HP OpenVMS Systems Documentation

HP OpenVMS DCL Dictionary

Deletes one or more print or batch jobs. The jobs can be in progress or waiting in the queue. The /ENTRY qualifier is required.

Requires manage (M) access to the queue, or delete (D) access to the specified jobs.

Format

DELETE/ENTRY =(entry-number[,...]) [queue-name[:]]

Parameters

entry-number[,...]

Specifies the entry number (or a list of entry numbers) of jobs to be deleted. If you specify only one entry number, you can omit the parentheses. If you do not specify a queue name, you can delete entries from multiple queues.

The system assigns a unique entry number to each queued print or batch job in the system. By default, the PRINT and SUBMIT commands display the entry number when they successfully queue a job for processing. These commands also create or update the local symbol $ENTRY to reflect the entry number of the most recently queued job. To find a job's entry number, enter the SHOW ENTRY or SHOW QUEUE command.

queue-name[:]

Specifies the name of the queue where the jobs are located. The queue name can refer either to the queue to which the job was submitted or to the queue where the job is executing. The queue-name parameter is optional syntax; however, when you specify a queue name, the operating system uses it to verify an entry in the specific queue before deleting the entry.

Description

The DELETE/ENTRY command deletes one or more jobs from a queue. If you specify a queue name and more than one entry number with a DELETE/ENTRY command, all the jobs must be located in the same queue.

You can delete jobs that are currently executing, as well as jobs that are in other states. For example, DELETE/ENTRY can delete a job that is currently in a holding or a pending state.

Qualifier

/LOG

/NOLOG (default)

Controls whether the DELETE/ENTRY command displays the entry number of each batch or print job that it deletes.

Examples

$ PRINT/HOLD   ALPHA.TXT
Job ALPHA (queue SYS$PRINT, entry 110) holding
   .
   .
   .
$ DELETE/ENTRY=110  SYS$PRINT
      

The PRINT command in this example queues a copy of the file ALPHA.TXT in a HOLD status, to defer its printing until a SET ENTRY/RELEASE command is entered. The system displays the job name, the entry number, the name of the queue in which the job was entered, and the status. Later, the DELETE/ENTRY command requests that the entry be deleted from the queue SYS$PRINT.

$ SUBMIT/AFTER=18:00  WEATHER
Job WEATHER (queue SYS$BATCH, entry 203) holding until 14-DEC-2001
18:00
$ SUBMIT/HOLD/PARAMETERS=SCANLINE  DOFOR
Job DOFOR (queue SYS$BATCH, entry 210) holding
   .
   .
   .
$ DELETE/ENTRY=(203,210)/LOG
%DELETE-W-SEARCHFAIL, error searching for 203
-JBC-E-NOSUCHENT, no such entry
%DELETE-I-DELETED, entry 210 aborting or deleted
      

The SUBMIT commands in this example queue the command procedures WEATHER.COM and DOFOR.COM for processing as batch jobs. WEATHER.COM is queued for execution after 6:00 P.M. DOFOR.COM is queued in a HOLD status and cannot execute until you enter a SET ENTRY/RELEASE command. Later, the DELETE/ENTRY/LOG command requests that the system delete both these entries from the queue and display a message indicating that the entries have been deleted.

The job WEATHER (entry 203) has completed by the time the DELETE/ENTRY/LOG command is entered; therefore, entry 203 no longer exists. Note that a message indicates that there is no entry 203 in the queue. The job DOFOR (entry 210) is in a HOLD status when the DELETE/ENTRY/LOG command is entered. Thus, the system deletes entry 210 from the queue and displays a message to that effect.

$ PRINT CHAPTER8.MEM
Job CHAPTER8 (queue SYS$PRINT, entry 25) pending on queue SYS$PRINT
   .
   .
   .
$ SHOW QUEUE SYS$PRINT
Printer queue SYS$PRINT, on PARROT::PARROT$LPA0, mounted form DEFAULT
Entry  Jobname         Username             Status
-----  -------         --------             ------
   24  CHAPTER7        SMITH                Pending
   25  CHAPTER8        SMITH                Pending
$ DELETE/ENTRY=25 SYS$PRINT
      

The PRINT command in this example submits the file CHAPTER8.MEM to the printer queue SYS$PRINT. Later, user SMITH needs to edit the file again before printing it. Using the SHOW QUEUE command, SMITH verifies that the job is still pending and that the entry number for the job is 25. SMITH then enters the DELETE/ENTRY command to delete the job from the queue.