Commands under OpenVMS

X Command: OpenVMS

Enters host-system mode or enables you to submit a DCL command without ending your SAS session.

OpenVMS specifics:

valid values for DCL-command; syntax

Syntax
Details
See Also

Syntax

X <'>DCL-command<'>

DCL-command: specifies the DCL command that you want to execute. If SAS recognizes the value for DCL-command as a valid DCL command, then no quotation marks are needed. However, code is easier to read if quotation marks appear around the DCL commands.

Details

This form of the X command issues one DCL command. The DCL command is passed to the operating environment and executed. If errors occur, the appropriate error messages are displayed.

The VMS command element limit is 4,096 characters. Any DCL command that is greater than 4,096 characters is broken up and sent to the operating system in portions less than or equal to 4,096 characters. Breaks will occur on the following characters:

forward slash (/)
hyphen (-)
space
quotation marks (")

Note: Certain DCL commands that are issued via the X command are executed in the parent process (for example, the ASSIGN command). If the command is longer than 4,096 characters, then the command must be executed in an OpenVMS subprocess. For a list of DCL commands that are executed in the parent process, see How OpenVMS Processes the DCL Command. [cautionend]