Document revision date: 19 July 1999
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OpenVMS DCL Dictionary


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For more information on the /INTERCHANGE qualifier and on magnetic tape labeling and tape interchange, refer to the OpenVMS System Manager's Manual: Essentials.

/LABEL=option

Defines characteristics for the magnetic tape volume label, as directed by the included option. The available options are as follows:

/MAXIMUM_FILES=n

Restricts the maximum number of files that the volume can contain. The /MAXIMUM_FILES qualifier overrides the default value, which is calculated as follows:

(volume size in blocks)/((cluster factor + 1) * 2)

The maximum size you can specify for any volume is as follows:

(volume size in blocks)/(cluster factor + 1)

The minimum value is 0. Note that the maximum can be increased only by reinitializing the volume.

Note

The /MAXIMUM_FILES qualifier does not reserve or create space for new file headers on a volume. The file system dynamically allocates space as it is needed for new headers.

/MEDIA_FORMAT=[NO]COMPACTION

Controls whether data records are automatically compacted and blocked together on any device that supports data compaction. Data compaction and record blocking increase the amount of data that can be stored on a single tape cartridge.

Note that once data compaction or non-compaction has been selected for a given cartridge, that same status applies to the entire cartridge.

/OVERRIDE=(option[,...])

Requests the INITIALIZE command to ignore data on a magnetic tape volume that protects it from being overwritten. You can specify one or more of the following options:
ACCESSIBILITY (For magnetic tapes only.) If the installation allows, this option overrides any character in the Accessibility field of the volume. The necessity of this option is defined by the installation. That is, each installation has the option of specifying a routine that the magnetic tape file system will use to process this field. By default, OpenVMS provides a routine that checks this field in the following manner. If the magnetic tape was created on a version of OpenVMS that conforms to Version 3 of ANSI, this option must be used to override any character other than an ASCII space. If a protection is specified and the magnetic tape conforms to an ANSI standard that is higher than Version 3, this option must be used to override any character other than an ASCII 1. To use the ACCESSIBILITY option, you must have the user privilege VOLPRO or be the owner of the volume.
EXPIRATION (For magnetic tapes only.) Allows you to write to a tape that has not yet reached its expiration date. You may need to do this for magnetic tapes that were created before VAX/VMS Version 4.0 on DIGITAL operating systems using the D% format in the volume Owner Identifier field. You must have the user privilege VOLPRO to override volume protection, or your UIC must match the UIC written on the volume.
OWNER_IDENTIFIER Allows you to override the processing of the Owner Identifier field of the volume label.

If you specify only one option, you can omit the parentheses.

To initialize a volume that was initialized previously with the /PROTECTION qualifier, your UIC must match the UIC written on the volume or you must have VOLPRO privilege.

You can initialize a volume previously initialized with /PROTECTION if you have control access.

/OWNER_UIC=uic

Specifies an owner user identification code (UIC) for the volume. The default is your default UIC. Specify the UIC using standard UIC format as described in the OpenVMS Guide to System Security.

For magnetic tapes, no UIC is written unless protection on the magnetic tape is specified. If protection is specified, but no owner UIC is specified, your current UIC is assigned ownership of the volume.

/PROTECTION=(ownership[:access][,...])

Applies the specified protection to the volume.

The default is your default protection. Note that the /GROUP, /SHARE, and /SYSTEM qualifiers can also be used to define protection for disk volumes.

For magnetic tape, the protection code is written to an OpenVMS specific volume label. The system applies only read (R) and write (W) access restrictions; create and delete (D) access are meaningless. Moreover, the system and the owner are always given both read (R) and write (W) access to magnetic tapes, regardless of the protection code you specify.

For more information on specifying protection code, refer to the OpenVMS Guide to System Security. Any attributes not specified are taken from the current default protection.

When you specify a protection code for an entire disk volume, the access type E (execute) indicates create access.

/SHARE (default)

/NOSHARE

Permits all categories of access by all categories of ownership. The /NOSHARE qualifier denies access to group (unless the /GROUP qualifier is also specified) and world processes.

/SIZE=n

Specifies the size of the DECram disk (device type DT$_RAM_DISK) to be allocated from available memory. The size of the device is created at disk initialization time.

To deallocate space, specify /SIZE=0. All resources specifically allocated to the DECram disk are returned to the system.

Note that n cannot exceed 524,280 blocks either on a VAX system or on versions of DECram prior to Version 2.3. DECram Version 2.3 running on an Alpha system supports up to 67,108,864 blocks, equivalent to 32GB.

/STRUCTURE=level

Specifies whether the volume should be formatted in Files-11 On-Disk Structure Level 1, 2 (the default), or 5.

Structure Level 1 is incompatible with the /DATA_CHECK and /CLUSTER_SIZE qualifiers. The default protection for a Structure Level 1 disk is full access to system, owner, and group, and read (R) access to all other users.

Note that Alpha does not support Files-11 On-Disk Structure Level 1 disks, and specifying 1 on Alpha results in an error. VAX does not support Structure Level 5 disks, and specifying 5 on VAX results in an error.

Refer to the OpenVMS Guide to Extended File Specifications for more information about Structure Level 5 (ODS-5) disks.

/SYSTEM

Requires a system UIC or SYSPRV (system privilege) privilege.

Defines a system volume. The owner UIC defaults to [1,1]. Protection defaults to complete access by all ownership categories, except that only system processes can create top-level directories.

/USER_NAME=name

Specifies a user name to be associated with the volume. The name must be 1 to 12 alphanumeric characters. The default is your user name.

/VERIFIED

/NOVERIFIED

Indicates whether the disk has bad block data on it. Use the /NOVERIFIED qualifier to ignore bad block data on the disk. The default is the /VERIFIED qualifier for disks with 4096 blocks or more and the /NOVERIFIED qualifier for disks with less than 4096 blocks.

/WINDOWS=n

Specifies the number of mapping pointers (used to access data in the file) to be allocated for file windows. The value can be an integer in the range of 7 to 80. The default is 7.

Examples

#1

$ INITIALIZE/USER_NAME=CPA $FLOPPY1 ACCOUNTS
      

Initializes the volume on $FLOPPY1, labels the volume ACCOUNTS, and gives the volume a user name of CPA.

#2

$ ALLOCATE DMA2:  TEMP
  _DMA2: ALLOCATED
$ INITIALIZE  TEMP:  BACK_UP_FILE
$ MOUNT  TEMP:  BACK_UP_FILE
%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, BACK_UP_FILE mounted on _DMA2:
$ CREATE/DIRECTORY  TEMP:[GOLDSTEIN]
 
      

The previous sequence of commands shows how to initialize an RK06/RK07 volume. First, the device is allocated, to ensure that no one else can access it. Then, when the volume is physically mounted on the device, the INITIALIZE command initializes it. When the volume is initialized, the MOUNT command makes the file structure available. Before you can place any files on the volume, you must create a directory, as shown by the CREATE/DIRECTORY command.

#3

$ ALLOCATE MT:
  _MTB1:  ALLOCATED
$ INITIALIZE MTB1:  SOURCE
$ MOUNT MTB1:  SOURCE
%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, SOURCE mounted on _MTB1:
$ COPY *.FOR  MTB1:
$ DIRECTORY MTB1:
   .
   .
   .
$ DISMOUNT MTB1:
 
      

These commands show the procedure necessary to initialize a magnetic tape. After allocating a drive, the magnetic tape is loaded on the device, and the INITIALIZE command writes the label SOURCE on it. Then, the MOUNT command mounts the magnetic tape so that files can be written on it.

#4

$ BACKUP filespec MUA0: ... /MEDIA_FORMAT=NOCOMPACTION-
_$/REWIND
 
      

This example creates a BACKUP tape with compaction and record blocking disabled.


INITIALIZE/QUEUE

Creates or initializes queues. You use this command to create queues and to assign them names and options. The /BATCH qualifier is required to create a batch queue.

Requires OPER (operator) privilege to create queues and manage (M) access to modify queues.


Format

INITIALIZE/QUEUE queue-name[:]


Parameter

queue-name[:]

Specifies the name of an execution queue or a generic queue. The queue name may be a string of 1 to 31 characters. The character string can include any uppercase and lowercase letters, digits, the dollar sign ($), and the underscore (_), and must include at least one alphabetic character.

Description

Use the INITIALIZE/QUEUE command to create a queue or to change the options of an existing queue that is stopped.

Normally you create output and batch queues by entering the necessary INITIALIZE/QUEUE commands when you set up your system or OpenVMS Cluster. Later, you can use the INITIALIZE/QUEUE command to create additional queues as they are needed. When you create a queue with the INITIALIZE/QUEUE command, information about the queue is stored in the queue database.

To create and start the queue at the same time, you can use the INITIALIZE/QUEUE/START command. If you want to create the queue only and start it at another time, you can enter only the INITIALIZE/QUEUE command. Later you can enter the START/QUEUE command to begin queue operations.

You can use the INITIALIZE/QUEUE, START/QUEUE, and SET QUEUE commands to change queue options; as you change queue options, information about the queue in the queue database is updated.

You can use the INITIALIZE and START commands only on stopped queues. To change options on a running queue, use the SET QUEUE command. To change queue options that cannot be altered with the SET QUEUE command, use the following procedure:

  1. Stop the queue with the STOP/QUEUE/NEXT command.
  2. Restart the queue with the START/QUEUE or the INITIALIZE/QUEUE/START command, specifying the appropriate qualifiers for the options you desire.
    Any qualifiers that you do not specify remain as they were when the queue was previously initialized, started, or set.

Note that initializing an existing queue does not delete any current jobs in that queue. Any new queue settings established by the new INITIALIZE/QUEUE command affect all jobs waiting in the queue or subsequently entering the queue. Any jobs that are executing in the queue when it is stopped complete their execution under the old settings.

The following qualifiers apply to generic and execution queues:

The following qualifiers apply to all types of execution queues:

The following qualifiers apply only to batch execution queues:

The following qualifiers apply only to printer, terminal, or server execution queues:

Types of Queues

There are several different types of queues. In general, queues can be divided into two major classes: generic and execution. When a job is sent to an execution queue, it is executed in that queue. No processing takes place in generic queues. Generic queues hold jobs that will execute on an execution queue.

Generic Queues

The following are several types of generic queues:

The /GENERIC qualifier designates a queue as a generic queue. You specify the execution queues to which a generic queue feeds jobs in one of two ways:

Generic queues, unlike execution queues, are not automatically stopped when the system is shut down or the queue manager is stopped. Therefore, generic queues do not normally need to be restarted each time the system reboots.

Logical Queues

Another type of queue is the logical queue. A logical queue is a special type of generic queue that can place work only into the execution queue specified in the ASSIGN/QUEUE command. The logical queue's relation to an execution queue remains in effect until you enter a DEASSIGN/QUEUE command to negate the assignment.

Execution Queues

The following are several types of execution queues:

Batch execution queues execute batch jobs. Batch jobs request the execution of one or more command procedures in a batch process.

Output execution queues process print jobs. A print job requests the processing of one or more files by a symbiont executing in a symbiont process. The default system symbiont is designed to print files on hardcopy devices (printers or terminals). Customer-written symbionts can be designed for this or any other file processing activity. Server queues process jobs using the server symbiont specified with the /PROCESSOR qualifier. Server queue symbionts are written by the customer.

Either the /AUTOSTART_ON qualifier or the /ON qualifier designates a queue as an execution queue, and specifies where the queue is to run.

By using the /ON qualifier, you can specify one node (for batch queues) or node and device (for output queues) on which the queue can be started. A queue initialized with the /ON qualifier needs to be started by a command explicitly naming the queue.

You can specify one or more nodes (or nodes and devices) on which the queue can be started by using the /AUTOSTART_ON qualifier. A queue initialized with the /AUTOSTART_ON qualifier is automatically started by the queue manager when any of the queue's nodes have been enabled for autostart by that queue manager.

Autostart Queues

An execution queue (either batch or output) can be designated as an autostart queue. Because all of a queue manager's autostart queues on a node can be started with a single command, autostart queues eliminate the need for lengthy queue startup procedures.

In an OpenVMS Cluster, autostart queues can be set up to run on one of several nodes. If a queue is set up this way, and the node on which the queue is running leaves the cluster, the queue can fail over to another node and remain available to the cluster.

The /AUTOSTART_ON qualifier designates an execution queue as an autostart queue.


Qualifiers

/AUTOSTART_ON=(node::[device][,...])

Designates the queue as an autostart execution queue and specifies the node, or node and device, on which the queue can be located. For batch queues, only node is applicable.

In a cluster, you can specify more than one node (or node and device) on which a queue can run, in the preferred order in which nodes should claim the queue. This allows the queue to fail over to another node if the node on which the queue is running leaves the cluster.

When you enter the INITIALIZE/QUEUE command with the /AUTOSTART_ON qualifier, you must initially activate the queue for autostart, either by specifying the /START qualifier with the INITIALIZE/QUEUE command or by entering a START/QUEUE command. However, the queue will not begin processing jobs until the ENABLE AUTOSTART/QUEUES command is entered for a node on which the queue can run.

This qualifier cannot be used in conjunction with the /ON or /GENERIC qualifier. However, if you are reinitializing an existing queue, you can specify the /AUTOSTART_ON qualifier for a queue previously created or started with the /ON qualifier. Doing so overrides the /ON qualifier and makes the queue an autostart queue.

For more information about autostart queues, refer to the chapter about queues in OpenVMS System Manager's Manual: Essentials.

/BASE_PRIORITY=n

Specifies the base process priority at which jobs are initiated from a batch execution queue. By default, if you omit the qualifier, jobs are initiated at the same priority as the base priority established by DEFPRI at system generation (usually 4). The base priority specifier can be any decimal value from 0 to 15.

You also can specify this qualifier for an output execution queue. In this context the /BASE_PRIORITY qualifier establishes the base priority of the symbiont process when the symbiont process is created.

/BATCH

/NOBATCH (default)

Specifies that you are initializing a batch queue. If you are reinitializing an existing queue, you can use the /BATCH qualifier only if the queue was created as a batch queue.

A batch queue is classified as either an execution queue or a generic queue. By default, the /BATCH qualifier initializes an execution queue. To specify a generic batch queue, use the /GENERIC qualifier together with the /BATCH qualifier.

The /BATCH and /DEVICE qualifiers are mutually exclusive; the /NOBATCH and /NODEVICE qualifiers cannot be used together.

/BLOCK_LIMIT=([lowlim,]uplim)

/NOBLOCK_LIMIT (default)

Limits the size of print jobs that can be processed on an output execution queue. The /BLOCK_LIMIT qualifier allows you to reserve certain printers for certain size jobs. You must specify at least one of the parameters.

The lowlim parameter is a decimal number referring to the minimum number of blocks accepted by the queue for a print job. If a print job is submitted that contains fewer blocks than the lowlim value, the job remains pending until the block limit for the queue is changed. After the block limit for the queue is decreased sufficiently, the job is processed.

The uplim parameter is a decimal number referring to the maximum number of blocks that the queue accepts for a print job. If a print job is submitted that exceeds this value, the job remains pending until the block limit for the queue is changed. After the block limit for the queue is increased sufficiently, the job is processed.

If you specify only an upper limit for jobs, you can omit the parentheses. For example, /BLOCK_LIMIT=1000 means that only jobs with 1000 blocks or less are processed in the queue. To specify only a lower job limit, you must use a null string ("") to indicate the upper specifier. For example, /BLOCK_LIMIT=(500,"") means any job with 500 or more blocks is processed in the queue. You can specify both a lower and upper limit. For example, /BLOCK_LIMIT=(200,2000) means that jobs with less than 200 blocks or more than 2000 blocks are not processed in the queue.

The /NOBLOCK_LIMIT qualifier cancels the previous setting established by the /BLOCK_LIMIT qualifier for that queue.

/CHARACTERISTICS=(characteristic[,...])

/NOCHARACTERISTICS (default)

Specifies one or more characteristics for processing jobs on an execution queue. If you specify only one characteristic, you can omit the parentheses. If a queue does not have all the characteristics that have been specified for a job, the job remains pending. Each time you specify the /CHARACTERISTICS qualifier, all previously set characteristics are cancelled. Only the characteristics specified with the qualifier are established for the queue.

Queue characteristics are installation specific. The characteristic parameter can be either a value from 0 to 127 or a characteristic name that has been defined by the DEFINE/CHARACTERISTIC command.

The /NOCHARACTERISTICS qualifier cancels any settings previously established by the /CHARACTERISTICS qualifier for that queue.

/CLOSE

Prevents jobs from being entered in the queue through PRINT or SUBMIT commands or as a result of requeue operations. To allow jobs to be entered, use the /OPEN qualifier. Whether a queue accepts or rejects new job entries is independent of the queue's state (such as paused, stopped, or stalled). When a queue is marked closed, jobs executing continue to execute. Jobs pending in the queue continue to be candidates for execution.

/CPUDEFAULT=time

Defines the default CPU time limit for all jobs in this batch execution queue. You can specify time as delta time, 0, INFINITE, or NONE (default). You can specify up to 497 days of delta time.

If the queue does not have a specified CPUMAXIMUM time limit and the value established in the user authorization file (UAF) has a specified CPU time limit of NONE, either the value 0 or the keyword INFINITE allows unlimited CPU time. If you specify NONE, the CPU time value defaults to the value specified either in the UAF or by the SUBMIT command (if included). CPU time values must be greater than or equal to the number specified by the system parameter PQL_MCPULM. The time cannot exceed the CPU time limit set by the /CPUMAXIMUM qualifier. For information on specifying delta time, refer to the OpenVMS User's Manual or the online help topic DCL_Tips (subtopic Date_Time). For more information on specifying CPU time limits, see Table DCLI-1.

/CPUMAXIMUM=time

Defines the maximum CPU time limit for all jobs in a batch execution queue. You can specify time as delta time, 0, INFINITE, or NONE (default). You can specify up to 497 days of delta time.

The /CPUMAXIMUM qualifier overrides the time limit specified in the user authorization file (UAF) for any user submitting a job to the queue. Either the value 0 or the keyword INFINITE allows unlimited CPU time. If you specify NONE, the CPU time value defaults to the value specified either in the UAF or by the SUBMIT command (if included). CPU time values must be greater than or equal to the number specified by the system parameter PQL_MCPULM.

For information on specifying delta times, refer to the OpenVMS User's Manual or the online help topic DCL_Tips (subtopic Date_Time). For more information on specifying CPU time limits, see Table DCLI-1.

A CPU time limit for processes is specified by each user record in the system UAF. You also can specify the following: a default CPU time limit or a maximum CPU time limit for all jobs in a given queue, or a default CPU time limit for individual jobs in the queue. Table DCLI-1 shows the action taken for each value specified and possible combinations of specifications.

Table DCLI-1 CPU Time Limit Specifications and Actions
CPU Time Limit Specified by the SUBMIT Command? Default CPU Time Limit Specified for the Queue? Maximum CPU Time Limit Specified for the Queue? Action Taken
No No No Use the UAF value.
Yes No No Use the smaller of SUBMIT command and UAF values.
Yes Yes No Use the smaller of SUBMIT command and UAF values.
Yes No Yes Use the smaller of SUBMIT command and queue's maximum values.
Yes Yes Yes Use the smaller of SUBMIT command and queue's maximum values.
No Yes Yes Use the smaller of queue's default and maximum values.
No No Yes Use the maximum value.
No Yes No Use the smaller of UAF and queue's default values.

/DEFAULT=(option[,...])

/NODEFAULT

Establishes defaults for certain options of the PRINT command. Defaults are specified by the list of options. If you specify only one option, you can omit the parentheses. After you set an option for the queue with the /DEFAULT qualifier, you do not have to specify that option in your PRINT command. If you do specify these options in your PRINT command, the values specified with the PRINT command override the values established for the queue with the /DEFAULT qualifier.


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