The OpenVMS User's Guide, Second Edition
A broad introductory overview of OpenVMS that focuses on command procedures, text editing and system utilities.
TABLE OF CONTENTS The OpenVMS User's Guide, Second Edition
Chapter 2: A Beginner's Guide to Open VMS File Management
Information reaching long-term memory must be filed, and this process depends on the context.
James L. Adams, Conceptual Blockbusting, 1979
Overview
Open VMS provides several methods for creating, manipulating, and organizing files. In this chapter, you will
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Obtain an overview of OpenVMS files
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Become familiar with various forms of file specifications
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Begin using wildcards in file specifications
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Survey commonly used file management tools
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Explore the uses of the /LOG qualifier with various file-handling commands
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Distinguish between purging and deleting files
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Experiment with the /CONFIRM qualifier when purging and deleting files
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Begin exploring the OpenVMS directory system
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Begin creating and using subdirectories
2.1 Files and Directories
Many OpenVMS command lines identify one or more files to be processed. A file is a named, organized collection of components stored on a hard drive or on media such as magnetic disks and tapes, diskettes, cassettes, or a CDROM. Files are comparable to the file folders in a filing cabinet, as shown in Figure 2.1. Each holds a collection of related information.
Files are useful because they allow you to permanently store and manage information. For example, you can type
$<b class="bold">! See Kenah, Goldenberg, & Bate, p. 625, on logical names</b>
This information would be lost, however, when you press the Return key. To make a permanent record of this reference, you would type
$create logical. nms<b class="bold">See Kenah, Goldenberg, & Bate, p. 625, on logical names</b><span class="inlinemediaobject"><img alt="Image from book"> border="0"> height="11"> id="IMG_46"> src="https://images.books24x7.com/bookimages/id_538/02036a.jpg"> title=""> width="43"></span>
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