HP OpenVMS Systems Documentation

Displays the current default device and directory.

Format

SHOW DEFAULT

Description

The SHOW DEFAULT command displays the current device and directory names, along with any equivalence strings.

The default disk and directory are established in the user authorization file (UAF). You can change these defaults during a terminal session or in a batch job by using the SET DEFAULT command, or by reassigning the logical name SYS$DISK.

Examples

$ SHOW DEFAULT
  DISK1:[ALAMO]
$ SET DEFAULT DISK5:[SKONETSKI.SOURCES]
$ SHOW DEFAULT
  DISK5:[SKONETSKI.SOURCES]
      

The SHOW DEFAULT command in this example displays the current default device and directory names. The SET DEFAULT command changes these defaults, and the next SHOW DEFAULT command displays the new default device and directory.

$ SET DEFAULT NOSUCH:[NOWAY]
$ SHOW DEFAULT
 NOSUCH:[NOWAY]
 %DCL-I-INVDEF, NOSUCH:[NOWAY] does not exist
      

In this example, the default has been set to a nonexistent device and directory. An error message is displayed.

$ DEFINE/TRANSLATION_ATTRIBUTES=CONCEALED XYZ WORK:[INVOICES.]
$ SET DEFAULT XYZ:[HESHELMAN]
$ SHOW DEFAULT
XYZ:[HESHELMAN]
      

In this example, a logical name, XYZ, is defined to represent WORK:[INVOICES]. The /TRANSLATION_ATTRIBUTES=CONCEALED qualifier tells the system not to display the translation of XYZ in file specifications. Thus, the SHOW DEFAULT command displays the logical name XYZ and not its translation.

$ SET DEFAULT WRK:[SCHENKENBERGER]
$ SHOW DEFAULT
 WRK:[SCHENKENBERGER]
$ DEFINE KUDOS WRK:[SCHENKENBERGER.TEMP1],WRK:[SCHENKENBERGER.TEMP2]
$ SET DEFAULT KUDOS
$ SHOW DEFAULT
 KUDOS:[SCHENKENBERGER]
 =   WRK:[SCHENKENBERGER.TEMP1]
 =   WRK:[SCHENKENBERGER.TEMP2]
 
      

In this example, the logical name KUDOS is defined as a search list containing the directories [SCHENKENBERGER.TEMP1] and [SCHENKENBERGER.TEMP2] on device WRK. The SET DEFAULT command equates this search list logical name with the logical name SYS$DISK. The subsequent SHOW DEFAULT command displays the search list logical name along with its equivalence strings.

Because the directory field has not been explicitly specified, the original [SCHENKENBERGER] directory remains in effect as the current default directory; however, unless the current default directory syntax ([]) is explicitly used, all file references are to those directories contained in the search list.