How do you return the current program name of a vms program? For instance., in unix it's $0. I'm writing a script that will be installed on different nodes with slightly different script names. But, I want this script to have the same code for all nodes. Thanks.

I'm not a frequent UNIX-user so I have to make some guesses...... in Unix $ is used to translate variables. $0 is the first variable and vill return the running image/file. There are eight reserved parameters in VMS ( P1 - P8 ), but they are used to pass parameters into a commandfile. example, TEST.COM $ SHOW SYMBOL P% $ @TEST P1 = "" P2 = "" P3 = "" P4 = "" P5 = "" P6 = "" P7 = "" P8 = "" $ @TEST hello 5 vms 123 P1 = "HELLO" P2 = "5" P3 = "VMS" P4 = "123" P5 = "" P6 = "" P7 = "" P8 = "" To get the name of the executing commandfile, you have to use a lexical function called F$ENVIRONMENT $ file = f$environment("procedure") $ show symbol file regards, Hakan Zanderau HA-solutions

Using the lexical f$environment outside a commandfile ( $-prompt ) will return the name of your terminal. Hakan Zanderau HA-solutions $ HELP LEXICALS for more help

Thanks, Hakan! I'm a Unix/Linux/IBM Mainframe guy on a crash course in VMS. Much apperciated! Mike Petro Heating Oil IT Dept.

Mike, You may want to take a look at some of my presentations on using lexical functions. One such presentation, "DCL Lexicals: OpenVMS Jujitsu", can be found at http://www.rlgsc.com/decus/usf95/in... . There is also a series of columns that appeared on OpenVMS.org on logical names, an often related area when parameterizing scripts. Links to these columns appear on http://www.rlgsc.com/publications.html - Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com