source: vis_dev/vis-2.3/share/help/aliasCmd.txt @ 100

  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 20100410 00h02