[Info-vax] %DCL-W-IVDTIME and the DCL WAIT command

[George Cornelius]

Let's say I have a job to grab a failing tape drive and hold
it for an extended period so our backup function (SLS) does
not try to use it.

I get this result when I try to wait for a day and a half:

 $ wait 1 12:0:0
 %DCL-W-IVDTIME, invalid delta time - use DDDD-HH:MM:SS.CC format
  \0  1 12:0:0\

After much experimentation, I determine that the dash as a separator
never works, but DCL will accept this:

 $ wait 2 0:0:0

So I interrupt with Control-C and submit a job containing this wait
command.

 Question of the day: How much time does it actually wait?

 Extra credit:        Why?

 Finally:             Why use IVDTIME at all if it misrepresents the WAIT verb?

George