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HP OpenVMS DCL Dictionary
 
 
 
APPEND
 
Adds the contents of one or more specified input files to the end of 
the specified output file.
 
 
Format
APPEND input-filespec[,...] output-filespec
  
 
Parameters
input-filespec[,...]
Specifies the names of one or more input files to be appended. Multiple 
input files are appended to the output file in the order specified. If 
you specify more than one input file, separate each file specification 
with either a comma (,) or a plus sign (+).
The asterisk (*) and the percent sign (%) wildcard characters are 
allowed in the input file specifications.
 output-filespec
Specifies the name of the file to which the input files will be 
appended.
You must specify at least one field in the output file specification. 
If you do not specify a device or directory, the APPEND command uses 
the current default device and directory. Other unspecified fields 
default to the corresponding fields of the first input file 
specification.
 
If you use the asterisk (*) wildcard character in any fields of the 
output file specification, the APPEND command uses the corresponding 
field of the input file specification. If you are appending more than 
one input file, the APPEND command uses the corresponding fields from 
the first input file.
  
 
Description
The APPEND command is similar in syntax and function to the COPY 
command. Normally, the APPEND command adds the contents of one or more 
files to the end of an existing file without incrementing the version 
number. The /NEW_VERSION qualifier causes the APPEND command to create 
a new output file if no file with that name exists.
Note that there are special considerations for using the APPEND command 
with DECwindows compound documents. For more information, see the 
Guide to OpenVMS File Applications.
  
 
Qualifiers
/ALLOCATION=number-of-blocks
Forces the initial allocation of the output file to the specified 
number of 512-byte blocks. If you do not specify the /ALLOCATION 
qualifier, or if you specify it without the number-of-blocks 
parameter, the initial allocation of the output file is determined by 
the size of the input file.
The allocation size is applied only if a new file is actually created 
by using the /NEW_VERSION qualifier.
 /BACKUP
Modifies the time value specified with the /BEFORE or the /SINCE 
qualifier. The /BACKUP qualifier selects files according to the dates 
of their most recent backups. This qualifier is incompatible with the 
/CREATED, /EXPIRED, and /MODIFIED qualifiers, which also allow you to 
select files according to time attributes. If you specify none of these 
four time qualifiers, the default is the /CREATED qualifier.
/BEFORE[=time]
Selects only those files dated prior to the specified time. You can 
specify time as absolute time, as a combination of absolute and delta 
times, or as one of the following keywords: BOOT, LOGIN, TODAY 
(default), TOMORROW, or YESTERDAY. Specify one of the following 
qualifiers with the /BEFORE qualifier to indicate the time attribute to 
be used as the basis for selection: /BACKUP, /CREATED (default), 
/EXPIRED, or /MODIFIED.
 For complete information on specifying time values, see the 
 OpenVMS User's Manual or the online help topic Date.
 /BLOCK_SIZE=n
Overrides the default block size (124) used by COPY. You can specify a 
value in the range of 1 through 127.
/BY_OWNER[=uic]
Selects only those files whose owner user identification code (UIC) 
matches the specified owner UIC. The default UIC is that of the current 
process.
Specify the UIC by using standard UIC format as described in the 
OpenVMS User's Manual.
 /CONFIRM
/NOCONFIRM (default)
Controls whether a request is issued before each append operation to 
confirm that the operation should be performed on that file. The 
following responses are valid:
  
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      YES
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      NO
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      QUIT
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      TRUE
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      FALSE
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      [Ctrl/Z]
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      1
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      0
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      ALL
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      [Return]
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You can use any combination of uppercase and lowercase letters for word 
responses. Word responses can be abbreviated to one or more letters 
(for example, T, TR, or TRU for TRUE), but these abbreviations must be 
unique. Affirmative answers are YES, TRUE, and 1. Negative answers 
include: NO, FALSE, 0, and pressing Return. Entering QUIT or pressing 
Ctrl/Z indicates that you want to stop processing the command at that 
point. When you respond by entering ALL, the command continues to 
process, but no further prompts are given. If you type a response other 
than one of those in the list, DCL issues an error message and 
redisplays the prompt.
 /CONTIGUOUS
/NOCONTIGUOUS
Specifies that the output file must occupy physically contiguous disk 
blocks. By default, the APPEND command creates an output file in the 
same format as the corresponding input file and does not report an 
error if not enough space exists for a contiguous allocation. This 
qualifier is relevant only with the /NEW_VERSION qualifier.
If an input file is contiguous, the APPEND command attempts to create a 
contiguous output file, but does not report an error if there is not 
enough space. If you append multiple input files of different formats, 
the output file may or may not be contiguous. Use the /CONTIGUOUS 
qualifier to ensure that the output file is contiguous.
 /CREATED (default)
Modifies the time value specified with the /BEFORE or the /SINCE 
qualifier. The /CREATED qualifier selects files based on their dates of 
creation. This qualifier is incompatible with the /BACKUP, /EXPIRED, 
and /MODIFIED qualifiers, which also allow you to select files 
according to time attributes. If you specify none of these four time 
qualifiers, the default is the /CREATED qualifier.
/EXCLUDE=(filespec[,...])
Excludes the specified files from the append operation. You can include 
a directory but not a device in the file specification. Wildcard 
characters (* and %) are allowed in the file specification. However, 
you cannot use relative version numbers to exclude a specific version. 
If you specify only one file, you can omit the parentheses.
/EXPIRED
Modifies the time value specified with the /BEFORE or the /SINCE 
qualifier. The /EXPIRED qualifier selects files according to their 
expiration dates. (The expiration date is set with the SET 
FILE/EXPIRATION_DATE command.) The /EXPIRED qualifier is incompatible 
with the /BACKUP, /CREATED, and /MODIFIED qualifiers, which also allow 
you to select files according to time attributes. If you specify none 
of these four time qualifiers, the default is the /CREATED qualifier.
/EXTENSION=number-of-blocks
Specifies the number of blocks to be added to the output file each time 
the file is extended. When you specify the /EXTENSION qualifier, the 
/NEW_VERSION qualifier is assumed and need not be typed on the command 
line. This qualifier is relevant only with the /NEW_VERSION qualifier.
The extension value is applied only if a new file is actually created.
 /LOG
/NOLOG (default)
Controls whether the APPEND command displays the file specifications of 
each file appended. If the /LOG qualifier is specified, the command 
displays the file specifications of the input and output files as well 
as the number of blocks or records appended after each append operation.
/MODIFIED
Modifies the time value specified with the /BEFORE or the /SINCE 
qualifier. The /MODIFIED qualifier selects files according to the dates 
on which they were last modified. This qualifier is incompatible with 
the /BACKUP, /CREATED, and /EXPIRED qualifiers, which also allow you to 
select files according to time attributes. If you specify none of these 
four time modifiers, the default is the /CREATED qualifier.
 /NEW_VERSION
/NONEW_VERSION (default)
Controls whether the APPEND command creates a new output file if the 
specified output file does not exist. (By default, the specified output 
file already exists.) If the specified output file does not already 
exist, use the /NEW_VERSION qualifier to create a new output file. If 
the output file does exist, the /NEW_VERSION qualifier is ignored and 
the input file is appended to the output file.
/PROTECTION=(ownership[:access][,...])
Specifies protection for the output file.
  - Specify the ownership parameter as system (S), owner (O), 
  group (G), or world (W).
  
 - Specify the access parameter as read (R), write (W), 
  execute (E), or delete (D).
  
The default protection, including any protection attributes not 
specified, is that of the existing output file. If no output file 
exists, the current default protection applies. This qualifier is 
relevant only with the /NEW_VERSION qualifier.
 
For more information on specifying protection codes, see the 
HP OpenVMS Guide to System Security.
 /READ_CHECK
/NOREAD_CHECK (default)
Reads each record in the input files twice to verify that it has been 
read correctly.
/SINCE[=time]
Selects only those files dated on or after the specified time. You can 
specify time as absolute time, as a combination of absolute and delta 
times, or as one of the following keywords: BOOT, JOB_LOGIN, LOGIN, 
TODAY (default), TOMORROW, or YESTERDAY. Specify one of the following 
qualifiers with the /SINCE qualifier to indicate the time attribute to 
be used as the basis for selection: /BACKUP, /CREATED (default), 
/EXPIRED, or /MODIFIED.
For complete information on specifying time values, see the 
OpenVMS User's Manual or the online help topic Date.
 /WRITE_CHECK
/NOWRITE_CHECK (default)
Reads each record in the output file after the record is written to 
verify
that it was appended successfully and that the output file can 
subsequently be read without error.
 
 
Examples
 
  
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$ APPEND  TEST3.DAT TESTALL.DAT
      
      
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The APPEND command appends the contents of the file TEST3.DAT from the 
default disk and directory to the file TESTALL.DAT, also located on the 
default disk and directory.
  
  
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$ APPEND/NEW_VERSION/LOG *.TXT   MEM.SUM
%APPEND-I-CREATED, USE$:[MAL]MEM.SUM;1 created
%APPEND-S-COPIED, USE$:[MAL]A.TXT;2 copied to USE$:[MAL]MEM.SUM;1 (1 block)
%APPEND-S-APPENDED, USE$:[MAL]B.TXT;3 appended to USE$:[MAL]MEM.SUM;1 (3 records)
%APPEND-S-APPENDED, USE$:[MAL]G.TXT;7 appended to USE$:[MAL]MEM.SUM;1 (51 records)
      
      
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The APPEND command appends all files with file types of .TXT to a file 
named MEM.SUM. The /LOG qualifier requests a display of the 
specifications of each input file appended. If the file MEM.SUM does 
not exist, the APPEND command creates it, as the output shows. The 
number of blocks or records shown in the output refers to the source 
file and not to the target file total.
  
  
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$ APPEND/LOG A.DAT, B.MEM   C.*
%APPEND-S-APPENDED, USE$:[MAL]A.DAT;4 appended to USE$:[MAL]C.DAT;4 (2 records)
%APPEND-S-APPENDED, USE$:[MAL]B.MEM;5 appended to USE$:[MAL]C.DAT;4 (29 records)
      
      
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The APPEND command appends the files A.DAT and B.MEM to the file C.DAT, 
which must already exist.
  
  
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$ APPEND/LOG A.*   B.*
%APPEND-S-APPENDED, USE$:[MAL]A.DAT;5 appended to USE$:[MAL]B.DAT;1 (5 records)
%APPEND-S-APPENDED, USE$:[MAL]A.DOC;2 appended to USE$:[MAL]B.DAT;1 (1 record)
      
      
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Both the input and output file specifications contain wildcard 
characters in the file type field. The APPEND command appends each file 
with a file name of A to an existing file with B as its file name. The 
file type of the first input file located determines the output file 
type.
  
  
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$ APPEND BOSTON"BILL_BESTON YANKEE"::DEMO1.DAT, DEMO2.DAT
$ _To:   DALLAS::DISK1:[MODEL.TEST]TEST.DAT
      
      
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This APPEND command adds the contents of the files DEMO1.DAT and 
DEMO2.DAT at remote node BOSTON to the end of the file TEST.DAT at 
remote node DALLAS.
  
  
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