User`s guide

Abbreviating Command Lines
You can abbreviate DCL commands, command options, and command parameters.
Abbreviating Commands and Options
You can abbreviate DCL commands to four or fewer characters, if there is no
ambiguity. For example, the command DIRECTORY and DIR both display a
directory listing of all the files on your default storage device. The command
PR, however, is an ambiguous command since it can refer to either PRINT or to
PROTECT. So, to abbreviate either of these two commands, you must type either
PRI or PRO.
You can also abbreviate DCL (command or file) options to four or fewer characters,
if there is no ambiguity. For example, the BACKUP /DEVICE option can be
abbreviated to /DE to distinguish it from the BACKUP /DIRECTORY option.
Abbreviating File-Specification Parameters
You can abbreviate file specifications in three ways:
• By using system defaults
• By factoring multiple file specifications
• By substituting wildcards for characters
Using System Defaults
You do not have to specify a device in your file specification, if you want RT–11 to
look for your file on your default storage device. So, by assigning (see the ASSIGN
command) the device you want to be your default storage device, you can save
yourself some typing. Whenever a device is not specified in the examples in this
manual, the default storage device is presumed.
You also do not have to specify a file type, if the file you want to specify has a file
type the command you want to use recognizes. These are called default file types for
a command. See the individual command descriptions to know if a command has
default input and/or output file types for its parameter(s) and what those file types
may be.
The following MACRO command, for example, assembles the file PROG1.MAC on
the default storage device:
.MACRO PROG1
1–6 Using RT–11 Commands