The match clause can indicate a specific character string that must appear in the input.  The string must be a compile-time value.  You can define the exact column positions in which the string must appear, a range of column positions in which the string must appear, or no column positions, so that the presence of the string anywhere in the input will satisfy the match clause.

For example, the response:

 

response to line "No diagnostics" from        Prog 

 

is taken if ESL receives a line containing the text "No diagnostics" from the application named Prog.  The following response:

 

response to char        col 1 "READY>" from        Prog

 

is taken if the character "R" in the string "READY>" appears starting in column position 1 of the input.  Or, for example:

 

response to char        col 1 thru 8 "READY>"

 

requires that all of the characters in the string "READY>" appear anywhere in positions 1 through 8.  This match clause is satisfied if any of the following column positions contain "READY>".

 

1-6

2-7

3-8

 

The string must be contiguous; "R" in column position 2 and "EADY>" in column positions 4 through 8 do not match, because column position 3 contains a character that is not part of the specified string.  In the following match clause:

 

response to char "READY>"

 

a match is found if the contiguous characters, "READY>", appear anywhere in the input.

You can use special characters received from the keyboard in match clauses.