HP OpenVMS Systems Documentation

HP OpenVMS DCL Dictionary

Replaces the default DCL prompt ($ ) with the specified string.

Format

SET PROMPT [=string]

Parameter

string

Specifies the new prompt string. The following rules apply:

• All valid ASCII characters can be used.
• No more than 64 characters are allowed.
• To include spaces or lowercase letters, enclose the string in quotation marks (" "). Otherwise, letters are converted automatically to uppercase; leading and trailing spaces are removed.

If you do not specify the string parameter with the SET PROMPT command, the default DCL prompt ($ ) is restored.

Description

The SET PROMPT command customizes prompts for your main process or a subprocess.

When a continued command is read from the terminal or an indirect command is read from a command procedure, DCL places an underscore in front of the prompt string.

Qualifier

/CARRIAGE_CONTROL (default)

/NOCARRIAGE_CONTROL

Inserts carriage return and line feed characters before the prompt string. Type the qualifier after the string parameter.

Example

$ SET PROMPT ="What's next?"
What's next? SHOW TIME
 19-APR-2001 14:08:58
      

The SET PROMPT command in this example replaces the DCL prompt ($ ) with the phrase "What's next?". When you see the prompt on your screen, you can enter any DCL command. This example uses the SHOW TIME command.