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From: karl@cbrma.att.com (Karl Kleinpaste)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions
Subject: Re: ":" as a csh command
Message-ID: <5576@cbrma.att.com>
Date: Wed, 24-Dec-86 08:58:58 EST
Article-I.D.: cbrma.5576
Posted: Wed Dec 24 08:58:58 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 26-Dec-86 21:43:10 EST
References: <666@cullvax.UUCP> <148@piaget.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T-BL, Columbus
Lines: 20

drw@cullvax.UUCP writes:
>What does the ':' command to csh do?  When I type
>	:
>or	...
>	...
>csh doesn't seem to do anything, but if I type
>	: a
>it says ":: Too many arguments".

`:' is used to specify labels in scripts, as in
	if ($?some_variable) goto label
		commands to skip if some_variable exists
	label:
	more commands
When typed at an interactive prompt, it's a no-op.  But try typing
"goto there" at an interactive prompt; csh will keep reading lines and
doing absolutely nothing with them whatever until you type a line
which says "there:" and nothing else.
-- 
Karl