Hi, how can i read a specific line from a file, without reading everything before it ? my problem is that i have no compiler to use, only DCL. thanks, - Asaf.

Asaf, If the file is indexed, you can use the DCL READ command to access it by key. Otherwise, there is no direct way to read the nth record in a sequential file (that is not a DCL restriction, it is a more general restriction of variable length sequential text files). If you are looking for a record containing a particular string, you can use the SEARCH command to locate it, then process the output of SEARCH. If you have no compiliers, you DO have the MACRO-32 compiler, which can be used (ok, it is assembler, but I want people to remember that it is included). Also, you can download JAVA and the various **IX tools, such as PERL at no charge from http://www.hp.com/go/openvms. I hope that this is helpful. - Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com

well, the file is a text file.. i don't think it's indexed or anything. what is the MACRO-32 ? i never came across that on the OpenVMS, but that might be removed because it is a military computer, which makes it unaccessible to internet as well. so that takes out the java and perl etc. i've got an idea though. tomorrow i'll give it a try and see if i can make it work. the entire idea is to just take out a block from a text file, from an unknown location within the file. is to locate the certain parameter i'm looking for, and then take the 5-6 lines previous to it. now comes the problem i had, i couldn't go back in the file after a READ, otherwise i'd just go to selected lines, what i intend to try is to output the SEA with line numbers into a file, get the line number, and read empty buffers until like, 10 lines before the line number, then to extract the 10 lines i need. isn't that something. considering the tools i work with, i'm doing some really good things.. - Asaf.

Do you know the /WINDOW= qualifier of SEARCH ?

yes, i am aware of that. but i need it to be automated. otherwise i would've searched it with EDT or something like that..

Well, it works. I used "sea /num/out=temp.tmp Myfile" and read the line numbers, decreased 20 of the number, buffered the lines until the location i want, and outputed to another file the 20 lines i needed. it's working perfectly. although i'd enjoy a F$SEEK(file handle,line number) infused in DCL...

Hi , Can you please explain the process in detail of retrieving some particular lines as this seems to similar to my requirement.I need to cross-check the files in VMS and the same file downloaded into windows by retrieving lines with a sort of search criteria DV