to which may be typed the command.
F7 scroll up 1/2 screen.
F8 scroll down 1/2 screen.
F9 switch on/off comment suppression.
A sequence of blank or comment lines will be compressed to a single line
of ® provided that he file is read in. The comment lines must begin with
characters specified in Comment_start.
F10 not used.
F11 not used.
F12 will move the mouse button 1 focus line {The line on which mouse button
1 was last pressed.} to the centre of screen.
F12+Ctrl will switch on/off the scale line in the centre of the window.
F13 (shift+F1) will display the programme structure.
F14 (shift+F2) will change the text colours.
F17 (shift+F5) will locate the next Marker.
F19 (Shift+F7) will scroll left 1/2 line.
F20 (shift+F8) will scroll right 1/2 line.
F24 (shift+F12) will reset the horizontal scroll, clear line markers etc.
Page_Up will scroll up one page.
Page_Down will scroll down one page.
Home key will move to top of file.
End key will move to end of file.
Insert+Ctrl will place mouse Button 1 drag area in Clipboard.
Insert+Shift will copy Clipboard text to mouse Button 1 position - cursor.
Insert+Alt will write the highlighted records to LPT1.
Delete will remove the highlighted records, mouse button 1 display area,
from the window display.
The Up & Down arrow keys will move the cursor.
The scroll arrows, slider etc. and Page up or Page down keys may be used
for browsing.
Note
If the mouse button 1 is kept depressed then the lines or characters will
scroll at 1 per second until the button is released. If the file is not
read in then the file size is estimated by adding 1000 every time the
internal array is filled. In this case the slider may be move to the end
of the vertical scroll bar before end_of_file is reached and then move up.
Enter key will terminate an input string or refresh the screen.
Help window
This window may be invoked by the F1 key or the Help button on the command
window. The window may be scrolled by :-
Page_up - scroll up 1 screen
Page_down - scroll down 1 screen
Home - scroll to the top of the Help data
End - scroll to the end of the Help data
F7 - scroll up 1/2 screen
F8 - scroll down 1/2 screen
The Page_Up key word at the bottom of the window will scroll up 1 screen if
selected by mouse button 1.
The Page_Down key word at the bottom of the window will scroll down 1
screen if selected by mouse button 1.
The Help window may be cancelled by F3, the Cancel button or by Enter.
Allocate window
The File Allocate window will be created by the F4 key or from the Allocate
menu item of the command window. The file may be selected from the List box
or typed in to the Entry box. The drive may be changed by selecting [a] from
the List box or typing the drive letter followed by a ':' e.g. 'a:' in the
Entry box. The Path may be changed by selecting a directory name from the
List box or by typing the path name in the Entry box e.g. 'C:\WORK'.
The COMBO box will hold the last three allocate texts which have been
entered.
A host file may be received and allocated by entering
'>H:fn ft fm PC_file_name'; this string is passed to Transfer_pgm (ALMCOPY)
{without the '>' and with '/Q' appended} which must be installed on the PS/2.
If Transfer_pgm fails the return code is displayed in red and the Entry text
is left to be edited. If the requested file can not be allocated then the
allocate window together with an error message will be displayed.
A host command may be executed by entering 'n - scroll right n characters
:n - go to record n
/ - Search for string, not case dependent, from the current position in the
file.
" - Search for string, as typed, from the current position in the file
' - Search for string, as typed, from the current position in the file but
only in column 1
(s-e)>file_name - will copy records from the current file starting at s and
ending with e to the file
file_name. file_name may be 'LPT2' etc., an existing file or a new file.
If the end record number is '*' then the file is copied to end-of-file.
(s-e)- - will remove the records from the window.
ðî will cycle through the last 6 commands.
The Delete|Backspace key will delete a character from the input text.
If the first character is invalid then the line will be filled red until it
is deleted.
F3 or ENTER will close the window and enter the command.
The cancel button will remove the window; only this child window will
receive input until it is terminated.
The Flow button will switch on/off the drawing of flow lines. These lines
are drawn for language files from 'Branch/GOTO' instructions to labels
within the window.
The Expand/Locate button will switch on/off the label expansion. The
isolated label is expanded by locating the routine and opening a second
window containing the code. The mouse button 1 must be pressed twice
(double clicked) to cause the label to be located. A depth of 8 expand
windows is allowed, and each window may be scrolled using the scroll bar,
Page_Up, Page_Down, etc.
The file must be read in to storage to use this facility. The Expand window
may be closed by F3 or the CALL menu item when the main window will remain
at the CALL. If the Routine menu is clicked then the main window will
scroll to the expand text, i.e. the called code line may be passed back to
the higher level window. The Locate menu or F6 will perform a case
sensitive forward search from the current line+1.
F5 will repeat the previous locate. If Button 2 is double clicked after
moving to the expanded label then the window will be moved back to the
previous line, i.e. return to point of call.
The label searched for is succeeded by ":" for PLS and preceded by
"FUNCTION" or "PROCEDURE" in PASCAL. The label searched for is preceded
by "char", "extern", "far", "int", "long", "pascal", "pointer", "short",
"static" or "void" if the language type is C.
The Mark button will switch on/off the drawing of user flow lines defined
by the mouse button 1, or the setting of a marker. Up to 16 user lines or
markers may be associated with the file. If mouse button 1 is double clicked
then a marker will be associated with the line. If mouse button 1 is pressed
once then it will delimit the ends of a flow line. The markers or flow
lines remain associated with the record until F24 (Shift+F12) is pressed.
The markers enable places within the file to be remembered and recalled by
(Shift+F5).
The Options menu may be selected to change the state of the following option
s :-
Transient Options - reset when a new file is allocated.
Comment Suppression - replace a block of comment lines by one highlighted
line of ®.
Scale - place a scale line in the middle of the window.
Status - indicate in the top left of the window the current status of file
reading etc.
Permanent Options - remain set when a new file is allocated.
Quiet - suppress the beep which indicates that the file is read in to
storage.
Read_file_when_allocated - when the file has been allocated read it in to
storage by attaching a subtask. The file may be browsed whilst this is in
progress but the reading of the file in to storage will be slower.
Record_structure - For language files this will cause the recording of the
calling structure when the
file has been read.
Tab - recognize tab characters, X'09', and skip to n*8.
Proportional - use the font spacing for writing the characters rather than
the character size; this will allow proportional fonts to be used however
these are not suitable for displaying code.
Keyword - allow or suppress the keyword highlighting.
The Allocate menu will create the Allocate window
The Structure menu may be used to display the call structure for 370, 386 as
sembler, PASCAL, C and PL/AS programmes provided that the Record_structure
option is effective when the file is read in. For 370 assembler the
structure is based on BAL, BAS, DFHSTACK, for 386 assembler CALL, PROC
instructions, for PASCAL PROCEDURE, FUNCTION, keywords, for C char, extern,
far, int, long, pascal, pointer, short, static or void keywords, and for
PL/AS PROC, CALL, keywords {Labels ü27 characters are ignored}.
If an entry is selected from the Programme Structure List Box then the
main window is scrolled to that line.
The Font menu may be used to dynamically change the font and character size;
the change is not saved in the profile.
The Colour menu may be used to dynamically change the text colours. The
language keyword colours must be specified in the profile.
FONTs
You can specify the initial/default font in the profile by using the Font
keyword in the profile,
or you can change the font dynamically by invoking the Font window.
You can use the System Monospaced, Helvetica, Roman and Courier fonts but
the Courier font and the System Monospaced are the only monospaced fonts
supplied with OS/2. A monospaced font with point sizes 8,9,10 & 11 is
supplied with the ALPHA PACKAGE, which may also be used.
The fonts are then requested by specifying Font="Alpha",(10) etc. in the
profile.
The font type or face_name and size may be selected by the Font and
Character_size keywords in the profile. If a profile is not supplied then
the "Alpha",(10) font will be used if it is installed and a character_size
of (8,14) else the "System Monospaced",(10) font will be used and a
character_size of (8,16). Outline fonts are not selectable.
If the point size is not specified then the font is selected by using the
Character_size.
Point sizes (1/72") are :-
Courier (8,10,12), Roman (8,10,12,14,18,24),
Helvetica (8,10,12,14,18,24),
System (8,10,12, {8x8, 8x16,9x20),
"Alpha" (8,9,10,11).
If the point size is specified but an image font does not exist for this
nominal point size then the outline font, if available, will be used and
scaled by the Character_size.
The font may be requested by face_name, e.g. Font="Alpha",(8).