VMS Help MMS, Qualifiers, /REVISE_DATE  *Conan The Librarian (sorry for the slow response - running on an old VAX)

    /REVISE_DATE
    /NOREVISE_DATE (D)

    Controls whether MMS changes only the revision dates of all
    targets that need updating, or performs the update. These
    qualifiers affect the behavior of MMS, not the execution of
    action lines.

    When you specify the /REVISE_DATE qualifier, MMS changes only the
    revision dates of targets that need updating; it does not direct
    MMS to execute the action lines that actually do the updating.
    If any files are missing, /REVISE_DATE causes MMS to create them.
    If MMS cannot create a missing file, or if it cannot update the
    revision date of an existing file, it issues an error message.

    The /REVISE_DATE qualifier is useful for reducing the number of
    superfluous compilations, for example, when you change only a
    comment line in a required file. However, /REVISE_DATE can defeat
    the purpose of using MMS, so use this qualifier with caution.

    As it changes the revision times, MMS writes the name of
    the revised files to an output file (or to SYS$OUTPUT if no
    file is specified). If you specify the /REVISE_DATE and
    /NOVERIFY qualifiers, the names of revised files are suppressed.

    Unless you specify a target on the command line, the /REVISE_
    DATE qualifier causes MMS to revise the first target (and its
    sources) in the description file. If you specify multiple targets
    on the command line, those targets and their sources are revised.
    /REVISE_DATE does not change the value of MMS$STATUS. (See

    The /REVISE_DATE qualifier has precedence over the /ACTION
    qualifier if they both appear on the same command line. In that
    case, only /REVISE_DATE is processed.

    The /NOREVISE_DATE qualifier directs MMS to build the system
    by updating targets as necessary (as long as the /CHECK_STATUS
    qualifier is not specified on the same command line).