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PL/B:DOS
The PL/B (DATABUS) language has proven itself to be unrivalled in screen, file,
and character string manipulation. After being developed by Datapoint Corporation in 1972,
it became the first language to support Local Area Networks (LAN) and multiple resource
sharing when Datapoint pioneered the networking field with their introduction of ARCNET.
The language is currently used by over 100,000 companies, including more than half of the
Fortune 500 and most all U.S. governmental agencies. PL/B is further evolving through the
work of the ANSI PL/B standards committee, of which SUNBELT is an active member.
Since 1982 when Sunbelt released the first non Datapoint compiler for PL/B, we
have been the leader in promoting the creation of a user standard and in supporting the
extensions required by PL/B users. We were the first to support CP/M 80, MS/PC DOS, micro
based LANs, and Datapoint's AIM, all while maintaining the highest level of compatibility
available for all of Datapoint's implementations. However, the need for compatibility has
never compromised our user commitment, and thus our compilers feature more enhancements
than those offered by all other competitor's products. As a result, third party software
developers have demonstrated acceptance of our implementation by offering Program
Generators, Query Tools, Report Writers, and Translation Tools which specifically utilize
enhancements unique to Sunbelt's implementation.
FEATURES
General File I/O Support
- File Path Direction
- Multi, on-line directory access
- Common files remain OPEN during program chaining
- EXCLUSIVE, SHARE & READ file access support
- FILEPI and PI 0 file locking
- Text files written in the native operating system format
- Text files may have multiple AAM and/or ISAM key files
- Read any file forward or backward via any access method
- Internal file SORT verb
- Multiple Spool files
AFILE (AAM) File I/O Support
- Can PREP an AAM file
- Supports up to 63 keys
- Supports variable length records and space compressed records
- Key fields may overlap and be anywhere within the data record
- Deleted record space reused (if fixed length records specified)
- Updates text and key file without destroying READKG pointers
- Updates actual AAM keys
IFILE (ISAM) File I/O Support
- Can PREP an ISAM file
- Keys can be up to 99 bytes long
- Supports variable length records and space compressed records
- Utilizes a self-balancing B-tree
- Partial and/or selective indexing
- Supports DUPlicate and NODUPlicate files
- Deleted record space reused (if fixed length records specified)
Other File I/O Support
- ERASE - Delete named file
- FILEIO - read, write, or update using a single instruction
- FPOSIT - DOS or RMS formats
- POSITEOF - Position file to End of File
- RENAME - Change name of file
Compiler Features
 | Conditional compile directives |
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| Define data anywhere in source |
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| Supports local variables/labels |
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| Supports up to 128k of UDA and 1Meg of code for 86A or 64k of code for 86M |
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| In-Line Hex opcodes |
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| LIST and LISTEND
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Variable Handling Features
- DIM sizes up to 32k bytes
- FORM sizes up to 32 digits
- INTEGER sizes up to 4 bytes
- Arrays up to 14 dimensions
- Array indices may be variables
- Supports indirect addressing
- PARSE verb to separate strings of data using ranges of values
- EXTEND has optional length field
- MATCH and SCAN have optional universal match character
- EDIT allows a negative field to be indicated with parentheses
- MOVE minus overpunched data
- MOVE supports INTEGERs
- CALC allows up to 50 variables in a math equation using +, -, *, /, (, )
- Support for 3 Parameter math
- All math and logical operations support INTEGERS
Program Control Features
- IF/ELSE/ENDIF structured code constructs
- LOOP/REPEAT structured code constructs
- BREAK to terminate LOOP/REPEAT
- CONTINUE to restart LOOP/REPEAT
- BRANCHF (BRANCH based on function key value)
- PERFORM (indexed CALL)
- PERFORMF (PERFORM based on function key value)
- SETFLAG manually set flags
- FSAVE save and restore flag settings
- Up to 55 function keys supported
- FKEY flag for generic trapping of all untested function keys
- ROLLOUT suspends execution, creating an image file for return
- EXECUTE suspends execution, performs requested task & returns
- Supports ANSWER/MASTER concept of program chaining
- CALL now supports optional parameters
Screen I/O Features
- Subwindows on IBM PC and compatibles
- Ability to save and restore screen images
- Supports Print spooling to devices
- Additional list controls (only a sample):
- *ABSON/*ABSOFF - Absolute keyin
- *CRTON - Read Data from the screen
- *COLOR - Set screen attributes
- *DPI - Set decimal point implied mode
- *EDIT - In-line editing of a variable
- *INSERT - Insert mode for use with *EDIT
- *SAVESW - Save current subwindow image
SUNDB86A is a 1 pass compiler,
generating multi-user absolute machine code supporting almost any PC/MS-DOS 3.1
or later based system.
SUNDB86M is a 3 pass compiler
which compiles, assembles and links into multi-user absolute machine code
compatible with SUNDB86A.
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