Changes all or part of a file specification of an existing disk file or disk directory.

Format

RENAME input-filespec[,...] output-filespec

Parameters

input-filespec[,...]

Specifies the name of one or more files whose specifications are to be changed. The asterisk (*) and the percent sign (%) wildcard characters are allowed in the directory specification, file name, file type, or version number fields of the file specification. When wildcard characters are used, all files whose specifications satisfy the wildcard fields are renamed. If an input file specification is a symbolic link, the symbolic link itself is renamed. If the output file specification is a symbolic link, the operation fails.

output-filespec

Provides the new file specification to be applied to the input file. The RENAME command uses the device, directory, file name, and file type of the input file as defaults for fields in the output file that are either unspecified, or are indicated by the asterisk (*) and the percent sign (%) wildcard characters. Wildcard characters in corresponding fields of the input and output file specification result in multiple rename operations.

The RENAME command supplies output file version numbers in the following ways:

• If the output file specification contains an explicit version number, that version number is used.
• If the output file specification contains an asterisk (*) or a percent sign (%) wildcard character as the version number, the version number of the input file is used.
• If the input file specification contains an asterisk (*) or a percent sign (%) wildcard character as the version number, the version number of each input file names a corresponding output file.
• If no file exists with the same file name and type as the output file, the new file is assigned a version number of 1.
• If a file already exists with the same file name and type as the output file, the next higher version number is used (unless the /NONEWVERSION qualifier is specified).

Description

The RENAME command changes the directory name, file name, file type, or version number of a file. The node and disk designation for the input file specification must be the same as that for the output file specification. In addition, you must have delete (D) access privileges to a file to rename the file.

You cannot rename a file across a network.

Qualifiers

/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.

/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 HP OpenVMS Guide to System Security.

/CONFIRM

/NOCONFIRM (default)

Controls whether a request is issued before each rename operation to confirm that the operation should be performed on that file. The following responses are valid:

YES	NO	QUIT
TRUE	FALSE	Ctrl/Z
1	0	ALL
	[Return]

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.

/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 rename operation. You can include a directory but not a device in the file specification. The asterisk (*) and the percent sign (%) wildcard characters 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.) This 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.

/INHERIT_SECURITY

/NOINHERIT_SECURITY (default)

Controls whether the security profile (UIC, protection code, and ACL) of the renamed file is altered. If you specify /INHERIT_SECURITY, a new security profile is generated, as if a new file had been created with the new file and directory names. See the HP OpenVMS Guide to System Security or online help (Hints topic) for a description of how a profile is assigned.

/LOG

/NOLOG (default)

Displays the file specification of each file as it is renamed.

/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 (default)

/NONEW_VERSION

Assigns a new version number if an output file specification is the same as that of an existing file. The /NONEW_VERSION qualifier displays an error message if an output file specification is the same as that of an existing file. The asterisk (*) and the percent sign (%) wildcard characters appearing in the version field of an input or output file overrides these qualifiers.

/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.

/STYLE=keyword

Specifies the file name format for display purposes.

The valid keywords for this qualifier are CONDENSED and EXPANDED. Descriptions are as follows:

Keyword	Explanation
CONDENSED (default)	Displays the file name representation of what is generated to fit into a 255-length character string. This file name may contain a DID or FID abbreviation in the file specification.
EXPANDED	Displays the file name representation of what is stored on disk. This file name does not contain any DID or FID abbreviations.

The keywords CONDENSED and EXPANDED are mutually exclusive. This qualifier specifies which file name format is displayed in the output message, along with the confirmation if requested.

File errors are displayed with the CONDENSED file specification unless the EXPANDED keyword is specified.

See the OpenVMS User's Manual for more information.

Examples

$ RENAME  AVERAGE.OBJ  OLDAVERAGE
      

The RENAME command in this example renames the highest existing version of the file AVERAGE.OBJ to OLDAVERAGE.OBJ. If no file named OLDAVERAGE.OBJ currently exists, the new file is assigned a version number 1.

$ RENAME/NONEW_VERSION  SCANLINE.OBJ;2   BACKUP.OBJ
      

The RENAME command in this example renames the file SCANLINE.OBJ;2 to BACKUP.OBJ;2. The /NONEW_VERSION qualifier ensures that, if BACKUP.OBJ;2 already exists, the RENAME command does not rename the file, but instead reports the error.

$ RENAME  *.TXT;*   *.OLD;*
      

The RENAME command in this example renames all versions of all files with the file type TXT to have the file type OLD. The file names and version numbers are not changed.

$ RENAME WATER.TXT [.MEMOS]
      

The RENAME command in this example changes the directory name of WATER.TXT from your default directory to the MEMOS subdirectory. (The RENAME command moves the file to another directory.)

$ RENAME  [BORDERS.TESTFILES]SAVE.DAT  []TEST
      

The RENAME command in this example renames the file SAVE.DAT in the directory BORDERS.TESTFILES to TEST.DAT. The new file is moved to the current default directory.

$ RENAME COEISABLAST.TXT COEIsABlast.txt
      

The RENAME command in this example changes the case of COEISABLAST.TXT to COEIsABlast.txt. You must be on an ODS-5 disk and previously have used the SET PROCESS/CASE_LOOKUP=SENSITIVE command for this RENAME command to work properly.

$ RENAME/LOG
$_From:      DATA.*,INFO.*
$_To:        NEW
%RENAME-I-RENAMED, _DISK0:[SYSTEM]DATA.AAA;1 renamed to _DISK0:[SYSTEM]NEW.AAA;1
%RENAME-I-RENAMED, _DISK0:[SYSTEM]DATA.BBB;1 renamed to _DISK0:[SYSTEM]NEW.BBB;1
%RENAME-I-RENAMED, _DISK0:[SYSTEM]DATA.CCC;1 renamed to _DISK0:[SYSTEM]NEW.CCC;1
%RENAME-I-RENAMED, _DISK0:[SYSTEM]INFO.001;1 renamed to _DISK0:[SYSTEM]NEW.001;1
%RENAME-I-RENAMED, _DISK0:[SYSTEM]INFO.002;1 renamed to _DISK0:[SYSTEM]NEW.002;1
%RENAME-I-RENAMED, _DISK0:[SYSTEM]INFO.003;1 renamed to _DISK0:[SYSTEM]NEW.003;1
$
      

In this example, three files exist with the file name of DATA, and three files have the file name of INFO. This RENAME command illustrates the asterisk (*) wildcard character in the input file names and the use of temporary default file types and version numbers on the output files. The result is the renaming of all six files as displayed by the /LOG qualifier.

$ RENAME NODE1::DISK2:[SMITH]ASSEMSHT.EXE NODE1::DISK3:[JONES]ASSEMBLYSHEET.EXE
      

The RENAME command in this example renames the file ASSEMSHT.EXE in the SMITH directory on remote node NODE1 and disk DISK3 to ASSEMBLYSHEET.EXE in the JONES directory on the same remote node and disk. You can rename a file on another node and disk only if the new file resides on that same node and disk.