Command language

A command language is a designation of the commands (as well as their syntax) used by searching electronic databases.

For example, the command for terminating a search session in a given system may be

This plentitude of possibilities make database searches complicated. An attempt to cope with this problem is to try to standardize command languages (CCL: Common Command Language).

An example of syntax in command languages is the former system RCLIB's display command: Vis s1; f3; r1 til 20. It is a part of this syntax that the parameters are separated by semicolon and that their order are arbitrary. For the command language and syntax of major database host see pocket guide for Dialog.



See also:  CCL; Query_Question

 

Birger Hjørland

Last edited: 18-01-2006

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