====== VMS User Guide ======

===== Getting Around =====

**# Show current directory (like PWD):**
<code>SHOW DEFAULT</code>

**# Change directory. [000000] is the root of the disk:**
<code>SET DEFAULT DKA0:[directory]</code>

**# Go up one directory level:**
<code>SET DEFAULT [-]</code>

**# Go back to your home directory:**
<code>SET DEFAULT SYS$LOGIN</code>

**# List directory contents:**
<code>DIR</code>
With file sizes and dates:
<code>DIR /SIZE /DATE</code>

**# Get help on any command:**
<code>HELP DIRECTORY</code>
General help menu:
<code>HELP</code>

**# See who else is logged in:**
<code>SHOW USERS</code>

**# Log out:**
<code>LOGOUT</code>

===== File Management =====

**# Create a directory**
<code>CREATE/DIRECTORY DUA0:[MYDIR]</code>
Directory & subdirectory: \\
<code>CREATE/DIRECTORY DUA0:[MYDIR.SUBDIR]</code>

**# View a file's contents:**
<code>TYPE filename.txt</code>
Page through a long file:
<code>TYPE /PAGE filename.txt</code>

**# Copy a file:**
<code>COPY oldfile.txt newfile.txt</code>

**# Rename/move a file:**
<code>RENAME oldname.txt newname.txt</code>

**# Delete a file:**
<code>DELETE filename.txt;1</code>
Delete every version of it (VMS keeps old versions by default):
<code>DELETE filename.txt;*</code>

**# Clean up old versions of your files:**
<code>PURGE</code>
Keep only the 2 most recent versions of everything:
<code>PURGE /KEEP=2 *.*</code>

**# Search inside a file for text:**
<code>SEARCH filename.txt "text to find"</code>

**# Print a file:**
<code>PRINT filename.txt</code>

**# Check your disk usage/quota:**
<code>SHOW QUOTA</code>

===== Editors =====

**# EDT (classic line/screen editor):**
<code>EDIT /EDT filename.txt</code>

**# EVE (friendlier full-screen editor, part of TPU):**
<code>EDIT /TPU filename.txt</code>
or simply:
<code>EDIT filename.txt</code>

===== Mail & Messaging =====

**# Read/send mail:**
<code>MAIL</code>
From inside MAIL, send a message:
<code>SEND</code>
Read your inbox:
<code>READ</code>
Exit mail:
<code>EXIT</code>

**# Send a quick real-time message to another logged-in user:**
<code>PHONE username</code>
or
<code>REPLY "message text" username</code>

===== DCL Basics =====

**# Set a symbol (like a variable):**
<code>MYVAR = "hello"</code>
<code>SHOW SYMBOL MYVAR</code>

**# Write a simple command procedure (script):**
<code>CREATE MYPROC.COM</code>
<code>
$ WRITE SYS$OUTPUT "Hello, VAX!"
$ EXIT
</code>
Run it:
<code>@MYPROC.COM</code>

===== Programming =====

**# Run Basic:**
<code>BASIC</code>
<code>CTRL-Z to exit</code>
To save a program (from within the BASIC interpreter):
<code>SAVE PROGRAM.BAS</code>
To load a program (from within the BASIC interpreter):
<code>OLD PROGRAM.BAS</code>

**# C programming**
Fix a file copied in from a modern computer (line-ending issue): \\
<code>$ SET FILE /ATTRIBUTES=(RFM:STMLF) filename</code>
<code>EDIT /EDT filename.c</code>
<code>CC FILENAME.C</code>
<code>LINK FILENAME</code>
<code>RUN FILENAME.EXE</code>

Enter a simple hello world:
<code>
CREATE HELLO.C
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
    printf("Hello, VAX!\n");
    return 0;
}
</code>

**# Fortran**
<code>FORTRAN FORTRANFILE.FOR</code>
Link and run same as C above.

**# Pascal**
<code>PASCAL FILENAME.PAS</code>
Link and run same as C above.

**# Check for compile errors in the listing file:**
<code>TYPE FILENAME.LIS</code>

===== Games =====

<code>ADVENTURE</code>
<code>NETHACK</code>
<code>CHESS</code>
<code>STARTREK</code>
<code>HUNT</code>

More to come....