scosh(C)

scosh -- menu-driven SCO Shell with calendar, mail, and calculator

Syntax

scosh [ -v ] [ calendar | email | calculator ]

Description

SCO Shell is a menu-driven shell, including calendar, calculator and electronic mail applications. The calendar is a distributed application suitable for workgroup coordination across a network.

For information on how to use the SCO Shell, please refer to ``Using SCO Shell'' in the Operating System User's Guide.

Startup

The command scosh executes the script /usr/bin/scosh, which initializes the curses(S) and terminfo(M) based screen handling and invokes the desktop. scosh reads the environment variable OALIB to locate the path to its support files and binaries; these are located in /usr/lib/scosh/* by default.

If the flag -v is specified, scosh prints its current version number and exits.

Once scosh has initialized the terminal, it executes the scosh desktop application (by default), or another component of the Shell (if specified). For example scosh email invokes the email application.

When logged in as root, it is possible to start scosh in administration mode by typing scosh adm. In administration mode, the Utility menu includes entries for printer configuration and calendar server maintenance. In addition, changes to system defaults (window positions, menus, application list, and so on) are saved in the global default files. If scosh is started by a user and cannot find the local configuration files in the user's home directory, it loads the system default configuration files instead.

scosh system files are stored in /usr/lib/scosh by default. Runnable scosh applications are located in this directory, along with the default preference (application configuration) files (typically .caln_pref, .mail_pref, and .sdsk_pref).

The subdirectory /usr/lib/scosh/pipes is used by the Shell system for named pipes between components, and should not be removed.

The subdirectory /usr/lib/scosh/opadm contains configuration utilities; for example, /usr/lib/scosh/opadm/calutil is the front end to the calendar administration utilities. These programs are invoked by the desktop application when the utility menu is selected in administration mode.

The subdirectory /usr/lib/scosh/english/us (or similar) contains localization files that match the Shell to the language of the country for which it is installed. These files follow the conventions for configuration file nomenclature (below).

Configuration

The standard procedures for configuring or customizing the Shell are described in ``Using SCO Shell'' in the Operating System User's Guide. SCO Shell retains its configuration between sessions by storing them in user configuration files, in the user's home directory.

As noted above, to carry out global configuration of the default Shell state, it is necessary to log in as root. If user configuration files exist, these override the default configuration; therefore, it is necessary to remove these files or copy the default file to the users' home directories if you want to take advantage of the new default configuration.

In administration mode, the Utility menu contains additional choices for printer and calendar administration.

Environment variables

The following environment variables are specific to Shell:

CALDATA: Location of calendar data.
SCOSHLIB: Location of SCO Shell system files. Defaults to /usr/lib/scosh.
OALIB: Search path for configuration files.
SCOLIB: Location of terminal and printer definition files.

In addition, the following related operating system environment variables may be referenced by the Shell during normal use:

HOME: User's home directory.
SHELL: User's login shell.
TERM: User's current terminal type.
TERMCAP: The terminal database setting in use.

Files

Configuration files store the definitions of forms, menus and other structures used by the applications and utilities. All configuration files have nine character names of the form xxxx_yyyy, where xxxx is an abbreviation for the associated binary (for example, caln is short for calendar) and yyyy is the type of configuration file (such as strs for prompt string files). The abbreviations used are as follows:

Binaries:

alis: Alias utility.
cadm: Calendar administration (holidays).
calc: Calculator.
caln: Calendar.
desk: Desktop. (Includes basic desktop display, file operations, and so on.)
help: Help system. (Each application that has help available has a _help file. Help text common to all applications is compiled into the help utility.)
mail: Mail application.
mgen: Menu generator (used in customizing the application and utility menu lists).
mlcr: Mail creator.
pcnf: Printer configuration utility. (This application is only accessed from the system administrator's utility list.)

File types:

errs: compiled error strings
form: form definitions
help: help text
menu: compiled menu definitions
strs: compiled prompt strings

Other files:

filetypes: This file contains the clipboard types and their descriptions. The three letter acronym at the start of the line should not be changed.
oacpyrtsrc: This file contains the copyright message used by the Shell. It is compiled into oacpyrt by the cnvmsg program.
printer definition files: Printer definition files are stores in /usr/lib/sco/printers, with the exception of .defprint (default printer). Currently only one printer definition file is provided (lp).
application and utility lists: These files include .appllist2, .appladd, .appladm, .utillist2, .utiladd, and .utiladm. All are in /usr/lib/scosh/language/country. They can be edited directly or by using the menu generator. If you edit these files manually, ensure that the name field is no more than 12 characters long, and the description is no more than 20 characters. Longer values will be truncated when mgen is run.
shell_strs: shell_strs contains all the strings used by the shell scripts in /usr/lib/scosh/utils and /usr/lib/scosh/opadm.
/usr/lib/sco/translat: Various user directory to text translator files reside in this directory. Used when pasting a user directory entry from the clipboard into a mail message.
colr_toks: Used by the color configuration utility. Entries in this file follow the form token <Tab> description. Exists in /usr/lib/scosh/lang/country/.

Standards conformance

scosh is not part of any currently supported standard; it is an extension of AT&T System V provided by The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.