====== VMS Command Reference ======

===== Terminal Setup =====

**# Set Terminal type**
<code>DEFINE TERM "vt100"</code>
<code>SET TERMINAL /DEVICE=VT100 /WIDTH=80</code>

**# Exit almost anything:**
<code>CTRL-Z</code>

**# Change the prompt.**
<code>SET PROMPT="''F$GETSYI("NODENAME")' $ "</code>

**# Put this in to have it executed on every login.**
<code>EDIT SYS$MANAGER:SYLOGIN.COM</code>

===== File Management & Navigation =====

**# Show your current default directory:**
<code>SHOW DEFAULT</code>

**# Change directory (like cd):**
<code>SET DEFAULT [DIRECTORY]</code>
<code>SET DEFAULT DKA0:[JOE.SUBDIR]</code>

**# Go up one directory level (like cd ..):**
<code>SET DEFAULT [-]</code>
Go up two levels:
<code>SET DEFAULT [--]</code>
Go up one level then into a sibling directory:
<code>SET DEFAULT [-.SUBDIR]</code>

**# List files (like ls):**
<code>DIRECTORY</code>
Full details (size, date, protection):
<code>DIRECTORY /FULL</code>
Just filenames, no header/footer (good for scripting):
<code>DIRECTORY /BRIEF /NOHEADER /NOTRAILING</code>
Recursively list subdirectories:
<code>DIRECTORY [...]</code>
Wildcards work as expected:
<code>DIRECTORY *.COM</code>

**# Create a directory (like mkdir):**
<code>CREATE /DIRECTORY [.NEWDIR]</code>
Create with an owner UIC set:
<code>CREATE /DIRECTORY DKA0:[TESTUSER] /OWNER=[200,#]</code>

**# Remove a directory (must be empty; delete the .DIR file itself):**
<code>SET DEFAULT [-]</code>
<code>DELETE NEWDIR.DIR;1</code>

**# Copy a file (like cp):**
<code>COPY OLDFILE.TXT NEWFILE.TXT</code>
Copy into another directory, keeping the name:
<code>COPY OLDFILE.TXT [.SUBDIR]</code>
Copy an entire directory tree:
<code>COPY [SOURCE...]*.* [DEST...] /LOG</code>

**# Rename/move a file (like mv):**
<code>RENAME OLDNAME.TXT NEWNAME.TXT</code>
Move to another directory (rename across dirs works fine in VMS):
<code>RENAME FILE.TXT [.SUBDIR]FILE.TXT</code>

**# Delete a file (like rm):**
<code>DELETE FILE.TXT;1</code>
Delete all versions of a file:
<code>DELETE FILE.TXT;*</code>
Delete with wildcard, prompting for each:
<code>DELETE /CONFIRM *.TMP;*</code>

**# Purge old file versions (VMS keeps multiple versions by default):**
<code>PURGE FILE.TXT</code>
Purge everything in current directory, keeping only 2 versions:
<code>PURGE /KEEP=2 *.*</code>

**# View a file's contents (like cat):**
<code>TYPE FILE.TXT</code>
Page through a file (like more/less):
<code>TYPE /PAGE FILE.TXT</code>

**# Search inside files (like grep):**
<code>SEARCH FILE.TXT "searchstring"</code>
Search across multiple files:
<code>SEARCH *.LOG "ERROR"</code>

**# Compare two files (like diff):**
<code>DIFFERENCES FILE1.TXT FILE2.TXT</code>

**# Append to a file:**
<code>APPEND NEWSTUFF.TXT EXISTING.TXT</code>

**# Show file protections/ownership:**
<code>DIRECTORY /SECURITY FILE.TXT</code>

**# Change file protection (like chmod):**
<code>SET PROTECTION=(OWNER:RWED,GROUP:RE,WORLD:RE) FILE.TXT</code>

**# Change file owner (like chown):**
<code>SET FILE /OWNER_UIC=[200,15] FILE.TXT</code>

**# Find out how much space is used/free on a disk (like df):**
<code>SHOW DEVICE DKA0:</code>

**# Print a file:**
<code>PRINT FILE.TXT</code>

===== User & Password Management =====

**# Reset your own password:**
<code>SET PASSWORD</code>

**# Change any user's password:**
<code>RUN SYS$SYSTEM:AUTHORIZE</code>
<code>MODIFY username /PASSWORD=newpassword</code>
<code>EXIT</code>

**# Add users**
<code>SET DEFAULT SYS$SYSTEM</code>
<code>RUN AUTHORIZE</code>
See what the next available user ID is.
<code>SHOW [200,*] /BRIEF</code>
<code>ADD JOE /PASSWORD=Secret123 /OWNER="Joe User" /DEV=DKA0: /DIR=[JOE] /UIC=[200,#] /FLAG=NODISUSER /PRIV=(TMPMBX,NETMBX) /DEFPRIV=(TMPMBX,NETMBX) /PGFLQUO=100000 /WSEXTENT=16384</code>
Set no password expiry
<code>MODIFY ANONYMOUS /NOPWDEXPIRED /NOPWDLIFETIME</code>
<code>EXIT</code>
Add the user's home directory
<code>CREATE /DIRECTORY DKA0:[TESTUSER] /OWNER=[200,#]</code>

**# Recover System account password:**
Type following commands in boot console to perform a conversational boot: \\
<code>B /R5:1 DKA300</code>
At SYSBOOT> Prompt type the following \\
<code>SET/STARTUP OPA0:</code>
<code>SET WINDOW_SYSTEM 0</code>
<code>SET WRITESYSPARAMS 0</code>
<code>CONTINUE</code>
Once at the $ prompt: \\
<code>SPAWN</code>
<code>@SYS$SYSTEM:STARTUP</code>
<code>SET DEFAULT SYS$SYSTEM:</code>
<code>RUN SYS$SYSTEM:AUTHORIZE</code>
<code>MODIFY SYSTEM /PASSWORD=newpwd</code>

===== Process Management =====

**# Show all processes on the system (find a PID):**
<code>SHOW SYSTEM</code>
Show just one user's processes:
<code>SHOW SYSTEM /PROCESS=username</code>
Show who's logged in:
<code>SHOW USERS</code>

**# Stop/kill a process:**
<code>STOP /IDENTIFICATION=pid</code>

**# Show details on a specific process:**
<code>SHOW PROCESS process-name /CONTINUOUS</code>

===== Disk Tasks =====

**# Initialize (Format) drive:**
<code>INITIALIZE DKA500: SCRATCH /STRUCTURE=5</code>

**# Mount Drive on startup:** \\
**# Add to the end of**
<code>@SYS$MANAGER:SYSTARTUP_VMS.COM</code>
<code>MOUNT/SYSTEM DKA500: SCRATCH</code>

**# Mount a CD/removable media:**
<code>MOUNT /OVERRIDE=IDENTIFICATION DKA100:</code>

**# Install a program kit:**
<code>@SYS$UPDATE:VMSINSTAL FORT066 DKA400:[FORT066.KIT]</code>
<code>@SYS$TEST:FORTRAN$IVP</code>

**# Backup a directory tree to a save set:**
<code>BACKUP [SOURCE...]*.* SAVESET.BCK /LOG</code>
Restore from a save set:
<code>BACKUP SAVESET.BCK [DESTINATION...] /LOG</code>

===== Networking =====

**# Enter networking config:** \\
<code>@SYS$MANAGER:TCPIP$CONFIG</code>

**# Set default gateway:** \\
<code>TCPIP</code>
TCPIP><code>SET ROUTE /DEFAULT /GATEWAY=192.168.1.1</code>

**# Start Networking**
<code>@SYS$STARTUP:TCPIP$STARTUP.COM</code>

**# Show network interfaces / status:**
<code>TCPIP SHOW INTERFACE</code>

**# Ping a host:**
<code>TCPIP PING hostname</code>

===== Security =====

**# Show banned IPs**
<code>SHOW INTRUSION</code>

**# Clear a ban**
<code>DELETE INTRUSION NETWORK "192.168.1.50"</code>
<code>DELETE INTRUSION TERMINAL "TWA1:"</code>

===== System Startup Files =====

System boot:
<code>EDIT SYS$MANAGER:SYSTARTUP_VMS.COM</code>
For user login:
<code>EDIT SYS$MANAGER:SYLOGIN.COM</code>

===== Common System Files & Directories =====

^ Path ^ Purpose ^
| SYS$SYSTEM | System executables (AUTHORIZE, LOGINOUT, etc.) |
| SYS$MANAGER | System management command files (startup, login) |
| SYS$MANAGER:SYSTARTUP_VMS.COM | Runs at system boot — add custom startup commands here |
| SYS$MANAGER:SYLOGIN.COM | Runs at every user login (site-wide) |
| SYS$LOGIN | Points to the current user's login (home) directory |
| SYS$LOGIN:LOGIN.COM | Per-user login command file |
| SYS$SYSDEVICE | The system (boot) disk device |
| SYS$UPDATE | VMSINSTAL and update/patch kit tools |
| SYS$TEST | Installation Verification Procedures (IVPs) for installed products |
| SYS$HELP | Online help library files |
| SYS$STARTUP | Layered product startup command files (e.g. TCPIP$STARTUP.COM) |
| SYSUAF.DAT | The System User Authorization File — user accounts database (in SYS$SYSTEM) |
| RIGHTSLIST.DAT | Rights identifiers database (in SYS$SYSTEM) |
| VMS$COMMON | Common area on a cluster, shared across all nodes |