apparent change in behaviour of $DEVICE_SCAN on V8.2

[Ian Miller.]

This DCL fragment returns device names in the form _nodename$MBAxx: on VMS V7.3, and V6.2 but on VMS V8.2 it returns _MBAxx:

$!
$L1:
$ dev = F$DEVICE_SCAN("_*MBA*:")
$ IF dev .EQS. "" THEN GOTO END
$ SHOW SYM dev
$ GOTO L1
$END:

Is this a known feature? All the nodes have SCSNODE setup.

[Robert Brooks_1 · Accepted solution]

This change must have taken place between V7.3-2 and V8.2. The difference is that
dev$v_nnm in ucb$l_devchar2 is NOT set for V8.2. I assume this is true for both Alpha and I64, although I've only checked this on an Alpha.

[Volker Halle]

Ian,

DEV$V_NNM is also clear on I64 E8.2

May this have something to do with support for mailbox units numbers greater 9999 starting in V7.3-2 ? To save space in mailbox device name strings ?

Volker.

[Ian Miller.]

I think the change in device characteristics explains what I'm seeing.