[Info-vax] Some questions on software for VMS 7.3 VAX

[Kerry Main]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Info-vax [mailto:info-vax-bounces at info-vax.com] On Behalf Of
> Craig A. Berry via Info-vax
> Sent: 21-Jan-16 1:00 PM
> To: info-vax at info-vax.com
> Cc: Craig A. Berry <craigberry at nospam.mac.com>
> Subject: Re: [New Info-vax] Some questions on software for VMS 7.3
> VAX
> 
> On 1/21/16 11:39 AM, abrsvc wrote:
> >> How do I delete everything under local? the set file/prot worked but
> the
> >> delete [.local]*.*;* comes back with a lot of messages about various
> >> directories that aren't empty.
> >>
> >> --
> >
> > I you are intending o delete the entire tree, execute the following
> command multiple times ignoring the "not empty messages".
> >
> > Delete [.local...]*.*;*
> > This part=====^^^  will tell DCL to walk down the directory tree and
> delete on the way.  As the lowest branch becomes empty, the directory
> files (.DIR) will be deleted until the command will yield no files to be
> deleted.
> 
> or for the impatient:
> 
> $ set process/priv=(bypass,sysprv)
> $ mcr dfu delete/tree/directory/nolog local.DIR
> 
> v8.4 also has DELETE/TREE, but it's much slower than DFU.
> 

As I found out the hard way, be careful with delete/tree if you are 
working on system with GNV and other UNIX programs and there are
hardlinks set on the non-system volume which link back to system 
directories.

$ delete/tree user2:[gnv...]*.* seemed like simple way to clean out an
old version of GNV unless you do a 
$ dir user2:[gnv...]*.* and then notice all the system directories
below it!

Otherwise, make sure you have good backups as system files will also
get deleted.

Regards,

Kerry Main
Kerry dot main at starkgaming dot com