The CLI Interface

The way in which you interact with the CLI is by entering a CLI command. Typically, the effect of executing a CLI command is one or more of the following:

• The CLI displays information about the program.
   
• A change takes place in the program's state.
   
• A change takes place in the information that the CLI maintains about the program.

The CLI signals that it has completed a command by displaying a prompt.

Although CLI commands are executed sequentially, commands executed by your program may not be. For example, the CLI does not require that your program be stopped when it prompts for and performs commands. It only requires that the last CLI command be complete before it can begin executing the next one. In many cases, the processes and threads being debugged continue to execute while the CLI is performing commands.

Because actions are occurring constantly, state information displayed by the CLI is usually mixed in with the commands that you type.

Entering Ctrl-C while a CLI command is executing interrupts that CLI command or executing Tcl macro. If the CLI is displaying its prompt, typing Ctrl-C stops executing processes.