Specifications

OpenVMS Operating System for Alpha and VAX (Versions 7.1, 7.1–1H1, 7.1–1H2, and 7.1–2) SPD 41.87.06
Refer to the OpenVMS Version 7.1 New Features Man-
ual for further details on the new enhancements, fea-
tures, and functions.
USER ENVIRONMENT
Users can access the OpenVMS software by using the
English-like DIGITAL Command Language (DCL), the
command language for OpenVMS that is supplied with
the system. DCL commands provide information about
the system and initiate system utilities and user pro-
grams. DCL commands take the form of a command
name followed by parameters and qualifiers. With the
DIGITAL DCL command PIPE, individual DCL opera-
tions can be connected using a UNIX like command
syntax. OpenVMS prompts users to enter required DCL
parameters, making it easy for novice users.
Users can enter DCL commands at a terminal or include
them in command procedures. These command proce-
dures can be run interactively or submitted to a batch
queue for later processing.
Information on DCL and OpenVMS utilities is available
on line through the OpenVMS Help system. Online help
includes summary information on all aspects of system
operation.
The following tools and utilities are integrated into the
OpenVMS operating system.
Text Processing
The Extensible Versatile Editor (EVE), one of several
text editors supplied by Compaq, is the default editor
for OpenVMS. EVE allows users to insert, change, and
delete text quickly. Written in the Digital Text Processing
Utility (DECTPU) language, EVE is a full-screen editor
that allows users to scroll through text on a terminal
screen. EVE provides an EDT style keypad, allowing
EDT users to move easily to EVE. EDT is also supported
on OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.1 and OpenVMS VAX
Version 7.1.
Mail Utility
The Mail utility allows users to send messages to any
other user on the system. Multinode operation is avail-
able if a DECnet or TCP/IP product is installed and li-
censed on each participating node on the network.
Command-Level Programming
Command-level programming allows users to create
special files, called command procedures, that contain a
series of DCL commands. When users execute a com-
mand procedure, the system processes the commands
in the command procedure consecutively. Users can
also use special DCL commands to:
• Assign symbolic names
• Evaluate numerical and logical expressions
• Accept parameters
• Communicate interactively with the user invoking the
command procedure
• Perform conditional (IF-THEN-ELSE) and branching
(GOTO) logic
• Handle error conditions
User Environment Tailoring
Users can customize the computing environment with
login command procedures, shorthand commands,
binding of commands to function keys, and command
recall and editing.
Terminal Fallback Facility (TFF)
This facility allows Compaq 7-bit terminals to input and
output the Compaq Multinational character set (MCS).
Specific tables allow conversion for a number of differ-
ent 7-bit National Replacement Character sets to MCS,
such as French, German, Spanish, and Swedish. TFF
also allows character composition on terminals that do
not have the compose key.
National Character Set (NCS) Utility
This utility allows users to define non-ASCII string collat-
ing sequences and to define conversion functions. Con-
version functions use conversion algorithms to change
an input string; for example, to change lowercase
characters to uppercase. NCS also allows OpenVMS
Record Management Services (RMS) indexed files to
be collated using user-specified collating sequences.
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT
OpenVMS includes a comprehensive set of tools for de-
veloping programs, including: run-time libraries (RTLs),
a linker, a librarian, and a symbolic debugger. The
assembly-level VAX MACRO-32 language is supplied
with OpenVMS VAX. The following tools are available
to the OpenVMS programmer.
Language and Run-Time Library Support
OpenVMS includes several RTLs that provide:
• String manipulation
• Parallel processing support
• I/O routines
• I/O conversion
• Terminal-independent screen handling
• Date and time formatting routines
• Highly accurate mathematical functions
• Signaling and condition handling
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