1 APPEND Adds the contents of one or more specified input files to the end of the specified output file. Format APPEND input-filespec[,...] output-filespec 2 Parameters input-filespec[,...] Specifies the names of one or more input files to be appended. Multiple input files are appended to the output file in the order specified. If you specify more than one input file, separate each file specification with either a comma (,) or a plus sign (+). The asterisk (*) and the percent sign (%) wildcard characters are allowed in the input file specifications. output-filespec Specifies the name of the file to which the input files will be appended. You must specify at least one field in the output file specification. If you do not specify a device or directory, the APPEND command uses the current default device and directory. Other unspecified fields default to the corresponding fields of the first input file specification. If you use the asterisk (*) wildcard character in any fields of the output file specification, the APPEND command uses the corresponding field of the input file specification. If you are appending more than one input file, the APPEND command uses the corresponding fields from the first input file. 2 Qualifiers /ALLOCATION /ALLOCATION=number-of-blocks Forces the initial allocation of the output file to the specified number of 512-byte blocks. If you do not specify the /ALLOCATION qualifier, or if you specify it without the number- of-blocks parameter, the initial allocation of the output file is determined by the size of the input file. The allocation size is applied only if a new file is actually created by using the /NEW_VERSION qualifier. /BACKUP Modifies the time value specified with the /BEFORE or the /SINCE qualifier. The /BACKUP qualifier selects files according to the dates of their most recent backups. This qualifier is incompatible with the /CREATED, /EXPIRED, and /MODIFIED qualifiers, which also allow you to select files according to time attributes. If you specify none of these four time qualifiers, the default is the /CREATED qualifier. /BEFORE /BEFORE[=time] Selects only those files dated prior to the specified time. You can specify time as absolute time, as a combination of absolute and delta times, or as one of the following keywords: BOOT, LOGIN, TODAY (default), TOMORROW, or YESTERDAY. Specify one of the following qualifiers with the /BEFORE qualifier to indicate the time attribute to be used as the basis for selection: /BACKUP, /CREATED (default), /EXPIRED, or /MODIFIED. For complete information on specifying time values, refer to the OpenVMS User's Manual or the online help topic DCL_Tips (subtopic Date_Time). /BY_OWNER /BY_OWNER[=uic] Selects only those files whose owner user identification code (UIC) matches the specified owner UIC. The default UIC is that of the current process. Specify the UIC by using standard UIC format as described in the OpenVMS User's Manual. /CONFIRM /CONFIRM /NOCONFIRM (default) Controls whether a request is issued before each append operation to confirm that the operation should be performed on that file. The following responses are valid: YES NO QUIT TRUE FALSE 1 0 ALL You can use any combination of uppercase and lowercase letters for word responses. Word responses can be abbreviated to one or more letters (for example, T, TR, or TRU for TRUE), but these abbreviations must be unique. Affirmative answers are YES, TRUE, and 1. Negative answers include: NO, FALSE, 0, and pressing Return. Entering QUIT or pressing Ctrl/Z indicates that you want to stop processing the command at that point. When you respond by entering ALL, the command continues to process, but no further prompts are given. If you type a response other than one of those in the list, DCL issues an error message and redisplays the prompt. /CONTIGUOUS /CONTIGUOUS /NOCONTIGUOUS Specifies that the output file must occupy physically contiguous disk blocks. By default, the APPEND command creates an output file in the same format as the corresponding input file and does not report an error if not enough space exists for a contiguous allocation. This qualifier is relevant only with the /NEW_VERSION qualifier. If an input file is contiguous, the APPEND command attempts to create a contiguous output file, but does not report an error if there is not enough space. If you append multiple input files of different formats, the output file may or may not be contiguous. Use the /CONTIGUOUS qualifier to ensure that the output file is contiguous. /CREATED /CREATED (default) Modifies the time value specified with the /BEFORE or the /SINCE qualifier. The /CREATED qualifier selects files based on their dates of creation. This qualifier is incompatible with the /BACKUP, /EXPIRED, and /MODIFIED qualifiers, which also allow you to select files according to time attributes. If you specify none of these four time qualifiers, the default is the /CREATED qualifier. /EXCLUDE /EXCLUDE=(filespec[,...]) Excludes the specified files from the append operation. You can include a directory but not a device in the file specification. Wildcard characters (* and %) are allowed in the file specification. However, you cannot use relative version numbers to exclude a specific version. If you specify only one file, you can omit the parentheses. /EXPIRED Modifies the time value specified with the /BEFORE or the /SINCE qualifier. The /EXPIRED qualifier selects files according to their expiration dates. (The expiration date is set with the SET FILE/EXPIRATION_DATE command.) The /EXPIRED qualifier is incompatible with the /BACKUP, /CREATED, and /MODIFIED qualifiers, which also allow you to select files according to time attributes. If you specify none of these four time qualifiers, the default is the /CREATED qualifier. /EXTENSION /EXTENSION=number-of-blocks Specifies the number of blocks to be added to the output file each time the file is extended. When you specify the /EXTENSION qualifier, the /NEW_VERSION qualifier is assumed and need not be typed on the command line. This qualifier is relevant only with the /NEW_VERSION qualifier. The extension value is applied only if a new file is actually created. /LOG /LOG /NOLOG (default) Controls whether the APPEND command displays the file specifications of each file appended. If the /LOG qualifier is specified, the command displays the file specifications of the input and output files as well as the number of blocks or records appended after each append operation. /MODIFIED Modifies the time value specified with the /BEFORE or the /SINCE qualifier. The /MODIFIED qualifier selects files according to the dates on which they were last modified. This qualifier is incompatible with the /BACKUP, /CREATED, and /EXPIRED qualifiers, which also allow you to select files according to time attributes. If you specify none of these four time modifiers, the default is the /CREATED qualifier. /NEW_VERSION /NEW_VERSION /NONEW_VERSION (default) Controls whether the APPEND command creates a new output file if the specified output file does not exist. (By default, the specified output file already exists.) If the specified output file does not already exist, use the /NEW_VERSION qualifier to create a new output file. If the output file does exist, the /NEW_VERSION qualifier is ignored and the input file is appended to the output file. /PROTECTION /PROTECTION=(ownership[:access][,...]) Specifies protection for the output file. o Specify the ownership parameter as system (S), owner (O), group (G), or world (W). o Specify the access parameter as read (R), write (W), execute (E), or delete (D). The default protection, including any protection attributes not specified, is that of the existing output file. If no output file exists, the current default protection applies. This qualifier is relevant only with the /NEW_VERSION qualifier. For more information on specifying protection codes, refer to the OpenVMS Guide to System Security. /READ_CHECK /READ_CHECK /NOREAD_CHECK (default) Reads each record in the input files twice to verify that it has been read correctly. /SINCE /SINCE[=time] Selects only those files dated on or after the specified time. You can specify time as absolute time, as a combination of absolute and delta times, or as one of the following keywords: BOOT, LOGIN, TODAY (default), TOMORROW, or YESTERDAY. Specify one of the following qualifiers with the /SINCE qualifier to indicate the time attribute to be used as the basis for selection: /BACKUP, /CREATED (default), /EXPIRED, or /MODIFIED. For complete information on specifying time values, refer to the OpenVMS User's Manual or the online help topic DCL_Tips (subtopic Date_Time). /WRITE_CHECK /WRITE_CHECK /NOWRITE_CHECK (default) Reads each record in the output file after the record is written to verify that it was appended successfully and that the output file can subsequently be read without error. 2 Examples 1.$ APPEND TEST3.DAT TESTALL.DAT The APPEND command appends the contents of the file TEST3.DAT from the default disk and directory to the file TESTALL.DAT, also located on the default disk and directory. 2.$ APPEND BOSTON"BILL_BESTON YANKEE"::DEMO1.DAT, DEMO2.DAT $ _To: DALLAS::DISK1:[MODEL.TEST]TEST.DAT This APPEND command adds the contents of the files DEMO1.DAT and DEMO2.DAT at remote node BOSTON to the end of the file TEST.DAT at remote node DALLAS.