[Info-vax] SET DEF and Other Questions Regarding DIR on a Different Hard Disk?

[David Froble]

haziz wrote:
> I am comfortable with Unix but am a complete newbie when it comes to VMS. I am trying to install OpenBSD on DKA300 on a VaxStation 4000 Model 90. I am logged in as SYSTEM on an OpenVMS 6.2 install on DKA0 and would like to figure out what is installed or present on DKA300, before formatting it to accomodate OpenBSD. DKA100 and DKA200 seem to have separate installs of OpenVMS 7.2 and 7.3 respectively. I would like to maintain the OpenVMS installs on the other drives since I may wish to eventually explore VMS.

The VAXstation 4000 systems could hold 2 internal disks.  Do you have 
external disks?  Must, if you have 4 disks.

> SET DEF DKA300: followed by DIR gives an error message or does nothing (sorry I am not in front of the machine).
> 
> How do I explore the root directory on DKA300 and any subdirectories it has?
> 
> How do I figure out the free space on a drive?

Others have explained that the disk must be mounted (logically) and then 
the "root" directory is either [000000] or [0,0].  I prefer the latter, 
less typing.

DIR DKA300:[0,0].DIR will show you the top level directories on the disk.

A hint about DCL.  DCL looks only at the first 4 characters of a 
command, and commands can be shorter, if there is not multiple commands 
with the same abreviation.

For example:

DIRECTORY
DIRECTOR
DIRECTO
DIRECT
DIREC
DIRE
DIR

All of the above do the same thing, and after DIRE DCL ignores the rest.

You can also set up some symbols to customize DCL commands.

$ DI            :== directory /size=all /owner_uic /protection -
                         /width=(file=25,owner=10,size=7)
$ din           :== directory /size=all /owner_uic /protection /modified -
                         /width=(file=25,owner=10,size=7) /since="-60-00:00"
$ dit           :== directory /size=all /owner_uic /protection /modified -
                         /width=(file=25,owner=10,size=7) /since=TODAY
$ diy           :== directory /size=all /owner_uic /protection /modified -
                         /width=(file=25,owner=10,size=7) /since=YESTERDAY

Well, that wrapped, but it's an example what can be done with DIRECTORY.


> I am using a VT520 terminal. How do I examine output that has scrolled by? Is there a pager program for VMS like less or more on Unix?

The VT520 has a scroll buffer.  You can go into setup (F3) and configure 
one or more ports (sessions).  You can allocate most or all of the 
scroll to one session, maybe 144 lines, I forget.  Ctrl uparrow and 
downarrow moves the scroll region.  There is also a page up and page down.

> Is DKA300 definitely sd3 on OpenBSD, I would hate to format the wrong drive.
> 
> After briefly looking at the websites for NetBSD and OpenBSD on the Vax, OpenBSD looks more promising (easier install of more packages in what will be initially a non-networked machine). I am using a CDROM drive to perform the install.  Any reasons why to prefer NetBSD over OpenBSD on this system. I suspect that I will ultimately install both if I can figure out how to accomodate both on this machine without wiping the three OpenVMS installs already present. Each hard drive is 2.1 gigs.
> 
> I posted an earlier question on this newsgroup:
> 
> https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!topic/comp.os.vms/OhWRA6Hadb8%5B1-25-false%5D
> 
> You may refer to my earlier question if you need some background as to what I am trying to do.
> 
> Thanks.

Got no idea about Unix, never used it, and hope to never use it ....