<:=--=:><:=--=:><:=--=:><:=--=:>\|/<:=--=:><:=--=:><:=--=:><:=--=:>
<:=--=:> <:=--=:>
<:=--=:> >>>>>=-* Users Guide to VAX/VMS *-=<<<<< <:=--=:>
<:=--=:> <:=--=:>
<:=--=:> Part III of III <:=--=:>
<:=--=:> <:=--=:>
<:=--=:> Part E: DCL Command Reference <:=--=:>
<:=--=:> Part F: Lexical Function Reference <:=--=:>
<:=--=:> <:=--=:>
<:=--=:> By Black Kat <:=--=:>
<:=--=:> <:=--=:>
<:=--=:><:=--=:><:=--=:><:=--=:>/|\<:=--=:><:=--=:><:=--=:><:=--=:>
Index
~~~~~
Part E contains information on DCL Command Reference
Part F contains information on Lexical Function Reference
ALLOCATE device_name: [logical_name]
Provides exclusive use of a device and, optionally, establishes a logical
name for that device. While a device is allocated, other users may access
the device until you DEALLOCATE it or log out.
Qualifier:
/GENERIC
ANALYZE
Invokes various VAX/VMS utilities to examine components of the system. The
default function is to examine a module (ANALYZE/OBJECT).
ASSIGN
Equates a logical name to a physical device name, file specification or
another logical name.
ASSIGN/MERGE
Merges the contents of one queue with another.
ASSIGN/QUEUE
Assigns a logical queue to a device queue.
ATTACH [process_name]
Enables you to transfer control from the current process to another process
created by you (see SPAWN).
Qualifier:
/IDENTIFICATION
BACKUP input_spec output_spec
Invokes the VAX/VMS Backup Utility to perform one of the following file
operations:
o Copy disk files.
o Save disk files as a save set (a single data file) on a disk or
magnetic tape volume.
o Restore files from a save set.
o Compare files.
o Display information about files contained in a save set.
CALL label [p1 p2...p8]
Transfers command procedure control to a labeled subroutine in the procedure.
Qualifier:
/OUTPUT
CANCEL [process_name]
Cancels a scheduled wake_up request for the specified process.
Qualifier:
/IDENTIFICATION
CLOSE logical_name
Closes a file opened for input/output with the OPEN command, and deassigns
the logical name created for the file.
Qualifiers:
/ERROR /LOG
CONNECT virtual_terminal_name
Connects a physical terminal to a virtual terminal connected to another
process.
Qualifiers:
/CONTINUE /LOGOUT
CONTINUE
Resumes execution of a DCL command, program or command procedure
interrupted by pressing <Ctrl-Y> or <Ctrl-C>. You can abbreviate the
CONTINUE command to the letter C.
COPY input_file_spec[,...] output_file_spec
Creates a new file from one or more existing files. The COPY command can be
used to:
o Copy an input file to an output file, optionally changing its name and
location.
o Copy a group of input files to a group of output files.
o Concatenate two or more files into a single new file.
CREATE file_spec
Creates one or more sequential disk files from records that follow in the
input stream (i.e., the keyboard, a modem...). To terminate input and close
the file, enter <Ctrl-Z>.
Qualifiers:
/LOG /OWNER_UIC /PROTECTION /VOLUME
CREATE/DIRECTORY directory_spec[,...]
Creates a new directory or subdirectory for cataloging files.
CREATE/FDL=fdl_file_spec [file_spec]
Invokes the FDL (File Definition Language) Utility to use the
specifications in a definition file to create a new (empty) data file.
Qualifier:
/LOG
DEALLOCATE device_name:
Releases a previously allocated device to the pool of available devices.
Qualifiers:
/ALL
DEASSIGN logical_name[:]
Deletes logical name assignments made with the ALLOCATE, ASSIGN, DEFINE, or
MOUNT command.
DEASSIGN/QUEUE logical_queue_name[:]
Deassigns a logical queue from its printer or terminal queue assignment and
stops the associated logical queue.
DEBUG
Invokes the VAX/VMS Debugger.
DEFINE logical_name equivalence_name[,...]
Creates a logical name entry and assigns it an equivalence string, or a list
of equivalence strings, to the specified logical name.
DELETE/CHARACTERISTIC characteristic_name
Deletes the definition of a queue characteristic that previously was
established with the DEFINE/CHARACTERISTIC command.
DELETE/ENTRY=(queue_entry_number[,...]) queue_name[:]
Deletes one or more job entries from the named queue.
DELETE/KEY key_name
Deletes a key definition established by the DEFINE/KEY command.
Qualifiers:
/ALL /LOG /STATE
DELETE/QUEUE queue_name[:]
Deletes the specified queue from the system.
DELETE/SYMBOL symbol_name
Removes a symbol definition from a local or global symbol table or removes
all symbol definitions in a symbol table.
Qualifiers:
/ALL /GLOBAL /LOCAL /LOG
DEPOSIT location=data[,...]
Over-writes the contents of a specified location or series of locations in
virtual memory. The DEPOSIT and EXAMINE commands are used (mostly) while
debugging programs interactively.
DISCONNECT
Disconnects a physical terminal from a virtual terminal that has been
connected to a process. The virtual terminal, and its associated process
will remain on the system when the physical terminal is disconnected from it.
Qualifier:
/CONTINUE
DISMOUNT device_name[:]
Dismounts a disk or magnetic tape volume that previously was mounted with a
MOUNT command.
Qualifiers:
/ABORT /CLUSTER /UNIT /UNLOAD
DUMP file_spec[,...]
Displays the contents of files or volumes in ASCII, decimal, hexadecimal or
octal representation.
EDIT/TPU file_spec
Invokes the VAX/VMS Text Processing Utility. The EVE (Extensible VAX Editor)
is the default interface for TPU. To invoke TPU with the EDT emulator
interface, define the logical TPUSECII to point to the section file for the
EDT interface as follows:
$ DEFINE TPUSECINI EDTSECINI
EXIT [status_code]
Terminates the current command procedure. If the command procedure was
executed from within another command procedure, control will return to the
calling procedure.
GOSUB label
Transfers command procedure control to a labeled subroutine.
GOTO label
Transfers control to a labeled statement in a command procedure.
HELP
Invokes the VAX/VMS Help Utility to display information about a VMS command
or topic.
IF logical_expression THEN dcl_command
Tests the value of a logical expression and executes the command following
the THEN keyword if the test is true.
INITIALIZE device_name[:] volume_label
Formats and writes a label on a mass storage volume.
INITIALIZE/QUEUE queue_name[:]
Creates and initializes queues. This command is used to create and assign
names and attributes to queues. When creating a batch queue, the qualifier
/BATCH is required.
INQUIRE symbol_name [prompt]
Provides interactive assignment of a value for a local or global symbol in a
command procedure.
Qualifiers:
/GLOBAL /LOCAL /PUNCTUATION
LIBRARY library_file_spec [input_file_spec[,...]]
Invokes the VAX/VMS Librarian Utility to create, modify, or describe a macro,
object, help, text or shareable image library.
MAIL [file_spec] [recipient_name]
Invokes the VAX/VMS Personal Mail Utility, which is used to send messages to,
and receive messages from, other users of the system.
Qualifiers:
/SUBJECT /EDIT /SELF
MERGE input_file_spec1,input_file_spec2[,...] output_file_spec
Invokes the VAX/VMS Sort Utility to combine up to 10 similarly sorted input
files. The input files to be merged must be in sorted order before invoking
MERGE.
MONITOR [class_name[,...]]
Invokes the VAX/VMS Monitor Utility to monitor various classes of system
performance data. Data can be analyzed from a running system or from a
previously created recording file. You can execute a single MONITOR request,
or enter MONITOR interactive mode to execute a number of requests. The
interactive mode is entered by entering the MONITOR command with no
parameters or qualifiers. A MONITOR request is terminated by entering
<Ctrl-C> or <Ctrl-Z>. Pressing <Ctrl-C> causes MONITOR to enter interactive
mode, while <Ctrl-Z> returns control to DCL.
Parameters:
ALL_CLASSES CLUSTER DECNET
DISK DLOCK FCP
FILE_SYSTEM_CACHE IO LOCK
MODES PAGE POOL
PROCESSES SCS STATES
SYSTEM
ON condition THEM dcl_command
Defines the DCL command to be executed when a command or program executed
with a command procedure encounters an error condition or is interrupted by
the user pressing <Ctrl-Y>.
OPEN logical_name[:] file_spec
Opens a file for input/output. The OPEN command assigns a logical name to
the file and places the name in the process logical name table.
Qualifiers:
/APPEND /ERROR /READ /SHARE /WRITE
PATCH file_spec
Invokes the VAX/VMS Patch Utility to patch an executable image, shareable
image or device driver image.
PHONE [phone_command]
Invokes the VAX/VMS Phone Utility. PHONE provides the facility for you to
communicate with other users on the system or for any other VAX/VMS system
connected to your system via a DECnet network.
Qualifiers:
/SCROLL /SWITCH_HOOK /VIEWPORT_SIZE
PRINT file_spec[,...]
Queues-up one or more files for printing.
READ logical_name[:] symbol_name
The READ command inputs a single record from the specified input file and
assigns the contents of the record to the specified symbol name.
REQUEST "message"
Writes a message on the system operator's terminal, and optionally requests a
reply.
Qualifiers:
/REPLY /TO
RETURN [status_code]
Terminates a GOSUB statement and returns control to the command following the
GOSUB command.
RUN
Performs the following functions:
o Places an image into execution in the process.
o Creates a subprocess or detached process to run a specified image.
RUNOFF
Performs the following functions:
o Invokes the DIGITAL Standard Runoff text formatter to format one or more
ASCII files.
o Invokes the DIGITAL Standard Runoff text formatter to generate a table of
contents for one or more ASCII files.
o Invokes the DIGITAL Standard Runoff text formatter to generate an index
for one or more ASCII files.
SEARCH file_spec[,...] search_string[,...]
Searches one or more files for the specified string(s) and lists all the
lines containing occurrences of the strings.
SET ACCOUNTING
Enables or disables logging various accounting activities in the system
accounting log file SYS$MANAGER:ACCOUNTING.DAT. The SET ACCOUNTING command
is also used to close the current accounting log file and to open a new one
with a higher version number.
Qualifiers:
/DISABLE /ENABLE /NEW_FILE
SET ACL object_name
Allows you to modify the ACL (access control list) of a VMS object.
SET AUDIT
Enables or disables VAX/VMS security auditing.
Qualifiers:
/ALARM /DISABLE /ENABLE
SET BROADCAST = (class_name[,...])
Allows you to block out various terminal messages from being broadcast to
your terminal.
SET COMMAND [file_spec[,...]]
Invokes the VAX/VMS Command Definition Utility to add, delete or replace
commands in your process command table or a specified command table file.
SET [NO]CONTROL[=(T,Y)]
Defines whether or not control will pass to the command language interpreter
when <Ctrl-Y> is pressed and whether process statistics will be displayed
when <Ctrl-T> is pressed.
SET DAY
Used to reset the default day type specified in the user authorization file
for the current day.
Qualifiers:
/DEFAULT /LOG /PRIMARY /SECONDARY
SET DEFAULT device_name:directory_spec
Changes the default device and/or directory specification. The new default
is used with all subsequent file operations that do not explicitly include a
device or directory name.
SET DEVICE device_name[:]
Establishes a printer or terminal as a spooled device, or sets the error
logging status of a device.
SET [NO]ON
Controls command interpreter error checking. If SET NOON is in effect, the
command interpreter will ignore errors in a command procedure and continue
processing.
SET OUTPUT_RATE [=delta_time]
Defines the rate at which output will be written to a batch job log file.
SET PASSWORD
Permits to change password in a VAX/VMS account
Qualifiers:
/GENERATE /SECONDARY /SYSTEM
SET PRINTER printer_name[:]
Defines characteristics for a line printer.
SET PROCESS [process_name]
Modifies execution characteristics associated with the named process for the
current login session. If a process is not specified, changes are made to
the current process.
SET PROMPT [=string]
Defines a new DCL prompt for your process. The default prompt is a dollar
sign ($).
Qualifier:
/CARRIAGE_CONTROL
SET PROTECTION [=(code)] file_spec[,...]
Modifies the protection applied to a particular file or to a group of files.
The protection of a file limits the access available to various groups of
system users. When used without a file specification, it establishes the
default protection for all the files subsequently created during the login
session. May also be used to modify the protection of a non-file-oriented
device.
SET QUEUE queue_name
Used to modify the current status or attributes of a queue, or to change the
current status or attributes of a job that is not currently executing in a
queue.
SET RMS_DEFAULT
Used to set default values for the multiblock and multibuffer counts, network
transfer sizes, prologue level and extend quantity used by RMS for various
file operations.
SET WORKING_SET
Sets the default working set size for the current process, or sets an upper
limit to which the working set size can be changed by an image that the
process executes.
Qualifiers:
/ADJUST /EXTENT /LIMIT /LOG /QUOTA
SHOW ACCOUNTING
Displays items for which accounting is enabled.
Qualifier:
/OUTPUT
SHOW ACL
Permits you to display the access control list (ACL) of a VAX/VMS object.
Qualifier:
/OBJECT_TYPE
SHOW AUDIT
Supplies a display that identifies enable security auditing features and the
events that they will report.
Qualifier:
/OUTPUT
SHOW BROADCAST
Displays messages classes that currently are being affected by the SET
BROADCAST command.
Qualifier:
/OUTPUT
SHOW DEFAULT
Displays the current default device and directory specification, along with
any equivalence strings that have been defined.
SHOW DEVICES [device_name[:]]
Displays the status of a device on the running VAX/VMS system.
SHOW ERROR
Displays an error count for all devices with an error count greater than 0.
Qualifiers:
/FULL /OUTPUT
SHOW KEY [key_name]
Displays the key definition for the specified key.
Qualifiers:
/ALL /BRIEF /DIRECTORY /FULL /STATE
SHOW LOGICAL [logical_name[:],[...]]
Displays logical names from one or more logical name tables, or displays the
equivalence string(s) assigned to the specified logical names(s).
SHOW QUOTA
Displays the disk quota that is currently authorized for a specific user on a
specific disk.
Qualifiers:
/DISK /USER
SHOW RMS_DEFAULT
Displays the default multiblock count, multibuffer count, network transfer
size, prologue level and extend quantity that RMS will use for file
operations.
Qualifier:
/OUTPUT
SHOW STATUS
Displays status information for the current process.
SHOW SYMBOL [symbol_name]
Displays the value of a local or global symbol.
Qualifiers:
/ALL /GLOBAL /LOCAL /LOG
SHOW SYSTEM
Displays a list of processes currently running on a system.
SHOW TERMINAL [device_name[:]]
Displays the characteristics of a specified terminal.
Qualifiers:
/OUTPUT /PERMANENT
SHOW TIME
Displays the current system date and time.
SHOW TRANSLATION logical_name
Searches the logical name tables for a specified logical name, then returns
the first equivalence name of the match found.
Qualifier:
/TABLE
SHOW USERS [username]
Displays a list of all users currently using the system and their terminal
names, usernames and their process identification codes.
Qualifier:
/OUTPUT
SHOW WORKING_SET
Displays the current working set limit, quota and extent assigned to the
current process.
Qualifier:
/OUTPUT
SORT input_file_spec[,...] output_file_spec
Invokes the VAX/VMS Sort Utility to reorder records in a file into a defined
sequence.
START/QUEUE queue_name
Starts or restarts the specified queue.
STOP process_name
Specifies the name of a process to be deleted from the system. If the
/IDENTIFICATION qualifier is used, the process name is ignored.
Qualifier:
/IDENTIFICATION
STOP/QUEUE queue_name[:]
Causes the specified queue to pause.
UNLOCK file_spec[,...]
Makes a file that has been made inaccessible as a result of being improperly
closed accessible.
Qualifiers:
/CONFIRM /LOG
WAIT delta_time
Places the current process in a wait state until a specified period of time
has passed.
WRITE logical_name expression[,...]
Writes the specified data record to the output file indicated by the logical
name.
Qualifiers:
/ERROR /SYMBOL /UPDATE
<:=- Part E : Lexical Function Reference -=:>
Introduction
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Part F is a Lexical Function Reference. Parameters for the lexicals are in
parenthesis after the function name, and parenthesis are required whether or
not the lexical function requires parameters.
Lexical Function Reference
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
F$CVSI (bit_position, width, string)
Used to extract bit fields from a character string. The result is converted
to a signed integer value.
F$CFTIME (input_time, output_time, field)
Converts absolute or combination time to the format yyyy-mm-dd
hh:mmm:ss.cc. This function can also be used to return information about an
absolute, combination, or delta time string.
F$CVUI (bit_position, width, string)
Extracts bit fields from a character string and converts the result to an
unsigned integer value.
F$DIRECTORY ()
Returns the default directory name as a character string.
F$EDIT (string, edit_list)
Used to edit a character string based on the parameters specified in the
edit_list.
F$ELEMENT (element_number, delimiter, string)
Extracts an element from a character string in which the elements are
separated by some specified delimiter.
F$ENVIRONMENT (item)
Returns information about the DCL command environment.
F$EXTRACT (offset, length, string)
Extracts a substring from a given character string.
F$FAO (control_string[,arg1,art2...arg15])
Calls the $FAO system service to convert a specified control string to
formatted ASCII. This function may be used to insert variable character
string data into an output string or convert integer values to ASCII and
substitute the result into the output string.
F$FILE_ATTRIBUTES (file_spec, item)
Returns attribute information for the specified file.
F$GETDVI (device, item)
Calls the $GETDVI system service to return an item of information on a
specified device. This function allows a process to obtain information for a
device to which the process has not necessarily allocated or assigned a
channel.
F$GETJPI (pid, item)
Calls the $GETJPI system service to return status and identification
information about the running system or about a node in the VAXcluster (if
the system is a VAXcluster).
F$IDENTIFIER (identifier, conversion_type)
Converts an identifier into its integer equivalent, or vice versa. An
identifier is a name or number that identifies a category of data resource
users. The system uses identifiers to determine user access to a system
resource.
F$INTEGER (expression)
Returns the integer value of the result of the specified expression.
F$LENGTH (string)
Returns the length of a specified character string.
F$LOCATE (substring, string)
Locates a character or character substring within a string and returns its
offset within the string. If the character or character substring is not
found, the function returns the length of the string that was searched.
F$MESSAGE (status_code)
Returns a character string containing the message associated with a system
status code.
F$MODE ()
Returns a character string displaying the mode in which a process is
executing.
F$PARSE (file_spec[,related_spec][,field][,parse_type])
Calls the $PARSE RMS service to parse a file specification and return either
its expanded file specification or a particular file specification field that
you have specified.
F$PID (context_symbol)
Returns a process identification number (PID), and updates the context symbol
to point to the current position in the system's process list.
F$PRIVILEGE (priv_states)
Returns a value of true or false depending on whether your current process
privileges match the privileges listed in the parameter argument.
F$PROCESS ()
Obtains the current process name as a character string.
F$SEARCH (file_spec[,stream_id])
Calls the $SEARCH RMS service to search a directory and return the full file
specification for a specified file.
F$SETPRV (priv_states)
Returns a list of keywords indicating current user privileges. In addition,
this function may be used to call the $SETPRV system service to enable or
disable specified user privileges. The return string indicates the status of
the user privileges before any changes have been made with the F$SETPRV
function.
F$STRING (expression)
Returns the character string equivalent of the result of the specified
expression.
F$TIME ()
Returns the current date and time string.
F$TRNLNM (logical_name[,table][,index][,mode][,case][,item])
Translates a logical name to its equivalence string, or returns the requested
attributes of the logical name. The equivalence string is not checked to
determine if it is a logical name or not.
F$TYPE (symbol_name)
Returns the data type of a symbol.
F$USER ()
Returns the user identification code (UIC), in named format, for the current
user. The F$USER function has no arguments.
F$VERIFY ([procedure_value][,image_value])
Returns an integer value which indicates whether procedure verification mode
is currently on or off. If used with arguments, the F$VERIFY function can
turn verification mode on or off. You must include the parentheses after the
F$VERIFY function, whether or not you specify arguments.
Default File Types
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These file types are conventions set by DEC and may not be followed by other
software companies.
Type Contents
~~~~ ~~~~~~~~
ANL Output file from the ANALYZE command
BAS Source input file for BASIC compiler
CLD Command line interpreter command description file
COM Command procedure file
DAT Data file (input or output)
DIF Output file from the DIFFERENCES command
DIR Subdirectory
DIS MAIL distribution list
DMP Output from the DUMP command
EDT EDT editor initialization file
EXE VAX/VMS executable program created with the LINK command
FDL File Definition language file created with the EDIT/FDL or
ANALYZE/RMS/FDL command
FOR Source input for FORTRAN compiler
HLB Help text library
HLP Help text file, usually as source input to help text library file
JNL EDT editor journal file
LIS List file created by an assembler or compiler
LOG Information file created by a batch job, DECnet, etc.
MAI Mail message storage file
MAR Source input file for MACRO assembler
MLB MAXCRO source library
OBJ Intermediate object file created by a compiler or assembler
OLB Object module library
OPT Option input file for the LINK command
STB Symbol table
SYS System image
TJL Journal file created by the TPU editor
TLB Text library
TMP General purpose temporary file
TPU Command input file for the TPU editor
TXT Text file
Device Names
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following are common VAX/VMS device codes and their corresponding types.
Code Device Type
~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~
CS Console boot/storage device
DA RC25 (25 MB fixed/25 MB removable)
DB RP05, RP06 disk
DD TU58 tape
DJ RA60 disk
DL RL02 disk
DR RM03 RM05, RM80, RP07 disk
DU RA80, RA81, RA82 disk
DX RX01 floppy
DY RX02 floppy
LC Line printer device on DMF32
LP Line printer device on LP11
LT Local area terminal (LAT)
MB Mailbox device
MF TU78 magnetic tape drive
MS TS11 magnetic tape drive
MT TU45, TU77, TE16 magnetic tape drive
MU TK50, TA78, TA81, TU81 magnetic tape drive
NL Null device
OP Operators console device
RT Remote terminal (via DECnet)
TT Interactive terminal device
TX Interactive terminal device
VT Virtual terminal
XE DEUNA
XQ DEQNA
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