[Info-vax] Notable VMS "feature"

[Jess Goodman]

On Thursday, January 7, 2016 at 1:51:47 PM UTC-5, Tom Adams wrote:
> I have defined a logical name that I cannot deassign
> 
> A logical name that is 255 characters long that ends with a colon.
> 
> Here's a command procedure than will do it.
> 
> $A = "X"
> $A = A+A
> $A = A+A
> $A = A+A
> $A = A+A
> $A = A+A
> $A = A+A
> $A = A+A
> $A = A+A
> $A = F$EXTRACT(0,254,A)
> $A = A+":"
> $WRITE SYS$OUTPUT "''F$LENGTH(A)'"
> $DEFINE 'A FOOBAR
> $!Cannot deassign using the name because the colon is stripped
> $ON ERROR THEN CONTINUE
> $DEASS 'A
> $!Cannot deassign by adding a extra colon because the name it too long
> $B = A+':'
> $DEASS 'B
> 
> Is there anyway to get rid of this logical name other than logging out?

Yes, you can get rid of this logical name easily with a simple DCL command.

$ DEASSIGN /ALL

Oh, there could be some collateral damage.

Jess