CONTENTS

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Preface

  1      Introduction

  1.1    Organization of the Run-Time Library

  1.2    Features of the Run-Time Library

  1.3    Linking with the Run-Time Library

  2      Run-Time Library Documentation Format

  2.1    Format Heading

  2.2    Returns Heading
    2.2.1      Condition Values in R0
    2.2.2      Data in Registers R0 Through R11

  2.3    Arguments Heading
    2.3.1      VMS Usage Entry
    2.3.2      Type Entry
    2.3.3      Access Entry
    2.3.4      Mechanism Entry
    2.3.5      Explanatory Text Entry

  2.4    Condition Values Returned Heading
    2.4.1      Condition Values Returned
    2.4.2      Condition Values Signaled

  3      How to Call Run-Time Library Procedures

  3.1    Overview

  3.2    Call Formats

  3.3    Run-Time Library Naming Conventions
    3.3.1      Entry Point Names
    3.3.2      JSB Entry Point Names
    3.3.3      Function Return Values
    3.3.4      Facility Return Status and Condition Value Symbols
    3.3.5      Argument Passing Mechanisms
      3.3.5.1      Passing Arguments by Value
      3.3.5.2      Passing Arguments by Reference
      3.3.5.3      Passing Arguments by Descriptor

  3.4    Passing Scalars as Arguments

  3.5    Passing Arrays as Arguments

  3.6    Passing Strings as Arguments

  3.7    Combinations of Descriptor Class and Data Type

  3.8    Errors from Run-Time Library Routines

  3.9    Calling a Library Procedure in MACRO
    3.9.1      MACRO Calling Sequence
    3.9.2      CALLS Instruction Example
    3.9.3      CALLG Instruction Example
    3.9.4      JSB Entry Points
    3.9.5      Return Status
    3.9.6      Function Return Values in MACRO

  3.10   Calling a Library Routine in BLISS
    3.10.1     BLISS Calling Sequence
    3.10.2     Accessing a Return Status in BLISS
    3.10.3     Calling JSB Entry Points from BLISS

  FIGURES

  2-1        Routine Argument Passing Mechanisms

  3-1        Calling the Run-Time Library

  3-2        Atomic Data Types and Descriptor Classes

  3-3        String Data Types and Descriptor Classes

  3-4        Miscellaneous Data Types and Descriptor Classes

  TABLES

  1-1        Run-Time Library Facilities

  1-2        DTK$ Facility Routines

  1-3        LIB$ Facility Routines

  1-4        MTH$ Facility Routines

  1-5        OTS$ Facility Routines

  1-6        PPL$ Facility Routines

  1-7        SMG$ Facility Routines

  1-8        STR$ Facility Routines

  2-1        Main Headings in the Routine Template

  2-2        VMS Data Structures

  2-3        VAX Data Types

  2-4        Passing Mechanisms