File identification problem.

[Dave Deacon-Holmes]

When using a dir command to find a file, the file can be found if I don't include a semicolon & *, but if i do it says 'file not found'. Any reason for this please?

[Steven Schweda]

As usual, showing actual commands with their
actual output can be more helpful than vague
descriptions or interpretations.

> Any reason for this please?

Believe it or not, the answer may depend on
exactly what you're doing, which my psychic
powers are too weak to reveal to me.

While you're at it, some system
identification (hardware, OS, version, ...)
might also be interesting.

[Dave Deacon-Holmes]

Yes, sorry.
vms version V8.3-1H1

OPS2-VISLIV $ dil SY0:[CUP.LIVE.DAT]ITLEXT_25083.NORMAL

Directory SY0:[CUP.LIVE.DAT]

ITLEXT_25083.NORMAL;1
2/48 6-JAN-2011 13:39:49.54

Total of 1 file, 2/48 blocks.
OPS2-VISLIV $ dil SY0:[CUP.LIVE.DAT]ITLEXT_25083.NORMAL;1
%DIRECT-W-NOFILES, no files found

[Dave Deacon-Holmes]

apologies - that should read 'dir' not 'dil'.

[Robert Gezelter]

Dave,

Could you please try:

$ DIR SY0:[CUP.LIVE.DAT]ITLEXT_25083.NORMAL;0

and

$ DIR SY0:[CUP.LIVE.DAT]ITLEXT_25083.NORMAL;-1

Also, please do a SHOW PROCESS/ALL (for starters, I suggest SHOW PROCESS/CASE/PARSE; but the other information may be useful later, so it is worth doing it once).

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com

[Steven Schweda]

> apologies - that should read 'dir' not 'dil'.

But if it did, then I'd expect different
(less) output. Around here, for example:

alp $ dir fred.lis

Directory ALP$DKA0:[SMS]

fred.LIS;2

Total of 1 file.


show symbol dil ! (Or "dir", ...)

> [...] exactly what you're doing [...]

Still a mystery.

[tsgdavid]

Is it possible that the file is installed with the INSTALL utility? If a file is installed, VMS looks for the version that is installed. If you include a semi-colon in the file spec, it ignores the installed file information.

Dave Williams

[Dave Deacon-Holmes]

;0 and ;-1 yields 'no files found'.

Show process/case/parse result:

7-JAN-2011 14:10:43.74 User: OPS2 Process ID: 0000058D
Node: VISLIV Process name: "_TNA13:"

Parse Style: Extended

Case Lookup: Blind

[tsgdavid · Accepted solution]

Have you tried copying the file to a new directory (using ;1)? I am wondering if your directory file is corrupted.

Have you tried ANALYZE/DISK/REPAIR on the disk volume?

[tsgdavid]

Oops, I guess the COPY would be without the ";1".

I would also suggest doing a DIR/FULL on the file.