Subject: What's Hacking VAX Special - 6

Sent: 3/1/90 at 2:58 pm

SET DEFAULT (or... MOVING AROUND A VAX):

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To move around the VAX DCL, in and out of directories, I need

to tell you about the SET DEFAULT command. It is just like the

CD command on UNIX and MS-DOS/PC-DOS, except it follows a format.

The format is "SET DEFAULT [.subdir]" to go down to a sub direc-

tory and "SET DEFAULT [-]" to go to the parent directory. I will

explain more involved uses like changing disks, if asked, to keep

you out of trouble for now. First, I will show by example and

then explain my example to those out there who lack a brain.

$ DIR (step 1)

PROGRAM.EXE;2 PROGRAM.EXE;1

$ CREATE/DIR example (step 2)

$ DIR (step 3)

EXAMPLE.DIR;1 PROGRAM.EXE;2 PROGRAM.EXE;1

$ SET DEFAULT [.example] (step 4)

$ DIR (step 5)

no files, animals, vegetables, nor minerals error

$ SET DEF [-] (step 6)

$ COPY PROGRAM.EXE;2 [.example] (step 7)

$ SET DEF [.example] (step 8)

$ DIR (step 9)

PROGRAM.EXE;2

$

Here's what I did...

STEP 1: I asked to see the contents of the current directory.

I found that I have the program PROGRAM.EXE is the

1st and 2st versions in the directory.

STEP 2: I created a directory called "EXAMPLE." This name

can be anything of course.

STEP 3: I again asked for the contents of the directory. It

now shows me that I have a "file" called

"EXAMPLE.DIR;1." That is just the directory. Any-

thing with an extension of "DIR" will be a directory.

For more on extensions, see below.

STEP 4: I changed directories by use of the SET DEFAULT

command. You must always follow this format to

change into a SUB directory.

STEP 5: I AGAIN (!) looked into the directory. This time, my

directory was EXAMPLE so I of course saw nothing.

You will get an error I believe when you try to DIR

an empty directory.

STEP 6: This command is used to rise up to the parent direc-

tory. The parent directory contains the filename

"EXAMPLE.DIR;1," remember? The DEFAULT option can be

shortened to DEF.

STEP 7: Here I am illustrating how to move programs around a

little. I just copied the program PROGRAM.EXE;2 into

the subdirectory EXAMPLE.

STEP 8: See step 3. (a lazy, tired Dave)

STEP 9: I >ONCE MORE< issued the DIR command to reveal the

contents of the directory. I now find the program

PROGRAM.EXE;2 in my directory listing of my sub

directory EXAMPLE.

If you don't understand the basics of moving around a VAX by

now, push "OFF".