Introduction to the OpenVMS Operating Environment

OpenVMS File Types

The file-type portion of a filename often indicates the contents of the file. Both OpenVMS and SAS use default file types for output files. DCL commands that create files often assign default file types if you omit file-type in the file specification. When you assign file types to files you create, keep in mind that either OpenVMS or SAS might require a certain file type, depending on how a file is used. The following is a list of commonly used OpenVMS file types:

.COM	is usually a DCL command file that can be executed with the DCL @ command or submitted for batch execution with the SUBMIT command. (For information about submitting a SAS job in batch mode, see Batch Mode under OpenVMS.)
.DIR	is usually a directory. The DCL CREATE/DIRECTORY command assigns the file type .DIR by default.
.LIS	is usually a file called a listing, which might contain output of a SAS session.
.LOG	is usually a file called the OpenVMS log, which contains batch job output, or it is the log of a SAS session.
.MAI	is usually a file containing messages that were entered with the OpenVMS Personal Mail Utility (MAIL).

For a complete list of OpenVMS file types, see OpenVMS User's Manual.

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