PMDF User's Guide
OpenVMS Edition

DB prompts for input with a "db>" prompt. Typing a control-z at any point while entering a command will cause DB to immediately stop execution. The quit-program command will also cause DB to stop execution.

The rest of the command line after the "PMDF DB" will be scanned for DB commands separated by backslashes, \; i.e.,

$ PMDF DB command1\command2...

Each command specified will be executed from left to right as the command line is scanned. Placing commands on the invocation line is optional; if any are specified DB will terminate after the last one has been executed. If no commands appear DB will operate by prompting the user for commands.

When first invoked, DB will open your personal alias database file which is pointed at by the logical PMDF_PERSONAL_ALIAS_DATABASE. PMDF establishes this logical at system startup as a system-wide logical equated with SYS$LOGIN:ALIASES.DAT. Users wanting to store their alias files elsewhere must redefine this logical for their process. Note, however, that relocation of this file will interfere with the proper operation of PMDF's public alias features.

While entering DB commands to the "db>" prompt, the following command interaction features are available:

• Command abbreviation: commands can be abbreviated to their simplest, unambiguous form.
• Command completion: use the [TAB] key to automatically complete a command. If the command is ambiguous, it will be completed to the fullest extent possible.
• Command querying: at any point while entering a command, a question mark, ?, can be entered to obtain immediate help on what to do next or what options are available.
• Input files: command files can be input and executed by using the command <infile with infile the name of the file to input. When two angle brackets are used, <<infile , the commands read from the input file will not be echoed as they are executed.
• Logging: your session can be logged to an output file by using the command >outfile the name of the log file. All commands you enter and information printed by DB will be written to the log file. To log only the commands you type, use the command >>outfile
• DCL commands: typing a single dollar sign, $, will create and attach you to a spawned subprocess. To issue a DCL command from within DB, use the command $ dcl-command with dcl-command the DCL command you want to execute.