WFL(ID:633/wfl001)

Work Flow Language. Burroughs, ca 1973.

A job control language for the B6700/B7700 under MCP.

WFL was a compiled block-structured language similar to ALGOL-60, with subroutines and nested begin-end's.
References:
  • [Burroughs] "Work Flow Management User's Guide", Burroughs Manual 5000714 (1973). view details
  • Cowan, R.M. "Burroughs B6700/B7700 Work Flow Language" view details Abstract: Due to ever increasing costs of computer systems arid the associated operations, it is necessary to maximize the throughput of these systems and also minimize operator intervention.
    One requirement to achieve the goals stated above is a powerful job control language.  This paper describes the Work Flow Language (WFL) as it is currently implemented on the Burroughs B6700/B7700 computer systems.
    Extract: INTRODUCTION
    INTRODUCTION
    As operating systems have evolved and become more sophisticated, so have the demands upon efficient job control.  Initially, operating systems were only capable of handling a sequential flew of tasks; and hence, the job control languages as provided by computer manufacturers reflected this limited ability. Today multitasking is a standard technique employed on large computer systems. To meet the requirements of a multitasking environment, the job control language must provide the necessary tools with which to handle tasks run in parallel or dependent modes.  The job control language should provide the tools necessary to control the job to the extent that operator intervention is reduced to a minimum.
    The purpose of this paper is to describe the Burroughs Work Flow Language (WFL) as it is currently implemented on the Burroughs B6700/B7700 computer systems.
    Extract: HISTORY
    HISTORY
    The Work Flow Language has as its basis a control language used on other Burroughs computers.  Naturally, as much compatibility as possible was desired among the various computers so as to make the transition from one machine to another as simple as possible.

    The basic control language consisted of a number of free form statements each starting with a keyword. As a first example, consider the process of compiling a user program. There are a number of variables which must be supplied to the system:
    1.  What Is the title by which the program is to be referenced?
    2.  What language is the program written in (i.e., ALGOL, FORTRAN, COBOL, etc.)?
    3.  Should the program be recorded in the user library? Or, is this a compile only to check the program's syntax?
    4.  If the compile is successful, should the code file be executed? This is commonly referred to as a compile-and-go and is typical of most university environments.

    The mechanism for communicating these variables to the system should be natural and straightforward so systems analysts, programmers and computer operators may understand them.
          in Unger, Claus (Ed.) Command languages: Proceedings of the IFIP Working Conference on Command Languages (Lund, Sweden, August 1974) North-Holland, 1975 Amsterdam, The Netherlands view details