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The pre-processor in ecFlow reads the ecFlow files and processes them to form a job-file, manual-page, or for editing in ecflow_ui. It also does the interpretation of the commands defined in ECF_JOB_CMD , ECF_KILL_CMD and , and ECF_STATUS_CMD.
The ecFlow pre-processor was developed to be part of the ECF. It allows users to do some of the C-pre-processor like tasks, namely including files. It works on the same principle by looking at the first character on each line in ecFlow file (or ecFlow script. If that is found to be an ECF-micro character (by default '%', see ECF_MICRO) the line is for the pre-processor. If, however, the line starts with two of these characters, a single `%'-character is passed on to the next phase (to be used as an ECF-variable introducer).
Currently, there is no %if - statement in the pre-processor. If - statements, however, can be handled by the shell running the script.
The pre-processor also carries out the variable substitution. When ecFlow is preparing to execute a task it reads the ecFlow script and produces a job file in which it replaces all the relevant variables.
Table 3 1shows pre-processor symbols that ecFlow understands. Notice that some of them work in pairs.

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