This is a text-only version of the following page on https://raymii.org:

This is a text-only version of the following page on https://raymii.org:
---
Title : Small OpenVMS titbits
Author : Remy van Elst
Date : 22-04-2018
URL : https://raymii.org/s/blog/Small_OpenVMS_titbits.html
Format : Markdown/HTML
---

[![openvms][1]][2]

(You can read all my OpenVMS articles by [clicking the picture (above][2])

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Here are some small titbits I found out this week on the DECUServe OpenVMS
system. Not enough to write a blogpost on their own, but collected together.

### .bash_history

To show your shell history from the current session:

$ RECALL/ALL

Output:

1 show proc
2 proc
3 htop
4 top
5 notes
6 t
7 hobbyist
8 hobbyi
9 show license
10 show terminal
11 set terminal /backspace=delete
12 show terminal
13 set terminal /backspace=backspace
14 show terminal
15 hello this is a test
$

### Uptime and /etc/redhat_release

To view system uptime and OpenVMS version:

$ SHOW SYSTEM /NOPROC

Output:

OpenVMS V8.4-2L2 on node EISNER 8-APR-2018 14:13:11.07 Uptime 17 03:22:55

### w

Show all the logged in users and their process, like the `w` command on linux:

$ SHOW USERS /FULL
OpenVMS User Processes at 8-APR-2018 14:19:05.07
Total number of users = 6, number of processes = 6

Username Process Name PID Terminal
<login> _VTA4425: 00009B23 VTA4425: (disconnected)
EXAMPLE SSHD 0355A PTD 00008EE4 FTA550: (ssh/$IP:57039)
GOATLEY Goat Busters 00009A55 FTA547:
(ssh/$HOSTNAME.com:17251)
JACKSON JACKSON 00005314 FTA269:
(ssh/host-$IP.static.as$AS.net:59656)
MALMBERG >>>B ewa0: 00009664 FTA543:
(ssh/$IP:59826)
SCHENKENBERG SCHENKENBERG 00007E83 FTA442:
(ssh/ool-$HOSTNAME:47078)

### cd ~

Your home directory on OpenVMS is not known as `~` (as on UNIX) but as
`SYS$LOGIN`. As we learned in an earlier article, OpenVMS uses the `SET/SHOW
DEFAULT` commands to navigate directories. So the equivalent of `cd ~` on linux,
or even shorter, `cd` is `SET DEF SYS$LOGIN`:

$ SET DEFAULT SYS$LOGIN
$ SHOW DEF
DISK_USER:[DECUSERVE_USER.EXAMPLE]

$ DIR SYS$LOGIN

Directory EISNER$DRA3:[DECUSERVE_USER.EXAMPLE]

$MAIN.TPU$JOURNAL;1 .VIMINFO;1 A.;1 ICREATEDAFOLDERYAY.DIR;1
LOGIN.COM;2 LOGIN.COM;1 LOGIN_COM.TPU$JOURNAL;1
MAIL$AC8D2981000500B2.MAI;1 MAIL.MAI;1 NOTES$NOTEBOOK.NOTE;1
RAYMII.DIR;1 REMY.DAT;3 REMY.DAT;2 REMY.DAT;1
SSH.DIR;1 SSH2.DIR;1 SSH3.DIR;1 WWW.DIR;1
Total of 18 files.

### cd ..

The equivalent of the `cd ..`, to go up one folder on linux, on OpenVMS is
`[-]`. So if you are in `EISNER$DRA3:[DECUSERVE_USER.EXAMPLE.WWW]` and want to
go up one level to `EISNER$DRA3:[DECUSERVE_USER.EXAMPLE]` then enter:

$ SET DEFAULT [-]

### %SYSTEM-F-ACCVIO, access violation,

I also hit my first bug. I was writing a note (in `NOTES`, a kind of forum) and
I pasted a link. It crashed with the following error:

Fatal DECTPU internal error, please submit an SPR including:

1. A description of the actions that revealed the bug
2. The versions of DECTPU and the operating system you are running
3. Machine-readable media containing:
- The source files of your DECTPU section and command files
- Copies of the data files used during the session
- The keystroke journal file if one exists
4. Your terminal characteristics, if applicable
5. A description of the command used to invoke DECTPU

Shareable base: 7BC54884 Ident: DECTPU V3.2 2017-05-22 22:49
Updater base: 7C03E034 Ident: DECTPU V3.2 2017-05-22 22:49
Updater file: TPU$CCTSHR

%SYSTEM-F-ACCVIO, access violation, reason mask=00, virtual address=0000000000000024, PC=00000000000B5A14, PS=0000001B
$

So I retyped the note and pasted the error in, maybe someone knows more.

Edit: they know more on the DECUS system. This happens when you CRTL+C out of
the NOTES application.

### MAIL, folders and mail management

See [this article][4] as well.

#### List email

MAIL> dir
MAIL
# From Date Subject

1 EISNER::CORNELIUS 29-MAR-2018 Hello again
2 (Deleted)
3 EISNER::CORNELIUS 31-MAR-2018 RE: Hello again
4 EISNER::PARRIS 2-APR-2018 RE: Test message

MAIL>

#### List folders

MAIL> DIR /FOLDER
Listing of folders in EISNER$DRA3:[DECUSERVE_USER.EXAMPLE]MAIL.MAI
Press CTRL/C to cancel listing
MAIL TEST

MAIL>

#### List mail in folder

MAIL> dir TEST
TEST
# From Date Subject

1 IN%"[email protected]" 31-MAR-2018 RE: Tesrt message

MAIL>

Regular `DIR` will list the `MAIL` folder.

#### Move message into a folder

To store a message in a folder, use the `FILE` command in the `MAIL` program:

MAIL> file test
Folder TEST does not exist.
Do you want to create it (Y/N, default is N)? y
%MAIL-I-NEWFOLDER, folder TEST created

MAIL>

As you can see, if the folder does not exist, it will be created.

#### Delete a message

OpenVMS `MAIL` doesn't delete messages immediately but moves them from your
default folder to a folder called `WASTEBASKET`.

On most OpenVMS systems the `WASTEBASKET` is purged when the you use the
command, `EXIT` to exit `MAIL`. If you use the command, `QUIT`, the old, deleted
mail remains in the `WASTEBASKET`. If you're in a hurry to purge the
`WASTEBASKET`, then you can do it manually with the `PURGE` command.

MAIL> dir TEST
TEST
# From Date Subject

1 IN%"[email protected]" 31-MAR-2018 RE: Tesrt message

MAIL> del 1

MAIL> dir WASTEBASKET
WASTEBASKET
# From Date Subject

1 IN%"[email protected]" 31-MAR-2018 RE: Tesrt message

MAIL> purge
%MAIL-I-DELMSGS, 1 message deleted

#### Mail filesystem folder

By default all mail related files are stored in your home directory. This can
become quite a full listing, you can change it to another folder. In the `MAIL`
program, enter the following command:

MAIL> SET MAIL [.MAIL]
%MAIL-I-CREATED, DISK_USER:[DECUSERVE_USER.EXAMPLE.MAIL] created

Now mail related files will be placed in `[.MAIL]` and your home directory will
stay a bit cleaner.

### ls -la (list files, owner and permissions)

With the `DIR` command, two flags can be given, `/PROTECTION` and `/OWNER`, to
get a more comprehensive list including the file owner and permissions:

$ DIR /OWNER /PROTECTION

Directory DSA3:[DECUSERVE_USER.EXAMPLE]

$MAIN.TPU$JOURNAL;1
[EXAMPLE] (RWED,RWED,,)
.VIMINFO;1 [EXAMPLE] (RWED,RWED,,)
A.;1 [EXAMPLE] (RWED,RWED,,)
ICREATEDAFOLDERYAY.DIR;1
[EXAMPLE] (RWE,RWE,,)
LOGIN.COM;2 [EXAMPLE] (RWED,RWED,,)
LOGIN.COM;1 [EXAMPLE] (RWED,RWED,,)
LOGIN_COM.TPU$JOURNAL;1
[EXAMPLE] (RWED,RWED,,)
MAIL.DIR;1 [EXAMPLE] (RWE,RWE,,)
NOTES$NOTEBOOK.NOTE;1
[DECUSERVE] (RWE,RWE,,)
RAYMII.DIR;1 [EXAMPLE] (RWE,RWE,,)
REMY.DAT;3 [EXAMPLE] (RWED,RWED,,)
REMY.DAT;2 [EXAMPLE] (RWED,RWED,,)
REMY.DAT;1 [EXAMPLE] (RWED,RWED,,)
SSH.DIR;1 [EXAMPLE] (RWE,RWE,,)
SSH2.DIR;1 [EXAMPLE] (RWE,RWE,,)
SSH3.DIR;1 [EXAMPLE] (RWE,RWE,,)
WWW.DIR;1 [EXAMPLE] (RWE,RWE,,RE)

Total of 17 files.

The permission column includes in order:

* SYSTEM (root)
* OWNER (you)
* GROUP (groups you are part of)
* WORLD (everyone)

[1]: https://raymii.org/s/inc/img/ovmsdec.png
[2]: https://raymii.org/s/tags/openvms.html
[3]: https://www.digitalocean.com/?refcode=7435ae6b8212
[4]: https://raymii.org/s/blog/My_second_OpenVMS_-_MAIL.html

---

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