Path Names

Unix path names cause trouble because they contain slashes ('/'). SPECTRA uses this character to identify qualifiers. If path names are enclosed in double quotes, the slashes are hidden from the interpreter. But there is a better way to deal with it.

Look at these examples: The command

SPECTRA> ed $<$home.xerxes.prog>before_xps_petra.gra

is equivalent to: ed “/home/xerxes/prog/before_xps_petra.gra".

There is also the tilde expansion:

SPECTRA> ed $<$~.prog>before_xps_scan.gra

The tilde is replaced by the home directory, e.g.: /home/a1user.

Furthermore, environment variables are translated, e.g.: If ON_LINE_DIR is defined, while a simulation of ON_LINE runs, the following commands are valid:

SPECTRA> ed $<$on_line_dir>exp_ini.exp
SPECTRA> ed on_line_dir:exp_ini.exp