An Action Definition has the following syntax :

ACTION  <action_name>
{
    TYPE <action_type>
    <action_field>+
}

where:

<action_name> is the name used to invoke the action

<action_type> is one of three types of Actions:

   1) Command actions. A command action executes a command that starts an 
      application, utility, shell script, or operating system command.

   2) Map actions, which is primarily used to specify alternative names
      for actions.  A map action is "mapped" to another action.

   3) TT_MSG actions, which send Tooltalk messages.

<action_field>+ is one or more fields that describe an action's behavior
or look and feel.

Here is an overview of some of the {action_fields} used in
the popular Action Type COMMAND:

WINDOW_TYPE: specifies the type of windowing support required by the action:
        - NO_STDIO: No type of windowing support.  The action
          has its own window or has no output.
        - PERM_TERMINAL: a permanent terminal emulator window, which remains
          open until the user closes it.
        - TERMINAL: a temporary terminal emulator window, which closes as
          soon as the command is completed.

EXEC_STRING: the application, shell script or operating system command
that this action is to invoke.  There is special syntax that can
be used in case arguments are needed:
        - %(File)Arg_{n}%
          lets a user drop a data file on the action
                where {n} is an integer starting at 1
        - %Args%
          accepts multiple files, that a user drops on the action
        - %(File)"{prompt}"%
          displays a prompt for a file name, when the user invokes
          the action
                where {prompt} is a text string that prompts the user
                               for a file name
        -%(File)Arg_{n}"prompt" combines the two above.  It accepts
         a dropped file as an argument.  Otherwise, it displays
         a prompt for a file name
        -%(String)"prompt"% prompts for a non-file argument


LABEL: the Action Label seen in CDE's File Manager and Application Manager

ICON: used to specify the icons seen in CDE's File Manager and Application
Manager

For example, an Action that runs a single Unix C shell command is:
 
ACTION csh_command
{
    TYPE        COMMAND
    WINDOW_TYPE PERM_TERMINAL
    EXEC_STRING /usr/bin/csh -c '%(String)"Csh Command: "%'
    LABEL       One-time C Shell
    ICON        /usr/dt/appconfig/icons/C/Dtterm.m.pm
}

To make this work from CDE's dtfile, create an empty executable file
called csh_command, and make it executable:

$ touch csh_command
$ chmod 755 csh_command

Then, create a file called $HOME/.dt/types/csh_command, that
has the above action.

Run this command:

$ dtaction ReloadActions

To invoke the action, bring up dtfile, and double-click the csh_command
empty file, previously created.