OpenVMS Exchange Utility Manual

This manual describes the OpenVMS Exchange Utility (EXCHANGE), a tool designed to transfer files between OpenVMS native volumes and "foreign" volumes, specifically RT-11 block-addressable volumes and DOS-11 magnetic tape volumes. It also supports converting file formats during these transfers.

EXCHANGE allows users to perform various tasks, including:

• Locating bad blocks on volumes.
• Listing directories of files on foreign volumes.
• Copying, deleting, and renaming files on block-addressable foreign devices.
• Creating and manipulating virtual devices, which are Files-11 files that serve as images of foreign volumes.
• Mounting and dismounting foreign volumes.

The utility uses default volume and record formats but provides qualifiers (/VOLUME_FORMAT and /RECORD_FORMAT) for explicit specification of volume types (FILES11, RT11, DOS11) and file record structures (BINARY, FIXED, STREAM, VARIABLE, with options for padding and carriage control). Commands can be executed interactively within the utility or as single commands from the DCL prompt. The document details each command (COPY, DELETE, DIRECTORY, DISMOUNT, EXIT, HELP, INITIALIZE, MOUNT, RENAME, SHOW, TYPE) with their formats, parameters, qualifiers, and examples.