HP OpenVMS Systems Documentation

HP OpenVMS DCL Dictionary

Executes an image within the context of your process. You can abbreviate the RUN command to a single letter, R.

Note If you are invoking an image that requires one or more parameters, you must use the Automatic Foreign Command format or the Foreign Command format. See the OpenVMS User's Manual for additional information.

Format

RUN filespec

Parameter

filespec

Specifies an executable image to be executed. The file type defaults to .EXE. The asterisk (*) and the percent sign (%) wildcard characters are not allowed.

Description

This command executes an image within the context of your process. You can abbreviate the RUN command to a single letter, R.

When working with installed images, if you specify an image name in the command line with an explicit version number (or a semicolon), the image runs with current process privileges. If you do not specify an explicit version number (or semicolon), the image runs with any privileges with which it was installed. See the HP OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual: A--L for more information about the Install utility.

If you invoke an image locally, you must have read (R) or execute (E) access to the image. If you have DECnet software installed and want to execute an image over the network, you must have read (R) access to the image.

If you are invoking an image that requires one or more parameters, you must use the Automatic Foreign Command format or the Foreign Command format. For additional information, see the string assignment statement (:=) in the HP OpenVMS DCL Dictionary: A--M, and see the OpenVMS User's Manual.

Qualifier

/DEBUG

/NODEBUG

Executes the image under control of the debugger. The default is the /DEBUG qualifier if the image is linked with the /DEBUG qualifier and the /NODEBUG qualifier if the image is linked without the /DEBUG qualifier. The /DEBUG qualifier is invalid if the image is linked with the /NOTRACEBACK qualifier. The /NODEBUG qualifier overrides the effect of the LINK/DEBUG command. If the image was linked with the /TRACEBACK qualifier, traceback reporting is performed when an error occurs.

If the image was not linked with the debugger, you can specify the /DEBUG qualifier to request the debugger at execution time; however, if the /NOTRACEBACK qualifier was specified when the image was linked, the /DEBUG qualifier is invalid.

For a complete description of the OpenVMS Debugger, see the HP OpenVMS Debugger Manual.

To get help on debugger commands from the DCL level, type the following command:

$ HELP/LIBRARY=SYS$HELP:DBG$HELP DEBUG

Examples

$ RUN LIBRA

      

The image LIBRA.EXE starts executing in the process. If the image LIBRA has been installed with amplified privileges, it runs with those privileges because you have not explicitly specified a version number or a semicolon. Alternatively, the image LIBRA.EXE still runs with its amplified privileges, if you enter the RUN command as follows:

$ RUN LIBRA.EXE

$ MACRO/ENABLE=DEBUG ORION
$ LINK/DEBUG ORION
$ RUN ORION

     VAX DEBUG Version 5.4

%DEBUG-I-INITIAL, language is MACRO, module set to 'ORION'
DBG>
   .
   .
   .
$ RUN/NODEBUG ORION
      

A program is compiled, linked, and run with the debugger. Subsequently, a RUN/NODEBUG command requests that the debugger, which is present in the image, not issue a prompt. If an error occurs while the image executes, the debugger can perform traceback and report on the error.

$ RUN AQUARIUS.EXE;1
      

The image AQUARIUS.EXE starts executing in the process. If the image AQUARIUS.EXE has been installed with amplified privileges, it does not run with those privileges because you have specified a version number. Instead, the image runs with current process privileges only. When you specify a version number (or even just a semicolon), the image activator does not search its list of special images that have been installed with privileges. The process AQUARIUS still runs with only normal process privileges if you enter the RUN command as follows:

$ RUN AQUARIUS.EXE;

In this case, however, the highest version of the image AQUARIUS runs.