Extprog
Set Extprog [ program [ parm ] [ Com [ ON | OFF ] ] ]
(Default: none)
(Initially: none)
Extends the power of Qedit by attaching another process to it. The program specified must be a program file that can be Run with Lib=S (i.e., all defaults except for parm) and that will suspend on exit instead of terminating. When you first enter a command that starts with a percent sign (“%”), Qedit creates the specified external program as a son process. Qedit waits until the son process is done. When the son completes, Qedit prompts you for another command. On subsequent %-lines, Qedit merely “activates” the son process, which is much faster than creating a new one — almost instantaneous.
If you use the Com ON option, Qedit sends the %-line to the son process via the MAIL intrinsic before activating the son. Qedit removes the % from the line and fills it out to a length of 256 bytes with blanks. There is no terminating character.
Do not use Com ON unless the son process is programmed to pick up the MAIL message. MPEX, for example, will do so. If the program is either Main.Pub.Vesoft or Mpex.Pub.Vesoft, Qedit assumes Com ON. If you have a recent version of MPEX, do Set Ext Main.Pub.Vesoft as this creates one less process.
Qedit always updates the current workfile to the disc, but does not close it. Since Qedit does not actually go to the work of creating the son process until you enter the first % command line, you can include Set Extprog in your Qeditmgr file without incurring any overhead.
/set extprog main.pub.vesoft
Entering Set Extprog without any parameters terminates the existing child process if one exists.