VMS Command Reference

# Set Terminal type

DEFINE TERM "vt100"

SET TERMINAL /DEVICE=VT100 /WIDTH=80

# Exit almost anything:

CTRL-Z

# Change the prompt.

SET PROMPT="''F$GETSYI("NODENAME")' $ "

# Put this in to have it executed on every login.

EDIT SYS$MANAGER:SYLOGIN.COM

# Show your current default directory:

SHOW DEFAULT

# Change directory (like cd):

SET DEFAULT [DIRECTORY]

SET DEFAULT DKA0:[JOE.SUBDIR]

# Go up one directory level (like cd ..):

SET DEFAULT [-]

Go up two levels:

SET DEFAULT [--]

Go up one level then into a sibling directory:

SET DEFAULT [-.SUBDIR]

# List files (like ls):

DIRECTORY

Full details (size, date, protection):

DIRECTORY /FULL

Just filenames, no header/footer (good for scripting):

DIRECTORY /BRIEF /NOHEADER /NOTRAILING

Recursively list subdirectories:

DIRECTORY [...]

Wildcards work as expected:

DIRECTORY *.COM

# Create a directory (like mkdir):

CREATE /DIRECTORY [.NEWDIR]

Create with an owner UIC set:

CREATE /DIRECTORY DKA0:[TESTUSER] /OWNER=[200,#]

# Remove a directory (must be empty; delete the .DIR file itself):

SET DEFAULT [-]

DELETE NEWDIR.DIR;1

# Copy a file (like cp):

COPY OLDFILE.TXT NEWFILE.TXT

Copy into another directory, keeping the name:

COPY OLDFILE.TXT [.SUBDIR]

Copy an entire directory tree:

COPY [SOURCE...]*.* [DEST...] /LOG

# Rename/move a file (like mv):

RENAME OLDNAME.TXT NEWNAME.TXT

Move to another directory (rename across dirs works fine in VMS):

RENAME FILE.TXT [.SUBDIR]FILE.TXT

# Delete a file (like rm):

DELETE FILE.TXT;1

Delete all versions of a file:

DELETE FILE.TXT;*

Delete with wildcard, prompting for each:

DELETE /CONFIRM *.TMP;*

# Purge old file versions (VMS keeps multiple versions by default):

PURGE FILE.TXT

Purge everything in current directory, keeping only 2 versions:

PURGE /KEEP=2 *.*

# View a file's contents (like cat):

TYPE FILE.TXT

Page through a file (like more/less):

TYPE /PAGE FILE.TXT

# Search inside files (like grep):

SEARCH FILE.TXT "searchstring"

Search across multiple files:

SEARCH *.LOG "ERROR"

# Compare two files (like diff):

DIFFERENCES FILE1.TXT FILE2.TXT

# Append to a file:

APPEND NEWSTUFF.TXT EXISTING.TXT

# Show file protections/ownership:

DIRECTORY /SECURITY FILE.TXT

# Change file protection (like chmod):

SET PROTECTION=(OWNER:RWED,GROUP:RE,WORLD:RE) FILE.TXT

# Change file owner (like chown):

SET FILE /OWNER_UIC=[200,15] FILE.TXT

# Find out how much space is used/free on a disk (like df):

SHOW DEVICE DKA0:

# Print a file:

PRINT FILE.TXT

# Reset your own password:

SET PASSWORD

# Change any user's password:

RUN SYS$SYSTEM:AUTHORIZE

MODIFY username /PASSWORD=newpassword

EXIT

# Add users

SET DEFAULT SYS$SYSTEM

RUN AUTHORIZE

See what the next available user ID is.

SHOW [200,*] /BRIEF

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

Set no password expiry

MODIFY ANONYMOUS /NOPWDEXPIRED /NOPWDLIFETIME

EXIT

Add the user's home directory

CREATE /DIRECTORY DKA0:[TESTUSER] /OWNER=[200,#]

# Recover System account password: Type following commands in boot console to perform a conversational boot:

B /R5:1 DKA300

At SYSBOOT> Prompt type the following

SET/STARTUP OPA0:

SET WINDOW_SYSTEM 0

SET WRITESYSPARAMS 0

CONTINUE

Once at the $ prompt:

SPAWN

@SYS$SYSTEM:STARTUP

SET DEFAULT SYS$SYSTEM:

RUN SYS$SYSTEM:AUTHORIZE

MODIFY SYSTEM /PASSWORD=newpwd

# Show all processes on the system (find a PID):

SHOW SYSTEM

Show just one user's processes:

SHOW SYSTEM /PROCESS=username

Show who's logged in:

SHOW USERS

# Stop/kill a process:

STOP /IDENTIFICATION=pid

# Show details on a specific process:

SHOW PROCESS process-name /CONTINUOUS

# Initialize (Format) drive:

INITIALIZE DKA500: SCRATCH /STRUCTURE=5

# Mount Drive on startup:
# Add to the end of

@SYS$MANAGER:SYSTARTUP_VMS.COM

MOUNT/SYSTEM DKA500: SCRATCH

# Mount a CD/removable media:

MOUNT /OVERRIDE=IDENTIFICATION DKA100:

# Install a program kit:

@SYS$UPDATE:VMSINSTAL FORT066 DKA400:[FORT066.KIT]

@SYS$TEST:FORTRAN$IVP

# Backup a directory tree to a save set:

BACKUP [SOURCE...]*.* SAVESET.BCK /LOG

Restore from a save set:

BACKUP SAVESET.BCK [DESTINATION...] /LOG

# Enter networking config:

@SYS$MANAGER:TCPIP$CONFIG

# Set default gateway:

TCPIP

TCPIP>

SET ROUTE /DEFAULT /GATEWAY=192.168.1.1

# Start Networking

@SYS$STARTUP:TCPIP$STARTUP.COM

# Show network interfaces / status:

TCPIP SHOW INTERFACE

# Ping a host:

TCPIP PING hostname

# Show banned IPs

SHOW INTRUSION

# Clear a ban

DELETE INTRUSION NETWORK "192.168.1.50"

DELETE INTRUSION TERMINAL "TWA1:"

System boot:

EDIT SYS$MANAGER:SYSTARTUP_VMS.COM

For user login:

EDIT SYS$MANAGER:SYLOGIN.COM