Purpose:
========

The purpose of this article is to present an introduction to basic 
OpenVMS commands.


Scope & Application:
====================

This article is intended for use by people with little or no knowledge of 
OpenVMS and who need to carry out basic tasks.


Description:
============

  o OpenVMS is not case sensitive.

  o All directories have the extension .DIR.

  o Wildcard is an * (examples below).

  o <> are used for examples of some of the optional switches.

  o OpenVMS files have version numbers, so old versions typically remain 
    (and take up disk space) until they are purged (see the PURGE command 
    below).

  o OpenVMS has an easy online HELP system available at the command
    prompt.  Just type "HELP" at the prompt.


COMMAND                               EXPLANATION
-------                               -----------

ASSIGN DISK$NAME:[TOOLS.DEV161] <ORACLE_HOME>
                                      To set a LOGICAL to a value. 
                                      Example: ORACLE_HOME

BACKUP                                Used for file copies and backups.

CREATE/DIR [.newdir]                  Creates a new subdirectory 'newdir'.

DELETE filename.extension;*           Delete all occurences of the file in
                                      the current directory.   
 
DIRECTORY </page>                     List files in the current directory. 
                                      /page for a page at a time. Shorten
                                      to "DIR".

DIR myfilename.extension              Searches the current directory for 
                                      the file 'myfilename.extension'.

DIR *.dir                             Lists all subdirectories.

DIR [...]myfilename.extension         Searches the current and all 
                                      subdirectories for the file
                                      'myfilename.extension'.

DIR/OUTPUT=myfile.out                 Outputs the information to a file.  

DIR/DATE/OWN/SIZE                     This is like ls -l on Unix.

HELP                                  Equivalent to Unix 'man' but
                                      more useful.
                                      This is the MOST USEFUL command
                                      *ANYWHERE* on OpenVMS.

LOGOUT                                To log off the system.

MOUNT                                 Make a tape device available. 

NOW :== "SHOW TIME"                   To define NOW as the symbol for the 
                                      SHOW TIME command.

PRINT/QUEUE=<printer> <file>          Prints a file to a printer.

PURGE [...]filename.extension         Deletes all old versions of the file 
                                      in the current directory and all 
                                      subdirectories.  The latest file   
                                      version remains.

RECALL </all>                         Recall the commands you have used.
                                    
RECALL 12                             Uses a command from the RECALL list.

SEARCH filename*s.extension*s hello   Search and display file(s) that contain 
                                      the string 'hello'.

SEARCH [...]*.LIS hello               List all files with the .LIS file
                                      extension in both the current directory
                                      and all its subdirectories that contain
                                      'hello'.  The line(s) in the files that
                                      contain 'hello' are printed to the screen.

SET DEF disk$name:[topdir.nextdir1.another]   
                                      Changes the directory.  You typically 
                                      specify just the relative directory
                                      location.

SET DEF [.nextdir1]                   Puts you in subdirectory 'nextdir1'.

SET DEF [-]                           Moves you up one directory.

SET DEF [-.subdir]                    Moves you up one directory and then puts
                                      you in subdirectory subdir.

SET DEF SYS$LOGIN                     This is like cd on Unix.

SET HOST 0/LOG=screen.out             This starts up a second connection
                                      to the same machine and captures 
                                      all the screen input/output to 
                                      the file screen.out.  This is a 
                                      good way to check what commands were 
                                      typed and what errors and/or
                                      warnings occurred.

SHOW DEFAULT                          Show the current directory.  
                                      Shorten to "SHOW DEF".

SHOW DEVICE <device name>             Display devices and their settings.

SHOW LOGICAL <*log_name*>             To show 'environment' variable settings 
                                      that contain the string log_name.
                                      Example: SHOW LOGICAL *ORACLE*

SHOW SYMBOL *F45GEN*                  Show a symbol definition. Check 
                                      the actual executable being used.

SHOW SYSTEM                           Show the OpenVMS version and 
                                      processes summary.

TYPE filename.extension </page>       Outputs the contents of a file to 
                                      the screen. 

WRITE SYS$OUTPUT F$GETSYI("HW_MODEL") If this returns a number > 1024, then
                                      you are on an Alpha OpenVMS machine
                                      rather than a VAX OpenVMS machine.