@c *************************************************************************
@c CHAPTER: Guide to using VVcode
@c *************************************************************************
@c    node-name, next, previous,  up
@node User Manual, User Manual, Top, Top
@chapter Guide to using VVcode

@itemize @bullet
  @item general introduction
@end itemize

@c =========================================================================
@c SECTION: VVencode command options
@c =========================================================================
@section{VVencode command options}

@itemize @bullet
  @item described in a generic manner with operating system specifics at
        the end of the section
@end itemize

The general syntax of the VVencode command line is:
@example
  vvencode [options] input-file [options] [output-file] [options]
@end example

There are two @dfn{parameters} and many optional @dfn{qualifiers}.  The
parameters are:

@table @code
  @item input-file

  @item output-file
@end table

The command qualifiers modify the behaviour of VVcode and are all optional.
Qualifiers may appear before, between or after the parameters.  The
qualifiers acceptable to VVencode are:

@table @code
  @item debug
        Write copious debugging output to the standard error device or to
        the log file if the @code{+log} qualifier was specified.  This
        qualifier would normally only be used when trying to report a
        @code{VVencode} problem and may indeed have been disabled for the
        version that you are using.
  @item encoding_table file-spec
        Read the encoding table to be used from the file @file{file-spec}.
        The file must contain the 64 characters to be used by
        @code{VVencode}.  If this qualifier is not specified, the default
        @code{VVencode} encoding table will be used.
  @item format file-format
        Explicitly specify the file format that should be assumed by
        @code{VVencode} when it is reading the input file.  The
        @code{file-format} value must be one of @samp{fixed}, @samp{stream}
        and @samp{variable}.  This qualifier would only be used if it was
        necessary to override the value determined automatically by
        VVencode.
  @item header_filespec file-spec
        
  @item help
        VVencode will display a usage message on the standard error device
        and exit.
  @item log file-spec

  @item mode file-mode
        Explicitly specify the file mode that should be assumed by
        @code{VVencode} when it is reading the input file.  The
        @code{file-format} value must be one of @samp{binary} and
        @samp{text}.  This qualifier would only be used if it was
        necessary to override the value determined automatically by
        VVencode.
  @item overwrite

  @item record_length

  @item split_size

  @item timestamp time

  @item translation_file file-spec

@end table


@c =========================================================================
@c SECTION: VVdecode command options
@c =========================================================================
@section{VVdecode command options}

The general syntax of the VVdecode command line is:
@example
  vvdecode [options] input-file [options] [output-file] [options]
@end example


@c =========================================================================
@c SECTION: Operating system specific considerations
@c =========================================================================
@section{Operating system specific considerations}

@c -------------------------------------------------------------------------
@c SUBSECTION: MS-DOS
@c -------------------------------------------------------------------------
@subsection MS-DOS
@itemize @bullet
  @item qualifiers introduced with @samp{/} or @samp{-} and must be
        separated from each other by whitespace
  @item values separated from qualifier by @samp{=} or @samp{:}
  @item optional values supported
  @item VVcode will act as a filter when @samp{-} is specified as the input
        or output file
  @item optional file specification for @samp{log} qualifier
  @item examples of VVencode usage
@end itemize

@c -------------------------------------------------------------------------
@c SUBSECTION: OS/2
@c -------------------------------------------------------------------------
@subsection OS/2
@itemize @bullet
  @item qualifiers introduced with @samp{/} or @samp{-} and must be
        separated from each other by whitespace
  @item values separated from qualifier by @samp{=} or @samp{:}
  @item optional values supported
  @item VVcode will act as a filter when @samp{-} is specified as the input
        or output file
  @item optional file specification for @samp{log} qualifier
  @item GCC 2.1 implementation does not support file timestamping
  @item HPFS file names supported
  @item OS/2 extended attributes not supported yet
  @item examples of VVencode usage
@end itemize

@c -------------------------------------------------------------------------
@c SUBSECTION: Unix
@c -------------------------------------------------------------------------
@subsection Unix
@itemize @bullet
  @item qualifiers introduced with @samp{-} or @samp{+} and must be
        separated from each other by whitespace
  @item values separated from qualifier by whitespace
  @item optional values not supported
  @item VVcode will act as a filter when @samp{-} is specified as the input
        or output file
  @item examples of VVencode usage
@end itemize

@c -------------------------------------------------------------------------
@c SUBSECTION: VAX/VMS
@c -------------------------------------------------------------------------
@subsection VAX/VMS
@itemize @bullet
  @item qualifiers introduced with @samp{/} 
  @item values separated from qualifier by @samp{=}
  @item standard VMS CLD conventions
  @item optional values supported
  @item VVcode will act as a filter when @samp{-} is specified as the input
        or output file though meaningless on VMS
  @item optional file specification for @samp{log} qualifier
  @item examples of VVencode usage
@end itemize

@c -------------------------------------------------------------------------
@c SUBSECTION: VM/CMS
@c -------------------------------------------------------------------------
@subsection VM/CMS
@itemize @bullet
  @item qualifiers introduced with @samp{(} and must be
        separated from each other by whitespace
  @item values separated from qualifier by @samp{=} or @samp{:}
  @item command line driven through REXX EXEC
  @item optional values supported
  @item VVcode does not support input or output from/to standard I/O
  @item optional file specification for @samp{log} qualifier
  @item examples of VVencode usage
@end itemize


@c =========================================================================
@c SECTION: Transferring files between systems
@c =========================================================================
@section{Transferring files between systems}
@itemize @bullet
  @item file type and format
  @item character set
  @item electronic mail
  @item timestamping
@end itemize


@c =========================================================================
@c SECTION: Unusual applications of VVcode
@c =========================================================================
@section{Unusual applications of VVcode}
@itemize @bullet
  @item character set conversion
  @item file type conversion
  @item VMS file format conversion vs. @code{CONVERT}
@end itemize