source: vis_dev/vis-2.1/share/vis/help/aliasCmd.txt @ 12

  alias - provide an alias for a command
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   alias [-h] [<name> [<string>]]

   The  "alias" command, if given no arguments, will print the definition
   of all current aliases.

   Given  a  single  argument, it will print the definition of that alias
   (if any). Given two arguments, the keyword "name" becomes an alias for
   the  command  string "string", replacing any other alias with the same
   name.

   Command options:

   -h
          Print the command usage.

   <name>
          Alias

   <string>
          Command string

   It  is  possible  to  create  aliases that take arguments by using the
   history  substitution  mechanism.  To protect the history substitution
   character  `%'  from immediate expansion, it must be preceded by a `\'
   when entering the alias.

   For example:

   vis> alias read read_\%:1 \%:2.\%:1
   vis> read blif lion
  

   will create an alias `read', execute "read_blif lion.blif".

   And...

  vis> alias echo2 "echo Hi ; echo \%* !"
  vis> echo2 happy birthday
  

   will print:

  Hi
  happy birthday !
  

   CAVEAT:  Currently  there  is  no  check to see if there is a circular
   dependency in the alias definition. e.g.

  vis> alias foo "print_network_stats; print_network; foo"
  

   creates  an  alias which refers to itself. Executing the command "foo"
   will   result   an   infinite   loop   during   which   the   commands
   "print_network_stats" and "print_network" will be executed.
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   Last updated on 20050519 10h16