Returns a character string showing the mode in which a process is executing. The F$MODE function has no arguments, but must be followed by parentheses.

Format

F$MODE()

Return Value

Arguments

None.

Description

The lexical function F$MODE returns a character string showing the mode in which a process is executing. The F$MODE function has no arguments, but must be followed by parentheses.

The F$MODE function is useful in command procedures that must operate differently when executed interactively and noninteractively. You should include either the F$MODE function or the F$ENVIRONMENT function in your login command file to execute different commands for interactive terminal sessions and noninteractive sessions.

If you do not include the F$MODE function to test whether your login command file is being executed from an interactive process, and the login command file is executed from a noninteractive process (such as a batch job), the process may terminate if the login command file contains commands that are appropriate only for interactive processing.

A command procedure can use the F$MODE function to test whether the procedure is being executed during an interactive terminal session. It can direct the flow of execution according to the results of this test.

Example

$ IF F$MODE() .NES. "INTERACTIVE" THEN GOTO NON_INT_DEF 
$ INTDEF:         ! Commands for interactive terminal sessions 
   .
   .
   .
$ EXIT 
$ NON_INT_DEF:         !Commands for noninteractive processes 
   .
   .
   .
 
      

This example shows the beginning of a login.com file that has two sets of initialization commands: one for interactive mode and one for noninteractive mode (including batch and network jobs). The IF command compares the character string returned by F$MODE with the character string INTERACTIVE; if they are not equal, control branches to the label NON_INT_DEF. If the character strings are equal, the statements following the label INTDEF are executed and the procedure exits before the statements at NON_INT_DEF.