Deletes all but the highest numbered versions of the specified
files.
Format
PURGE [filespec[,...]]
1 – Parameter
filespec[,...]
Specifies one or more files to be purged. If you specify more
than one file, separate the file specifications with either
commas (,) or plus signs (+). The asterisk (*) and the percent
sign (%) wildcard characters are allowed in the directory, file
name, and file type fields; however, no version number can be
specified. As a default, the PURGE command purges all files
in the current directory. There are no file name or file type
defaults with the PURGE command. If an input file specification
is a symbolic link, the symbolic link itself is purged. Because
only one version of a symbolic link can exist, this command has
no effect on that file.
2 – Qualifiers
2.1 /BACKUP
Modifies the time value specified with the /BEFORE or the
/SINCE qualifier. The /BACKUP qualifier selects files according
to the dates of their most recent backups. This qualifier
is incompatible with the /CREATED, /EXPIRED, and /MODIFIED
qualifiers, which also allow you to select files according
to time attributes. If you specify none of these four time
qualifiers, the default is the /CREATED qualifier.
2.2 /BEFORE
/BEFORE[=time]
Selects only those files dated prior to the specified time. You
can specify time as absolute time, as a combination of absolute
and delta times, or as one of the following keywords: BOOT,
LOGIN, TODAY (default), TOMORROW, or YESTERDAY. Specify one of
the following qualifiers with the /BEFORE qualifier to indicate
the time attribute to be used as the basis for selection:
/BACKUP, /CREATED (default), /EXPIRED, or /MODIFIED.
For complete information on specifying time values, see the
OpenVMS User's Manual or the online help topic Date.
2.3 /BY_OWNER
/BY_OWNER[=uic]
Selects only those files whose owner user identification code
(UIC) matches the specified owner UIC. The default UIC is that of
the current process.
Specify the UIC by using standard UIC format as described in the
VSI OpenVMS Guide to System Security.
2.4 /CONFIRM
/CONFIRM
/NOCONFIRM (default)
Controls whether a request is issued before each purge operation
to confirm that the operation should be performed on that file.
The following responses are valid:
YES NO QUIT
TRUE FALSE Ctrl/Z
1 0 ALL
<Return>
You can use any combination of uppercase and lowercase letters
for word responses. Word responses can be abbreviated to one or
more letters (for example, T, TR, or TRU for TRUE), but these
abbreviations must be unique. Affirmative answers are YES, TRUE,
and 1. Negative answers include: NO, FALSE, 0, and pressing
Return. Entering QUIT or pressing Ctrl/Z indicates that you want
to stop processing the command at that point. When you respond by
entering ALL, the command continues to process, but no further
prompts are given. If you type a response other than one of
those in the list, DCL issues an error message and redisplays
the prompt.
2.5 /CREATED
/CREATED (default)
Modifies the time value specified with the /BEFORE or the /SINCE
qualifier. The /CREATED qualifier selects files based on their
dates of creation. This qualifier is incompatible with the
/BACKUP, /EXPIRED, and /MODIFIED qualifiers, which also allow
you to select files according to time attributes. If you specify
none of these four time qualifiers, the default is the /CREATED
qualifier.
2.6 /ERASE
/ERASE
/NOERASE (default)
Erases the specified files from the disk so that the purged data
no longer exists physically on the deallocated disk blocks.
When you delete a file, the area in which the file was stored is
returned to the system for future use. The data that was stored
in that location still exists in the system until new data is
written over it. When the /ERASE qualifier is specified, the
storage location is overwritten with a system-specified pattern
so that the data no longer exists.
2.7 /EXCLUDE
/EXCLUDE=(filespec[,...])
Excludes the specified files from the purge operation. You can
include a directory but not a device in the file specification.
The asterisk (*) and the percent sign (%) wildcard characters
are allowed in the file specification; however, you cannot use
relative version numbers to exclude a specific version. If you
specify only one file, you can omit the parentheses.
2.8 /EXPIRED
Modifies the time value specified with the /BEFORE or the /SINCE
qualifier. The /EXPIRED qualifier selects files according to
their expiration dates. (The expiration date is set with the
SET FILE/EXPIRATION_DATE command.) The /EXPIRED qualifier
is incompatible with the /BACKUP, /CREATED, and /MODIFIED
qualifiers, which also allow you to select files according
to time attributes. If you specify none of these four time
qualifiers, the default is the /CREATED qualifier.
2.9 /GRAND_TOTAL
/GRAND_TOTAL (Alpha/Integrity servers only)
Displays the total number of files and blocks or bytes deleted.
The display is shown as blocks or bytes depending on the current
default setting. You can use SHOW PROCESS/UNITS to display the
current default. To change the default, execute the DCL command
SET PROCESS/UNITS=BYTES or SET PROCESS/UNITS=BLOCKS.
2.10 /IGNORE
/IGNORE=INTERLOCK (Alpha/Integrity servers only)
Allows you to mark a write-accessed file for deletion. This
removes the file name entry, and the file is deleted when it
is closed by the final user.
2.11 /KEEP
/KEEP=number-of-versions
Specifies the maximum number of versions of the specified files
to be retained in the directory. If you do not include the /KEEP
qualifier, all but the highest numbered version of the specified
files are deleted from the directory.
2.12 /LOG
/LOG
/NOLOG (default)
Controls whether file specifications are displayed as the files
are deleted.
2.13 /MODIFIED
Modifies the time value specified with the /BEFORE or the /SINCE
qualifier. The /MODIFIED qualifier selects files according to
the dates on which they were last modified. This qualifier
is incompatible with the /BACKUP, /CREATED, and /EXPIRED
qualifiers, which also allow you to select files according
to time attributes. If you specify none of these four time
modifiers, the default is the /CREATED qualifier.
2.14 /SINCE
/SINCE[=time]
Selects only those files dated on or after the specified time.
You can specify time as absolute time, as a combination of
absolute and delta times, or as one of the following keywords:
BOOT, JOB_LOGIN, LOGIN, TODAY (default), TOMORROW, or YESTERDAY.
Specify one of the following qualifiers with the /SINCE qualifier
to indicate the time attribute to be used as the basis for
selection: /BACKUP, /CREATED (default), /EXPIRED, or /MODIFIED.
For complete information on specifying time values, see the
OpenVMS User's Manual or the online help topic Date.
2.15 /STYLE
/STYLE=keyword
Specifies the file name format for display purposes while purging
files.
The valid keywords for this qualifier are CONDENSED and EXPANDED.
Descriptions are as follows:
Keyword Explanation
CONDENSED Displays the file name representation of what is
(default) generated to fit into a 255-length character string.
This file name may contain a DID or FID abbreviation
in the file specification.
EXPANDED Displays the file name representation of what is
stored on disk. This file name does not contain any
DID or FID abbreviations.
The keywords CONDENSED and EXPANDED are mutually exclusive. This
qualifier specifies which file name format is displayed in the
output message, along with the confirmation if requested.
File errors are displayed with the CONDENSED file specification
unless the EXPANDED keyword is specified.
See the OpenVMS User's Manual for more information.
3 – Examples
1.$ PURGE
The PURGE command in this example deletes all but the highest
numbered version of all files in the default directory.
2.$ PURGE *.COM
The PURGE command in this example deletes all but the highest
numbered version of each file with a file type of .COM.
3.$ PURGE/KEEP=3 [WILDER.JOB308]ACCOUNT.COB
The PURGE command in this example deletes all but the three
highest numbered versions of the file ACCOUNT.COB in the
subdirectory [WILDER.JOB308].
4.$ PURGE/ERASE/SINCE=YESTERDAY [.MEMOS]
The PURGE command in this example purges all files in the MEMOS
subdirectory that have been created or modified since yesterday
and erases the storage locations so that the purged data no
longer exists.
5.$ PURGE [BROD.TESTFILES]/LOG
%PURGE-I-FILPURG, DISK1:[BROD.TESTFILES]AVE.OBJ;1 deleted (3 blocks)
%PURGE-I-FILPURG, DISK1:[BROD.TESTFILES]BACK.OBJ;2 deleted (5 blocks)
%PURGE-I-TOTAL, 2 files deleted (8 blocks)
The PURGE command in this example purges all files cataloged
in the subdirectory named [BROD.TESTFILES]. The /LOG qualifier
requests the PURGE command to display the specification of each
file it has deleted as well as the total number of files that
have been deleted.
6.$ PURGE/GRAND_TOTAL STATUS.TXT
%PURGE-I-TOTAL, 6 files deleted (600KB)
The output display in this example shows that 6 files were
deleted for a total of 600KB. The process is currently set to
display file sizes in bytes. To change future displays to show
blocks, use the SET PROCESS/UNITS=BLOCKS command.
7.$ PURGE/KEEP=2 TAMPA::DISK1:[EXAMPLE]*.LIS
The PURGE command in this example deletes all but the two
highest numbered versions of each file with the file type .LIS
in the directory EXAMPLE on remote node TAMPA.