/sys$common/syshlp/helplib.hlb System Services, $SETRWM, Argument  *Conan The Librarian (sorry for the slow response - running on an old VAX)

 watflg

    OpenVMS usage:longword_unsigned
    type:         longword (unsigned)
    access:       read only
    mechanism:    by value
    Indicator specifying whether system services should wait for
    required resources. The watflg argument is a longword value. The
    value 0 (the default) specifies that system services should wait
    until resources needed for their execution become available.
    The value 1 specifies that system services should return failure
    status immediately when resources needed for their execution are
    unavailable.

    The operating system enables resource wait mode for all
    processes. You can disable resource wait mode only by calling
    $SETRWM.

    If resource wait mode is disabled, it remains disabled until it
    is explicitly reenabled or until the process is deleted.