Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 To: MTB Distribution From: Lynda J. Adams Date: 01/24/86 Subject: Executive Forum User Interface Comments may be made: via forum on System-M: >udd>m>nsd>meetings>executive_forum (xforum) via Multics Mail: LJAdams.Multics via HVN telephone: 249-6831 Forum transactions are preferred. ABSTRACT The Executive_Forum (xforum) facility is targeted at the same group of users that the Executive_Mail facility is targeted for. This user has little or no knowledge about Multics and doesn't want to learn. What he wants to do is communicate with other users. The current Forum subsystem was not designed for this segment of the user population. This MTB describes the user interface of the Executive_Forum facility. It includes many examples of what menus and screen displays will look like. These examples are 80 characters wide which could cause problems when printing. _________________________________________________________________ Multics Project internal working documentation. Not to be reproduced outside the Multics Project. Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 CONTENTS Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 The Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Executive Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Attending Meeting - entry order oriented. . . . 9 Attending Meeting menu - subject oriented . . .22 Meeting Maintenance - chairperson . . . . . . .34 Meeting Maintenance - non-chairperson . . . . .53 Meeting List Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . .54 Personalize Exec Forum. . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 The Executive Forum Help Facility . . . . . . . . .70 Handling of Async IO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 The Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 Multics Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 Invoking Executive Forum. . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 The First Time User of Executive Forum. . . . . . .79 Function Keys and Escape Sequences. . . . . . . . .79 Appendix 1 Help Text for the Getting Started Menu and General Help Topics Menu . . . . .80 Appendix 2 Help Text for each menu option . . . . .89 Appendix 3 Help Text for each prompt. . . . . . . 100 Appendix 4 Help Text for each Function Key. . . . 107 Appendix 5 Modifications Required For MR12. . . . 110 Appendix 6 MR12 Xforum Info Seg . . . . . . . . . 113 Appendix 7 Summary of Changes between Revision 1 and 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 1 Introduction Executive Forum (Xforum) is a menu driven interface to the Forum subsystem. It is being developed to allow the casual user (who for several different reasons will not use the forum command level interface) access to Forum. In the vocabulary of the forum subsystem the term transaction is used for the text that people enter into the meetings. It is felt that the term transaction has too many other meanings and that it is not descriptive enough in this context. For this reason the term comment will be used in place of transaction in all text displayed to the user. When Executive Forum is invoked the user's user_io window will be divided into three windows. The top or menu window will be used to display menus and status information or a transaction if the user is replying to a transaction. The window below this (called the bottom window) will be used to display dynamic menus, prompts, and transactions. It will also be used to enter transactions. Below the bottom window will be a 1 line help window displaying how to invoke some general functions, i.e. help, quitting the system, returning to the Executive Forum menu. Not all of the functions will be listed, only those that are most necessary. Executive_Forum will require that the user start off with at least 19 lines in the user_io window. MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2 The Menus The menu hierarchy is shown below. Note that the user can replace any menu that contains the word "Selection" in its name with a prompt by selecting the "Display Lists as Menus" option in the Personalize Executive Forum menu. Executive Forum | |----------|-----------|-----|-------|-----------|--------------| | | | | | | Changed Attended Eligible Personalize Meeting List Getting Meetings Meetings Meetings Executive Maintenance Started Selection Selection Selection Forum | | | | | |----------|-----------| Stop Attending | Meeting |-------|------| Selection Attending Attending Meeting Meeting by Subject by Entry Order | | |-------|------| | |------|---------------|--------------| | | | Comment Meeting Chairperson Subject Maintenance Meeting Selection | Maintenance | | |------|------| | |------------|------|------|------------| Comment to Comment to Person to Project to be Deleted be Undeleted be Removed be Removed Selection Selection Selection Selection The following figures show how the screen display changes when the user selects a given option. In some cases the display is dependent on not only the option selected but on personalization flags. Note that in the following sections the line of = characters is used to show the top and bottom location of the user's original user_io window which is assumed to be 19 lines long. Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 2.1.0 Executive Forum menu This is the top or main menu of the Executive Forum system. It is displayed automatically (with the following exception) when a user invokes Executive Forum. The exception is that the very first time a user invokes Executive Forum the Getting Started menu will be displayed. =============================================================================== ------------------------ Executive Forum (Version 1.4) ------------------------ Eligible 117, Attended 58, Changed 0 (1) Go To Changed Meeting (5) Modify Meeting List (2) Go To Attended Meeting (6) Personalize Exec Forum (3) Go To Eligible Meeting (7) Getting Started (4) Go To Next Changed Meeting ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . . . 11 blank lines . . . Press F1:help F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.1 Go To Changed Meeting option This option is used to select a meeting to attend. The meeting to be selected must have a transaction that the user has not yet seen. The first figure shows what the user's display would look like after selecting this option, provided he has not personalized the system to prompt him for a meeting name instead of displaying the menu. The last option on each menu allows the user to escape to a prompt mode to type in the name directly. It results in the same prompt as that shown in second figure. The second figure shows what the display would look like if the user has set the system up to prompt him. The first figure also shows what the display would like if the user responded to the meeting name prompt (figure 2) with a ??. After the user selects an option from the changed meetings selection menu (or enters a meeting name in response to the prompt) the attending meeting menu for the indicated meeting is displayed (see section 2.1.4). The third figure shows the error message if the user responds to the prompt with a meeting that has not been changed. The fourth figure shows the error message if the user responds to the prompt with a name that is not a meeting. If the user has only 1 changed meeting and he selects this option it will be automatically selected and the attending meeting menu for that meeting will be displayed. A message will be output before the menu is displayed to tell the user what has happened (see the fifth figure). If the user selects this option and there are no changed meetings he will be queried to see if he wants to scan his list of meetings to find those that have changed (see the sixth figure). If he answers yes all his meetings are scaned and those that have changed are marked. The visable result is that the Changed field in the header is updated. If he answers no or none of his meetings have changed a message to that effect is output (seventh figure). Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 =============================================================================== ------------------------ Executive Forum (Version 1.4) ------------------------ Eligible 117, Attended 58, Changed 0 (1) Go To Changed Meeting (5) Modify Meeting List (2) Go To Attended Meeting (6) Personalize Exec Forum (3) Go To Eligible Meeting (7) Getting Started (4) Go To Next Changed Meeting ------------------------- Changed Meetings Selection ------------------------- Choices (menu 1 of 5) (1) M1 (b) M11 (2) M2 (c) M12 (3) M3 (d) M13 (4) M4 (e) M14 (5) M5 (f) M15 (6) M6 (g) M16 (7) M7 (h) M17 (8) M8 (i) M18 (9) M9 (j) M19 (a) M10 (k) ENTER MEETING NAME Press F6:next menu F7:previous menu BREAK:Return to Executive Forum menu =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Executive Forum menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enter name of meeting (or ?? for menu): . 10 blank lines . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Executive Forum menu =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Executive Forum menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enter name of meeting (or ?? for menu): huf The "huf" meeting has not changed. . 9 blank lines . Press F1:help F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin =============================================================================== <Executive Forum menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enter name of meeting (or ?? for menu): XYZ The "XYZ" meeting cannot be found. . 9 blank lines . Press F1:help F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Executive Forum menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Executive_Forum meeting automatically selected, it is your only changed meeting. . 9 blank lines . Press F1:help F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Executive Forum menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You have no changed meetings according to the current changed meeting list. Do you wish to check the meetings and update the changed list? . 9 blank lines . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Executive Forum menu =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 =============================================================================== <Executive Forum menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You have no changed meetings according to the current changed meeting list. Do you wish to check the meetings and update the changed list? Checking meetings, this may take a while . 7 blank lines . Press BREAK:Return to Executive Forum menu =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Executive Forum menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You have no changed meetings. . 10 blank lines . Press F1:help F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.2 Go To Attended Meeting option This option is used to select a meeting to attend. The meeting to be selected must be one that the user has previously attended and has not resigned from. If the user has only 1 attended meeting he will automatically go to it. See section 2.1.1 for examples of the display, note that the string "Changed" will be changed to "Attended". 2.1.3 Go To Eligible Meeting option This option is used to select a meeting to attend. Any meeting that the user is eligible to attend may be selected. If the user has only 1 eligible meeting he will automatically go to it. See section 2.1.1 for examples of the display, note that the string "Changed" will be changed to "Eligible". 2.1.4 Go To Next Changed Meeting This option will display the attending menu for the next changed meeting. The current transaction for that meeting is set to the last READ transaction. If the user selects this option and there are no changed meetings he will be queried to see if he wants to scan his list of meetings to find those that have changed (see the fifth figure in section 2.1.1). If he answers yes all his meetings are scaned and those that have changed are marked. In addition the attending menu for the first changed meeting will be displayed. If he answers no or none of his meetings have changed a message to that effect is output (see the sixth figure in section 2.1.1). There are two attending menus. The user controls which is displayed via a personalization option. The first menu, "A", (the entry order oriented menu) is set up to give the user the maximum flexibility when attending a meeting. It also requires that the user be able to select transactions via a selection specifier - a non-trivial interface. The second menu, "B", (the subject oriented menu) is set up to reduce the need for understanding transaction specifications by including more menu options for displaying transactions. To control the number of options in the menu a few simplifications have been made. First, only an entire Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 subject chain can be selected. Second, transactions are displayed by subject. 2.1.4.A Attending Meeting menu - entry order oriented =============================================================================== --------------------------- Attending works meeting --------------------------- Total: 93 Current Comment(s): 90 Unread: 3 (1) Display Current Comment(s) (6) Select/Display Next Unread Comment (2) Copy Current Comment(s) (7) Reply To Current Comment (3) Select/List Any Comment(s) (8) Start New Discussion (4) Select/Display Any Comment(s) (9) Go To Next Changed Meeting (5) Select/Display Next Comment (a) Meeting Maintenance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . . . 10 blank lines . . . Press F1:help F3:Leave meeting F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== When a user attends a meeting via this menu his current comment is normally set to the last comment in the meeting that he read. If, however, the user leaves a meeting and returns to it without attending another meeting, the current comment (or comments) will remain the same. Note that if the user switches between the subject oriented menu and this menu (by changing the personalization option) the current | comment will remain unchanged. If the "last read commment" | or the "old current comment(s)" have been deleted the | current comment will be set to the first non-deleted comment | in the meeting. MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.4.A.1 Display Current Comments This option will cause all of the users current transactions to be displayed below the menu. Each transaction is indicated by a header line starting with the transaction number in brackets and ends with one of the following strings: End of comment number N. End of comment number N, (previous comment on subject available). End of comment N, (next comment on subject available). End of comment N, (previous and next comments on subject available). If the text to be displayed is made up of more than 10 lines it will be displayed in 10 line chunks with the 11th line being a more prompt. When the last line is displayed, the cursor returns to the menu and another menu option or xforum | command (function key or escape sequence) may be entered. | Note that the date-time displayed on the first line is | displayed in the user's default date-time format. =============================================================================== --------------------------- Attending works meeting --------------------------- Total: 93 Current Comment(s): 90 Unread: 3 (1) Display Current Comment(s) (6) Select/Display Next Unread Comment (2) Copy Current Comment(s) (7) Reply To Current Comment (3) Select/List Any Comment(s) (8) Start New Discussion (4) Select/Display Any Comment(s) (9) Go To Next Changed Meeting (5) Select/Display Next Comment (a) Meeting Maintenance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [0090] (30 lines) Person.Project 05/16/84 1202.5 mst Wed works Subject: Re: Foo . . 8 lines of text . . . <User_io window more prompt, user defined or system default> =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 2.1.4.A.2 Copy Current Comment(s) This option will cause all of the current transactions to be written to a file. The first figure shows the prompt that is output requesting the name of the file the current transactions are to be written to. The second figure shows the confirmation message. If the file already exists the current transactions are appended onto the end of the file. Transactions are separated from each other by a form-feed character. There is also a form-feed character after the last transaction. Note that either the absolute or relative pathname of the file may be specified. =============================================================================== --------------------------- Attending works meeting --------------------------- Total: 93 Current Comment(s): 90 Unread: 3 (1) Display Current Comment(s) (6) Select/Display Next Unread Comment (2) Copy Current Comment(s) (7) Reply To Current Comment (3) Select/List Any Comment(s) (8) Start New Discussion (4) Select/Display Any Comment(s) (9) Go To Next Changed Meeting (5) Select/Display Next Comment (a) Meeting Maintenance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enter the name of the file: . . . 9 blank lines . . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Do not copy comments =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin =============================================================================== <Attending Meeting menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enter the name of the file: X Comments are being copied to X. . . . 6 blank lines . . . Press BREAK:Return to Meeting menu =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Attending Meeting menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- N comments copied to file X . . 9 blank lines . . Press F1:help F3:Leave meeting F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 2.1.4.A.3 Select/List Any Comments This option is used to select the current transaction or transactions. The first figure shows the prompt requesting a transaction specifier. Note that if the specifier selects more than 1 transaction (i.e. allref) the current transaction field of the status line will display the specifier used. If the specifier selects only 1 transaction (i.e. nref) the actual transaction number is displayed in the current transaction field. After the transaction or transactions are selected they are listed (see second figure). The third figure shows the search prompt that is | output if the user enters the search specifier, "search or | s". The help message output for that prompt is in the | fourth figure. Note that the date and time are displayed in | the user's default date and time formats. The formats must | allow at least 7 characters of the subject to be printed or | an error message will be output telling the user to use a | different format. The iso-long-date and iso-long-time | formats are short enough that they may be used. | Transactions with subjects larger than can fit in a line are | truncated and a "..." string appended onto them to indicate | the truncation. If a subject contains an embedded newline | character only the first line is displayed, again the "..." | string is used to indicate truncation. =============================================================================== --------------------------- Attending works meeting --------------------------- Total: 93 Current Comment(s): 90 Unread: 3 (1) Display Current Comment(s) (6) Select/Display Next Unread Comment (2) Copy Current Comment(s) (7) Reply To Current Comment (3) Select/List Any Comment(s) (8) Start New Discussion (4) Select/Display Any Comment(s) (9) Go To Next Changed Meeting (5) Select/Display Next Comment (a) Meeting Maintenance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Which comment(s) do you wish to select? . . 9 blank lines . . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:To leave current comments unchanged =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Attending Meeting menu> MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comment# Lines Date Time Author Subject [0090] 30 05/16/84 1204.8 Davids.Multics Re: Foo . . 8 blank lines . . . Press F1:help F3:Leave meeting F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 =============================================================================== --------------------------- Attending works meeting --------------------------- Total: 93 Current Comment(s): 90 Unread: 3 (1) Display Current Comment(s) (6) Select/Display Next Unread Comment (2) Copy Current Comment(s) (7) Reply To Current Comment (3) Select/List Any Comment(s) (8) Start New Discussion (4) Select/Display Any Comment(s) (9) Go To Next Changed Meeting (5) Select/Display Next Comment (a) Meeting Maintenance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Enter text to be searched for: . . 9 blank lines . . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:To leave current comments unchanged =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Attending Meeting menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Enter text to be searched for: ? | | Type in the text you wish to search for. The currently | selected comments will be searched for the text and those | comments which contain the text will become the new set of | current comments. If there is only 1 comment in the currently | selected set of comments then all the comments in the meeting are | searched. | | Enter text to be searched for: Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:To leave current comments unchanged =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.4.A.4 Select/Display Any Comments This option is used to select the current transaction or transactions. The figure shows the prompt requesting a transaction specifier. Note that if the specifier selects more than 1 transaction (i.e. allref) the current transaction field of the status line will display the specifier used. If the specifier selects only 1 transaction (i.e. nref) the actual transaction number is displayed in the current transaction field. After the transaction or transactions are selected they are displayed. =============================================================================== --------------------------- Attending works meeting --------------------------- Total: 93 Current Comment(s): 90 Unread: 3 (1) Display Current Comment(s) (6) Select/Display Next Unread Comment (2) Copy Current Comment(s) (7) Reply To Current Comment (3) Select/List Any Comment(s) (8) Start New Discussion (4) Select/Display Any Comment(s) (9) Go To Next Changed Meeting (5) Select/Display Next Comment (a) Meeting Maintenance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Which comment(s) do you wish to select? . . 9 blank lines . . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:To leave current comments unchanged =============================================================================== 2.1.4.A.5 Select/Display Next Comment This option increments the current transaction number by 1 and makes that the current transaction. Note that if there is more than 1 transaction selected as the current transaction the current transaction will be set to 1 plus the largest transaction number of the current transactions. After the transaction is selected it is displayed. Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 2.1.4.A.6 Select/Display Next Unread Comment This option finds the unread transaction with the lowest | transaction number and makes that the current transaction. | It also displayed that transaction. If there are no unread | transactions a message to that effect is output to the user | and the current transaction(s) remain unchanged. MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.4.A.7 Reply To Current Comment This option is used to reply to the current transaction. This will cause the transaction about to be entered to be linked to the current transaction. Note that this option can be used only if there is 1 transaction selected as the current transaction. The first figure shows how the display will look when the user is entering the comment. The top window contains the current transaction while the bottom window is used to enter the reply. The second figure shows the confirmation message when the user enters the transaction into the meeting. The message is displayed for about 5 seconds then the screen is cleared and the attending menu with appropriate status info and help line is displayed. =============================================================================== -------------- Replying to comment no. 90 in the works meeting ---------------- . . . First 7 lines of comment 90 . . . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: FooBar . . 7 blank lines . . . Press ESC?:help BREAK:abort entry ESCq:enter reply in meeting ESCl:previous page of comment 90 ESCh:next page of comment 90 =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 =============================================================================== -------------- Replying to comment no. 90 in the works meeting ---------------- Comment 94 entered into the works meeting. . . 16 blank lines . . . El:previous page of comment 90 Eh:next page of comment 90 =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.4.A.8 Start New Discussion This option is used to enter a transaction on a new subject. The first figure shows the prompt used to define the subject of the transaction. The second figure shows the display as the user enters his transaction. The third figure shows the confirmation message output when the user enters the transaction into the meeting. The confirmation message is displayed for about 5 seconds then the screen is cleared and the help line reset. The user may get more space for entering his transaction by using the personalization option "Remove Menu While Editing". This will cause the space occupied by the menu to be used for entering the new transaction (see the 4th figure). =============================================================================== --------------------------- Attending works meeting --------------------------- Total: 93 Current Comment(s): 90 Unread: 3 (1) Display Current Comment(s) (6) Select/Display Next Unread Comment (2) Copy Current Comment(s) (7) Reply To Current Comment (3) Select/List Any Comment(s) (8) Start New Discussion (4) Select/Display Any Comment(s) (9) Go To Next Changed Meeting (5) Select/Display Next Comment (a) Meeting Maintenance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . . 7 blank lines . . . Enter Subject: Press ESC?:help BREAK:abort entry =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Attending Meeting menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Foo . . 9 blank lines . . . Press ESC?:help BREAK:abort entry ESCq:enter comment ESCu:modify subject =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 =============================================================================== <Attending Meeting menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comment 95 entered into the works meeting. . . 9 blank lines . . . Press ESC?:help BREAK:abort entry ESCq:enter comment ESCu:modify subject =============================================================================== =============================================================================== Subject: Foo . . 17 blank lines . . . Press ESC?:help BREAK:abort entry ESCq:enter comment ESCu:modify subject =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.4.A.9 Go To Next Changed Meeting This option changes the current meeting to the next meeting with changes. The name of the meeting in the attending meeting menu header is updated as are the total, current, and unread fields in the status line. The current comment is set to the last READ transaction. If there are no changed meetings the user will be queried to see if he wants to scan his list of meetings to find those that have changed (see the first figure). If he answers yes all his meetings are scaned and those that have changed are marked. See the second figure. In addition the attending menu for the first changed meeting will be displayed (see first paragraph in this section). If he answers no or none of his meetings have changed the Executive Forum menu will be displayed and a message indicating that no meetings have changed is output (see the seventh figure in section 2.1.1). =============================================================================== <Attending Meeting menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You have no changed meetings according to the current changed meeting list. Do you wish to check the meetings and update the changed list? . 8 blank lines . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Executive Forum menu =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Attending Meeting menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You have no changed meetings according to the current changed meeting list. Do you wish to check the meetings and update the changed list? Checking meetings, this may take a while . 6 blank lines . Press BREAK:Return to Executive Forum menu =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 2.1.4.A.A Meeting Maintenance Follows section 2.1.4.B.13. 2.1.4.B Attending Meeting menu - subject orientated =============================================================================== --------------------------- Attending works meeting --------------------------- | Total: 93 Current Subject: FooBar Unread: 3 | (1) Display Unread Comment(s) (8) Select Subject (2) Display Current Comment (9) Start New Discussion (3) Display Next Comment (a) Copy Current Subject (4) Display Previous Comment (b) Skip Rest Of Current Subject (5) Display All Comments (c) Select/Display Comment Number (6) Reply To Current Comment (d) Go To Next Changed Meeting (7) Next Subject With Unread Comments (e) Meeting Maintenance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . . . 8 blank lines . . . Press F1:help F3:Leave meeting F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== When a user attends a meeting via this menu his current comment and subject are normally set to the last comment in the meeting that he read. If, however, the user leaves a meeting and returns to it without attending another meeting, the current comment and subject will remain the same. Note that if the user switches between the entry order oriented menu and this menu (by changing the personalization option) the current comment will either remain unchanged if only one comment was current or be the comment with the highest | comment index if there were multiple comments selected. If | the "last read comment" or the "highest old current comment" | has been deleted then the current comment will be set to the | first non-deleted comment in the meeting". MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.4.B.1 Display Unread Comment This option will cause the first comment (on the current subject) that the user has not yet read to be displayed below the menu. If the text to be displayed is made up of more than 8 lines it will be displayed in 8 line chunks with the 9th line being a more prompt. When the last line is displayed the cursor returns to the menu and another menu option or xforum command (function key or escape sequence) | may be entered. Note that the date-time displayed on the | first line is displayed in the user's default date-time | format. =============================================================================== --------------------------- Attending works meeting --------------------------- | Total: 93 Current Subject: FooBar Unread: 3 | (1) Display Unread Comment(s) (8) Select Subject (2) Display Current Comment (9) Start New Discussion (3) Display Next Comment (a) Copy Current Subject (4) Display Previous Comment (b) Skip Rest Of Current Subject (5) Display All Comments (c) Select/Display Comment Number (6) Reply To Current Comment (d) Go To Next Changed Meeting (7) Next Subject With Unread Comments (e) Meeting Maintenance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [0090] (30 lines) Person.Project 05/16/84 1202.5 mst Wed works Subject: Re: Foo . . 6 lines of text . . . <User_io window more prompt, user defined or system default> =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 2.1.4.B.2 Display Current Comment This option will cause the current transaction to be displayed below the menu. See section 2.1.4.B.1 for an example of the display. 2.1.4.B.3 Display Next Comment This option will cause the next transaction chained to the current transaction to be displayed below the menu. See section 2.1.4.B.1 for an example of the display. 2.1.4.B.4 Display Previous Comment This option will cause the previous transaction chained to the current transaction to be displayed below the menu. See section 2.1.4.B.1 for an example of the display. 2.1.4.B.5 Display All Comments This option will cause all the transactions chained to the current transaction to be displayed below the menu. The transactions are displayed in entry order. See section 2.1.4.B.1 for an example of the display. MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.4.B.6 Reply To Current Comment This option is used to reply to the current transaction. This will cause the transaction about to be entered to be chained to the current transaction. The top window starts off with the first part of the current transaction displayed. However every transaction on the subject is available for display in the top window via Eh and El. Each transaction has the usual header and trailer lines. The first figure shows how the display will look when the user is entering the comment. The top window contains the first part of the current transaction while the bottom window is used to enter the reply. The second figure shows the confirmation message when the user enters the transaction into the meeting. =============================================================================== -------------- Replying on subject FooBar in the works meeting ---------------- . . . First 7 lines of current transaction . . . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: FooBar . . 7 blank lines . . . Press ESC?:help BREAK:abort entry ESCq:enter reply in meeting ESCl:previous page of comments ESCh:next page of comments =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 =============================================================================== <Attending Meeting menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comment 94 entered into the works meeting. . . 7 blank lines . . . Press F1:help F3:Leave meeting F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== 2.1.4.B.7 Next Subject With Unread Comments This option finds the unread transaction with the lowest transaction number and sets the current subject to that transactions subject and the current transaction number to | that number. The transaction is also displayed. If there | are no unread transactions a message indicating that is displayed and the values of the current subject and current transaction remain unchanged. =============================================================================== --------------------------- Attending works meeting --------------------------- | Total: 93 Current Subject: FooBar Unread: 3 | (1) Display Unread Comment(s) (8) Select Subject (2) Display Current Comment (9) Start New Discussion (3) Display Next Comment (a) Copy Current Subject (4) Display Previous Comment (b) Skip Rest Of Current Subject (5) Display All Comments (c) Select/Display Comment Number (6) Reply To Current Comment (d) Go To Next Changed Meeting (7) Next Subject With Unread Comments (e) Meeting Maintenance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No Unread Subjects . . 7 blank lines . . . Press F1:help F3:Leave meeting F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.4.B.8 Select Subject This option is used to change the current subject. Once the subject is changed the current transaction is set to the last transaction in that subject chain. Note that if there are two chains with the same subject there will be two options in the comment subject selection menu with the same option description. Either subject chain may be selected by selecting the appropriate option. If the subject is so long that it cannot fit on the menu it will be truncated. When entering a subject in response to a prompt, the first chain will always be selected. The first figure shows what the user's display would look like after selecting this option (provided he has not personalized the system to prompt him for a subject instead of displaying the menu). The second figure shows what the display would look like if the user has set the system up to prompt him. The first figure also shows what the display would like if the user responded to the subject prompt with a ??. The last option on all menus of subjects allows the user to escape the menu and be prompted for the subject. It results in the same prompt as shown in the second figure. =============================================================================== --------------------------- Attending works meeting --------------------------- | Total: 93 Current Subject: FooBar Unread: 3 | (1) Display Unread Comment(s) (8) Select Subject (2) Display Current Comment (9) Start New Discussion (3) Display Next Comment (a) Copy Current Subject (4) Display Previous Comment (b) Skip Rest Of Current Subject (5) Display All Comments (c) Select/Display Comment Number (6) Reply To Current Comment (d) Go To Next Changed Meeting (7) Next Subject With Unread Comments (e) Meeting Maintenance ------------------------- Comment Subject Selection --------------------------- Choices (menu 1 of 5) (1) S1 (8) S8 (2) S2 (9) S9 (3) S3 (a) S10 (4) S4 (b) S11 (5) S5 (c) S12 (6) S6 (d) S13 (7) S7 (e) ENTER SUBJECT | Press F6:next menu F7:previous menu BREAK:Leave current subject unchanged =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 =============================================================================== <Attending Meeting menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enter subject (or ?? for menu): . . 7 blank lines . . | Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Leave current subject unchanged =============================================================================== | | | | | | Since it will normally take a very long time to build the | list of subjects the screen will be updated to look like | this while the list is being built. | | | =============================================================================== | <Attending Meeting menu> | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Building a list of subjects | This may take a while | | <NNN> out of <XXX> comments processed | . | . | . | . | Press BREAK:Leave current subject unchanged | =============================================================================== | | | The <NNN> stands for the number of last transaction | processed and will be updated every 200 transactions | (including deleted transactions). The <XXX> stands for the | last transaction in the meeting. The "comments processed" | message will not be output for meetings with less than 200 | transactions in them. MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.4.B.9 Start New Discussion This option is used to enter a transaction on a new subject. The first figure shows the prompt used to define the subject of the transaction. The second figure shows the display as the user enters his transaction. The third figure shows the confirmation message output when the user enters the transaction into the meeting. The user may get more space for entering his transaction by using the personalization option "Remove Menu While Editing". This will cause the space occupied by the menu to be used for entering the new transaction (see the 4th figure). =============================================================================== --------------------------- Attending works meeting --------------------------- | Total: 93 Current Subject: FooBar Unread: 3 | (1) Display Unread Comment(s) (8) Select Subject (2) Display Current Comment (9) Start New Discussion (3) Display Next Comment (a) Copy Current Subject (4) Display Previous Comment (b) Skip Rest Of Current Subject (5) Display All Comments (c) Select/Display Comment Number (6) Reply To Current Comment (d) Go To Next Changed Meeting (7) Next Subject With Unread Comments (e) Meeting Maintenance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enter Subject: . . 7 blank lines . . . Press ESC?:help BREAK:abort entry =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Attending Meeting menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Foo . . 7 blank lines . . . Press ESC?:help BREAK:abort entry ESCq:enter comment ESCu:modify subject =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 =============================================================================== <Attending Meeting menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comment N entered into the works meeting. . . 7 blank lines . . . Press F1:help F3:Leave meeting F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== =============================================================================== Subject: Foo . . 17 blank lines . . . Press ESC?:help BREAK:abort entry ESCq:enter comment ESCu:modify subject =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.4.B.10 Copy Current Subject This option will cause the entire subject chain to be written to a file. The first figure shows the prompt that is output requesting the name of the file the current transactions are to be written to. The second figure shows the confirmation message. If the file already exists the current transactions are appended onto the end of the file. Transactions are separated from each other by a form-feed character. There is also a form-feed character after the last transaction. Note that either the absolute or relative pathname of the file may be specified. =============================================================================== --------------------------- Attending works meeting --------------------------- | Total: 93 Current Subject: FooBar Unread: 3 | (1) Display Unread Comment(s) (8) Select Subject (2) Display Current Comment (9) Start New Discussion (3) Display Next Comment (a) Copy Current Subject (4) Display Previous Comment (b) Skip Rest Of Current Subject (5) Display All Comments (c) Select/Display Comment Number (6) Reply To Current Comment (d) Go To Next Changed Meeting (7) Next Subject With Unread Comments (e) Meeting Maintenance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enter the name of the file: . . 7 blank lines . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Do not copy comments =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Attending Meeting menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- N comments written to file X . . 7 blank lines . . Press F1:help F3:Leave meeting F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 2.1.4.B.11 Skip Rest Of Current Subject This option will mark all unread comments in the current subject as read. It will also implicitly select option 7 (Next Subject With Unread Comments). See section 2.1.4.B.7. 2.1.4.B.12 Select/Display Comment Number This option is used to set a specific transaction as the current transaction. Only 1 transaction may be specified. The figure shows the prompt that is output requesting the number of the new transaction. The subject of this transaction will be made the current subject and the transaction will be made the current comment. The transaction will be output after it is selected. =============================================================================== --------------------------- Attending works meeting --------------------------- | Total: 93 Current Subject: FooBar Unread: 3 | (1) Display Unread Comment(s) (8) Select Subject (2) Display Current Comment (9) Start New Discussion (3) Display Next Comment (a) Copy Current Subject (4) Display Previous Comment (b) Skip Rest Of Current Subject (5) Display All Comments (c) Select/Display Comment Number (6) Reply To Current Comment (d) Go To Next Changed Meeting (7) Next Subject With Unread Comments (e) Meeting Maintenance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Which comment do you wish to select? . . . 7 blank lines . . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Meeting menu =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.4.B.13 Go To Next Changed Meeting This option changes the current meeting to the next meeting with changes. The name of the meeting is updated in the attending meeting menu header as are the total, current, and unread fields in the status line. The current comment is set to the last READ transaction. If there are no changed meetings the user will be queried to see if he wants to scan his list of meetings to find those that have changed (see the first figure). If he answers yes all his meetings are scaned and those that have changed are marked. In addition the attending menu for the first changed meeting will be displayed (see first paragraph in this section). If he answers no or none of his meetings have changed the Executive Forum menu will be displayed and a message indicating that no meetings have changed is output (see the seventh figure in section 2.1.1). =============================================================================== <Attending Meeting menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You have no changed meetings according to the current changed meeting list. Do you wish to check the meetings and update the changed list? . 6 blank lines . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Meeting menu =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 2.1.4.(A.A B.14) Meeting Maintenance There are two meeting maintenance menus, the chairperson menu and the non-chairperson menu. If the user is the meeting chairperson the chairperson menu will be displayed. 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).A Meeting Maintenance - Chairperson =============================================================================== ---------------------- Chairperson Meeting Maintenance ------------------------ works (1) List Participants (8) Add Project (2) Delete Comment (9) Remove Project (3) Retrieve Deleted Comment (a) Make Meeting Public or Private (4) Stop Attending Meeting (b) Set Chairperson's Message (5) Skip To End of Meeting (c) Print Eligibility Message (6) Add Person (d) Set New Chairperson (7) Remove Person ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . . . 8 blank lines . . . Press F1:help F3:Return to Meeting menu F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).A.1 List Participants This option will produce a listing below the menu of all the people who attend the current meeting. This list will include the date-time they last attending and the transaction number of the last transaction they have seen. A number of flags will also be displayed which indicate the user status. If the text to be displayed is made up of more than 8 lines it will be displayed in 8 line chunks with the 9th line being a more prompt. When the last line is displayed the cursor returns to the menu and another menu option or xforum command (function key or escape sequence) may be entered. =============================================================================== ---------------------- Chairperson Meeting Maintenance ------------------------ works (1) List Participants (8) Add Project (2) Delete Comment (9) Remove Project (3) Retrieve Deleted Comment (a) Make Meeting Public or Private (4) Stop Attending Meeting (b) Set Chairperson's Message (5) Skip To End of Meeting (c) Print Eligibility Message (6) Add Person (d) Set New Chairperson (7) Remove Person ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flags Person Last [0234] Last Time Attended Alpha.P1 [0233] 05/15/84 0911.3 mst Tue n Beta.P1 *END* 05/15/84 0911.9 mst Tue o Gama.P2 [0123] 01/04/84 1123.4 mdt Thur rno Delta.P3 [0011] 10/16/83 1312.1 mdt Fri . 3 lines . <User_io window more prompt, user defined or system default> =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).A.2 Delete Comment This option allows the chairperson to delete any transaction or a non-chairperson to delete any transaction that he entered. The first figure shows what the user's display would look like after selecting this option, provided he has not personalized the system to prompt him for a transaction number. After the user selects a transaction the menu is redrawn without the selected transaction. The user may select as many transactions as he wants. The second figure shows what the display would look like if the user has set the system up to prompt him. The third figure shows what the confirmation message and second prompt look like. The user may delete as many transactions as he wants. The user must press BREAK to return to the meeting maintenance menu. The first figure also shows what the display would look like if the user responded to the prompt with a ??. Note that if a subject is so long that it will not fit on the menu it will be truncated. The last option on all menus of comments allows the user to escape the menu and be prompted for the subject. It results in the same prompt as shown in the second figure. =============================================================================== ---------------------- Chairperson Meeting Maintenance ------------------------ works (1) List Participants (8) Add Project (2) Delete Comment (9) Remove Project (3) Retrieve Deleted Comment (a) Make Meeting Public or Private (4) Stop Attending Meeting (b) Set Chairperson's Message (5) Skip To End of Meeting (c) Print Eligibility Message (6) Add Person (d) Set New Chairperson (7) Remove Person ---------------------- Comment To Be Deleted Selection ------------------------ Choices (menu 3 of 6) (1) Cn1 Subject (8) Cn9 Subject (2) Cn2 Subject (9) Cn9 Subject (3) Cn3 Subject (a) Cn10 Subject (4) Cn4 Subject (b) Cn11 Subject (5) Cn5 Subject (c) Cn12 Subject (6) Cn6 Subject (d) Cn13 Subject (7) Cn7 Subject (e) ENTER COMMENT NUMBER Press F6:next menu F7:previous menu BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin =============================================================================== <Meeting Maintenance menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enter number of comment to be deleted (or ?? for menu): . . . 7 blank lines . . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Meeting Maintenance menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comment number N deleted. Enter number of comment to be deleted (or ?? for menu): . . 6 blank lines . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).A.3 Retrieve Deleted Comment This option allows the chairperson to retrieve any deleted transaction or a non-chairperson to retrieve any transaction that he entered and then deleted. The first figure shows what the user's display would look like after selecting this option, provided he has not personalized the system to prompt him for a transaction number. After the user selects a transaction the menu is redrawn without the selected transaction. The user may select as many transactions as he wants. The second figure shows what the display would look like if the user has set the system up to prompt him. The third figure shows what the confirmation message and second prompt look like. The user may retrieve as many transactions as he wants. The user must press BREAK to return to the meeting maintenance menu. The first figure also shows what the display would look like if the user responded to the prompt with a ??. Note that if a subject is so long that it will not fit on the menu it will be truncated. The last option on all menus of comments allows the user to escape the menu and be prompted for the comment number. It results in the same prompt as shown in the second figure. =============================================================================== ---------------------- Chairperson Meeting Maintenance ------------------------ works (1) List Participants (8) Add Project (2) Delete Comment (9) Remove Project (3) Retrieve Deleted Comment (a) Make Meeting Public or Private (4) Stop Attending Meeting (b) Set Chairperson's Message (5) Skip To End of Meeting (c) Print Eligibility Message (6) Add Person (d) Set New Chairperson (7) Remove Person --------------------- Comment To Be Retrieved Selection ----------------------- Choices (menu 3 of 6) (1) Cn1 Subject (8) Cn8 Subject (2) Cn2 Subject (9) Cn9 Subject (3) Cn3 Subject (a) Cn10 Subject (4) Cn4 Subject (b) Cn11 Subject (5) Cn5 Subject (c) Cn12 Subject (6) Cn6 Subject (d) Cn13 Subject (7) Cn7 Subject (e) ENTER COMMENT NUMBER Press F6:next menu F7:previous menu BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin =============================================================================== <Meeting Maintenance menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enter number of comment to be retrieved (or ?? for menu): . . . 7 blank lines . . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Meeting Maintenance menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comment number N retrieved. Enter number of comment to be retrieved (or ?? for menu): . . 6 blank lines . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).A.4 Stop Attending Meeting This option is used to stop attending a meeting. The meeting remains on the user's list of eligible meetings but does not appear on the list of attended meetings or changed meetings. The user may start attending the meeting again merely by using the goto eligible meeting option of the executive forum menu. Once the user attends the meeting, it will appear in his list of attended meetings until he uses this option again. The figure shows what the user's display would look like after selection of this option. =============================================================================== ------------------------ Executive Forum (Version 1.4) ------------------------ Eligible 117, Attended 58, Changed 0 (1) Go To Changed Meeting (5) Modify Meeting List (2) Go To Attended Meeting (6) Personalize Exec Forum (3) Go To Eligible Meeting (7) Getting Started (4) Go To Next Changed Meeting ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You have just stopped attending the works meeting . . 10 blank lines . . Press F1:help F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).A.5 Skip To End of Meeting This option allows the user to mark all the transactions in the meeting as having been read. This makes it easy for people who have just started attending a meeting to ignore all the old transactions. The figure shows the confirmation message. =============================================================================== ---------------------- Chairperson Meeting Maintenance ------------------------ works (1) List Participants (8) Add Project (2) Delete Comment (9) Remove Project (3) Retrieve Deleted Comment (a) Make Meeting Public or Private (4) Stop Attending Meeting (b) Set Chairperson's Message (5) Skip To End of Meeting (c) Print Eligibility Message (6) Add Person (d) Set New Chairperson (7) Remove Person ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You have just skipped over all the comments in the works meeting . . . 7 blank lines . . . Press F1:help F3:Return to Meeting menu F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).A.6 Add Person This option will cause a prompt to be displayed below the meeting maintenance menu. The prompt will query the user for the Multics Person_ID of a person who is to be allowed to participate in the meeting. After the user enters the Person_ID and a confirmation message is displayed, the prompt is re-issued. The user may enter as many Person_IDs as he wishes. The user must press the BREAK key to return to the meeting maintenance menu. =============================================================================== ---------------------- Chairperson Meeting Maintenance ------------------------ works (1) List Participants (8) Add Project (2) Delete Comment (9) Remove Project (3) Retrieve Deleted Comment (a) Make Meeting Public or Private (4) Stop Attending Meeting (b) Set Chairperson's Message (5) Skip To End of Meeting (c) Print Eligibility Message (6) Add Person (d) Set New Chairperson (7) Remove Person ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enter Person_ID of new participant: . . . 7 blank lines . . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Meeting Maintenance menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- XXX may now attend the works meeting Enter Person_ID of new participant: . . . 6 blank lines . . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).A.7 Remove Person This option allows the chairperson to remove from the meeting any one currently participating. The first figure shows what the chairperson's display would look like after selecting this option, provided he has not personalized the system to prompt him for the person's Multics Person_ID. After the chairperson selects a Person_ID, the menu is redrawn without the selected Person_ID. The second figure shows what the display would look like if the system is set up to issue a prompt. The third figure shows what the confirmation message and second prompt look like. The chairperson may enter as many Person_IDs as he wants in either of the prompt or menu modes. To return to the meeting maintenance menu the chairperson must press BREAK. The first figure also shows what the display would look like if the chairperson answers the prompt with a ??. Note that from prompt mode the chairperson can enter the Multics Person_ID of a person who has never attended the meeting. This will prevent that person from ever attending the meeting unless explicitly added later on. The last option on all menus of Person_IDs allows the user to escape the menu and be prompted for the Person_ID. It results in the same prompt as shown in the second figure. =============================================================================== ---------------------- Chairperson Meeting Maintenance ------------------------ works (1) List Participants (8) Add Project (2) Delete Comment (9) Remove Project (3) Retrieve Deleted Comment (a) Make Meeting Public or Private (4) Stop Attending Meeting (b) Set Chairperson's Message (5) Skip To End of Meeting (c) Print Eligibility Message (6) Add Person (d) Set New Chairperson (7) Remove Person ----------------------- Person to be Removed Selection ------------------------ Choices (menu 1 of 3) (1) Person_ID_1 (8) Person_ID_8 (2) Person_ID_2 (9) Person_ID_9 (3) Person_ID_3 (a) Person_ID_10 (4) Person_ID_4 (b) Person_ID_11 (5) Person_ID_5 (c) Person_ID_12 (6) Person_ID_6 (d) Person_ID_13 (7) Person_ID_7 (e) ENTER PERSON ID Press F6:next menu F7:previous menu BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 =============================================================================== <Meeting Maintenance menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enter Person_ID of person to be removed (or ?? for menu): . . . 7 blank lines . . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Meeting Maintenance menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- XXX has been removed from the works meeting. Enter Person_ID of person to be removed (or ?? for menu): . . 6 blank lines . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Meeting menu =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).A.8 Add Project This option will cause a prompt to be displayed below the meeting maintenance menu. The prompt will query the user for the Multics Project_ID of the project which is to be allowed to participate in the meeting. After the user enters the Project_ID and a confirmation message is displayed, the prompt is re-issued. The user may enter as many Project_IDs as he wishes. The user must press the BREAK key to return to the meeting maintenance menu. =============================================================================== ---------------------- Chairperson Meeting Maintenance ------------------------ works (1) List Participants (8) Add Project (2) Delete Comment (9) Remove Project (3) Retrieve Deleted Comment (a) Make Meeting Public or Private (4) Stop Attending Meeting (b) Set Chairperson's Message (5) Skip To End of Meeting (c) Print Eligibility Message (6) Add Person (d) Set New Chairperson (7) Remove Person ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enter Project_ID of new project: . . . 7 blank lines . . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Meeting Maintenance menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- People on the XXX project may now attend the works meeting Enter Project_ID of new project: . . . 6 blank lines . . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).A.9 Remove Project This option allows the chairperson to remove from the meeting all persons who are registered on a given project and have not been specifically added via the add person option. The first figure shows what the chairperson's display would look like after selecting this option, provided he has not personalized the system to prompt him for the project's Multics Project_ID. After the chairperson selects a Project_ID, the menu is redrawn without the selected Project_ID. The second figure shows what the display would look like if the system is set up to issue a prompt. The third figure shows what the confirmation message and second prompt look like. The chairperson may enter as many Project_IDs as he wants in either of the prompt or menu modes. To return to the meeting maintenance menu the chairperson must press BREAK. The first figure also shows what the display would look like if the chairperson answers the prompt with a ??. Note that from prompt mode the chairperson can enter the Project_ID of a project which was never added to the meeting. The last option on all menus of Project_IDs allows the user to escape the menu and be prompted for the Project_ID. It results in the same prompt as shown in the second figure. =============================================================================== ---------------------- Chairperson Meeting Maintenance ------------------------ works (1) List Participants (8) Add Project (2) Delete Comment (9) Remove Project (3) Retrieve Deleted Comment (a) Make Meeting Public or Private (4) Stop Attending Meeting (b) Set Chairperson's Message (5) Skip To End of Meeting (c) Print Eligibility Message (6) Add Person (d) Set New Chairperson (7) Remove Person ---------------------- Project to be Removed Selection ------------------------ Choices (menu 1 of 3) (1) Project_ID_1 (8) Project_ID_8 (2) Project_ID_2 (9) Project_ID_9 (3) Project_ID_3 (a) Project_ID_10 (4) Project_ID_4 (b) Project_ID_11 (5) Project_ID_5 (c) Project_ID_12 (6) Project_ID_6 (d) Project_ID_13 (7) Project_ID_7 (e) ENTER PROJECT ID Press F6:next menu F7:previous menu BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin =============================================================================== <Meeting Maintenance menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enter Project_ID of project to be removed (or ?? for menu): . . . 7 blank lines . . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Meeting Maintenance menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Project XXX has been removed from the works meeting Enter Project_ID of project to be removed (or ?? for menu): . . 6 blank lines . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).A.10 Make Meeting Public or Private This option allows the chairperson to make the meeting either public or private. The first figure is the display after the chairperson has selected the option. The second figure is how the display will look after the confirmation message. Note that if the user presses BREAK the confirmation message indicating the current state is still output. =============================================================================== ---------------------- Chairperson Meeting Maintenance ------------------------ works (1) List Participants (8) Add Project (2) Delete Comment (9) Remove Project (3) Retrieve Deleted Comment (a) Make Meeting Public or Private (4) Stop Attending Meeting (b) Set Chairperson's Message (5) Skip To End of Meeting (c) Print Eligibility Message (6) Add Person (d) Set New Chairperson (7) Remove Person ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The works meeting is currently public You can now make the works meeting public or private. Enter "public" or "private" (or just press BREAK to leave things unchanged): . 4 blank lines . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Meeting Maintenance menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The works meeting is now private. . 7 blank lines . Press F1:help F3:Return to Meeting menu F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).A.11 Set Chairperson Message This option allows the chairperson to enter a chairperson message. The message is entered below the menu in a manner analogous to entering a transaction. =============================================================================== ---------------------- Chairperson Meeting Maintenance ------------------------ works (1) List Participants (8) Add Project (2) Delete Comment (9) Remove Project (3) Retrieve Deleted Comment (a) Make Meeting Public or Private (4) Stop Attending Meeting (b) Set Chairperson's Message (5) Skip To End of Meeting (c) Print Eligibility Message (6) Add Person (d) Set New Chairperson (7) Remove Person ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . . . 8 blank lines . . . Press ESC?:help BREAK:abort entry ESCq:enter chairperson message =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).A.12 Print Eligibility Message This option allows the chairperson to indicate if the eligibility message should be printed. The first figure is the display after the chairperson has selected the option. The second figure is how the display will look after the confirmation message. Note that if the user presses BREAK the confirmation message indicating the current state is still output. =============================================================================== ---------------------- Chairperson Meeting Maintenance ------------------------ works (1) List Participants (8) Add Project (2) Delete Comment (9) Remove Project (3) Retrieve Deleted Comment (a) Make Meeting Public or Private (4) Stop Attending Meeting (b) Set Chairperson's Message (5) Skip To End of Meeting (c) Print Eligibility Message (6) Add Person (d) Set New Chairperson (7) Remove Person ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The eligibility message will currently be printed. You can now choose if you want the eligibility message printed or not. Enter "print" or "do not print" . 5 blank lines . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Meeting Maintenance menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The eligibility message will not be printed. . 7 blank lines . Press F1:help F3:Return to Meeting menu F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).A.13 Set New Chairperson This option lets the chairperson of a meeting designate a new chairperson. Once a new chairperson is designated the old chairperson loses all chairperson authority. The following figures show the prompt for the new chairperson's Multics Person_ID, his Project_ID, and a confirmation that the information is correct. If the chairperson responds to the confirmation prompt with a no he will again be prompted for the new chairperson's Person_ID. =============================================================================== ---------------------- Chairperson Meeting Maintenance ------------------------ works (1) List Participants (8) Add Project (2) Delete Comment (9) Remove Project (3) Retrieve Deleted Comment (a) Make Meeting Public or Private (4) Stop Attending Meeting (b) Set Chairperson's Message (5) Skip To End of Meeting (c) Print Eligibility Message (6) Add Person (d) Set New Chairperson (7) Remove Person ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enter the Person_ID of the new chairperson: . 7 blank lines . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Meeting Maintenance menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Person_ID of the new chairperson is XXX Enter the Project_ID of the new chairperson: . 6 blank lines . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 =============================================================================== <Meeting Maintenance menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are about to resign as chairperson of the "works" meeting in favor of XXX.YYY. Are you sure you want to do this? (enter "yes", "no", or just BREAK to remain as meeting chairperson): . 4 blank lines . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Attending Meeting menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The new chairperson of the works meeting is: XXX from the YYY project. . 6 blank lines . Press F1:help F3:Leave meeting F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).B Meeting Maintenance - Non-Chairperson =============================================================================== --------------------------- Meeting Administration ---------------------------- works (1) List Participants (4) Stop Attending Meeting (2) Delete Comment (5) Skip To End of Meeting (3) Retrieve Deleted Comment ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . . . 12 blank lines . . . Press F1:help F3:Return to Meeting menu F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).B.1 List Participants See section 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).A.1 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).B.2 Delete Comments See section 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).A.2 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).B.3 Retrieve Deleted Comments See section 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).A.3 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).B.4 Stop Attending Meeting See section 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).A.4 Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).B.5 Skip To End Of Meeting See section 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).A.5 2.1.5 Modify Meeting List This menu is used by the user to manage his list of meetings. =============================================================================== -------------------------- Meeting List Maintenance --------------------------- Eligible 117, Attended 58, Changed 0 (1) Stop Attending Meeting (3) Create New Meeting (2) Attend New Meeting ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . . . 13 blank lines . . . Press F1:help F3:Return to Executive Forum menu F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.5.1 Stop Attending Meeting This option is used to stop attending a meeting. The meeting remains on the user's list of eligible meetings but does not appear on the list of attended meetings or changed meetings. The user may start attending the meeting again merely by using the goto eligible meeting option of the executive forum menu. Once the user attends the meeting, it will appear in his list of attended meetings until he uses this option again. The first figure shows what the user's display would look like after selecting this option, provided he has not personalized the system to prompt him for a meeting name instead of displaying the menu. The second figure shows what the display would look like if the user has set the system up to prompt him. The first figure also shows what the display would like if the user responded to the meeting name prompt with a ??. If the "Stop Attending Meeting Selection" menu is on the screen then every time the user makes a section the menu is updated to remove the meeting the selected meeting. The user remains in the Stop Attending Meeting Section menu until he presses the BREAK key. If the user is being prompted then figure three shows how the confirmation message and prompt for another meeting name interact. The user will continue to be prompted for meeting names until he presses the BREAK key. The last option on all menus of meetings allows the user to escape the menu and be prompted for the meeting. It results in the same prompt as shown in the second figure. =============================================================================== -------------------------- Meeting List Maintenance --------------------------- Eligible 117, Attended 58, Changed 0 (1) Stop Attending Meeting (3) Create New Meeting (2) Attend New Meeting ---------------------- Stop Attending Meeting selection ----------------------- Choice (menu 2 of 4) (1) M1 (d) M13 (2) M2 (e) M14 (3) M3 (f) M15 (4) M4 (g) M16 (5) M5 (h) M17 (6) M6 (i) M18 (7) M7 (j) M19 (8) M8 (k) M20 (9) M9 (l) M21 (a) M10 (m) M22 (b) M11 (n) M23 (c) M12 (o) ENTER MEETING NAME Press F6:next menu F7:previous menu BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 =============================================================================== <Meeting List Maintenance menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enter name of meeting you want to stop attending (or ?? for menu): . . . 12 blank lines . . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Meeting List Maintenance menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You have just stopped attending meeting XXXX Enter name of meeting you want to stop attending (or ?? for menu): . . . 11 blank lines . . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.5.2 Attend New Meeting This option is used to attend a new meeting that is not on the list of eligible meetings. First, the user's list of eligible meetings is checked. If the meeting already appears and the UIDs of the meeting in the list and the meeting requested are the same, the meeting is merely added to the attended list. If the UIDs do not correspond the user will be queried for a new name (both long and short). A link to the meeting with these new names will be added to the user's meetings directory and using the new names the meeting will be added to the user's list of eligible and attending meetings. In the event that a link in the user's meetings directory already has the same name as the requested meeting the case is handled exactly like the case of duplicate names above. It is possible for a meeting link to exist but for the meeting not to appear in the meeting list if the user invoked forum with meeting name arguments (see section 7). Either an absolute or relative pathname may be entered. After all lists and links are straightened out the attending meeting menu for the new meeting is displayed. =============================================================================== -------------------------- Meeting List Maintenance --------------------------- Eligible 117, Attended 58, Changed 0 (1) Stop Attending Meeting (3) Create New Meeting (2) Attend New Meeting ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enter pathname of new meeting: . . . 12 blank lines . . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 2.1.5.3 Create New Meeting This option is used to create a new meeting in the user's meetings dir. The user is prompted for the meeting name, a chairperson message, and participation lists. See sections 2.1.4.(A.A B.14).** for what the prompts will look like. After all prompts have been answered the attending meeting menu for the new meeting is displayed. =============================================================================== -------------------------- Meeting List Maintenance --------------------------- Eligible 117, Attended 58, Changed 0 (1) Stop Attending Meeting (3) Create New Meeting (2) Attend New Meeting ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enter name of meeting to be created . . . 12 blank lines . . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.6 Personalize Exec Forum This menu is used to set various flags to personalize the way that executive forum will behave. =============================================================================== --------------------------------- Personalize --------------------------------- Executive Forum (1) Read Comments by Subject (4) Remove Menu While Editing (2) Always Use Escape Sequences (5) Process Interactive Messages (3) Display Lists as Menus (6) Multics Command Mode ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . . . 12 blank lines . . . Press F1:help F2:Return to Executive Forum menu F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 2.1.6.1 Read Comments by Subject This option allows the user to switch between the entry oriented attending meeting menu and the subject oriented attending meeting menu. The first figure is the display after the user has selected the option. The second figure is the how the display will look after the confirmation message. Note that if the user presses BREAK the confirmation message indicating the current state is still output. Note also that the user can enter either "s" or "e" instead of the full word. The default is that the user will see the subject oriented menu. =============================================================================== --------------------------------- Personalize --------------------------------- Executive Forum (1) Read Comments by Subject (4) Remove Menu While Editing (2) Always Use Escape Sequences (5) Process Interactive Messages (3) Display Lists as Menus (6) Multics Command Mode ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are currently using the subject oriented attending meeting menu. You can now choose between the subject and entry order oriented attending meeting menus. Enter "subject" or "entry" . . . 8 blank lines . . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:To leave things unchanged =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Personalize Executive Forum menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You will now be using the entry order oriented attending meeting menu. . . . 11 blank lines . . . Press F1:help F2:Return to Executive Forum menu F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.6.2 Always Use Escape Sequences This option allows the user to indicate that escape sequences should be used instead of function keys. The first figure is the display after the user has selected the option. The second figure is the how the display will look after the confirmation message. Note that if the user presses BREAK the confirmation message indicating the current state is still output. Note also that the user can enter either "f" or "e" instead of the full word. The third figure is what all the different help lines will look like in escape sequence mode. The default is that the function keys will be used. =============================================================================== --------------------------------- Personalize --------------------------------- Executive Forum (1) Read Comments by Subject (4) Remove Menu While Editing (2) Always Use Escape Sequences (5) Process Interactive Messages (3) Display Lists as Menus (6) Multics Command Mode ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are currently using function keys. You can now choose to use either function keys or escape sequences. Enter "function" or "escape" . . . 9 blank lines . . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:To leave things unchanged =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Personalize Executive Forum menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You will now be using escape sequences. . . . 11 blank lines . . . Press ESC?:help ESCf:Return to Executive Forum menu ESCq:Exit Executive Forum ================================================================================ Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 . . . Press ESC?:help ESCp:Return to Meeting menu ESCq:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== . . . Press ESC?:help ESCp:Return to Executive Forum menu ESCq:Exit Executive Forum ================================================================================ . . . Press ESC?:help ESCp:Leave meeting ESCq:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== . . . Press ESC?:help ESCq:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== . . . Press ESCl:next menu ESCh:previous menu BREAK:Return to Executive Forum menu =============================================================================== . . . Press ESCl:next menu ESCh:previous menu BREAK:Return to Maintenance menu =============================================================================== . . . Press ESCl:next menu ESCh:previous menu BREAK:Return to Meeting menu =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.6.3 Always Display Prompts Instead of Menus This option allows the user to bypass certain menus and be prompted for a response. The first figure is the display after the user has selected the option. The second figure is how the display will look after the confirmation message. Note that if the user presses BREAK the confirmation message indicating the current state is still output. Note also that the user can enter either "m" or "q" instead of the full word. The default is that the lists will be displayed as menus. =============================================================================== --------------------------------- Personalize --------------------------------- Executive Forum (1) Read Comments by Subject (4) Remove Menu While Editing (2) Always Use Escape Sequences (5) Process Interactive Messages (3) Display Lists as Menus (6) Multics Command Mode ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lists are currently displayed as menus in the lower part of the screen. You can now choose to have lists displayed as menus or to be queried for a list item Enter "menu" or "query" . . . 8 blank lines . . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:To leave things unchanged =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Personalize Executive Forum menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You will now be queried for list options. . . . 11 blank lines . . . Press F1:help F2:Return to Executive Forum menu F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 2.1.6.4 Remove Menu While Editing This option allows the user to indicate that the menu is to be cleared from the screen during editing and that the extra space is to be used. The first figure is the display after the user has selected the option. The second figure is how the display will look after the confirmation message. Note that if the user presses BREAK the confirmation message indicating the current state is still output. Note also that the user can enter eithe a "k" or "c" instead of the full word. The default is that the menu space will be used for editing. =============================================================================== --------------------------------- Personalize --------------------------------- Executive Forum (1) Read Comments by Subject (4) Remove Menu While Editing (2) Always Use Escape Sequences (5) Process Interactive Messages (3) Display Lists as Menus (6) Multics Command Mode ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Currently the menu is not cleared from the screen when you are entering a comment with a new subject. You can now choose to leave the menu on the screen or clear it and use the space for entering the comment. Enter "clear" or "keep" . . 8 blank lines . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:To leave things unchanged =============================================================================== =============================================================================== <Personalize Executive Forum menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The menu will be cleared when you are entering a comment with a new subject. . . . 11 blank lines . . . Press F1:help F2:Return to Executive Forum menu F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.6.5 Process Interactive Messages This option allows the user to indicate if he has an interactive message window already set up. The first figure is the display after the user has selected the option. The second figure is the how the display will look after the confirmation message. Note that if the user presses BREAK the confirmation message indicating the current state is still output. Note also that the user can enter either "x" or "o" instead of the full word. The default is for Xforum to process interactive messages. If Xforum processes interactive messages then interactive messages will be displayed in the bottom window only when the bottom window is clear, i.e. no prompts or menus and while not in the editor. If Xforum is not handling interactive messages then these messages will be displayed in the bottom window as they arrive. =============================================================================== --------------------------------- Personalize --------------------------------- Executive Forum (1) Read Comments by Subject (4) Remove Menu While Editing (2) Always Use Escape Sequences (5) Process Interactive Messages (3) Display Lists as Menus (6) Multics Command Mode ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are currently using the Executive Forum interactive message processor. You can choose to use either the Executive Forum or your own interactive message processor. Enter "xforum" or "own" . . . 8 blank lines . . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:To leave things unchanged =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 =============================================================================== <Personalize Executive Forum menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You will now use your own interactive message processor. . . . 11 blank lines . . . Press F1:help F2:Return to Executive Forum menu F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.6.6 Multics Command Mode This option allows the user to enable Multics command mode. When this mode is enabled the user can exit Xforum and get to Multics command level and then return to Xforum. It is a personalization option instead of always being available for two reasons. First, to prevent the user from accidentally exiting Xforum and being placed in an environment that he is unprepared for. Second, it requires the use of a function key and it seemed unreasonable to force people with only seven functions keys to use escape sequences because of an option they many never invoke. The default is that Multics command mode will not be allowed. See section 6 for a more detailed discussion of Multics command mode. The first figure is the display after the user has selected the option. The second figure is the how the display will look after the confirmation message. Note that if the user presses BREAK the confirmation message indicating the current state is still output. Note also that the user can enter either "a" or "d" instead of the full word. =============================================================================== --------------------------------- Personalize --------------------------------- Executive Forum (1) Read Comments by Subject (4) Remove Menu While Editing (2) Always Use Escape Sequences (5) Process Interactive Messages (3) Display Lists as Menus (6) Multics Command Mode ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Multics Command Mode is currently not allowed. You can choose to either allow Multics command mode or to disallow it. Enter "allow" or "disallow" . . . 9 blank lines . . . Press ? and RETURN:help BREAK:To leave things unchanged =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 =============================================================================== <Personalize Executive Forum menu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Multics Command Mode is now allowed. . . . 11 blank lines . . . Press F1:help F2:Return to Executive Forum menu F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 2.1.7 Getting Started =============================================================================== ------------------------------ Executive Forum -------------------------------- Getting Started (1) Getting to Know your Terminal (9) What are Attended Meetings (2) How to Exit Executive Forum (a) What are Changed Meetings (3) How to Get Help (b) What is the Current Comment (4) Responding to Prompts (c) Selecting the Current Comment (5) How to Correct Typos (d) Entering Comments (6) Getting Around the Menus (e) Personalizing the System (7) The 2 Attending Menus (f) Multics Command Level Mode (8) What are Eligible Meetings (g) Go To Executive Forum menu ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Executive Forum system works with menus. The menu options refer to explanations of certain basic parts of Executive Forum. To get one of these explanations, just type the number of the menu option you want - there is NO need to press the RETURN key. You should start by going though all the options in this menu. After you have gone though the first 15, select option g, and the menu entitled "Executive Forum" will be displayed for you. You will then be ready to begin attending forum meetings. | Press F1:help F4:Exit Executive Forum g:Go To Executive Forum menu =============================================================================== 2.1.7.(1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F) The First Fifteen Options Each of these options will cause some text to be displayed below the getting started menu. The text will explain the concept of procedures indicated by the name of the option. If the text contains more lines than the user has below the menu a more prompt will be output. The more prompt will be the one the user has set or if none has been set the system default. When the last line of the text is output the cursor will return to the menu. See appendix 1 for the text produced for each option. 2.1.7.16 Go To Executive Forum Menu This option will cause the Executive Forum menu to be displayed. Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 3.0 The Executive Forum Help Facility Executive Forum has four different forms of help. 3.1 Help for each menu option The user can request help about any option on any of the "fixed" menus. A "fixed" menu is a menu appearing in the top window as opposed to the "dynamic" menus appearing in the bottom window. The user selects help by pressing the help sequence displayed on the help line (either F1 or ESC?) and then selects the option or function key that he wants help with. If the user is using escape sequences instead of function keys then he would enter the escape sequence instead of a function key. The help text is displayed below the current menu. If it is longer than the bottom window, more mode processing will be done. The first figure shows the prompt that is output in response to the help sequence. =============================================================================== --------------------------- Attending works meeting --------------------------- | Total: 93 Current Subject: FooBar Unread: 3 | (1) Display Unread Comment(s) (8) Select Subject (2) Display Current Comment (9) Start New Discussion (3) Display Next Comment (a) Copy Current Subject (4) Display Previous Comment (b) Skip Rest Of Current Subject (5) Display All Comments (c) Select/Display Comment Number (6) Reply To Current Comment (d) Go To Next Changed Meeting (7) Next Subject With Unread Comments (e) Meeting Maintenance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Press the option or function key for which you want help (or ?? for a menu of general help topics): . . . 6 blank lines . . . Press F1:help F3:Leave Meeting F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 3.2 Help on each prompt The user can also request help with any of the prompts. This help is obtained by answering the prompt with the ? character. The help text explains what the prompt is asking for, syntax rules of the input if there are any, and what will happen after the prompt is answered. It will also stress that the operation can be aborted by pressing the BREAK key. The help sequence, i.e. ? is indicated in the help line as is the abort sequence, i.e. BREAK. The help text is displayed below the prompt with the standard more mode processing. After the help text is displayed the prompt is re-issued. See appendix 3 the help text associated with each prompt. 3.3 The Getting Started Menu This menu has options describing both the general video environment and xforum concepts. See section 2.1.7 for an example of the menu. Selection of any option (but the last one) will cause a help text to be displayed below the menu. The usual more mode processing is done. The last option will cause the display of the main xforum menu. This menu and the general concepts menu are very similar Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 3.4 General Help Topics menu This menu is obtained by answering the help prompt (issued when the user requests help by pressing F1 or ESC?) with two question marks (??). See section 3.1 for an example of the prompt. The General Help Topics menu is displayed in the top window, overwritting whatever menu was there. The menu is replaced when the user exits the General Help Topics menu. The General Help Topics menu is very similar to Getting Started menu. The major differences are that the General Help Topics menu does not have an option to explain the user's terminal and does have an option to explain changes between releases. The help text displayed in response to an option selection appears below the menu with | the standard more-mode processing. Note that the | <PREVIOUS-NAME> construct will contain the name of the menu that was displayed prior to the General Help Topics menu; and the <V1> and <V2> constructs will contain xforum version numbers. =============================================================================== -------------------------------- General Help --------------------------------- Topics (1) How To Exit Executive Forum (9) What Are Changed Meetings (2) How To Get Help (a) What Is The Current Comment (3) Responding To Prompts (b) Selecting The Current Comment (4) How To Correct Typos (c) Entering Comments (5) Getting Around The Menus (d) Personalizing The System (6) The 2 Attending Menus (e) Multics Command Level Mode | (7) What Are Eligible Meetings (f) Changes Between <V1> And <V2> | (8) What Are Attended Meetings (g) Return To <PREVIOUS-NAME> menu ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . . . 7 blank lines . . . | Press F1:help F4:Exit Executive Forum g:Return to <PREVIOUS-NAME> menu =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 4.0 Handling of Async IO Messages are the only form of asyncrounous IO that are handled. The user will have the option of allowing xforum to handle interactive messages or having xforum do nothing about interactive messages. The latter case is to allow users who have set up some form of interactive message processing to bypass the xforum handling. When xforum is handling interactive messages it will defer messages whenever the lower window is not clear. When the window is clear or if all it contains is a confirmation message then messages will be printed. Note that when Xforum is handling messages it replaces any existing message handler with its own. When the user exits Xforum or when the user is in Xforum's Multics Mode Xforum will replace its message handler with the handler that was in place before Xforum was invoked. 5.0 The Editor The xforum editor will look almost exactly like the xmail editor. The differences are due to the different applications and only effect application specific commands, i.e. the Xforum editor will not have a command to change the to or cc lists. The editor will use ESC as an abbreviation for the escape key and CTL as an abbreviation for the control key. Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 6.0 Multics Mode If the user sets the personalization option "Multics Command Mode" to "allow", Multics mode will be available to via Function key 8 (or escape sequence ESCe). This will not be documented on the help line. When a user enters Multics mode the user_io window is expanded back to the size it was when the user entered Xforum minus 1 line (the help line). The help line will contain a message to remind the user that he is in Multics mode and how to return to xforum. The contents of the menu and bottom windows are not cleared when the user_io window is expanded, though the top of the menu may be scrolled off when a prompt is printed. The rest of the menu and the contents of the bottom window will scroll up and off the screen as the user enters commands and output is displayed. This will give the user time to enter commands requiring pathnames, Person_IDs, etc. that are displayed in the bottom window without having to first copy them onto a piece of paper. In Xforum's multics mode the user is not returned to xforum. Instead the user is prompted for a command which is then executed for him. To return to the menus the user merely enters a null command. Condition handlers are used to prevent an error from pushing the stack and leaving the user at command level. There is also a quit handler that returns the user to the Xforum "listener". This means that the user can press BREAK to interrupt an executing command but he cannot restart it with a "pi" or "start". It is hoped that someday we can provide a system complete enough so that there is no need to escape to Multics command level, but someday is not today. The first figure shows the display before the invocation of Multics mode. The second figure shows the display after the invocation. The third figure shows the display after the first command completes. MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin =============================================================================== --------------------------- Attending works meeting --------------------------- | Total: 93 Current Subject: FooBar Unread: 3 | (1) Display Unread Comment(s) (8) Select Subject (2) Display Current Comment (9) Start New Discussion (3) Display Next Comment (a) Copy Current Subject (4) Display Previous Comment (b) Skip Rest Of Current Subject (5) Display All Comments (c) Select/Display Comment Number (6) Reply To Current Comment (d) Go To Next Changed Meeting (7) Next Subject With Unread Comments (e) Meeting Maintenance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [0090] (30 lines) Person.Project 05/16/84 1202.5 mst Wed works Subject: Re: Foo . . 6 lines of text . . . Press F1:help F3:Return to Executive Forum menu F4:Exit Executive Forum =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 =============================================================================== | (1) Display Unread Comment(s) (8) Select Subject (2) Display Current Comment (9) Start New Discussion (3) Display Next Comment (a) Copy Current Subject (4) Display Previous Comment (b) Skip Rest Of Current Subject (5) Display All Comments (c) Select/Display Comment Number (6) Reply To Current Comment (d) Go To Next Changed Meeting (7) Next Subject With Unread Comments (e) Meeting Maintenance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [0090] (30 lines) Person.Project 05/16/84 1202.5 mst Wed works Subject: Re: Foo . . 6 lines of text . . . Enter the command and press RETURN (to return to Xforum just press RETURN): <cursor at column 1 of this line> Xforum Multics Mode =============================================================================== =============================================================================== (4) Display Previous Comment (b) Skip Rest Of Current Subject (5) Display All Comments (c) Select/Display Comment Number (6) Reply To Current Comment (d) Go To Next Changed Meeting (7) Next Subject With Unread Comments (e) Meeting Maintenance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [0090] (30 lines) Person.Project 05/16/84 1202.5 mst Wed works Subject: Re: Foo . . 6 lines of text . . . Enter the command and press RETURN (to return to Xforum just press RETURN): pwd >udd>m>nsd>xforum Command: Enter the command and press RETURN (to return to Xforum just press RETURN): =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 7.0 Invoking Executive Forum Xforum does not require that the user already be in the video system. It does require that if the user is in the video system that the user_io window be at least 19 lines high and 79 columns wide. When xforum is invoked there is considerable start up time as a meeting list is formed. The following message is output to assure the user that the command was accepted and that xforum is working: Executive Forum is starting up - Menu will be displayed shortly. Xforum will take no control arguments. Xforum will be able to detect if the user's meeting list does not reflect his current forum search rules. If that is the case he will be queried to see if he wants to update his meeting list. The first figure shows the query and the second figure shows the help message given in response to a ?. =============================================================================== . 9 blank lines . Executive Forum is starting up - Menu will be displayed shortly. Your forum search paths have changed Do you want to update your meeting list to reflect those changes . 5 blank lines . =============================================================================== Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 =============================================================================== . 4 blank lines . Executive Forum is starting up - Menu will be displayed shortly. Your forum search paths have changed Do you want to update your meeting list to reflect those changes? ? Your Forum search paths are the list of directories which are seached for forum meetings. The forum meetings found are saved in a meeting list This list of directories has been changed since the meeting list was created. If you do not update your meeting list it is possible that meetings which you could attend will not be listed Your forum search paths have changed Do you want to update your meeting list to reflect those changes? =============================================================================== Whenever there are changes between the version of Xforum that the user last used (recorded in his Xforum profile) and the version that he is currently using, the following message will be displayed for him when he invokes Xforum. =============================================================================== . 9 blank lines . Executive Forum is starting up - Menu will be displayed shortly. | Executive Forum has been changed since you last used it. Select option | "f" in the General Help Topics menu for a description of the changes. . 5 blank lines . =============================================================================== MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin 8.0 The First Time User of Executive Forum The first time the user invokes xforum the getting started menu will be the first menu displayed after that the Executive Forum menu will be the first menu displayed. 9.0 Function Keys and Escape Sequences Xforum will use the function keys in exactly the same way as Xmail. It will also use the same escape sequences. However the help line text will be tailored to fit the current situation. If the user is in the attend meeting menu F3 will be listed as "Leave Meeting". When the user is in the personalization menu F2 will be listed as "Return to Executive Forum menu". F1 ESC? Help F2 ESCf Display Executive Forum Menu F3 ESCp Display Previous Fixed Menu F4 ESCq Quit Executive Forum F5 ESCr Redisplay the Screen F6 ESCl Display Next Choices Menu F7 ESCh Display Previous Choices Menu F8 ESCe Multics Command Mode A fixed menu is one of the Xforum menus that appear in the top window, its content is fixed. A choices menu appears in the bottom window. Since it is a list of names, subjects, or transaction numbers its content is not fixed. Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 Appendix 1 - Help Text for the Getting Started Menu and General Help Topics Menu | :Info: Introduction: | | The Executive Forum system works with menus. The menu options refer to | explanations of certain basic parts of Executive Forum. To get one of these | explanations, just type the number of the menu option you want - there is NO | need to press the RETURN key. You should start by going though all the | options in this menu. After you have gone though the first 15, select option | g, and the menu entitled "Executive Forum" will be displayed for you. You | will then be ready to begin attending forum meetings. | | | | :Info: Getting_To_Know_Your_Terminal: Getting To Know Your Terminal | | Your terminal has basically two parts, the screen and the keyboard. The | screen looks much like a television, which is divided into three parts. The | upper portion contains the menus you work from and status information, or a | comment if you are replying to a comment. The middle portion displays | explanations like this one, lists of various kinds, and comments made by you | and others in meetings. The bottom portion is a one or two line help display | with instructionss on how to invoke general functions associated with the | current activity. | | On your screen you will see a light that moves around. As this explanation | was being displayed, this light moved ahead of each character as it was | displayed. This light is in the form of a box or a little line that moves | under the lines of text. This light is called the "cursor," and it marks your | current position on the screen. When it is in the menu portion of the screen, | you can select one of the menu options. When it is in the lower portion of | the screen, it marks the place where anything you type will be displayed. | | The keyboard is much like the keyboard on a typewriter, except that there are | a few extra keys. The terminal keyboard, like standard electric typewriter | keyboards, has a carriage return key. On some keyboards it is labelled | RETURN, on others CARRIAGE RETURN or CR, and on yet other keyboards it is | labelled ENTER. | | One of the extra keys is the BREAK (or "BRK") key. It is often colored red | because it is a kind of alarm key that you press to signal Multics to stop | immediately and return the cursor to the menu. | | Most, but not all terminals have a series of extra keys called function keys. | These are usually located along the top of your keyboard and are labelled F1, | F2, etc. These keys work in Executive Forum only when the cursor is in the | menu portion of the screen. They perform special functions in Executive Forum MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin | that you will learn about shortly. Their functions are usually displayed at | the bottom of the screen when they are applicable. | | If your keyboard does not have function keys, you can perform the function key | operations by using the key marked "ESC" in combination with other keys (e.g., | "ESC q"). Anytime you want to operate the "ESC" key, press and release it | quickly, and then type the key you are using in combination with it. | | The last extra key you must learn is the one labelled "CTL". Like the ESC | key, it is used in combination with other keys. Unlike the ESC key, the CTL | key must be held down while typing the key to be used in combination with it. | | | | :Info: How_To_Exit_Executive_Forum: How To Exit Executive Forum | | When you are ready to stop attending meetings in Executive Forum, press | function key F4 (or "ESC q" if your terminal does not have function keys). | Before you execute this, be sure the cursor is in the menu portion of the | screen. Otherwise, pressing F4 (or "ESC q") has no effect. | | If the cursor is not in the top menu, you must move it back before you can get | out of Executive Forum. This can be done in several ways. You can finish | what you are doing in the bottom portion of the screen, or you can press the | BREAK (or "BRK") key, which aborts whatever you are doing in the bottom | portion of the screen and returns the cursor to the top menu. | | | | :Info: How_To_Get_Help: How To Get Help | | The menu now displayed at the top of your screen provides the first stage of | help with Executive Forum. It is the first menu you see when entering | Executive Forum for the first time, although after this session, the first | menu seen upon reentering is the one titled "Executive Forum." One of the | options in that menu enables you to get the Getting Started menu, the one now | being used, if you wish to go through any part of it again. | | When you are not working with the Getting Started menu, you can get help in | four ways. The first is to use function key F1 (or "ESC ?" if you are not | using function keys). You can use the F1 key whenever the cursor is in the | menu at the top of the screen. After pressing it, you will be asked what | specifically you want help with. If you want to know what one of the options | in the menu does, type its number or letter, but do NOT press RETURN, and the | explanation is displayed below the menu. To get an explanation of one of the | function keys, press that function key, (again, do NOT press RETURN). | | If you inadvertently press RETURN (or the equivalent of a carriage return on | your terminal) when it is not called for, the system responds with a beep to | notify you that an unexpected action occurred. Furthermore, if you | inadvertently press RETURN while the system is displaying, or getting ready to | display a message, and the message requires more than one screen to display, Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 | then you may find that some data is lost (scrolled off the top of the screen). | In this case, you would have to request the information a second time. | | If you are using escape sequences instead of function keys, type the two | character escape sequence (ESC followed by another character) that is used in | place of the particular function key you want (as mentioned above, do NOT | press RETURN). Finally, if you want to know about something other than a menu | option or a function key, how to correct mistakes for example, you can respond | to the request for the specific help desired by typing two question marks | (??). That will get you a menu containing general information items from | which you can choose the specific explanation you need. | | The second way of getting help is used when your cursor is not in the menu at | the top of the screen. Whenever you are asked to supply information for an | operation within a menu, you can type a single question mark (?) followed by | RETURN to get an explanation of exactly what it is you are being asked for. | | Whenever you are asked to supply the name or number of some item from a list | of names, meetings, or comments, you can display the list as a menu by typing | two question marks (??) followed by RETURN. You can then select an item from | that menu by typing the number or letter assigned to it, just as you select an | option from a menu. | | Finally, help is available in the form of brief reminders at the bottom of the | screen. The bottom line always displays keystrokes that can be used for | certain functions that are relevant to the menu currently displayed. | | | | :Info: Responding_To_Prompts: Responding To Prompts | | A "prompt" is a system question (or request) for more information. When you | select a menu option, the Executive Forum facility often replies with a prompt | to ask you more specifically what you want to do. If, for instance, you were | selecting a comment in a meeting, you would supply a number. | | Anytime you are prompted for a response while using Executive Forum, you can | type a question mark (?) followed by RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage | return) to get an explanation of what you are being asked for. | | If you are asked to provide a number or name from an undisplayed list, you can | display a menu by responding with two question marks (??) followed by RETURN. | | If you wish to correct a response to a prompt, you can use the same keystrokes | you use when editing a comment. Since responses are made on a single line, | not all of the editing-comment controls are applicable. Those that are, are | listed below. When using control keystrokes that employ the CTL key, hold the | CTL key down while typing the associated character. With keystrokes that use | the ESC key, press and immediately release the ESC key followed by the | associated character key. No space is required after the CTL or ESC key and | the associated character key. MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin | CTL f moves the cursor right one character. | ESC f moves the cursor right one word. | CTL e moves the cursor to the end of the line. | CTL a moves the cursor to the beginning of the line. | CTL b moves the cursor left one character. | ESC b moves the cursor left one word. | CTL d deletes the one character the cursor is under or covering. | ESC d deletes one word to the right of the cursor. | BACKSPACE deletes one character to the left of the cursor (the DEL key | also does this). | ESC BACKSPACE deletes one word to the left of the cursor (ESC DEL also | does this). | CTL k erases all text between the cursor and the end of the line. | @ erases all text between the cursor and the beginning of the | line. | CTL Y retrieves any piece of erased text, longer than one | character, and inserts it at the current cursor position. | | | | :Info: How_To_Correct_Typos: How To Correct Typos | | Typing mistakes are inevitable, so the Executive Forum system provides a | number of ways for you to change what was typed. | | Whenever you are either typing a response to a prompt or entering comments, | you can move the cursor to different points in the text and erase, change, or | add to what was typed. This is done with keystrokes that use either the ESC | or CTL key. When using the CTL key, hold it down while you type the | associated character key. When using the ESC key, press and release it before | typing the the associated character key. | | Listed below are the keystrokes that can be used, both in changing a response | to a prompt and when working in the comment editor. To get a list of all the | keystrokes that operate in the comment editor, ask for help by pressing and | releasing the ESC key and then typing "?" after entering the editor, and | respond to the prompt with another "?". | | CTL f moves the cursor right one character. | ESC f moves the cursor right one word. | CTL e moves the cursor to the end of the line. | CTL a moves the cursor to the beginning of the line. | CTL b moves the cursor left one character. | ESC b moves the cursor left one word. | CTL d deletes the one character the cursor is under or covering. | ESC d deletes one word to the right of the cursor. | BACKSPACE deletes one character to the left of the cursor (the DEL key | also does this). | ESC BACKSPACE deletes one word to the left of the cursor (ESC DEL also | does this). | CTL k erases all text between the cursor and the end of the line. | @ erases all text between the cursor and the beginning of the Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 | line. | CTL Y retrieves any piece of erased text, longer than one | character, and inserts it at the current cursor position. | | | | :Info: Getting_Around_The_Menus: Getting Around The Menus | | There are six menus in the Executive Forum system in addition to the Getting Started menu displayed above. When you enter the system, the first menu displayed is the one titled "Executive Forum" (except the very first time you use the system, in which case the Getting Started menu is displayed first). The Executive Forum menu lets you select meetings to attend; it enables you to select a menu for maintaining the lists of meetings you attend; it enables you to personalize certain aspects of Executive Forum; and it enables you to select the Getting Started menu. When you select a meeting to attend, a menu for attending meetings is displayed. It enables you to read comments made in the particular meeting you have selected and to make comments of your own. The menu for attending meetings also contains an option that displays a menu for performing maintenance on the meeting you are attending. It lets you do such things as list the participants and delete comments. Actually, there are two types of meeting maintenance menus--one displayed if you are the chairperson of a meeting and the other if you are not the chairperson. When you are working with a meeting maintenance menu, you can get back to the attending meeting menu by pressing function key F3 (or "ESC p" if you are using escape sequences). The F3 function key is one of several function keys used for getting around in Executive Forum. F3 is used to display the previous menu at the top the screen. The F2 function key (or "ESC f") displays the Executive Forum menu. The F6 (or "ESC 1") and F7 (or "ESC h") function keys are used to display, respectively, the next and the previous portions of a menu that is being displayed in the bottom portion of the screen. Usually, the menus in the bottom portion of the screen are lists of names, subjects, or comments that can be quite long, longer than can be displayed on the screen at one time. Also, the BREAK (or "BRK") key can be used to return the cursor to the menu at the top of the screen anytime you are working in the space beneath that menu. :Info: The_2_Attending_Menus: The 2 Attending Menus * There are two ways to read comments in meetings (by entry number or subject) and each has a menu designed for its specific approach. The entry number menu for attending meetings treats each comment in the meeting separately, so you select, read, and reply to comments by number. The subject oriented menu, by MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin contrast, groups comments by subject, so you select, read, and reply to comments by subject. In the latter menu, entry numbers are referred to, but almost all options in the menu process comments according to subject groups. You can choose which you want to use when attending meetings by selecting the "Read Comments by Subject" option in the Personalize Executive Forum menu. The approach you choose is used for all meetings you attend, though you can change the approach used whenever you wish. If you do not make a choice, the facility selects the entry number menu approach. (Default) :Info: What_Are_Eligible_Meetings: What Are Eligible Meetings Eligible meetings are meetings that you (an individual) are eligible to attend. All meetings have lists of people or projects who are eligible to attend. Some meetings are "public," which means that anyone, or any project can attend. To be eligible for a meeting, you must have your name, or the name of the project you work under, on the eligible list, or the meeting must be public. :Info: What_Are_Attended_Meetings: What Are Attended Meetings Attended meetings are meetings that you have attended and have not resigned from. You can attend any eligible meeting, and once you attend, that meeting is placed on your personal meeting list. It remains on that list until you remove it. :Info: What_Are_Changed_Meetings: What Are Changed Meetings A changed meeting is a meeting on your list of attended meetings that contain comments that you have not yet read. :Info: What_Is_The_Current_Comment: What Is The Current Comment The current comment is the comment or group of comments that the menu options operate on when they are selected. The current comment or comments is always indicated by a number or other specification displayed near the top of the Attending Meeting menu, and there are options in that menu that enable you to specify which comments are to be current. :Info: Selecting_The_Current_Comment: Selecting The Current Comment Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 You have three options for selecting current comments. The "Select ... Next Comment" option makes the next highest numbered comment in the meeting the current one. Similarly, the "Select ... Next Unread Comment" option makes the next highest comment that you have not yet read the current comment. The "Select ... Comment(s)" option is the most flexible because it enables you to specify exactly which comment or group of comments to make current. You can specify comments by number or by keyword. Numbers for different comments must be separated by space (e.g., 14 23 25). To specify by keyword, you use one of the following (short names are in parentheses): all (a), first (f), last (l), new, next (n), previous (p), highest, allref, (aref), firstref (fref), nextref (nref), priorref (pref), restref (rref). :Info: Entering_Comments: Entering Comments You can enter comments in a meeting anytime you are attending that meeting. To do so you use the "Start New Discussion" and "Reply to Current Comment" options in the Attending Meeting menu. When you make a comment with the "Start New Discussion" option, you are asked to specify a subject for the comment. When you comment using the "Reply to Current Comment" option, the subject of your comment is automatically the same as that of the so-called current comment. The "current" comment is always indicated by number near the top of the Attending Meeting menu. It is the comment or group of comments that the menu options operate on when they are selected. There are options in the Attending Meetings menu that enable you to specify which comments are to be current. When you select one of the options for making a comment, a text editor is set up on your screen so that you can type in and edit your comment. When you are finished and wish to enter the comment, type "ESC q". This keystroke and others that are appropriate to typing and editing are listed at the bottom of the screen for your convenience. :Info: Personalizing_The_System: Personalizing The System * The Personalize Executive Forum menu lets you set several aspects of Executive Forum to work the way you want them to. First of all, you can specify whether you want to read comments in meetings by subject or by comment number. You can also arrange to use escape sequences instead of function keys, to display certain information in menu form, to remove the menu from the upper portion of the screen while working in the editor, and to have messages processed by your own message handler. Finally, you can arrange to go to Multics command level while attending meetings in Executive Forum. :Info: Multics_Command_Level_Mode: Multics Command Level Mode MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin You can arrange the Executive Forum system to let you leave the system temporarily to go to Multics command level and then return to the place from which you left. This is done by selecting the "Multics Command Mode" option in the Personalize Executive Forum meeting. If you choose to have this function available, it is connected to function key F8. If you use escape sequences instead of function keys, command level mode is activated by the "ESC e" sequence. * :Info: Changes_Between_Version_1_And_2: Changes Between Version 1 And 2 The principle changes between version 1.0 of Executive Forum (distributed with Multics Release 11) and version 2.0 (distributed with Multics Release 12) are the implementation of the subject oriented "Attending Meeting" menu and the "Personalization" menu. Refer to the "The 2 Attendiung Menus" option of the "Getting Started" menu or "General Help Topics" menu for an explaination of the subject oriented "Attending Meeting" menu. The "Personalizing The System" option of those two menus contains an explaination of how to personalize Executive Forum. The control arguments that were used to control personalization options have been obsoleted. They will still work in MR12 but their use will result in a warning message. The only control arguments that are not obsolete are force (fc) and no_force (nfc). Another major change is the ability to select a disjoint set of comments while in the entry order "Attending Meeting" menu. This may be done by either enumerating the set in response to the "What comment(s) do you wish to select" prompt, i.e. "6 28 496" or by entering the keyword "search". If "search" is entered you will be prompted for the text to search for. If there are currently multiple comments selected then the search will be applied ONLY to those comments. If there is currently only 1 comment selected then all the comments in the meeting will be searched. A "?" response to either prompt will provide more help. In order to improve selection from a "Choices" menu (i.e., the menu of meeting names) the "ENTER NAME" option now appears as the last option on each submenu instead of only on the last submenu. The "General Help Topics" menu has been moved from the bottom of the screen to the top. Finally, whenever you use a new version of Executive Forum you will receive a warning message. In addition an option on the "General Help Topics" menu can be selected to describe the differences between the previous version of Executive Forum and the current version". Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 Appendix 2 - Help Text for each menu option | :Info: Go_To_Changed_Meeting: Go To Changed Meeting: | | This option enables you to select a meeting to attend. It can be any meeting | containing a comment you have not yet read. If there is only one changed | meeting at the time you select this option, then you are automatically sent to | that meeting. If no changed meetings are found, you are asked whether or not | you want Executive Forum to scan the list of meetings to double check for | changed meetings. | | | | :Info: Go_To_Attended_Meeting: Go To Attended Meeting | | This option enables you to select a meeting to attend. It can be any meeting | that you have previously attended and have not resigned from. If there is | only one such meeting at the time you select this option, then you are | automatically sent to that meeting. | | | | :Info: Go_To_Eligible_Meeting: Go To Eligible Meeting | | This option enables you to select a meeting to attend. It can be any meeting | that you are eligible to attend. If there is only one such meeting at the | time you select this option, you are automatically sent to that meeting. | | | | :Info: Go_To_Next_Changed_Meeting: Go To Next Changed Meeting | | This option enables you to go to the next meeting on your list of meetings | that contains a comment you have not yet read. If no changed meetings are | found, you are asked whether or not you want Executive Forum to scan the list | of meetings to double check for changed meetings. | | | | :Info: Go_To_Next_Attended_Meeting: Go To Next Attended Meeting | | This option enables you to go to the next meeting on your list of attended | meetings. | | | | :Info: Go_To_Next_Eligible_Meeting: Go To Next Eligible Meeting MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin | This option enables you to go to the next meeting on your list of eligible to | attend meetings. | | | | :Info: Modify_Meeting_List: Modify Meeting List | | This option is not currently implemented. This option enables you to alter | the list of meetings you attend. It displays a menu which enables you to stop | or start attending specific meetings and to create new meetings. | | | | :Info: Personalize_Exec_Forum: Personalize Executive Forum | | | This option enables you to set certain features of Executive Forum to work the | way you prefer. It displays another menu from which you can elect to read | comments in meetings either by subject or by number, to use escape sequences | instead of function keys, to use prompts in place of menus in some situations, | to use the space usually reserved for menu displays to write comments, and to | apply your own method of handling interactive messages that come while you are | in Executive Forum. | | | | :Info: Getting_Started: Getting Started | | This option provides you with a menu of topics that help you learn how to use | Executive Forum. | | | | :Info: Display_Current_Comment(s): Display Current Comment(s) | | This option displays the current comments below the menu. | | | | :Info: Copy_Current_Comment(s): Copy Current Comment(s) | | This option places a copy of the current comments into a file. When you | select this option, you are asked for the pathname (relative or absolute) of | the file you wish the comments to be placed in. If the file does not already | exist, it is created. If it does exist, the current comments are appended to | the end of the file. If you want the comments copied into a file in your | current working directory you need only supply a filename. | | | | :Info: Select/List_Any_Comment(s): Select/List Any Comment(s) Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 | This option enables you to select which comments are to be the current | comments. When you select this option, you are asked for the numbers or | specifier of the comments that are to become current. A single comment may be | specified by typing its number (e.g., 14). A range of comments may be | specified by typing the low and high numbers separated by a colon (e.g., | 14:19). Available specifiers can be listed by typing a question mark (?) | followed by RETURN, when you are asked to specify the current comment. The | subjects, authors, and dates of the selected comments are displayed. | | | | :Info: Select/Display_Any_Comment(s): Select/Display Any Comment(s) | | This option enables you to select which comments are to be the current | comments. When you select this option, you are asked for the numbers or | specifier of the comments that are to become current. A single comment may be | specified by typing its number (e.g., 14). A range of comments may be | specified by typing the low and high numbers separated by a colon (e.g., | 14:19). Available specifiers can be listed by typing a question mark (?) | followed by RETURN, when you are asked to specify the current comment. The | indicated comments are displayed. | | | | :Info: Select/Display_Next_Comment: Select/Display Next Comment | | This option makes the next comment on the list the current comment. The | comment is also displayed. | | | | :Info: Select/Display_Next_Unread_Comment: Select/Display Next Unread Comment | | This option makes the lowest numbered unread comment the current comment. The | comment is also displayed. | | | | :Info: Reply_To_Current_Comment: Reply To Current Comment | | This option enables you to reply to the current comment, but only when there | is one current comment. The comment to which you are replying is displayed, | and the text editor is set for you to write your comment. | | | | :Info: Start_New_Discussion: Start New Discussion | | This option enables you to make a new comment in the meeting. Your comment | begins discussion of a new subject. When you choose this option, you are | asked to give a name to the new subject, after which the text editor is set up | for you to write your comment. MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin | :Info: Meeting_Maintenance: Meeting Maintenance | | This option is not currently implemented. | | This option enables you to make certain changes in the meeting, such as | deleting comments and ending your participation in this meeting. If you are | the chairman of this meeting, you can also add and remove people from the list | of participants, make the meeting public or private, change the purpose of the | meeting, etc. When you select this option, another menu is displayed. | | | | :Info: Display_Unread_Comment(s): Display Unread Comment(s) | | This option displays ther first comment on the list of comments you have not | yet read. | | | | :Info: Display_Current_Comment(s): Display Current Comment(s) | | This option displays the current comments one after another below the menu. | | | | :Info: Display_Next_Comment: Display Next Comment | | This option displays the next comment on the current subject. | | | | :Info: Display_Previous_Comment: Display Previous Comment | | This option displays the previous comment on the current subject. | | | | :Info: Display_All_Comments: Display All Comments | | This option displays all the comments on the current subject one after | another. | | | | :Info: Next_Subject_With_Unread_Comments: Next Subject With Unread Comments | | This option finds the first comment on the list of comments that you have not | yet read and makes that comment's subject the current subject. The unread | comment is also displayed. | | Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 | :Info: Select_Subject: Select Subject | | This option enables you to select another subject to be the current subject. | When you change the subject, the current comment will be the last one | pertaining to that subject. | | | | :Info: Copy_Current_Subject: Copy Current Subject | | This option places all comments on the current subject in a file in your | working directory. When you choose this option, you will be asked in the | space below the menu for the name of the file you wish the comments to be | placed in. If the file doesn't already exist, it will be created. If it does | exist, the comments will be appended to the end of the file. | | | | :Info: Skip_Rest_of_Current_Subject: Skip Rest of Current Subject | | This option marks the rest of the comments on the current subject as seen and | displays the first unread comment on the next subject, if any. | | | | :Info: Skip_to_End_of_Meeting: Skip to End of Meeting | | This option enables you to mark as having been read all the comments in the | meeting. | | | | :Info: Select/Display_Comment_Number: Select/Display Comment Number | | This option enables you to select which comment is to be the current comment. | When you select this option, you will be asked in the space below the menu for | the number of the comment that is to become current. Only one comment may be | specified. The subject of that comment will become the current subject. | | | | :Info: List_Participants: List Participants | | This option lists below the menu the names of people who attend this meeting. | The list also includes the date and time they last attended and the number of | the last comment they've read. | | | | :Info: Delete_Comment: Delete Comment MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin | This option enables you to delete any comment that has been made in this | meeting. Comments are deleted one at a time. When you are finished deleting | comments, press the key marked BREAK (or BRK) to return the cursor to the | Meeting Maintenance menu. | | | | :Info: Retrieve_Deleted_Comment: Retrieve Deleted Comment | | This option enables you to retrieve a comment that you have deleted from this | meeting. Comments are retrieved one at a time. When you are finished | retrieving comments, press the key marked BREAK (or BRK) to return the cursor | to the Meeting Maintenance menu. | | | | :Info: Stop_Attending_Meeting_1: Stop Attending Meeting | | This option takes this meeting off the list of meetings you attend. The | meeting remains on your list of eligible meetings but does not appear on the | list of attended or changed meetings. | | | | :Info: Add_Person: Add Person | | This option enables you to add another person to the list of those who can | attend this meeting. When you choose this option, you will be asked in the | space below the menu for the Multics Person ID (e.g., JSmith) of the person to | be added. Names are added one at a time. When you are finished adding names, | press the key marked BREAK (or BRK) to return the cursor to the Meeting | Maintenance menu. | | | | :Info: Remove_Person: Remove Person | | This option enables you to remove a person from the list of those eligible to | attend this meeting. When you choose this option, you will be asked in the | space below the menu for the Multics Person ID (e.g., JSmith) of the person to | be removed. Names are removed one at a time. When you are finished removing | names, press the key marked BREAK (or BRK) to return the cursor to the Meeting | Maintenance menu. | | | | :Info: Add_Project: Add Project | | This option enables you to add another project to the list of those that can | attend this meeting. When you choose this option, you will be asked in the | space below the menu for the Multics Project ID (e.g., Sales) of the project | to be added. Project names are added one at a time. When you are finished Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 | adding names, press the key marked BREAK (or BRK) to return the cursor to the | Meeting Maintenance menu. | | | | :Info: Remove_Project: Remove Project | | This option enables you to remove a project from the list of those eligible to | attend this meeting. When you choose this option, you will be asked in the | space below the menu for the Multics Project ID (e.g., Sales) of the project | to be removed. Project names are removed one at a time. When you are | finished removing names, press the key marked BREAK (or BRK) to return the | cursor to the Meeting Maintenance menu. Persons on projects that are removed | can be made eligible to attend this meeting by adding them individually. | | | | :Info: Make_Meeting_Public_or_Private: Make Meeting Public or Private | | This option enables you to make this meeting either public or private. When | you choose this option, you will be told the current status of the meeting in | the space below the menu and asked whether or not you want to change it. | | | | :Info: Set_Chairperson_Message: Set Chairperson Message | | This option enables you to enter a chairperson's message to describe the | purpose of this meeting. | | | | :Info: Print_Eligibility_Message: Print Eligibility Message | | This option enables you to indicate whether or not the message describing | eligibility for this meeting is printed each time someone comes to the | meeting. When you choose this option, the current practice for this meeting | is indicated in the space below the menu, and you will be asked whether or not | you want to change it. | | | | :Info: Set_New_Chairperson: Set New Chairperson | | This option enables you to appoint someone else to be the chairperson of this | meeting. When you choose this option, you will be asked for the Multics | person ID (e.g., JSmith) and Multics project ID (e.g., Sales) of the new | chairperson. | | | | :Info: Delete_Comment(nonchair): Delete Comment MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin | This option enables you to delete any comments you have made in this meeting. | Comments are deleted one at a time. When you are finished deleting comments, | press the key marked BREAK (or BRK) to return the cursor to the Meeting | Maintenance menu. | | | | :Info: Stop_Attending_Meeting_2: Stop Attending Meeting | | This option takes a meeting off the list of meetings you attend. The meeting | remains on your list of eligible meetings but does not appear on the list of | attended or changed meetings. Meetings are removed one at a time. When you | are finished removing meetings, press the key marked BREAK (or BRK) to return | the cursor to the Meeting List Maintenance menu. | | | | :Info: Attend_New_Meeting: Attend New Meeting | | This option adds a meeting to the list of meetings you attend. When you | choose this option, you will be asked in the space below the menu for the name | of the new meeting. | | | | :Info: Create_New_Meeting: Create New Meeting | | This option creates a new meeting. When you choose this option, you will be | asked in the space below the menu for the name of the meeting, a chairperson's | message describing the purpose of the meeting, and the names of persons who | may attend the meeting. After that information is supplied, the Attending | Meeting menu for the new meeting will be displayed. | | | | :Info: Read_Comments_by_Subject: Read Comments by Subject | | This option enables you to choose whether you want to read comments in | meetings by subject or by comment number. When you select this option, the | method you are currently using is indicated in the space below the menu, and | you are asked whether or not you want to change it. | | | | :Info: Always_Use_Escape_Sequences: Always Use Escape Sequences | | This option enables you to choose whether to use function keys to perform | certain operations in Executive Forum or to use escape sequences. When you | select this option, the method you are currently using is indicated in the | space below the menu, and you are asked whether or not you want to change it. | | Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 | :Info: Display_Lists_as_Menus: Display Lists as Menus | | This option enables you to specify how you want to be queried for certain | types of information in Executive Forum. You can specify that you would like | to see a menu of choices when the information is requested, or you can specify | that you simply be asked for the information without a menu of choices. When | you select this option, the current practice is indicated in the space below | the menu, and you are then asked whether or not you want to change it. | | | | :Info: Remove_Menu_While_Editing: Remove Menu While Editing | | This option enables you to choose whether or not you want menus removed from | the screen when you are using the text editor to make a comment in a meeting. | When you select this option, the current practice is indicated in the space | below the menu, and you are then asked whether or not you want to change it. | If you choose to have menus removed, then the extra space is used for writing | and editing your comment. | | | | :Info: Process_Interactive_Messages: Process Interactive Messages | | This option enables you to tell Executive Forum whether or not to process | messages you get while using the facility. Ordinarily, Executive Forum | displays messages in the space beneath the menu. When you select this option, | the current practice is indicated, and you are asked whether or not you want | to change it. | | | | :Info: Multics_Command_Mode: Multics Command Mode | | This option enables you to specify that function key F8 (or ESCe if you use | escape keys) can be used for going to Multics command level while you are | using Executive Forum. When you select this option, a message in the space | below the menu indicates whether or not you currently have this capability. | If you do not, you can then request it, and if you do have it, you can turn it | off. If you elect to use F8 for this purpose, then when you log in on a | terminal that has fewer than eight function keys, you will have to use the | escape keys instead. | | | | :Info: Getting_To_Know_Your_Terminal: Getting To Know Your Terminal | | This option explains the two basic parts of the terminal (the screen and the | keyboard) and important component parts of each. | | MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin | :Info: How_To_Exit_Executive_Forum: How To Exit Executive Forum | | This option explains how to get out of the Executive Forum system when you are | finished working in it. | | | | :Info: How_To_Get_Help: How To Get Help | | This option explains how to get help with the various parts of the Executive | Forum system while you are using the system. | | | | :Info: Responding_To_Prompts: Responding To Prompts | | This option explains what "prompts" are and how to respond to them. | | | | :Info: How_To_Correct_Typos: How To Correct Typos | | This option explains how to correct typing mistakes. | | | | :Info: Getting_Around_The_Menus: Getting Around The Menus | | This option explains how to move from one menu to another. | | | | :Info: The_2_Attending_Menus: The 2 Attending Menus | | This option explains the difference between the two menus used for attending | meetings. | | | | :Info: What_Are_Eligible_Meetings: What Are Eligible Meetings | | This option explains what eligible meetings are and how you become eligible | for meetings. | | | | :Info: What_Are_Attended_Meetings: What Are Attended Meetings | | This option explains how eligible meetings become attended meetings. | | Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 | :Info: What_Are_Changed_Meetings: What Are Changed Meetings | | This option explains what is meant by a changed meeting. | | | | :Info: What_Is_The_Current_Comment: What Is The Current Comment | | This option explains what is meant by the current comment and how you know | which comment is current. | | | | :Info: Selecting_The_Current_Comment: Selecting The Current Comment | | This option explains how you select a comment to be the current comment. | | | | :Info: Entering_Comments: Entering Comments | | This options explains how to enter comments into a meeting. | | | | :Info: Personalizing_The_System: Personalizing The System | | This option explains how you can tailor aspects of the Executive Forum system | to suit your needs while attending meetings. | | | | :Info: Multics_Command_Level_Mode: Multics Command Level Mode | | This option explains how you can temporarily get to Multics command level | while working in the Executive Forum system. | | | | :Info: Go_To_Executive_Forum_menu: Go To Executive Forum menu | | This option replaces the Getting Started menu with the Executive Forum menu, | which enables you to select meetings to attend. | | | | :Info: Return_To_Meeting_Menu: Return To Meeting Menu | | This option will replace the General Help Topics Menu with the Meeting Menu. | | MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin | :Info: Return_To_Personalize_Menu: Return To Personalize Menu | | This option will replace the General Help Topics Menu with the Personalize | Executive Forum Menu. | | | :Info: Changes_Between_Version_1_And_2: Changes Between Version 1 And 2 | | This option explains the changes that have been made to | version 2.0 of Executive Forum. Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 Appendix 3 - Help Text for each prompt :Info: changed_mtg_name: Type the name of the meeting you wish to attend followed by RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage return on your keyboard). It must be a meeting that contains a comment you have not yet read. To get a menu that lists such meetings, type two question marks (??) followed by RETURN. :Info: attended_mtg_name: Type the name of the meeting you wish to attend followed by RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage return on your keyboard). It must be a meeting that you have placed on your list of meetings to attend, though you need not have attended it before. To get a menu that lists such meetings, type two question marks (??) followed by RETURN. :Info: eligible_mtg_name: Type the name of the meeting you wish to attend followed by RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage return on your keyboard). It must be a meeting that you are eligible to attend. To get a menu that lists such meetings, type two question marks (??) followed by RETURN. :Info: file_name: Type the name of the file where you wish to have the current comments copied followed by RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage return on your keyboard). It can be the name of a file that already exists or the name for a file you want created. If the file does not exist, it is created. If it does exist, the current comments are appended to the end of the file. :Info: comment_spec: Specify the comment(s) you wish to make current followed by RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage return on your keyboard). These can be specified by number or keyword. A single comment may be specified by typing its number (e.g., 14). A range of comments may be specified by typing the low and high numbers separated by a colon (e.g., 14:19). To specify by keyword, use one of the following (short names are in parentheses): all (a), first (f), last (l), MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin new, next (n), previous (p), highest, allref (aref), firstref (fref), nextref (nref), priorref (pref), search (s). :Info: search_spec: Type in the text you wish to search for. The currently selected comments will be searched for the text and those comments which contain the text will become the new set of current comments. If there is only 1 comment in the currently selected set of comments then all the comments in the meeting are searched. * :Info: create_subject: Type the name of the subject with which you wish to designate your comment followed by RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage return on your keyboard). It can be one word or a phrase. :Info: select_subject: Type the subject you wish to make current followed by RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage return on your keyboard). To get a menu that lists the subjects in this meeting, type 2 question marks (??) followed by RETURN. :Info: select_comment: Specify the comment you wish to make current followed by RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage return on your keyboard). The comment is specified by number, and only one comment can be made current at a time. :Info: delete_comment: Type the number of the comment you want to delete and conclude by typing RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage return on your keyboard). To get a menu that lists this meeting's comments, type 2 question marks (??) followed by RETURN. You can enter the number of only one comment at a time. After a comment is deleted, you will be asked for the number of another comment. When you want to stop deleting comments, press the key marked BREAK to return the cursor to the Meeting Maintenance menu. Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 :Info: retrieve_deleted_comment: Type the number of the deleted comment that you wish to retrieve and conclude by typing RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage return on your keyboard). To get a menu that lists deleted comments, type 2 question marks (??) followed by RETURN. You can enter the number of only one comment at a time. After a comment is retrieved, you will be asked for the number of another comment. When you want to stop retrieving comments, press the key marked BREAK to return the cursor to the Meeting Maintenance menu. :Info: add_person: Type the name of the person you wish to make eligible to attend this meeting and conclude by typing RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage return on your keyboard). The name must be in the form of the Multics Person ID (e.g., Smith). You enter one name at time, and after you've entered a name, you will be asked for another name. When you want to stop adding names, press the key marked BREAK to return the cursor to the Meeting Maintenance menu. :Info: remove_person: Type the name of the person you wish to remove from the list of people eligible to attend this meeting and conclude by typing RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage return on your keyboard). The name must be in the form of the Multics Person ID (e.g., Smith). To get a menu that lists people currently eligible to attend, type 2 question marks (??) followed by RETURN. You remove one name at a time, and after you've removed a name, you will be asked for another name. When you want to stop adding names, press the key marked BREAK to return the cursor to the Meeting Maintenance menu. :Info: add_project: Type the name of a project whose members you wish to make eligible to attend this meeting and conclude by typing RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage return on your keyboard). The name must be in the form of the project_id (e.g., Mktg). You add one name at a time, and after you've added a name, you will be asked for another name. When you want to stop adding names, press the key marked BREAK to return the cursor to the Meeting Maintenance menu. :Info: remove_project: Type the name of a project whose members you wish to remove from the list of those eligible to attend this meeting and conclude by typing RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage return on your keyboard). The name must be in the form MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin of the project_id (e.g., Mktg). To get a menu that lists projects currently eligible to attend, type 2 question marks (??) followed by RETURN. You remove one name at a time, and after you've removed a project, you will be asked for another name. When you want to stop removing projects, press the key marked BREAK to return the cursor to the Meeting Maintenance menu. :Info: public_private: To make this meeting open to anyone, type "public." To restrict it to people and projects specifically listed as eligible, type "private." To leave it unchanged, press the key marked BREAK. :Info: eligibility_msg: If you want the message describing eligibility for this meeting printed every time someone comes to this meeting, type "print." If you do not want it printed, type "do not print." To leave the practice unchanged, press the key marked BREAK. :Info: new_chair_name: Type the name of the person who is to become the new chairperson of this meeting. The name must be in the form of the person_id. For example, "Smith" or "JSmith", depending on what name the person is known by on Multics. Conclude by typing RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage return on your keyboard). To leave the chairperson unchanged, press the key marked BREAK. :Info: new_chair_proj: Type the name of the new chairperson's project and conclude by typing RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage return on your keyboard). To leave the chairperson unchanged, press the key marked BREAK. :Info: new_chair_verify: If the person_id and project_id of the new chairperson is correct, type "yes." If not, type "no." Conclude by typing RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage return on your keyboard). To leave the chairperson unchanged, press the key marked BREAK. Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 :Info: stop_attending_mtg: Type the name of the meeting that you wish to take off of the list of meetings you attend and conclude by typing RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage return on your keyboard). To see a menu that lists the meetings you attend, type 2 question marks (??) followed by RETURN. If you do not want to take any meetings off the list, press the key marked BREAK. :Info: attend_new_mtg: Type the name of the meeting you wish to add to the list of meetings you attend and conclude by typing RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage return on your keyboard). If the meeting is on the list of meetings you are eligible to attend or if it is located in the directory you are currently working in, you can type the name of the meeting alone (e.g., Everybody's_Meeting). If not, you must type the name of the meeting along with the path of directories that lead to the meeting (e.g., >udd>Mktg>Smith>Everybody's_Meeting). If you do not want to add any meetings to the list of meetings you attend, press the key marked BREAK. :Info: create_new_mtg: Type the name of the meeting you wish to create and conclude by typing RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage return on your keyboard). If you do not wish to create a new meeting, press the key marked BREAK. :Info: read_comments: If you wish to read comments in meetings by subject, type "subject" or "s". If you wish to read comments by comment number, type "entry" or "e". To continue reading them in the manner you currently have set, press the key marked BREAK. :Info: escape_keys: If you wish to use escape sequences instead of function keys to perform certain operations in Executive Forum, type "escape" or "e". If you are already using escape sequences for those operations and wish to switch to function keys, type "function" or "f". To continue using the keys you are currently using, press the key marked BREAK. :Info: prompts_or_menus: MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin If you wish to be queried for certain types of information in Executive Forum by prompts instead of menus, type "query" or "q". If you wish to be presented with a menu of choices when you are queried, type "menu" or "m". To continue being queried in the current manner, press the key marked BREAK. :Info: editing_space: If when writing and editing comments you wish to clear the menu from the screen and use that space, type "clear" or "c". If you wish to leave the menu in place and use just the portion of the screen beneath it, type "keep" or "k". To continue with the current practice, press the key marked BREAK. :Info: message_window: If you wish to use a place on the screen that you've specified for receiving messages, type "own" or "o". If you wish to let Executive Forum display messages automatically beneath the menu, type "xforum" or "x". To continue displaying messages in the currently designated space, press the key marked BREAK. :Info: multics_mode: If you want to be able to go to Multics command level while using Executive Forum, type "allow" or "a". If you don't care to ever do that, type "disallow" or "d". To leave the capability unchanged, press the key marked BREAK. :Info: help_prompt: If you want help with an option in the above menu, type the number or letter of that option followed by RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage return on your keyboard). If you want help with a function key, press that function key followed by RETURN. If you are using escape sequences instead of function keys, type the two character sequence ("ESC" followed by another character) you want help with. Finally, if you want to know about something other than a menu option or a function key, type two question marks (??) followed by RETURN. This gets you a menu containing general information items that you can choose to get an explanation of. Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 Appendix 4 - Help Text for each Function Key | :Info: F1: F1 and ESC ? | | Whenever the terminal cursor (the moving light that marks your place on the | screen) is in the upper portion of the screen (the menu), you can get help by | pressing function key F1 (or "ESC ?" if you are using escape sequences). You | are then asked what specific help you need. If you want help with an option | in the above menu, type the number or letter of that option but DO NOT press | RETURN (or the equivalent of carriage return on your keyboard). If you want | help with a function key, press that function key, (again do NOT press RETURN. | If you are using escape sequences, type the two character sequence ("ESC" | followed by another character) that is used in place of the particular | function key you want. Finally, if you want to know about something other | than a menu option or a function key you can respond to the request for the | specific help desired by typing two question marks (??). This provides a menu | containing general information items that you can choose from. | | Function keys 1 through 8 (F1-F8) operate in Executive Forum, but if your | terminal does not have them, you should press the "ESC" key followed by either | ?, f, p, q, r, l, h, or e to get the functions. You may also elect to use the | escape keys if you wish. To do so, go to the Personalize Executive Forum menu | and choose the "Always Use Escape Keys" option. | | The personalization menu is not currently implemented. You may however make a | number of personalization choices by utilizing available xforum command | -control_arguments. The available choices (-escape, -interactive_messages, | -no_interactive messages, -force, -no_force, -menus, -no_menus, -multics_mode, | and -no_multics_mode) must be made when initially invoking the xforum command, | that is, make your choices before starting any work in the Xforum system. | Execute "help xforum" (at Multics command level before invoking the system) | for a description of the xforum command and its associated personalization | -control_arguments. | | In brief, the function keys and escape keys operate as follows: | | F1 (ESC ?) provides help with menu options and other function keys. | F2 (ESC f) returns you to the first menu, the one called Executive | Forum. | F3 (ESC p) returns you to the previous menu. | F4 (ESC q) gets you out of the Executive Forum facility. | F5 (ESC r) causes the menu and anything else on the screen to be | redisplayed. | F6 (ESC l) enables you to look at the portion of a long menu that | has scrolled off the top of your screen. | F7 (ESC h) enables you to look at the portion of a long menu that | is in the next screen, coming up from the bottom of your | terminal. MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin | F8 (ESC e) enables you to execute a Multics command while working | in Executive Forum. In order to use this key or | sequence, you must set the personalize forum option | "Multics Command Mode" to yes. You get back to the menu | by typing "pi". | | | | :Info: F2: F2 and ESC f | | Pressing this function key or its associated escape sequence gets you back to | the first menu, the one called Executive Forum. | | | | :Info: F3: F3 and ESC p | | Pressing this function key or its associated escape sequence gets you back to | the previous menu displayed at the top of the screen, the one you were in just | before the current one. | | | | :Info: F4: F4 and ESC q | | Pressing this function key or its associated escape sequence gets you out of | the Executive Forum facility. | | | | :Info: F5: F5 and ESC r | | Pressing this function key or its associated escape sequence causes the status | and menu window (at the top of your screen) and the help line (at the bottom | of your screen) to be redisplayed. If there is a "Choices" menu below the top | menu, it also is redisplayed. Any text below the top menu (i.e., a meeting | comment or Executive Forum message) is cleared from the screen. This is | useful when your screen gets messed up unexpectedly. | | | | :Info: F6: F6 and ESC l | | Pressing this function key or its associated escape sequence enables you to | look at the portion of a long menu that has scrolled off the top of your | screen. This key can only be used when you are reading a menu displayed by | typing two question marks (??). | | | | :Info: F7: F7 and ESC h Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 | Pressing this function key or its associated escape sequence enables you to | look at the portion of a long menu that is in the next screen, coming up from | the bottom of your terminal. This key can only be used when you are reading a | menu displayed by typing two question marks (??) and you want to move ahead | quickly to a later part of the list. | | | | :Info: F8: F8 and ESC e | | Pressing this function key or its associated escape sequence enables you to | execute a Multics command. You are prompted for the command to be executed. | You must press the RETURN key after you finish typing the command. The menu | and existing text displayed below the menu are scrolled off the screen as | space is needed to display the output produced by the command. After the | command completes, you are prompted for another command. To return to the | menu press the RETURN key without entering a command. | | In order to use this function key or escape sequence, you must first activate | it by using the "Multics Command Mode" option in the Personalize Executive | Forum menu. MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin Appendix 5 - Modifications required for MR12 The "Meeting List Maintenance" menu and the "Meeting Maintenance" menu will not be implemented for MR12. If they are selected the following message will be output: <option name> has not yet been implemented. The following changes will be needed to the info segs. Help text for the Getting Started and General Help Topics menus: :Info: Getting_Around_The_Menus: Getting Around The Menus There are six menus in the Executive Forum system in addition to the Getting Started menu displayed above. When you enter the system, the first menu displayed is the one titled "Executive Forum" (except the very first time you use the system, in which case the Getting Started menu is displayed first). The Executive Forum menu lets you select meetings to attend; it enables you to personalize certain aspects of Executive Mail; and it enables you to select the Getting Started menu. The F3 function key is one of several function keys used for getting around in Executive Forum. F3 is used to display the previous menu from the top the screen. The function key F2 (or Ef) displays the Executive Forum menu. The function keys F6 (ESCl) and F7 (ESCh) are used to display, respectively, the previous and the next portions of a menu that is being displayed in the bottom portion of the screen. Usually, the menus in the bottom portion of the screen are lists of names, subjects, or comments that can be quite long, longer than can be displayed on the screen at one time. Also, the BREAK (or BRK) key can be used to return the cursor to the menu at the top of the screen anytime you are working in the space beneath that menu. Changes needed to Appendix 2 - Help Text for each menu option Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 :Info: Modify_Meeting_List: Modify Meeting List This option is not yet implemented. This option lets you alter the list of meetings you attend. It causes another menu to be displayed which enables you to stop or start attending specific meetings and to create new meetings. :Info: Meeting_Maintenance: Meeting Maintenance This option is not yet implemented. This option enables you to make certain changes in the meeting, such as deleting comments and ending your participation in this meeting. If you are the chairman of this meeting, you can also add and remove people from the list of participants, make the meeting public or private, change the purpose of the meeting, and other things. When you select this option, another menu will be displayed. The following will be deleted. List_Participants Delete_Comment Retrieve_Deleted_Comment Stop_Attending_Meeting_1 Add_Person Remove_Person Add_Project Remove_Project Make_Meeting_Public_or_Private Set_Chairperson_Message Print_Eligibility_Message Set_New_Chairperson Delete_Comment(nonchair) Stop_Attending_Meeting_2 Attend_New_Meeting Create_New_Meeting Help text for each prompt: The following will be deleted delete_comment retrieve_deleted_comment add_person remove_person add_project remove_project MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin public_private eligibility_msg new_chair_name new_chair_proj new_chair_verify stop_attending_mtg attend_new_mtg create_new_mtg Multics Technical Bulletin MTB 661-3 Appendix 6 - MR12 Xforum Info Seg Syntax: xforum {-control_args} Function: invokes the Executive Forum facility Control arguments: -force, -fc rebuilds the meeting list using the current search paths. -no_force, -nfc causes the original meeting list to be used. This is the default. Meeting Lists: Executive Forum uses three types of meeting lists--one for meetings that the user is eligible to attend, one for meetings the user regularly attends, and one for meetings that have changed since the user last attended them. The list of meetings the user is eligible to attend is established the first time the user invokes Executive Forum. It is constructed from the search paths in effect at that time. If a meeting is added to those search paths, that is, the search paths remain the same but the meetings in them change, the -force control argument must be used to reconstruct the meeting list. Otherwise, the previously constructed meeting list is used. If the user's search paths change, Executive Forum notices the differences when it is invoked and asks the user whether or not the meeting list should be reconstructed. Notes: To start the Executive Forum facility, type either "executive_forum" or "xforum" when a ready message (usually of the form "r 14:03 0.285 5") appears on the terminal screen just above the cursor. Users operate Executive Forum by selecting operations from lists called menus. All help needed to operate the system is available within the Executive Forum facility itself. Executive Forum has exactly the same AIM limitations as Forum. Meetings are single-class segments. All participants must be logged in at the same authorization, which must be the access class of the meeting. Different meetings, however may be at different access classes. The access class of a meeting is the authorization of the chairman at the time the meeting was created. MTB 661-3 Multics Technical Bulletin Appendix 7 - Summary of Changes between Revision 1 and 2 1 Those things that were MCRed and implemented for MR11 but not included in revision 1. o Change the "Select/Display Comment" option to read "Select/Display Any Comments". o Change the "List Current Comment(s)" option to read "Select/List Any Comment(s)". o Swap option 3 (Copy Comments) with option 2 (Select/List Any Comments). 2 The last item of each menu of a "Choices" menu set will contain an option to escape the menu and be prompted for a choice instead of only the last option on the last menu. 3 That section of the help line for how to get help when answering a prompt now reads "? and RETURN:help" instead of just "?:help". 4 The subject oriented Attending Menu now includes an option for skipping the rest of a comment chain "Skip The Rest Of Current Subject". 5 Users can answer a personalization prompt with only the first letter of a choice instead of having to enter the entire word. 6 The abbreviation for the escapse and control keys is now "ESC" and "CTL" instead of "E" and "C". 7 The General Help Topcs Menu is now displayed in the menu window (top window) instead of the bottom window. The General Help Topics menu will contain an option for getting a description of changes between Xforum versions. 8 All Xforum control args except force (fc) and no_force (nfc) have been obsoleted. 9 Added the ability to select a disjoint set of comments, i.e. 6 28 496 to the comment specification. 10 Added the ability to subset the currently selected comments by searching for comments which contain a given string or to search the entire meeting for comments with a given string. 11 A warning message will be output when a user invokes a version of Executive Forum that he has not used before. The message will refer the user to the "Changes Between <V1> and <V2>" option of the General Help Topics" menu.