[Info-vax] sys admin default directory

[abrsvc]

On Saturday, February 6, 2016 at 4:53:31 PM UTC-5, Bill Cunningham wrote:
> §5.5.2 mentions "-" and says subdirectory. I want sys admin MFD.
> 
> Bill

sys admin is not an OpenVMS concept.  For any user, a "default" directory is specified within the authorization record for that user.  That becomes the "MFD" if you will, for that user.  Most systems are created with a single disk containing the "user directories" for the users of that system.  Many sites have these directories at the base level of the disk or the master directory (also known as directory [000000]).

When entering a command such as SET DEF [-], the directory focus will change from its current area to one level back.  Consider a directory structure as follows:

diska:[000000.user1.level1.data]

User1 would normally be considered the "login" directory and the one specified in the authorization record as the default directory.  If you wanted to see the files in the level1 directory, the command SET DEFAULT [.USER1] would change the focus to the USER1 directory.  A subsequent command of DIRECTORY would list the files there.  From this point, the command SET DEFAULT [-] would change the focus back to the USER1 directory.

While focused on USER1, the command SET DEFAULT [-] would change the focus to the master disk directory of [000000].  Please note that because of file protections typically set, you may not see any files at this level.

I hope this helps a bit...  This is only a start.  Feel free to post additional clarification requests.

Dan