1 DELETE The DELETE command performs the following functions: o Deletes one or more files from a mass storage disk volume (see File). o Deletes the definition of a queue characteristic previously established with the DEFINE/CHARACTERISTIC command (see /CHARACTERISTIC). o Deletes one or more active bitmaps (see /BITMAP). o Deletes one or more print or batch jobs. The jobs can be in progress or waiting in the queue (see /ENTRY). o Deletes a form (for printer or terminal queues) previously established with the DEFINE/FORM command (see /FORM). o Removes an entry from the break-in database (see /INTRUSION_ RECORD). o Deletes key definitions that have been established by the DEFINE/KEY command (see /KEY). o Deletes a print or batch queue created by the INITIALIZE/QUEUE command, and deletes all the jobs in the queue (see /QUEUE). o Deletes one or all symbol definitions from a local or global symbol table (see /SYMBOL). 2 file Deletes one or more files from a mass storage disk volume. Requires delete (D) access to the file and write (W) access to the parent directory. If the target file is itself a directory, the directory must be empty. Format DELETE filespec[,...] 3 Parameter filespec[,...] Specifies the names of one or more files to be deleted from a mass storage disk volume. The first file specification must contain an explicit or default directory specification plus an explicit file name, file type, and version number. Subsequent file specifications need contain only a version number; the defaults will come from the preceding specification. The asterisk (*) and the percent sign (%) wildcard characters can be used in any of the file specification fields. If you omit the directory specification or device name, the current default device and directory are assumed. If the file specification contains a null version number (a semicolon (;) followed by no file version number), a version number of 0, or one or more spaces in the version number, the latest version of the file is deleted. To delete more than one file, separate the file specifications with either commas (,) or plus signs (+). 3 Qualifiers /BACKUP Modifies the time value specified with the /BEFORE or the /SINCE qualifier. The /BACKUP qualifier selects files according to the dates of their most recent backups. This qualifier is incompatible with the /CREATED, /EXPIRED, and /MODIFIED qualifiers, which also allow you to select files according to time attributes. If you specify none of these four time qualifiers, the default is the /CREATED qualifier. /BEFORE /BEFORE[=time] Selects only those files dated prior to the specified time. You can specify time as absolute time, as a combination of absolute and delta times, or as one of the following keywords: BOOT, LOGIN, TODAY (default), TOMORROW, or YESTERDAY. Specify one of the following qualifiers with the /BEFORE qualifier to indicate the time attribute to be used as the basis for selection: /BACKUP, /CREATED (default), /EXPIRED, or /MODIFIED. For complete information on specifying time values, refer to the OpenVMS User's Manual or the online help topic DCL_Tips (subtopic Date_Time). /BITMAP /BITMAP=n,x Enables the system manager to delete one or more active bitmaps to make memory resources available. If a bitmap is deleted, then former virtual unit members can only be added with a full copy. Requires ownership of the device or VOLPRO protection. For additional information on bitmaps, refer to Volume Shadowing for OpenVMS. /BY_OWNER /BY_OWNER[=uic] Selects only those files whose owner user identification code (UIC) matches the specified owner UIC. The default UIC is that of the current process. Specify the UIC by using standard UIC format as described in the OpenVMS Guide to System Security. /CONFIRM /CONFIRM /NOCONFIRM (default) Controls whether a request is issued before each delete operation to confirm that the operation should be performed on that file. The following responses are valid: YES NO QUIT TRUE FALSE Ctrl/Z 1 0 ALL You can use any combination of uppercase and lowercase letters for word responses. Word responses can be abbreviated to one or more letters (for example, T, TR, or TRU for TRUE), but these abbreviations must be unique. Affirmative answers are YES, TRUE, and 1. Negative answers include: NO, FALSE, 0, and pressing Return. Entering QUIT or pressing Ctrl/Z indicates that you want to stop processing the command at that point. When you respond by entering ALL, the command continues to process, but no further prompts are given. If you type a response other than one of those in the list, DCL issues an error message and redisplays the prompt. /CREATED /CREATED (default) Modifies the time value specified with the /BEFORE or the /SINCE qualifier. The /CREATED qualifier selects files based on their dates of creation. This qualifier is incompatible with the /BACKUP, /EXPIRED, and /MODIFIED qualifiers, which also allow you to select files according to time attributes. If you specify none of these four time qualifiers, the default is the /CREATED qualifier. /ERASE /ERASE /NOERASE (default) When you delete a file, the area in which the file was stored is returned to the system for future use. The data that was stored in that location still exists in the system until new data is written over it. When you specify the /ERASE qualifier, the storage location is overwritten with a system specified pattern so that the data no longer exists. /EXCLUDE /EXCLUDE=(filespec[,...]) Excludes the specified files from the delete operation. You can include a directory but not a device in the file specification. The asterisk (*) and the percent sign (%) wildcard characters are allowed in the file specification. However, you cannot use relative version numbers to exclude a specific version. If you specify only one file, you can omit the parentheses. /EXPIRED Modifies the time value specified with the /BEFORE or the /SINCE qualifier. The /EXPIRED qualifier selects files according to their expiration dates. (The expiration date is set with the SET FILE/EXPIRATION_DATE command.) The /EXPIRED qualifier is incompatible with the /BACKUP, /CREATED, and /MODIFIED qualifiers, which also allow you to select files according to time attributes. If you specify none of these four time qualifiers, the default is the /CREATED qualifier. /LOG /LOG /NOLOG (default) Controls whether the DELETE command displays the file specification of each file after its deletion. /MODIFIED Modifies the time value specified with the /BEFORE or the /SINCE qualifier. The /MODIFIED qualifier selects files according to the dates on which they were last modified. This qualifier is incompatible with the /BACKUP, /CREATED, and /EXPIRED qualifiers, which also allow you to select files according to time attributes. If you specify none of these four time modifiers, the default is the /CREATED qualifier. /SINCE /SINCE[=time] Selects only those files dated on or after the specified time. You can specify time as absolute time, as a combination of absolute and delta times, or as one of the following keywords: BOOT, LOGIN, TODAY (default), TOMORROW, or YESTERDAY. Specify one of the following qualifiers with the /SINCE qualifier to indicate the time attribute to be used as the basis for selection: /BACKUP, /CREATED (default), /EXPIRED, or /MODIFIED. For complete information about specifying time values, refer to the OpenVMS User's Manual or the online help topic DCL_Tips (subtopic Date_Time). /STYLE /STYLE=keyword Specifies the file name format for display purposes while deleting files. The valid keywords for this qualifier are CONDENSED and EXPANDED. Descriptions are as follows: Keyword Explanation CONDENSED Displays the file name representation of what is (default) generated to fit into a 255-length character string. This file name may contain a DID or a FID in the file specification. EXPANDED Displays the file name representation of what is stored on disk. This file name does not contain any DID or FID abbreviations. The keywords CONDENSED and EXPANDED are mutually exclusive. This qualifier specifies which file name format is displayed in the output message, along with the confirmation if requested. File errors are displayed with the CONDENSED file specification unless the EXPANDED keyword is specified. Refer to the OpenVMS Guide to Extended File Specifications for more information. 3 Examples 1.$ DELETE COMMON.SUM;2 The DELETE command deletes the file COMMON.SUM;2 from the current default disk and directory. 2.$ DELETE *.OLD;* The DELETE command deletes all versions of files with file type .OLD from the default disk directory. 3.$ DELETE ALPHA.TXT;*, BETA;*, GAMMA;* The DELETE command deletes all versions of the files ALPHA.TXT, BETA.TXT, and GAMMA.TXT. The command uses the file type of the first input file as a temporary default. Note, however, that some form of version number (here specified as the asterisk (*) wildcards) must be included in each file specification. 4.$ DELETE /BEFORE=15-APR/LOG *.DAT;* %DELETE-I-FILDEL, DISK2:[MAIN]ASSIGN.DAT;1 deleted (5 block) %DELETE-I-FILDEL, DISK2:[MAIN]BATCHAVE.DAT;3 deleted (4 blocks) %DELETE-I-FILDEL, DISK2:[MAIN]BATCHAVE.DAT;2 deleted (4 blocks) %DELETE-I-FILDEL, DISK2:[MAIN]BATCHAVE.DAT;1 deleted (4 blocks) %DELETE-I-FILDEL, DISK2:[MAIN]CANCEL.DAT;1 deleted (2 blocks) %DELETE-I-FILDEL, DISK2:[MAIN]DEFINE.DAT;1 deleted (3 blocks) %DELETE-I-FILDEL, DISK2:[MAIN]EXIT.DAT;1 deleted (1 block) %DELETE-I-TOTAL, 7 files deleted (23 blocks) The DELETE command deletes all versions of all files with file type .DAT that were either created or updated before April 15 of this year. The /LOG qualifier not only displays the name of each file deleted, but also the total number of files deleted. 5.$ DELETE A.B; The DELETE command deletes the file A.B with the highest version number. 6.$ DELETE/CONFIRM/SINCE=TODAY [MEIER.TESTFILES]*.OBJ;* DISK0:[MEIER.TESTFILES]AVERAG.OBJ;1, delete? [N]:Y DISK0:[MEIER.TESTFILES]SCANLINE.OBJ;4, delete? [N]:N DISK0:[MEIER.TESTFILES]SCANLINE.OBJ;3, delete? [N]:N DISK0:[MEIER.TESTFILES]SCANLINE.OBJ;2, delete? [N]:N DISK0:[MEIER.TESTFILES]WEATHER.OBJ;3, delete? [N]:Y The DELETE command examines all versions of files with file type .OBJ in the subdirectory [MEIER.TESTFILES], and locates those that were created or modified today. Before deleting each file, it requests confirmation that the file should be deleted. The default response-N-is given in brackets. 7.$ DIRECTORY [.SUBTEST] %DIRECT-W-NOFILES, no files found $ SET PROTECTION SUBTEST.DIR/PROTECTION=OWNER:D $ DELETE SUBTEST.DIR;1 Before the directory file SUBTEST.DIR is deleted, the DIRECTORY command is used to verify that there are no files cataloged in the directory. The SET PROTECTION command redefines the protection for the directory file so that it can be deleted; then the DELETE command deletes it. 8.$ DELETE DALLAS"THOMAS SECRET"::DISK0:[000,000]DECODE.LIS;1 This DELETE command deletes the file DECODE.LIS;1 from the directory [000,000] on device DISK0 at remote node DALLAS. The user name and password follow the remote node name. 9.$ DELETE NODE12::"DISK1:DEAL.BIG" $ DELETE NODE12::DISK1:DEAL.BIG; Either of these DELETE commands can be used to delete the file DEAL.BIG on device ZZZ1 at remote node NODE12. Note that the DELETE command requires an explicit version number in a file specification, but the file to be deleted is on a remote node whose file syntax does not recognize version numbers. (NODE12 is an RT-11 node.) Therefore, the file specification must either be enclosed in quotation marks (" ") or entered with a null version number (that is, a trailing semicolon [;]). 2 /CHARACTERISTIC Deletes the definition of a queue characteristic previously established with the DEFINE/CHARACTERISTIC command. The /CHARACTERISTIC qualifier is required. Requires OPER (operator) privilege. Format DELETE/CHARACTERISTIC characteristic-name 3 Parameter characteristic-name Specifies the name of the characteristic to be deleted. 3 Qualifier /LOG /LOG /NOLOG (default) Controls whether the DELETE/CHARACTERISTIC command displays the name of each characteristic after its deletion. 3 Example $ DEFINE/CHARACTERISTIC BLUE 7 . . . $ DELETE/CHARACTERISTIC BLUE $ DEFINE/CHARACTERISTIC BLUE_INK 7 The DEFINE/CHARACTERISTIC command in this example establishes the characteristic BLUE, with number 7, to mean blue ink ribbons for printers. To change the name of the characteristic, enter the DELETE/CHARACTERISTIC command. Then enter another DEFINE/CHARACTERISTIC command to rename the characteristic to BLUE_INK, using the characteristic number 7. 2 /ENTRY Deletes one or more print or batch jobs. The jobs can be in progress or waiting in the queue. The /ENTRY qualifier is required. Requires manage (M) access to the queue, or delete (D) access to the specified jobs. Format DELETE/ENTRY=(entry-number[,...]) [queue-name[:]] 3 Parameters entry-number[,...] Specifies the entry number (or a list of entry numbers) of jobs to be deleted. If you specify only one entry number, you can omit the parentheses. If you do not specify a queue name, you can delete entries from multiple queues. The system assigns a unique entry number to each queued print or batch job in the system. By default, the PRINT and SUBMIT commands display the entry number when they successfully queue a job for processing. These commands also create or update the local symbol $ENTRY to reflect the entry number of the most recently queued job. To find a job's entry number, enter the SHOW ENTRY or SHOW QUEUE command. queue-name[:] Specifies the name of the queue where the jobs are located. The queue name can refer either to the queue to which the job was submitted or to the queue where the job is executing. The queue- name parameter is optional syntax; however, when you specify a queue name, the operating system uses it to verify an entry in the specific queue before deleting the entry. 3 Qualifier /LOG /LOG /NOLOG (default) Controls whether the DELETE/ENTRY command displays the entry number of each batch or print job that it deletes. 3 Examples 1.$ PRINT/HOLD ALPHA.TXT Job ALPHA (queue SYS$PRINT, entry 110) holding . . . $ DELETE/ENTRY=110 SYS$PRINT The PRINT command in this example queues a copy of the file ALPHA.TXT in a HOLD status, to defer its printing until a SET ENTRY/RELEASE command is entered. The system displays the job name, the entry number, the name of the queue in which the job was entered, and the status. Later, the DELETE/ENTRY command requests that the entry be deleted from the queue SYS$PRINT. 2.$ SUBMIT/AFTER=18:00 WEATHER Job WEATHER (queue SYS$BATCH, entry 203) holding until 14-DEC-2001 18:00 $ SUBMIT/HOLD/PARAMETERS=SCANLINE DOFOR Job DOFOR (queue SYS$BATCH, entry 210) holding . . . $ DELETE/ENTRY=(203,210)/LOG %DELETE-W-SEARCHFAIL, error searching for 203 -JBC-E-NOSUCHENT, no such entry %DELETE-I-DELETED, entry 210 aborting or deleted The SUBMIT commands in this example queue the command procedures WEATHER.COM and DOFOR.COM for processing as batch jobs. WEATHER.COM is queued for execution after 6:00 P.M. DOFOR.COM is queued in a HOLD status and cannot execute until you enter a SET ENTRY/RELEASE command. Later, the DELETE/ENTRY/LOG command requests that the system delete both these entries from the queue and display a message indicating that the entries have been deleted. The job WEATHER (entry 203) has completed by the time the DELETE/ENTRY/LOG command is entered; therefore, entry 203 no longer exists. Note that a message indicates that there is no entry 203 in the queue. The job DOFOR (entry 210) is in a HOLD status when the DELETE/ENTRY/LOG command is entered. Thus, the system deletes entry 210 from the queue and displays a message to that effect. 3.$ PRINT CHAPTER8.MEM Job CHAPTER8 (queue SYS$PRINT, entry 25) pending on queue SYS$PRINT . . . $ SHOW QUEUE SYS$PRINT Printer queue SYS$PRINT, on PARROT::PARROT$LPA0, mounted form DEFAULT Entry Jobname Username Status ----- ------- -------- ------ 24 CHAPTER7 SMITH Pending 25 CHAPTER8 SMITH Pending $ DELETE/ENTRY=25 SYS$PRINT The PRINT command in this example submits the file CHAPTER8.MEM to the printer queue SYS$PRINT. Later, user SMITH needs to edit the file again before printing it. Using the SHOW QUEUE command, SMITH verifies that the job is still pending and that the entry number for the job is 25. SMITH then enters the DELETE/ENTRY command to delete the job from the queue. 2 /FORM Deletes a form (for printer or terminal queues) previously established with the DEFINE/FORM command. The /FORM qualifier is required. Requires OPER (operator) privilege. Format DELETE/FORM form-name 3 Parameter form-name Specifies the name of the form to be deleted. 3 Qualifier /LOG /LOG /NOLOG (default) Controls whether the DELETE/FORM command displays the name of each form after its deletion. 3 Examples 1.$ DELETE/FORM CENTER The DELETE/FORM command in this example deletes the form named CENTER. 2.$ DEFINE/FORM - _$ /DESCRIPTION="letter size continuous form paper" CFLET 7 . . . $ DELETE/FORM CFLET $ DEFINE/FORM - _$ /DESCRIPTION="letter size continuous form paper" LETTER_CONT 7 The DEFINE/FORM command in this example establishes the form CFLET with number 7 to mean continuous-form paper 8.5 inches by 11 inches. To change the name of the form, delete the form named CFLET and define a new one named LETTER_CONT. 2 /INTRUSION_RECORD Removes an entry from the break-in database. Requires CMKRNL (change mode to kernel) and SECURITY privileges. Format DELETE/INTRUSION_RECORD source 3 Parameter source Specifies the name of the device or the remote system where the user is attempting to log in. The source name can be presented in the syntax of another operating system domain, for example, one that is case sensitive or conflicts with DCL syntax rules. In such cases, you must enclose the source parameter in quotation marks. 3 Qualifiers /NODE /NODE=(node-name[,...]) Deletes the node information relating to the specified nodes. If the specified nodes are the only nodes in the node information list, the intrusion record is also deleted. 3 Examples 1.$ DELETE/INTRUSION_RECORD TTC2: In this example, the DELETE/INTRUSION_RECORD command removes all intrusion records generated by break-in attempts on TTC2. No user name is specified because none of the login failures occurred for valid users. 2.$ DELETE/INTRUSION_RECORD "AV34C2/LC-2-10":FORGETFUL In this example, the source of the break-in is a local terminal that is connected to a terminal server. To delete the record from the break-in database, you must enclose the terminal port name within quotation marks so that the operating system interprets the slash as a foreign character and not as a qualifier. 3.$ DELETE/INTRUSION_RECORD NODE1::HAMMER This command removes all intrusion entries generated from node NODE1 for user HAMMER. 4.$ DELETE/INTRUSION_RECORD/NODE=(CAPPY,INDI) $ SHOW INTRUSION NETWORK SUSPECT 2 26-JUL-2001 08:51:25.66 BARNEY::HAMMER Node: TSAVO Count: 2 This command removes intrusion entries for the nodes CAPPY and INDI. 5.$ DELETE/INTRUSION_RECORD/NODE=FOOBAR $ SHOW INTRUSION NETWORK SUSPECT 2 26-JUL-2001 08:51:25.66 BARNEY::HAMMER Node: TSAVO Count: 2 This command removes intrusion entries for the node FOOBAR. 6.$ DELETE/INTRUSION_RECORD/NODE=TSAVO $ SHOW INTRUSION %SHOW-F-NOINTRUDERS, no intrusion records match specification This command attempts to remove intrusion entries for node TSAVO, however there were no intrusion records for this node. 2 /KEY Deletes key definitions that have been established by the DEFINE/KEY command. The /KEY qualifier is required. Format DELETE/KEY [key-name] 3 Parameter key-name Specifies the name of the key to be deleted. This parameter is incompatible with the /ALL qualifier. 3 Qualifiers /ALL Deletes all key definitions in the specified state; the default is the current state. If you use the /ALL qualifier, do not specify a key name. Use the /STATE qualifier to specify one or more states. /LOG /LOG (default) /NOLOG Controls whether messages are displayed indicating that the specified key definitions have been deleted. /STATE /STATE=(state-name[,...]) /NOSTATE (default) Specifies the name of the state for which the specified key definition is to be deleted. The default state is the current state. If you specify only one state name, you can omit the parentheses. State names can be any alphanumeric string. 3 Examples 1.$ DELETE/KEY/ALL %DCL-I-DELKEY, DEFAULT key PF1 has been deleted %DCL-I-DELKEY, DEFAULT key PF2 has been deleted %DCL-I-DELKEY, DEFAULT key PF3 has been deleted %DCL-I-DELKEY, DEFAULT key PF4 has been deleted $ In this example, the user has defined keys PF1 to PF4 in the default state. The DELETE/KEY command deletes all key definitions in the current state, which is the default state. 2.$ DEFINE/KEY PF3 "SHOW TIME" /TERMINATE %DCL-I-DEFKEY, DEFAULT key PF3 has been defined $ $ SHOW TIME 14-DEC-2001 14:43:59 . . . $ DELETE/KEY PF3 %DCL-I-DELKEY, DEFAULT key PF3 has been deleted $ $ In this example, the DEFINE/KEY command defines the PF3 key on the keypad as SHOW TIME. To delete the definition for the PF3 key, use the DELETE/KEY command. When the user presses PF3, only the system prompt is displayed. 2 /QUEUE Deletes a print or batch queue created by the INITIALIZE/QUEUE command, and deletes all the jobs in the queue. The /QUEUE qualifier is required. Requires manage (M) access to the queue. Format DELETE/QUEUE queue-name[:] 3 Parameter queue-name[:] Specifies the name of the queue to be deleted. 3 Qualifier /LOG /LOG /NOLOG (default) Controls whether the DELETE/QUEUE command displays the name of each queue after it is deleted. 3 Example $ INITIALIZE/QUEUE/DEFAULT=FLAG/START/ON=LPA0 LPA0_QUEUE . . . $ STOP/QUEUE/NEXT LPA0_QUEUE $ DELETE/QUEUE LPA0_QUEUE In this example, the first command initializes and starts the printer queue LPA0_QUEUE. The STOP/QUEUE/NEXT command stops the queue. The DELETE/QUEUE command deletes the queue. 3 /MANAGER Deletes a queue manager on a node or VAXcluster system. All queues and jobs managed by the specified queue manager are also deleted. You must first stop the queue manager. The /NAME_OF_ MANAGER qualifier is required. Requires OPER (operator) and SYSNAM (system logical name) privileges. Format DELETE/QUEUE/MANAGER/NAME_OF_MANAGER=name 4 Qualifier /NAME_OF_MANAGER /NAME_OF_MANAGER=string Identifies the name of the queue manager to be deleted. The /NAME_OF_MANAGER qualifier is required. The required name value can be up to 31 characters long and can be a logical name. 4 Example $ DELETE/QUEUE/MANAGER/NAME_OF_MANAGER=BATCH_MANAGER The DELETE/QUEUE/MANAGER/NAME_OF_MANAGER command in this example deletes the queue manager named BATCH_MANAGER. The command removes all references to the specified queue manager from the shared master file of the queue database and deletes the queue and journal files associated with the BATCH_MANAGER's database. 2 /SYMBOL Deletes one or all symbol definitions from a local or global symbol table. The /SYMBOL qualifier is required. Format DELETE/SYMBOL [symbol-name] 3 Parameter symbol-name Specifies the name of the symbol to be deleted. A name is required unless the /ALL qualifier is specified. The symbol-name parameter is incompatible with the /ALL qualifier. Symbol names can have from 1 to 255 characters. By default, the DELETE/SYMBOL command assumes that the symbol is in the local symbol table for the current command procedure. 3 Qualifiers /ALL Deletes all symbols from the specified table. If you do not specify either the /LOCAL or the /GLOBAL qualifier, all symbols defined at the current command level are deleted. The /ALL qualifier is incompatible with the symbol-name parameter. /GLOBAL Deletes the symbol from the global symbol table of the current process. /LOCAL /LOCAL (default) Deletes the symbol from the local symbol table of the current process. /LOG /LOG /NOLOG (default) Controls whether an informational message listing each symbol being deleted is displayed. 3 Examples 1.$ DELETE/SYMBOL/ALL In this example, the DELETE/SYMBOL command deletes all symbol definitions at the current command level. 2.$ DELETE/SYMBOL/LOG KUDOS %DCL-I-DELSYM, LOCAL symbol KUDOS has been deleted In this example, the DELETE/SYMBOL command deletes the symbol KUDOS from the local symbol table for the current process. In addition, the /LOG qualifier causes an informational message, listing the symbol being deleted, to be displayed. 3.$ DELETE/SYMBOL/GLOBAL PDEL In this example, the DELETE/SYMBOL command deletes the symbol named PDEL from the global symbol table for the current process.