PROC procedure language

PROC is the name of PICK operating system's procedure language. PROC is comparable to a UNIX shell script or a Windows batch file, and has similar features such as control-flow constructs, file manipulation, subroutine calls, and terminal input and output. The PROC language itself consists of terse macro commands. A PROC script contains a sequence of PROC language macros and PICK TCL (Terminal Control Language) commands. A PROC script is often used as a "front-end" for a program or application, interactive or not.

PROC utilizes two input buffers (primary and secondary) and two output buffers (primary and secondary). 9 file buffers. Some Pick emaulations (e.g. Reality X) release extended versions of PROC, sometimes called New PROCs with an additiional 9 file buffers. New PROCs are identified with a PQX or PQN on the first line of the script, whereas traditional PROCs commence with PQ.

In about 1975 an expanded version of PROC called "PORC" was developed by John Timmons and Paul Desjardine. This was then further developed by Tim Holland under the employ of SMI in Chicago, initially called "SMILE" (SMI Language Extension?) and then renamed RPL - Realtime Programming Language. RPL was a compiled language featuring 250 input buffers but still recognisably derived from PROC.

A number of large scale manufacturing applications were developed in RPL, including that which was in use at Plessey/GPT limited in Liverpool and also the Trifid suite of manufacturing software.