Table of Contents

Using the Keyboard

Normal cursor handling

The normal cursor handling is available on all platforms (Windows and Unix).

Key Action
Esc Erases the contents of the command input area. If the command input area is already empty, switches to semi-graphical New Panel.
Del Deletes the character at the cursor position.
Backspace Erases the previous character.
Insert Toggles between insert mode and overlay mode.
Tab Attempts to complete the partial file name at the cursor position in the command input area. If more than one possible file exists, a list of matching file names is displayed.
Home Moves the cursor to the start of the input in the command input area. If the command input area is empty, scrolls the message area to the top.
End Moves the cursor to the start of the input in the command input area. If the command input area is empty, scrolls the message area to the bottom.
Page Up Scrolls the message area up one screen.
Page Down Scrolls the message area down one screen.
Up arrow Recalls the previous command into the input area.
Down arrow Recalls the next command into the input area.
Right arrow Moves cursor to the next character of the input area.
Left arrow Moves cursor to the previous
character of the input area.
Ctrl + Up arrow Scrolls the message area up one line.
Ctrl + Down arrow Scrolls the message area down one line.
Ctrl + Home Scrolls the message area to the top.
Ctrl + End Scrolls the message area to the bottom.

Extended cursor handling The following additional keyboard functions are effective when the Hercules Extended Cursor Handling feature is activated at compile time. At present, this feature is activated on the Windows platform only.

Key Action
Alt + Up arrow Moves cursor up one row.
Alt + Down arrow Moves cursor down one row.
Alt + Right arrow Moves cursor right one column.
Alt + Left arrow Moves cursor left one column.
Tab If the cursor is outside the command input area, moves cursor to the start of the input in the command input area. Otherwise behaves like as described in the previous table.
Home If the cursor is outside the command input area, moves cursor to the start of the input in the command input area. Otherwise behaves like as described in the previous table.
End If the cursor is outside the command input area, moves cursor to the end of the input in the command input area. Otherwise behaves like as described in the previous table.

Windows event handler The following table shows the trapped Windows events.

Key Action
CTRL-Break Simulates the External Interrupt key being pressed.
CTRL-C CTRL-C is currently caught, but there is no action taken.
Close The normal close button (the red “X” box) has been disabled to prevent an unintended shutdown of Hercules. The close function via the Windows menu (“File → Exit”) however is still available. In this case Hercules initiates an immediate shutdown.
Shutdown Shutdown (“Start → Shut down → Shut down”) initiates an immediate shutdown of Hercules.
Logoff Logoff (“Start → Shut down → Log off”) initiates an immediate shutdown of Hercules.

Programmed Function Keys (PF Keys)

The Hercules console supports the usage of PF keys. The command to be assigned to the PF key has to be defined with a DEFSYM statement. This can be done through a DEFSYM system parameter statement in the Hercules configuration file or through a console command.

On Windows systems PF keys PF01 to PF48 are assignable, on non-Windows systems PF01 to PF20.

The following special keys must be used to access the PF keys:

PF01-PF12   Press PF key only
PF13-PF24   Press SHIFT and PF key
PF25-PF36   Press CTRL and PF key
PF37-PF48   Press ALT and PF keyPF keys can be defined as follows:

Descriptive 

  
  DEFSYM
  PFnn "[SUBST] {IMMED | DELAY}{HERC | SCP |
  PSCP}
  
  command [&n | &* | &$ [...]]"