Logistics of a program system. The DIRDIF program control and command protocol

A programmer-friendly protocol is presented that can be used to set up a program system and to control the execution of the individual programs within such a system. To minimize computer or operating-system dependencies, control and decision making have been transferred as much as possible to the programming-language level. Communication between the individual programs is by means of some small control-data files. Implementation of new programs into such a system is very simple and transportation to different computers and operating systems is straightforward. Experience with this protocol in the DIRDIF system of Fortran programs is described. The DIRDIF system now combines eleven major programs and operates under a variety of operating systems such as IBM/CMS, VAX/VMS, Sun/Unix, DEC/Ultrix, IBM-RISC/Aix and PC/MS-DOS, with very few modifications in the Fortran coding.