VMS Help  —  HELP
  The   HELP   command   invokes   the  HELP  Facility  to  display
  information about a command or topic.  In response to the "Topic?"
  prompt, you can:

     o Type  the  name of the command  or topic for which you need help.

     o Type  INSTRUCTIONS  for more detailed  instructions on how to use
       HELP.

     o Type  HINTS  if you are not  sure of the  name  of the command or
       topic for which you need help.

     o Type HELP/MESSAGE for help with the HELP/MESSAGE command.

     o Type a question mark (?) to redisplay the most recently requested
       text.

     o Press the Return key one or more times to exit from HELP.

  You  can  abbreviate any  topic name, although ambiguous abbreviations
  result in all matches being displayed.

1  –  Parameters

  keyword ...

   Specifies one or more keywords that refer to the topic  or  subtopic
   on  which  you  want  information  from a HELP library.  Information
   within HELP libraries is arranged in  a  hierarchical  manner.   The
   levels are:

   1.  None---If you do not specify a keyword, HELP describes the  HELP
       command  and  lists  the  topics that are documented in the root
       library.  Each item in the list is a keyword in the first  level
       of the hierarchy.

   2.  Topic-name---If you specify a keyword by naming  a  topic,  HELP
       describes  the  topic  as  it  is  documented in either the root
       library or one of the other enabled default libraries.  Keywords
       for additional information available on this topic are listed.

   3.  Topic-name subtopic---If you  specify  a  subtopic  following  a
       topic, HELP provides a description of the specified subtopic.

   4.  @file-spec followed by any of the above---If you specify a  HELP
       library  to replace the current root library, HELP searches that
       library for a description of the topic  or  subtopic  specified.
       The  file  specification  must  take  the  same form as the file
       specification included  with  the  /LIBRARY  command  qualifier.
       However,  if  the  specified  library is an enabled user-defined
       default library, the file specification can  be  abbreviated  to
       any  unique  leading substring of that default library's logical
       name translation.

   If you use an asterisk in place of any  keyword,  the  HELP  command
   displays  all  information  available at the level that the asterisk
   replaces.  For example, HELP COPY * displays all the subtopics under
   the topic COPY.

   If you use an ellipsis immediately after any primary  keyword,  HELP
   displays  all  the  information  on  the  specified  topic  and  all
   subtopics of  that  topic.   For  example,  HELP  COPY...   displays
   information  on  the  COPY  topic  as well as information on all the
   subtopics under COPY.

   You can use percent signs and asterisks in the keyword  as  wildcard
   characters.

2    /INSTRUCTIONS

  /INSTRUCTIONS (default)
  /NOINSTRUCTIONS

   Controls whether the HELP command displays information on how to use
   the  HELP facility.  By default, the HELP command display includes a
   description of the facility and the format, along with the  list  of
   topics.   If you specify /NOINSTRUCTIONS, only the list of topics is
   displayed.

3    /LIBLIST

  /LIBLIST (default)
  /NOLIBLIST

   Displays auxiliary help libraries, where applicable. See text under topic
   /USERLIBRARY for more information.

4    /LIBRARY

    /LIBRARY=file-spec
    /NOLIBRARY

   Controls whether an alternate HELP library is used in place  of  the
   default system library, SYS$HELP:HELPLIB.HLB.  The specified library
   is used  as  the  main  HELP  library,  and  is  searched  for  HELP
   information  before  any  user-defined  default  HELP  libraries are
   checked.

   If you omit the device and directory specification, the  default  is
   SYS$HELP,  the  logical  name  of  the  location  of the system HELP
   libraries.  The default file type is HLB.

   The /NOLIBRARY qualifier is used to exclude the default HELP library
   from the library search order.

5    /MESSAGE

    Displays descriptions of system messages.

    Format

      HELP/MESSAGE  [/qualifier [...]] [search-string]

5.1  –  Parameter

 search-string

    Specifies a message identifier or one or more words from a
    message's text. By default, HELP/MESSAGE displays a description
    of the message produced by the last executed command (that is,
    the message corresponding to the value currently stored in the
    CLI symbol $STATUS).

    The Help Message utility (MSGHLP) operates using the following
    conventions:

    o  Words containing fewer than three alphanumeric characters are
       ignored.

    o  Words can be specified in any order.

       You can minimize search time by specifying the most unusual
       word first.

    o  Nonalphanumeric characters are ignored in the search.
       Exceptions are the percent sign (%) and hyphen (-) when
       they prefix a message. Therefore, you can paste a full
       message into the search string, provided you include these
       special characters and delete any variables (such as file
       names) that were inserted into the message.

       If Help Message fails to find a pasted message in the database,
       submit the command again and omit the leading special character,
       facility, and severity. Some common messages are documented as
       "shared" messages rather than facility-specific messages.

    o  Help Message matches all words that begin with the characters
       specified in the search string. Use /WORD_MATCH=WHOLE_WORD to
       specify that only whole words be matched.

5.2  –  Qualifiers

5.2.1    /BRIEF

    Outputs the message text only.

5.2.2    /DELETE

    /DELETE=filename.MSGHLP

    Deletes all messages contained in the specified .MSGHLP file from
    whichever of the following files is found first:

    o  A .MSGHLP$DATA file specified with the /LIBRARY qualifier

    o  The first .MSGHLP$DATA file in a search path specified by the
       /LIBRARY qualifier

    o  SYS$HELP:MSGHLP$LIBRARY.MSGHLP$DATA (the default .MSGHLP$DATA file)

    o  The first .MSGHLP$DATA file in the default search path
       (defined by logical name MSGHLP$LIBRARY)

    You must have write access to OpenVMS supplied .MSGHLP$DATA files
    to delete messages from the OpenVMS supplied database.

                                   NOTE

       If you create a .MSGHLP file by specifying a search string,
       check the output .MSGHLP file to be sure the search did
       not pick up any unexpected messages that you do not want to
       delete from the database. Edit any such messages out of the
       .MSGHLP file before you perform the delete operation.

5.2.3    /EXTRACT

    /EXTRACT=filename.MSGHLP

    Extracts messages from the database and generates a .MSGHLP file
    that can be edited, if desired, and used as input for /INSERT and
    /DELETE operations. /EXTRACT retrieves data from a .MSGHLP$DATA
    file or logical search path specified by /LIBRARY or, by default,
    from files in the search path defined by logical name MSGHLP$LIBRARY.
    When /EXTRACT is not specified, Help Message produces output in
    standard text format by default (see /OUTPUT).

5.2.4    /FACILITY

    /FACILITY=?
    /FACILITY=(facility-name [,...])
    /FACILITY=ALL

    Specifies which facilities in the database are to be searched
    for a match.

    Enter /FACILITY=? to output a list of all facilities in the
    default database or in a database specified by /LIBRARY.

    To narrow your search, specify one or more facility names
    with /FACILITY. (Multiple facilities must be enclosed in
    parentheses and be separated by commas.) Help Message then
    outputs only matching messages produced by the specified
    facility or facilities.

    Specify /FACILITY=ALL to output messages for all facilities
    in the database. /FACILITY=ALL is the default unless another
    facility is implied; for example, specifying /STATUS or
    defaulting to the value of the CLI symbol $STATUS automatically
    identifies a specific facility. Similarly, cutting and pasting
    a message that includes a facility name invalidates use of the
    /FACILITY qualifier.

5.2.5    /FULL

    /FULL (default)

    Outputs the complete message description, including message
    text, facility name, explanation, user action, and user-supplied
    comment, if any.

5.2.6    /INSERT

    /INSERT=filename.MSGHLP

    Updates the first of the following files to be found with new or changed
    information from the specified .MSGHLP file:

    o  A .MSGHLP$DATA file specified with the /LIBRARY qualifier

    o  The first .MSGHLP$DATA file in a search path specified by the
       /LIBRARY qualifier

    o  The first .MSGHLP$DATA file in the default search path
       (defined by logical name MSGHLP$LIBRARY)

    o  SYS$HELP:MSGHLP$LIBRARY.MSGHLP$DATA (the default MSGHLP$DATA file)

    You must have write access for the OpenVMS supplied .MSGHLP$DATA
    files to insert data into these files. User-supplied data is
    identified by change bars in Help Message output.

5.2.7    /LIBRARY

    /LIBRARY=disk:[directory]filename.MSGHLP$DATA
    /LIBRARY=disk:[directory]
    /LIBRARY=logical-name

    Defines the messages database for the current command to be
    a particular .MSGHLP$DATA file, all the .MSGHLP$DATA files in
    a specified directory, or all the files in a search path defined
    by a logical name.

    For most operations, the default database is either
    SYS$HELP:MSGHLP$LIBRARY.MSGHLP$DATA or a search path
    of .MSGHLP$DATA files defined by logical name MSGHLP$LIBRARY.

    For /DELETE and /INSERT operations, the default database is
    either SYS$HELP:MSGHLP$LIBRARY.MSGHLP$DATA or the first
    file in a search path defined by logical name MSGHLP$LIBRARY.

5.2.8    /OUTPUT

    /OUTPUT=filespec

    Writes output to the specified file. By default, Help Message
    writes output to SYS$OUTPUT, which is normally the terminal.

5.2.9    /PAGE

    /PAGE (default for screen display)
    /NOPAGE

    Displays terminal output one screen at a time. The page length
    is automatically set to 1 line less than the value specified
    by SET TERMINAL/PAGE. (Use of /PAGE is incompatible with
    /OUTPUT=filespec.)

5.2.10    /SECTION_FILE

    /SECTION_FILE=*
    /SECTION_FILE=file-spec

    Identifies the specified message section file to the system so
    that Help Message can interpret the $STATUS values for the
    messages in that file. The default file specification is
    SYS$MESSAGE:.EXE. Specifying /SECTION_FILE=* automatically
    includes all OpenVMS-supplied message section files.

                                   NOTE

       The results of using this qualifier are entirely independent
       from those created by the SET MESSAGE command.  The Help
       Message utility and Message utility do not interact. You must
       separately code each utility to obtain the results you want.

5.2.11    /SORT

    /SORT
    /NOSORT (default)

    Sorts output in alphabetical order. If a sort fails, retry the
    operation using the /WORK_FILES qualifier.

5.2.12    /STATUS

    /STATUS=status-code
    /STATUS='symbol'
    /STATUS='$STATUS' (default)

    Outputs the message corresponding to the specified status code.
    You can specify the status code with a decimal or hexadecimal
    number or a symbol enclosed in apostrophes.

    If a HELP/MESSAGE command does not include a search string, Help
    Message by default outputs the message corresponding to the CLI
    symbol $STATUS; that is, Help Message displays information on how
    the last executed command completed.

    You cannot specify a search string or /FACILITY with /STATUS.
    /FACILITY is also illegal if you omit the search string and
    default to /STATUS='$STATUS'.

5.2.13    /WORD_MATCH

    /WORD_MATCH=INITIAL_SUBSTRING (default)
    /WORD_MATCH=WHOLE_WORD

    /WORD_MATCH=INITIAL_SUBSTRING matches all words that begin with
    a word specified in the search string. The search string can
    contain multiple words to be matched. Only messages that match
    every word in the search string (in any order) are output.

    /WORD_MATCH=WHOLE_WORD matches whole words only and refines your
    search to the exact words specified. For example, an exact search
    on ACC screens out dozens of other messages containing words that
    begin with the letters ACC.

5.2.14    /WORK_FILES

    /WORK_FILES=nn
    /WORK_FILES=0 (default if qualifier is omitted)
    /WORK_FILES=2 (default if qualifier is entered with no value)

    Specifies that work files are to be used if the /SORT qualifier
    is specified. You can specify a value from 0 to 10 for nn. This
    qualifier has no effect if /SORT is not specified.

5.3  –  Examples

   1. $ SHOW DEVICE KUDOS
      %SYSTEM-W-NOSUCHDEV, no such device available
      $ HELP/MESSAGE

      The first command creates an error. The default HELP/MESSAGE
      command (with no qualifiers) displays a description of the
      SYSTEM facility message NOSUCHDEV.

   2. $ HELP/MESSAGE ACCVIO
      $ HELP/MESSAGE/BRIEF ACCVIO
      $ HELP/MESSAGE/FACILITY=SYSTEM ACCVIO
      $ HELP/MESSAGE VIRTUAL ACCESS
      $ HELP/MESSAGE/STATUS=12
      $ HELP/MESSAGE/STATUS=%XC

      These commands demonstrate how you can use various qualifiers
      to access and display the ACCVIO message (sometimes several!)
      in different formats.

   3. $ HELP/MESSAGE/BRIEF ACC
      $ HELP/MESSAGE/BRIEF/WORD_MATCH=WHOLE_WORD ACC

      In the first command, Help Message by default matches dozens of
      words beginning with the string "ACC." The /WORD_MATCH=WHOLE_WORD
      qualifier dramatically refines the search to match the exact word
      only.

   4. $ HELP/MESSAGE/FACILITY=(BACKUP,SHARED)/SORT/OUTPUT=MESSAGES.TXT

      This command selects all messages issued by the BACKUP
      facility and those messages documented as "Shared by several
      facilities," alphabetizes them, and outputs them to a printable
      file called MESSAGES.TXT.

      By selecting the messages you want and directing them to a
      file, you can create and print your own customized messages
      documentation.

   5. $ HELP/MESSAGE/EXTRACT=BADMESSAGE.MSGHLP BADMESSAGE

      $ HELP/MESSAGE/DELETE=BADMESSAGE.MSGHLP-
      _$ /LIBRARY=SYS$LOGIN:MYMESSAGES.MSGHLP$DATA

      $ CONVERT SYS$LOGIN:MYMESSAGES.MSGHLP$DATA-
      _SYS$LOGIN:MYMESSAGES.MSGHLP$DATA

      $ PURGE SYS$LOGIN:MYMESSAGES.MSGHLP$DATA
      $ HELP/MESSAGE/INSERT=BADMESSAGE.MSGHLP

      The first command in this sequence extracts the hypothetical
      message BADMESSAGE from the default database and outputs it to
      file BADMESSAGE.MSGHLP.

      The second command uses the BADMESSAGE.MSGHLP file to delete
      the BADMESSAGE description from the MYMESSAGES.MSGHLP$DATA file
      specified by the /LIBRARY qualifier.

      The next two commands compress the MYMESSAGES.MSGHLP$DATA file
      to save disk space after the deletion.

      The last command uses the BADMESSAGE.MSGHLP file (possibly
      an edited version at a later time) to insert the BADMESSAGE
      message into the default .MSGHLP$DATA file.

   6. $ HELP/MESSAGE/EXTRACT=NOSNO.MSGHLP NOSNO
      $ EDIT/EDT NOSNO.MSGHLP

      1NOSNO, can't ski; no snow
      2XCSKI, XCSKI Program
      3Your attempt to ski failed because there is no snow.
      4Wait until there is snow and attempt the operation again.
      5If you don't want to wait, go to a location where there is
      5snow and ski there.
      5
      5Or, try ice skating instead!
      [EXIT]

      $ HELP/MESSAGE/INSERT=NOSNO.MSGHLP

      This command sequence shows how users with write access to
      OpenVMS supplied .MSGHLP$DATA files can add a comment to a
      OpenVMS supplied message.

      The first command extracts hypothetical message NOSNO to file
      NOSNO.MSGHLP. The second command edits the .MSGHLP file to add
      a comment at the end of the message. Each comment line, even
      blank lines, includes a "5" prefix. The next command updates
      the database by using NOSNO.MSGHLP to insert the updated
      message into the default .MSGHLP$DATA file.

6    /OUTPUT

    /OUTPUT[=file-spec]
    /NOOUTPUT

   Controls where the output of the command is sent.   If  you  do  not
   enter  the  qualifier,  or  if  you  enter  /OUTPUT  without  a file
   specification, the output is sent to  the  current  process  default
   output stream or device, identified by the logical name SYS$OUTPUT.

   If you enter /OUTPUT with a partial file specification (for example,
   /OUTPUT=[JONES]),  HELP is the default file name and LIS the default
   file type.  If you enter a file specification, it  may  not  include
   any wildcard characters.

   If you enter /NOOUTPUT, output is suppressed.

7    /PAGE

    /PAGE (default)
    /NOPAGE

   Controls whether output to the screen stops after each  screen  full
   ("page") of information is displayed.

   If you specify  /NOPAGE,  output  continues  until  the  information
   display ends or until you manually control the scrolling.

8    /PROMPT

    /PROMPT (default)
    /NOPROMPT

   Controls whether HELP initiates  an  interactive  session  once  the
   initial  HELP request has been processed.  If you specify /NOPROMPT,
   HELP returns you to the  DCL  command  level  after  displaying  the
   requested information.

   If /PROMPT is in effect, one of four different prompts is displayed,
   requesting you to specify a particular HELP topic or subtopic.  Each
   prompt represents  a  different  level  in  the  hierarchy  of  HELP
   information.  The four prompt levels are:

   1.  Topic?---The root library is the main library and  you  are  not
       currently examining HELP for a particular topic.

   2.  [library-spec] Topic?---The root library is a library other than
       the  main library and you are not currently examining HELP for a
       particular topic.

   3.  [keyword] subtopic?---The root library is the main  library  and
       you  are currently examining HELP for a particular topic (and/or
       subtopic).

   4.  A combination of 2 and 3.

   When you encounter one of these prompts, you can enter  any  one  of
   the responses described below:

   Response            Action in the Current Prompt Environment

   keyword[...]        (1,2) Searches all  enabled  libraries  for  the
                       keyword.    (3,4)   Searches   additional   HELP
                       libraries  for   the   current   topic   (and/or
                       subtopic) for the keyword.

   @file-spec          (1,2) Same as above,  except  that  the  library
   keyword[...]        specified by @file-spec is now the  rootlibrary.
                       If  the  specified  library does not exist, HELP
                       treats @file-spec as a  normal  keyword.   (3,4)
                       Same  as  above,  treats  @file-spec as a normal
                       keyword.

   ?                   (1,2) Displays a list of topics available in the
                       root   library.   (3,4)  Displays  the  list  of
                       subtopics   of   the   current   topic   (and/or
                       subtopics) for which HELP exists.

   <RET>               (1) Exits from HELP.  (2) Changes  root  library
                       to  main  library.  (3,4) Prompts for a topic or
                       subtopic at the next higher level.

   <Ctrl/Z>            (1,2,3,4) Exits from HELP.

9    /USERLIBRARY

    /USERLIBRARY=(table[,...])
    /NOUSERLIBRARY

   Controls whether HELP  searches  one  or  more  user-specified  root
   libraries after it has searched the root HELP library.

   When you specify  the  /USERLIBRARY  qualifier,  HELP  searches  the
   process,  group, and system logical name tables for logical names of
   the form:  HLP$LIBRARY, HLP$LIBRARY_1, HLP$LIBRARY_2, and so on,  to
   find  the  file  specifications of any user-defined libraries.  When
   HELP searches for information on a given topic, it proceeds  in  the
   following search order:  root library, main library (if not the same
   as the root library), process  libraries,  group  libraries,  system
   libraries,  and root library.  If the search fails, the root library
   is searched a second time so that the context  is  returned  to  the
   root library from which the search was initiated.

   If you specify only one table for HELP to search, you can  omit  the
   parentheses.   You  can  specify  any  of  the  following  tables or
   keywords:

   ALL      HELP searches the process, group, and system  logical  name
            tables for user-defined library definitions.

   NONE     HELP does not search any of the logical name tables.   This
            specification is the same as /NOUSERLIBRARY.

   PROCESS  HELP  searches  the  process   logical   name   table   for
            user-defined library definitions.

   GROUP    HELP searches the group logical name table for user-defined
            library definitions.

   SYSTEM   HELP  searches  the   system   logical   name   table   for
            user-defined library definitions.

   By default, if you omit the qualifier, /USERLIBRARY=ALL is assumed.

10  –  Examples

   1.   $ HELP

        HELP
          .
          .  (HELP message text and list of topics)
          .
        Topic?

   Issuing the  HELP  command  without  any  qualifiers  or  parameters
   produces  a  display of the HELP topics available from the root HELP
   library, SYS$HELP:HELPLIB.HLB.

   If you type one of the listed  topics  in  response  to  the  Topic?
   prompt,  HELP  displays  information  about that topic and a list of
   subtopics (if there are any).  If one or more subtopics exist,  HELP
   will prompt you for a subtopic.
        Topic? ASSIGN
        ASSIGN
          .
          .  (HELP message text and subtopics)
          .
        ASSIGN Subtopic?

   If you type a subtopic name, HELP displays  information  about  that
   subtopic:
        ASSIGN Subtopic? Name
        ASSIGN
          Name
          .
          .  (HELP message text and subtopics, if any)
          .
        ASSIGN Subtopic?

   If one or more sub-subtopics exist,  HELP  will  prompt  you  for  a
   sub-subtopic;  otherwise, as in the above example, the facility will
   prompt you for another subtopic  of  the  topic  you  are  currently
   inspecting.

   Typing a question mark will redisplay the HELP message  and  options
   at  your  current level.  Pressing the Return key will either:  (1) move you
   back to the previous HELP level if you are in a subtopic  level,  or
   (2)  terminate  HELP if you are at the first level.  Pressing Ctrl/Z
   terminates HELP at any level.

   2.   $ HELP FILL

        Sorry, no documentation on FILL

        Additional information available:
         .
         .  (list of first-level topics )
         .
        Topic? @EDTHELP FILL
        FILL
         .
         .  (FILL HELP message)
         .

        @EDTHELP Topic?

   When you issue a request for HELP on a topic  that  is  not  in  the
   default  HELP  library, you can instruct HELP to search another HELP
   library for the  topic.   In  this  example,  entering  the  command
   @EDTHELP   FILL   instructs   HELP   to   search  the  HELP  library
   SYS$HELP:EDTHELP.HLB for information on FILL, an EDT editor command.
   HELP  displays  the  message  and prompts you for another EDT editor
   topic.
Close Help