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

       /NEW_VERSION (default)
       /NONEW_VERSION

    Assigns a new version number if an output file specification
    is the same as that of an existing file. The /NONEW_VERSION
    qualifier displays an error message if an output file
    specification is the same as that of an existing file. The
    asterisk (*)  and the percent sign (%) wildcard characters
    appearing in the version field of an input or output file
    overrides these qualifiers.