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

    Displays the value of the specified symbol.

    Format

      SHOW SYMBOL  [symbol-name]

1 - Parameter

 symbol-name

    Specifies the name of the symbol whose value you want to display.
    You must specify a symbol name unless you use the /ALL qualifier.
    The asterisk (*)  and the percent sign (%) wildcard characters
    are allowed in the symbol-name parameter.

2 - Qualifiers

 2.1 - /ALL

    Displays the current values of all symbols in the specified
    symbol table (/LOCAL or /GLOBAL). If you specify the /ALL
    qualifier and do not specify either the /LOCAL or the /GLOBAL
    qualifier, the SHOW SYMBOL command displays the contents of the
    local symbol table for the current command level.

 2.2 - /GLOBAL

    Searches only the global symbol table for the specified symbol
    name. If you specify both the /ALL and /GLOBAL qualifiers, all
    names in the global symbol table are displayed.

 2.3 - /LOCAL

    Searches only the local symbol table for the current command
    level for the specified symbol name. If you specify both the /ALL
    and /LOCAL qualifiers, all names in the local symbol table for
    the current command level are displayed.

 2.4 - /LOG

       /LOG (default)
       /NOLOG

    Controls whether the system generates an informational message if
    the symbol value has been truncated. The value is truncated if it
    exceeds 255 characters.

3 - Examples

    1.$ SHOW SYMBOL PURGE
        PURGE = "PURGE/KEEP=2"

      The SHOW SYMBOL command in this example displays the current
      value of the symbol name PURGE. The command interpreter first
      searches the local symbol table for the current command level,
      then local symbol tables for preceding command levels, and
      finally the global symbol table. The single equal sign (=)
      following PURGE means it is a local symbol.

    2.$ SHOW SYMBOL/GLOBAL/ALL
        TIME == "SHOW TIME"
        LOG == "@LOG"
        $RESTART == "FALSE"
        $SEVERITY == "1"
        $STATUS == "%X00000001"

      The SHOW SYMBOL command in this example displays all the
      symbols defined in the global symbol table. Note that the
      symbols $RESTART, $SEVERITY, and $STATUS, which are maintained
      by the system, are also displayed.

    3.$ SHOW SYMBOL/LOCAL TIME
      %DCL-W-UNDSYM, undefined symbol

      The SHOW SYMBOL command in this example searches only the local
      symbol table for the symbol TIME. The response indicates that
      TIME currently has no value.