type-ahead

type-ahead


type Index Level type-ahead-off
Syntax type-ahead {(options}  
Category TCL
Type Verb
Description enables or disables the system-wide type ahead feature, or displays the current status if no options are provided.
"Type ahead" is the process of buffering characters entered at a keyboard to allow for faster typing.

When type-ahead is "on", the system allows typing in characters "ahead" of their being displayed.

For example, after entering a "select" command at TCL, a "save-list" command can be entered into the type-ahead buffer. When the "select" finishes, the "save-list" command will be immediately entered provided a <return> was issued at the end of the command.

The command does not display on the screen until the previous process returns to TCL. There is no practical limit to the number of commands that can be "typed ahead", short of one's confidence in their abilities to type in the dark.
Options f  Turns off type-ahead.

n  Turns on type-ahead. This is the default.

s  Suppresses output of status message.
See Also type-ahead-off u0005 type-ahead-on ta-off ta-on TA
Example type-ahead
[1312] Type-ahead is on.

type-ahead (f
[1313] Type-ahead is off.

type-ahead (n
[1312] Type-ahead is on.
Warnings Pushing a level or issuing a <break> clears all characters from the type-ahead buffer.

On D3/Unix implementations, when a shell is pushed, echo is done by the Unix driver, and, therefore, characters typed ahead appears on screen, even if the process run under the Shell is not reading them. When the Shell terminates, Pick takes control of the terminal, and if type ahead is enabled, the characters typed ahead while in shell are accepted and echoed a second time.
Compatibility D3 7.0 AP
type Index Level type-ahead-off