VMS Help
Hints

 *Conan The Librarian (sorry for the slow response - running on an old VAX)

  Type the name of one of the categories listed below to obtain a list
  of related commands and topics.  To obtain detailed information on a
  topic, press the RETURN key until you reach the "Topic?" prompt and then
  type the name of the topic.

  Topics that appear in all uppercase are DCL commands.

  1 - Batch and print jobs

  Submitting batch and print job and controlling batch and print queues.

  ASSIGN/MERGE        Moves job entries from one queue to another.
  ASSIGN/QUEUE        Assigns, or redirects, a logical queue to a single
                      printer or terminal execution queue.
  DEASSIGN/QUEUE      Deassign a logical queue from a printer or terminal
                      queue and stops the logical queue.
  DELETE/ENTRY        Deletes one or more entries from the queue.
  DELETE/QUEUE        Deletes a queue and all its job entries.
  DISABLE AUTOSTART
    /QUEUES           Disables the autostart feature for queues on a node.
  ENABLE AUTOSTART
    /QUEUES           Enables the autostart feature for queues on a node.
  INITIALIZE/QUEUE    Creates and initializes a queue.
  PRINT               Places a job entry in a print queue.
  SET ENTRY           Changes the current status or attributes of a
                      job entry in a queue.
  SET PRINTER         Sets device characteristics for a printer.
  SET QUEUE           Changes the current status or attributes of a queue.
  SHOW ENTRY          Displays the job entries belonging to a specified user.
  SHOW PRINTER        Displays device characteristics defined for a printer.
  SHOW QUEUE          Displays information about a queue and its job entries,
 		     including the protection currently set for the queue.
  START/QUEUE         Starts or restarts a queue. For autostart queues,
                      activates the queue for autostart.
  START/QUEUE/MANAGER Starts or restarts a queue manager.
  STOP/QUEUE          Pauses a queue to control it or the current entry in it.
  STOP/QUEUE/MANAGER
    /CLUSTER          Stops a queue manager (supersedes the
                      STOP/QUEUE/MANAGER command.)
  STOP/QUEUE/NEXT     Stops a queue after all executing job entries have
                      completed. For an autostart queue, also deactivates the
                      queue for autostart.
  STOP/QUEUE/REQUEUE  Stops the current job entry and requeues it for later
                      processing.
  STOP/QUEUE/RESET    Abruptly stops a queue and aborts all executing job
                      entries. For an autostart queue, also deactivates the
                      queue for autostart.
  STOP/QUEUES/ON_NODE Stops all queues on a node without stopping the
                      queue manager. Also prevents autostart queues
                      from failing over to the node.
  SUBMIT              Places a job entry in a batch queue.

  Type ? to display the list of HINTS.
  Type BATCH_AND_PRINT_JOBS to redisplay this particular hint.
  Press the RETURN key before typing a command or topic name.

  2 - Command procedures

    Performing operations specific to command procedures.

  @                 Describes how to invoke command procedures.
  Lexical           Describes functions that can be used in expressions.
  Specify           Describes valid values and expressions.
  Symbol_Assign     Describes symbol assigments statements.

  CALL              Transfers control to a labeled subroutine in a
                    command prodecure and creates a new procedure level.
  DECK              Marks the beginning of a special input stream.
  DELETE/SYMBOL     Deletes one or more names from a symbol table.
  ENDSUBROUTINE     Ends a CALL subroutine and returns control to the
                    command following the CALL command.
  EOD               Marks the end of a special input stream.
  EXIT              Terminates a command procedure.
  GOSUB             Transfers control to a labeled subroutine in a
                    command procedure.
  GOTO              Transfers control to a label in a command procedure.
  IF                Executes a command only if an expression is true.
  INQUIRE           Requests input and assigns the result to a symbol.
  ON                Specifies an action to perform when a condition occurs.
  RETURN            Terminates a GOSUB subroutine procedure and returns
                    control to the command following the calling GOSUB
                    command.
  SET CONTROL       Controls the use of the CTRL/T and CTRL/Y keys.
  SET ON            Sets error checking on or off.
  SET RESTART_VALUE Sets the value of a batch job restart symbol.
  SET VERIFY        Displays command input as it is read.
  SHOW SYMBOL       Displays the value of a symbol.
  SUBROUTINE        Begins a CALL subroutine.
  WAIT              Suspends processing for a specified period of time.

  OPEN              Makes a file available for reading or writing.
  CLOSE             Terminates processing of a file.
  READ              Reads and optionally deletes a record from an open file.
  WRITE             Writes a record to an open file.

  Type ? to display the list of HINTS.
  Type COMMAND_PROCEDURES to redisplay this particular hint.
  Press the RETURN key before typing a command or topic name.

  3 - Contacting people

    Communicating with other people using the system.

  MAIL              Sends/reads messages to/from other users.
  PHONE             Permits users to communicate by typing messages to
                    one another's terminal screens.
  REPLY             Displays a message on one or more terminal screens.
  REQUEST           Displays a message on the operator's console.

  SHOW USERS        Lists the interactive users on the system.

  Type ? to display the list of HINTS.
  Type CONTACTING_PEOPLE to redisplay this particular hint.
  Press the RETURN key before typing a command or topic name.

  4 - Creating processes

    Create and switch control between user processes.
    (Also see Batch_and_print_jobs)

  Login             Initiates an interactive terminal session.
  LOGOUT            Terminates an interactive terminal session.
  SET PASSWORD      Changes your password.

  ANALYZE/PROCESS   Analyzes a process dump.
  ATTACH            Switches your terminal between SPAWNed processes.
  CONNECT           Connects a physical terminal to a virtual terminal.
  DISCONNECT        Disconnects a physical terminal from a virtual terminal.
  PRINT             Creates a print job.
  RUN/PROCESS       Creates a detached process or subprocess.
  SET HOST          Connects your terminal to another system via DECnet.
  SHOW NETWORK      Displays the nodes you can reach from your system.
  SPAWN             Creates a subprocess with a similar environment.
  SUBMIT            Creates a batch job.

  Type ? to display the list of HINTS.
  Type CREATING_PROCESSES to redisplay this particular hint.
  Press the RETURN key before typing a command or topic name.

  5 - Developing programs

    Creating and debugging images.
    (Also see Executing_programs and Files_and_directories)

  ANALYZE/IMAGE     Analyzes an image file.
  ANALYZE/OBJECT    Analyzes an object module.
  DEBUG             Invokes the symbolic debugger after a CTRL/Y.
  DEPOSIT           Changes the contents of memory.
  DIFFERENCES       Displays differences in content between two files.
  DUMP              Displays the uninterpreted contents of a file.
  EDIT              Invokes TPU and runs the Extensible Versatile Editor.
  EXAMINE           Displays the contents of memory.
  LIBRARY           Creates or modifies various kinds of libraries.
  LINK              Creates images from object modules.
  MACRO             Creates object modules from macro source programs.
  MACRO/MIGRATION   Compiles VAX MACRO source code into code that runs on
                    Alpha systems.
  MESSAGE           Creates object modules from message source programs.
  PATCH             Patches an image.
  RUN               Runs an executable image.
  SET COMMAND       Updates the commands available to the process.

  Type ? to display the list of HINTS.
  Type DEVELOPING_PROGRAMS to redisplay this particular hint.
  Press the RETURN key before typing a command or topic name.

  6 - Executing programs

    Running executable images.
    (Also see Developing_programs and Files_and_directories)

  CANCEL            Cancels a scheduled wakeup request.
  CONTINUE          Resumes execution of an interrupted command.
  DEBUG             Invokes the VMS Debugger after a CTRL/Y.
  DEPOSIT           Changes the contents of memory.
  EXAMINE           Displays the contents of memory.
  EXIT              Terminates execution of an image or command procedure.
  RUN               Runs an image.
  SET COMMAND       Updates the commands available to the process.
  STOP              Abruptly terminates execution of an image, process, or
                    command procedure.

  Type ? to display the list of HINTS.
  Type EXECUTING_PROGRAMS to redisplay this particular hint.
  Press the RETURN key before typing a command or topic name.

  7 - Files and directories

    Saving and cataloging information on storage devices.
    (Also see Developing_programs and Executing_programs)

  APPEND            Appends one file to another.
  ANALYZE/RMS_FILE  Analyzes the internal structure of a file.
  CONVERT           Changes the attributes of a file.
  COPY              Creates a copy of an existing file or files.
  CONVERT/RECLAIM   Reclaims unused space in an indexed file.
  CREATE            Creates a new file.
  CREATE/DIRECTORY  Creates a new directory or subdirectory.
  CREATE/FDL        Creates a new file with tailored attributes.
  DELETE            Deletes a file or files.
  DIFFERENCES       Displays differences in content between two files.
  DIRECTORY         Displays the names of the files in a directory.
  DUMP              Displays the uninterpreted contents of a file.
  EDIT              Invokes TPU and runs the Extensible Versatile Editor.
  EDIT/FDL          Creates a file definition file.
  EDIT/SUM          Updates a file with multiple files of edit commands.
  EXCHANGE          Reformats files formatted by other operating systems.
  LIBRARY           Creates or modifies various kinds of libraries.
  MERGE             Merges sorted files.
  PRINT             Prints the contents of a file.
  PURGE             Deletes old versions of a file or files.
  RENAME            Recataloges an existing file.
  SEARCH            Locates a character string within a file or files.
  SORT              Sorts the data in a file.
  TYPE              Displays the contents of a file.
  RUNOFF            Formats one or more documents (text files).
  SET DEFAULT       Changes the default device and directory.
  SET DIRECTORY     Changes the characteristics of a directory.
  SET FILE          Changes the characteristics of a file.
  SET PROTECT/DEF   Changes the default protection given to files.
  SET RMS_DEFAULT   Changes the default block and buffer count values.
  SET SECURITY      Modifies the access control list (ACL), protection code,
                    and owner of a file. protected object.
  SHOW DEFAULT      Displays the default device and directory.
  SHOW PROTECTION   Displays the default protection.
  SHOW QUOTA        Displays your quota of space on a disk volume.
  SHOW RMS_DEFAULT  Displays the default block and buffer count values.
  SHOW SECURITY     Displays the name, class, and profile of a file or
                    directory. The profile lists the object's access control
                    list (ACL), protection code, and owner.
  UNLOCK            Closes a file accidentally left open.

  Type ? to display the list of HINTS.
  Type FILES_AND_DIRECTORIES to redisplay this particular hint.
  Press the RETURN key before typing a command or topic name.

  8 - Logical names

    Using higher-level names in place of device and file names.
    (Also see Physical_devices)

  ASSIGN            Equates a logical name to an equivalence string.
  CREATE/NAME_TABLE Creates a logical name table.
  DEASSIGN          Deletes a logical name.
  DEFINE            Equates a logical name to an equivalence string.
  SHOW LOGICAL      Displays logical names and their equivalencies.
  SHOW TRANSLATION  Displays a logical name and its first equivalence.

  Type ? to display the list of HINTS.
  Type LOGICAL_NAMES to redisplay this particular hint.
  Press the RETURN key before typing a command or topic name.

  9 - Operators in expressions

  Operands in an expression are connected by operators.  If there is more
  than one operator in an expression, the  operator  having  the  highest
  precedence is evaluated first. If an expression contains operators that
  have the same order of precedence, the operations  are  performed  from
  left to  right.  Use  parentheses  to  override  the  normal  order  of
  precedence.

      Operator  Precedence  Description

         +         7        Indicates a positive number
         --        7        Indicates a negative number
         *         6        Multiplies two numbers
         /         6        Divides two numbers
         +         5        Adds two numbers or concatenates two character
                            strings
         --        5        Subtracts two numbers or reduces a string
        .EQS.      4        Tests if two character strings are equal
        .GES.      4        Tests if first string is greater than or equal
                            to second
        .GTS.      4        Tests if first string is greater than second
        .LES.      4        Tests if first string is less than or equal to
                            second
        .LTS.      4        Tests if first string is less than second
        .NES.      4        Tests if two strings are not equal
        .EQ.       4        Tests if two numbers are equal
        .GE.       4        Tests if first number is greater than or equal
                            to second
        .GT.       4        Tests if first number is greater than second
        .LE.       4        Tests if first number is less than or equal
                            to second
        .LT.       4        Tests if first number is less than second
        .NE.       4        Tests if two numbers are not equal
        .NOT.      3        Logically negates a number
        .AND.      2        Combines two numbers with a logical AND
        .OR.       1        Combines two numbers with a logical OR

  10 - Physical devices

    Using physical devices.
    (Also see Logical_names, and Terminal_environment)

  ALLOCATE          Allocates a device for your exclusive use.
  DEALLOCATE        Releases an allocated device for general use.
  DISMOUNT          Makes a storage device unavailable for processing.
  INITIALIZE        Formats a storage device.
  MOUNT             Makes a storage device available for processing.

  ANALYZE/DISK      Checks the readability and validity of disks.
  ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG Displays the contents of the system error log.
  ANALYZE/MEDIA     Analyzes the format of a storage device.
  BACKUP            Saves or restores files from storage devices.
  SET CARD_READER   Sets the translation mode for a card reader.
  SET DEVICE        Sets device characteristics.
  SET MAGTAPE       Sets magnetic tape device characteristics.
  SET PRINTER       Sets line printer characteristics.
  SET SECURITY
     /CLASS=DEVICE  Modifies the access control list (ACL),
                    protection code, and owner of a device.
  SET VOLUME        Sets mounted volume characteristics.
  SHOW DEVICES      Displays the status of devices.
  SHOW ERROR        Displays device error counts.
  SHOW MAGTAPE      Displays magnetic tape characteristics.
  SHOW PRINTER      Displays line printer characteristics.
  SHOW SECURITY     Displays the name, class, and profile of a device.
                    The profile lists the queue's access control list
                    (ACL), protection code, and owner.
  Type ? to display the list of HINTS.
  Type PHYSICAL_DEVICES to redisplay this particular hint.
  Press the RETURN key before typing a command or topic name.

  11 - Security

 11.1 - Object Protection

    Modifying and displaying the security characteristics of
    protected objects.

    SET SECURITY     Modifies the access control list (ACL),
                     protection code, and owner of a protected
                     object.
    SHOW SECURITY    Displays the name, class, and profile of a
                     protected object. The profile lists the object's
                     access control list (ACL), protection code, and
                     owner.

 11.2 - Protection Codes

    A protection code controls the type of access allowed (or denied)
    to a particular user or group of users. It has the following
    format:

    [category:list of access allowed(,category:list of access allowed,...)]

    o  Category

       User categories include system (S), owner (O), group (G),
       and world (W). Each category can be abbreviated to its first
       character. Categories have the following definition:

       System      Any user process or application whose UIC is
                   in the range 1 through 10 (octal), has SYSPRV
                   privilege, or is in the same group as the owner
                   and holds GRPPRV.
       Owner       Any user process or application whose UIC is
                   identical to the UIC of the object.
       Group       Any user process or application whose Group UIC is
                   identical to the group UIC of the object.
       World       Any user process or application on the system.

       When specifying more than one user category, separate the
       categories with commas, and enclose the entire code in
       parentheses. You can specify user categories and access types
       in any order.

       A null access specification means no access, so when you omit
       an access type for a user category, that category of user
       is denied that type of access. To deny all access to a user
       category, specify the user category without any access types.
       Omit the colon after the user category when you are denying
       access to a category of users.

    o  access-list

       For files, the access types include read (R), write (W),
       execute (E), or delete (D). The access type is assigned
       to each ownership category and is separated from its
       access types with a colon (:); for example, SET SECURITY
       /PROTECTION=(S:RWE,O:RWE,G:RE,W). File access types have the
       following meanings:

       Read     Gives you the right to read, print, or copy a disk
                file. With directory files, the right to read or list
                a file and use a file name with wildcard characters
                to look up files. Read access implies execute access.
       Write    Gives you the right to write to or change the
                contents of a file, but not delete it. Write access
                allows modification of the file characteristics that
                describe the contents of the file. With directory
                files, the right to make or delete an entry in the
                catalog of files.
       Execute  Gives you the right to execute a file that contains
                an executable program image or DCL command procedure.
                With a directory file, the right to look up files
                whose names you know.
       Delete   Gives you the right to delete the file. To delete
                a file, you must have delete access to the file and
                write access to the directory that contains the file.
       Control  Gives you the right to file characteristics,
                including the protection code and ACL. Special
                restrictions apply to changing the owner of a file.

 11.3 - Assigning File Profiles

    The new file obtains its owner, protection code, and ACL from a
    number of sources. The ownership assignment of a new file is done
    independently of protection and ACL.

 11. 3.1 - Ownership

    If any of the following conditions are true, then you can assign
    an identifier as the owner of a file:

    o  The identifier matches your process UIC.

    o  You hold the identifier with the Resource attribute.

    o  You hold GRPPRV privilege and the identifier's group number
       matches your UIC group.

    o  You hold SYSPRV privilege.

    A file receives its owner identifier from the first applicable
    source that you are allowed to assign:

    o  The explicit assignment of an owner at creation with the
       /OWNER_UIC qualifier to the CREATE or COPY command

    o  The previous version

    o  The parent directory

    o  The process UIC

 11. 3.2 - Protection Code and ACL

    The sources of a new file's protection code and ACL are similar
    to those of ownership and are considered in the same order. The
    system assigns a file's protection code and ACL from one of the
    following sources:

    1. The explicit assignment of elements at creation

    2. The profile of the previous version of the file, if one exists

    3. A Default Protection ACE and Default ACL on the parent
       directory

    4. The UIC and protection defaults of the process issuing the
       command

    5. One of the above with provision for the user creating the file

    See the OpenVMS Guide to System Security for further information.

 11.4 - Security Auditing

    The SET AUDIT command and the SHOW AUDIT command provide the
    management interface to the security auditing system, and the
    ANALYZE/AUDIT command processes the audit log file.

    ANALYZE/AUDIT          Processes event messages in security audit
                           log files to produce reports of security-
                           related events on the system.
    SET AUDIT/ENABLE       Select categories of events to audit.
    /AUDIT
    SET AUDIT/SERVER       Change the operational characteristics of
                           the audit server
    SET AUDIT/JOURNAL      Establish the location of the audit log
    /DESTINATION           file.
    SET AUDIT/RESOURCE     Control the monitoring of the log file's
                           disk space.
    SHOW AUDIT             Displays the security auditing
                           characteristics in effect on the system.

  12 - System management

    Monitoring, maintaining, tuning, and trouble-shooting the system.
    (Also see Batch_and_print_jobs, Logical_names, and Physical_devices)

  ACCOUNTING        Runs the Accounting utility, which produces reports of
                    resource use.
  ANALYZE/AUDIT     Extracts selective information from the system security
                    audit journal.
  ANALYZE/CRASH     Invokes the System Dump Analyzer (SDA) to examine the
                    specified dump file
  ANALYZE/DISK      Invoke the Analyze/Disk_Structure Utility to examine disk
                    volumes.
  ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG Invokes the Errorlog Report Formatter to selectively
                    report the contents of an error log file.
  ANALYZE/IMAGE     Describes the contents of an image file or shareable
                    image file.
  ANALYZE/MEDIA     Invokes the Bad Utility to find disk blocks that cannot
                    be used to store data
  ANALYZE/OBJECT    Describes the contents of an object file.
  ANALYZE/PROCESS   Invokes the OpenVMS Debugger for analysis of a process
                    dump file.
  ANALYZE/RMS_FILE  Analyzes the internal structure of an RMS file.
  ANALYZE/SYSTEM    Invokes the SDA to examine the running system.
  ASSIGN            Creates a logical name and assigns an equivalence string,
                    or a list of strings, to the specified logical name.
  AUTHORIZE         Allows system managers to control access to the system
                    and to allocate resources to users.
  BACKUP            Saves or restores files from storage devices.
  EDIT/ACL          Creates or modifies an access control list for a
                    specified object.
  LMCP              Creates and manages the transaction logs used by DECdtm
                    services.
  MONITOR           Displays performance information on the running system.
  REPLY             Displays a message on one or more terminal screens.
  REQUEST           Displays a message at a system operator's terminal.
  SET ACCOUNTING    Controls the current accounting file.
  SET AUDIT         Provides the management interface to the security
                    auditing system.
  SET COMMAND       Adds commands to your process name table or to a
 		   specified command table file.
  SET DAY           Changes the day type.
  SET LOGINS        Sets a limit on the number of interactive users.
  SET SECURITY      Modifies the access control list (ACL), protection code,
                    and owner of a protected object.
  SET TIME          Resets the system clock.
  SHOW ACCOUNTING   Shows what resources the current accounting file is
                    tracking.
  SHOW AUDIT        Displays the security auditing characteristics in effect
                    on the system.
  SHOW CLUSTER      Monitors and displays OpenVMS Cluster activity and
                    characteristics.
  SHOW ERROR        Displays processor, memory, and device error counts.
  SHOW MEMORY       Displays the availability and usage of those system
                    resources that are related to memory.
  SHOW SECURITY     Displays the name, class, and profile of a protected
                    object.  The profile lists the object's access control
                    list (ACL), protection code, and owner.
  SHOW SYSTEM       Displays status information about current processes.
  SHOW USER         Displays the user name and node name (in an OpenVMS
                    Cluster environment) of interactive, subprocess, and
                    batch users on the system.

  Type ? to display the list of HINTS.
  Type SYSTEM_MANAGEMENT to redisplay this particular hint.
  Press the RETURN key before typing a command or topic name.

  13 - Terminal environment

    Manipulating your terminal-specific interactive environment
    (Also see Physical_devices)

  Line_editing      Describes how to recall and edit commands.

  CONNECT           Connects a physical terminal to a virtual terminal.
  DEFINE/KEY        Equates terminal function keys to command lines.
  DELETE/KEY        Deletes a terminal function key definition.
  DISCONNECT        Disconnects a physical terminal from a virtual terminal.
  RECALL            Recalls previously entered interactive commands.
  SET CONTROL       Controls the use of the CTRL/T and CTRL/Y keys.
  SET HOST          Connects your terminal to another system via DECnet.
  SET PROMPT        Sets the interactive command prompt.
  SET TERMINAL      Sets terminal characteristics.
  SHOW KEY          Displays one or more function key definitions.
  SHOW TERMINAL     Displays terminal characteristics.

  Type ? to display the list of HINTS.
  Type TERMINAL_ENVIRONMENT to redisplay this particular hint.
  Press the RETURN key before typing a command or topic name.

  14 - User environment

    Examining and controling the user environment.
    (Also see Logical_names, Physical_devices, and Terminal_environment)

  SET COMMAND       Updates the commands available to the process.
  SET CONTROL       Controls the use of the CTRL/T and CTRL/Y keys.
  SET DEFAULT       Changes the default device and directory.
  SET HOST          Connects your terminal to another system via DECnet.
  SET MESSAGE       Overrides or supplements system messages.
  SET PASSWORD      Changes your password.
  SET PROCESS       Changes your process characteristics.
  SET PROMPT        Sets the interactive command prompt.
  SET PROTECT/DEF   Changes the default protection given to files.
  SET RMS_DEFAULT   Changes the default block and buffer count values.
  SET SECURITY      Changes the protection code, ACL, and owner of a
                    protected object.
  SET WORKING_SET   Changes your working set limit or quota.
  SHOW DEFAULT      Displays the default device and directory.
  SHOW KEY          Displays one or more function key definitions.
  SHOW LOGICAL      Displays logical names and their equivalencies.
  SHOW PROCESS      Displays your process characteristics.
  SHOW PROTECTION   Displays the default protection.
  SHOW QUOTA        Displays your quota of space on a disk volume.
  SHOW RMS_DEFAULT  Displays the default block and buffer count values.
  SHOW SECURITY     Displays the name, class, and profile of a protected
                    object.  The profile lists the object's access control
                    list (ACL), protection code, and owner.
  SHOW STATUS       Displays brief process characteristics.
  SHOW SYMBOL       Displays the value of a symbol.
  SHOW TERMINAL     Displays terminal characteristics.
  SHOW TIME         Displays the current date and time.
  SHOW TRANSLATION  Displays a logical name and its first equivalence.
  SHOW WORKING_SET  Displays your working set limit and quota.

  Type ? to display the list of HINTS.
  Type USER_ENVIRONMENT to redisplay this particular hint.
  Press the RETURN key before typing a command or topic name.
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