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<!DOCTYPE erlref SYSTEM "erlref.dtd">

<erlref>
  <header>
    <copyright>
      <year>1996</year>
      <year>2007</year>
      <holder>Ericsson AB, All Rights Reserved</holder>
    </copyright>
    <legalnotice>
  The contents of this file are subject to the Erlang Public License,
  Version 1.1, (the "License"); you may not use this file except in
  compliance with the License. You should have received a copy of the
  Erlang Public License along with this software. If not, it can be
  retrieved online at http://www.erlang.org/.

  Software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS"
  basis, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See
  the License for the specific language governing rights and limitations
  under the License.

  The Initial Developer of the Original Code is Ericsson AB.
    </legalnotice>

    <title>shell_default</title>
    <prepared>Joe Armstrong</prepared>
    <responsible>Joe Armstrong</responsible>
    <docno></docno>
    <approved>Bjarne D&auml;cker</approved>
    <checked>Joe Armstrong</checked>
    <date>1996-09-09</date>
    <rev>A</rev>
    <file>shell_default.sgml</file>
  </header>
  <module>shell_default</module>
  <modulesummary>Customizing the Erlang Environment</modulesummary>
  <description>
    <p>The functions in <c>shell_default</c> are called when no module
      name is given in a shell command.
      </p>
    <p>Consider the following shell dialogue:</p>
    <pre>
1 > <input>lists:reverse("abc").</input>
"cba"
2 > <input>c(foo).</input>
{ok, foo}    </pre>
    <p>In command one, the module <c>lists</c> is called. In command
      two, no module name is specified. The shell searches the modules
      <c>user_default</c> followed by <c>shell_default</c> for the
      function <c>foo/1</c>.
      </p>
    <p><c>shell_default</c> is intended for "system wide"
      customizations to the shell. <c>user_default</c> is intended for
      "local" or individual user customizations.</p>
  </description>

  <section>
    <title>Hint</title>
    <p>To add your own commands to the shell, create a module called
      <c>user_default</c> and add the commands you want. Then add the
      following line as the <em>first</em> line in your <c>.erlang</c> file in your
      home directory. </p>
    <pre>
code:load_abs("$PATH/user_default").    </pre>
    <p><c>$PATH</c> is the directory where your
      <c>user_default</c> module can be found.</p>
  </section>
</erlref>

