Creates a logical name and assigns an equivalence string, or a
list of strings, to the specified logical name. If you specify
an existing logical name, the new equivalence name replaces the
existing equivalence name.
You can also perform the following functions:
o Remove all jobs from one queue and merge them into another
existing queue (see /MERGE).
o Assign or redirect a logical queue to a single execution queue
(see /QUEUE).
Format
ASSIGN equivalence-name[,...] logical-name[:]
1 – Parameters
equivalence-name[,...]
Specifies a character string of 1 to 255 characters. Defines the
equivalence name, usually a file specification, device name, or
other logical name, to be associated with the logical name in
the specified logical name table. If the string contains other
than uppercase alphanumeric, dollar sign ($), or underscore (_)
characters, enclose it in quotation marks (" "). Use two sets
of quotation marks ("" "") to denote an actual quotation mark
within the string. Specifying more than one equivalence name for
a logical name creates a search list. A logical name can have a
maximum of 128 equivalence names.
When you specify an equivalence name that will be used as a file
specification, you must include the punctuation marks (colons
(:), brackets ([]), and periods (.)) that would be required if
the equivalence name were used directly as a file specification.
Therefore, if you specify a device name as an equivalence name,
terminate the device name with a colon.
The ASSIGN command allows you to assign the same logical name to
more than one equivalence name. When you specify more than one
equivalence name for a logical name, you create a search list.
For more information on search lists, see the OpenVMS User's
Manual.
logical-name[:]
Specifies the logical name string, which is a character string
containing up to 255 characters. You choose a logical name to
represent the equivalence name in the specified logical name
table.
If the string contains other than uppercase alphanumeric, dollar
sign, or underscore characters, enclose it in quotation marks.
Use two sets of quotation marks to denote an actual quotation
mark. If you terminate the logical-name parameter with a colon,
the system removes the colon before placing the name in a logical
name table. (This differs from the DEFINE command, which saves
the colon.) If the logical name is to be entered into the
process directory (LNM$PROCESS_DIRECTORY) or system directory
(LNM$SYSTEM_DIRECTORY) logical name tables, the name can have
only 1 to 31 alphanumeric characters (including the dollar
sign and underscore). If the logical name being entered into
the process or system directory translates to a logical name
table name, any alphabetic characters in the name should all be
uppercase. By default, the logical name is placed in the process
logical name table.
If the logical name contains any characters other than
alphanumeric characters, the dollar sign, or the underscore,
enclose the name in quotation marks. If the logical name contains
quotation marks, enclose the name in quotation marks and use
two sets of quotation marks in the places where you want one set
of quotation marks to occur. Note that if you enclose a name in
quotation marks, the case of alphabetic characters is preserved.
2 – Qualifiers
2.1 /CLUSTER_SYSTEM
You must be signed in to the SYSTEM account or have SYSNAM
(system logical name) or SYSPRV (system) privilege to use this
qualifier.
Assigns a clusterwide logical name in the LNM$SYSCLUSTER table.
2.2 /EXECUTIVE_MODE
Requires SYSNAM (system logical name) privilege.
Creates an executive-mode logical name. If you specify executive
mode, but do not have SYSNAM privilege, a supervisor-mode logical
name is created. The mode of the logical name must be the same
as or external to (less privileged than) the mode of the table in
which you are placing the name.
2.3 /GROUP
Requires SYSPRV (system privilege) or GRPNAM (group logical name)
privilege.
Places the logical name in the group logical name table. Other
users who have the same group number in their user identification
codes (UICs) can access the logical name. The /GROUP qualifier is
synonymous with the /TABLE=LNM$GROUP qualifier.
2.4 /JOB
Places the logical name in the jobwide logical name table. All
processes within the same job tree as the process creating the
logical name can access the logical name. The /JOB qualifier is
synonymous with the /TABLE=LNM$JOB qualifier.
2.5 /LOG
/LOG (default)
/NOLOG
Displays a message when a new logical name supersedes an existing
name.
2.6 /NAME_ATTRIBUTES
/NAME_ATTRIBUTES[=(keyword[,...])]
Specifies the attributes for a logical name. By default, no
attributes are set. You can specify the following keywords for
attributes:
CONFINE Does not copy the logical name into a spawned
subprocess; this keyword is relevant only for logical
names in a private table.
NO_ALIAS Prohibits creation of logical names with the same name
in an outer (less privileged) access mode within the
specified table. If another logical name with the same
name and an outer access mode already exists in this
table, the name is deleted.
If you specify only one keyword, you can omit the parentheses.
Only the attributes you specify are set.
2.7 /PROCESS
/PROCESS (default)
Places the logical name in the process logical name table. The
/PROCESS qualifier is synonymous with the /TABLE=LNM$PROCESS
qualifier.
2.8 /SUPERVISOR_MODE
/SUPERVISOR_MODE (default)
Creates a supervisor-mode logical name in the specified table.
2.9 /SYSTEM
Requires SYSNAM (system logical name) or SYSPRV (system
privilege) privilege.
Places the logical name in the system logical name table. All
system users can access the logical name. The /SYSTEM qualifier
is synonymous with the /TABLE=LNM$SYSTEM qualifier.
2.10 /TABLE
/TABLE=name
Requires write (W) access to the table if the table is
shareable.
Specifies the logical name table in which the logical name is to
be entered. You can use the /TABLE qualifier to specify a user-
defined logical name table (created with the CREATE/NAME_TABLE
command); to specify the process, job, group, or system logical
name tables; or to specify the process or system logical name
directory tables.
If you specify the table name using a logical name that has more
than one translation, the logical name is placed in the first
table found. For example, if you specify ASSIGN/TABLE=LNM$FILE_
DEV and LNM$FILE_DEV is equated to LNM$PROCESS, LNM$JOB,
LNM$GROUP, and LNM$SYSTEM, then the logical name is placed in
LNM$PROCESS.
If you do not explicitly specify the /TABLE qualifier, the
default is the /TABLE=LNM$PROCESS qualifier.
2.11 /TRANSLATION_ATTRIBUTES
/TRANSLATION_ATTRIBUTES[=(keyword[,...])]
Equivalence-name qualifier.
Specifies attributes of the equivalence-name parameter. Possible
keywords are as follows:
CONCEALED Indicates that the equivalence string is the name of a
concealed device.
When a concealed device name is defined, the system
displays the logical name, rather than the equivalence
string, in messages that refer to the device. If you
specified the CONCEALED attribute, then the equivalence
string must be a physical device name.
TERMINAL Indicates that the equivalence string should not be
translated iteratively; logical name translation should
terminate with the current equivalence string.
If you specify only one keyword, you can omit the parentheses.
Only the attributes you specify are set.
Note that different equivalence strings of the same logical name
can have different translation attributes specified.
2.12 /USER_MODE
Creates a user-mode logical name in the specified table.
If you specify a user-mode logical name in the process logical
name table, that logical name is used for the execution of
a single image only; user-mode entries are deleted from the
logical name table when any image executing in the process
exits; that is, after any DCL command that executes an image or
user program completes execution. Also, user-mode logical names
are automatically deleted when invoking and exiting a command
procedure.
3 – Examples
1.$ ASSIGN $DISK1:[CREMERS.MEMOS] MEMOSD
The ASSIGN command in this example equates the partial file
specification $DISK1:[CREMERS.MEMOS] to the logical name
MEMOSD.
2.$ ASSIGN/USER_MODE $DISK1:[FODDY.MEMOS]WATER.TXT TM1
The ASSIGN command in this example equates the logical name TM1
to a file specification. After the next image runs, the logical
name is deassigned automatically.
3.$ ASSIGN XXX1:[HEROLD] ED
$ PRINT ED:TEST.DAT
Job 274 entered on queue SYS$PRINT
The ASSIGN command in this example associates the logical
name ED with the directory name [HEROLD] on the disk XXX1.
Subsequent references to the logical name ED result in the
correspondence between the logical name ED and the disk and
directory specified. The PRINT command queues a copy of the
file XXX1:[HEROLD]TEST.DAT to the system printer.
4.$ ASSIGN YYY2: TEMP:
$ SHOW LOGICAL TEMP
"TEMP" = "YYY2:" (LNM$PROCESS_TABLE)
$ DEASSIGN TEMP
The ASSIGN command in this example equates the logical name
TEMP to the device YYY2. TEMP is created in supervisor mode
and placed in the process logical name table. The SHOW LOGICAL
command verifies that the logical name assignment was made.
Note that the logical name TEMP was terminated with a colon in
the ASSIGN command, but that the command interpreter deleted
the colon before placing the name in the logical name table.
Thus, you can specify TEMP without a colon in the subsequent
DEASSIGN command. You should omit the colon in the SHOW LOGICAL
command (for example, SHOW LOGICAL TEMP).
5.$ MOUNT TTT1: MASTER TAPE
$ ASSIGN TAPE:NAMES.DAT PAYROLL
$ RUN PAYROLL
.
.
.
The MOUNT command in this example establishes the logical name
TAPE for the device TTT1, which has the volume labeled MASTER
mounted on it. The ASSIGN command equates the logical name
PAYROLL with the file named NAMES.DAT on the logical device
TAPE. Thus, an OPEN request in a program referring to the
logical name PAYROLL results in the correspondence between
the logical name PAYROLL and the file NAMES.DAT on the tape
whose volume label is MASTER.
6.$ CREATE/NAME_TABLE TABLE1
$ ASSIGN/TABLE=LNM$PROCESS_DIRECTORY TABLE1,-
_$ LNM$PROCESS,LNM$JOB,LNM$GROUP,LNM$SYSTEM LNM$FILE_DEV
$ ASSIGN/TABLE=TABLE1 -
_$ /TRANSLATION_ATTRIBUTES=CONCEALED DKA1: WORK_DISK
The CREATE/NAME_TABLE command in this example creates the
process private logical name table TABLE1.
The first ASSIGN command ensures that TABLE1 is searched
first in any logical name translation of a file specification
or device name (because TABLE1 is the first item in the
equivalence string for the logical name LNM$FILE_DEV, which
determines the default search sequence of logical name tables
whenever a device or file specification is translated).
The second ASSIGN command assigns the logical name WORK_DISK
to the physical device DKA1, and places the name in TABLE1.
The logical name has the concealed attribute. Therefore, the
logical name WORK_DISK will be displayed in system messages.
7.$ ASSIGN/TABLE=LNM$PROCESS/TABLE=LNM$GROUP DKA0: SYSFILES
$ SHOW LOGICAL SYSFILES
"SYSFILES" = "DKA0:" (LNM$GROUP_000240)
The ASSIGN command in this example contains conflicting
qualifiers. When you specify conflicting qualifiers, the ASSIGN
command uses the last qualifier specified. The response from
the SHOW LOGICAL command indicates that the name was placed in
the group logical name table.
8.$ ASSIGN/TABLE=LNM$GROUP 'F$TRNLNM("SYS$COMMAND")' TERMINAL
%DCL-I-SUPERSEDE, previous value of TERMINAL has been superseded
The ASSIGN command in this example uses the lexical function
F$TRNLNM to translate the logical name SYS$COMMAND and use the
result as the equivalence name for the logical name TERMINAL.
The message from the ASSIGN command indicates that an entry for
the logical name TERMINAL already existed in the group logical
name table, and that the new entry has replaced the previous
one.
If this command is used in a LOGIN.COM file, the entry for
TERMINAL will be redefined at the beginning of each terminal
session. The current process and any subprocesses it creates
can execute images that use the logical name TERMINAL to write
messages to the current terminal device.
9.$ ASSIGN DALLAS::DMA1: DATA
The ASSIGN command in this example associates the logical
name DATA with the device specification DMA1 on remote node
DALLAS. Subsequent references to the logical name DATA result
in references to the disk on the remote node.
10$ CREATE AVERAGE.COM
$ ASSIGN/USER_MODE SYS$COMMAND: SYS$INPUT
$ EDIT/EDT AVERAGE.FOR
$ FORTRAN AVERAGE
$ LINK AVERAGE
$ RUN AVERAGE
87
80
90
9999
$ EXIT
<Ctrl/Z>
$ @AVERAGE.COM
The CREATE command in this example creates the command
procedure AVERAGE.COM. Then the command procedure is executed.
The command procedure uses the ASSIGN command with the /USER_
MODE qualifier to change temporarily the value of SYS$INPUT.
When the EDT editor is invoked, it accepts input from the
terminal. This allows you to create or modify the program
AVERAGE.FOR interactively.
When you exit from EDT, SYS$INPUT is reassigned to its original
value (the input stream provided by the command procedure).
Thus, when the program AVERAGE.FOR is ready to accept input, it
looks for that input in the command procedure.
4 /MERGE
Removes all jobs from one queue and merges them into another
existing queue. This command does not affect jobs that are
executing.
Requires manage (M) access to both queues.
Format
ASSIGN/MERGE target-queue[:] source-queue[:]
4.1 – Parameters
target-queue[:]
Specifies the name of the queue into which the jobs are being
merged.
source-queue[:]
Specifies the name of the queue from which the jobs are being
removed.
4.2 – Example
$ STOP/QUEUE/NEXT LPB0
$ STOP/QUEUE/REQUEUE=LPA0 LPB0
$ ASSIGN/MERGE LPA0 LPB0
In this example, the STOP/QUEUE/NEXT command prevents another
job from executing on queue LPB0. The STOP/QUEUE/REQUEUE
command requeues the current job running on LPB0 to the target
queue LPA0. The ASSIGN/MERGE command removes the remaining jobs
from the LPB0 printer queue and places them in the LPA0 printer
queue.
5 /QUEUE
Assigns, or redirects, a logical queue to a single execution
queue. The ASSIGN/QUEUE command can be used only with printer or
terminal queues.
Requires manage (M) access to both queues.
Format
ASSIGN/QUEUE queue-name[:] logical-queue-name[:]
5.1 – Parameters
queue-name[:]
Specifies the name of the execution queue. The queue cannot be a
logical queue, a generic queue, or a batch queue.
logical-queue-name[:]
Specifies the name of the logical queue.
5.2 – Examples
1.$ INITIALIZE/QUEUE/DEFAULT=FLAG=ONE/START LPA0
$ INITIALIZE/QUEUE TEST_QUEUE
$ ASSIGN/QUEUE LPA0 TEST_QUEUE
$ START/QUEUE TEST_QUEUE
This example first initializes and starts the printer queue
LPA0. The LPA0 queue is set to have a flag page precede each
job. The second INITIALIZE/QUEUE command creates the logical
queue TEST_QUEUE. The ASSIGN/QUEUE command assigns the logical
queue TEST_QUEUE to the printer queue LPA0. The START/QUEUE
command starts the logical queue.
2.$ INITIALIZE/QUEUE/START LPB0
The ASSIGN/QUEUE command is not needed in this example because
a logical queue is not being initialized. A printer queue is
being initialized; LPB0 is the name of a line printer. After
you enter the INITIALIZE/QUEUE/START command, jobs can be
queued to LPB0 for printing.