[Info-vax] sys admin default directory

[johnwallace4 at yahoo.co.uk]

On Saturday, 6 February 2016 21:53:31 UTC, Bill Cunningham  wrote:
> §5.5.2 mentions "-" and says subdirectory. I want sys admin MFD.
> 
> Bill

No OS I am familiar with has a "sys admin MFD".

Every multiuser OS I am familiar with has a sys admin account (as
one of several users), and something equivalent to a top level
directory on a given device, and something equivalent to the user's
home directory for each user.

MFD has a specific meaning which appears not relevant here.

Which one do you want?

My first guess was that you want the system manager's home
directory, which is sys$manager. However, if you are logging on
to someone else's VMS box (e.g. DECUServe), my first guess is
probably wrong.

"set def [-]
And my directory changes. I don't know if I'm going up or down.
I want to be in "my root" and work everything from there. "

On most VMS setups, it is not meaningful for a random user
to attempt "set def [-]" from their home directory. 

On many VMS setups, when you login your current working
directory is already "your root", and to "work everything from
there" (in subdirectories if necessary) is a fine idea and is
trivial to do. Just as per the manual section you already
quoted. 

Follow the manual and all should be well (subject to any locally
imposed system restrictions)