11/08/90  Standard subsystem request:  abbrev, ab

Syntax:  ab {-control_args}


Syntax as an active request:  [ab]


Function:  controls abbreviation processing within the subsystem.  As
an active request, returns "true" if abbreviation expansion of request
lines is currently enabled within the subsystem and "false" otherwise.


Control arguments:  may not be used with the active request.
-off
   specifies that abbreviations are not to be expanded.
-on
   specifies that abbreviations should be expanded. (Default)
-profile PATH
   specifies that the segment named by PATH is to be used as the
   profile segment; the suffix ".profile" is added to PATH if not
   present.  The segment named by PATH must exist.  This control
   argument implies "-abbrev".

Notes:
Most subsystems which support abbreviation processing provide command
line control arguments (-abbrev, -no_abbrev, -profile) to specify the
initial state of abbreviation processing within the subsystem.  For
example, a Multics abbreviation could be defined to invoke the
read_mail subsystem with a default profile as follows:
   .ab Rdm do "read_mail -profile [hd]>mail_system &rf1"

If invoked with no arguments, this request will enable abbreviation
processing within the subsystem using the profile that was last used in
this subsystem invocation.  If abbreviation processing was not
previously enabled, the profile in use at Multics command level is
used; this profile is normally [home_dir]>Person_id.profile.

See MPM Commands for a description of abbreviation processing.
