Arguments

 

ctrstr

   OpenVMS usage:char_string
   type:         character-coded text string
   access:       read only
   mechanism:    by 32- or 64-bit descriptor-fixed-length string
                 descriptor
   Control string passed to $FAO that contains the text to be output
   together with one or more $FAO directives. $FAO directives are
   used to specify repeat counts or the output field length, or
   both, and they are preceded by an exclamation point (!).  The
   ctrstr argument is the 32- or 64-bit address of a character
   string descriptor pointing to the control string.

   There is no restriction on the length of the control string or
   on the number of $FAO directives it can contain; however, if an
   exclamation point must appear in the output string, it must be
   represented in the control string by a double exclamation point
   (!!).  A single exclamation point in the control string indicates
   to $FAO that the next characters are to be interpreted as FAO
   directives.

   When $FAO processes the control string, it writes to the output
   buffer each character that is not part of an $FAO directive.

   If the $FAO directive is valid, $FAO processes it. If the
   directive requires a parameter, $FAO processes the next
   consecutive parameter in the specified parameter list. If the
   $FAO directive is not valid, $FAO terminates and returns a
   condition value in R0.

   The $FAO service reads parameters from the argument list
   specified in the call; these arguments have the names p1, p2,
   p3, and so on, up to p17. Each argument specifies one parameter.
   Because $FAO accepts a maximum of 17 parameters in a single call,
   you must use $FAOL if the number of parameters exceeds 17. The
   $FAOL service accepts any number of parameters used with the
   prmlst argument.
 

outlen

   OpenVMS usage:word_unsigned
   type:         word (unsigned)
   access:       write only
   mechanism:    by 32- or 64-bit reference
   Length in bytes of the fully formatted output string returned by
   $FAO. The outlen argument is the 32- or 64-bit address of a word
   containing this value.
 

outbuf

   OpenVMS usage:char_string
   type:         character-coded text string
   access:       write only
   mechanism:    by 32- or 64-bit descriptor-fixed-length string
                 descriptor
   Output buffer into which $FAO writes the fully formatted output
   string. The outbuf argument is the 32- or 64-bit address of a
   character string descriptor pointing to the output buffer. The
   maximum number of bytes written is limited to 64K.
 

p1 to pn

   OpenVMS usage:varying_arg
   type:         quadword (signed)
   access:       read only
   mechanism:    by value
   $FAO directive parameters. The p1 argument is a quadword
   containing the parameter needed by the first $FAO directive
   encountered in the control string, the p2 argument is a quadword
   containing the parameter needed for the second $FAO directive,
   and so on for the remaining arguments up to p17. If an $FAO
   directive does not require a parameter, that $FAO directive is
   processed without reading a parameter from the argument list.

   Depending on the directive, a parameter can be a value to be
   converted, a 32- or 64-bit address of a string to be inserted
   into the output string, or a length or argument count. Each
   directive in the control string might require a corresponding
   parameter or parameters.
 

prmlst

   OpenVMS usage:vector_longword_unsigned
   type:         longword (unsigned)
   access:       read only
   mechanism:    by 32- or 64-bit reference
   List of $FAO directive parameters to be passed to $FAOL. The
   prmlst argument is the 32- or 64-bit address of a list of
   longwords wherein each longword is a parameter. The $FAOL service
   processes these parameters sequentially as it encounters, in the
   control string, $FAO directives that require parameters.

   The parameter list can be a data structure that already exists in
   a program and from which certain values are to be extracted.