vintage_systems:openvms_v7.3 []

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**VAX VMS 7.3 Survival Guide**

[[Graffiti Wall]]

The OpenVMS 7.3 User Manual can be found at [[https://web.archive.org/web/20240615183019/https://livingcomputers.org/UI/UserDocs/OpenVMS-7-3/1_VMS_User_Manual.pdf |OpenVMS User’s Manual]] //(archived)//.  This provides details on logging in, using the system, editing and manipulating files, and all manner of DCL shenanigans.

**Basic User commands**:\\

//$ is the DCL (command) prompt for VMS.//

||help||Invokes VMS's extensive on-line help system||

      Example:
     
      // Get help on the DIRECTORY command: //
      $ help dir

||logout||Logs out of the system and disconnects.||
||dir||(short for "directory) Displays the contents of the current (default) directory||

      Example:
      
      // Show the contents of the default directory //
      $ dir
      
      Directory SYS$SYSDEVICE:[USER.JDERSCH]
      LOGIN.COM;1     HELLO.TXT;1
      TCPIP$FTP_SERVER.LOG;4                  TCPIP$FTP_SERVER.LOG;3
      TCPIP$FTP_SERVER.LOG;2                  TCPIP$FTP_SERVER.LOG;1

||set default||Sets the current default directory for file operations||
||show system||Displays statistics about the system||
||delete||Delete a file||
||copy||Copy a file||

      Examples: 
      
      $ copy HELLO.TXT HELLO_COPY.TXT
      $ delete HELLO_COPY.TXT


**Editing Files**:\\

See Chapter 8 of the OpenVMS User Manual for details on using EVE, which is the default text editor on Rosencrantz.  
A separate EVE reference is available at [[https://web.archive.org/web/20240616054033/https://livingcomputers.org/UI/UserDocs/OpenVMS-7-3/3_(Editor)_EVE.pdf |Extensible Versatile Editor Reference Manual]] //(archived)//.
The manuals make reference to a "Do" key for entering commands.  This is a key present on DEC terminals starting with the VT220.  If you're using PuTTY to connect to the system, Shift+F6 maps to the "Do" key.  On other terminal emulators and ssh clients, this will likely be different:  consult the documentation for the program you are using.

Figure 8-2 in the OpenVMS User Manual describes other keyboard mappings that might be useful while editing.

The editor can be invoked via:

      $ EDIT <your file name here>

To create a new file or edit an existing file.

Arrow keys can be used to navigate around the document.  //Ctrl-Z// will save your changes and exit the editor.  To save your work, Press "Do" and use the WRITE FILE command.

**Available Languages**:\\

These can be invoked via the command in the left column.  Online help is available for these:  "HELP <language>" will get you started.

||BASIC||VAX BASIC V3.8-000||
||LISP||Digital Fotran 77||
||FORTRAN||LIST program buffer||
||CC||Digital C Compiler||
||BLISS||VAX-11 BLISS-32 Compiler||
||MACRO||VAX MACRO Assembler||

**Available Games**:\\

Type

      $ help games
      
for a list of available games and how to run them.