Methods of invoking NCL differ depending upon the operating system.

1  –  Tru64 UNIX

    There are several ways to invoke the interactive NCL utility:

    1. Enter ncl at the shell prompt. The NCL prompt appears:

       % ncl <Return>
       ncl>

    2. Enter an NCL command line.

       % ncl any ncl command <Return>

       After the command executes, you return to the shell.

    3. Redirect a command script into NCL.

       % ncl <scripta

       where scripta is the name of a script that contains a sequence
       of NCL commands.

    4. Execute a shell script containing NCL commands. Your shell
       script can use the exit status returned by NCL commands.

       % ncl_filename

       The following C shell script demonstrates this:

       #!/bin/csh

       ncl show routing circuit circuit-1 all attributes
       if ( $status != 0 ) then
        echo ""
        echo "This ncl command failed."
        echo ""
       endif

       This sample script uses the exit status from an NCL command
       to determine whether or not to echo a message. If the command
       fails, the shell script echoes the message.

    Other NCL operations include:

    o  To abort an NCL operation, press <Ctrl/C> at the ncl> prompt.

    o  To continue a long command to the next line, use a hyphen as
       the last character in the line. The _ncl> prompt is displayed
       on continuation lines:

       ncl> set node moosie routing manual network entity titles -
       _ncl> { 49::00-0c:08-00-2b-12-34-56:00, -
       _ncl>   49::00-0c:08-00-2b-12-34-57:00 }

    o  To include comments in NCL shell scripts or as part of a
       command line in the interactive utility, use the exclamation
       point (!) or pound sign (#) character. NCL ignores hyphens
       within and at the end of a comment line.

    o  To exit from NCL, enter exit, quit, or press <Ctrl/D> at the ncl>
       prompt.

2  –  OpenVMS

    There are several methods of invoking the interactive NCL
    utility:

    1. Type RUN SYS$SYSTEM:NCL at the DCL prompt $:

       $ run sys$system:ncl <Return>
       NCL>

    2. Define a symbol at the DCL prompt (or insert the symbol
       in your login file) and then type NCL at the DCL prompt as
       follows:

       $ ncl :== $ sys$system:ncl <Return>
       $ ncl <Return>
       NCL>

    3. Enter an NCL command line.

       $ ncl any ncl command <Return>

       The system executes the command and returns you to the $
       prompt.

                                      NOTE

          The third method works only if you define a symbol at the
          DCL prompt or insert the symbol in your login file.

    4. Enter MCR at the DCL prompt:

       $ mcr ncl <Return>
       NCL>

    5. Enter an MCR command:

       $ mcr ncl any ncl command <Return>
       $

    The NCL> prompt indicates that you are using the NCL utility.
    When you receive this prompt, you can enter NCL commands.

    Other NCL operations include:

    o  To abort an NCL operation, press <Ctrl/C> or <Ctrl/Y> at the
       NCL> prompt.

    o  To continue a long command to the next line, use a hyphen as
       the last character in the line. Place the continuation hyphen
       between attributes in a list. The _NCL> prompt is displayed on
       continuation lines:

       NCL> show node 0 osi transport delay factor, delay weight,-
       _NCL> maximum receive buffers, maximum network connections,-
       _NCL> maximum remote nsaps

    o  To indicate comments that are not to be read by the system,
       use an exclamation point (!) anywhere in a command line.

    o  To exit from NCL, type exit or press <Ctrl/Z> at the ncl>
       prompt.