You can customize your NCL environment using optional
    initialization files.  In addition, on OpenVMS you have the
    option of using a keypad definition file.  Tru64 UNIX
    allows you to define symbols for use with NCL.

    Setting a default NCL context is another way of customizing
    your NCL environment.  This allows you to specify a particular
    entity or default access control information to be used for
    the remainder of an NCL session.  For information on setting a
    default NCL context, refer to HELP NCL DEFAULT_CONTEXT.

1  –  Initialization File

    The initialization file contains NCL commands that are executed
    when you start NCL; that is, before you receive the NCL prompt.

    Alternatively, the initialization file is executed prior to
    executing an NCL script file that is specified as part of a DCL
    command line. In the following example, the initialization file
    will be executed before the ROUTING.NCL script:

    $ ncl @routing.ncl

1.1  –  OpenVMS

    NCL uses the default file name SYS$LOGIN:NCL$INIT.COM unless
    you have defined an alternative file use the NCL$INIT logical.

    To use NCL$NODEA_INIT.COM as an initialization file, use the
    following DCL define command:

    $ define ncl$init ncl$nodea_init.com

    When NCL starts up, it will check for the file
    NCL$NODEA_INIT.COM, and if it exists, will execute the ncl
    commands within it.

1.2  –  Tru64 UNIX

    For Tru64 UNIX, if the file .nclrc exists in the user's
    top level directory, the command within it will be executed
    automatically when NCL is started.

2  –  Key Definition File (OpenVMS)

    The key definition file associates commonly used NCL commands
    with keys on the keypad. Use the define/key command to create
    the definition.

    NCL uses the default file name SYS$LOGIN:NCL$KEYDEF.INIT unless
    you have defined an alternative file use the NCL$KEYDEF logical.

    The SYS$EXAMPLES:SETUP_NCL_KEYPAD.COM command file creates files
    that allow you to execute commonly used NCL commands using one or
    two keystrokes on the keypad.  This command file should be executed
    from the system account.  It works in a cluster environment, but
    only for those roots on a single system disk and only for those
    nodes booted into the cluster at the time you execute the command
    file.

    $ @sys$examples:setup_ncl_keypad

    This command file creates Keypad definitions files for NCL
    to be used with the HP DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS products.  It
    creates files in SYS$MANAGER: and SYS$HELP:.  All files begin with
    NCL$KEYDEF.  A copy of this file will be made in SYS$UPDATE:

    In a cluster environment, NCL scripts are created in SYS$SPECIFIC:
    directories for each node on this system disk.

    This file may be copied to any system running HP DECnet-Plus
    for OpenVMS.

    Note: Please add
     "$ DEFINE/SYSTEM NCL$KEYDEF SYS$MANAGER:NCL$KEYDEF.INIT"
    to your OpenVMS startup procedure.

    Continue? [Y/N Def: Y]:
    Creating NCL Key Definition Init File...
    Creating NCL Key Definition Help Text Files...
    Installing in a cluster environment.  Scripts created for each
    member...
    %SYSMAN-I-ENV, current command environment:
         Clusterwide on local cluster
         Username SYSTEM       will be used on nonlocal nodes

    %SYSMAN-I-OUTPUT, command execution on node NODEA
    NSP Show Nodes Complete...
    OSI Show Nodes Complete...
    Show Routing Adjacencies Complete...
    %SYSMAN-I-OUTPUT, command execution on node NODEB
    NSP Show Nodes Complete...
    OSI Show Nodes Complete...
    Show Routing Adjacencies Complete...
    %SYSMAN-I-OUTPUT, command execution on node NODEA
    %SYSMAN-I-OUTPUT, command execution on node NODEB
    $

    Once in NCL, keypad <EMPHASIS>(PF4) displays an introduction
    and keypad PF2 provides help on the keypad layout.

3  –  Defining Symbols (Tru64 UNIX)

    You can define symbols to represent commonly used
    class/instance pairs of NCL commands. Symbol definitions are
    provided to cut down on the amount of repetitive typing you must
    perform. Use the define and read control verbs to create and
    verify symbol definitions. For example:

     define      ncl symbol NAME = "VALUE"
     undefine    ncl symbol [ NAME | * ]
     show        ncl symbol [ NAME | * ]
     list        ncl symbol [ NAME | * ]

     ncl> define ncl sym rc1 = "routing circuit circuit-1"
     ncl> show rc1

     Node 0 Routing Circuit circuit-1
     AT 1994-07-14-15:10:10.976-04:00I0.226

     Identifiers

         Name               = circuit-1

     The first parameter to the define command is the symbol and
     all remaining text is the equivalence string (the translation
     of the symbol). The symbol can be from 1 to 500 characters in
     length and contain any ISO latin-1 characters (?). At definition
     time, the equivalence string is not parsed. NCL will parse the
     full NCL command and any symbols that form part of the command.

     To delete symbols, use the undefine verb. For example:

     ncl> undefine Ether,Remote_Node  ! To delete specific symbols
     .
     .
     .
     ncl> undefine *                  ! To delete all remaining symbols
     .
     .
     .

     You can use "." to mean "the entity used in the last command."