VMS Help DIRECTORY, Parameter  *Conan The Librarian (sorry for the slow response - running on an old VAX)

 filespec[,...]

    Specifies one or more files to be listed. The syntax of a file
    specification determines which files will be listed, as follows:

    o  If you do not enter a file specification, the DIRECTORY
       command lists all versions of the files in the current default
       directory.

    o  If you specify only a device name, the DIRECTORY command uses
       your default directory specification.

    o  Whenever the file specification does not include a file name,
       a file type, and a version number, all versions of all files
       in the specified directory are listed.

    o  If a file specification contains a file name or a file type,
       or both, and no version number, the DIRECTORY command lists
       all versions.

    o  If a file specification contains only a file name, the
       DIRECTORY command lists all files in the current default
       directory with that file name, regardless of file type and
       version number.

    o  If a file specification contains only a file type, the
       DIRECTORY command lists all files in the current default
       directory with that file type, regardless of file name and
       version number.

    The asterisk (*)  and the percent sign (%) wildcard characters
    can be used in the directory specification, file name, file type,
    or version number fields of a file specification to list all
    files that satisfy the components you specify. If you specify
    more than one file, separate the file specifications with either
    commas (,)  or plus signs (+).

 directorySpec

    Specifies the standard DECnet remote file specification. Use
    a quoted file string to preserve the case (for case sensitive
    systems such as UNIX) and to identify a foreign device/directory
    specification. See the /FTP qualifier for more information.