Sets your default device and directory specifications. The new
default is applied to all subsequent file specifications that do
not explicitly include a device or directory name.
When you change the default device assignment, the system equates
the specified device with the logical name SYS$DISK.
Format
SET DEFAULT [device-name[:]][directory-spec]
1 – Parameters
device-name[:]
Specifies the name of the device you want to go to.
NOTE
The SET DEFAULT command will accept a node name with the
device name (that is, node-name::device-name). However, the
results of operations using a default with a node name are
unpredictable. Some utilities and applications do not allow
a node name to be specified in a file specification and will
fail if the default file specification contains a node name.
directory-spec
Specifies the name of the directory you want to go to. A
directory name must be enclosed in brackets ([ ]). Use the minus
sign (-) to specify the next higher directory from the current
default.
On Alpha systems, if the length of the resulting default
directory specification exceeds 255 characters, the SET DEFAULT
attempts to replace the default directory string with a generated
directory specification. If this happens, then in addition to
the normal syntax check, the entire path to that specification,
including the device, is verified and must exist for the call to
succeed.
On Alpha systems, if the process parse style is set to extended,
then the directory specification may include a directory ID
(DID).
You must specify either the device-name parameter or the
directory-spec parameter. If you specify only the device name,
the current directory is the default for the directory-spec
parameter. If you specify only the directory name, the current
device is the default for the device-name parameter.
You can use a logical name but it must constitute at least the
device part of the specification. When you use a search list
logical name as the parameter, the logical name is not translated
by the SET DEFAULT command. Instead, the SET DEFAULT command
retains the logical name so that OpenVMS Record Management
Services (RMS) is able to access the entire search list. If you
enter the SHOW DEFAULT command, the search list logical name
is displayed as the default device, along with its equivalence
strings.
2 – Examples
1.$ SET DEFAULT [TANNER]
The SET DEFAULT command in this example changes the default
directory to [TANNER]. The default disk device does not change.
2.$ SET DEFAULT $FLOPPY1:[MOREAU.MEMOS]
The SET DEFAULT command in this example sets your default to
the MOREAU.MEMOS subdirectory on $FLOPPY1.
3.$ SET DEFAULT $FLOPPY1:
The SET DEFAULT command in this example sets the default device
to $FLOPPY1. The directory name does not change.
4.$ SET DEFAULT [-]
The SET DEFAULT command in this example changes the default
directory to the parent directory of the one you are
currently in. For example, if the current directory is
$FLOPPY1:[NIELSEN.MEMOS], this command sets your default to
$FLOPPY1:[NIELSEN]. If you are in $FLOPPY1:[NIELSEN], this
command sets your default to the master directory on the disk-
$FLOPPY1:[000000].
5.$ SAVEDEF = F$ENVIRONMENT("DEFAULT")
$ SET DEFAULT [122001.ZAMORA.APP10]
.
.
.
$ SET DEFAULT 'SAVEDEF'
The command procedure in this example uses the F$ENVIRONMENT
lexical function to save the current default directory in
the symbol named SAVEDEF. The SET DEFAULT command changes
the default directory 122001.ZAMORA.APP10. Later, the symbol
SAVEDEF is used to restore the original default directory.
6.$ SHOW DEFAULT
WORK:[TOP]
$ DEFINE X WORK:[TOP.SUB1],WORK:[TOP.SUB2]
$ SET DEFAULT X
$ SHOW DEFAULT
X:[TOP]
$ DIRECTORY
Directory WORK:[TOP.SUB1]
KUDOS.TMP;1
Total of 1 file.
Directory WORK:[TOP.SUB2]
KUDOS.TMP;1
Total of 1 file.
Grand total of 2 directories, 2 files.
$ DIRECTORY []
Directory WORK:[TOP]
KUDOS.TMP;1 NETSERVER.LOG;2
Total of 2 files.
In this example, the default directory is WORK:[TOP]. X is then
defined to be a search list consisting of two subdirectories.
When the SET DEFAULT X command is entered, the search list (X)
is equated with the logical name SYS$DISK and is entered into
the disk field. The subsequent SHOW DEFAULT command shows both
the search list and the current default directory, followed by
the expanded search list.
If a DIRECTORY command is entered, the directories searched are
those contained in the logical name X; however, if the current
default directory specification ([]) is explicitly entered, the
current default directory, rather than SYS$DISK, is searched.
7.$SET PROCESS/PARSE_STYLE=EXTENDED
$SET DEFAULT WORK:[11,1,0]
$SHOW DEFAULT
WORK:[11,1,0]
$DIRECTORY
Directory WORK:[11,1,0]
X.X;1
Total of 1 file.
On Alpha systems, the SET DEFAULT command in this example uses
a directory ID (DID) in the directory specification.
8.$SET PROCESS/PARSE_STYLE=EXTENDED
$SET DEFAULT -
WORK:[.LONG_DIRECTORY_NAME_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA]
$SET DEFAULT -
WORK:[.LONG_SUBDIRECTORY_NAME_BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB]
$SET DEFAULT -
WORK:[.LONG_SUBDIRECTORY_NAME_CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC]
$SET DEFAULT -
WORK:[.LONG_SUBDIRECTORY_NAME_DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD]
$SET DEFAULT -
WORK:[.LONG_SUBDIRECTORY_NAME_EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE]
$SHOW DEFAULT
MDA0:[15,1,0]
$SET DEFAULT [-]
%RMS-F-DIR, error in directory name
$SET DEFAULT [.TEST]
$SHOW DEFAULT
MDA0:[15,1,0.TEST]
On Alpha systems, because the total length of the default
directory string would exceed 255 characters in this example, a
Directory ID is used in the directory specification. When the
default directory string is replaced with a Directory ID, it is
not possible to use the minus sign to specify the next higher
directory.