ODS-2_Syntax

   The traditional (ODS-2) file name syntax is the syntax most
   OpenVMS users have been accustomed to up to the advent of
   extended file names. OpenVMS Versions 7.1 and earlier follow this
   syntax, which supports the following character set and naming
   conventions.


   ODS-2 Character Set

   The ODS-2 character set consists of alphanumeric characters (A-Z,
   a-z, 0-9), dollar sign ($), underscore (_) and hyphen (-). The
   hyphen (-) should not be used as the first or last character in a
   file name. While it is possible to do this under some conditions,
   special handling is required to access such a file once created.


   Case Insensitivity

   Case preservation is not supported with traditional syntax.
   Commands may be entered in uppercase, lowercase, or mixed case;
   however, all characters are stored in uppercase format.



   Standard Delimiters

   With traditional syntax, the file type is preceded by a period
   (.). The file version is separated from the type by a semicolon
   (;) or sometimes a period (.). (When the system displays file
   specifications, it displays a semicolon in front of the file
   version number.) Directories are enclosed by brackets ([]) or
   angle brackets (<>). Directory levels are separated by periods
   (.).


   Limited File Length

   Traditional file names follow the 39.39 format, supporting only a
   single period (.) separating the name and type components.