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Document:	Guide to VAX Notes
Order Number:	AA-GH98B-TE
Revision:
Pages:	464
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OCR Text

Guide to VAX Notes
Order Number: AA-GH98B-TE

March 1989
This manual explains how to use VAX Notes to conduct and participate in online
conferences.

Revision/Update Information:

This revised manual supersedes the Guide to
VAX Notes (Order Number Al-GH98A-TE).

Operating System and Version: VMS Version 5.1 or higher
Software Version:

digital equipment corporation
maynard, massachusetts

VAX Notes Version 2.0

First Printing, March 1986
Revised, March 1989
The information in this document is subject to change without notice and should
not be construed as a commitment by Digital Equipment Corporation. Digital
Equipment Corporation assumes no responsibility for any errors that may appear in
this document.
The software described in this document is furnished under a license and may be
used or copied only in accordance with the terms of such license.
No responsibility is assumed for the use or reliability of software on equipment that
is not supplied by Digital Equipment Corporation or its affiliated companies.

© Digital Equipment Corporation 1986, 1989.
All Rights Reserved.
Printed in U.S.A.
The postpaid Reader's Comments forms at the end of this document request your
critical evaluation to assist in preparing future documentation.
The following are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation:
ALL-IN-1
DEC
DEC/CMS
DEC/MMS
DECnet
DEC mate
DECsystem-10
DECSYSTEM-20
DECUS
DECwriter
DIBOL

EduSystem
IAS
MASSBUS
PDP
PDT
P/OS
Professional
0-bus
Rainbow
RSTS
RSX

RT
ULTRIX
UNIBUS
VAX
VAXcluster
VMS
VT
Work Processor

~D~DDelD™
ZK5197

Contents
Preface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Summary of Technical Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

xix

Part I

Using VAX Notes

Chapter 1
1.1

1.2

1.3

Introduction to VAX Notes
Overview ..............................· ............ .
1. 1. 1
Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.1.2
Features and Benefits .......................... .
1. 1.3
Terms and Concepts ........................... .

1-4

Getting Started ...................................... .
1.2. 1
Invoking VAX Notes ........................... .
1.2.2
Entering VAX Notes Commands ................... .
1.2.3
Getting Help in VAX Notes ...................... .
1.2.4
The VAX Notes Keypad ........................ .
1.2.5
Accessing a Conference ........................ .
1.2.6
Listing Notes in a Conference ..................... .
1.2. 7
Reading Notes ............................... .
1.2.8
Adding a Reply to a Discussion ................... .
1.2.9
Adding a New Topic ........................... .
1.2.10
Printing Notes ................................ .
1.2. 11
Ending a VAX Notes Session ..................... .
1.2. 12
Quick Summary of Basic Commands ................ .

1-5
1-6
1-7
1-8
1-9
1-10
1-12
1-13
1-15
1-16
1-17
1-17

VAX Notes Command Summary ......................... .

1-19

1-2
1-2
1-2

1-4

iii

Chapter 2

Reading Notes

2.1

Terms and Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. 1. 1
Types of Conferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. 1.2
The Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.1.3
Seen and Unseen Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2-1
2-1
2-2
2-2

2.2

Listing Available Conferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2-3

2.3

Accessing a Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.3.1
Opening a Conference Through Your Notebook . . . . . . . . .
2.3.2
Opening a Conference Directly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2-5
2-5
2-6

2.4

Navigating Through a Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.4. 1
Specifying Notes by Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.4.2
Using Navigation Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.4.3
Using the Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2-8
2-9

2.5

Adding and Deleting Keywords from Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.5.1
Getting Information About Keywords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.5.2
Adding a Keyword to a Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.5.3
Deleting a Keyword from a Note. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2-13
2-14
2-14
2-15

2.6

Listing Notes in a Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2-16

2.7

Saving Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. 7. 1
Saving Unseen Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. 7 .2
Marking Saved Notes as Seen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. 7 .3
Saving Notes in a Buffer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2-18
2-20
2-20
2-21

2.8

Printing Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2-22

2.9

Deleting Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2-25

2.10

Setting Notes as Seen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2-25

Chapter 3
3.1

Writing Notes
Hints for Improving Computer-Mediated Communication ....... .
Making Your Notes More Readable ................. .
Representing Body Language ..................... .
When to Use MAIL Instead of VAX Notes ........... .
Practicing Online Etiquette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3.1.1
3.1.2
3.1.3
3. 1.4
iv

2-6
2-7

3-1
3-1
3-6

3-7
3-8

3.2

3.2.1
3.2.2
3.2.3

Adding a Reply to a Discussion .......................... .
Bypassing the Editor ........................... .
Controlling VAX Notes Editing Buffers .............. .
Retrieving Your Previous Reply .................... .

3-10
3-11
3-12
3-13

3.3

Adding a New Topic .................................. .
3.3.1
Bypassing the Editor ........................... .
3.3.2
Retrieving Your Previous Topic .................... .

3-13
3-14
3-14

3.4

Quoting the Author of Another Note ...................... .

3-15

Forwarding Notes by MAIL ............................. .
Forwarding a Note with a Carbon-Copy List ........... .
Forwarding an Edited or Unedited Note .............. .
Forwarding a Note Without a Header ............... .
Forwarding a Note to All Conference Members, the
Conference Moderators, the Author, or Yourself ....... .
3. 5. 5
Retrieving Your Last Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.5.6
Forwarding a Note with a Special Personal Name ....... .
3.5. 7
Specifying a Subject ........................... .

3-16
3-17
3-17
3-18

Sending a Message by MAIL ............................ .
3.6.1
Composing a Mail Message ...................... .
3.6.2
Sending a Text File as Your Message ............... .

3-20
3-20
3-21

3.5

3.5.1
3.5.2
3.5.3
3.5.4

3.6

Chapter 4

3-18
3-19
3-19
3-19

Using Your Notebook

4.1.1
4.1.2
4. 1.3
4.1.4
4. 1.5

An Overview of Your Notebook .......................... .
Keeping Track of New Notes ..................... .
Grouping Entries into Classes ..................... .
Using Markers ............................... .
Your Profile ................................. .
Summary of Notebook Commands ................. .

4-1
4-2
4-3
4-3
4-3
4-4

Adding an Entry to Your Notebook ....................... .

4-5

4.3.1
4.3.2

Grouping Entries into Classes ........................... .
Changing the Current Class ...................... .
Listing Entries in a Class ........................ .

4-7
4-8
4-9

4.4

Accessing an Entry in Your Notebook ..................... .

4-11

4.5

Modifying an Entry ................................... .

4-12

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.5.1
4.5.2
4.5.3
4.5.4

Modifying the Entry Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Modifying the Notefile Specification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Modifying Classes for an Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Modifying the Entry as an Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4-12
4-13
4-15
4-15

4.6

Updating Entries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.6. 1
Updating Entries from the DCL Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.6.2
Updating Entries in the Default Class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.6.3
Updating Entries in a Specific Class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.6.4
Using the Wildcard Character in Entry and Class Names . . .

4-16
4-17
4-18
4-18
4-18

4. 7

Using Markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. 7. 1
Adding a Marker to a Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. 7 .2
Getting Information About Markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. 7 .3
Reading a Marked Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. 7.4
Deleting a Marker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4-19
4-19
4-20
4-21
4-22

4.8

Closing an Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4-22

4.9

Deleting Entries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4-23

4.10

Tailoring Your VAX Notes Sessions........................
4. 10. 1
Using an Editor with VAX Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.10.1.1 Choosing an EVE Keypad. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. 10. 1.2 Choosing an Editor Other than EVE . . . . . . . . . .
4. 10.2
Choosing a Default Class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. 10.3
Setting Up Print Qualifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. 10.4
Choosing a Personal Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. 10.5
Choosing an Automatic Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. 10.6
Overriding Profile Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4-23
4-25
4-25
4-26
4-27
4-27
4-28
4-29
4-30

Chapter 5
5.1

Moderating a Conference
Overview .......................................... .
The Role of the Conference Moderator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting and Restoring Moderator Privilege ............ .
Moderator Commands .......................... .
Types of Conferences .......................... .

5-1
5-1
5-5
5-6
5-7

Setting Up a Conference ............................... .
5.2.1
Setting Up a Public Conference ................... .
5.2.2
Setting Up a Private Conference ................... .
5.2.3
Setting Up a Bulletin Board ...................... .

5-9
5-10
5-11
5-13

5. 1. 1

5.1.2
5.1.3
5.1.4
5.2

5.3

Announcing a Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.3. 1
Putting the Conference on a Shopping List . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.3.2
Using MAIL to Announce a Conference. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5-14
5-14
5-16

5.4

Maintaining the Membership List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.4.1
Adding Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.4.2
Modifying Member Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.4.3
Deleting Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5-17
5-18
5-19
5-21

5.5

Setting or Modifying Conference Characteristics. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.5.1
Setting or Modifying Restrictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.5.2
Setting or Modifying the Conference Title . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.5.3
Setting or Modifying the Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.5.4
Setting or Modifying Write Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5-21
5-22
5-23
5-23
5-24

5.6

Using the VAX Distributed Name Service to Access a
Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5-25

5. 7

Maintaining Keywords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5-26

5.8

Other Moderator Tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.8.1
Deleting Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.8.2
Hiding Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.8.3
Moving Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.8.4
Changing the Title of a Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.8.5
Prohibiting Replies to a Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5-27
5-28
5-28
5-29
5-30
5-30

5.9

Ending a Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5-31

5.10

Providing Extra Security for Confidential Conferences . . . . . . . . . .

5-32

Chapter 6

Additional VAX Notes Features

6.1

Overriding Defaults with the NOTES Command .............. .
6.1.1
Specifying an Entry and a Note .................... .
6.1.2
Overriding the Default Class ...................... .
6. 1.3
Updating Entries .............................. .
6.1.4
Bypassing Notebook Processing ................... .
6.1.5
Overriding the Automatic on Open Setting ............ .
6.1.6
Activating a Display Device ...................... .

6-1
6-1
6-2
6-2
6-3
6-3
6-4

6.2

Setting Note Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6-4

vii

6.3

Searching a Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6.3.1
Initiating a Search ............................. .
6.3.2
Continuing a Search ........................... .
6.3.3
Canceling a Search ............................ .

6-5
6-6
6-6
6-7

6.4

Manipulating a Subprocess from VAX Notes ................ .
6.4. 1
Spawning a Subprocess ........................ .
6.4.2
Attaching to a Process ......................... .

6-7
6-7

Executing EVE Commands in VAX Notes ................. .1 • •
6.5.1
Manipulating Buffers ........................... .
6.5.2
Retrieving. Messages ........................... .

6-8
6-8
6-9

6.5

Part II

The DECwindows Interface

Chapter 7

viii

6-8

VAX Notes with DECwindows

7.1

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-1

7.2

Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-2

7.3

Invoking Online Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-3

7.4

Opening a Conference and Reading Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-5

7.5

Replying to a Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-8

7.6

Closing a Conference and Exiting from Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-9

7.7

Changing Your Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-10

7.8

Expanding Notes and Choosing Notes for Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-11

7.9

Expanding and Collapsing Classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-12

7.10

Creating a Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-13

7.11

Adding an Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-14

7.12

Writing a Topic Note. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-16

7.13

Using Keywords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-18

7 .14

Enabling Moderator Privilege and Adding or Deleting a Member . .

7-20

7 .15

Sending Mail and Forwarding a Note by Mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-22

7 .16

Extracting a Note to a File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-24

7 .17

Displaying a Directory of Available Conferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-25

7 .18

Setting Notes as Seen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-27

7.19

Updating an Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-27

7.20

Using Multiple Windows for Convenience and Flexibility. . . . . . . .

7-28

7 .21

Printing a Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-30

7.22

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7 .22.1
Functions of the Mouse Buttons in VAX Notes . . . . . . . . .
7.22.2
Functions of Double Clicking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-31
7-32
7-32

Part Ill

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

Organization of the Command Dictionary ................... .

CD-3

Rules for Entering VAX Notes Commands .................. .
2. 1
Abbreviating VAX Notes Commands ............... .
2.2
Abbreviating Qualifiers ......................... .
2.3
Editing VAX Notes Commands .................... .
2.4
Specifying Files ............................... .
2.5
Specifying Dates and Times ...................... .

CD-3
CD-4
CD-5
CD-5
CD-7
CD-7

VAX Notes Logical Names ............................. .

CD-7

VAX Notes Commands by Category ...................... .
ADD ENTRY ......................................... .
ADD KEYWORD ...................................... .
ADD MARKER ....................................... .
ADD MEMBER ....................................... .
ADD OBJECT ........................................ .
ANSWER ........................................... .
ATTACH ........................................... .
BACK ............................................. .

CD-8
CD-11
CD-16
CD-19
CD-22
CD-27
CD-30
CD-34
CD-35

BACK NOTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BACK REPLY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BACK TOPIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CLOSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CONTINUE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CREATE CONFERENCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CREATE KEYWORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DELETE ENTRY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DELETE KEYWORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ; . . . . . . . . . . .
DELETE MARKER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DELETE MEMBER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DELETE NOTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DELETE OBJECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DIRECTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DIRECTORY/CONFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DIRECTORY /ENTRIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DIRECTORY/NOTEBOOK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
EVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ·······
EXIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
EXTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
EXTRACT /BUFFER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
FORWARD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
HELP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LAST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . · · · · · · ·
.LAST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MARK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MODIFY ENTRY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MODIFY KEYWORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MODIFY MEMBER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
NEXT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
NEXT NOTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
NEXT REPLY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
NEXT TOPIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
NEXT UNSEEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
($)NOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
OPEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
PRINT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
READ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
READ /MARKER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
REPLY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SAVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SA VE/BUFFER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SEARCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SELECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
x

CD-37
CD-38
CD-40
CD-41
CD-42
CD-43
CD-47
CD-49
CD-51
CD-53
CD-55
CD-57
CD-59
CD-61
CD-65
CD-68
CD-71
CD-74
CD-76
CD-77
CD-81
CD-85
CD-91
CD-93
CD-94
CD-96
CD-99
CD-102
CD-104
CD-109
CD-110
CD-111
CD-112
CD-113
CD-115
CD-119
CD-123
CD-128
CD-130
CD-133
CD-137
CD-141
CD-145
CD-148

SEND ...............................................
SET CLASS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SET CONFERENCE .....................................
SET[NO]MODERATOR ..................................
SET NOTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SET OBJECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SET PROFILE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SET SEEN ...........................................
SHOW CLASSES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SHOW CONFERENCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SHOW ENTRY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SHOW ERROR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SHOW KEYWORDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SHOW MARKER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SHOW MEMBER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SHOW MODERATOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SHOW NOTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SHOW OBJECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SHOW PROFILE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SHOW VERSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SPAWN .............................................
TOPIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TPU ................................................
UPDATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
WRITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Part IV

CD-151
CD-15 7
CD-159
CD-162
CD-164
CD-169
CD-171
CD-177
CD-179
CD-180
CD-182
CD-184
CD-185
CD-188
CD-191
CD-193
CD-194
CD-196
CD-198
CD-199
CD-200
CD-201
CD-203
CD-204
CD-206

Appendixes

Appendix A

Simple Callable Interface

A.1

Introduction ........................................ .

A-1

A.2

Declaring the NOTES$NOTES Routine .................... .

A-2

A.3

Condition Values Returned by NOTES$NOTES .............. .

A-2

A.4

Examples .......................................... .

A-3

Appendix B

Error Messages

Index

Examples
A-1

Calling NOTES$NOTES from a BASIC Program ................. .

A-3

A-2

Calling NOTES$NOTES from a FORTRAN Program .............. .

A-3

Calling NOTES$NOTES from a C Program .................... .

A-3

Figures

xii

1-1

VAX Notes Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1-8

2-1

DIRECTORY /CONFERENCES/ ALL Display. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2-4

2-2

VAX Notes Keypad. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2-10

2-3

Additional VAX Notes Keys for VT200-Series Terminals . . . . . . . . . .

2-11

4-1

Anatomy of a Notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4-2

SHOW CLASSES Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4-9

4-3

DIRECTORY /NOTEBOOK Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4-10

4-4

SHOW ENTRY Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4-14

4-5

Updated Class Directory Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4-17

4-6

SHOW MARKER Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4-21

7-1

Notes Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-3

7-2

Help Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-4

7-3

Read Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-6

7-4

Edit Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-8

7-5

Modify Profile Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-11

7-6

Conference Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-12

7-7

Create Conference Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-14

7-8

Notes Window and Entries Pull-Down Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-15

7-9

Add Entry Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-16

7-10

Create New Note Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-1 7

7-11

Display Keywords Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-19

7-12

Conference Pull-Down Menu and Enable Moderator Menu Item . . . . . .

7-20

7-13

Add Member Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-21

7-14

Mail Dialog Box. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-23

7-15

Extract Notes Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7-25

7-16
7-17
7-18
7-19
7-20

Directory of Conferences Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Set Seen Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Update Entry Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Screenful of Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Read Window, Notes Pull-Down Menu, and Print Menu Item ....... .

7-26
7-27
7-28
7-30
7-31

Tables

1-1
2-1
2-2
2-3
2-4
3-1
3-2
4-1
4-2
4-3
4-4
4-5
4-6
5-1
5-2
5-3
5-4
5-5
6-1
CD-1
CD-2
CD-3
CD-4

SET NOTE Command Qualifiers ........................... .

1-19
2-8
2-17
2-19
2-23
3-11
3-14
4-4
4-7
4-12
4-19
4-24
4-28
5-6
5-8
5-18
5-20
5-22
6-5

Control Key Sequences for Command Line Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

CD-5

Specifying Note-IDs .................................... .

CD-6
CD-6
CD-7

VAX Notes Command Summary .......................... .
Navigation Commands .................................. .
DIRECTORY Command Qualifiers .......................... .
SA VE (or EXTRACT) Command Qualifiers .................... .
PRINT Command Qualifiers .............................. .
REPLY Command Qualifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
WRITE Command Qualifiers .............................. .
Notebook Commands .................................. .
ADD ENTRY Command Qualifiers .......................... .
MODIFY ENTRY Command Qualifiers ....................... .
Related Marker Commands .............................. .
SET PROFILE Command Qualifiers ......................... .
Recommended Default PRINT Qualifiers ...................... .
Moderator Commands .................................. .
Conference Types and Characteristics ....................... .
ADD MEMBER Command Qualifiers ........................ .
MODIFY MEMBER Command Qualifiers ...................... .
SET CONFERENCE Command Qualifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Specifying Note-Ranges ................................. .
VAX Notes Logical Names ............................... .

xiii

Preface
This manual provides tutorial and reference information about VAX Notes, a
computerized conferencing system. After reading this manual, you should be
able to create, conduct, and participate in a VAX Notes conference.

Intended Audience
This manual is intended for any user of VAX Notes. The reader should have a
working knowledge of an interactive text editor. Familiarity with the VMS Mail
Utility (MAIL) and the DIGITAL Command Language (DCL) is helpful. The
reader who plans to use the DECwindows interface to VAX Notes should have
a basic working knowledge of DECwindows.

Document Structure
Part I, Using VAX Notes, provides tutorial information about VAX Notes with
the character-cell interface:
•

•

Chapter 1, Introduction to VAX Notes, introduces VAX Notes and explains
basic concepts and features. The figures and examples in this chapter are
based on a sample conference that is supplied with the VAX Notes system.
By following along with the examples in the manual, the reader can gain
hands-on experience with VAX Notes.
Chapter 2, Reading Notes, explains how to read, print, and save notes
in a VAX Notes conference. This chapter also tells how to access a list
of conferences (or a list of notes in a conference) and how to associate
user-defined keywords with notes in a conference.

•

•
•

Chapter 3, Writing Notes, tells how to write and reply to notes. This
chapter also gives hints for improving online communication, and explains
how to forward notes and send mail messages from within VAX Notes.
Chapter 4, Using Your Notebook, describes the VAX Notes Notebook, and
explains how to use the Notebook to keep track of conferences and tailor
VAX Notes sessions.
Chapter 5, Moderating a Conference, tells how to create and moderate a
VAX Notes conference.
Chapter 6, Additional VAX Notes Features, describes additional features of
VAX Notes, including how to override default conditions when invoking
VAX Notes, how to search a conference, and how to use other utilities with
VAX Notes.

Part II, The DECwindows Interface, provides tutorial information to get you
started using VAX Notes with the DECwindows interface.
Part III, VAX Notes Command Dictionary, presents all the VAX Notes commands alphabetically, provides full descriptions of their format, parameters, and
qualifiers, and gives examples of their use.
Part IV, Appendixes, provides additional reference information on VAX Notes:
•
•

Appendix A, Simple Callable Interface, provides information for programmers who want to call VAX Notes from an application program.
Appendix B, Error Messages, lists VAX Notes error messages and, when
necessary, includes corrective action.

Associated Documents
You should have the following manuals available for reference:

•
•
•

VAX Text Processing Utility Manual
VMS DCL Dictionary
Introduction to VMS

If you intend to use VAX notes with the DECwindows interface, you should
first become familiar with the basic information in the VMS DECwindows
User's Guide. The VMS DECwindows Desktop Applications Guide also has useful
information.
If you anticipate the need to provide extra security for VAX Notes conferences,
read the Guide to VMS System Security.

xvi

Conventions
The following conventions are used in this guide:
mouse

The term mouse is used to refer to any pointing device,
such as a mouse, a puck, or a stylus.

MBl, MB2, MB3

MBl indicates the left mouse button, MB2 indicates
the middle mouse button, and MB3 indicates the right

mouse button. (The buttons can be redefined by the
user.)
A sequence such as I CTRL/X I indicates that you must
hold down the key labeled Ctrl while you press another
key or a pointing device button.
A sequence such as IPF1 I!!!I indicates that you must first
press and release the key labeled PFl, then press and
release another key or a pointing-device button.
A key name is shown enclosed to indicate that you
press a key on the keyboard.
In examples, a horizontal ellipsis indicates one of the
following possibilities:
•
•
•

Additional optional arguments in a statement have
been omitted.
The preceding item or items can be repeated one or
more times.
Additional parameters, values, or other information
can be entered.

A vertical ellipsis indicates the omission of items from
a code example or command format; the items are
omitted because they are not important to the topic
being discussed.
()

In format descriptions, parentheses indicate that if you
choose more than one option, you must enclose the
choices in parentheses.

[]

In format descriptions, brackets indicate that whatever
is enclosed is optional; you can select none, one, or all
of the choices.

{}

In format descriptions, braces surround a required
choice of options; you must choose one of the options
listed.

red ink

In interactive examples, user-entered commands are
shown in red. Output lines or prompting characters that
the system prints or displays are shown in black.

xvii

xviii

boldface text

Boldface text represents the introduction of a new term.

italic text

Italic text represents information that can vary in system
messages (for example, Internal error number).

UPPERCASE TEXT

Uppercase letters indicate a command that you must
enter (for example, enter OPEN/READ), the name of a
routine, the name of a file, the name of a file-protection
code, or the abbreviation for a system privilege.

Summary of Technical Changes
DECwindows Interface to VAX Notes

There is now a DECwindows interface to VAX Notes, provided to users with
workstations having DECwindows installed. With DECwindows, interaction
is primarily by use of the mouse as a pointer and selector. Instead of typing
commands as on character-cell terminals, the user selects operations from
menus. When keyboard input is needed, dialog boxes solicit this input from
the user.
Chapter 7 is a tutorial introduction to VAX Notes with the DECwindows
interface. Context-sensitive online help information is also available.
New Commands, Qualifiers, Keywords, and Parameters

The following commands have been added since Version 1.0 of VAX Notes:
New Commands

Parameters

Qualifiers

ADD OBJECT

object-name

/[NO)FILE[=notefile-spec]

CONTINUE
DELETE OBJECT

object-name

SET OBJECT

object-name

SHOW OBJECT

object-name

/[NO)FILE[=notefile-spec]

xix

The following qualifiers and keywords have been added since Version 1.0 of
VAX Notes:
New Qualifiers and Keywords

Commands

/ ACCESS=(node::usemame[, ... ])

ADD MEMBER
MODIFY MEMBER

/ALL

DIRECTORY /CONFERENCES

/AUTHOR

FORWARD

/[NO]AUTOMATIC[={DIRECTORYI UNSEEN}] OPEN
($)NOTES
/BUFFER=buffer-name

DIRECTORY /CONFERENCES
DIRECTORY /ENTRIES
DIRECTORY/NOTEBOOK

/[NO]CC_pROMPT

FORWARD
SEND

/[NO]CONFIRM

ANSWER
DELETE NOTE
FORWARD
REPLY
SEND
WRITE

/[NO]DECWINDOWS

($)NOTES

/ENTRY=entry-name

READ /MARKER

/[NO]HEADER

/MODERATORS

FORWARD
SEND

/NOCONFERENCE
NOCREATE_KEYWORDS

SET NOTE
ADD MEMBER/PRIVILEGES=
MODIFY MEMBER/PRIVILEGES=

/NO FILE

ADD ENTRY
MODIFY ENTRY

NOMODERATE

ADD MEMBER /PRIVILEGES=
MODIFY MEMBER /PRIVILEGES=

/NO NOTICE

SET CONFERENCE

New Qualifiers and Keywords

Commands

/NOTE-1D=new-note-ID

SET NOTE

/NOTITLE

SET NOTE

/[NO]OBJECT[=object-name)

ADD ENTRY
MODIFY ENTRY

/OUTPUT=file-spec

DIRECTORY/CONFERENCES
DIRECTORY /ENTRIES
DIRECTORY /NOTEBOOK

/[NO)PERSONAL _NAME[="string"]

FORWARD
SEND

/[NO]REPLY_ONL Y

CREATE CONFERENCE
SET CONFERENCE
FORWARD

/[NO]SELF

SEND
/[NO]SUBJECT[="string"]

FORWARD
SEND

/[NO]TITLE[="string"]

ANSWER
REPLY
WRITE

/[NO]WRITE

CREATE CONFERENCE

[NO]WRITE_REGARDLESS

ADD MEMBER/PRIVILEGES=
MODIFY MEMBER/PRIVILEGES=

The following optional parameters have been added since Version 1.0 of VAX
Notes:
New Parameters
note-ID

Commands
OPEN
($)NOTES

to-list

FORWARD
SEND

See Part III, VAX Notes Command Dictionary (organized alphabetically by
command), for complete descriptions of the commands, qualifiers, keywords,
and parameters.

xxi

Other New Features

For the DECwindows user, VAX Notes supports entering DIGITAL Document
Interchange Format (DDIF) documents with text and graphics as notes in
conferences. For the user at a character-cell terminal, the ASCII-text portions of
DDIF notes can be viewed, printed, and extracted.
Users can choose from a number of date-time formats that are valid in VMS.
VAX Notes displays dates and times according to the specified defaults on the
user's system or as specified by the user.
The VAX Distributed Name Service (DNS) is supported for adding and modifying objects and for opening conferences. (The OBJECT commands and qualifiers
in the tables in this section are for DNS use.)

xx ii

Part I
Using VAX Notes

Chapter 1

Introduction to VAX Notes
VAX Notes is a computer conferencing system. Using VAX Notes, you can
conduct online conferences or meetings, communicating conveniently and
economically with people in different geographic locations.

ZK-4298-85

Introduction to VAX Notes

1-1

1 . 1 Overview
You can set up a VAX Notes conference on any subject. Anyone connected
to the system can participate, making it possible for you to receive input from
many people without costly, time-consuming meetings.
In addition to computerized meetings, you can use conferences as electronic
bulletin boards" or for preparing and reviewing collaborative documents.
11

1 .1 .1

Applications
Some potential uses for VAX Notes by various groups are as follows:
•
•
•
•
•
•

1 . 1 .2

Industry-International group meetings; budget preparation; board meetings; flexible work schedules; employee attitude surveys.
Government-Policy formulation; assessment of public opinion.
Engineering-Product design and development; information exchange.
Education-Off-campus courses; teachers' conferences; contract
negotiations.
Medicine-Remote diagnosis; journal production; research.
Social Services-Support systems for the elderly; communication with the
handicapped; rehabilitation programs; counseling.

Features and Benefits
VAX Notes offers the following features and benefits:
Improved Communications

VAX Notes reduces or eliminates the time and expense required to arrange and
attend meetings. Meetings in VAX Notes are not restricted by varying time
zones or the lack of adequate facilities. With VAX Notes, information reaches
people faster than with conventional publication methods, and everyone has an
equal chance to participate.
Distributed Access

VAX Notes conferences can exist on and be accessed from any VMS system
where the VAX Notes software has been installed in a DECnet network. You do
not need an account on the system where the conference resides to participate
in a conference.

1-2 Introduction to VAX Notes

Moderator Support

A moderator is the person responsible for managing a conference. The moderator can restrict access to a specific group of participants by specifying names
and network locations. VAX Notes allows both moderated and unmoderated
conferences.
Choice of Editing Styles or Editors

If you use the character-cell interface to VAX Notes, you have a choice of
editing styles or editors. (This is not true of the DECwindows interface.) EVE,
the default VAX Notes editor, is an interactive, extensible editor that provides
three editing styles: standard EVE keypad editing, EDT-style keypad editing, or
WPS-style keypad editing. All of these editing styles support multiple windows,
a feature used by VAX Notes. If you are familiar with another editor, you can
specify that editor as the one you want to use in VAX Notes.
Simple Conference Structure

VAX Notes uses numbered topics and replies to maintain the discussions in a
conference. You choose which topics and replies you want to read at any time.
Notebook

Your Notebook defines your VAX Notes working environment. Your Notebook
contains your personal list of conferences of interest to you and a profile that
tailors your VAX Notes sessions.
Markers

Markers are user-defined names pointing to special notes in a conference.
You can use markers to recall a topic or reply by marker name rather than by
number.
Online HELP Facility

VAX Notes has convenient online help to provide information on VAX Notes
command syntax and usage and keypad definitions.
Use of Existing Text

VAX Notes allows you to create text outside of VAX Notes and then later add
the text to the conference.
MAIL Integration

VAX Notes uses the VMS Mail Utility (MAIL) to let you send notes or messages
to other users without leaving VAX Notes.

Introduction to VAX Notes

1-3

1.1.3 Terms and Concepts
A conference is an online meeting that usually has an agenda to generate and
focus discussion on a particular subject. In VAX Notes, agenda items are called
topics, and participants' comments on these topics are called replies. A note is
either a topic or a reply.
There can be any number of topics in a conference, and each topic can have any
number of replies. A topic and all its replies are called a discussion. Each topic
is numbered, starting with 1, and each reply to a topic is numbered, starting
with .1. For example, if topic 4 has three replies, the replies are numbered
4.1, 4.2, and 4.3. You read a discussion by specifying a note number in that
discussion.
In a VAX Notes conference, many discussions take place simultaneously. VAX
Notes stores the detailed record of the conference proceectings in a notefile.
Although a notefile can store a public conference, a private meeting, an
electronic bulletin board, or a product specification being prepared by several
engineers, the term "conferencen is used generically throughout this manual to
refer to any application of VAX Notes.
When you use VAX Notes for the first time, a Notebook is automatically created
for you. Your Notebook defines your working environment; you use it to keep
a list of conferences that interest you and to store information about your VAX
Notes sessions.
When you add a conference to your Notebook, VAX Notes keeps track of which
notes you have and have not read in that conference. Each time you join the
conference, you have the option of reading only the new notes by pressing a
single key.

1 .2 Getting Started
This section explains the basic features of VAX Notes. Since the idea is to
get you started using VAX Notes as quickly as possible, some features are
intentionally left out. Complete explanations are given in later chapters.
If you have a workstation and intend to use VAX Notes with the DECwindows
interface, tum to Part II, Chapter 7, for a hands-on tutorial session that will get
you started.

A sample conference is provided with your VAX Notes system. This sample
conference contains some hints on how to run a conference, how to get around
in a conference, how to set up the editor of your choice to use in VAX Notes,
and more.

1-4 Introduction to VAX Notes

You can use the sample conference to get hands-on experience with VAX Notes.
When you invoke VAX Notes for the first time, an entry for this conference
is automatically added to your Notebook; the entry name is SAMPLE_
CONFERENCE. As you read this section, try the examples and compare the
results on your screen with the figures presented here. You should be able to
complete the hands-on tutorial in this section in about 30 minutes.
As you and others in your organization gain experience with VAX Notes, you
can use the sample conference to collect and share your own suggestions.
NOTE

Section 1.2.12 contains a brief summary of the basic VAX Notes
commands demonstrated in this tutorial.

1 .2.1

Invoking VAX Notes
To invoke VAX Notes, type the following DCL command:
$ NOTES

After you type the NOTES command, your screen should look like this:

0 Command Line

8 Heading

8 Message Line

0 Viewing Area
ZK-5132·86

Notice that the VAX Notes display screen has four parts: the command line,
the message line, the heading, and the viewing area.

Introduction to VAX Notes

1-5

Command Line

The command line is the area at the top of the VAX Notes display screen, and
shows the Notes> prompt. You enter VAX Notes commands on the command
line.
Message Line

The message line is the area immediately below the command line and above
the first heading line. When you are in VAX Notes, messages to help you
correct or complete a command, or to notify you that new mail has arrived or
that your print job is complete, appear on the message line.
You can erase messages from the message line by pressing CTRL/W.
Heading

The heading separates the viewing area from the command and message lines.
Information displayed in the heading varies, depending on the activity you are
performing.
For example, if you are viewing a directory of notes in a conference, the heading
shows the conference title and notice (if any), the total number of topics in the
conference, when the conference was created, and when the conference was
most recently updated.
If you are reading a topic, the heading shows the topic number, the title, the
number of replies, the author, the number of lines, and the date and time the
topic was added to the conference.

Viewing Area

The viewing area occupies the major portion of the screen. VAX Notes displays
directory listings, note text, and other types of information in the viewing area.
Although you can search and scroll through text that VAX Notes displays in the
viewing area, you cannot access the text to make changes.
An indicator appears at the end of a screen of text to tell you when there is
more text or when you are at the end of the note or the directory.

1.2.2

Entering VAX Notes Commands
You can enter VAX Notes commands in the following ways:
•

Type the command on the command line and press the RETURN (or
ENTER) key to process the command.

1-6 Introduction to VAX Notes

•

Press the key that has been defined to perform the command. (Only certain
keys are defined to perform commands. See Section 1.2.4.)

The keypad is provided for your convenience. When a command is also
defined as a key, you have the choice of using the keypad or typing the
command directly on the command line.
The rules for entering VAX Notes commands are like those for entering
DIGITAL Command Language (DCL) commands. You can abbreviate VAX
Notes commands to the fewest unambiguous characters. For example, you can
abbreviate WRITE to W because it is the only VAX Notes command that begins
with W.

1.2.3

Getting Help in VAX Notes
Two kinds of online help are available for VAX Notes: command help and
keypad help. Command help lists and describes the VAX Notes commands.
Keypad help shows the VAX Notes commands that are defined as keys on your
numeric keypad.
To get online help about VAX Notes commands, type the following at the
Notes> prompt:
Notes> HELP

A categorized listing of VAX Notes commands appears. Use the NEXT SCREEN
and PREV SCREEN keys to scroll through the command listing. To get
information about one of these commands, type the command name at the
prompt at the bottom of the screen.
You can immediately see the online help for a particular command by including
that command in the HELP command line. For example, to see a complete
description of the REPLY command, type the following:
Notes> HELP REPLY COMMAND

To leave online help that you accessed from the command line, press CTRL/Z.
You return to the point where you requested help.
To access keypad help, press the HELP key. VAX Notes displays a layout of
the keypad and includes a brief description of the control key sequences that
work in VAX Notes command lines. Once the keypad help screen appears on
your screen, press the key you want help on. VAX Notes displays the online
help for that key.

Introduction to VAX Notes

1-7

1.2.4 The VAX Notes Keypad
The layout of the VAX Notes numeric keypad is the same on all DIGITAL
terminals. Once you learn this layout, you can switch from one type of
terminal to another without having to remember a different set of keypad
definitions. The VAX Notes keypad is arranged as shown in Figure 1-1.
Figure 1-1:

VAX Notes Keypad

/"PF1

PF3

PF2

NUMERIC/
COMMANDS

HELP

GOLD

PREVIOUSLY
DISPLAYED
NOTE

SELECT

PF4

NEXT
UNSEEN

BACK
TOPIC

t
1

2
BACK
REPLY

..__._

ENTER

3
NEXT
TOPIC

NEXT
REPLY

----.

•

0
NEXT SCREEN

PREV
SCREEN

One-Key
Reading
or
Command
Line
Terminator

\..
ZK-4673-85

Most of the keys on the VAX Notes keypad are used for moving around within
and between discussions in a conference. The sample conference gives you a
chance to try some of these keys.
1-8

Introduction to VAX Notes

1.2.5 Accessing a Conference
To see a listing of the conferences that are available on your system, use
the DIRECTORY/CONFERENCES command. The names of the conferences
appear in capital letters. Each conference also has a title that reflects the subject
of the conference. (This title is highlighted at the top of your screen when you
first access a conference so you can verify that you are in the right conference.)
In addition, a notice alerting you to important news may be displayed directly
below the title.
When you see a conference that looks interesting, you can use the ADD ENTRY
command to add the conference to your Notebook. (The sample conference has
already been added to your Notebook; you can skip this step for the sample
conference.)
For example, to add a conference named BOOK-REVIEWS to your Notebook,
type the following command:
Notes> ADD ENTRY BOOK_REVIEWS

You can access a conference in the following ways:
•
•

Move the pointer ( > ) until it is pointing to the desired conference and
press the SELECT key
Issue the OPEN command, specifying the conference you want to access

When you open a conference, you will see the first note that you have not yet
read. If you are opening a conference for the first time, you will not have read
any notes. Therefore, you will see the first topic, note 1.0.
To access SAMPLE_CONFERENCE by using the pointer, press keypad 2 to
move the pointer down or keypad 5 to move the pointer up to SAMPLE_
CONFERENCE. (If SAMPLE_CONFERENCE is the only entry in your
Notebook, you do not have to move the pointer.) When the pointer is next
to SAMPLE-CONFERENCE, press the SELECT key (keypad 7). VAX Notes
automatically opens the conference.
To access SAMPLE_CONFERENCE by using the OPEN command, type the
following command at the Notes> prompt:
Notes> OPEN SAMPLE_CONFERENCE

Introduction to VAX Notes

1-9

Regardless of which method you use to access the sample conference, your
screen should look like this:

Notes> I
Note 1. 0
Welcome to VAX Notes
MAR: : JOHN_tLNOTER I ' 11 111ake a note !
11

7 replies
24 lines 27-JAN-1986 10:42

VAX Notes is a co111puter-111ediated conferencing syste111 that lets you
conduct online conferences or meetings. Using VAX Notes, ~ou can
comrounicate conveniently and economicall~ with people in different
geographic locations. AnHone connected to the SMSte111 can participate,
111aking it possible for you to receive input fro111 man~ people without
costly, ti111e-consu111ing 111eetings.
This sa111ple conference has been provided to help ~ou quickl~ get
started using VAX Notes. It contains definitions of terms, ways to
read notes, a place for ~ou to add ~our first repl~, and helpful hints
for running and participating in an online conference. This conference
also has information about choosing an editor for writing notes,
running VAX Notes in batch fflode, and protecting a confidential meeting
with an Access Control List <ACL).
To continue reading this note, press the RETURN ke~.
7 111ore lines ...
ZK-5115-HC

1.2.6

Listing Notes in a Conference
When you are in a conference, you can use the VAX Notes DIRECTORY
command to list topics, replies, or both. They appear in ascending order. To
see a directory of the topics in SAMPLE-CONFERENCE, type the following
command:
Notes> DIRECTORY

1-10 Introduction to VAX Notes

Your screen should look like this:

Notes> I

Created: 27-JAN-1986 10:39

VAX Notes Sa~'le Conference
9 topics
Updated: 18-FEB-1986 14:23

To,ic Author
Date
Re'l
MAR::JOHN_Q_NQTER 27-JAN-1986
7
1
MAR::JOHN_Q_NOTER 27-JAN-1986
1
2
MAR::NEW_USER
27-JAN-1986
2
3
MAR::JOHN_Q_NOTER 27-JAN-1986
4
0
MAR::JOHN_Q_NOTER 27-JAN-1986
3
5
MAR::JOHN_Q_NOTER 27-JAN-1986
0
6
MAR::JOHN_Q_NQTER 27-JAN-1986
5
7
MAR::JOHN_Q_NQTER 27-JAN-1986
1
8
MAR::JOHN_Q_NQTER 3-FEB-1986
0
9
End of recuested listin

Title
Welcoffle to VAX Notes
Choosing an editor to use in VA+
Help! I don't understand NEXT U+
Who Are You? - Tell us about MO+
Using the DIRECTORY, PRINT and t
Suggestions for the Welco~e note
Online Etiquette
Using NOTES$COMMAND to Define A+
VAX Notes SecuritM Consideratio+

ZK-5116-HC

You can limit the directory to a range of topics by specifying the starting and
ending topic numbers in the DIRECTORY command. For example, to list topics
5 through 9 in SAMPLE_CONFERENCE, type the following command:
Notes> DIRECTORY 5-9

To include replies in the directory, specify the reply numbers as well as the
topic numbers. For example, to list all replies from 5.1 to 5.6, type the following
command:
Notes> DIRECTORY 5.1-5.6

You can use the wildcard character ( •) to specify all replies. For example, to
see a listing of all notes from topic 5 through the last reply to topic 9, type the
following command:
Notes> DIRECTORY 5.*-9.*

Introduction to VAX Notes

1-11

1 .2. 7

Reading Notes
The READ command allows you to view the text of a note. It is not necessary
to issue the READ command every time you want to read a note. VAX Notes
assumes you want to read a note when you reply to the Notes> prompt with
a number; the READ command is implied. For example, to read note 5.1 in
SAMPLE-CONFERENCE, type the following:
Notes> 5.1

Your screen should look like this:

ZK-5117-HC

You can practice using the keypad to read notes. When note 5.1 in the sample
conference appears on your screen, press the ENTER key to continue reading
the note. (The RETURN key and keypad 0 (NEXT SCREEN) also allow you to
continue reading a note that does not fit on one screen.)
Then press keypad 1 to issue the BACK REPLY command. Note 5.0 appears.

1-12 Introduction to VAX Notes

Press keypad 3 to issue the NEXT REPLY command. Note 5.1 reappears. Press
keypad 3 repeatedly to read all the replies to topic 5. Notice that pressing
keypad 3 skips the remainder of the current note, if the note uses more than
one screen.
Now press keypad 2 to issue the NEXT TOPIC command. Topic 6 (note 6.0)
appears.
Finally, press keypad 5 to issue the BACK TOPIC command. Topic 5 (note 5.0)
reappears.
One of the advantages of adding a conference to your Notebook is that you
can read all the new notes by pressing only the ENTER key on your keypad.
For example, you can read all the way to the end of the sample conference by
repeatedly pressing the ENTER key. The ENTER key displays the next screen,
unless you are at the end of a note; then, the ENTER key displays the next
reply. If there are no more replies, the ENTER key displays the next new note
in another discussion.

1 .2.8

Adding a Reply to a Discussion
A discussion is a topic and all its replies. You can add a reply to a discussion in
the following ways:
•

Go directly to the discussion and prepare your reply by using the VAX
Notes editor

•

Use any editor to prepare the reply in a text file, and then access the
discussion and add the reply

First, use the READ command (or type the note number) to display the note.
You can be anywhere in the discussion to add a reply; you do not have to
be reading the topic or the last reply. You use the REPLY command to add a
reply. When you confirm that you are finished with your reply, VAX Notes
adds your reply as the last reply in the discussion.
In VAX Notes, you always use the editor of your choice to compose notes.
If you do not explicitly choose an editor, VAX Notes uses the EVE editor. If
you normally use the EDT editor in keypad mode, you should try using EVE
with the EDT keypad. This lets you use the keypad as if you were using EDT,

and it gives you the benefit of using EVE commands and multiple window
capabilities.

Introduction to VAX Notes

1-13

To set up EVE (the default VAX Notes editor) with the EDT-style keypad, type
the following command:
Notes> SET PROFILE/EDITOR=EDT
Your profile has been modified

To add a reply to topic 4 in the sample conference, type the following
commands:
Notes> 4
Notes> REPLY

Your screen should look like this:

ZK-5118-HC

Type anything as a reply. Your reply can be as long or as short as you like.
Use the PREY SCREEN (keypad period) and NEXT SCREEN (keypad 0) keys,
if needed, to review your reply. When you are satisfied with your reply, follow
the steps on the screen.
Press F10 or CTRL/Z to add your note ICTRL/ZI
Enter a title for your reply: This is my first reply!
Your reply is complete. Proceed to enter it? (Y/N) <Y> IRETURNI

1-14 Introduction to VAX Notes

VAX Notes displays your reply to confirm that it was successfully added to the
conference. Notice that your reply is added as the last reply to topic 4.
If you want to cancel your reply, you can do one of the following:

•

Quit the editor. If you are using EVE, the default VAX Notes editor, press
the DO key (PF4 on a VTlOO-series terminal) and type the command QUIT.

•

Exit from the editor. Then, when VAX Notes prompts you for a title for
your reply, press CTRL/C followed by RETURN.
If you have already typed a title and then change your mind, you can press
CTRL/C followed by RETURN (or type N for No) at the prompt that asks
whether VAX Notes should proceed to enter the reply. The reply will not
be entered in the conference.

•

If your reply has been entered, it appears on the screen. You can use the
DELETE command at the Notes> prompt to delete the reply from the
conference.

To use the text in a previously prepared text file for your reply, specify the
name of the text file in the REPLY command. For example, if you have a file
named FIL.DAT in your current default directory on your VMS system, you can
use the text in FIL.DAT for your reply by typing:
Notes> REPLY FIL.DAT

NOTE

On a personal computer (PC), you can use any editor that gives
ASCII output. (With most PC editors, this can usually be accomplished by printing to a file with the PRINT command.) This file
must then be transferred to your VMS system before you can add
the text to the conference.
VAX Notes gives you a chance to edit the text before you indicate that you are
ready to add the reply to the conference.

1.2.9 Adding a New Topic
You use the WRITE command to add a new topic to the conference. As long as
the conference is open, you can issue the WRITE command; you do not have to
be reading the last note. VAX Notes assigns the next available number to your
topic, and the entire editing screen is blank, waiting for you to type the text of
your topic.

Introduction to VAX Notes

1-15

To write a new topic in the sample conference, type the following command:
Notes> WRITE

Type the topic text, which can be as long or as short as you like. You can use
the PREV SCREEN and NEXT SCREEN keys to review your topic. When you
are satisfied with your topic, follow the steps on the screen.
Press F10 or CTRL/Z to add your note ICTRL/ZI
Enter a title for your topic: This is my first topic!
Your topic is complete. Proceed to enter it? (Y/N) <Y> !RETURN!

VAX Notes displays your topic to confirm that it was successfully added to the
conference.
If you want to cancel your topic, you can do one of the following:

•

Quit the editor. If you are using EVE, the default VAX Notes editor, press
the DO key (PF4 on a VTlOO-series terminal) and type the command QUIT.

•

Exit from the editor. Then, when VAX Notes prompts you for a title for
your topic, press CTRL/C followed by RETURN.

•

If you have already entered a title and then change your mind, you can

press CTRL/C followed by RETURN (or type N for No) at the prompt that
asks whether VAX Notes should proceed to enter the topic. The topic will
not be entered in the conference.
If your topic has been entered, it appears on the screen. You can use the

DELETE command at the Notes> prompt to delete the topic from the
conference.
To use the text in a previously prepared text file for your topic, specify the
name of the text file in the WRITE command. For example, if you have a file
named FIL.DAT in your current default directory on your VMS system, you can
use the text in FIL.DAT for your topic by typing:
Notes> WRITE FIL.DAT

VAX Notes gives you a chance to edit the text before you indicate that you are
ready to add the topic to the conference.

1.2.10

Printing Notes
At times, it may be inconvenient for you to read notes from your terminal,
especially when the notes are long. (The number of lines shown in the note
heading indicates how long a note is.)

1-16 Introduction to VAX Notes

You can print notes and read them at your leisure. You use the PRINT
command to print notes. To print the note you are currently reading, issue the
PRINT command. To print a range of notes, specify the note numbers with the
PRINT command. For example, to print topic 2 in the sample conference, type
the following commands:
Notes> 2
Notes> PRINT
1 note added to job on queue SYS$PRINT

To print topic 7 and all its replies, type the following command:
Notes> PRINT 7.*
6 notes added to job on queue SYS$PRINT

VAX Notes delays printing the notes until you end your VAX Notes session.

1 .2.11

Ending a VAX Notes Session
To leave the sample conference, type the following command:
Notes> CLOSE

To end the VAX Notes session, type the following command:
Notes> EXIT

If you queued any notes to a printer, your print job is started now. You will see

a message like the following:
Job NOTES (queue SYS$PRINT, entry 999) started on PRINTER$LPAO

You can press CTRL/Z twice in place of the CLOSE and EXIT commands.

1 .2.12

Quick Summary of Basic Commands
To invoke VAX Notes, type the following:
$ NOTES

You can get online help for VAX Notes commands and key definitions at any
time during a VAX Notes session. To see key definitions for VAX Notes, press
the HELP key. To get help on VAX Notes commands, on the command line
type the following:
Notes> HELP

Before you can read the notes in a conference, you must first add the conference
to your Notebook, then open the conference.

Introduction to VAX Notes

1-17

To see a listing of the conferences that are available on your system, type the
following:
Notes> DIRECTORY/CONFERENCES

The name of each conference appears in capital letters. The title briefly
describes the subject of the conference.
To add a conference to your Notebook, use the ADD ENTRY command. For
example, to add the CARS conference to your Notebook, type the following:
Notes> ADD ENTRY CARS

To open a conference, use the OPEN command. For example, to open the
CARS conference, type the following:
Notes> OPEN CARS

A conference is organized into discussions. Each discussion begins with a topic,
each having any number of replies. Topics are numbered consecutively, starting
with 1. Replies are also numbered consecutively, by topic, starting with .1. For
example, if there are three replies to topic 4, they are numbered 4.1, 4.2, and
4.3. To see a listing of the topics in a conference, after opening the conference,
type the following:
Notes> DIRECTORY

To include replies, as well as topics, in the listing, type the following:
Notes> DIRECTORY*·*

To read a specific topic or reply, type the number at the Notes> prompt. For
example, to read the third reply to topic 6, type the following:
Notes> 6.3

Use the ENTER or RETURN key to page through the replies in a discussion.
To set up EVE, the default VAX Notes editor, with the EDT-style keypad, type
the following command:
Notes> SET PROFILE/EDITOR=EDT

To add a reply to a discussion, use the REPLY command. You must be reading
a reply (or the topic) in the discussion before you issue the REPLY command.
For example, to add a reply to the discussion on topic 10, type the following:
Notes> 10
Notes> REPLY

To start a discussion on a new topic, type the following:
Notes> WRITE

1-18 Introduction to VAX Notes

To print notes, use the PRINT command. If you do not specify a range of
notes to print, VAX Notes assumes you want to print the note you are currently
reading. For example, to print topic 3 and all replies to that topic, type the
following:
Notes> PRINT 3.*

To leave a conference, use the CLOSE command. You can also press CTRL/Z
in place of the CLOSE command. For example, to close a conference, press the
following keys:
Notes>

@PZ]

To end your VAX Notes session, use the EXIT command (or press CTRL/Z). For
example, to exit from VAX Notes, press the following keys:
Notes>

ICTRL/Z I

1 .3 VAX Notes Command Summary
Table 1-1 groups the VAX Notes commands by function, and gives a brief
description of each command. The commands listed in this table as "Getting
Started Commands" are demonstrated in Section 1.2.
Table 1-1: VAX Notes Command Summary
Command

Description

GETTING STARTED COMMANDS
NOTES

Invokes VAX Notes from the DCL level.

HELP

Accesses online help about the VAX Notes commands.
Keypad help is available by pressing the HELP key.

SHOW ERROR

Shows full text of an error message displayed on the
message line.

DIRECTORY/CONFERENCES Lists available conferences on a specific system (or
node).
ADD ENTRY

Adds a conference to your Notebook.

OPEN

Opens a conference in your Notebook.

(continued on next page)

Introduction to VAX Notes

1-19

Table 1-1 (Cont.):

VAX Notes Command Summary

Command

Description

GETTING STARTED COMMANDS
DIRECTORY

Lists topics and replies in a conference.

READ

Displays the specified note.

SET PROFILE/EDITOR

Lets you choose one of the keypad styles for the EVE
editor.

Adds a reply to the current discussion.

WRITE

Adds a new topic in the current conference.

Prints notes.

Lets you leave a conference and return to your
Notebook.

EXIT

Ends a VAX Notes session.

NOTEBOOK COMMANDS
Organizing Entries
ADD ENTRY

Adds a conference to your Notebook.

DELETE ENTRY

Removes a conference from your Notebook.

MODIFY ENTRY

Changes information about an entry.

SET CLASS

Sets the specified class as the current class.

SHOW CLASSES

Lists classes in your Notebook.

SHOW ENTRY

Shows information about the specified conference in
your Notebook.

Using Markers
ADD MARKER

Adds a marker to the specified note.

DELETE MARKER

Deletes a marker from your Notebook.

MARK

Is a synonym for ADD MARKER.

READ /MARKER

Displays the note having the specified marker.

(continued on next page)

1-20 Introduction to VAX Notes

Table 1-1 (Cont.):

VAX Notes Command Summary

Command

Description

NOTEBOOK COMMANDS
SHOW MARKER

Shows the note number associated with the specified
marker.

Getting Directories
DIRECTORY /CONFERENCES Lists available conferences on a specific node.
DIRECTORY /ENTRIES

Lists entries in the specified class.

DIRECTORY /NOTEBOOK

Is a synonym for DIRECTORY /ENTRIES.

Other Notebook Commands
CLOSE

Lets you leave a conference and return to your
Notebook.

OPEN

Opens the specified conference in your Notebook.

SET PROFILE

Creates or changes settings in your profile.

UPDATE

Polls the specified entry or class of entries to determine
which ones have new notes.

MODERATOR COMMANDS
Setting Up a Conference
CREATE CONFERENCE

Creates a new conference.

SET CONFERENCE

Sets characteristics for a conference.

SET MODERATOR

Enables moderator privilege.

Maintaining Member
Information
ADD MEMBER

Adds a new member to the conference.

DELETE MEMBER

Deletes a member from the conference.

MODIFY MEMBER

Modifies information about a member.

Other Moderator
Commands
CREATE KEYWORD

Creates a new keyword for the conference.

DELETE KEYWORD

Deletes a keyword.

DELETE NOTE

Deletes a note entered by another user.

(continued on next page)

Introduction to VAX Notes

1-21

Table 1-1 (Cont.):

VAX Notes Command Summary

Command

Description

MODERATOR COMMANDS
MODIFY KEYWORD

Modifies the name of a keyword.

SET NOTE

Sets attributes for a note.

DNS COMMANDS
ADD OBJECT

Adds a conference to the VAX Distributed Name Service
(DNS) database, as a DNS object. I

DELETE OBJECT

Deletes an object (conference) from the DNS database.I

SET OBJECT

Sets, changes, or deletes the file specification associated with a conference that is an object in the DNS
database. 1

SHOW OBJECT

Shows the file specification, if any, associated with a
conference that is a VAX Distributed Name Service
(DNS) object.

INFORMATION COMMANDS
SHOW CONFERENCE

Shows information about the current
conference.

SHOW ERROR

Shows the full text of the last error message.

SHOW KEYWORDS

Shows information about keywords in the current
conference.

SHOW MEMBER

Shows information about all members or a specified
member in the current conference.

SHOW MODERATOR

Shows the name of the moderators for the current
conference.

SHOW NOTE

Shows information about the specified note.

SHOW OBJECT

Shows the file specification, if any, associated with a
conference that is a VAX Distributed Name Service
(DNS) object.

SHOW PROFILE

Shows information about your current profile settings.

SHOW VERSION

Shows the version of VAX Notes you are currently
using.

1
This command requires write privilege to the DNS database, and requires installation of DNS on
your system.

(continued on next page)

1-22 Introduction to VAX Notes

Table 1-1 (Cont.):

VAX Notes Command Summary

Command

Description

INFORMATION COMMANDS
ADDITIONAL COMMANDS
Navigation Commands
BACK

Displays the previous reply in the current discussion.

BACK NOTE

Displays the previous note.

BACK REPLY

Displays the previous reply in the current discussion.

BACK TOPIC

Displays the previous topic.

LAST

Displays the last topic in the conference.

.LAST

Displays the last reply in the current
discussion.

Displays the next reply.

NEXT NOTE

Displays the next note.

NEXT REPLY

Displays the next reply.

NEXT TOPIC

Displays the next topic.

NEXT UNSEEN

Displays the next note you have not yet seen.

TOPIC

Displays the topic for the current discussion.

Maintaining Keywords
ADD KEYWORD

Adds an existing keyword to the specified note.

CREATE KEYWORD

Creates a new keyword for the conference.

DELETE KEYWORD

Deletes a keyword.

Manipulating a Subprocess
ATTACH

Attaches to the parent process or specified process.

SPAWN

Creates a subprocess.

Using Other Utilities
EVE

Invokes the EVE editor.

FORWARD

Forwards the current note by MAIL.

SEND

Sends a note to one or more users by MAIL without
leaving VAX Notes.

TPU

Executes the rest of the command line as a VAXTPU
command.

(continued on next page)

Introduction to VAX Notes

1-23

Table 1-1 (Cont.):

VAX Notes Command Summary

Command

Description

ADDITIONAL COMMANDS
Other Commands
ANSWER

Is a synonym for REPLY.

CONTINUE

Causes continuation of the current operation, with the
same effect as pressing the RETURN key at the Notes>
prompt.

EXTRACT

Is a synonym for SAVE.

EXTRACT /BUFFER

Is a synonym for SAVE/BUFFER.

SAVE

Saves notes in a VMS text file.

SAVE/BUFFER

Saves specified notes in a buffer.

Searches a range of notes or the entire conference for
notes containing the specified string.

SELECT

Selects an item from a list displayed on your screen.
Also adds a conference on a "shopping list" to your
Notebook.

SET NOTE

Sets attributes for the specified note.

SET SEEN

Lets you set notes as seen without having to display
them.

1-24 Introduction to VAX Notes

Chapter 2

Reading Notes
This chapter elaborates on the information presented in Chapter 1 and
introduces some new topics. This chapter explains the following:
•

2.1

Listing available conferences and ways to access them

•

Navigating through a conference to view notes

•

Displaying the keywords for a conference and adding these keywords to
your notes

•

Listing, printing, and saving notes that meet specific criteria

Terms and Concepts
This section introduces some new concepts and terms that are used throughout
this manual.

2.1.1

Types of Conferences
Normally, VAX Notes conferences are unrestricted. An unrestricted conference is a public conference in which anyone can read and write notes. An
unrestricted conference may or may not have an active moderator, the person
who is responsible for generating interest in the conference and keeping the
discussion on track.
A private conference is a conference that limits participation to a select group
of users. You can think of a private conference as being "for members only." A
moderator is required to specify who may participate in a private conference;
the moderator does this by creating a membership list. Unless you are listed
as a member, you will not be able to access a private conference.

Reading Notes

2-1

The moderator also has the ability to restrict the creation of keywords in
a conference, regardless of whether the conference is public or private. A
keyword is a word or phrase that lets you group notes that are concerned with
a particular subject, but that do not have other attributes (for example, title,
author, or date) in common.
By default, the creation of new keywords is restricted. If you want to create
new keywords, the moderator must authorize you to do so. The moderator
can also change the conference characteristics so that anyone can create new
keywords. In any case, a keyword that has already been created can be added
to any note by any user, regardless of whether keyword creation is restricted.

2.1.2

The Author
When you enter a note in a conference, you are the author of the note. Your
user name appears in the note heading, and appears next to the note title in a
directory listing. Participants can limit the notes they retrieve to just the ones
you have entered by specifying your user name (see Section 2.6).
The author of a note has certain privileges, for example, deleting the note (see
Section 2. 9) or temporarily hiding the note from the view of other participants.

2.1 .3

Seen and Unseen Notes
In an active conference, you need some way of keeping up with the latest
conversation. VAX Notes maintains a record of which notes you have and
have not read in a conference, and provides convenient ways for you to access
only the notes that are new to you. Until you read a note, it is marked as
unseen. VAX Notes marks notes you have read as seen. You can use the
NEXT UNSEEN command to read only the new notes.
The DIRECTORY, PRINT, and SAVE (or .EXTRACT) commands have an
/UNSEEN qualifier that lets you list, print, or save only the notes you have not
yet read. Using the /UNSEEN qualifier with any of these commands does not
change the status of these notes to "seen."
VAX Notes allows you to mark notes as seen even though you have not
actually displayed them. The PRINT and SAVE (or EXTRACT) commands have
a /SEEN qualifier that changes the status of notes you print or save to "seen."
You can also use the SET SEEN command to mark a range of notes as "seen"
without having to print or save the notes (see Section 2.10).

2-2

Reading Notes

2.2 Listing Available Conferences
Any given conference exists on a single system in your network. However,
because VAX Notes is a distributed system, you can access any conference on
any system (provided the conference is public or you are a member of a private
conference). You use the DIRECTORY/CONFERENCES command to find out
the names of conferences that are available on your system (or on any system
in your network that you may access).
The DIRECTORY/CONFERENCES/ ALL command displays a listing of
available conferences, including conferences you are not allowed to access.
The listing includes titles, the date and time the conference was created and
last updated, the current number of topics and notes, and the current notice
(if any). If a conference is private, and you are not included among users who
have access privileges, the directory listing shows the message "You are not a
member of this conference. n
To see a listing of the conferences that are available on your system (or node),
type the following command:
Notes> DIRECTORY/CONFERENCES/ALL

Figure 2-1 shows a DIRECTORY/CONFERENCES/ALL display.

Reading Notes

2-3

Figure 2-1:

DIRECTORY/CONFERENCES/ALL Display

Notes>
Director~

of conferences on NOTES$LIBRARY:

>SKIING
Title: Ski season shalt now begin
Moderator: cur:: GILBERTO
Created: 3-FEB-1986 11:39 6 topics, 12 notes Updated: 12-SEP-1986 09:44
SMG
Title: Screen ManaGe~ent Discussions
Notice: See note 3 for kits, 300 for Wishlist
Moderator: ACTION::SCARR
Created: 24-JAN-1986 12:19 686 topics, 2211 notes Updated: 31-0CT-1988 10:03
SMG_OLD
Title:
Screen ManaGe~ent
Notice: CUT::SMG_OLD -- the new conference is CUT::SMG
Moderator: cur:: SCARR
Created: 3-FEB-1986 11:40 269 topics, 921 notes Updated:

6-0CT-1988 13:41

SNOBOL
ZK-5135-86

To see a listing of the conferences that are available on system (node) TOPCAT,
type the following command:
Notes> DIRECTORY/CONFERENCES/ALL TOPCAT

NOTE
You can see a directory of conferences in a private directory by including the device and directory name in the DIRECTORY /CONFERENCES
command. The heading of the display shows the device and directory name in place of NOTES$LIBRARY.
If the private directory contains a Notebook, that Notebook is listed
as a conference named NOTES$NOTEBOOK. DIGITAL recommends
that you do not try to access or add notes to the Notebook.

2-4 Reading Notes

2.3 Accessing a Conference
You can access a conference in the following ways:
•

Add the conference to your Notebook, then go through your Notebook to
open the conference with either the DCL command NOTES or the Notes
command OPEN

•

Open the conference directly, without adding the conference to your
Notebook, with either the DCL command NOTES or the Notes command
OPEN

You use the CLOSE or EXIT command (or press CTRL/Z) to leave a conference
and to return to your Notebook.
Your Notebook stores the names of conferences you want to track and information about your VAX Notes sessions. See Chapter 4 for more information about
adding conferences to your Notebook.

2.3.1

Opening a Conference Through Your Notebook
When you open a conference through your Notebook, VAX Notes keeps track
of which notes you have and have not seen. If you plan to follow a conference
regularly, you should add it to your Notebook and consistently access the
conference through your Notebook. This way, VAX Notes always knows which
notes you have seen, and will not show you these notes again unless you
specifically ask to see them.
You use the ADD ENTRY command to add a conference to your Notebook.
For example, to add a conference called STRATEGY to your Notebook, type the
following command:
Notes> ADD ENTRY STRATEGY
Entry for STRATEGY added to your Notebook

There are two ways to open a conference that you have added as an entry to
your Notebook:
•

Display a listing of the entry names (conferences) by issuing the
DIRECTORY/ENTRIES (or DIRECTORY /NOTEBOOK) command. Then,
move the pointer to the entry you want to access and press the SELECT
key.

Reading Notes

2-5

•

Issue the OPEN command, specifying the name of the entry you want to
access. For example, to access the conference named STRATEGY, type the
following command:
Notes> OPEN STRATEGY
Opening conference STRATEGY

When you have a listing of entries on your screen, you can move the pointer
forward by pressing keypad 2, and backward by pressing keypad 5. You can
also press keypad 3 to skip forward to the next entry with an "Unseen" count
that is greater than zero; press keypad 1 to skip backward to the previous entry
with a nonzero "Unseen" count.

2.3.2

Opening a Conference Directly
You might want to open a conference directly and read a few notes before
deciding to add the conference to your Notebook. Be aware, however, that
when you open a conference directly, VAX Notes does not keep track of which
notes you have and have not seen. If you add this conference to your Notebook
at a later time, VAX Notes will display the notes you saw when you opened the
conference directly.
The DCL command NOTES and the VAX Notes command OPEN both have a
/NONOTEBOOK qualifier that allows you to open a conference that is not in
your Notebook.
For example, to invoke VAX Notes and immediately access the STRATEGY
conference, which is not in your Notebook, at the DCL prompt type the
following command:
$ NOTES/NONOTEBOOK STRATEGY

Alternatively, once you have invoked VAX Notes, you can type the following
command to bypass your Notebook and access the STRATEGY conference
directly:
Notes> OPEN/NONOTEBOOK STRATEGY

2.4 Navigating Through a Conference
VAX Notes uses a simple topics-and-replies structure to organize the discussions
in a conference. There are several ways you can navigate through the topics
and replies of Notes conferences.
•

2-6

Specify the note you want to read by number

Reading Notes

•
•

Type navigation commands
Press keys on the keypad to issue navigation commands

You always have the choice of using the method you find the most convenient.

2.4.1

Specifying Notes by Number
You can simultaneously open a conference and display a specified note by
typing the note number after the entry name; for example:
Notes> OPEN STRATEGY 55.8

From the DCL level, you can simultaneously invoke VAX Notes, open a
conference, and display a specified note; for example:
$ NOTES STRATEGY 55.8

You can read a note by typing the note number at the Notes> prompt. For
example, to read reply 4 to topic 17, type:
Notes> 17.4

You can read other replies to topic 17 by specifying only the reply number. A
reply number is distinguished from a topic number by a period (. ) in front of
the reply number. For example, if you have just read a reply to topic 17, you
can read the eighth reply to this topic by typing the following:
Notes> .8

VAX Notes stays in the discussion under topic 17 until you direct otherwise. To
read another discussion, you specify a new topic number.
When you type a number without a period in front of it, VAX Notes interprets
this as a topic number. For example, VAX Notes interprets the following
response as topic 10, not the tenth reply to the current topic:
Notes> 10

You can type a period (.) at the Notes> prompt to redisplay the current note.
This is helpful if you have issued a DIRECTORY or SHOW command while
reading a note; the output for these commands writes over the note text. By
typing a period and pressing the RETURN key, you can return to the note you
were reading without having to remember the note number. Typing a period
is also useful to get back to the start of a note if you are on a screen other than
the first screen in a long note.

Reading Notes 2-7

2.4.2

Using Navigation Commands
Some VAX Notes commands let you navigate easily through a discussion,
without having to specify a topic or reply number. These commands are briefly
described in Table 2-1. See the VAX Notes Command Dictionary in Part III for
complete descriptions.

Table 2-1:

Navigation Commands

Command

Description

BACK [REPLY)

Displays the previous reply to the current topic. This command
does not go beyond the current discussion.

BACK TOPIC

Displays the previous topic.

LAST

Displays the last topic.

.LAST

Displays the last reply to the current topic .

NEXT [REPLY)

Displays the next reply to the current topic. This command does
not go beyond the current discussion.

NEXT TOPIC

Displays the next topic.

NEXT UNSEEN

Skips the rest of the replies to the current topic and displays the
next note in another discussion you have not yet seen.

TOPIC

Displays the current topic.

Some examples of the navigation commands follow.
If you are reading note 4.2 and you want to read note 4.3, type the following
command:
Notes> NEXT

To read topic 4 (while in that discussion), type the following command:
Notes> TOPIC

To read topic 5, skipping the replies to topic 4, type the following command:
Notes> NEXT TOPIC

To skip the replies to topic 5 and read the next note in the conference that you
have not yet seen, type the following command:
Notes> NEXT UNSEEN

You can continue using the NEXT UNSEEN command until VAX Notes displays
the message "No more new notes."

2-8

Reading Notes

If you are reading the last reply to a topic and issue the NEXT command, VAX
Notes tells you there are no more replies. Similarly, if you are reading a topic
and issue the BACK command, VAX Notes also tells you there are no more
replies. The NEXT and BACK commands do not cross the boundaries of the
current discussion.

To move beyond the current discussion, use the BACK TOPIC, NEXT TOPIC,
or NEXT UNSEEN commands.

2.4.3

Using the Keypad
Most of the VAX Notes navigation commands are defined as keys. Review the
VAX Notes keypad in Figure 2-2 to see which navigation commands you can
issue by pressing a key.

Reading Notes

2-9

Figure 2-2:

VAX Notes Keypad

/"PF1

PF3

PF2

NUMERIC/
COMMANDS

HELP

GOLD

PREVIOUSLY
DISPLAYED
NOTE

SELECT

NEXT
UNSEEN

BACK
TOPIC

ENTER

2
BACK
REPLY

PF4

NEXT
TOPIC

•

NEXT SCREEN

NEXT
REPLY

-..

•
PREV
SCREEN

One-Key
Reading
or
Command
Line
Terminator

\...
ZK-4673-85

2-1 0

Reading Notes

Figure 2-3 shows additional VAX Notes key definitions for the editing keypad
and the function keys along the top of the VT200-series keyboard.
Figure 2-3:

Additional VAX Notes Keys for VT200-Series Terminals

Exit

l_......J

[_Help

F10

Select

Prev
Screen

Next
Screen

'Command
Recall

r
Command
Recall

'
..I
ZK-5140·86

Five keys are particularly useful: the keypad ENTER key, the keyboard
RETURN key, the keypad minus sign(-) key, the keypad comma(,) key,
and program function key FlO (equivalent to CTRL/Z).

Reading Notes

2-11

ENTER Key
If you are reading a note, you can use the ENTER key repeatedly to navigate

through the conference in the following manner:
•

If the current note continues onto another screen, the next screen is
displayed.

•

If you are at the end of the current note, the next reply is displayed.

•

If there are no more replies, the next unseen note in another discussion is
displayed.

If you are not reading a note, you can press the ENTER key to terminate a

command entered at the Notes> prompt.
RETURN Key
If you are reading a note, you can use the RETURN key repeatedly to navigate

through a discussion in the following manner:
•

If the current note continues onto another screen, the next screen appears.

•

If you are at the end of the current note, the next reply appears.

•

If there are no more replies, a message appears.

Keypad Comma

To skip the rest of the current discussion, without paging through the remaining
replies, press the comma (,) key on the keypad to issue the NEXT UNSEEN
command. Notice, however, that any replies you skip in this way are marked
"seen."
You can continue reading by pressing the ENTER key, or by pressing the
keypad comma key again to skip to the next unseen note. You can continue to
press the keypad comma key until VAX Notes displays the message "No more
new notes."
Keypad Minus Sign

By pressing the minus sign ( - ) key on the keypad, you can read the note you
were reading immediately prior to the current note. This works regardless of
discussion boundaries. For example, if you read note 4.3 and then read note
6.5, you can display note 4.3 again by pressing the keypad minus sign key.
(Note that there is no command to display the previously displayed note. The
only way to do so is by pressing the keypad minus sign key or by respecifying
the note number.)

2-12 Reading Notes

CTRL/Z

In general, you can think of CTRL/Z as a way to signal the end of an activity
in VAX Notes. For example, you can use CTRL/Z to do the following:
•
•
•
•

Exit from online command help (not keypad help) and return to the
Notes> prompt
Exit from EVE, the default VAX Notes editor, when you have finished
typing a note
Exit from a conference and return to your Notebook
Exit from VAX Notes and return to the DCL level

At any prompt other than the Notes> prompt, pressing CTRL/Z is equivalent
to pressing RETURN. Pressing CTRL/Z after typing some text in response to
any prompt other than the Notes> prompt is treated as if the text were ended
by RETURN. This is true except in the following cases:
•

•

When you issue the WRITE command, pressing CTRL/Z at the NEnter a
title for your topic:" prompt causes VAX Notes to interpret CTRL/Z as a
null string, and the title line will be blank. If you press RETURN at the title
line prompt, VAX Notes prompts you again for a title for the topic.
When you forward a note with the FORWARD command, pressing CTRL/Z
at the Subject: prompt causes VAX Notes to interpret CTRL/Z as a null
string, and the subject line will be blank. If you press RETURN at the
Subject: prompt, VAX Notes uses the conference title and note number by
default.

2.5 Adding and Deleting Keywords from Notes
A keyword is a representative word that allows you to group notes that are
concerned with a particular subject or that do not have such attributes as title,
author, or time of entry in common. Keywords are useful for grouping notes
that may not have the keyword in the note text or title, but that do address the
subject the keyword represents.

For example, in a conference on on-site training, several notes may discuss
the merits of computer-aided instruction without actually using that term. If
the keyword COMPUTER-AIDED-1NSTRUCTION is created, you can add
the keyword to any note that discusses this subject. Then, you can retrieve all
the notes that discuss computer-aided instruction by specifying the keyword
COMPUTER-AIDED-1NSTRUCTION with a DIRECTORY/KEYWORD,
SAVE/KEYWORD, or PRINT/KEYWORD command.

Reading Notes

2-13

In a conference that restricts keyword creation, only moderators and privileged
users can create keywords. However, anyone can add a keyword to any
note, regardless of who entered the note, as long as the keyword was created
beforehand.

2.5.1

Getting Information About Keywords
You can see all the existing keywords for the current conference by issuing the
SHOW KEYWORDS command. If a keyword is longer than 20 characters, the
SHOW KEYWORDS command truncates it to 20 characters in the display. (The
SHOW NOTE/KEYWORDS command displays the entire keyword.) To check
whether a particular keyword exists, issue the SHOW KEYWORDS command
and specify the keyword (either fully spelled out or with a wildcard character)
as a parameter. For example, to verify that the keyword MOVIES exists in the
current conference, type the following command:
Notes> SHOW KEYWORDS MOVIES

If the keyword MOVIES exists, it appears on your screen.

To see a list of keywords with the numbers of the notes they refer to, type the
following command:
Notes> SHOW KEYWORDS/FULL

To see which notes a particular keyword refers to, specify the keyword as a
parameter to the SHOW KEYWORDS /FULL command, as in the following
example:
Notes> SHOW KEYWORDS/FULL MOVIES

2.5.2

Adding a Keyword to a Note
You use the ADD KEYWORD command to add a keyword to a note. Unless
you specify a note, VAX Notes assumes you want to add the keyword to the
note you are currently reading. You do not need to be the author of the note to
add a keyword to it.
Anyone can add an existing keyword to any note whether or not keyword
creation is restricted in the conference. If keyword creation is unrestricted,
anyone can also create and simultaneously add a new keyword with either the
CREATE KEYWORD or the ADD KEYWORD command.

2-14 Reading Notes

You can add a keyword to only one note at a time; you cannot specify a range
of notes with the ADD KEYWORD command. Similarly, you can add only a
single keyword to a note at one time. To add more than one keyword to a
note, you must issue the ADD KEYWORD command once for each keyword.
To add the keywords EXOTICA and RARE-1NSECTS to note 6.6 in the current
conference, type the following commands:
Notes> READ 6.6
Notes> ADD KEYWORD EXOTICA
Notes> ADD KEYWORD RARE_INSECTS

To add a keyword to another note without leaving the note you are currently
reading, specify the note as a parameter to the ADD KEYWORD command. For
example, if you are reading note 6.6, you can add the keyword FOOTBALL to
note 3.5 by typing the following command:
Notes> ADD KEYWORD FOOTBALL 3.5

NOTE
If you are a moderator or have CREATE_j(EYWORDS privilege, or

the conference does not restrict the creation of keywords, the first
time you add a keyword to a note, it is automatically created.
You can check whether you have MODERATE ([M]) or CREATE_
KEYWORDS ([K]) privilege by using the SHOW MEMBER command
and by specifying your user name. The SHOW MEMBER command
is valid only in a conference that has a membership list.

2.5.3

Deleting a Keyword from a Note
Anyone can delete a keyword from a note, regardless of who added the
keyword. To delete more than one keyword from a note, you must issue the
DELETE KEYWORD command once for each keyword. Similarly, to delete the
same keyword for more than one note, you must issue the DELETE KEYWORD
command once for each note.
To delete the keywords EXOTICA and RARE-1NSECTS from note 6.6, type the
following commands:
Notes> READ 6.6
Notes> DELETE KEYWORD EXOTICA
Notes> DELETE KEYWORD RARE_INSECTS

Reading Notes

2-15

To delete a keyword from another note without leaving the note you are
currently reading, specify the note as a parameter to the DELETE KEYWORD
command. For example, if you are reading note 6.6, delete the keyword
FOOTBALL from note 3.5 by typing the following command:
Notes> DELETE KEYWORD FOOTBALL 3.5

2.6 Listing Notes in a Conference
This section explains how to use the DIRECTORY command with combinations
of qualifiers to see a directory of only the notes that meet specific criteria. You
can limit the directory to cover a specific range of notes; otherwise, VAX Notes
checks every note in the conference for a match with your selection criteria.
You can select notes on one or a combination of the following criteria:
•

Author

•

Title

•

Date-time

•

Keyword

•

Unseen

You can specify a range of notes with the DIRECTORY command. Any qualifier
you include in the DIRECTORY command is applied only to the notes in the
specified range. The order of the directory is determined by how you order the
starting and ending points of the range.
If you do not specify a range, VAX Notes applies your selection criteria to all
notes in the conference, and automatically displays the listing in descending
order.

There are various ways to specify a range of notes:
•

A topic and all its replies (for example, 9.•, 13.ALL, or 3.0-3.999)

•

A range of topics (for example, 3-7, 10-99, or 39-LAST)

•

All topics (for example, • or ALL)

•

A range of topics, including all replies (for example, 2.•-8.•)

•

All notes in the conference (for example, 1.0-LAST, *.*,or ALL.ALL)
NOTE

Be aware that when you specify all notes in a conference, the VAX
Notes command may take a long time to finish processing.

2-16 Reading Notes

To display a note in a directory listing, move the pointer to the note you
want and type the SELECT command (or press the SELECT key). To move
the pointer forward through the listing, press keypad 2. To move backward
through the listing, press keypad 5.
Table 2-2 briefly describes qualifiers for the DIRECTORY command. Refer to
the VAX Notes Command Dictionary in Part III for complete descriptions.
Table 2-2:

DIRECTORY Command Qualifiers

Qualifier

Description

/ALL

Includes replies, in addition to topics, in the directory.

/ AUTHOR=usemame

Lists notes entered by the specified author.

/BEFORE=date-time

Lists notes entered before the specified date-time.

/BUFFER=buffer-name

Puts the directory in the specified buffer.

/KEYWORD=keyword-name

Lists notes to which the specified keyword has been
added.

/OUTPUT=file-spec

Stores the directory in the specified file.

/SINCE=date-time

Lists notes entered since the specified date-time. The
default is /SINCE=TODAY.

/TITLE=" string"

Lists notes having the specified string in the title.

/UNSEEN

Lists only those notes you have not yet seen.

Some examples of the DIRECTORY command qualifiers follow.
To get a directory of only topics, starting with topic 10 and ending with topic
20, type the following command. The directory appears in ascending order.
Notes> DIRECTORY 10-20

To list all topics you have not yet seen, type the following command:
Notes>
DIRECTORY/UNSEEN
/

To list topics and replies between topics 3 and 13, inclusive, that have the
keyword DNA, type the following command:
Notes> DIRECTORY/ALL/KEYWORD=DNA 3-13

To list topics and replies, starting with the last reply to topic 9 and ending with
topic 5, type the following command. The directory appears in descending
order. (This is equivalent to typing the command DIRECTORY 9.•-5.•.)
Notes> DIRECTORY/ALL 9-5

Reading Notes

2-17

To list notes, from note 5.0 to the last reply to topic 9, that were entered since
noon, 10 August, by user SMITH, type the following command:
Notes> DIRECTORY/AUTHOR=SMITH/SINCE=10-AUG:12:00 5.*-9.*

To list unseen notes, from topic 20 through the last note in the conference, that
were written by user TATE since yesterday, type the following command:
Notes> DIRECTORY/UNSEEN/AUTHOR=TATE/SINCE=YESTERDAY 20-LAST/ALL

NOTE

You must use the/ ALL qualifier or the .•notation to include replies
in a directory listing.
If you want to refer to a select group of notes throughout a VAX Notes session,
put the directory for the group into a buffer (using the /BUFFER qualifier).
Then, you can access this directory without having to reissue the DIRECTORY
command. Saving a directory you will refer to frequently in a buffer is faster
than asking VAX Notes to recompile the directory each time, particularly in
active conferences with large directories.

To put a directory of all notes in the conference that have the word "benefits"
in the title into a buffer named BENEFITS, type the following command:
Notes> DIRECTORY /TITLE="BENEFITS" /BUFFER=BENEFITS *. *

When you use EVE, the default VAX Notes editor, you can read this directory
any time during your VAX Notes session by typing the following command:
Notes> EVE BUFFER BENEFITS

2. 7 Saving Notes
The SAVE (or EXTRACT) command saves notes in the file you specify. (The
default file type is .TXT.) The SAVE (or EXTRACT) command takes two
parameters: the first parameter names the file in which to store the saved notes;
the second parameter (which is optional) specifies a range of notes to be saved.
The default is to save only the note you are currently reading. (The SAVE and
EXTRACT commands are synonyms, and can be used interchangeably.)
By combining qualifiers for the SAVE (or EXTRACT) command in various ways,
you can save only the notes that meet specific criteria. For example, qualifiers
are available to let you save notes entered by a certain author, entered before
or as of a particular date, having a particular keyword, having a specific word
or phrase in the title, or any combination of these.

2-18 Reading Notes

Table 2-3 briefly describes the qualifiers for the SAVE (or EXTRACT) command. Refer to the VAX Notes Command Dictionary in Part III for complete
descriptions.
Table 2-3:

SAVE (or EXTRACT) Command Qualifiers

Qualifier

Description

/ALL

Saves topics and replies in the specified note range.

/APPEND

Appends saved notes to the specified file. If the file
does not exist, it is created.

/ AUTHOR=usemame

Saves notes entered by the specified user.

/BEFORE=date-time

Saves notes entered before the specified date-time.

/[NO]HEADER

Specifies whether or not the note headings are to be
saved with the text. The default is /HEADER.

/KEYWORD=keyword-name

Saves notes having the specified keyword.

/SEEN

Marks saved notes as seen.

/SINCE=date-time

Saves notes entered since the specified date-time. The
default date-time is TODAY.

/TITLE=" string"

Saves notes having the specified string in the title.

/UNSEEN

Saves only those notes you have not yet read.

If any notes in the specified range of notes are in DIGITAL Document
Interchange Format (DDIF), those notes cannot be saved in their entirety in
the same output file as the non-DDIF notes. If you are running interactively,
a message informs you of each DDIF note, which you can choose to save in
a separate file. If you are running in batch, the DDIF notes are saved in the
same file as the other notes in the range, but only the ASCII-text portions of
the DDIF notes are included.

Some examples of the SAVE (or EXTRACT) command qualifiers follow.
To save the note you are currently reading in a file named REMINDER.MEM,
type the following command:
Notes> SAVE REMINDER.MEM

To save topics 10 through 20 in a file named MUSICIANS.TXT, type the
following command:
Notes> SAVE MUSICIANS 10-20

Reading Notes

2-19

To save topics and replies, from topic 5 to the last reply to topic 9, and store
these notes in a file named FILE.LIST, type the following command:
Notes> SAVE/ALL FILE.LIST 5-9

2. 7 .1

Saving Unseen Notes
When you are following the discussion in a conference that enjoys a high level
of participation, keeping up with new information can be time-consuming.
By using the SAVE/UNSEEN (or EXTRACT/UNSEEN) command, you can
save only the notes you have not yet read and store them in a file. When
convenient, you can display or print the file to read the notes.
For example, to save all the notes in the current conference that you have not
yet seen, and to store the notes in a file named NEW-NOTES.DAT, type the
following command:
Notes> SAVE NEW_NOTES.DAT/UNSEEN

Note that using the /UNSEEN qualifier alone does not change the status of
the saved notes to "seen." To mark the saved notes as seen, you must use the
/SEEN qualifier, which is discussed in the following section.

2. 7 .2

Marking Saved Notes as Seen
When you display a note on your screen, VAX Notes automatically marks the
note as "seen." Then, when you issue the NEXT UNSEEN command, VAX
Notes skips over this note and displays the next note in another discussion
that you have not yet seen. In this way, you avoid displaying a note you have
already read unless you specifically ask to see it.
In an active conference, it may be inconvenient for you to display all the notes
you have not yet read in order to have VAX Notes mark these notes as "seen."
The SAVE command has a /SEEN qualifier that allows you to save notes
and mark the notes as "seen" in one step. The next time you issue the NEXT
UNSEEN command (or use keypad comma) to read unseen notes, the notes
you saved with the /SEEN qualifier will not be shown to you.
For example, to save all the notes that you have not yet seen in the current
conference, to store the notes in a file named NEW-NOTES.DAT, and to mark
the notes as seen, type the following command:
Notes> SAVE NEW_NOTES.DAT/UNSEEN/SEEN *·*

2-20 Reading Notes

2.7.3

Saving Notes in a Buffer
If you come across a note that you want to refer to frequently throughout a
VAX Notes session, you can use the SAVE/BUFFER command to put the note
in a buffer. This saves you from having to search for the note each time you
want to reread it. For example, to put the note you are currently reading in a
buffer called REF, type the following command:
Notes> SAVE/BUFFER REF

If you are using EVE, the default VAX Notes editor, you can display the
contents of the REF buffer by typing the following command:
Notes> EVE BUFFER REF

All of the qualifiers that you can use with the SAVE command (see Table 2-3)
are acceptable for the SAVE/BUFFER command as well.
With the SAVE/BUFFER command, the /APPEND qualifier causes the saved
notes to be appended to the end of existing text in the specified buffer. If you
do not use the /APPEND qualifier, existing text in the buffer is erased.
In addition, the SAVE/BUFFER command has an /OUTPUT qualifier (which
is not available with the SAVE command). The /OUTPUT qualifier lets you
specify the name of an output file in which to store the saved notes in addition
to putting the notes in a buffer.
The following examples demonstrate some uses for the SAVE/BUFFER
command.
To save all notes between 10.0 and the last reply to topic 50 that were entered
by user SMITH on or after 03 September, and to put them in a buffer named
SMITH, type the following command:
Notes> SAVE/BUFFER SMITH/AUTHOR=SMITH/SINCE=03-SEP

10.*-50.*

To save replies to topic 13 that were entered by user DOE between 8:00 and
12:00 today, and to put the notes in a buffer named AM, type the following
command:
Notes> SAVE/BUFFER AM/AUTHOR=DOE/SINCE=8:00/BEFORE=12:00 13.*

To save all topics from 10 through 20 that have the word "comet" in the title
in a buffer named SP ACE, and also to store the saved notes in a file named
ET_pHENOMS.TXT, type the following command (if the file does not exist, it
is automatically created):
Notes> SAVE/BUFFER SPACE/OUTPUT=ET_PHENOMS/TITLE="comet" 10-20

Reading Notes

2-21

To save only the text of notes from topic 5 through the last reply to topic 9 that
have the keyword OIL, and to put them in a buffer named ENERGY, type the
following command:
Notes> SAVE/BUFFER ENERGY/ALL/NOHEADER/KEYWORD=OIL 5-9

To append topic 6 to note 2.3 in a buffer called PRODUCT_)(, type the
following commands:
Notes> SAVE/BUFFER PRODUCT_X 2.3
Notes> SAVE/BUFFER/APPEND PRODUCT_X 6

NOTE

Only the ASCII portions (if any) of a note in DIGITAL Document
Interchange Format (DDIF) can be saved in a buffer.

2.8 Printing Notes
Whenever it is inconvenient to read notes on your screen-because the notes
are long or because you are pressed for time-you can print the notes and read
them later. You use the PRINT command to print notes.
You can print a range of notes. If you do not specify a note range, VAX Notes
assumes you want to print only the note you are currently reading.
Unless you specify another print queue, VAX Notes sends notes to the default
system print queue (SYS$PRINT). If you want to be notified when the print job
is complete, use the /NOTIFY qualifier.
By combining PRINT command qualifiers in various ways, you can limit the
notes you print to those meeting specific criteria. For example, you can print
only those notes that you have not yet seen; notes that were entered by a
certain author; notes entered before or after a particular date; notes having
a particular keyword, or having a specific word or phrase in the title; or any
combination of these.
Table 2-4 briefly summarizes qualifiers for the PRINT command. See the VAX
Notes Command Dictionary in Part III for complete descriptions.

2-22 Reading Notes

Table 2-4:

PRINT Command Qualifiers

Qualifier

Description

/ALL
/ AUTHOR=usemame

Prints topics and replies in the specified range.
Prints notes entered by the specified author.

/BEFORE=date-time

Prints notes entered before the specified date-time.

/COPIES=number

Prints the specified number of copies. The default is
/COPIES=l.

/FORM=form-name

Specifies the form name to use when the notes are
queued.

/[NO]HEADER

Specifies whether or not to include the note header in
the printed output. The default is /HEADER.

/KEYWORD=keyword-name

Prints notes having the specified keyword.

/[NO]NOTIFY

Determines whether or not you will be notified when
the print job is complete. The default is /NONOTIFY.

/QUEUE=queue-name

Specifies a print queue to which to send notes. The
default queue is SYS$PRINT.

/SEEN

Marks printed notes as seen.

/SINCE=date-time

Prints notes entered since the specified date-time. The
default date-time is TODAY.

/TITLE=HstringH

Prints notes having the specified string in the title.

/UNSEEN

Prints only those notes you have not yet read.

/[NO]WAIT

Determines whether or not to start the print job immediately or delay until after you exit VAX Notes. The
default is /WAIT.

NOTE

Chapter 4 discusses how to set default PRINT qualifiers. These can
be any valid qualifiers accepted by the VAX Notes PRINT command,
and are automatically used each time you issue the PRINT command.
If you provide a qualifier in the PRINT command line that conflicts
with a default qualifier, the command line qualifier takes precedence.
If no range is specified, VAX Notes prints only the note you are currently reading. If you specify a selection qualifier (/AUTHOR, /BEFORE, /KEYWORD,

/SINCE, /TITLE, or /UNSEEN), VAX Notes searches all topics. Additionally,
if you specify the /ALL qualifier, all replies are searched.

Reading Notes 2-23

If you are printing a range of notes interactively and a DIGITAL Document
Interchange Format (DDIF) note is in that range, you are prompted for a
PostScript print queue for the DDIF note. If you are running in batch and a
DDIF note is in the note range, only the ASCII portions (if any) of the DDIF
note are printed along with the other notes.

You can control whether notes you specify should start printing immediately
after you issue the PRINT command or should be delayed until after you exit
from VAX Notes. Use the /NOWAIT qualifier (abbreviated /NOW) to start
printing immediately; /WAIT is the default. As long as /WAIT is in effect (and
you do not switch print queues with the /QUEUE qualifier), notes are collected
in one print job.
For example, to print all the notes that you have not yet seen in the conference,
and to start the print job immediately, type the following command:
Notes> PRINT/NOWAIT/UNSEEN *·*
Job NOTES (queue SYS$PRINT, entry 175) started on VAX1$LPAO

To print topic 8 and all its replies, and to receive notification when the print job
is complete, type the following command (the print job is routed to the default
system print queue, SYS$PRINT, as soon as you issue the command):
Notes> PRINT/NOTIFY 8.*
5 notes added to job on queue SYS$PRINT

To print all topics and replies entered by user MCGILL on or after 13 October,
type the following command:
Notes> PRINT/ALL/AUTHOR=MCGILL/SINCE=13-0CT 1-9999

If the print queue LQP (for letter quality printer) is defined on your system,
you can print topics 10 through 20 on this printer by typing the following
command:
Notes> PRINT/QUEUE=LQP 10-20

To print all notes from 100.0 through the last note in the conference, and to
mark these notes as seen, type the following _command:
Notes> PRINT/SEEN 100.0-LAST.LAST

2-24 Reading Notes

2.9 Deleting Notes
You use the DELETE NOTE command to delete only topics and replies that
you have added to a conference. You cannot accidentally delete someone else's
note. If the note you want to delete is not displayed on your screen, you can
specify the number of the note in the DELETE NOTE command. Otherwise,
VAX Notes assumes you want to delete the note that you are currently reading.
You can abbreviate the DELETE NOTE command as DELETE (or DE) when
you want to delete the current note.
When you delete a note, nothing happens to other notes. VAX Notes does not
reassign or rearrange note numbers. When you delete a reply, VAX Notes does
not modify the number of replies in the topic heading. When you delete a
topic, the number of topics shown in the conference heading does not change,
and replies to the topic remain in the conference with their original numbers.
For example, to delete note 6.4, type the following command:
Notes> DELETE NOTE 6.4
Are you sure you want to delete note 6.4? (Y/N) <N> Y

VAX Notes displays the conference heading after your note is successfully
deleted.

2.10 Setting Notes as Seen
When you first join an active conference that has been in progress for some
time, the quantity of notes you have not seen can be very large. You can use
the SET SEEN command to set notes you have not yet read as "seen" without
having to display, print, or save the notes. By setting notes as "seen," you can
limit the quantity of unseen notes to a manageable number. Of course, you can
still read "seen" notes any time by using the READ command.
The SET SEEN command has a /BEFORE qualifier to mark notes that were
entered before a certain date or time as "seen." If you do not use the /BEFORE
qualifier, VAX Notes marks all notes in the conference as "seen."
You must be in a conference to use the SET SEEN command.
For example, to set all notes in the current conference that were entered before
yesterday as "seen," type the following command:
Notes> SET SEEN/BEFORE=YESTERDAY

Reading Notes

2-25

To set all notes in the conference that were entered before 5:00 P.M. on
01 March as "seen," type the following command:
Notes> SET SEEN/BEFORE=01-MAR:17:00

To set all notes in the conference as "seen," type the following command:
Notes> SET SEEN

2-26 Reading Notes

Chapter 3

Writing Notes
This chapter explains how you can improve the way you communicate when
you use VAX Notes. It fully describes how to write and reply to notes, and tells
how to forward and send notes to other users by the VMS Mail Utility (MAIL).
You can use the editor of your choice with the character-cell interface to VAX
Notes. For more information, consult the manual for your particular editor.
Figures and examples in this chapter appear as though you were using EVE, the
default VAX Notes editor.

3.1

Hints for Improving Computer-Mediated
Communication
While communicating by computer has many advantages, it has the following
drawbacks:
•
•
•

Nonverbal cues (such as facial expression, intonation, and body language)
that enhance face-to-face discussion are missing.
Reading a terminal screen for long periods of time may become tiring.
Some terminal devices lack the ability to visually emphasize information or
to express information graphically.

This section gives you some hints for communicating your ideas effectively in
notes.

3.1.1

Making Your Notes More Readable
The following sections give you hints for improving communications while in
VAX Notes.

Writing Notes

3-1

Use Correct Spelling, Grammar, and Punctuation

Incorrect spelling, grammar, or punctuation in computerized communication
distracts your readers and can make them question your credibility. Spelling,
grammar, and punctuation errors can also confuse your readers because the
meaning of your message may not be clear. Have a good dictionary and style
guide on hand, and refer to them whenever you are in doubt about any of these
aspects of good writing.
When you use EVE, the default VAX Notes editor, you can use the SPELL
command to check the spelling of your note before adding it to the conference.
For each misspelled or unrecognized word (for example, an acronym), you will
be given a choice of probable correct spellings and a chance to edit the error.
Use Mixed Case

The use of both uppercase and lowercase letters makes text easier to read.
The beginnings and endings of sentences are easier to recognize, as are proper
names, acronyms, and so on. Although some people use strictly uppercase
letters to avoid making errors in capitalization, this practice places an unfair
burden on the reader. Using only uppercase letters can give your readers the
impression that you are SHOUTING at them (see Section 3.1.2).
Use Narrow Line Width

Research indicates that it is easier to read lines from about 30 to 65 characters
long. EVE lets you adjust the right and left margins of the NOTES$EDIT buffer
so that you can control the width of your note text. VAX Notes automatically
sets the left margin at 5 and the right margin at 75.
If you are using an editor other than EVE, you should set the right margin at

65. This gives you the maximum line width recommended for readability.
Make Paragraphs About Five to Seven Lines Long

Probably the most frequent mistake made by people who communicate by
computer is the tendency to ramble on without breaking text into paragraphs.
The reader's first reaction when presented with a note written in this "stream of
consciousness" style is to press the NEXT REPLY key.
If you are having a particularly difficult time deciding how to break a long

paragraph that you are convinced discusses a single major thought, find a
sentence that ends somewhere between the fifth and seventh line and start a
new paragraph with the next sentence. An arbitrary break is better than none.

3-2

Writing Notes

There is no need to rush as you read or write notes or edit what you have
drafted; the system waits for you. When you take the time to organize your
thoughts into well-structured, logically organized text, your notes will be read
by more people and better understood than if you heedlessly type away without
regard for order or presentation.
Keep the Overall Length Short

Not only is the length of individual paragraphs important, but the overall
length of your note can be a factor in whether your note is completely read,
skimmed, or skipped by the majority of participants. Although VAX Notes
places no restrictions on the length of note text, your readers will appreciate the
briefest expression you can manage.
As a courtesy, you might put a warning at the beginning of a long note,
suggesting that interested participants print or save it. Also, if the long note
is of specialized interest, it is helpful to begin it with a statement like the
following: "This is a long note about Esperanto. If you're not interested in
Esperanto, type NEXT." The remainder of the screen can be left blank (use a
form feed in the file) so that the note actually begins on the next page.
Use Visual Aids

The ordinary terminal screen leaves much to be desired when it comes to
enhancing visual appearance. However, there are techniques you can use on
even the simplest of models that will give your notes a pleasing look. The next
time you compose a note, keep the following in mind:
•

•
•

•

When listing items, you can simulate bullets with the small letter "o." Leave
two spaces after the "o" and line up subsequent lines with the first letter of
text that follows the "o." If you prefer, use a hyphen (-) to start each item in
the list. Numbering list items is appropriate if they are sequential steps.
Take advantage of the TAB key to indent text easily and consistently.
Be as generous as possible with "white space." Use blank lines to separate
paragraphs and items in lists. Leave at least two spaces (if you can afford
them) between columns in tables.
Use hyphens or equal signs to simulate underlining. This is helpful to set
off headings or delineate special sections of text.

Writing Notes 3-3

The following note contains many common errors that reduce readability.

WELL, I TAUGHT A BUNCH OF SEMINARS AND STUFF ON PUBLIC SPEAKING
YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO DOES A LOT or SPEAKING IN PUBLIC SHOULD KNOW
SOMETHING ABOUT IT. HERE'S ONE OF MY TIPS,
TIP 1> PREPARING FOR YOUR SPEECH
A> DISCOVER WHAT YOURE TRYING TO TALK ABOUT. HAKE SURE YOU KNOW
EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT TOO SAY: YOU COULD PROBLY EVEN RITE IT DOWN
SOMEWHERE AND KEEP ON LOOKING AT IT AS YOU GO. B> WHAT KIND OF
PEOPLE DO YOU WANT TO TALK TO? THERE'R A LOT OF DIFFERENT KIND
OF PEOPLE AND AUDIENCES , AND YOU GOT TO KNOW WHICH ONES YOU WANT
TO GET. YOU SHOULD DECIDE AND THEN STICK WITH IT. C> DONT' TAKE
UP TO HUCH TIHE, AND DONT TAKE UP TOO LITTLE TIME. IT WON'T SOUND
GOOD. D> GET MATERIALS AND RESEARCH STUFF. E> GIVE A PRACTICE
SESION. YOU CAN DO IT ALONE, BUT IT'S USUALLY MORE BETTER TO DO
IT IN FRONT OF SOMEBODY BECAUSE THEY CAN GIVE YOU THEIR COMPLAINTS
AHEAD OF TIME SO THAT YOU CAN PREPARE AND YOU WON'T HAVE TO GO IN
FRONT OF YOUR AUDIENCE AND NOT KNOW WHAT TO SAY.

[End of buffer]
Buffer NOTES$EDIT

Insert

Forward

ZK-5150-HC

Compare the following corrected version of the same note with the previous
example. Which version do you find easier to read?

3-4

Writing Notes

I have taught several seminars on public speaking; I recommend
that HOU take a course on the subject. I'm afraid that public
speaking isn't alwa~s something that comes too naturall~,
so it's helpful to go through some sort of training.
11

A good talk involves careful preparation:

Determine HOUr purpose. Then write it down so~ewhere,
and continual!~ refer back to it.

Think about what t~pe of audience HOU're trHing to reach.

Consider ~our time. Don't prepare a two-hour speech
when the time HOU're actuallH allotted is 30 minutes.

Gather materials; do research; prepare ~our outline.

Give a practice session. Do it alone, or in front of
someone who ~ou feel will give constructive criticism.

[End of buffer]
Buffer NOTES$EDIT

Insert

Forward

ZK-5151-HC

Make an effort to word topic and reply titles carefully. Remember that these
titles appear in directory listings and provide a means for participants to locate
your note among scores or possibly hundreds of notes in a conference. Cryptic
titles may sometimes arouse curiosity, but most people will be just as happy to
skip a note as to ponder the meaning of an obscure title.
VAX Notes lets you create titles of up to 63 characters. (Creative writers can
fit a complete story in that much space!) It is advisable to be brief, but never
sacrifice clarity for brevity. The title should describe the contents of your note.
Of course, participants can agree on conventions to be used in titles to facilitate
gathering notes by title. For example, acronyms, abbreviations, or uncommon
words can be used as codes to identify notes dealing with a particular topic.
However, unless such agreement has been made, you should write titles that
are easily understood and reflect the content of your note. (For example, you
could title a reply "Huh?", but the title "Not in VMS VS" would carry more
information while being friendlier.)

Writing Notes

3-'5

3.1 .2

Representing Body Language
You and your fellow "Noters" will soon recognize the need to develop conventions for representing facial expression, intonation, and emotion in online
communication. Arguments erupt when something said in jest is misunderstood
because the reader does not have the benefit of seeing the writer's mirthful grin
or hearing a punctuating laugh. Before you know it, the entire membership
joins in and trades slurs with one another-and all because the nonverbal
cues taken for granted in daily conversation are lacking in computerized
communication.
This problem is more likely to surface in a conference than in an electronic mail
system because electronic mail typically takes the place of the memo-a written
form of formal communication. People are practiced at avoiding humor and
emotion in memos. Notes in a computerized conference, on the other hand,
take the place of a meeting or conversation and are therefore not subject to the
controlled expression reserved for forms of more formal communication.
Facial Expression

One of the greatest difficulties when communicating by computer is that you often cannot tell if the author of a note is serious, joking, angry, or being sarcastic
because you cannot see the author's face. As a result, users of computerbased conferencing systems have developed icons and other conventions for
representing facial expression, especially the smile.
The colon, hyphen, and closing parenthesis form a smiling face (turned on
its side). Some people prefer to spell out the word "smile" and enclose it in
brackets. Some examples of icons are presented here for your consideration,
but you will enjoy creating some of your own. These icons are created using
opening and closing parentheses, the colon ( : ), semicolon (; ), hyphen ( - ), the
vertical bar ( I ), right brace (} ), slash ( / ), and the tilde ( ,_ ).
:-)

Smiling face

:-}

Fiendish grin

;-)

A wink

:-(

Sad or angry face

Late night

-;-

Stirring up trouble

These icons can sometimes help to make your mood or intent clear to the
reader.

3-6

Writing Notes

Intonation

Use all uppercase letters, judiciously, when you want to SHOUT in your note.
Use asterisks to emphasize a word or short phrase, like •this•.
Emotion

A conversation that lacks emotion lacks vitality. While most people cannot
begin to conceal their emotions in a meeting, they can easily create notes that
are carefully controlled, reserved, even dull. Do not be afraid to rant, protest,
or pontificate in your notes-just be considerate enough to warn people that
you are about to express an angry or unsolicited opinion. Then, your readers
can "leave the room" (press the RETURN or the NEXT SCREEN key) until
you indicate the coast is clear. You can signal the boundaries of a tirade with
some symbol, word, or expression before and after the text in question. For
example, you could surround an online rampage with <FLAME ON> and
<FLAME OFF> .
Using this technique, you can vent your emotions and simultaneously allow
others to move on if they choose.

3.1.3

When to Use MAIL Instead of VAX Notes
Keep in mind that people have jobs to do, and that VAX Notes is a tool to help
them do their jobs better. For the sake of courtesy, it is better to use MAIL
instead of VAX Notes for the following types of communication:
•

"Whispering" and other private messages
You can be discreet, but you cannot be confidential or covert in a conference. If you want to whisper an aside to another participant, you need to
use a private communication system. Remember that notes can be printed
and saved in files, even in a private conference.

•

"Thank-you" messages
When someone answers a question or solves a problem for you and puts
the answer or solution in a conference, do not add a reply that serves just
as a thank-you. If you have nothing to add to the solution, yet you want to
thank your benefactor, use MAIL.
It is helpful, however, to express your thanks in the conference when you

can also include information on the problem or solution. You might also
tell whether the solution presented in the conference was fully or partially
correct. A thank-you reply containing this kind of information is often
of interest to other readers, and makes them feel they now share your
resource.

Writing Notes

3-7

•

3.1 .4

Requests intended for the moderator
VAX Notes has a SHOW MODERATOR command that you can use to learn
the MAIL address of the moderator(s) for a conference. Unless you are sure
others will benefit from your conversation with the moderator, keep it out
of the conference.
Conference relocation messages
If you plan to relocate a conference to another node or change the notefile
specification, and you know who the conference participants are, contact
them by MAIL to make the announcement. People might intentionally or
inadvertently skip over your announcement in the Notes conference; with
MAIL, there is a much greater chance that people will get your message.
You can send or forward a message by MAIL from within VAX Notes
by using the SEND or FORWARD command. If the conference has a
membership list, you can send or forward a message to all members by
using the /MEMBERS qualifier with either of these commands.

Practicing Online Etiquette
To be a courteous participant in a VAX Notes conference, you should observe
the following online etiquette:
Clean Up After Yourself

If you accidentally add a blank or garbled note to a conference, you should
delete the note and try again. (The note may not be intelligible, but your user
name will be.)
Maintain the Thread of the Discussion

You should read the topic of a discussion before you add a reply. When replies
address other replies, without regard for the topic at hand, the discussion can
get off the track. If, after reading the topic, you realize your reply would be off
the subject, you can alter your reply or start a new topic.
It is also good practice to read an entire discussion before adding a reply. If you
hastily reply to a note in the middle of the discussion, you risk duplicating a
reply that follows later. You can always delete your reply if you discover you
have duplicated information already presented, but getting into the habit of
reading the entire discussion before jumping in could save you the trouble.

3-8

Writing Notes

In a VAX Notes conference, everyone has an equal opportunity to have his
or her say. (There are exceptions to this statement: In a conference set to
NOWRITE, you can read but not write notes unless you have the MODERATE
or WRITE-REGARDLESS privilege; and in a conference set to REPLY_ONL Y,
you can write replies only, no topics, unless you have one of these privileges.)
Although this equality presents a major advantage over traditional, face-toface meetings, a topic that generates a lot of discussion can rapidly get out of
control.
VAX Notes adds replies to a discussion in the order they are entered, which is
not necessarily the intended order. For example, if you are preparing a reply to
the last reply in the current discussion, and meanwhile another participant adds
a reply, you are no longer replying to the last reply, but to the second-to-last
reply. Therefore, you should include a reference to the specific reply you are
addressing at the beginning of your reply. This helps participants keep track
of the thread of the discussion and preserves the context of your comments.
(If you are using EVE, the default VAX Notes editor, the number of the note
you are replying to is visible at the top of the NOTES$SCRATCH buffer.) For
example, the following note is a response to reply 193.1:

ZK-5136-86

Writing Notes

3-9

Accurately Represent Other Notes

Providing a direct quote can help your readers better understand your comments and is a courtesy to the author of the note you are answering. Quoting
the author directly preserves the accuracy of his or her comments. Unless you
are certain you can paraphrase and retain the original meaning, quoting is safer
as well as easier.
One convention for indicating a quote is to add a right angle bracket(> ) in the
left margin of each line quoted.
Section 3.4 explains how you can use the EVE editor to extract text from
another note to use as a direct quote in your note.
Respect Privacy and Confidentiality

Always label confidential and proprietary information carefully whenever you
post it in a conference.
You should request the author's permission to publish private communications
that you have received.
Conferences are relatively public forums. If you say something in one conference, it may be seen by all sorts of unexpected people or may be quoted in
another conference.
Use restraint when you consider reposting someone else's note in another conference. Although the note is already public, the context in another conference
may be different and the words may be misinterpreted. The writer may feel
embarrassed to be quoted elsewhere. Exercise the same judgment you would
apply to something spoken to you in conversation.

3.2 Adding a Reply to a Discussion
You can enter a reply to a note by using the REPLY command. Recall that if
you are using EVE as your editor, VAX Notes puts a copy of the note that you
are replying to in a buffer called NOTES$SCRATCH. You can access and scroll
through the text in the buffer to review the note; you do not have to put the
note in a buffer yourself or try to remember the contents of the note v-1hile you
are entering your reply.
To add a reply to a discussion, you can be reading any note in the discussion.
You do not have to be reading the topic or the last reply. However, if you
want to have a specific note in the NOTES$SCRATCH buffer while you are
preparing your reply, you must display that note on your screen before you
issue the REPLY command. VAX Notes always puts your reply at the end of
the discussion.
3-10 Writing Notes

When you use EVE, the default VAX Notes editor, and you have VAX DECspell
(an optional software product) installed on your system, you can check the
spelling of your reply before you add it to the discussion. You use the EVE
command SPELL while you are in the NOTES$EDIT buffer to check the
spelling of text in that buffer.
When you finish your reply, VAX Notes asks you to confirm that your reply
should be added to the conference. You respond by typing Y or by pressing
the RETURN key to add your reply to the conference. If you decide to cancel
your reply, you can do so at this point by typing N. VAX Notes then ignores
your reply. You can also cancel a reply at any time by quitting the editor or by
pressing CTRL/C followed by RETURN at any prompt.
Table 3-1 briefly describes the REPLY command qualifiers, which are discussed
in the following sections.
Table 3-1:

REPLY Command Qualifiers

Qualifier

Description

/[NO]EDIT

Determines whether or not the text file you specify should be displayed
in the NOTES$EDIT buffer. The default is /EDIT.

/[NO]EXTRACT Determines whether or not to put a copy of the note you are replying
to in the NOTES$SCRATCH buffer. The default is /EXTRACT.
/LAST

3.2.1

Prevents the NOTES$EDIT buffer from being erased so you can
retrieve and reedit the last note you entered.

Bypassing the Editor
You can use an existing text file for your reply by specifying the file with the
REPLY command. If you are confident that the text in the file does not require
editing before you enter your reply in the conference, you can bypass the
editing step and proceed directly to the title prompt by using the /NOEDIT
qualifier. For example, to use the text in a file named ISSUES.TXT as your reply
without editing the text, type the following command:
Notes> REPLY/NOEDIT ISSUES.TXT
Enter a title for your reply: Here are the open issues.~---.
Your reply is complete. Proceed to enter it? (Y/N)<Y> I RETURN I

You must include a file specification when you issue the REPLY /NOEDIT
command. Unlike MAIL, VAX Notes does not allow you to prepare a reply
inside VAX Notes without using an editor.

Writing Notes

3-11

3.2.2

Controlling VAX Notes Editing Buffers
You can use the /NOEXTRACT qualifier to prevent VAX Notes from putting a
copy of the note you are replying to in the NOTES$SCRATCH buffer. When
you use the /NOEXTRACT qualifier, the buffer in which you type your reply
(called NOTES$EDIT) occupies the entire screen, and the NOTES$SCRATCH
buffer is empty.
When you use the REPLY /NOEXTRACT command, your screen should look
like this:

ZK-5121-HC

If you issue the REPLY command without the /NOEXTRACT qualifier, you can
still enlarge the NOTES$EDIT buffer to a fuli screen. Make sure that the cursor
is in the NOTES$EDIT buffer, then press the DO key and type the following
EVE command:
Command: ONE WINDOW

3-12 Writing Notes

3.2.3

Retrieving Your Previous Reply
Ordinarily, whenever you add a note to a discussion, VAX Notes keeps the text
of the note in the NOTES$EDIT buffer until the next time you issue the REPLY
(or WRITE) command or you end the VAX Notes session. When you issue the
REPLY or WRITE command, the text in the buffer is erased, and VAX Notes
displays an empty buffer in which to compose your next note. When you end
the VAX Notes session, the buffer is discarded.
There may be times when you want to repeat the same reply in another
conference;· or perhaps VAX Notes was unable to add your reply to the
conference (the remote node may have been booting or temporarily unavailable
for some other reason), and you want to try again. You can retrieve and reedit
the last note you entered by using the /LAST qualifier with the REPLY (or
WRITE) command. When you use the /LAST qualifier, VAX Notes does not
erase the NOTES$EDIT buffer. You do not have to retype the reply to use it
again. For example, if you enter a reply in the current conference, and you
would like to use the same text in a reply to topic 33 in the SOLAR-ENERGY
conference, type the following commands:
Notes> CLOSE
Notes> OPEN SOLAR_ENERGY 33
Notes> REPLY/LAST

You can use a reply in one conference as a topic in another conference. For
example, to use the reply you just added to the current discussion as a topic in
the SOLAR-ENERGY conference, type the following commands:
Notes> CLOSE
Notes> OPEN SOLAR_ENERGY
Notes> WRITE/LAST

3.3 Adding a New Topic
Use the WRITE command to start a new discussion in a conference. You can
be anywhere in a conference when you add a new topic. For instance, you can
issue the WRITE command while reading a directory listing or while reading a
note. VAX Notes automatically assigns the next available number to your topic;
VAX Notes does not reuse numbers of deleted topics.
If the conference is set to NOWRITE or REPLY-ONLY, you must have
WRITE_REGARDLESS privilege or MODERATE privilege to be able to add a
topic (or any note, if it is NOWRITE).

Writing Notes

3-13

When you finish your topic, VAX Notes asks you to confirm that your topic
should be added to the conference. Respond by typing Y or pressing the
RETURN key to add your topic to the conference. If you decide to cancel your
topic, you can do so at this point by typing N. You can also cancel a topic at
any time by quitting the editor or by pressing CTRL/C followed by RETURN at
any prompt.
Table 3-2 briefly describes the WRITE command qualifiers, which are discussed
in the following sections.

3.3.1

Table 3-2:

WRITE Command Qualifiers

Qualifier

Description

/[NO]EDIT

Determines whether or not the text file you specify should be displayed
in the NOTES$EDIT buffer. The default is /EDIT.

/LAST

Prevents the NOTES$EDIT buffer from being erased so that you can
retrieve and reedit the last note you entered.

Bypassing the Editor
You can use an existing text file for your topic by specifying the file with
the WRITE command. If you are confident that the text in the file does not
require editing before you enter it in the conference, you can bypass the editing
step and proceed directly to the title prompt by issuing the WRITE/NOEDIT
command. For example, to use the text in a file named ISSUES. TXT as your
topic without editing the text, type the following command:
Notes> WRITE/NOEDIT ISSUES.TXT
Enter a title for your topic: Here are the open issues. ~-~
Your topic is complete. Proceed to enter it? (Y/N) <Y> I RETURN I

You must include the file specification when you issue the WRITE/NOEDIT
command. Unlike MAIL, VAX Notes does not allow you to prepare a note
inside VAX Notes without using an editor.

3.3.2

Retrieving Your Previous Topic
Ordinarily, whenever you add a note to a discussion, VAX Notes keeps the text
of the note in the NOTES$EDIT buffer until the next time you issue the WRITE
(or REPLY) command or you end the VAX Notes session. When you issue the
WRITE or REPLY command, the text in the buffer is erased, and VAX Notes
displays an empty buffer in which to compose your next note. When you end
the VAX Notes session, the buffer is discarded.

3-14 Writing Notes

There may be times when you want to repeat the same topic in another
conference or VAX Notes was unable to add your topic to the conference (for
example, the remote node may have been temporarily unavailable) and you
want to try again. You can retrieve and reedit the last note you entered by
using the /LAST qualifier with the WRITE command, just as you would with
the REPLY command (see Section 3.2.3 for details and examples).

3.4 Quoting the Author of Another Note
If you want to quote text from another note, you can use the EVE editor to
select that text from the note without typing that text in your reply. This
ensures you will quote accurately and completely because you extract the other
author's words directly from the text of his or her note.

To be able to select text from a note, that note must be put in a buffer. Recall
that if you are using EVE as your editor in VAX Notes, the text of the note you
are replying to is automatically put in a buffer called NOTES$SCRATCH. To
include a direct quote from the text in that buffer in your reply, follow these
steps:
1. Issue the READ command to display the note that contains the text you
want to quote.
2.

Issue the REPLY command to enter your reply. Two windows appear; the note containing the text you want to quote is copied into the
NOTES$SCRATCH buffer and is displayed in the top window.

3. Press the DO key to access the EVE command line, and issue the EVE
command OTHER WINDOW. (You can abbreviate this command to
OTHER or OT.)
4.

Position the cursor at the beginning of the text you want to quote and press
the SELECT key.

5. Use the arrow keys to completely highlight the remaining text you want to
quote in your reply and then press the REMOVE key.
6. Press the DO key to access the EVE command line, and issue the EVE
command OTHER again to return to the NOTES$EDIT buffer.
7. Position the cursor where you want the quote to appear in your reply
and press the INSERT HERE key. The text you extracted from the
NOTES$SCRATCH buffer is copied into your reply in the NOTES$EDIT
buffer.

Writing Notes

3-15

You can also quote text in a topic, although the method is somewhat different.
When you write a topic, VAX Notes does not create the NOTES$SCRATCH
buffer. To quote another note in a topic, follow these steps:
1. Issue the READ command to display the text you want to quote in your
topic.
2. Issue the EXTRACT/BUFFER NOTES$EDIT command to hold the entire
note in the NOTES$EDIT buffer.
3. Issue the WRITE/LAST command to display the current contents of the
NOTES$EDIT buffer.
4. Delete portions of the text you do not want to include in the quote.
You can now enclose the text in quotation marks, insert a special character at
the beginning of each line of the extracted text, or use some other technique to
make it dear to readers that the text is a direct quote. Some conferences use
the right angle bracket(> ) as a convention. Then you can proceed to compose
the rest of your note before or after the quoted text.

3.5 Forwarding Notes by MAIL
Without leaving VAX Notes, you can forward, by MAIL, the note that you are
currently reading. Use the FORWARD command at the Notes> prompt.
When you forward a note by MAIL, you can:
•
•
•
•

Create a carbon-copy list in addition to the address list
Add your own comments to the author's text
Omit the note header lines and forward just the note text
Forward the note to all members (without using a distribution list), to the
conference moderators, to the author of the note, or to yourself

•
•

Retrieve your last mail message to use it again
Specify a personal name (a nickname or another character string) to be
applied to the current mail message only
Specify a subject

•

The following sections describe these options.

3-16 Writing Notes

3.5.1

Forwarding a Note with a Carbon-Copy List
When you type the FORWARD command at the Notes> prompt, the Send to:
prompt appears. After you enter the address list in response to the Send to:
prompt, the CC: prompt appears, if you specified /CC_pROMPT or your MAIL
profile enables carbon-copy prompting. The CC: prompt allows you to type a
carbon-copy list, as in the following example:
Notes> FORWARD
Send to: George
CC: Smith, Hughes
Subject:

If you do not want to use a carbon-copy list, just press RETURN at the CC:
prompt.

The carbon-copy list is useful for distinguishing between the primary recipients
and the secondary ones, who will receive carbon copies" of the note.
0

You can disable the CC: prompt by specifying /NOCC_pROMPT. For example:
Notes> FORWARD/NOCC_PROMPT
Send to: George
Subject:

The /CC_pROMPT qualifier works identically with the SEND command.

3.5.2

Forwarding an Edited or Unedited Note
VAX Notes automatically allows you to preface a note you are forwarding by
MAIL with a message of your own; When you issue the FORWARD command,
VAX Notes gives you an empty buffer, called NOTES$MAIL-EDIT, in which
to type your message. This buffer appears in the top half of your screen.
The text of the note you are forwarding appears in the lower half of your
screen in the NOTES$MAIL_NOTE_TEXT buffer. When you use EVE, the
default VAX Notes editor, you can edit the note text (for example, to delete
irrelevant portions) by pressing the DO key and issuing the command OTHER
WINDOW. To return to the NOTES$MAIL_EDIT buffer, press CTRL/B to
recall the OTHER WINDOW command. Then, press the RETURN key.
You can forward a note without preparing a message by issuing the
FORWARD /NOEDIT command. For example:

Writing Notes

3-17

Notes> READ 3. 4
Notes> FORWARD/NOEDIT
Send to: PATTY
Subject: IRETURNI
Default subject is: "Notefile CONSERVATION Note 3.4"
Your message is complete. Proceed to send it? (Y/N) <Y> IRETURNI
Sending mail ...
Notes>
Message sent to user PATTY

Note that you can use other qualifiers and the to-list parameter on the
FORWARD command line, instead of responding to prompts. For example,
the following command line (issued while you are reading note 3.4) accomplishes the same thing as the preceding example, and suppresses the Send to:
prompt and the Subject: prompt:
Notes> FORWARD/NOEDIT/NOSUBJECT PATTY

3.5.3

Forwarding a Note Without a Header
To forward only the text of the note you are reading, without the header
portion, type the following command:
Notes> FORWARD/NOHEADER

3.5.4

Forwarding a Note to All Conference Members, the
Conference Moderators, the Author, or Yourself
You can forward a note to all members in a conference, without creating a
distribution list, by using the /MEMBERS qualifier. Think of the membership
listing as a distribution list that is automatically executed when you issue
the FORWARD /MEMBERS command. Every user listed as a member of this
conference will receive the note. The only exception is a member who has been
tagged (by the moderator) with the /NOMAIL qualifier; that member receives
the mail only if he or she happens to be on the same system as the person
sending it. When you use the /MEMBERS qualifier, the Send to: prompt is
suppressed.
Use the /MODERATORS qualifier to forward a note to the conference moderator(s), the /AUTHOR qualifier to forward a note to its author, and the /SELF
qualifier to forward it to yourself.
These qualifiers work identically with the FORWARD and the SEND
commands.

3-18 Writing Notes

3.5.5

Retrieving Your Last Message
You can retrieve the last mail message you sent (with either the SEND or
FORWARD command) by using the /LAST qualifier. For example, you can
send the last message to user SCOTT on node VAXl by typing the following
command:
Notes> FORWARD/LAST VAX1::SCOTT

The text of your last message is placed in the NOTES$MAIL_NOTE_TEXT
buffer. If you wish, you can edit the message before forwarding it again.

3.5.6

Forwarding a Note with a Special Personal Name
You can use the /PERSONAL-NAME qualifier with the FORWARD command
to specify a one-time "personal name" (which can be a name or other character
string) to appear on the note you are forwarding. (You can also use this
qualifier with the SEND command.) If you do not use the qualifier, the
personal name (if any) that is stored in your Notebook profile is used. (See
Section 4.10 for instructions on changing your profile.) For example:
Notes> FORWARD/PERSONAL_NAME="Amadeo"

The note is forwarded with the personal name string "Amadeo." Subsequent
notes that you forward will revert to your personal name set in your Notebook
profile.
You can also forward a note without a personal name, regardless of whether
you have a personal name stored in your Notebook profile. For example:
Notes> FORWARD/NDPERSONAL_NAME

3.5. 7

Specifying a Subject
You can use the /SUBJECT qualifier to specify the subject on the command line
and suppress the Subject: prompt. For example:
Notes> FORWARD/SUBJECT= 11 Concerts of interest next month"

If you do not want to add a subject, you can use the /NOSUBJECT qualifier,
which also suppresses the Subject: prompt.

Writing Notes

3-19

3.6 Sending a Message by MAIL
You can send a message by MAIL without leaving VAX Notes. When you use
the VAX Notes SEND command, you can:
•
•
•

•
•
•
•

3.6.1

Compose your message when you issue the SEND command
Specify a file that contains the text you want to send as your message, and
decide whether to edit the file or send it as is
Send a message to the author of the note you are currently reading, to all
conference members (without using a distribution list), to the conference
moderators, or to yourself (see Section 3.5.4)
Retrieve your last message to send it again (see Section 3.5.5)
Create a carbon-copy list of recipients (see Section 3.5.1)
Specify a personal name to be applied to the current mail message only (see
Section 3.5.6)
Specify a subject on the command line (see Section 3.5.7)

Composing a Mail Message
You can issue the SEND command without using qualifiers or the to-list
parameter by simply typing SEND at the Notes> prompt. You are prompted
for the address of the person to receive your message. You can respond with a
single name, a list of names (separated by commas), or an existing distribution
list (for example, @ACCOUNTING).
If you do not use the /[NO]SUBJECT qualifier with the SEND command,
VAX Notes prompts you for a subject. (If you press the RETURN key without

typing anything, your message is sent with a blank subject.) After you enter
the subject, the VAX Notes display screen is temporarily replaced by an empty
editing buffer in which you type your mail message. The name of this buffer
is NOTES$MAIL_EDIT. To send a message to user SCOTT on node VAXl,
respond to the prompts on the screen. For example:
,,_+,,..,,..., --··Send to: VAX1::SCOTT
Subject: I think I solved the problem!
11U UG"0'

L)~NU

The following command line, using the /SUBJECT qualifier and the to-list
parameter, is equivalent to the preceding example:
Notes> SEND/SUBJECT="! think I solved the problem!" VAX1: :SCOTT

3-20

Writing Notes

After you finish typing your mail message, respond to the prompts that appear,
as follows:
Press F10 or CTRL/Z to finish sending mail messagelF1ol
Your message is complete. Proceed to send it? (Y/N) <Y>,......IR-=ET---U~RN--,1
Sending mail ...
Notes>
Message sent to user SCOTT

3.6.2

Sending a Text File as Your Message
When you specify the name of a file to send as your mail message, you are
given a chance to edit the message before listing addressees.
If you want to send a file as your mail message, but you forgot to specify the
file in the SEND command, you can retrieve the file with the EVE command
INCLUDE FILE.
If you are certain the text file is acceptable to send without editing it, you can
use the /NOEDIT qualifier with the SEND command. You must specify a file
when you use the /NOEDIT qualifier. For example:
Notes>

SEND/NOEDIT MYFILE.TXT

Writing Notes

3-21

Chapter 4

Using Your Notebook
This chapter completely describes your Notebook, and tells you how to modify
your profile to tailor VAX Notes sessions to your needs.

4.1

An Overview of Your Notebook
In many ways, your VAX Notes Notebook is like a notebook you might have
on your desk or bookshelf. As Figure 4-1 shows, your Notebook stores the
following:
•
•
•

The names of conferences (entries) you want to track in one or more groups
(classes)
The names of any placeholders (markers) you set up in a conference
Information to tailor your VAX Notes sessions (profile)

Using Your Notebook 4-1

Figure 4-1:

Anatomy of a Notebook

Profile
Editor
Default Class
Print Qualifiers
Personal Name
Automatic Feature

ZK-4620-85

VAX Notes always operates within the boundaries of your Notebook, unless
you specify otherwise. Bypassing your Notebook has no effect on your profile;
your profile remains accessible to VAX Notes, and you can modify your profile
at any time.

4.1 .1

Keeping Track of New Notes
An entry is a conference that you have added to your Notebook. When you
add a conference to your Notebook, VAX Notes keeps track of which notes you
have and have not seen in the conference. Without this ability, it would be
very difficult to keep up with the discussions in an active conference.
You can give the entries in your Notebook any names you like; you can
abbreviate the entry name in Notebook commands.
Section 4.2 explains how to add an entry to your Notebook.

4-2 Using Your Notebook

4.1.2

Grouping Entries into Classes
A class is a group of entries that are related in some way. As Figure 4-1 shows,
classes work like tabbed dividers in a notebook to keep related conferences
together. (You can also think of a class as something like a VMS subdirectory
or a mail folder in MAIL.)

For example, the conferences that you follow every day might be grouped
into one class, and the conferences that you follow occasionally might be
grouped into another class. Conferences on a general area of interest (such as
automobiles, medicine, or financial management) might be grouped into a class.
By grouping entries into classes, you work with one subset of conferences at
a time. When you use classes to limit the number of entries you deal with at
one time, an activity such as displaying a directory of entries or updating the
tally of unseen notes in each entry in a class takes less time than if you had all
entries in one class.
You can have the same entry listed in more than one class, and you can modify
the classes to which an entry belongs at any time. Section 4.3 explains how to
do this.

4.1.3

Using Markers
A marker is a placeholder in an entry that lets you return to a particular note.
Naming markers in a meaningful way makes it easier for you to remember
notes of interest. To return to a marked note, you can refer to the marker
name instead of the note number. Section 4.7 explains how to set up and use
markers.

4.1 .4 Your Profile
Your profile is the part of your Notebook that stores information about your
individual VAX Notes sessions. A profile is automatically created for you when
you first invoke VAX Notes, and contains all the information VAX Notes needs
to operate. You do not need to change the initial settings in your profile to use
VAX Notes.
Your profile is useful for simplifying tasks that you perform repeatedly and
for personalizing notes you write. Your profile can include the following
information:
•
•

Which editor or editing keypad you prefer to use when writing notes
Which class to use as the default class
Using Your Notebook 4-3

•

Which qualifiers you want to issue automatically with the PRINT command

•
•

What personal name you would like to appear beside your user name
Whether you want to see a directory, the first unseen note, or neither, when
you first access a conference

Section 4.10 explains how to modify the settings in your profile to tailor your
VAX Notes sessions.

4.1.5

Summary of Notebook Commands
Table 4-1 summarizes Notebook commands, which are described in detail in
this chapter.
Table 4-1:

Notebook Commands

Command

Action

Maintaining Entries
ADD ENTRY

Adds a conference to your Notebook.

DELETE ENTRY

Deletes a conference from your Notebook.

MODIFY ENTRY

Modifies information about a Notebook entry.

SHOW ENTRY

Displays information about the specified entry.

Accessing Entries
CLOSE

Closes the current entry and returns you to your
Notebook.

DIRECTORY /ENTRIES

Displays a listing of the entries in the current (or
specified) class in your Notebook.

DIRECTORY/NOTEBOOK

Is a synonym for DIRECTORY /ENTRIES.

OPEN

Opens an entry in your Notebook.

Using Markers
ADD MARKER

Adds a marker to your Notebook for the specified
topic or reply.

DELETE MARKER

Deletes a marker from your Notebook.

MARK

Is a synonym for ADD MARKER.

READ /MARKER

Displays the note text marked by the specified marker.

(continued on next page)

4-4 Using Your Notebook

Table 4-1 (Cont.):

Notebook Commands

Command

Action

SHOW MARKER

Displays information about markers.

Using Your Profile
SET PROFILE

Sets information in your profile.

SHOW PROFILE

Displays current profile settings.

Other Notebook Commands
SHOW CLASS

Displays information about the specified class.

UPDATE

Polls the specified class or entry to determine whether
or not new notes have been added.

4.2 Adding an Entry to Your Notebook
To add a conference to your Notebook, you use the ADD ENTRY command,
specifying the conference name as it appears in the conference directory. To
display a directory of available conferences in the NOTES$LIBRARY directory
on your node or a node you specify, you use the DIRECTORY/CONFERENCES
command. For example, to display a directory of the conferences on your node,
type the following command:
Notes> DIRECTORY/CONFERENCES

To display a directory of the conferences on, for example, node MAR, type the
following command:
Notes> DIRECTORY/CONFERENCES MAR

When looking at the directory of conferences, you can move the pointer(> )
forward (using keypad 2) or backward (using keypad 5) through the list until
the pointer is at the item you want. Then, issue the SELECT command (or press
keypad 7) to select the conference and add it as an entry to your Notebook.
Alternatively, you can type the ADD ENTRY command. To add a conference
named MICROCOMPUTERS to your Notebook, you could type the following
command:
Notes> ADD ENTRY MICROCOMPUTERS
Entry MICROCOMPUTERS added to class MAIN

In this example, MICROCOMPUTERS is on your node (if it were not, you
would have to specify the node), and MAIN is the default class in your profile.

Using Your Notebook 4-5

If you want to add a conference that resides in the NOTES$LIBRARY directory
on a remote node, you must specify the remote node name in the ADD ENTRY
command. For example, if you want to add the conference GRAPHICS residing
on node NODE7, type the following command:
Notes> ADD ENTRY NODE7: :GRAPHICS
Entry NODE7::GRAPHICS added to class MAIN

If a conference you want to add to your Notebook resides in a private directory
(not in NOTES$LIBRARY), you must include the device and directory name
with the conference name. For example, to add the conference PUBLIC_
RELATIONS residing in user SCOTT's private directory on device DISK$:, type
the following command:
Notes> ADD ENTRY DISK$: [SCOTT]PUBLIC_RELATIONS
Entry DISK$:[SCOTT]PUBLIC_RELATIONS added to class MAIN

Be careful to type the name of the conference correctly when you use the ADD
ENTRY command.
NOTE

When you add an entry to your Notebook, VAX Notes does not
check whether the conference exists. This is done purposely so that
you can add conferences to your Notebook even if the node on
which the conference resides is not reachable at the time.
When you add a conference to your Notebook, you can give the conference any
entry name you like. You can shorten the name or change it to something that
you find easy to remember. There are two ways you can simultaneously add a
conference to your Notebook and give it a different entry name:
•
•

Use the /NAME qualifier
Specify the new entry name as a parameter with the ADD ENTRY
command, and specify the conference name with the /FILE qualifier, or (if
the conference moderator tells you this is appropriate) specify the object
name with the /OBJECT qualifier

For example, when you add the conference MICROCOMPUTERS to your
Notebook, you can give it the entry name PC by typing the following
command:
Notes> ADD ENTRY MICROCOMPUTERS/NAME=PC
Entry PC added to class MAIN

You can do the same thing with the following command:
Notes> ADD ENTRY PC/FILE=MICROCOMPUTERS
Entry PC added to class MAIN

4-6

Using Your Notebook

Once you have renamed a conference and added it to your Notebook, you refer
to the conference by the new name. For example, when you want to specify
the conference MICROCOMPUTERS in Notebook commands, use its entry
name, PC.
Table 4-2 briefly describes the qualifiers you can use with the ADD ENTRY
command. See the VAX Notes Command Dictionary in Part III for complete
descriptions.
Table 4-2:

ADD ENTRY Command Qualifiers

Qualifier

Description

/CLASSES=(class-name[, ... ])

Specifies one or more classes to which the entry belongs. Enclose a list of class names in
parentheses, separated by commas.

/[NO]FILE[=notefile-spec]

Specifies the name of the conference that you want
to add to your Notebook. You can use the /FILE
qualifier when you specify the entry name as a
parameter.

/NAME=entry-name

Specifies an entry name of your choice. Use this
qualifier when you specify the conference name as
a parameter, unless you want the conference name
to be used as the entry name.

/[NO]OBJECT[=object-name]

Associates the entry with its VAX Distributed
Name Service (DNS) object name so that VAX
Notes, when accessing the entry, looks first in the
DNS database for the file specification. Use this
qualifier only if the conference moderator informs
you that the conference is a DNS object.

4.3 Grouping Entries into Classes
When you use VAX Notes for the first time, a class named MAIN is automatically set up for you and is specified as the default class in your profile. The
class MAIN is the current class when you first access VAX Notes. It remains
current until you do one of the following:
•

You select another class to be the current class

•

You change the default class setting in your profile

You can create additional classes to organize related conferences into smaller
groups. You determine how the conferences are related. Conferences that you
read or participate in every day could go into one class, conferences that deal
with similar subjects could go into another class, and so on.
Using Your Notebook 4-7

You can put the same conference in more than one class. This is convenient
when you want to have a certain conference available regardless of which class
is the current class (and without having to change the current class). Note,
however, that only one pointer to the conference exists in your Notebook; this
ensures that the seen/unseen information remains the same regardless of which
class you are in.
When you add a conference to your Notebook, you can use the ADD
ENTRY/CLASSES command to specify which classes the conference belongs
to; or you can use the MODIFY ENTRY/CLASSES command at any time after
you add a conference. An advantage to using the ADD ENTRY command is
that you can add, rename, and assign a conference to one or more classes in
one step. For example, to add the MICROCOMPUTERS conference to the class
HARDWARE with the entry name PC, type the following command:
Notes> ADD ENTRY PC/FILE=MICROCOMPUTERS/CLASSES=HARDWARE
Entry PC added to class HARDWARE

To add the conference AIRLINES to the classes TRAVEL and TRANSPORTATION,
type the following command:
Notes> ADD ENTRY AIRLINES/CLASSES=(TRAVEL,TRANSPORTATION)

If you specify a class that does not exist, VAX Notes automatically creates the
class and adds the entry to it.

You can also use the /CLASSES qualifier to add an existing entry to one or
more additional classes. This is helpful when an entry already belongs to
several classes and you want to add it to one or two more. For example, to add
the existing entry AIRLINES to the class DAILY, in addition to the classes it
already belongs to, type the following command:
Notes> ADD ENTRY AIRLINES/CLASSES=DAILY

4.3.1

Changing the Current Class
The SET CLASS command changes the current class. Changing the current
class is like selecting a mail folder or using the SET DEFAULT command in
DCL to change the current default directory. You can make any existing class

the current class, and you can change the current class at any time during a
VAX Notes session.
Changing the current class has no effect on the default class setting in your
profile, but changing the current class does affect which entries are available,
the location of new entries you add, and any Notebook command that defaults
to the current class.

4-8 Using Your Notebook

You must name an existing class with the SET CLASS command. You can
use the SHOW CLASSES command to see a listing of the classes you have in
your Notebook. The current class at the time you issue the SHOW CLASSES
command is marked with an asterisk ( • ). Figure 4-2 shows a SHOW CLASSES
display.
Figure 4-2:

SHOW CLASSES Display

ZK-5122-86

For example, to make the class named DAILY the current class, type the
following command:
Notes> SET CLASS DAILY
DAILY set as your current class

Many Notebook commands accept a /CLASS qualifier to temporarily override
the current class for a single command. This is similar to including the directory
in a file specification to override the current default directory for the current
command only.

4.3.2

Listing Entries in a Class
To see the entries in a particular class, use the DIRECTORY/NOTEBOOK
(or DIRECTORY /ENTRIES) command. If you do not specify a class, VAX
Notes lists the entries in the current class. If you are in your Notebook and no
conference is open, you can see a listing of the entries in the current class by
typing DIRECTORY; the /NOTEBOOK qualifier is assumed.

Using Your Notebook

4-9

To see a directory of the entries in the current class, type the following
command:
Notes> DIRECTORY/NOTEBOOK

Figure 4-3 shows a DIRECTORY/NOTEBOOK display.
Figure 4-3:

DIRECTORY/NOTEBOOK Display

Notes>
Director~

Entr

Name

Unseen

BB
BOSTON_RESTAURANTS
MARKETING
NEWS
NOTES
REFORMS
>SAMPLE_CONf ERENCE
VAXNOTES

0
330
1
1
0
147
0
0

of Notebook class HAIN

Last new note

15-fEB-1986 09:28
17-fEB-1986 12:39
17-NOV-1858 OO:OO
12-fEB-1986 10:10
29-JAN-1986 12:32
25-JAN-1986 01:54
3-fEB-1986 22:30
17-fEB-1986 22:38

To11cs

U1date status

191
102

0 Never accessed
2

505
23

314

End of recuested l1st1n

ZK-5133-86

The message "Never accessed" in the Update status column indicates that you
have not yet accessed the MARKETING conference; therefore, the statistics
shown for this entry are incorrect. You can update the statistics by issuing the
UPDATE command; VAX Notes automatically updates them when you open
the conference.
To see the statistics shown in Figure 4-3 for a single entry, specify the entry
as a parameter with the DIRECTORY /NOTEBOOK command. For example, to
c;:.,p,p

...,._._

Qt!:\MQMl"Q
fnT" 1>n*'".1 "l\JPWC:.
nnlu h1no
+ho fnllnunnn- l"'nft'\ft'\"'nA•
........_. ......................... .a."& ............... J
.lo.-.~ Y W '-'" ""&I..&.}/
'-] t''"' ....... "°" .&.V.&.LV YT .1..&.Ll!:J '-V.L.&.L.&..&LM..1.1.U.e

Notes> DIRECTORY/NOTEBOOK NEWS

You can use the /CLASS qualifier with the DIRECTORY /NOTEBOOK command to temporarily override the current class. When you use the /CLASS
qualifier, VAX Notes lists entry names in the class you specify, rather than in

4-10 Using Your Notebook

the current class. For example, to see statistics for the entries in the class named
INTERNATIONAL, type the following command:
Notes> DIRECTORY/NOTEBOOK/CLASS=INTERNATIONAL

If you were in a conference when you issued the DIRECTORY /NOTEBOOK
command, you can get back to the screen you were reading by pressing the Fl 0
key or CTRL/Z.

4.4 Accessing an Entry in Your Notebook
To access an entry in your Notebook, use the OPEN command and specify the
name of the entry you want to access. The entry you specify does not have to
be in the current class. If the entry name you specify is not in your Notebook,
VAX Notes displays the message nNo such Notebook entry."
VAX Notes confirms that it is opening the conference you specified. The
confirmation message refers to the conference by its conference name, not your
entry name. For example, if you add the conference MICROCOMPUTERS
to your Notebook and give it the entry name PC, the OPEN command and
message would be as follows:
Notes> OPEN PC
Opening conference MICROCOMPUTERS

Some conference names are quite long. You do not need to type the entire
name, though. You can abbreviate entry names with the OPEN command by
typing the fewest number of characters that identify the entry uniquely. If more
than one entry name matches the characters you specify, VAX Notes opens the
first entry (in alphabetical order) in the current class with a matching name. If
the characters you enter exactly match an entry name, that entry is opened.
For example, suppose you had the following entries in the current class:
CURRENCY
CURRENT
CURRENT-EVENTS
If you type the command OPEN CUR, VAX Notes opens the entry CURRENCY
because that is the first entry that starts with CUR. If you type the command
OPEN CURRENT, VAX Notes opens the entry CURRENT because that is an
exact match.

Using Your Notebook 4-11

4.5 Modifying an Entry
You can use the MODIFY ENTRY command to change the following attributes
of an entry:
•
•
•
•

The entry name
The notefile specification to which the entry refers
The classes to which it belongs
The object, if any, with which it is associated

If the entry you modify is in more than one class, the change is made in
all classes, and the record of which notes you have and have not seen is
unaffected.

Table 4-3 briefly summarizes the MODIFY ENTRY command qualifiers, which
are described in the following sections.
Table 4-3:

4.5.1

MODIFY ENTRY Command Qualifiers

Qualifier

Description

/CLASSES=(class-name[, ... ])

Replaces the classes to which an entry belongs.

/[NO]FILE[=file-spec]

Changes the file specification to which the entry
refers.

/NAME=entry-name

Renames the entry.

/[NO]OBJECT[=object-name]

Associates the entry with the VAX Distributed
Name Service (DNS) object name of the conference, so that VAX Notes, when accessing the entry,
looks first in the DNS database for the file specification. Use this qualifier only if the conference
moderator informs you that the conference is a
DNS object.

Modifying the Entry Name
You may find, after accessing an entry frequently, that you want to shorten the
name or choose a name that is more meaningful to you. To change the entry
name, you specify a new name with the /NAME qualifier.

4-12 Using Your Notebook

For example, to change the name of the entry BIRD_WATCHING to BIRDS,
type the following command:
Notes> MODIFY ENTRY BIRD_WATCHING/NAME=BIRDS
Entry BIRD_WATCHING modified

4.5.2

Modifying the Notefile Specification
Sometimes it is necessary to relocate a conference to another system (for
instance, to take advantage of available computer resources or to have the
conference follow the moderator if the moderator changes jobs). If a relocated
conference is an entry in your Notebook, you must change the entry's notefile
specification to refer to the new location, unless the entry is a VAX Distributed
Name Service (DNS) object (in which case the notefile specification can be
kept centrally in the DNS database and need not be updated by individual
conference members). You specify a new location with the /FILE qualifier.
To see the notefile specification for an entry, use the SHOW ENTRY command.
Figure 4-4 depicts a SHOW ENTRY display.

Using Your Notebook 4-13

Figure 4-4:

SHOW ENTRY Display

ZK-5124-HC

For example, to see the notefile specification for the BOSTON -RESTAURANTS
conference, type the following command:
Notes> SHOW ENTRY BOSTON_RESTAURANTS

If the conference is a DNS object and the entry has been associated with the
object (by use of the ADD ENTRY /OBJECT or the MODIFY ENTRY /OBJECT
command), the object information is included in the SHOW ENTRY display.

You can abbreviate the entry name in the SHOW ENTRY command by typing
the fewest number of unambiguous characters. VAX Notes shows information
for the first entry having a name that matches the characters you specify.
For example, you could see information about the entry named BOSTON_
RESTAURANTS by typing the following command:
Notes> SHOW ENTRY BOS

4-14 Using Your Notebook

To change the notefile specification of the entry BOSTON -RESTAURANTS,
type the following command:
Notes> MODIFY ENTRY BOSTON_RESTAURANTS/FILE=BLINTZ::BOSTON_RESTAURANTS
Entry BOSTON_RESTAURANTS modified

4.5.3

Modifying Classes for an Entry
You can change the classes to which an entry belongs by using the /CLASSES
qualifier with the MODIFY ENTRY command. The list of classes you specify
with the /CLASSES qualifier replaces the current classes. Information about
which notes you have and have not seen is not affected when you move the
entry from one class to another.
By eliminating a class from the list you specify with the /CLASSES qualifier,
you delete the entry from that class. For example, suppose the entry JOKES
belongs to classes FUN and GAMES. You can delete entry JOKES from class
FUN and leave it in class GAMES by typing the following command:
Notes> MODIFY ENTRY JOKES/CLASSES=GAMES
Entry JOKES modified

4.5.4

Modifying the Entry as an Object
If the conference is a VAX Distributed Name Service (DNS) object, the conference moderator can tell the members to use the MODIFY ENTRY/OBJECT
command to associate the entry in their Notebooks with the DNS object name.
For example, if the conference whose entry name is SAMPLE becomes a DNS
object with the object name CONFERENCES.PUBLIC.SAMPLE, you type the
following command:
Notes> MODIFY ENTRY SAMPLE/OBJECT=CONFERENCES.PUBLIC.SAMPLE

Then, when accessing the conference, VAX Notes always looks first in the DNS
database for the notefile specification (if any) there. Only if it is not there does
VAX Notes look for the notefile specification provided by the user. Thus, with
DNS, the conference location can be updated in one central place. (For more
information on DNS objects, see the ADD OBJECT command in the VAX Notes
Command Dictionary in Part III.)

Using Your Notebook 4-15

4.6 Updating Entries
For each entry in your Notebook, VAX Notes stores a record of which notes
in the conference you have and have not read. However, this record is not
automatically updated as participants enter new notes; you need to update this
record yourself.
VAX Notes automatically updates the seen/unseen record when you open a
conference (by issuing the OPEN command or by reading a marked note in
that conference). To determine whether any new notes have been added to
a conference before you open it, you can update the tally of unseen notes by
issuing the UPDATE command.
You can update a single entry or all entries in a class. To update all entries in
the current class, type the following command:
Notes> UPDATE

VAX Notes polls each entry in tum. When all entries specified have been
updated, the class directory is redisplayed. If there was a problem updating
an entry, VAX Notes displays a message during the update and, finally, in the
column headed "Update status." Figure 4-5 shows a class directory containing
an entry that VAX Notes could not update because the notefile containing the
conference could not be found.

4-1 6

Using Your Notebook

Figure 4-5:

Updated Class Directory Display

ZK-5134-86

NOTE
If you receive the message "File not found," check the spelling of the

notefile specification for that entry. Use the SHOW ENTRY command to check this information. To correct the notefile specification,
use the MODIFY ENTRY /FILE command.
To update a single entry, specify that entry as a parameter. This is useful when
you want to try to update an entry again, after a problem has occurred, without
having to update all entries in the class. For example, to update the entry
FUN_AND_GAMES, type the following command:
Notes> UPDATE FUN_AND_GAMES
Updating entry FUN_AND_GAMES (file BUNKER: :FUN_AND_GAMES) ...

VAX Notes displays statistics for the updated entry only.

4.6.1

Updating Entries from the DCL Level
You can issue the UPDATE command without leaving the DCL level by using
the /UPDATE qualifier with the NOTES command. For example, suppose you

Using Your Notebook 4-17

have an entry named ARTS in your default class. You can invoke VAX Notes to
update ARTS, and return to the DCL level, by typing the following command:
$ NOTES/UPDATE ARTS
Updating entry ARTS (file ARTS) ...
$

4.6.2

Updating Entries in the Default Class
To update a single entry in the default class, specify the entry name as a
parameter with the UPDATE command. For example, to update the entry
SCIENCES in your default class, type the following command:
Notes> UPDATE SCIENCES

To update all entries in the default class, issue the UPDATE command without
specifying a class or an entry name.

4.6.3

Updating Entries in a Specific Class
To update all entries in a specific class (other than your default class), use the
/CLASS qualifier without specifying an entry name. For example, to update all
entries in the class MOVIES, type the following command:
Notes> UPDATE/CLASS=MOVIES

To update a single entry in a specific class, use the /CLASS qualifier to specify
the class, and specify the entry name as the parameter. For example, to update
the entry MARS in the class PLANETS, type the following command:
Notes> UPDATE/CLASS=PLANETS MARS

4.6.4

Using the Wildcard Character in Entry and Class Names
You can use the wildcard character ( • ) to update entries or classes that have
characters in common. For example, to update all entries in all classes that start
\Vith the letter R, type the following command:
Notes> UPDATE/CLASS=R*

To update all entries in the default class that end with ISM, type the following
command:
Notes> UPDATE *ISM

4-1 8

Using Your Notebook

4. 7 Using Markers
A marker is a word or phrase that you assign to a particular note (in a particular
conference) so that you can refer to the note by that word or phrase instead
of its number. VAX Notes keeps a record of the markers you set up for each
entry and stores this information in your Notebook. To set up markers in a
conference, the conference must be an entry in your Notebook, and you must
access the conference through your Notebook.
Table 4-4 briefly describes related marker commands. See the VAX Notes
Command Dictionary in Part III for complete descriptions.
Table 4-4:

Related Marker Commands

Command

4. 7 .1

Action

ADD MARKER

Adds a marker to the current or specified note.

DELETE MARKER

Removes a marker from the specified or current note.

MARK

Is a synonym for ADD MARKER.

READ /MARKER

Displays the note marked by the specified marker.

SHOW ENTRY

Lists marker names for the specified entry.

SHOW MARKER

Shows the note number associated with a specific
marker or all markers.

Adding a Marker to a Note
Use the ADD MARKER command to add a marker to a note. (The MARK and
ADD MARKER commands are synonyms and can be used interchangeably.)
VAX Notes adds the marker to the note you are currently reading unless you
specify a note number. You can mark one note at a time; the marker name
must be unique within the conference.
For example, to add a marker named MEETING_MONDAY to note 3.4, type
the following command:
Notes> ADD MARKER MEETING_MONDAY 3.4
Marker MEETING_MONDAY for note 3.4 added to your Notebook

You can use the same marker name in more than one conference in your
Notebook. However, if you issue the READ /MARKER command when no
conference is open, and you specify a duplicate marker name, VAX Notes
displays the marked note in the first entry (in alphabetical order).

Using Your Notebook 4-19

For example, if you have a marker named REMINDER in entry BOOKS and in
entry COOKS, VAX Notes displays the note marked in entry BOOKS when you
issue the command READ /MARKER REMINDER, regardless of which class
these entries are in. You will not be able to display the marked note in the
conference COOKS unless you open that conference and issue the command
READ/MARKER REMINDER.
Also, if you are in a conference, you do not have access to duplicate markers
that point to other conferences. For example, if the conference COOKS is open,
you cannot use the READ /MARKER command to display the note marked with
the marker REMINDER in the BOOKS conference.

4. 7 .2 Getting Information About Markers
Use the SHOW MARKER command, specifying the marker name, to see the
note number and conference associated with a marker. To see all the markers
in your Notebook, including the associated note numbers and conferences, use
the SHOW MARKER/ALL command without specifying a marker name. If you
specify a marker name with the /ALL qualifier, all markers with this name for
all entries are displayed. (Use the SHOW ENTRY command to see the marker
names set up for a specific entry.)
For example, to see the note number associated with the marker named
MEETING_MONDAY, type the following command:
Notes> SHOW MARKER MEETING_MONDAY

If you have not opened a conference, SHOW MARKER is equivalent to SHOW
MARKER/ALL, and all markers for all entries are displayed, as in Figure 4-6.

4-20 Using Your Notebook

Figure 4-6:

SHOW MARKER Display

Notes> I
VAX Notes Com,uter Conferencin
Enter the command HELP for help
Marker
Note
>ASPIC
1071.0
BEEF_ZUCCHINI_STIRFR 22.0
EGG-FOO-YONG
1070.1
EGGDROP_SOUP
1077.1
EGG_ROLLS
94.2
KEBOB
7.0
KUNGPAO_CHICKEN
19.0
LENTILS
788.1
LOWCAL
402.2
MARINADE
7.0
PITA
1120.2
PIZZA
10.0
PIZZA
72.0
PIZZA-DEEPDISH
10.1
STRESS
16.0
TIME-MANAGEMENT
25.2

Conference
COOKS
COOKS
COOKS
COOKS
COOKS
COOKS
COOKS
COOKS
COOKS
COOKS
COOKS
BOSTON_RESTAURANTS
COOKS
BOSTON_RESTAURANTS
COURSES
COURSES

ZK-5126-HC

4. 7 .3

Reading a Marked Note
Use the READ /MARKER command to read the note marked by a specific
marker. (Since marker names must be unique within an entry, READ /MARKER
displays one note.)
You do not have to open a conference before you read a marked note in that
conference. If you are in a conference, and you issue the READ /MARKER command to read a marked note in another conference, VAX Notes automatically
closes the current conference and opens the conference containing the marked
note. You can use markers to jump from conference to conference without
issuing the OPEN or CLOSE commands.

Using Your Notebook 4-21

For example, if the marker MEETING_MONDAY marks note 3.4, to read this
note you could type the following command:
Notes> READ/MARKER MEETING_MONDAY

VAX Notes displays the text of note 3.4.

4. 7 .4

Deleting a Marker
Use the DELETE MARKER command to delete a marker from the current
conference. If you used the same marker name in another conference, that
marker remains untouched.
For example, to delete the marker MEETING_MONDAY, type the following
command line:
Notes> DELETE MARKER MEETING_MONDAY
Marker MEETING_MONDAY deleted

4.8 Closing an Entry
You can use any of the following methods to close an entry:
•
•
•

Issue the CLOSE command
Issue the EXIT command
Issue the OPEN command to open another conference

•

Press CTRL/Z

You can use the CLOSE and EXIT commands interchangeably to close the
current entry. VAX Notes returns you to your Notebook directory when you
close an entry with the CLOSE or EXIT command. You also return to your
Notebook when you use CTRL/Z to close an entry.
You can use the OPEN command to open another entry without returning to
the Notebook directory. When you issue the OPEN command from within an
entry, the current entry is closed automatically before the requested entry is
opened.

4-22 Using Your Notebook

4.9 Deleting Entries
Use the DELETE ENTRY command to delete an entry. If you have added an
entry to more than one class, you can specify whether the entry is to be deleted
from a specific class or from all classes to which the entry was added. You can
also delete an entire class by deleting all the entries in that class.
For example, to delete the entry JAPAN JORUM from all classes, type the
following command:
Notes> DELETE ENTRY JAPAN_FORUM/CLASS=*
Entry JAPAN_FORUM deleted

To delete the entry HOTRODS from the class named MAIN, type the following
command:
Notes> DELETE ENTRY HOTRODS/CLASS=MAIN
Entry HOTRODS deleted from class MAIN

You can also use the MODIFY ENTRY/CLASSES command to delete an entry
from a particular class by omitting the name of this class from the new list you
specify.
Classes in your Notebook are like mail folders in MAIL. Once the class is
empty, it no longer exists. To delete the class called AFTER_S, type the
following command:
Notes> DELETE ENTRY */CLASS=AFTER_5
Entry * deleted from class AFTER_5

NOTE

Before you delete a class, make sure that class is not specified as the
default class in your profile. See Section 4.10.2 for information about
setting your default class.

4.10 Tailoring Your VAX Notes Sessions
Your profile defines your operating environment to VAX Notes. VAX Notes
automatically sets up your profile with the minimum information it needs to
function; you can use VAX Notes without changing anything in your profile.
You may find as you gain experience with VAX Notes that you participate in
certain conferences daily, or that you always issue the PRINT command with
the same qualifiers. You can change settings in your profile to simplify these
repetitive tasks.

Using Your Notebook 4-23

Use the SHOW PROFILE command to see your current profile settings.
Initially, your profile contains the following settings:
Editor and access: EVE
Default class:
MAIN
PRINT qualifiers: none
Personal name:
none
Automatic on open: NEXT UNSEEN

According to these settings, your VAX Notes sessions operate as follows:
•
•
•

•
•

When you write or reply to notes, VAX Notes uses the EVE editor.
Unless you specify another class, Notebook commands assume the class
MAIN.
A single copy of each note you queue to be printed is sent to the default
system print queue (SYS$PRINT), and you are not notified when printing
is complete. Printing does not begin until you leave VAX Notes or switch
print queues.
No personal name will appear in the heading of notes you enter.
VAX Notes automatically displays the first note you have not yet seen
when you first access an entry.

Use the SET PROFILE command to change information in your profile. You
can change several settings in one step by stringing qualifiers together.
Table 4-5 briefly describes qualifiers you can use with the SET PROFILE
command. See the VAX Notes Command Dictionary in Part III for complete
descriptions.
Table 4-5:

SET PROFILE Command Qualifiers

Qualifier

Description

/[NO]AUTOMATIC=(DIRECTORYIUNSEEN)

Specifies whether the DIRECTORY
command or the NEXT UNSEEN
command is automatically issued
when you access a conference.
/NOAUTOMATIC cancels the automatic feature.

/CLASS=class-name

Makes the specified class the default
class.

(continued on next page)

4-24 Using Your Notebook

Table 4-5 (Cont.):

4.10.1

SET PROFILE Command Qualifiers

Qualifier

Description

/EDITOR=( name[, {CALL ISPAWN}])

Specifies the name of the editor
you want to use in VAX Notes, and
determines the access method.

/[NO]PERSONAL_NAME="string"

Sets your personal name to the string
you specify. /NOPERSONAL_NAME
deletes the personal name setting.

/PRINT=qualifier-list

Specifies qualifiers that you automatically want to use when you issue the
PRINT command.

/TEMPORARY

Overrides the profile temporarily for
this session only and does not change
the profile in the Notebook.

Using an Editor with VAX Notes
You can select one of EVE's alternative keypads (or choose an editor other
than EVE) to write notes. In addition, you can specify the access method that
VAX Notes uses to invoke the editor of your choice. (EVE is always called,
regardless of which keypad you choose.) You specify your choice of editor with
the SET PROFILE/EDITOR command.
NOTE

You might be accustomed to using an editor that is not callable. If
you want to use that editor in VAX Notes, you must specify that the
editor is to be spawned. Be aware that spawning an editor is slower
than using a callable editor.
4.10.1 .1

Choosing an EVE Keypad

To use EVE with the standard editing keypad, you do not need to modify your
profile. To use EVE with either the EDT- or WPS-style keypad, you specify the
keypad as the editor name in the /EDITOR qualifier. Remember that regardless
of which keypad style you choose, you still issue EVE commands when editing
text in VAX Notes.
For example, to use EVE with the EDT-style keypad, type the following
command:
Notes> SET PROFILE/EDITOR=EDT
Your profile has been modified

Using Your Notebook 4-25

Now, if you issue the SHOW PROFILE command, your settings appear as
follows:
Editor and access: EDT
Default class:
MAIN
PRINT qualifiers: none
Personal name:
none
Automatic on open: NEXT UNSEEN

To use EVE with the WPS-style keypad, substitute WPS for EDT in the previous
example.
4.10.1 .2

Choosing an Editor Other than EVE

To choose an editor other than EVE, such as EDT or WPS-PLUS, you need to
provide the name of the editor and the access method VAX Notes should use to
invoke the editor.
For example, to call the EDT editor from VAX Notes, type the following
command:
Notes> SET PROFILE/EDITOR=(EDT,CALL)
Your profile has been modified

Now, if you issue the SHOW PROFILE command, your settings appear as
follows:
Editor and access: EDT, callable
Default class:
MAIN
PRINT qualifiers: none
Personal name:
none
Automatic on open: NEXT UNSEEN

Assume that you have a command procedure called SPAWNEDIT.COM in your
MYLIB: directory that invokes an editor and takes two parameters: an input file
and an output file. You can use the editor invoked by this procedure in VAX
Notes by typing the following command:
Notes> SET PROFILE/EDITOR=("©MYLIB:SPAWNEDIT",SPAWN)
Your profile has been modified

To edit text, VAX Notes spawns a subprocess and the following DCL command
is issued:
©MYLIB:SPAWNEDIT.COM input-file output-file

VAX Notes passes an input file specification and an output file specification to
the command procedure that spawns the editor.

4-26 Using Your Notebook

4.10.2

Choosing a Default Class
The default class becomes the current class when you first access VAX Notes;
it remains current unless you select another class (with the SET CLASS
command). You change the default class with the SET PROFILE/CLASS
command. You cannot use the wildcard character ( • ) in the default class name,
and you must name an existing class.
If you created a class named DAILY that contains conferences you follow every

day, it would be convenient to make DAILY your default class. DAILY would
then be accessible as soon as you invoke VAX Notes, and you are saved the
extra step of making DAILY the current class before reading notes in DAILY
conferences.
To make DAILY the default class, type the following command:
Notes> SET PROFILE/CLASS=DAILY
Your profile has been modified

4.10.3

Setting Up Print Qualifiers
If you find that you frequently issue the PRINT command with certain qual-

ifiers, you can specify these qualifiers in your profile. Once you set up these
qualifiers, you do not have to type them each time you issue the PRINT command; VAX Notes automatically adds the qualifiers to the PRINT command
before it is executed.
Default PRINT qualifiers are specified with the SET PROFILE/PRINT command. You must enclose the list of qualifiers in quotation marks. Make sure
you type a slash ( /) in front of each qualifier. If you get the following message
when you issue the PRINT command, check the default PRINT qualifier list in
your profile to be sure the syntax is correct:
Invalid parameter delimiter - check use of special characters

For example, the following command sets up /NOWAIT and /NOTIFY as
default PRINT qualifiers:
Notes> SET PROFILE/PRINT="/NOWAIT/NOTIFY"
Your profile has been modified

Although it is possible to include any valid qualifier for the VAX Notes PRINT
command in your profile, certain qualifiers are too restricting to be appropriate
for general use. For instance, you would probably not want to include the
/AUTHOR, /TITLE, or /KEYWORDS qualifiers in the default PRINT qualifier
list.

Using Your Notebook 4-27

Table 4-6 summarizes recommended qualifiers to include in your profile. See
the VAX Notes Command Dictionary in Part III for complete descriptions.
Table 4-6:

Recommended Default PRINT Qualifiers

Qualifier

Description

/COPIES=number

Prints the specified number of copies. The default is
/COPIES=l.

/FORM=form-name

Specifies the form name to use when the notes are
queued.

/[NO)NOTIFY

Specifies whether you want to be notified
(/NOTIFY) or not (/NONOTIFY) when a print job is
complete. The default is /NONOTIFY.

/QUEUE=queue-name

Sends the print job to the specified queue. The default
is /QUEUE=SYS$PRINT.

/[NO]WAIT

Specifies whether you want to print immediately
(/NOWAIT) or delay printing until you exit from VAX
Notes (/WAIT). The default is /WAIT.

You can temporarily override the default PRINT qualifiers on the command
line. For example, if you set up /WAIT as a default PRINT qualifier in your
profile, you can print topics 2 through 5 immediately by typing:
Notes> PRINT/NOWAIT 2-5

4 notes added to job on queue SYS$PRINT
Job NOTES (queue SYS$PRINT, entry 787) started on SYSTEM$LPAO

VAX Notes normally prints notes in a single batch. If you change the print
queue in the middle of a VAX Notes session, however, any notes already
queued are released for printing. You can have only one print queue active at
any given time; when you switch back and forth between print queues, notes in
the previous queue are released for printing.

4.10.4 Choosing a Personal Name
As in MAIL, you can set a personal name that appears immediately after your
user name in the heading of notes you enter. Your personal name can be any
string with up to 63 characters (including spaces); VAX Notes shortens your
personal name, if necessary, to fit in the space allotted in the note heading.
Some examples for a personal name are your full name, telephone number,
location, a nickname, or a witty phrase.

4-28 Using Your Notebook

Use the SET PROFILE/PERSONAL-NAME command to set a personal name.
You can change your personal name at any time (even when you are in a
conference). You can delete it by issuing the SET PROFILE/NOPERSONAL_
NAME command. Make sure you enclose the personal name string in quotation
marks and start the string with a letter or a number. VAX Notes strips extra
spaces, if any.
For example, to make your personal name read uJohn Q. Noter, Building 5,"
type the following command:
Notes> SET PROFILE/PERSONAL_NAME="John Q. Noter, Building 5"
Your profile has been modified

To delete your personal name, type the following command:
Notes> SET PROFILE/NOPERSDNAL_NAME
Your profile has been modified

4.10.5

Choosing an Automatic Feature
You can have VAX Notes automatically issue one of the following commands
when you first open a conference:
•
•

The DIRECTORY command-If you choose this automatic feature, you will
see a directory of topics in descending order.
The NEXT UNSEEN command-If you choose this automatic feature, you
will see the first unseen note.

Use the SET PROFILE/ AUTOMATIC command to set one of these automatic
features. VAX Notes sets up your profile with the NEXT UNSEEN command as
the automatic feature. Only one automatic feature can be active at a time.
To cancel the automatic feature, use the SET PROFILE/NOAUTOMATIC
command. In this case, you will see the conference heading only (the viewing
area will be blank), and you can issue any VAX Notes command that you want.
To choose the DIRECTORY command as the automatic feature, type the
following command:
Notes> SET PROFILE/AUTDMATIC=DIRECTORY
Your profile has been modified

To choose the NEXT UNSEEN command as the automatic feature, type the
following command:
Notes> SET PROFILE/AUTOMATIC=UNSEEN
Your profile has been modified

Using Your Notebook 4-29

To cancel the automatic feature, type the following command:
Notes> SET PROFILE/NOAUTOMATIC
Your profile has been modified

Note that if you cancel the automatic feature, you have to issue the SET
PROFILE/ AUTOMATIC command to reset it.

4.10.6 Overriding Profile Settings
A permanent record of your profile is stored in your Notebook. When you start
a VAX Notes session, VAX Notes makes a copy of your permanent profile and
stores the copy in the computer's memory. When you issue the SET PROFILE
command, you usually see the following message:
Your profile has been modified

This message indicates that VAX Notes has modified both the copy and the
permanent profile in your Notebook. This ensures that the permanent profile in
your Notebook reflects the latest settings.
You can use the /TEMPORARY qualifier with the SET PROFILE command
to temporarily override the settings in your profile, without changing the
permanent record in your Notebook. When you use the /TEMPORARY
qualifier, VAX Notes changes only the copy in memory. The permanent profile
in your Notebook is not affected.
Temporary settings override your permanent profile during the current VAX
Notes session only. When you exit VAX Notes, the temporary copy of your
profile is discarded.
For example, to change your personal name for the current session only, type
the following command:
Notes> SET PROFILE/PERSONAL_NAME="FUZZ BALL"/TEMPORARY
Setting temporarily changed. Permanent profile not modified

You can verify that the settings are temporary by issuing the SHOW PROFILE
command. The permanent setting is shown, along with the temporary setting.
To switch back to the personal name you were using before making the
temporary change, either reset the personal name with the /TEMPORARY
qualifier again or exit from VAX Notes.
When you open a conference, you can override the automatic feature in
your profile (without using the /TEMPORARY qualifier) by using the
/[NO]AUTOMATIC qualifier with either the DCL command NOTES or

4-30 Using Your Notebook

the VAX Notes command OPEN. For example, the following command opens
the BIRDS entry and displays a directory, regardless of your profile setting:
$ NOTES/AUTOMATIC=DIRECTORY BIRDS

The following command opens the conference and displays the first unseen
note:
$ NOTES/AUTOMATIC=UNSEEN BIRDS

The following command opens the conference and displays only a conference
heading:
$ NOTES/NOAUTOMATIC BIRDS

Using Your Notebook 4-31

Chapter 5

Moderating a Conference
5.1

Overview
This chapter describes the role of the moderator in different types of conferences. It also explains how to use moderator privilege to do the following:

5. 1 . 1

•

Create and maintain a list of conference members

•

Delete, hide, and prohibit replies to notes entered by any user

•

Create and modify keywords

•

Provide extra security for a confidential conference

•

End a conference

The Role of the Conference Moderator
When you create a conference, VAX Notes automatically gives you the ability
to act as a moderator for that conference. As the moderator, you have special
privileges and responsibilities. You can do much to assure the success of the
conference.
The Moderator's Role Early in the Conference

Just as for a conventional face-to-face meeting, the Notes moderator announces
the conference, states its purpose, and identifies major topics for discussion.
Then the moderator invites and encourages input from all members, while
ensuring that they do not stray too far afield from the intended subject. In
addition, the moderator can generate and help maintain interest in the conference. Diligence in directing and overseeing the conference is usually needed,
at least initially, to ensure that there is enough new conversation to promote
participation.

Moderating a Conference

5-1

The moderator's role is often crucial to the success of the conference. If
prospective participants are not familiar with computer conferencing, or perhaps
not familiar with computers at all, the moderator might give a hands-on training session (if possible) at the outset. The moderator should also provide clear
instructions that can be referred to whenever they are needed. A face-to-face
meeting can be valuable in creating a personal and friendly group feeling that
will continue in conference discussions. The moderator should consider setting
up such a meeting, if practicable.
When a group is not accustomed to participating in computer conferences,
they may become anxious. If they do not know clearly what is expected of
them and what the norms of conference behavior are, they will need explicit
instructions and encouragement from the moderator before they have the
confidence to begin participating actively. It is easier to withdraw from a
computer conference than from a face-to-face conference where there is at least
the assurance of physical presence and the norms of personal courtesy and
attention.
One way a moderator can reduce communication anxiety is to emphasize the
informal nature of the conference. The moderator should emphasize repeatedly
the importance of active participation. The more lively the exchange, and the
more practice people have in writing notes, the more gratifying, interesting, and
motivating the conference will be. People also need explicit responses to their
contributions so that they are not left wondering nervously about the group's
reactions.
The moderator can create a context in which prospective conference participants
are attracted to an interesting agenda and are assured that what they contribute
is respected and valued. The moderator can directly encourage participation
from individuals, suggesting ways to contribute and asking for opinions when
appropriate. The moderator can give powerful positive reinforcement and
feedback to participants; one effective way of recognizing contributions is to
weave them together in periodic summaries of the discussion. When the selfesteem of conference members is enhanced by positive feedback, motivation
and contribution tend to rise dramatically.
The Moderator's Role in Different Kinds of Conferences

There are many different kinds of conferences, and the moderator's role varies
accordingly. A few examples follow:
•

5-2

In a public conference on a subject of strong interest to a large number of
people who have some familiarity with the mechanics of conferencing, the
moderator can simply create and announce the conference. Once word gets
around, the conversation takes care of itself. (This chapter gives you some
easy and effective methods for publicizing a new public conference.)

Moderating a Conference

In such a conference, you might choose not to moderate at all after you
have created the conference. VAX Notes does not require a moderator.
Unless you enable your moderator privilege with the SET MODERATOR
command, VAX Notes treats you as an ordinary user. (If you decide to
intervene later for any reason, you can enable the moderator privilege
whenever you wish.)
•
•

•

In a bulletin-board conference, the moderator writes all the notes. Other
users can only read the notes.
In a small private conference on an ongoing work project, the moderator
might be the project manager. The project manager could set a taskoriented agenda, inform the members of the team what is expected of them,
give any warnings needed about proprietary information, and so forth.
In an educational conference, the moderator might be the course instructor,
spelling out what is expected of the student participants, giving assignments, and setting deadlines. The moderator's introductory note might
include a recommendation on how frequently the students should log in
and read new notes. The moderator should also make sure that the students understand from the start how to open the conference and read and
write notes.

In addition to its value for sharing information and developing ideas or plans, a
conference can promote a sense of community and solidarity among the people
participating. The goal of promoting group cohesion and morale is sometimes
the primary goal of a conference. In such a conference, the moderator might
encourage a free, wide-ranging discussion instead of a tight topical agenda,
notes of personal introduction from the participants, and general informality.
The Moderator's Role in Preventing and Solving Problems

You can do much as moderator to prevent rude, hostile, or otherwise offensive
or unacceptable behavior (which is more likely to occur in an impersonal,
remote medium such as a computer conference than in a face-to-face meeting).
Your introductory topic (note 1.0) can state rules for communication, including
rules of etiquette and courtesy, rules of relevance, guidelines to avoid legal
problems, and so forth. If you anticipate a possible need for censorship on
any grounds, you may prevent that need from arising if you explicitly state the
acceptable limits of the discussion and how you will enforce them.
As moderator, you can do much to prevent a discussion from fragmenting or
wandering from the subject. Your introductory note can set boundaries for
the discussion, perhaps suggesting subject matter that is not to be included as
well as what is. If the discussion does veer off the subject, or a note contains
irrelevant or offensive content, you have several options for restoring order:
You can move a note to a more appropriate location in the conference; you can
Moderating a Conference

5-3

"hide" a note or delete it altogether (you would usually discuss this decision
with the note's author in person or by MAIL); you can prevent any further
replies to a topic; you can revoke a user's membership in a private conference;
and you can terminate the conference altogether. (This chapter tells you how to
do these things with VAX Notes commands.)
You can also do much to keep the conference aims in focus through "weaving."
A weaving message summarizes the procedings to date, identifying areas of
agreement and disagreement, interpreting and integrating individual contributions, and creating a temporary synthesis that can serve as a starting point for
the next phase of the conference discussion. Weaving can be of great value in
giving the group a sense of accomplishment and direction and in concentrating
group attention on the currently most important agenda topics.
As moderator, you can effectively inject new ideas if a discussion is at a
temporary dead end. On the other hand, sometimes a topic and numerous
replies go off on a tangent irrelevant to the conference aims. In such a situation,
you might intervene and prevent further replies (setting the note to NOWRITE)
and explaining the action in a final reply to the topic.
You can do much to reduce ambiguity and promote clear communication. The
members of a conference are more likely to withdraw into silence than to risk
embarrassment by stating in writing that they do not understand someone's
note. You can be alert to confusing or ambiguous statements and add explanatory replies or request clarification from the author on occasions when other
members are likely to be too self-conscious to do so. Such an action on the part
of the moderator is also likely to encourage members to ask for clarification on
future occasions.
If you see that a decision needs to be made by the conference members,
a useful technique might be to make a proposal in a note and request the
members' reactions to it by a certain date, saying that the action will be taken
at that time unless there are numerous or serious objections. To ensure that
members receive the note promptly, you could use the FORWARD/MEMBERS
command to send the note automatically by MAIL to the entire membership
list.

You can initiate and encourage "meta-communication"-communication about
the communication process itself in the conference. Such a discussion, while
not part of the main conference agenda, can give insights into the advantages,
problems, and potential of the computer conference as a new medium of communication. It can also bring to light problems of ambiguity, emotional tone
and intent, irrelevance, and information overload. It can serve as a suggestion
box on conference rules. Problems need to be addressed explicitly, lest dissatisfied members reduce or cease their participation; meta-communication within
the conference fosters this explicitness.
5-4

Moderating a Conference

An active conference can grow to very large dimensions, resulting sometimes
in information overload. Brevity, therefore, is desirable. However, brevity can
conflict with clarity and completeness, especially when ideas are complex. As
moderator, you can set the standard for length of notes, being careful that
the standard is appropriate to the subject matter. You can also contribute a
summary of the discussion, whenever a summary seems needed to condense a
mass of information. You can identify and express an emerging consensus, and
intervene to reduce redundancy or introduce a new topic when a discussion
becomes pointless.
You can also create meaningful keywords (see Section 5.7) and remind participants that they can quickly find notes of interest by using the keywords, which
are like a simple and handy index.
Sharing the Moderator's Tasks

Monitoring many conversations on a regular basis can tum into a full-time
job. If the job of moderator is too time-consuming, you can delegate duties in
several ways:

5.1 .2

•

You can grant moderator privilege to one or more other members, without
changing your own moderator status, so that they can take over some or all
of the duties.

•

You can give selected members privileges that are less than full moderator privilege but enough to allow them to carry out one or more of the
following useful functions:
The ability to write notes in a conference in which writing is not
permitted to most participants
The ability to write topics in a conference in which most participants
can write only replies
The ability to create keywords in a keyword-restricted conference

Setting and Restoring Moderator Privilege
When you create a conference, VAX Notes does not automatically give you the
powers of a moderator. You decide if and when you want them. To enable
moderator privilege, open the conference and type the following command:
Notes> SET MODERATOR

Moderating a Conference

5-5

Note that not everyone can use the SET MODERATOR command. VAX
Notes recognizes you as having that right because you created the conference.
You can grant moderator status to one or more other conference members
by using the ADD MEMBER/PRIVILEGES=MODERATE or the MODIFY
MEMBER/PRIVILEGES=MODERATE command.
If you are the last moderator on record in a conference (that is, you were
the last moderator to issue the SET MODERATOR command) and somehow
delete your moderator privilege, you can restore the privilege. First, reenter the
conference. You will see the following message:
You are still a moderator by default -- check your membership list

Make sure that your current login node and user name match your node and
user name when you last issued the SET MODERATOR command. If there is
any doubt, double-check by typing the following command:
Notes> SHOW CONFERENCE

Then restore your moderator status, as follows:
Notes> SET MODERATOR

Immediately reset your moderator privilege by typing the following command
(substituting your user name for SMITH):
Notes> MODIFY MEMBER SMITH/PRIVILEGES=MODERATE

5.1 .3

Moderator Commands
Table 5-1 briefly describes the moderator commands. Except for the CREATE
CONFERENCE command, you must enable your moderator privilege with the
SET MODERATOR command before using these commands.
The moderator commands are discussed fully later in this chapter. For a
complete description of moderator commands and their qualifiers, see the VAX
Notes Command Dictionary in Part III.
Table 5-1:

Moderator Commands

Command

Description

CREATE CONFERENCE notefilespec

Creates a notefile for a new conference.

(continued on next page)

5-6

Moderating a Conference

Table 5-1 (Cont.):

Moderator Commands

Command

Description

SET CONFERENCE

Sets or changes information about the current
conference.

SET [NO]MODERATOR

Specifies whether to enable moderator privilege.

ADD MEMBER username

Adds a user to the membership list for a private
conference.

DELETE MEMBER usemame

Removes a user from the membership list for a
private conference.

MODIFY MEMBER usemame

Changes information about an existing member.

CREATE KEYWORD keywordname

Creates a new keyword for a conference.

DELETE KEYWORD/ ALL
keyword-name

Deletes a keyword from the conference.

MODIFY KEYWORD keywordname

Changes the name of an existing keyword.

DELETE NOTE [note-ID]

Deletes the current or specified note from the
conference.

SET NOTE [note-ID]

Sets or changes attributes of the current or
specified note.

5.1.4 Types of Conferences
The types of conferences described here are meant to give you ideas about ways
you can use VAX Notes. VAX Notes is appropriate for any application that
requires information to be shared and communicated by many people or that
requires a history of conversation to be kept, so this list is not comprehensive.
A public conference is a conference that is open to all users. It addresses
a certain subject and usually requires a moderator to keep the discussion on
track. If keyword creation is to be restricted, the moderator specifies who (if
anyone other than the moderator) has keyword-creation privilege. A forum
on employee benefits, perhaps with a member of the personnel department
presiding, would be an appropriate public conference.
A private conference is a members-only conference. A moderator is required
to specify who can participate. In addition, the moderator may limit keyword
creation to certain participants. A meeting between senior members of the marketing and manufacturing departments to discuss the design of a new product
would be an appropriate private conference. An educational conference, such
as an online course, could also be private.
Moderating a Conference

5-7

A restricted conference is a conference that can be public or private. It
limits keyword creation and writing notes to a select group of individuals.
The moderator determines who can create keywords and write notes in the
conference.
A conference notefile may contain a collaborative document, a document that
has more than one author. Access to the notefile that stores a collaborative
document is restricted to the authors (and, possibly, reviewers); therefore,
the moderator must specify who has access rights. (Access can be limited by
making the conference private, or by setting the conference to NOWRITE or
REPL Y_QNLY and granting the authors the WRITE-REGARDLESS privilege.)
The moderator does not usually play an active role since the notefile is not
being used for discussion but for organizing text. A product design specification
produced by a team of engineers, an article for a professional journal written
by two or more people, and a procedures manual developed by members of a
department are all examples of collaborative documents.
A bulletin board is a read-only conference for disseminating information. It
is usually open to all users, but only the moderator is able to write notes. A
moderator might set up a bulletin board to announce and describe new training
programs or to advertise items for sale.
Table 5-2 summarizes the characteristics of the different types of conferences.
Table 5-2:

Type

5-8

Conference Types and Characteristics
Membership
Active
List
Moderator? Required?

Characteristics

Public

Yes

Open discussion on a certain subject.

Private

Yes

Closed discussion on a certain subject.

Restricted

Yes

Public or private conference in which
keyword creation or writing notes is
limited to select individuals.

Collaborative
Document

Yes

Select group of users providing input to
document as required.

Bulletin Board

Yes

Users al!o\·ved only to read notes posted
by the moderator.

Moderating a Conference

5.2 Setting Up a Conference
In general, setting up a new conference requires several basic steps:
Create the conference with the CREATE CONFERENCE command and, if
you wish, specify whether access or keyword creation is to be restricted,
and whether notes can or cannot be written to the conference.
2. Give the conference a title, which appears in the conference heading.
3. Compose an introductory topic to explain the purpose of the conference,
rules for communicating, and any additional information you think users
should know about the conference.
1.

4. If (in step 1) you set any conference restrictions, enable moderator privilege
with the SET MODERATOR command to specify names of members and
their privileges.
You use the CREATE CONFERENCE command to set up a conference in the
NOTES$LIBRARY directory with the file name you specify. (The default file
type is .NOTE.) VAX Notes automatically recognizes you as a moderator for the
conference and you are recognized by the VMS operating system as the owner
of the file. 1 The file name of the notefile serves as the default entry name when
a user adds this conference to his or her Notebook.
When you create a conference, your default protection is automatically used to
set user's access to the conference file. If you have no default protection set,
then VAX Notes uses the system default. If the system default protection does
not allow world READ, you must specifically change the protection to world
READ to allow users to access the conference.
NOTE

At installation, your system manager establishes default protection
for the NOTES$LIBRARY directory. This protection may allow
only certain users on your system to create conferences in the
NOTES$LIBRARY directory. If you are not authorized to create
conferences in the NOTES$LIBRARY directory, create the conference
in your own directory by specifying the device and directory
along with the file name for the conference. You can then have
the conference moved to the NOTES$LIBRARY directory by
the system manager (using the command procedure named
SYS$MANAGER:NOTES$MOVE_CONFERENCE.COM).

1 The concept of file ownership is important when you want to delete the notefile (see Section 5.9) or provide

extra security for a confidential conference (see Section 5.10).

Moderating a Conference

5-9

The CREATE CONFERENCE command has three qualifiers, all optional:
•

/(NO]RESTRICT lets you specify whether membership, keyword creation,
or both, are to be restricted for the conference you specify.

•

/[NO]WRITE lets you specify whether notes can or cannot be written to
this conference by anyone other than a moderator or a member explicitly
granted the WRITE-REGARDLESS privilege.

•

/[NO]REPLY_ONLY lets you specify whether or not topics can be written
to this conference by anyone other than a moderator or a member explicitly
granted the WRITE-REGARDLESS privilege.

By default, a VAX Notes conference is public, notes can be written to the
conference, keyword creation is restricted, and the ability to write both topics
and replies is unrestricted.
When you create a conference that restricts access, you must specify the
names of users who are allowed to access the conference. These users are
called members. You also need to specify members if you want to assign any
privileges or mailing addresses. (If the conference is public, access to it is not
restricted to the members.)
You use the ADD MEMBER command to create membership records, records
that state the members' systems (nodes) and any mailing addresses and
privileges. The collection of all membership records is called a membership
list.
The following sections give step-by-step instructions for setting up a public
conference, a private conference, and a bulletin board.

5.2.1

Setting Up a Public Conference
A public conference is the simplest type pf conference and requires the fewest
number of steps to create. Once you create the conference, it is ready for use;
you are not required to establish a membership list or to use other moderator
commands. If you decide later to modify the conference characteristics, you can
do so (see Section 5.5). Similarly, you can create or modify a membership list
at any time (see Section 5.4).
To set up a public conference called BENEFITS, use the following steps:
1. Create the conference.
Issue the CREATE CONFERENCE command, as follows:
Notes> CREATE CONFERENCE BENEFITS
NOTES$LIBRARY:BENEFITS.NOTE;1 created

5-1 0 Moderating a Conference

2. Give the conference a title.
A message appears requesting a name for the conference. Type in a title, as
follows:
Enter a title for the conference: Forum on Employee Benefits
You may now enter the text for the introductory topic

3. Compose an introductory topic.
At this point, VAX Notes displays an empty editing buffer and waits for
you to compose an introductory topic. For the BENEFITS conference, you
might explain what you are trying to accomplish through the conference,
how long the conference will last, and rules for entering notes. When you
are finished, exit from the editor.
Complete the introductory topic by giving it a title, as follows:
Enter a title for your topic: Goals and Rules for the Benefits Conference
Your topic is complete. Proceed to enter it? (Y/N) <Y> lRETURNI

VAX Notes displays your introductory topic (as note 1.0) to confirm that the
topic was successfully added to the conference.
If you like, you can prevent participants from adding replies to the
introductory topic by typing the following command:
Notes> SET NOTE/NOWRITE 1.0

5.2.2

Setting Up a Private Conference
You use the CREATE CONFERENCE/RESTRICT command to set up a private
conference. In addition to limiting membership, you can specify whether
keyword creation is available to all or just certain members. The /RESTRICT
qualifier accepts two values: MEMBERS and KEYWORDS. If you do not specify
a value, both membership and keyword creation are restricted.
Suppose your project team wants to set up a conference to keep track of ideas
for improving a product. There are five people on your project team: SALLY,
MARK, MONROE, DARCY, and you (VALERIE). Everyone except DARCY is
on node TINKER; DARCY is on node TAILOR. To set up the conference called
PRODUCT_)( in your login directory, and to restrict access to the conference to
project team members only, use the following steps:
1. Create the conference.
Issue the CREATE CONFERENCE/RESTRICT command, as follows:
Notes> CREATE CONFERENCE/RESTRICT=MEMBERS DISK$: [VALERIE]PRODUCT_X
TINKER: :[VALERIE]PRODUCT_X.NOTE;1 created

Moderating a Conference

5-11

2. Give the conference a title.
A message appears requesting a name for the conference. Type in a title, as
follows:
Enter a title for the conference: Ideas for Improving Product X
You may now enter text for the introductory topic

3. Compose an introductory topic.
At this point, VAX Notes displays an empty editing buffer and waits for
you to compose an introductory topic. For the PRODUCT_)( conference,
you might explain that the purpose of the conference is to collect product
improvement ideas. When you are finished, exit from the editor.
Complete the introductory topic by giving it a title, as follows:
Enter a title for your topic: Purpose of this Conference,....,,.,,,=--___,
Your topic is complete. Proceed to enter it? (Y/N) <Y> I RETURN I

VAX Notes displays your introductory topic (as note 1.0) to confirm that the
topic was successfully added to the conference.
If you want to prevent participants from adding replies to the introductory
topic, type the following command:
Notes> SET NOTE/NOWRITE 1.0

4. Create the membership list.
At this point, you are ready to create the membership list for this conference. You use the ADD MEMBER command to add members, one at a
time.
Notes> SET MODERATOR
Moderator privilege enabled
Notes> ADD MEMBER TINKER: :SALLY
Notes> ADD MEMBER TINKER: :MARK
Notes> ADD MEMBER TINKER::MONROE
Notes> ADD MEMBER TAILOR: :DARCY

If you want to move the conference to the NOTES$LIBRARY directory,
contact your system manager. A command procedure called NOTES$MOVE_
CONFERENCE.COM comes with VAX Notes and allows conferences to be
moved from a private directory to the NOTES$LIBR~A.RY directory.
If you want to create the PRODUCT_)( conference so that both membership
and keyword creation are restricted, and only moderators and selected members
can write notes, type the following command:
Notes> CREATE CONFERENCE/RESTRICT/NOWRITE DISK$: [VALERIE]PRODUCT_X
DISK$: [VALERIE]PRODUCT_X.NOTE;1 created

5-12 Moderating a Conference

Alternatively, you could do the same thing but allow all members to write
replies only, not topics, as follows:
Notes> CREATE CONFERENCE/RESTRICT/REPLY_ONLY DISK$: [VALERIE]PRODUCT_X
DISK$: [VALERIE]PRODUCT_X.NOTE;1 created

You can use the /PRIVILEGES qualifier with the ADD MEMBER command to
specify whether or not the member is to be a moderator or can create keywords
or write notes in the PRODUCT_)( conference. The assignment of privileges is
optional; if you do not use the /PRIVILEGES qualifier, the member cannot act
as a moderator, cannot create keywords, and cannot write in a write-restricted
conference.
If the PRODUCT_)( conference is set to NOWRITE, the /PRIVILEGES=WRITE_
REGARDLESS qualifier grants the privilege of writing notes. If it is set to
REPLY_ONLY, this same qualifier grants the privilege of writing topics. For
example, to give member DARCY the privilege to create keywords and to write
any notes, including topics, type the following command:
Notes> ADD MEMBER TAILOR: :DARCY/PRIVILEGES=(CREATE_KEYWORDS,WRITE_REGARDLESS)

Section 5.4 provides more information about setting up and maintaining a
membership list.

5.2.3

Setting Up a Bulletin Board
You initially set up a bulletin board as you would a public conference. You use
the CREATE CONFERENCE command (without the /[NO]RESTRICT qualifier)
to set up the conference. However, you include the /NOWRITE qualifier
to prohibit anyone besides yourself, or members you specify, from entering
notes in the conference. You have complete control over the contents of the
conference and all other users can only read the notes.
To set up a bulletin board called COURSES, use the following steps:
1. Create the conference, and prohibit other users from adding notes.
Issue the CREATE CONFERENCE command, as follows:
Notes> CREATE CONFERENCE COURSES/NOWRITE
NOTES$LIBRARY:COURSES.NOTE;1 created

2. Give the conference a title.
A message appears requesting a name for the conference. Type in a title, as
follows:
Enter a title for the conference: New Courses for the Fall Term
You can now compose an introductory topic

3. Compose an introductory topic.
Moderating a Conference

5-13

At this point, VAX Notes displays an empty editing buffer and waits for
you to compose an introductory topic. For the COURSES bulletin board,
you might describe the format you will use to present course information,
how to find a particular course in the conference, and where to get more
information. You should also inform the users that they cannot write notes
in the conference. When you are finished, exit from the buffer.
Complete the introductory topic by giving it a title, as follows:
Enter a title for your topic: Course Information and Instructions
Your topic is complete. Proceed to enter it? (Y/N) <Y> IRETURNI

VAX Notes displays your introductory topic (as note 1.0) to confirm that the
topic was successfully added to the conference.

5.3 Announcing a Conference
VAX Notes provides the following two methods for announcing a new
conference:
•

You can use a note in an existing conference to announce another
conference.
By linking the notefile specification of the conference you want to announce
with this note, you put the conference on a shopping list" in the existing
conference. You use the SET NOTE/CONFERENCE command to establish
this link. To add the conference to their Notebooks, users display this note
and press the SELECT key. This method is recommended for announcing
public conferences.
You can use the FORWARD/MEMBERS or SEND/MEMBERS command to
send a mail message privately announcing the conference to members only.
0

•

5.3.1

Putting the Conference on a Shopping List
A good way to publicize a new conference is to announce it by writing a
note in an existing conference-one whose users are likely to be interested
in the new conference. You use the SET NOTE/CONFERENCE command
to simultaneously announce a new conference and provide a convenient
way for interested users to join the new conference. First, you compose
an announcement note in an existing conference. Then, you use the SET
NOTE/CONFERENCE command to link the name of the new conference
with your announcement note. When users read the announcement note, they
can add the new conference to their Notebooks without leaving the current
conference by issuing the SELECT command (or by pressing the SELECT key).

5-14 Moderating a Conference

You can put your conference on more than one shopping list, if desired. You
repeat the same steps in each conference where you want to announce your
new conference.
An asterisk ( * ) appears next to the note number in the heading of a note you
have set with the SET NOTE/CONFERENCE command. This indicator alerts
users that a conference has been linked with this note and is available to be
added to their Notebooks.
It is best to put only public conferences on a shopping list. VAX Notes does not
prohibit you from putting a private conference on a shopping list, but you risk
frustrating nonmembers, who do not have access to it. (See Section 5.3.2 on
how to announce private conferences to members only.)

To put the COURSES bulletin board on the shopping list in the STUDENT_
NEWS conference, use the following steps:
1. Open the conference in which you want to post your announcement.
Notes> OPEN STUDENT_NEWS

Issue the WRITE command to start a new topic.
Notes> WRITE

At this point, you compose the announcement note, which will become
the last topic in the STUDENT_NEWS conference. When you finish the
announcement, exit from the editor.
Complete the announcement by giving it a title.
Enter a title for your topic: Announcing New Courses for the Fall Term
Your topic is complete. Proceed to enter it? (Y/N) <Y> IRETURNI

3. Issue the SET NOTE/CONFERENCE command to link the conference with
your topic.
Notes> SET NOTE/CONFERENCE=COURSES

If you set up the COURSES conference on a different system than the one

where STUDENT_NEWS resides, you need to specify the system (node) name
in the notefile specification. For example, if STUDENT_NEWS resides on the
ASTRO system, and you create COURSES on the ELROY system, then you
need to type the following command:
Notes> SET NOTE/CONFERENCE=ELROY::COURSES

Moderating a Conference

5-1 5

5.3.2

Using MAIL to Announce a Conference
You can use the FORWARD/MEMBERS or SEND/MEMBERS command to
send a mail message privately announcing a new conference. You can send
the message to members of the new conference, provided you have already
established the membership list, or another conference whose members are
likely to be interested in the new conference. These two commands use the
VMS Mail Utility (MAIL) to send a mail message to the membership list of the
currently open conference.
Once you have prepared a note to announce a new conference, use the
FORWARD/MEMBERS command to forward the note to all users on the
membership list. VAX Notes gives you a chance to add a forwarding message
at the beginning of this note. If you want to compose a mail message instead
of a note and then send the message to members only, you can use the
SEND /MEMBERS command. With either the FORWARD /MEMBERS or
SEND/MEMBERS command, VAX Notes uses the membership list as a MAIL
distribution list; you do not list each individual member as an addressee.
To announce the PRODUCT_)( conference by forwarding the introductory topic
to members only, use the following steps:
1. Display the introductory topic.
Notes> 1

You must display the introductory topic (always topic 1) before you can
forward it.
2.

Forward the topic to all conference members.
Notes> FORWARD/MEMBERS

3. Type a subject (or use the default subject by pressing the RETURN key at
the Subject: prompt).
Subject: Announcing the PRODUCT_X Conference
Default subject is: "Notefile TINKER: :PRODUCT_X Note 1.0"

Compose a message to include with the topic.
At this point, VAX Notes displays an empty editing buffer for you to
compose a forwarding message. When you are finished, exit from the
editor.
Your message is complete. Proceed to send it? (Y/N) <Y> I RETURN I

5-16 Moderating a Conference

To compose an announcement and then send it to members, use the following
steps:
1. Issue the SEND /MEMBERS command.
Notes> SEND/MEMBERS

Give your message a subject.
Subject: Announcing the PRODUCT_X Conference

3. Compose your announcement.
VAX Notes displays an empty editing buffer (called NOTES$MAIL_EDIT)
for you to compose your announcement. When you are finished, exit from
the editor.
Your message is complete. Proceed to send it? (Y/N) <Y> IRETURNl

5.4 Maintaining the Membership List
When you create a conference in which membership, keyword creation, or
writing privileges are restricted, you specify who can access the conference,
create keywords, or write notes by creating a membership list. By adding a user
to the membership list, you authorize that user to access the conference. At the
same time, you can specify whether the user is authorized to create keywords,
act as a moderator, write notes (if the conference is set to NOWRITE), or write
topics (if the conference is set to REPLY_ONLY).
NOTE

You can create a membership list for a public conference in order to
give certain members privileges or to specify mailing addresses. VAX
Notes does not check the membership list of public conferences to
determine access rights.
If you are adding to or otherwise modifying the membership list for several

conferences and the process is repetitive, you can use batch processing.
You can add and delete members from the membership list and change
information for a member at any time. To create or maintain a membership
list for a conference, you must open the conference and enable your moderator
privilege by issuing the SET MODERATOR command.

Moderating a Conference

5-17

5.4.1

Adding Members
You use the moderator command ADD MEMBER to add a user to the membership list for a restricted conference. Table 5-3 briefly describes the qualifiers
for the ADD MEMBER command. All qualifiers are optional. Refer to the VAX
Notes Command Dictionary in Part III for complete descriptions.
Table 5-3:

ADD MEMBER Command Qualifiers

Qualifier

Description

/ ACCESS=(node::usemame[, ... ])

Uniquely identifies a member
regardless of whether his or her
VMS user name is the same as
another member's.

/MAIL=mail-address

Specifies the user's mailing
address.

/NODES=(node-name[, ... ])

Specifies names of systems
(nodes) the user will use to
access VAX Notes. /NODES is
superseded by /ACCESS.

/PRIVILEGES=([NO]MODERATE,[NO]CREATE_
KEYWORDS,[NO]WRITE_REGARDLESS)

Specifies the user's privileges.

You can supply the user name as a parameter to the ADD MEMBER command;
or you can specify a user's system (node) name along with the user name. You
should use the /ACCESS qualifier when the user has more than one system to
access VAX Notes. (The/ ACCESS qualifier supersedes the /NODES qualifier;
see the MODIFY MEMBER command in the Command Dictionary for more
information.) By specifying a list of node names, you ensure that the user's
identity is independent of the system. If you are adding a member who uses
VAX Notes in a cluster environment, you should use the cluster name (cluster
alias) or list all the node names in the cluster for that member.
If you have two users with the same user name (for example, NODEA::SMITH
and NODEB::SMITH), and you want to give them different privileges or
different mailing addresses, you must use the /ACCESS qualifier to give them
unique identities. When you use the/ ACCESS qualifier, the parameter to
the ADD MEMBER command is typically the member's full name; it must be
enclosed in quotation marks if it includes any spaces.

The /MAIL qualifier is useful when the user wants to receive mail messages
from VAX Notes on a specific system, or when the user uses a mailing system
other than the VMS Mail Utility (MAIL) and, therefore, requires a different
syntax for his or her mailing address than that required by MAIL.
5-18 Moderating a Conference

You use the /PRIVILEGES qualifier to authorize the user to act as moderator,
create keywords, or write notes in a write-restricted conference (a conference
set to NOWRITE or REPLY_ONLY).
NOTE
If you authorize a user to act as moderator (with
/PRIVILEGES=MODERATE), that user is also automatically authorized to create keywords and to write notes to a write-restricted
conference.

In the next example, you add user MITZY to the membership list and do the
following:
•

Grant user MITZY access rights to this conference

•

Specify BAZAAR as the system (node) that MITZY uses

•

Authorize MITZY to create keywords in this conference

Notes> ADD MEMBER BAZAAR: :MITZY/PRIVILEGES=CREATE_KEYWORDS

In the next example, you add user LEE to the membership list and do the
following:
•

Grant user LEE access rights to this conference, and give him the member
name uEd Leen

•

Specify A and Bas systems (nodes) that he uses

•

Specify A as the system on which he wants to receive mail messages from
VAX Notes
Authorize him to act as moderator (a privilege that automatically includes
the other privileges)

•

Notes> ADD MEMBER "Ed Lee"/ACCESS=(A: :LEE,B: :LEE)/MAIL=A: :LEE/PRIV=MODERATE

5.4.2

Modifying Member Information
You use the MODIFY MEMBER command to modify information about a
member. Table 5-4 briefly describes the qualifiers for the MODIFY MEMBER
command. Refer to the VAX Notes Command Dictionary in Part III for
complete descriptions.

Moderating a Conference

5-19

Table 5-4:

MODIFY MEMBER Command Qualifiers

Qualifier

Description

/ ACCESS=(node::usemame[, ... ])

Uniquely identifies a member
regardless of whether his or her
VMS user name is the same as
another. member's.

/MAIL=mail-address

Modifies the user's mailing
address.

/NAME=new-usemame

Changes the user name by which
this user is recognized.

/NODES=(node-name[, ... ])

Modifies the list of system names
by which this user is recognized.
/NODES is superseded by
/ACCESS.

/PRIVILEGES=([NO]MODERATE,[NO]CREATE_
KEYWORDS,[NO]WRITE_REGARDLESS)

Modifies the user's privileges.

When you use the MODIFY MEMBER command to change information about
a member, only the information you specify is modified; the rest of the user's
membership record remains the same. For example, if user SMITH marries and
now has the user name SMITH_JONES, you can modify the user name by
typing the following command:
Notes> MODIFY MEMBER SMITH/NAME=SMITH_JONES

If user BROWN, whose member name is "Pat Brown," changes jobs and is using

different systems (nodes) in the new department, you can change this user's list
of node names by typing a command like the following:
Notes> MODIFY MEMBER "Pat Brown"/ ACCESS= (ACCTNG: : BROWN, FINANC: : BROWN)

If you want to authorize member CHARLES to be a moderator for the confer-

ence, type the following command:
Notes> MODIFY MEMBER CHARLES/PRIVILEGES=MODERATE

(Recall that when you authorize someone to act as moderator, that person is
automatically authorized to create key\vords and to ltvrite notes, even if the
conference is write-restricted.)
If two conference members have the same VMS user name and you need to

grant one of them a privilege or assign a mailing address, you can do so only

5-20

Moderating a Conference

by using the /ACCESS qualifier. (The /ACCESS qualifier supersedes the
/NODES qualifier; see the MODIFY MEMBER command in the Command
Dictionary for more information.) For example:
Notes> MODIFY MEMBER "JORGE GARCIA"/ACCESS=(MAR: :GARCIA, BAT: :GARCIA)/MAIL=BAT: :GARCIA

Notes> MODIFY MEMBER "MARIA GARCIA"/ACCESS=PLUM: :GARCIA/PRIVILEGES=MODERATE

5.4.3

Deleting Members
You delete a user from the membership list by using the DELETE MEMBER
command. Do not specify a system (node) name with the member's user name.
You can use the SHOW MEMBER/FULL command to see all information for
the member to verify that this is the member you want to delete.
To delete user ADAMS from the membership list, type the following command:
Notes> DELETE MEMBER ADAMS
Member ADAMS deleted

If two members have the same user name and you want to delete one of them,
first identify that member uniquely with the /ACCESS qualifier. For example,
you may want to delete user SMITH Gohn Smith) on NODEA without affecting
user SMITH on NODEB. Use the following commands:
Notes> MODIFY MEMBER "JOHN SMITH"/ ACCESS=NODEA: : SMITH

Notes> DELETE MEMBER "JOHN SMITH"

5.5 Setting or Modifying Conference Characteristics
You use the SET CONFERENCE command to set or change characteristics of a
conference in which you have moderator privilege. To set or change conference
characteristics, you must be in the conference, and you must enable your
moderator privilege by issuing the SET MODERATOR command.
To review the current characteristics of a conference, issue the SHOW
CONFERENCE command when the conference is open.

Moderating a Conference

5-21

Table 5-5 briefly describes the SET CONFERENCE command qualifiers,
which are illustrated in the following sections. See the VAX Notes Command
Dictionary in Part III for complete descriptions.
Table 5-5:

SET CONFERENCE Command Qualifiers

Qualifier

Description

/[NO)NOTICE=ustring"

Sets, changes, or deletes a notice for
the conference.

/[NO]REPLY_ONL Y

Specifies whether or not users
without MODERATE or WRITE_
REGARDLESS privilege can write
topics in this conference.

/[NO]RESTRICT[=(MEMBERS,KEYWORDS)]

Specifies whether or not the conference restricts membership, keyword
creation, or both.
Sets or changes a title for the
conference.

/[NO]WRITE

5.5.1

Specifies whether or not users
without MODERATE or WRITE_
REGARDLESS privilege can write
notes in this conference.

Setting or Modifying Restrictions
You use the SET CONFERENCE/[NO]RESTRICT command to set or change
restrictions. You can set or change restrictions for a conference at any time.
The /[NO]RESTRICT qualifier accepts two values: MEMBERS and
KEYWORDS. If you do not specify one of these values, the qualifier applies to both membership and keyword creation. By default, if you do not use
the /[NO]RESTRICT qualifier, membership is unrestricted and keyword creation
is restricted.
If you originally created a private conference and now would like to open the
conference to the public, you can remove access restriction, without removing
keyword creation restriction, by typing the following command:
Notes> SET CONFERENCE/NORESTRICT=MEMBERS
Conference has been modified

5-22

Moderating a Conference

If you originally allowed anyone to create keywords in a conference, you can
now restrict keyword creation by issuing the SET CONFERENCE/RESTRICT
command, as follows:
Notes> SET CONFERENCE/RESTRICT=KEYWORDS
Conference has been modified

If you already have a membership list for the conference, you must modify
the membership records of those members you want to have keyword creation
privileges. If the conference is public and does not have a membership list,
you must create a membership list if you want to allow some members to
create new keywords; the membership list does not restrict access to the public
conference.

5.5.2

Setting or Modifying the Conference Title
The conference title appears in a listing of available conferences (when a user
issues the DIRECTORY /CONFERENCES command) and in the conference
heading (when a user issues the DIRECTORY command after accessing the
conference). Users rely on the conference title to indicate the subject of the
conference and to verify that they have accessed the right conference.
You use the SET CONFERENCE/TITLE command to set or change the
conference title. You can type a title of up to 63 characters, enclosed in
quotation marks. Use uppercase and lowercase letters in the title exactly as you
want it to appear on the screen. You can set or change the title at any time.
For example, if you created a conference without a title, you can now set a title
for that conference by typing the following command:
Notes> SET CONFERENCE/TITLE="This is the title for the conference"
Conference has been modified

To delete the existing title, type the following command:
Notes> SET CONFERENCE/TITLE='"'
Conference has been modified

As soon as you set or change the title, users will see the new title in the
conference heading or directory listing.

5.5.3

Setting or Modifying the Notice
A notice is a one-line message you can display beneath the conference title
to give a special reminder or to relay important information to anyone who
accesses the conference. The use of a notice is optional, and you can change or
remove the notice at any time.
Moderating a Conference

5-23

You use the SET CONFERENCE/[NO]NOTICE command to set, change, or
delete the notice for a conference. The notice can be up to 63 characters long
and must be enclosed in quotation marks. Use uppercase and lowercase letters
in the notice exactly as you want it to appear on the screen.
To use HFly Fishing Flea Market Saturday" as the notice for the current
conference, type the following command:
Notes> SET CONFERENCE/NOTICE="Fly Fishing Flea Market Saturday"
Conference has been modified

To delete the notice, issue the SET CONFERENCE/NONOTICE command.
For example, to delete the notice for the current conference, type the following
command:
Notes> SET CONFERENCE/NONOTICE
Conference has been modified

5.5.4 Setting or Modifying Write Protection
The SET CONFERENCE/[NO]WRITE command lets you specify whether users
other than a moderator or a member with WRITE-REGARDLESS privilege can
enter notes in the conference. The default is /WRITE; anyone who has access
to the conference can enter notes. You can prohibit users from entering notes,
or you can lift the prohibition, at any time.
The SET CONFERENCE/[NO]REPLY_ONLY command lets you specify whether users other than a moderator or a member with WRITE_
REGARDLESS privilege can add topics. The ability to write replies remains
unrestricted. The default is /NOREPLY_ONLY; anyone who has access to
the conference is able to write topics (unless, of course, the conference is
write-restricted). For example, you can prevent all users except moderators
and members with WRITE-REGARDLESS privilege from entering notes in the
current conference by typing the following command:
Notes> SET CONFERENCE/NOWRITE
Conference has been modified

The write-protection setting takes effect immediately.
To remove the prohibition, type the following command:
Notes> SET CONFERENCE/WRITE
Conference has been modified

To grant certain users the ability to write notes in a conference set to
NOWRITE, or the ability to write topics in a conference set to REPLY_ONLY,
use the ADD MEMBER or the MODIFY MEMBER command with the qualifier
/PRIVILEGES=WRITE-REGARDLESS.
5-24 Moderating a Conference

5.6 Using the VAX Distributed Name Service to Access a
Conference
If the VAX Distributed Name Service (DNS) is installed on your system,
you can use it to associate a conference with a notefile specification. If the

conference moves, its notefile specification is changed just once, centrally, in
the DNS database, instead of by each user individually.
A DNS object is a name recognizable across the entire network, wherever DNS
is installed. For VAX Notes, an object is a name identifying a conference. ADD
OBJECT, DELETE OBJECT, SET OBJECT, and SHOW OBJECT are the VAX
Notes commands that support DNS.
NOTE

The ADD OBJECT, DELETE OBJECT, and SET OBJECT commands
require write privilege to the DNS database.
The ADD OBJECT command adds a new object to a DNS database. An object
name is a path name consisting of several elements separated by periods (for
example, CONF.PUBLIC.SAMPLE). With the optional /FILE qualifier, a file
specification can be associated with the object. For example, the following
command adds the object name CONF.PUBLIC.SAMPLE to the DNS database
and associates the file specification MAR::NOTES$SAMPLE with that object:
Notes> ADD OBJECT CONF.PUBLIC.SAMPLE/FILE=MAR: :NOTES$SAMPLE

The conference moderator can instruct the users of the conference to add it to
their Notebooks with the ADD ENTRY /OBJECT command, or to change it in
their Notebooks with the MODIFY ENTRY /OBJECT command. For example,
the following command adds the VAX Notes sample conference, which is
located on node MAR, gives it the entry name SAMPLE, and associates it with
its DNS object name, which is CONF.PUBLIC.SAMPLE:
Notes> ADD ENTRY SAMPLE/OBJECT=CONF.PUBLIC.SAMPLE/FILE=MAR::NOTES$SAMPLE

Whenever a user accesses this conference, VAX Notes looks in the DNS
database first and uses the notefile specification recorded there; it looks for
the notefile specification on the /FILE qualifier only if there is no notefile
specification associated with the object in the DNS database.
If a conference is later moved, its file specification needs to be changed (with

the SET OBJECT command) only once by a user with write privilege to the
DNS database. If you specified the /OBJECT qualifier with the ADD ENTRY
or the MODIFY ENTRY command, you do not need to change the entry's file
specification because the object in the DNS database is associated with the new
file specification.
Moderating a Conference

5-25

If you do not use the /OBJECT qualifier with the ADD ENTRY command, you
must specify the notefile specification either as a parameter or with the /FILE
qualifier (unless the conference resides on your node). If you use the /OBJECT
qualifier, you can omit the /FILE qualifier or you can use the /NOFILE
qualifier.

You can use the MODIFY ENTRY/NOOBJECT command to dissociate the entry
from the DNS object so that VAX Notes will not look in the DNS database
when you access the entry.
If you want to determine whether a conference is a DNS object, you can use
the SHOW ENTRY or the SHOW CONFERENCE command. If the conference

is a DNS object, its object name is displayed (along with other information)
in response to the command. You can use the SHOW OBJECT command to
display the file specification (if any) associated with the object in the DNS
database.

5. 7 Maintaining Keywords
You use the following commands to maintain keywords:
•
•

•
•

You use the CREATE KEYWORD command to create a new keyword.
You use the MODIFY KEYWORD/NAME command to change the name
of an existing keyword. The new keyword automatically replaces the old
keyword for all notes that had the old keyword.
You use the DELETE KEYWORD/ALL command to delete a keyword from
all notes and delete the keyword itself.
You use the SHOW KEYWORDS/ ALL command to see a listing of all
existing keywords and, for each keyword, the notes that refer to the
keyword.

To maintain keywords, you must be in the conference. If keyword creation is
restricted in this conference, you must have CREATE_KEYWORDS privilege
set in your membership record. You can view your membership record by
issuing the SHOW MEMBER command and specifying your user name. (If you
are moderator for this conference, you are automatically authorized to create
keywords.)
To create the keyword HORSES for the current conference, type the following
command:
Notes> CREATE KEYWORD HORSES

5-26 Moderating a Conference

To change the name of the keyword HORSES to THOROUGHBREDS, type the
following command:
Notes> MODIFY KEYWORD HORSES/NAME=THOROUGHBREDS

To delete the keyword THOROUGHBREDS, and all references to the keyword,
type the following command:
Notes> DELETE KEYWORD/ALL THOROUGHBREDS

A moderator or participant with CREATE-1<EYWORDS privilege automatically
creates a keyword the first time the keyword is added to a note. For example,
if the keyword BUGS does not exist for the current conference, you can
simultaneously create the keyword BUGS and add it to note 30.7 by typing the
following command:
Notes> ADD KEYWORD BUGS 30.7

5.8 Other Moderator Tasks
When a user carelessly enters a note that is offensive or contains private
information, the moderator should act to restore order to the discussion or to
protect confidentiality. The moderator should also keep the discussion from
wandering off the subject and not allow violations of the conference rules (as
described in the introductory topic). VAX Notes provides the following special
functions for the moderator to maintain control in a conference:
•

With the DELETE NOTE command the moderator can delete a note from a
conference, regardless of who entered the note.

•

With the SET NOTE/HIDDEN command the moderator can temporarily
hide a note.

•

With the SET NOTE/NOTE-1D command the moderator can move a note
to a more appropriate location within the conference.

•

With the SET NOTE/[NO]TITLE command the moderator can change or
delete the title of a note.

•

With the SET NOTE/[NO]WRITE command the moderator can halt a
discussion by prohibiting members from entering further replies.

The author of the note in question can also use these commands.
You can use the /HIDDEN and /NOWRITE qualifiers together on the SET
NOTE command to both hide and prohibit replies to a topic.

Moderating a Conference

5-27

To use these moderator commands, you must be in the conference, and you
must enable your moderator privilege by issuing the SET MODERATOR
command.

5.8.1

Deleting Notes
As moderator, you can use the DELETE NOTE command to delete a note
entered by another user. If you do not specify the note number in the DELETE
NOTE command, VAX Notes assumes you want to delete the current note.
When you want to delete the current note, you can use the command DELETE;
the word NOTE is optional.
If you are currently reading note 7.9 and decide to delete it, type the following
command:
Notes> DELETE
Are you sure you want to delete note 7.9? (Y/N) <N> Y
Note 7.9 deleted

To delete a note that you are not currently reading, in this case note 5.2, type
the following command:
Notes> DELETE NOTE 5.2
Are you sure you want to delete note 5.2? (Y/N) <N> Y
Note 5.2 deleted

5.8.2

Hiding Notes
As moderator, you can use the SET NOTE/HIDDEN command to temporarily
hide a note entered by another user. The note remains in the conference, but
only you and the author are able to read the note. When any other user tries
to display the note, he or she receives a message explaining that the note is
hidden.
If you do not specify the note number in the SET NOTE/HIDDEN command,
VAX Notes assumes you want to hide the note you are currently reading. For
example, if you are reading note 8.0, you can hide this note by typing the
following command:
Notes> SET NOTE/HIDDEN
Note 8.0 modified

5-28 Moderating a Conference

To hide note 14.7, type the following command:
Notes> SET NOTE/HIDDEN 14.7
Note 14.7 modified

NOTE

Hiding a note in a discussion does not prohibit users from adding
new replies to that discussion (see Section 5.8.5).
You can reveal a hidden note by using the SET NOTE/NOHIDDEN command.
For example, to reveal note 14.7, type the following command:
Notes> SET NOTE/NOHIDDEN 14.7
Note 14.7 modified

5.8.3

Moving Notes
If one or more notes are logically under the wrong topic in the conference,
the author or a moderator can move them with the SET NOTE/NOTE_ID
command. The need to move notes occurs when a reply has been mistakenly
written under the wrong topic or when several replies have logically diverged
from the original subject.

You must first select a new note ID not already used by an existing note
because two notes cannot have the same note ID.
If you have decided that the note you are currently reading should become note
14.5, you can move it with the following command:
Notes> SET NOTE/NOTE_ID=14.5

The preceding command works only if note 14.5 does not already exist; if it
does, an error message appears. If the last reply to 14 is currently 14.3, the note
you are moving becomes 14.4, not 14.5, because VAX Notes generally avoids
gaps in numbering.
You can move a series of sequential notes all at once to a new location where
they will appear in the same sequence as before. When specifying the new
location, you need to specify the new number of the first note only. In the
following example, the six notes 10.4 through 10.9 become topic 11.0 and its
replies, 11.1 through 11.5.
Notes> SET NOTE 10.4-10.9/NOTE_ID=11.0

If there is a gap in numbering in the replies to a discussion because one or more
notes have been deleted, you can fill in the gap when you move the notes to
that discussion. (See the examples under SET NOTE in Part III, the Command
Dictionary.)
Moderating a Conference

5-29

5.8.4 Changing the Title of a Note
You can change or delete the title of a note with the SET NOTE/[NO]TITLE
command. VAX Notes replaces the existing title of the note with the string you
specify. You must be the author of the note or have moderator privilege to use
the /[NO]TITLE qualifier. This is useful when you want to give a note a title
that more accurately reflects the content of the note.
To change the title of the current note (for example, note 8.1) to "July meeting
agenda," type the following command:
Notes> SET NOTE/TITLE="July meeting agenda"
Note 8.1 modified

5.8.5

Prohibiting Replies to a Note
You can temporarily suspend a discussion by using the SET NOTE/NOWRITE
command. Then no one but you can add a reply to the topic until you lift
the prohibition. (The author of the note, another moderator, or a member
with WRITE-REGARDLESS privilege can also write replies; the author or a
moderator can lift the prohibition.)
If you issue the SET NOTE/NOWRITE command without specifying a note
number, VAX Notes assumes you want to prohibit replies to the topic you are
currently reading. You must specify a topic, or be reading a topic, to use the
SET NOTE/NOWRITE command. For example, if you are reading note 99.11,
you would type the following commands to prohibit further replies to this
discussion:
Notes> TOPIC
Notes> SET NOTE/NOWRITE
Note 99.0 modified

To prohibit replies to topic 102, type the following command:
Notes> SET NOTE/NOWRITE 102
Note 102.0 modified

To lift the prohibition and resume allowing replies to a note, use the SET
NOTE/WRITE command. For example, to resume replies to topic 102, type the
following command:
Notes> SET NOTE/WRITE 102
Note 102.0 modified

5-30 Moderating a Conference

5.9 Ending a Conference
Once a conference has ended, you or your system manager can archive or
delete the notefile used to store the conference proceedings. Before doing so,
however, you should send mail to conference members asking them to delete
the entry for this conference from their Notebooks. Once you announce that
the conference is ended, you can use the SET CONFERENCE/NOWRITE
command to prevent any new notes from being added to the conference.
You use the Convert Utility to make an archive copy of a conference to keep on
line. Use the /SHARE option when there is a possibility that someone might
be accessing the conference while it is being archived. Use the VMS Backup
Utility to archive a notefile to tape. See the VMS Convert and Convert/Reclaim
Utility Manual and the VMS Backup Utility Manual for more information.
Recall that notefiles reside in the NOTES$LIBRARY directory and have the
default file type .NOTE. To delete a conference you created, first set the
protection on the notefile to give yourself (0 for owner) delete access (specified
by the D in RWED), then delete the notefile. You must include the version of
the notefile (usually 1) in the notefile specification when you use the DELETE
command.
To delete the notefile named FISHING that you created on the current system,
type the following DCL commands:
$ SET PROTECTION=(O:RWED) NOTES$LIBRARY:FISHING.NOTE
$ DELETE NOTES$LIBRARY:FISHING.NOTE;1

To delete the ATHLETICS conference that you created on the SILVER system,
type the following DCL commands:
$SET PROTECTION=(O:RWED) SILVER::NOTES$LIBRARY:ATHLETICS.NOTE
$ DELETE SILVER: :NOTES$LIBRARY:ATHLETICS.NOTE;1

To delete a conference that you created in your own directory, you must
name your directory instead of NOTES$LIBRARY. For example, to delete the
NEW-ENGLAND conference in the private directory [ROBERTS], type the
following command:
$ DELETE [ROBERTS]NEW_ENGLAND.NOTE;1

Moderating a Conference

5-31

5.10 Providing Extra Security for Confidential Conferences
VAX Notes notefiles (which store conferences) are subject to the same file
protection as VMS files in general. While you can restrict access to a notefile
through the membership list, this only prevents unauthorized users from
reading the notefile through VAX Notes. Any user with READ access to the
notefile (through standard VMS file protection) can still copy and examine the
notefile by using DCL commands.
If you decide that the discussion in a particular conference is confidential and
warrants extra protection, you need to take steps outside VAX Notes to secure
the file from unauthorized access. You can provide extra security through
an Access Control List (ACL), which can define access more selectively than
standard VIC-based protection.

By default, the system checks the ACL before it checks the VIC-based
protection, and before VAX Notes checks the membership list, to determine
whether a user should be given access to a notefile.
The approach you take to setting up a conference protected by an ACL
depends on how your system manager has installed your VAX Notes system.
At installation, your system manager establishes default protection for the
NOTES$LIBRARY directory. This protection may allow only certain users on
your system to create notefiles in the NOTES$LIBRARY directory; a notefile
created by anyone else resides in the directory specified at the time the file was
created.
If you are able to create notefiles in the NOTES$LIBRARY directory, then you
can set up an ACL for any notefile you create (as owner of the notefile) and the
ACL will protect the notefile from unauthorized access automatically. You do
not need to involve your system manager to set up the ACL.
If you are not able to create notefiles in the NOTES$LIBRARY directory, use
the following steps:
1.

Create the notefile in your default login directory, and set protection on the
notefile to deny access to group and world users, as follows:

2. Ask your system manager to move the notefile to the NOTES$LIBRARY
directory. A command procedure called NOTES$MOVE_
CONFERENCE.COM, located in the system manager directory
(SYS$MANAGER), comes with VAX Notes expressly for this purpose.
In addition to moving the notefile to the NOTES$LIBRARY directory, this
command procedure creates an ACL for you.

5-32 Moderating a Conference

3. Once your system manager notifies you that your notefile has been moved
to the NOTES$LIBRARY directory, modify the ACL to specify who is
authorized to access the notefile.
The following example shows how to set up an ACL for a notefile named
MYNOTES.
$ SET FILE/ACL=((IDENT=[USER1],ACCESS=READ+WRITE+EXECUTE),_$ (IDENT=[USER2] ,ACCESS=READ+WRITE+EXECUTE))_$ NOTES$LIBRARY:MYNOTES.NOTE
$

If you protect a conference this way, you must ensure that all references to your
local system specify the node name (or use 0::). For example, if your local system is named BOOK, then you must always use DIRECTORY/CONFERENCES
BOOK and ADD ENTRY BOOK::conference_name.

Moderating a Conference

5-33

Chapter 6

Additional VAX Notes Features
This chapter explains the following additional features of VAX Notes:

6.1

•

Overriding default conditions when you invoke VAX Notes

•
•

Setting attributes for a note
Searching for a word or phrase in a range of notes or the entire conference

•
•

Manipulating subprocesses from VAX Notes
Executing EVE commands in VAX Notes

Overriding Defaults with the NOTES Command
The DCL command NOTES invokes VAX Notes and provides immediate access
to your Notebook. By using one or more qualifiers and parameters with the
NOTES command, you can invoke VAX Notes, override the default conditions,
and execute a VAX Notes command, in one step.

6.1 .1

Specifying an Entry and a Note
You can supply an optional parameter with the NOTES command to open an
entry immediately after invoking VAX Notes. VAX Notes looks first for the
entry in the default class specified in your profile. (The default class is the
current class when you invoke VAX Notes.)
To invoke VAX Notes and open an entry named EATERIES, type the following
command:
$ NOTES EATERIES

Additional VAX Notes Features

6-1

If you know the note-ID of a note that you want to read, you can specify
that note-ID as the second parameter after the entry name. To invoke VAX
Notes, open the entry EATERIES, and immediately display note 50.6, type the
following command:
$ NOTES EATERIES 50.6

If you do not supply the entry-name parameter, VAX Notes displays a directory
of entry names in the default class.

You cannot use the note-ID parameter unless you precede it with the entryname parameter. Also, you cannot use the note-ID parameter and the
/UPDATE qualifier together.
You can use the note-ID parameter with the VAX Notes command OPEN as
well as with the DCL command NOTES.

6.1 .2

Overriding the Default Class
You can override the default class by using the /CLASS qualifier with the
NOTES command. The class you specify becomes the current class when you
invoke VAX Notes.
To make a class named TRAVEL the current class when you invoke VAX Notes,
type the following command:
$ NOTES/CLASS=TRAVEL

You can change the current class and open an entry in the specified class with a
single NOTES command. For example, you can invoke VAX Notes, specify that
the class BOOKS be the current class (instead of the default class), and open the
entry FICTION in class BOOKS by typing the following command:
$ NOTES FICTION/CLASS=BOOKS

6.1 .3

Updating Entries
By invoking VAX Notes with the NOTES/UPDATE command, you can update
information about which notes you have and have not seen in one or more
entries, and then return to the DCL level. You can include the /CLASS qualifier
to specify a class other than the default class in which VAX Notes is to find the
entries. If you do not specify any entry names, VAX Notes updates all entries
in the specified (or default) class.

6-2

Additional VAX Notes Features

To update all entries in a class named MISC and then return to the DCL level,
type the following command:
$ NOTES/UPDATE/CLASS=MISC
$

You cannot use the /UPDATE qualifier and the note-ID parameter together.

6.1 .4

Bypassing Notebook Processing
The /NONOTEBOOK qualifier directs VAX Notes to open your Notebook
for profile information only; no entry processing is done. This means that
information about which notes you have and have not seen is not available.
Further, if you supply a parameter with the NOTES command, it is interpreted
as a notefile specification rather than the name of a Notebook entry.
You can use the NOTES /NONOTEBOOK or the OPEN /NONOTEBOOK
command to open a conference that is an entry when you want to bypass
Notebook processing, or to open a conference that is not an entry in your
Notebook. (Without the qualifier, you would not be able to open a conference
without first adding it as an entry with the ADD ENTRY command.) The
parameter must be the notefile specification, not just the conference's entry
name.
The /NONOTEBOOK qualifier causes entry processing to be temporarily
bypassed until you close the conference. Entry processing is restored as soon
as you open the next conference (without the /NONOTEBOOK qualifier). You
can also restore entry processing by ending the VAX Notes session and starting
a new session.
To invoke VAX Notes, directly open the conference MICROS on node JETSET
without the benefit of seen/unseen information, and immediately read note
12.5, type the following command:
$ NOTES/NONOTEBOOK JETSET: :MICROS 12.5

6.1.5

Overriding the Automatic on Open Setting
When opening a conference, you can override the Automatic on Open setting
from your user profile. (You can also change the profile setting with the SET
PROFILE command.)

Additional VAX Notes Features

6-3

If the Automatic on Open setting in your profile specifies that a conference

opens with a display of the first unseen note, you can override the setting and
cause a directory of notes to appear. Use the / AUTOMATIC=DIRECTORY
qualifier with the DCL command NOTES or with the VAX Notes command OPEN. For example, the following command opens the entry named
INTERNATIONAL and displays a directory of notes:
$ NOTES/AUTOMATIC=DIRECTORY INTERNATIONAL

Similarly, if your profile specifies that a directory of notes is displayed when
a conference opens, you can open the conference and display the first unseen
note as follows:
$ NOTES/AUTOMATIC=UNSEEN INTERNATIONAL

You can specify /NOAUTOMATIC when you do not want to see either the first
unseen note or the directory listing. The following command opens the entry
INTERNATIONAL with a conference heading only:
$ NOTES/NOAUTOMATIC INTERNATIONAL

The /AUTOMATIC and /NOAUTOMATIC qualifiers work identically on the
DCL command NOTES and the VAX Notes command OPEN.

6.1.6

Activating a Display Device
The /[NO]DECWINDOWS qualifier on the DCL command NOTES activates
the display device requested for either the DECwindows interface to Notes
on a workstation or the character-cell (command-line) interface on either a
workstation or a terminal. The default is /DECWINDOWS (if available) on a
workstation, and /NODECWINDOWS when no workstation device is available.
Use the NOTES/NODECWINDOWS command if you want to invoke the
character-cell interface of VAX Notes in the DECterm (terminal emulator)
window of a workstation.

6.2 Setting Note Characteristics
With the SET NOTE command, you can do the following, provided you are
either the author of the note or the conference moderator:
•
•
•

6-4

Put a conference on a "shopping list"
Hide a note
Move a note or notes to a different location within the conference

Additional VAX Notes Features

•

Change the title of a note

•

Prohibit users from replying to a note

You can see all settings for a note with the SHOW NOTE command.
Table 6-1 briefly describes the qualifiers you can use with the SET NOTE
command. See Chapter 5 or the VAX Notes Command Dictionary in Part III for
complete descriptions.
Table 6-1:

SET NOTE Command Qualifiers

Qualifier
/[NO]CONFERENCE=notefile-spec

Description
Puts the specified conference on, or removes
it from, a shopping list. Users reading a note

set with this qualifier can add the conference to
their Notebooks by pressing the SELECT key
while reading the note.
/[NO]HIDDEN

Determines whether or not a note can be read
by other than the author and the moderator.
The default is /NOHIDDEN.

/NOTE-1D=new-note-ID

Moves a note or notes to a new location in the
same conference.

/[NO]TITLE="string"

Changes the title of a note to the specified string
or deletes the title.

/[NO]WRITE

Determines whether further replies can be
entered for this note. The default is /WRITE.

6.3 Searching a Conference
The human memory being what it is, you are more likely to remember some
catchy word or phrase you read than to recall the number of the note in which
you read it. VAX Notes provides an easy means of finding that note by letting
you search for the catchy word or phrase. If the word or phrase occurs more
than once in the conference, VAX Notes gives you the choice of continuing the
search until every occurrence is retrieved or abandoning the search once you
have found the note you seek.
If you can narrow down your search to a range of notes, the search will proceed
much faster than if you search the entire conference. However, VAX Notes does
not prevent you from searching the entire conference if you cannot remember
the general area in which the note might be located. Be aware that searching
the entire conference can take a long time.

Additional VAX Notes Features

6-5

6.3.1

Initiating a Search
To start a search, you use the SEARCH command and specify the string. You
can optionally specify the range of notes to be included in the search. You must
enclose the search string in quotation marks.
To search for the string ''the eagle has landedn in the range starting with topic 2
and ending with the last reply to topic 6, type the following command:
Notes> SEARCH "THE EAGLE HAS LANDED"/NOTES=2.*-6.*

The SEARCH command is not case sensitive; VAX Notes finds all occurrences of
the string whether you use uppercase letters, lowercase letters, or a combination
of these.
VAX Notes displays the note in which it first finds the search string.

6.3.2

Continuing a Search
If the note that VAX Notes displays is not the note you want, you can continue

the search for the same string by typing the SEARCH command without a
parameter, as follows:
Notes> SEARCH

VAX Notes responds by displaying the next note in the range in which the
string is found. VAX Notes continues searching for the string as long as you
issue the SEARCH command without specifying a new string.
When no more instances of the string occur, the following message appears:
No more notes found containing string "THE EAGLE HAS LANDED"

You can begin a search for a different string in a different range of notes by
specifying the new string and note range with the SEARCH command.

6.3.3

Canceling a Search
To cancel a search, issue a command other than SEARCH at the Notes>
prompt. If the search is in progress and you are not at the Notes> prompt,
press CTRL/C to cancel the search. The Notes> prompt and the following
message appear:
Notes>
Command cancelled by CTRL/C

6-6

Additional VAX Notes Features

6.4 Manipulating a Subprocess from VAX Notes
On occasion, you might want to suspend VAX Notes temporarily to read your
mail~ queue a batch job, edit a file, or react to a message from the system

manager. You use the SPAWN command to create a subprocess. Then you
can operate in the subprocess as if you were logged in from another terminal.
When you want to return to VAX Notes, you simply log out of the subprocess
or issue the ATTACH command (to suspend the subprocess).
If you want to perform a single DCL command and immediately return to VAX
Notes, you can include the DCL command in the SPAWN command line.

6.4.1

Spawning a Subprocess
To spawn a subprocess in which you can issue commands until you log out or
attach to the process running VAX Notes, type the following command:
Notes> SPAWN
$

Typing a dollar sign ($)at the Notes> prompt also spawns a subprocess.
To spawn a subprocess and issue a single DCL command to see, for example,
a listing of the files in your current default directory, type the following
command:
Notes> SPAWN DIRECTORY

As soon as the directory finishes, press the RETURN key to return to VAX
Notes.

6.4.2

Attaching to a Process
To suspend the spawned subprocess and attach to the process running VAX
Notes, type the following command, substituting the name of the process
running VAX Notes for process-name:
$ ATTACH process-name

Notes>

To resume operating in a spawned subprocess, specify the subprocess name
in the ATTACH command. For example, to continue working in subprocess
ROBERT_l, type the following command:
Notes> ATTACH ROBERT_!

Additional VAX Notes Features

6-7

To attach to the process running VAX Notes and terminate the spawned
subprocess, type the following command:
$ LOGOUT

Notes>

6.5 Executing EVE Commands in VAX Notes
You use the VAX Notes command EVE to execute EVE commands. Whatever
you type following the command EVE is interpreted as an EVE editor command.
If you issue the EVE command alone, you invoke the EVE editor with a blank
buffer called MAIN. This buffer, like any other EVE buffer you create during
a VAX Notes session, remains available (in the background) until you end the
session or erase the buffer.
When you end your session, VAX Notes asks you if you want to write the
contents of any buffer you created during the session to a VMS text file. If
you answer yes, you must provide a name for the file. The file is written to
your current default directory unless you specify another directory with the file
name. If you answer no, the buffer is discarded. This process is repeated for
each buffer.

6.5.1

Manipulating Buffers
A useful EVE command is the BUFFER command. You specify the name of the
buffer you want to make the current buffer. If you name a buffer that you did
not previously create (with either the VAX Notes /BUFFER qualifier or the EVE
BUFFER command), EVE creates the buffer automatically. You can perform any
EVE command on the text in this buffer.
If you put a directory of the current conference in a buffer called DIR, you can

access this directory by typing the following command:
Notes> EVE BUFFER DIR

The directory appears on your screen. You can scroll through the directory,
extract lines from it, or edit the directory. To return to VAX Notes; issue the
EVE command EXIT (to keep the editing changes you made to the DIR buffer).
For example, if you edited the directory, you can return to VAX Notes and keep
the modified directory by typing the following command:
Command: EXIT

6-8

Additional VAX Notes Features

Type the EVE command QUIT to leave VAX Notes and not keep the editing
changes, as follows:
Command: QUIT

6.5.2

Retrieving Messages
A special buffer, called MESSAGES, is automatically created each time you
start a VAX Notes session. This buffer shows you all the messages that have
appeared in the message window since the start of the current VAX Notes
session, whether generated by VAX Notes, EVE, or the system, and whether for
information or error reporting.
If you had a problem executing a command, the exact messages you received

appear in the MESSAGES buffer. The messages are listed in the same order
they were displayed. By selecting and removing the text of the messages from
this buffer, you can accurately report system feedback to your system manager.
You do not have to memorize messages or write them down.
To review messages in the MESSAGES buffer, type the following VAX Notes
command:
Notes> EVE BUFFER MESSAGES

Once the MESSAGES buffer is displayed on your screen, you can scroll through
the buffer, extract text from it, or perform other editing functions. To return
to VAX Notes, use the EXIT command to exit from the MESSAGES buffer. To
leave VAX Notes and return to the DCL level, use the QUIT command to quit
the MESSAGES buffer.
If you were writing a note before going to the MESSAGES buffer, you can

return to your note by pressing the DO key and typing the following command:
Command: BUFFER NOTES$EDIT

Additional VAX Notes Features

6-9

Part II
The DECvvindovvs Interface

Chapter 7

VAX Notes vvith DECvvindovvs
7. 1 Overview
This chapter is a tutorial introduction to VAX Notes with the DECwindows
interface to the VMS operating system. All of this manual except this chapter
applies to the character-cell interface, in which you interact with VAX Notes by
entering commands.
You must have a workstation to use the DECwindows interface.
With DECwindows, you can do the following:
•

Execute Notes commands by selecting items from menus on your screen
instead of having to remember and type command lines

•
•

Run several applications (for example, Notes, Bookreader, and Calendar)
simultaneously in several windows and switch between them at will
Use separate windows to view various items simultaneously within Notes
(for example, a directory of notes within a conference and the text of a
note)

•

Cut and paste text from one window to another

To use VAX Notes with DECwindows, you should be familiar with the basic
information in the VMS DECwindows User's Guide. Other useful information on
DECwindows is in the VMS DECwindows Desktop Applications Guide.
This chapter contains step-by-step descriptions of typical tasks in VAX Notes
using the DECwindows interface. The best way to get started is to perform
these steps at your workstation as you read the instructions.
For reference information, invoke online help (as described in Section 7.3).

VAX Notes with DECwindows

7-1

7 .2 Getting Started
The DECterm window is the gate through which you access many
DECwindows applications, including VAX Notes. To make the DECterm
window active, move the pointer to anywhere in the window except the menu
bar or an icon, and click MB 1. The window's title bar is highlighted, indicating
that the window is now active, and the cursor to the right of the DCL prompt
(usually a$) starts blinking.
Type the command NOTES and press RETURN.
The Notes window appears in response to the command NOTES. This window
is the starting point and ending point for all interaction with DECwindows
Notes.
NOTE

You can invoke the Notes character-cell interface on a workstation within the DECterm window by typing the command
NOTES/NODECWINDOWS.
Figure 7-1 shows a typical Notes window.

7-2

VAX Notes with DECwindows

Figure 7-1:

Notes Window

l!i Notes
File

Edit

View

Customize

Help

Entries

~·~DAILY
~·~GLEN
~·~MAIN
BICYCLE
B0 STON_ F.E STAUP.ANTS
COOKS
COUF:SES
DOC
DOCTOOLS
EASWET_ CONFEF;ENCE S
EATS
PLI
RED_SOX_II
SAMPLE_ CONFEF'.ENCE

4546 24-MAY-1988 08: 02
258 i-SEP-1988 ll :59
8503 6-SEP-1988 12: 09
135 ll-AUG-1988 13 :53
19 6-MAY-198i 13 :45
1 17-NOV-1858 00: 00
21 i6 7-SEP-1988 16: 23
5598 l 7-FEB-1988 13 :45
1191 2~:-JUL-1988 15: 22
5305 25-SEP-198i 15 :14
0 1-AUG-1988 10 :59
524 25-SEP-1987 12 :41
885 25-SEP-l98i 22: 38

683
108
1367
84
43
0
2007
703
311
310
9
50
247

Jt>
ZK-7997-HC

7 .3 Invoking Online Help
Online help is available at any time. To get help on screen objects such as
menu names, menu items, dialog boxes, and buttons, press the HELP key while
you click MBl on the screen object (or press and hold MBl while moving the
pointer to the object).
NOTE

In this chapter, uclick" refers to MBl unless MB2 or MB3 is specified.
The special functions of MB2 and MB3 in Notes are explained later
in the chapter. uoouble dick" always means to click MB 1 twice
quickly.
For example, to get help on a menu item:
1.

Press and hold the HELP key.
Press and hold MBl on a menu name.

3. Drag the pointer to the menu item you want help on.
4. Release MBl.
5. Release the HELP key.
VAX Notes with DECwindows

7-3

A Help window is displayed with information on the menu item. Additional
topics, if any, are listed. You can get help on an additional topic by double
clicking on it.
You can also get online help by choosing a menu item from the Help menu, as
follows:
1. Move the pointer to Help in the menu bar, and press MB1 to display a
pull-down menu..

2. Hold down MB1 while you move the pointer down the pull-down menu to
the Overview menu item.
3. Release MB1 with the pointer on Overview.
A Help window is displayed, as shown in Figure 7-2.
Figure 7-2:

Help Window

lllll Help on VAX Notes
File

Edit

View

Help

Overview of VAX Notes
WelcoPle to DECwindows VAri Notes V2. o.
VA~: Notes is a co~1puter conferencing s:,1ste~1. It allOllls
Many people to coP1P1unicate at their convenience .
usuall~,1 on a single subject or issue. In VAX Notes,
a private l'leeting to discuss ~1arketing strateg~·, an
electronic bulletin board to announce course offerings,
or a public forurq on environ~1ental issues are all
e:<al'lples of conferences.

A conference is organized into any m1P1ber of topics,
each of ~•hi ch can have an\·' nuPlber of replies. A topic
and its associated replie~' are called a discussion.
Topics are identified as n. 0, ·~here n is a nuroiber
assigned sequentially b:,1 the s~/stel'l. Replies to a topic
note are also sequentially nuNbered, startin~· ~1ith
. 1. If topic 4 has 3 replies, U1e replies are nu~1bered
4. l, 4. 2, and 4. 3. Topics and replies are referred to
Additional topics:
Using VAX Notes Help
DECwindows Basics
Invc•king VAX Notes
Exiting· froPI VAX Notes
Entering C0Nro1ands
Exit

ZK-7998-HC

4. Read the help text and, if you wish, get help on an additional topic from
the list by double clicking on it.

7-4 VAX Notes with DECwindows

5. In the figure, the Go Back push button is dimmed, showing that it is not
currently operative. If you are reading an additional topic in help, you can
click on the Go Back push button to display the previous help topic again.
6. Click on the Exit push button when you are ready to close the Help
window.

7 .4 Opening a Conference and Reading Notes
The Notes window lists the classes in your Notebook and the entries (conferences entered into your Notebook) under the default class. (The default class
is specified in your Notes user profile.) In Figure 7-1 the classes are DAILY,
GLEN, MAIN, and TEST; MAIN is the default class.
To open a conference, follow these steps:
1. Move the pointer to the entry name SAMPLE_CONFERENCE. 1
2. Double click on that entry name.
Note that the pointer arrow turns into a watch, showing that the operation
is in progress. Then the conference opens and the first unseen note (note
1.0 if you have not accessed the conference before) appears in a Read
window (see Figure 7-3).

1 SAMPLE_CONFERENCE is provided to all VAX Notes users; therefore, you can follow the steps given here and

see the windows illustrated on your workstation screen. Much of the information in SAMPLE_CONFERENCE,
however, is applicable only to the character-cell interface to Notes, not to the DECwindows interface to Notes.

VAX Notes with DECwindows

7-5

Figure 7-3:

File
Note 1.0

Read Window

Confet·ence

Edit

Help

Notes

7 replies

Topic: Welcome to VAX Notes

.".uthor: M.6.F:::JOHN_O_NOTEF: "I'll make a note!"

Date: 27- J,C.,N-1986 10:42

6
24 lines

VAX Note~; is a. compu.ter-11,ediated conferencmg systen1 that lets you
conduct online conferences or meetings. Using VAX Notes, you can
conlJl\unica.te com•eniently and economically '1ti th people in different
geographic locations
Anyone connected to the S)ntem can participa.te,
maJ:ing it possible for you to receive inpu.i';; from many people without
costly, ti11,e-consUJ1\ing 11,eetings

6
.....,

This saJnple conference has been provided U:· help yo\.1 quickly get
started usinq VAX Notes
It contains defil!litions of terms . ways to
read notes, ~. place for you to add your fi;cst reply, and helpful hints
for running and pa.rticipating in an online .i:onference. This confei:ence
also has information about chocosinq an editor for wri tlnq notes .
running· VAX Notes in batch mcode.. and prote.c-ting· a confidential meeting
with an Access Control List (ACL).
To continue reading this note, press ti!e l'l:TURN key.
As you and your fellow "Noters" ga.in e7:pen.ence with VA..X Notes, you can
use this ~.ample conference as a pla.ce tc• ncord and share your own
helpful hints.
Press the RETUPJ-1 key a.gain to continue re~1;iing abou.t VAX Notes.
(ll

J(>

I Create Reply I [2}~[2} t2}~~ [21~C) I Next Unseer1 I
ZK-7999-HC

Alternatively, you can open a conference by clicking on the entry name in
the Notes window to select that entry (it becomes highlighted) and then by
choosing Open from the File pull-down menu. If you do not select an entry
name first, Open is dimmed, meaning inoperative. (A dimmed menu item
cannot be chosen at this time, either because nothing has been selected or
because of another obstacle.)
Five push buttons are at the bottom of the Read window. You can click on one
of them or its associated left or right arrow (a left arrow means preceding and a
right arrow means subsequent) to write a note or to read further, as follows:
•
•

7-6

Click on Create Reply to display an Edit window in which you can write a
note.
Click on Topic to display the current topic note in the Read window; the
left arrow (now inoperative and dimmed because there is no preceding
topic) displays the preceding topic, and the right arrow displays the next
topic (in this case, note 2.0).

VAX Notes with DECwindows

•

Click on Reply to display the first reply to the topic (here, 1.1), and dick on
Reply's right arrow to display the succeeding reply, if any; the left arrow
(here dimmed) is for the preceding reply in the discussion (remember that
in Notes a discussion" is a topic and its replies).
Click on Page or one of its arrows to display the next (or preceding) page
of a multipage note, or (if you are at the end of a note) the next reply in
the discussion, or (at the end of the discussion) the next unseen note in the
conference.
Click on Next Unseen to display the next unseen note in the conference.
0

•

To continue reading notes in this discussion, follow these steps:
1. Click on the arrow to the right of Reply.
The next note, 1.1, appears, replacing 1.0 in the window.
At this point the Reply left arrow is no longer dimmed; it is now operative,
and you could dick on it to go back to note 1.0.
2. Click either on the Reply right arrow or on the Page right arrow repeatedly
to bring up subsequent notes.
NOTE

You can have multiple conferences open at the same time, and
multiple notes displayed in Read windows at the same time. In the
Notes window, you can select an entry name and then choose Open
in New Window from the File pull-down menu. The conference
is opened in a new window, instead of replacing a currently open
conference in its window. To read an additional note in a new
window, select a note from the directory in the Conference window,
and then choose Read in New Window from the Notes pull-down
menu.
Whenever you want to perform an action on another window on
the screen, click on any portion of that window except the icon. If
you make a mistake and want to get rid of a window, the quickest
way is to press MB2 to get a pop-up menu, and release MB2 on the
bottom menu item, which in various windows is called Exit, Close
Conference, Cancel Enter, and so on.

VAX Notes with DECwindows

7-7

7 .5 Replying to a Note
To write a reply to a note, perform the following steps:
1.

Click on Create Reply at the bottom of the Read window.
The Edit window appears as in Figure 7-4.

Figure 7-4:

File

Edit Window

Help

Edit
Date:

24-JAN- 1 989 1512

] (>

ZK-0875A-HC

Click in the text area to start a cursor blinking, and type the text of your
note. (If this is for practice only, do not be concerned about the content of
your reply because you will not have to enter it in the conference.)
By using MB3, you can quickly copy text from another window into the Edit
window to include in your note. After you select text (by holding down
MBl and dragging the pointer over the text, which becomes highlighted) in
another window, you can move the pointer to the Edit window and click

7-8

VAX Notes with DECwindows

MB3. The selected text is immediately copied to the cursor position in the
Edit window.

3. Click on the cursor after Title: to start it blinking, and type a title for your
note.
If keyword creation is restricted in the conference, you cannot create a new
keyword, though you can add an existing keyword or keywords to the note.
(Section 7.13 has information on using keywords.)
4. Press MBl on File in the menu bar, and hold it down. To enter your note
in the conference, release MBl on Enter Note in the menu. To cancel the
entry, release MBl on Cancel Enter.
The Edit window closes.

7. 6 Closing a Conference and Exiting from Notes
To close a conference, follow these steps:
In either the Conference window or the Read window, press and hold MB2.
Note that the pointer can be anywhere in the window.
A pop-up menu appears.
2. Still holding down MB2, move the pointer to Close Conference and then
release MB2.
The conference is closed. The Notes window is still open.
1.

To exit from VAX Notes, follow these steps:
1.

In the Notes window, press and hold down MB2. The pointer can be
anywhere in the window.

A pop-up menu appears.
2. Still holding down MB2, move the pointer to Exit, and then release MB2.
The Notes window is closed, and you exit from VAX Notes. You are back
in the DECterm window, where you can type a DCL command. (Type
NOTES again when you are ready to reinvoke Notes.)
You always have the choice of exiting from any Notes window individually.
At any time, you can move the pointer to any window on your screen, click
on it to make it active, and then exit from that window. Also, no matter how
many Notes windows you have on the screen, you can immediately click on
the Notes window and then exit from it, thus closing at once all windows for
the VAX Notes process.

VAX Notes with DECwindows

7-9

7. 7 Changing Your Profile
You can customize your VAX Notes sessions by changing your profile settings.
Follow these steps:
In the DECterm window, invoke VAX Notes by typing the command
NOTES.
The Notes window appears.
2. Press MBl on Customize in the menu bar, and release MBl on Modify
Profile . . . in the pull-down menu.
The Modify Profile dialog box appears. The profile settings currently in
effect are shown in the box.
3. Practice changing these settings.
a. Click on Temporary Settings. (Temporary settings are in effect for the
current VAX Notes session only.)
b. Click on the cursor after Personal Name to make it blink.
c. Type a personal name.
If the First UNSEEN Note button is on, tum it off by turning on the
Directory of Notes button (one click does both operations, as they are
mutually exclusive). Now the dialog box should look similar to the
dialog box in Figure 7-5.
1.

7-10 VAX Notes with DECwindows

Figure 7-5:

Modify Profile Dialog Box
li][g

lEEJ Modify Profile
[i] Tempora1·y Settings
Class

MAii'..\
'--~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beri

Personal Name

'--~~~~~~~~~~~-

On Open, Show:

0 First UNSEEN Note
(!:• Directory of Notes

cg[] \ Cancel I
ZK-0876A-HC

You can also use this dialog box to change the default class name (ordinarily
MAIN), which indicates the class that is to be expanded when you first invoke
Notes.
When the settings are as you wish, click on OK or press RETURN.
If later in the same Notes session you reinvoke the Modify Profile dialog box,

the permanent profile settings are displayed; then you can click on Temporary
Settings to display the temporary settings.

7 .8 Expanding Notes and Choosing Notes for Reading
You can use the Conference window to expand notes and to choose notes for
reading. Follow these steps:
1.

Open a conference by double clicking on it in the Notes window.

Because of your new temporary settings in the profile, you no longer get
the first unseen note in a Read window. Rather, a Conference window
appears, containing a directory of notes in the conference.
2. Double click on the icon next to a note.
If this note has any replies, the note is "expanded"; that is, its replies are

listed under it, as in Figure 7-6, in which topic 7.0 is expanded to show all
its replies. "Collapsing" is the opposite; the listing of replies is removed by
double clicking on the icon. (Collapsing does not remove the replies from
the conference.)
VAX Notes with DECwindows

7-11

Figure 7-6:

Conference Window

File

Edit

View

Conference

Notes

Help

0 \'A>: Notes Security C~~

9. 0 MAR: : JOHN_ 9_NOTER

3-FEB-1986

8.0 MllR: :JOHN_Q_NOTER

27-JllN-1986

1 Using NOTES$Cfil1MllND

7 .0 MllR: :JOHN_Q_NOTER

27-JllN-1986

7.1 MAR: :JOHN_O_NOTER
7 2 MAP.: JOHN_Q_!WTER
7. 3 MAR: : JOHN_ Q_NOTER
7 4 MAR: :JOHN_Q_NOTER
i. 5 MAR:: JOHN_Q_NOTER

27-JAN-1986
27-JAN-1986
27-JAN-1986
27-JAN-1986
27-JAN-1986

6.0 M/\R: :JOHN_Q__NOTER

27-JliN-1986

5 Online Etiquette
Making your notes mo
Use Descriptive Titl
Representing Body L~
When to Use MAIL Ins
Prci.cticing· Online Et
() Suggestions for t.he

5.0 J\1/iR: :JOHN_Q_NOTER

27-JllN-1986

3 Using the DIRECTORY,

4.0 M/\R: :JOHN_Q__NOTER

27-JAN-1986

0 °Who Are You? - Tell

3.0 M/\R: :NEW_USER

27-JllN-1986

2 Help ! I don' t unders

2 • 0 t-1/iR: : JOHN_ Q__NOTER

27-JAN-1986

1 Cl1oosiny an editor t

1. 0 M/\R: : JOHN_ Q__NOTER

27-JllN-1986

7 Welcmne to \'A>: Notes

/) l

ZK-0877 A-HC

Now choose a note to read. This time, double click anywhere on the note
line except on the icon.
That note is displayed in a Read window.

After reading the note, press MB2 to display the pop-up menu, and choose
Close Conference.

7.9 Expanding and Collapsing Classes
In the Notes window, the entries under the default class (as specified in your
profile) are displayed; the entries under the other classes are not. You can
expand classes to display these entries.
Collapsing is the reverse of expanding. Collapsing removes the entries under
any or all classes from the Notes window (it does not delete them from the
Notebook).
To expand a class in the Notes window, double click on it. To collapse an
expanded class, double click on it.

7-12 VAX Notes with DECwindows

You can expand or collapse all your classes at once by choosing Expand All or
Collapse All from the View pull-down menu.
NOTE

To expand or collapse an item, you can double click anywhere in
windows and dialog boxes where an icon appears.

7. 1 0 Creating a Conference
To create a new conference, follow these steps:
At the Notes window, press MBl on File in the menu bar, and release MBl
on Create Conference ... in the pull-down menu.
The Create Conference dialog box appears. Note the buttons that are
turned on: Allow Writes and Restrict Keyword Creation. These are the
defaults. You can tum them off by clicking on them. Your other options are
Restrict Members and Restrict Topic Creation. (See the SET CONFERENCE
command in Part III, the Command Dictionary, for a full explanation of
your options.)
2. Click on an inactive cursor to start it blinking.
3. Type the information requested.
At the end of each line, move the pointer to the next text field and click
MBl to make the cursor active (alternatively, press TAB at the end of each
line), and type the information requested. Do not press RETURN until you
have completed entering text in the desired fields.
Figure 7-7 shows the dialog box with the notefile specification and the title
field filled in.
1.

VAX Notes with DECwindows

7-13

Figure 7-7:

Create Conference Dialog Box
IWJ Create Conference
Confet·ence Filename

Iii Title

li]!m]
M_.e.._R_::T_F:._e..\_,.E_L_ _ _ _ _ _ __

,_I

IBusiness Trave[

D Notice
Confet'ence Attributes:

Iii Allow Wl'ites
D Restt'ict Members
Iii Restl'ict Keywol'd Ct'eation
D Restt'ict Topic Ct'eation

Ii OK ii

Cancel

ZK-0878A-HC

7. 11

When you are finished, press RETURN or click on OK to create the conference; or click on Cancel if you do not want to create the conference.

Adding an Entry
To add an entry (conference) to your Notebook, follow these steps:
1. At the Notes window, press MBl on Entries in the menu bar, and release
MBl on Add ... in the pull-down menu (see Figure 7-8).

7-14 VAX Notes with DECwindows

Figure 7-8:

Notes Window and Entries Pull-Down Menu

~aJ~ MAIN
audio

coor.s
COUF;SES

9
l:

Update...

Alt/U

DOC
DOCTOOLS
DOCUSE
EASi1~T_CONFERENCES

EATS
HELP

personal
PL!
P.ED_SOX_II
SAMPLE_ CONFEFXNCE
TRAVEL

Delete ...

2269 18-NOV-1988 13 40
559B l 7-FEB-1988 13 45
344 13-0CT-1988 12 48
0 10-Jhl!-1989 10 46
U13 ll-NOV-1988 U • 28
5305 25-SEP-1987 15•14
0 18-FEE:-1986 14 • 23
0 5-JAN-1989 14 .13
524 25-SEP-1987 12 41

2017
1593
85
43 err
(I fil
39
2161
7(1~: rem
89
349
310 net

50 net 0

ZK-0879A-HC

2.
3.
4.

5.
6.

The Add Entry dialog box appears.
Type a file specification in the Conference Filename field (for example, the
file specification shown in Figure 7-9).
Click on the Entry button or the word Entry.
The cursor starts to blink and is now active.
Type an entry name (for example, ENGINES). Do not press RETURN.
(Supplying an entry name is not required but is a convenience; you can
use a name as brief as you choose, and that name can be used thereafter to
access the conference.)
Click on the cursor after MAIN (the default class) to start that cursor
blinking, and delete the word MAIN.
Type another class name (for example, GLEN). Do not press RETURN.
The window should now look like Figure 7-9.

VAX Notes with DECwindows

7-15

Figure 7-9:

Add Entry Dialog Box

l!ijf!il

Add Entry

Conference Filename

Iii Entry

J MP..R::DIStq;:[LEE P..UTOMOTIVE]ENGINEQ

E_NG_IN_E_Q_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

._J

D Object Name
Iii Class

GLEN
'---------------~

CEJ I

Cancel

I
ZK-0880A-HC

Since this is a fictitious example done for practice, click on Cancel to end
this operation. To add the entry, you would click on OK.
The Add Entry dialog box disappears.

See the ADD ENTRY command in Part III, the Command Dictionary, for
complete information on adding an entry to your Notebook.

7 .12 Writing a Topic Note
To write a topic note, follow these steps:
1.

Open a conference by double clicking on an entry name in the Notes
window.

When the conference is open, press MBl on Notes in the menu bar (of
either the Conference window or the Read window) and release MBl on
Create New Note ... in the pull-down menu.
The Create New Note dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 7-10.

7-16 VAX Notes with DECwindows

Figure 7-10:

Create New Note Dialog Box

~i;gj

Create New Note

Note Type:

0 Reply
@i Topic
Note Attributes:

Ii] Allow Replies

D Hide This Note
D Pointer to Conference
D Use Last Text
II

I Cancel I
ZK-0881A-HC

The Allow Replies button is on because the default is to allow replies to be
written to a note. As the author of the note, you can tum it off if you want
to prohibit replies. Also, the Topic button is turned on by default. (If you
are coming from the Read window, the note-ID of the note in the window
appears.) Ignore the Reply line; you would type a Note-ID number there if
you were going to reply to a note rather than write a topic.
3.

Click on OK.
The dialog box vanishes, and the Edit window appears.

Click on the cursor where you want to enter text; the cursor starts to blink.
When you have finished typing, click on another cursor and type something
in that text field.

5. Press MBl on File in the menu bar, and release MBl on Enter Note in the
pull-down menu if you want to enter the note you just typed, or on Cancel
Enter if you want to cancel it.

VAX Notes with DECwindows

7-17

7. 1 3 Using Keywords
You can use keywords from either the Conference window or the Read
window. Follow these steps:
1.

In either window, choose the Keywords ... menu item from the
Conference pull-down menu.
The Display Keywords dialog box appears. An asterisk wildcard is in the
Keyword field, and all the keywords in the conference are listed in the
Keyword Information field.

Double click on one of the keywords (either the keyword itself or the icon)
to expand it.
The note-ID numbers of the notes to which that keyword has been added
are listed, as in Figure 7-11, under the keyword ANTENNA.
NOTE

There may not be any note-ID numbers for a particular keyword;
in that case, the keyword has not yet been added to any notes.

7-18 VAX Notes with DECwindows

Figure 7-11 : Display Keywords Dialog Box
!;JmJ

183] Display Keywords
Keyword

Keyword Information:
r'r.~
0

tJ. -iJAMP

~·!ANTENNA
145. 0
187. 0
339. 0
339. 1
339. 2

~·~AUDIOPHILE
'l::i'
0

tJ. -iJBOOKS

~·!CABLES
~·!CAPACITORS
~·~CARTRIDGES
~·! CAR_AUDIO
~·!CASSETTE

<1 (

J(>

I Create ... I I Delete ... I I Modify ... I I Cancel I
ZK-0882A-HC

Now double click on one of the note-ID numbers if you want to read that
note.
The note appears in the Read window and you can read it.

In the Read window, press MB2 and move the pointer to Close Window,
then release MB2.
The Read window is closed.

Now, for practice, add a keyword to a note. In the Display Keywords dialog
box, click on the Add ... push button.
The Add Keyword dialog box appears.

Type a keyword (or keywords, separated by commas) from the keyword
list, and then click on the cursor in the Note-ID field and type the note-ID
of the note to which you want to add that keyword.

Finally, click on OK or Apply to add the keyword to the note, or Cancel to
cancel the operation.

VAX Notes with DECwindows

7-19

You can create a new keyword only if one of the following conditions is true:
•

You have CREATE-KEYWORDS privilege

•

You are a moderator

•

Keyword creation in this conference is unrestricted

To create a keyword, click on the Create ... push button and type the new
keyword in the Create Keyword dialog box. Then click on Apply or OK to
create the keyword, or Cancel.
You can delete a keyword from a note. If you are a moderator, you can also
delete a keyword altogether from the conference. Click on Delete ... to bring
up the Delete Keyword dialog box. Type the keyword; and type the note-ID or
click on the button at Delete Keyword and All References (as applicable) and
then click on OK or Apply to perform the deletion, or Cancel.

7. 14 Enabling Moderator Privilege and Adding or Deleting
a Member
If you have created a conference, you are automatically a moderator of the
conference. However, you cannot exercise moderator privilege until you
explicitly enable the privilege. To do so, in the Conference window, choose
Enable Moderator from the Conference pull-down menu (see Figure 7-12).

Figure 7-12:

Conference Pull-Down Menu and Enable Moderator
Menu Item
Notes
Directory of Notes ...
Search ...
Keywo1·ds .•.
Markers .. .
Members .. .
Modify ...
Set Seen ...

ZK-0883A-HC

7-20 VAX Notes with DECwindows

When you have enabled your moderator privilege, you can add and delete
members from the conference. To add a member, follow these steps:
1. In the Conference window, choose Members ... from the Conference
pull-down menu.
The Display Members dialog box appears, with the members listed.
2.

Click on Add ...
The Add Member dialog box appears.

3. In the Member field, type the user's name, John Doe for example.
4.

Click on the Authorization button and type the node and user name (for
example, MAR::DOE) and then click on OK or Apply to add the member,
or Cancel (see Figure 7-13).

Figure 7-13:

Add Member Dialog Box

~jg

Add Member

Member

~I,1_oh_n_D_oei_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

0 Mail Address
Ii] Authorization!~t~1_.e.._R:_D_OE_:- - - - - - - - -

0 Autho1·ization Nodes
Member P1·ivileges:

0 Act as 11..1oderator
0 Create New Keywords
0 Write Regardless

ICEl I

Apply

I Cancel I
ZK-0884A-HC

If you want to give a new member special privileges or specify a mail address,
you can do so in the same dialog box.

With moderator privilege, you can also delete a member from the conference,
as follows:
1. In the Display Members dialog box, click on Delete ...
The Delete Member dialog box appears.

VAX Notes with DECwindows

7-21

2. Type the name of the member (exactly as it appears in the member list in
the Display Members dialog box) and click on OK or Apply to perform the
deletion, or Cancel.
Unless you disable your moderator privilege, it remains enabled throughout
the VAX Notes session until you exit. As a safeguard, you can disable it
immediately by choosing Disable Moderator (which replaced Enable Moderator
as soon as you chose that item) in the Conference pull-down menu.

7. 1 5 Sending Mail and Forwarding a Note by Mail
You can send electronic mail from within VAX Notes, as follows:
•

From the Notes window, you can send a message.

•

From the Conference window, you can send a message or forward a note
that you have selected (by clicking on it).

•

From the Read window, you can send a message or forward the note
displayed in the Read window.

From one of these windows, follow these steps:
1.

Choose Mail ... from the File pull-down menu.
The Mail dialog box appears (see Figure 7-14).

7-22 VAX Notes with DECwindows

Figure 7-14:

Mail Dialog Box
~ii]

IWJ Mail
Operation:

*:• Send Message
0 Forward Note
To:

*) Addressee
0 Conference Membet·s
0 Conference Moderators
0 Note Author
~Subject

I OK II I Cancel I
ZK-0885A-HC

As a test, send a mail message to yourself. (Note that the Send Message
button, the Addressee button, and the Subject button are turned on, by
default.) In the Addressee field, type your own node and user name.

3. In the Subject text field, click on the cursor and type a subject. Click on
OK.

The Send window appears. The From:, To:, and Subject: fields are already
filled in as you specified.
4.

Click on the message field to start a cursor blinking, and type a short
message. Click on Send to send the mail.

You can forward a note that you have selected in the Conference window, or
forward the note currently in the Read window, by clicking on the Forward
Note button in the Mail dialog box. The rest of the operation is similar to
sending mail; in the Send window, the note you are forwarding is in the text
area, and you can edit it or add text if you wish before forwarding the note.

VAX Notes with DECwindows

7-23

7. 1 6

Extracting a Note to a File
If you want to put a note or notes into a file, you can do so either from the
Conference window or the Read window. From either window, follow these
steps:
1.

Choose Extract ... from the File pull-down menu.
The Extract Notes dialog box appears. If you started from the Read
window, the note-ID number of the note in that window is in the
Note-Range field.

Type a file name in the Output Filename field, and provide any selection
criteria and options that you want. (A simple example, in which notes 2010
and 2011 and their replies are to be extracted to a file called CD.TXT, is
shown in Figure 7-15.)

7-24 VAX Notes with DECwindows

Figure 7-15:

Extract Notes Dialog Box

f.W Extract Notes
output Filename

[l]ii]

ICD T>nI

~------------

Selection Criteria:

Ii Note-range

1~20_1_0.'_·-_20_11_1_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

D Author
D Befot·e

D Since
0 Keyword

D Title
D Unseen Notes
Selection Options:

D Mark as Seen

D Include Replies
Ii Include Note Header
0 Append to File

I Cancel I
ZK-0886A-HC

3. Click on OK.
The note or notes you specified are extracted to a file in your default
directory. (To doublecheck, you can type the DIRECTORY command in the
DECterm window.)

7 .17 Displaying a Directory of Available Conferences
You can see a list of the conferences that exist on your system and that are
available for you to add as entries to your Notebook. Follow these steps:
1. In the Notes window, choose Directory of Conferences . . . from the File
pull-down menu.
The Directory of Conferences dialog box appears.

VAX Notes with DECwindows

7-25

2. In the Location field, type the name of the node from which you want a
directory of conferences (see Figure 7-16).
Figure 7-16:

Directory of Conferences Dialog Box

W Directory of Conferences
Location

iiJlill

MAR

Conference Information:

!'-

JC>i:

<1(

jGiiiiJI

I Cancel I
ZK-0887 A-HC

3. Click on Apply.
A list of the conferences on that node appears.
4. If you see a conference that you want to add as an entry to your Notebook,
click on it to select it, and then click on Add ...
The Add Entry dialog box appears, with the conference file name filled in;
when you click on OK, the entry is added to your Notebook.

7-26 VAX Notes with DECwindows

7. 1 8 Setting Notes as Seen
There may be times when you do not want all the unread notes in a conference
to be classified as "unseen" in your Notebook. You can set these notes as seen,
as follows:
1. In the Conference window, choose Set Seen ... from the Conference
pull-down menu.

The Set Seen dialog box appears. The All Notes button is turned on by
default, and if you immediately click on OK, all the notes in the conference
are categorized as seen.
2. If you want to set all notes before a certain date as seen (as you might
in a very large conference that you have recently added as an entry, for
example), click on the Before button and type a valid VMS date-time
specification in the Before text field (see Figure 7-17).
Figure 7-17:

Set Seen Dialog Box
II]~

183] Set Seen
J 1 - DEC- 1

98~

0 Since

0 All Notes

!CEJI I Cancel I
ZK-0888A-HC

3. Click on OK.

7 .19 Updating an Entry
You can update an entry to determine how many notes you have not yet seen
in the conference. To update a single entry, follow these steps:
1. Click on the entry name in the Notes window to select it.
The selected entry is highlighted.
2.

From the Entries pull-down menu, choose Update.

VAX Notes with DECwindows

7-27

The entry is updated. Note that in the Notes window the total number of
notes and the number of unseen notes for that entry are updated.
To update more than one entry at once, follow these steps:
1.

In the Notes window, choose Update ... from the Entries pull-down menu.
The Update Entry dialog box appears (see Figure 7-18). By default, the
Entry and Class buttons are on, and your default class (MAIN in the figure)
is filled in. There is an asterisk wildcard in the Entry field.

Figure 7-18:

Update Entry Dialog Box

!i]mJ

IWJ Update Entry
~Entry

~ Class

MP.It·{
'---~~~~~~~~~~~~~

0 All Entries
I

I Cancel

I
ZK-0889A-HC

2. If you now click on OK, all entries in class MAIN are updated.
3. Alternatively, you can update entries in all classes by dicking on the All
Entries button or using the asterisk wildcard in the Entry and Class fields
to specify all entries. You can update several entries at once that have a
common string in their entry names; for example, if several entry names in
the same class include the string AUTO, you can type •AUTO• in the Entry
field to update them all.
4.

Click on OK to accomplish the specified updating operation.

7 .20 Using Multiple Windows for Convenience and
S:l~vihili+u

' ' - " " I U l l l "-

You can have several applications on your workstation screen at one time,
easily switching between them by clicking on any window to make it active
and to bring it to the foreground (if it is not there already).

7-28 VAX Notes with DECwindows

In Figure 7-19 you can see an example of the use of multiple windows. In
the background, and entirely hidden, are two DECterm (terminal emulator)
windows; in either of these, you can type a DCL command. A small portion
of the FileView window is visible. Three applications are running other than
VAX Notes: Clock, Bookreader, and Calculator. The VAX Notes windows
are the Notes window, the Conference window, the Directory of Conferences
dialog box, and the Add Entry dialog box. This example is complex, designed
to illustrate some of the many possibilities.

VAX Notes with DECwindows

7-29

Figure 7-19:

Screenful of Windows

~ Notes:Conf

Q'.il SVSSSVSDI

$111\llY

:at GLEN
t':"'.:-:-:--t-------.--:':".:':~::;------t :a!MAIN
Appllcatlons He

~1~-u-d1-·o-------~---1-43_9_4_3--J-A

COOKS
COUJ\S!S
DOC

Library

9660 28-D!
139 12-D!
19 6-MA
1 17-NO
76 29-0C
2269 18-NO
5598 17-!'!
344 13-0C
1 3-JA
1313 11-NO
5:30.5 25-S!

NC!S
Location

'-IM_A_R;;....'.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Conference lnfot'lnatlon:

0 Ent1·y

-JAN-1989

0 For Sale: FM/A

-JAN-1989

0 Intemittent f

-JAN-1989

3 Tape better: tl1

-.JAN-1989

3 Denoll 1520 or

-.JAN-1989

6 Lookblq for: 4 Is this a see

-JAN-1989

0 Object Name

llJ Class!._M_A_IN_:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Cancel

-JAN-1989

0 For: Sale: Mara:

-JAN-1989

8 Tube Pr:e-Alllp H

-DEC-1988

0 WARNINO--- A R

-DEC-1988

1 NMAMACHI TAPE

-DEC-1988

3 Looking for: a

-DEC-1988

4 Realistic car:

----·---·-·-·

ZK-7994-HC

7.21

Printing a Note
To print a note that is displayed in a Read window, follow these steps:
1. Press and hold down MB2.
A pop-up menu appears.

7-30

VAX Notes with DECwindows

Still holding down MB2, move the pointer to Print, as shown in
Figure 7-20.

Release MB2.

The note is printed.
Figure 7-20:

Read Window, Notes Pull-Down Menu, and Print Menu
Item

[::" Notes:Read
File

Edit

Note 7 .O
Author:

li)liil]

Conference: SAMPLE_CONFERENCE
Conference
Online Etiquette

MAR::JOHN_Q_l'JOTEF: "

Help

Notes

5 replies

Next Unseen
Date:

27- ,IAN- 1986 11 :28

Back
17 lines

U(st Read Nnt\~

:~!~a~~:lll1t1nicatin9 by coir

there are some

Note-id .••
Create Reply

o
o
o

N•)m.'erbal cues (such a!
lanquage) that enhance

· ·

Create Topic.

I Print

tion . and body
e 1~1ssing

Reading takes longer tl: 1 ~·--------~ia terir,1nal screen
for long periods of tiir
Close Window
Most tern1inal screens l
Close Confet:enre
_r e1~phasiz:e
inforir,ation or to e'q:•ress information graphically.

This discussion is an excerpt fro1n the sect.ion "Hints for Impro••ing
Computer-Mediated Communication" in Chapter 3 of the Guide to VAX Notes
Ma:nual. This series of notes gives you soJ11.e hints for 1~a.kinq sure your
notes communicate your ideae effecti;•ely.
·
·

J (>

I Create Reply
ZK-0890A-HC

7.22 Summary
There are multiple ways of accomplishing tasks in DECwindows, and this
chapter does not attempt to describe them all. Your best resource for reference
information when you use Notes with DECwindows is online help.
The following sections summarize some convenient timesaving features.

VAX Notes with DECwindows

7-31

7 .22. 1

Functions of the Mouse Buttons in VAX Notes
MBl is used for most functions. The following are important exceptions:

•

7 .22.2

Use M~2 to cause a pop-up menu to appear at the current pointer position.
The pop-up menu varies according to the type of window you are in, and
includes common actions as menu items; you select an item by releasing
MB2 on it. MB2 saves time and motion; there is no need to move the
pointer to another location in the window to use it.
Use MB3 to copy text quickly. After you select text (by holding down MBl
and dragging the pointer over the text, which becomes highlighted) in a
window, you can move the pointer to the Edit window and click MB3.
The selected text is immediately copied to the cursor position in the Edit
window.

Functions of Double Clicking
To double click, you quickly click MBl twice. Double clicking is a shortcut for
the following tasks:
•

Opening a conference
You double click on the entry name (anywhere on the line) in the Notes
window, and the conference opens.

•

Displaying a note
You double click on the note line (anywhere on the line except the icon) in
the Conference window, and the note appears in a Read window.
Expanding a class or collapsing an expanded class
You double click on a class name (or anywhere on the class line) in the
Notes window, and the entries under that class appear or disappear.

•

Expanding a topic or collapsing an expanded topic
You double click on the icon next to a topic note in the Conference window,
and its replies (if any) appear or disappear.
Other uses
There are various dialog boxes in which you can double click to expand and
collapse items or to display them for reading. Wherever there is an icon
next to an item, you can double click to expand and collapse the item.

7-32

VAX Notes with DECwindows

Part Ill
VAX Notes Command Dictionary

1 Organization of the Command Dictionary
Part III is a dictionary of all VAX Notes commands, including the DCL
command NOTES. Commands are in alphabetical order so that you can
find them quickly without consulting the table of contents or the index. Full
descriptions of their format, parameters, and qualifiers are given, along with
examples of their use. Use the command dictionary whenever you need
complete information on a command.
All VAX Notes commands belong to one of four categories:

•

General - These commands ordinarily require no special privileges or
conditions.

•

Navigation - These commands are valid only when you are in a con-

•
•

ference, and are used to move around within a discussion or from one
discussion to another.
Notebook - These commands are used to maintain your Notebook.
Moderator - These commands can be used only if you have moderator
privilege and have issued the SET MODERATOR command to activate this
privilege.

A Notebook or moderator command is so identified in the Restrictions section
for that command.
A complete list of VAX Notes commands by category appears in Section 4.
You can issue some VAX Notes commands by pressing a key. The key that
performs a command is identified in the Description section for that command.

2 Rules for Entering VAX Notes Commands
The rules for entering VAX Notes commands are like those for DIGITAL
Command Language (DCL) commands. The command formats in this section
show optional items enclosed in brackets ( [] ). You do not type the brackets.
NOTE

In file specifications, you do type brackets to separate directory
names from file names. For example, to specify the file MEMO.TXT
in directory BROWN, type [BROWN]MEMO.TXT, including the
brackets.

CD-3

Uppercase is used in the command formats to indicate words that you type
as given, and lowercase indicates variables for which you substitute an actual
value.
In the following SAVE command format, a note range is optional, and you
substitute a file specification for output-file and, optionally, a numeric range for

[note-range]:
SAVE output-file [note-range]
Here is an actual SAVE command as you might type it:
Notes> SAVE MYFILE.TEXT 8.0-8.8

When you have a choice among two or more values for an item, the command
format shows these alternatives in braces ( {} ), separated by vertical bars ( I ).
You choose one of the alternatives, without typing the braces.
In the following SET PROFILE command format, you could choose either CALL
or SPAWN, but not both. Neither is required, however (as indicated by the
brackets).
SET PROFILE/EDITOR=(editor-name[,{CALL ISPAWN}])
NOTE

Unlike braces and brackets, parentheses do need to be typed when
they enclose a list rather than a single item. (The same rule applies
to DCL commands.)

2. 1 Abbreviating VAX Notes Commands
You can abbreviate VAX Notes commands to the fewest number of unambiguous characters that VAX Notes can interpret. If a one-word command is the
only one starting with a particular letter, you can abbreviate it to that letter.
For example, you can abbreviate the FORWARD command to F, the OPEN
command to 0, and the PRINT command to P.
When two or more commands start with the same letter, you must use at
least the first two characters to abbreviate these commands. For example; both
ANSWER and ATTACH start with A; you can abbreviate ANSWER to AN and
ATTACH to AT.
To abbreviate a two-word command, you must use enough characters for each
word to make the command unique. For example, to abbreviate one of the
SHOW commands, use SH for SHOW (to distinguish it from other commands
starting with S) and one or two letters for the second word. For example,

CD-4

SHOW KEYWORDS can be abbreviated to SH K, but SHOW CLASSES must
be abbreviated to SH CL to distinguish it from SHOW CONFERENCE.
In command procedures, you should completely spell out VAX Notes commands to guarantee compatibility with future releases of VAX Notes.

2.2

Abbreviating Qualifiers
VAX Notes qualifiers remain unique when abbreviated to the first four characters. The negative form of a qualifier (for example, /NOMODERATE) remains
unique when abbreviated to the first six characters.
In command procedures, to guarantee compatibility with future releases of
VAX Notes, you should not use fewer than four characters for any VAX Notes
qualifier, or fewer than six characters for the negative form of the qualifier.

2.3

Editing VAX Notes Commands
Table CD-1 summarizes the control key sequences you can use to recall and
edit VAX Notes command lines.
Table CD-1:

Control Key Sequences for Command Line Editing

Control
Key

Action

CTRL/A

Switches between insert mode and overstrike mode.

CTRL/B

Recalls the most recently entered VAX Notes command. Used repeatedly,
it recalls up to 20 of the previous commands. You can also use the up
arrow and down arrow to recall commands.

CTRL/D

Moves the cursor one character to the left. You can also use the left arrow
key to move left on the command line.

CTRL/E

Moves the cursor to the end of the command line.

CTRL/F

Moves the cursor one character to the right. You can also use the right
arrow key to move right on the command line.

(continued on next page)

CD-5

Table CD-1 (Cont.):

Control Key Sequences for Command Line Editing

Control
Key

Action

CTRL/H

Moves the cursor to the beginning of the command line.

CTRL/J

Deletes the previous word.

CTRL/U

Deletes the command from the current cursor position to the beginning of
the line. You can also use CTRL/X.

Specifying Note Numbers in Commands

In command formats, the parameter note-ID refers to a single topic or reply,
and note-range refers to a range of notes. Any command that accepts a note-ID
or note-range can be used only when a conference is open.
Table CD-2 and Table CD-3 show how to specify notes in a command line.
NOTE

A command format that shows a range of notes as a parameter also
allows a single note-ID as a parameter, but the reverse is not true. A
command format that shows a single note as a parameter does not
accept a range of notes.
Table CD-2:

CD-6

Specifying Note-IDs

To specify this:

Type this:

The current note

. (period)

A single topic (12.0)

12 or 12.0

The 9th reply to topic 4

4.9

The topic of the current reply

TOPIC

The last topic in the file

999 or LAST

The last reply to the current topic

.999 or .LAST

Table CD-3:

Specifying Note-Ranges

To specify this:

Type this:

Topics only, no replies, from 12.0 to
18.0, inclusive

12-18

All the topics in the conference

• or ALL

All replies to the current topic

.• or .ALL

All replies to topic 12

12.• or 12.ALL

A range of notes, including replies

5.2-17.4

All topics and all replies in the
conference

•. • or ALL.ALL

2.4 Specifying Files
Some VAX Notes commands permit you to extract notes to or get note text from
a VMS text file. VAX Notes assumes the file resides in your current default
directory unless you specify otherwise. For more information on specifying
VMS text files, see Introduction to VMS.

2.5

Specifying Dates and Times
Some VAX Notes commands permit you to specify a date and time with the
/BEFORE or /SINCE qualifier. Although the formats of date/time specifications
in examples in this manual are common, they are not the only valid formats.
It is possible that a different format is used on your system. If so, your
system manager can explain it; or, for information on the range of date/time
possibilities, see the VMS RTL Library (LIB$) Manual, which is part of the VMS
Run-Time Library Routines Volume.

3 VAX Notes Logical Names
Table CD-4 lists and defines the logical names that VAX Notes uses.

CD-7

Table CD-4:

VAX Notes Logical Names

Logical Name

Definition

NOTES$LIBRARY

The directory for storing notefiles. Notefiles are opened with
the default directory NOTES$LIBRARY and the default file type
.NOTE.

NOTES$NOTEBOOK

The file name of your Notebook. Your Notebook is opened
with the file name NOTES$NOTEBOOK, the default directory
SYS$LOGIN, and the default file type .NOTE.

NOTES$SECTION

The name of the VAXTPU section file. The default directory
for the section file is SYS$SHARE, and the default file type is
.TPU$SECTION.

NOTES$COMMAND

The name of a VAXTPU command file that you can include
as part of the VAX Notes initialization. The default file type is
.TPU.

4 VAX Notes Commands by Category
The following listing groups VAX Notes commands by category (general
commands, navigation commands, Notebook commands, and moderator
commands).

General Commands
ADD KEYWORD
ANSWER
ATTACH
CLOSE
CONTINUE
DELETE KEYWORD
DELETE NOTE
DIRECTORY
DIRECTORY/CONFERENCES

EVE
EXIT
EXTRACT
EXTRACT /BUFFER
FORWARD
HELP
NOTES (DCL command)
PRINT
READ
REPLY

CD-8

SAVE
SAVE/BUFFER
SEARCH
SELECT
SEND
SET NOTE
SET PROFILE
SET SEEN
SHOW CONFERENCE
SHOW ERROR
SHOW KEYWORDS
SHOW MEMBER
SHOW MODERATOR
SHOW NOTE
SHOW OBJECT
SHOW PROFILE
SHOW VERSION
SPAWN
TPU
WRITE

Navigation Commands
BACK
BACK NOTE
BACK REPLY
BACK TOPIC
LAST
.LAST
NEXT
NEXT NOTE
NEXT REPLY
NEXT TOPIC
NEXT UNSEEN
TOPIC

Notebook Commands
ADD ENTRY
ADD MARKER
DELETE ENTRY
DELETE MARKER
DIRECTORY /ENTRIES
DIRECTORY /NOTEBOOK
MARK

CD-9

MODIFY ENTRY
OPEN
READ /MARKER
SET CLASS
SHOW CLASSES
SHOW ENTRY
SHOW MARKER
UPDATE

Moderator Commands
ADD MEMBER
ADD OBJECT (requires DNS write privilege)
CREATE CONFERENCE
CREATE KEYWORD
DELETE KEYWORD
DELETE MEMBER
DELETE NOTE
DELETE OBJECT (requires DNS write privilege)
MODIFY KEYWORD
MODIFY MEMBER
SET CONFERENCE
SET [NO]MODERATOR
SET NOTE
SET OBJECT (requires DNS write privilege)

CD-10

ADD ENTRY

ADD ENTRY
Adds a new entry to your Notebook.

Format
ADD ENTRY entry-name
Command Qualifiers
Defaults
/CLASSES=(class-name[, ... ]) /CLASSES=current-class
/[NO]FILE[=notefile-spec]
See text
/NAME=entry-name
/NAME=notefile-name
/[NO]OBJECT[=object-name]
/NOOBJECT

Restrictions
•
•

The ADD ENTRY command is a Notebook command.
The /OBJECT qualifier is for use only on systems with the VAX Distributed
Name Service (DNS) installed, and only when the conference being added
is a DNS object.

Command Parameters
entry-name
Specifies the entry name for a conference you add to your Notebook.
If you specify a conference name (or notefile specification) as the parameter

with the ADD ENTRY command, VAX Notes uses the conference name as the
entry name, unless you specify a name with the /NAME qualifier.
If you do not want to use the conference name as the entry name, you can

specify an entry name of your choice as the parameter with the ADD ENTRY
command and specify the conference name with the /FILE qualifier. To add a
conference on a remote node, you must include the node name in the notefile
specification. Instead of, or in addition to, the /FILE qualifier, the /OBJECT
qualifier can associate the conference with its notefile specification, provided the
conference is a DNS object (see the Command Description for more detail).

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

CD-11

ADD ENTRY

Related Commands
DELETE ENTRY
DIRECTORY/CONFERENCES
MODIFY ENTRY
SET CLASS
SHOW CLASSES
SHOW ENTRY

Description
The ADD ENTRY command adds a conference to one or more classes in
your Notebook. The default entry name is the file name from the notefile
specification.
In one step, you can add a conference to your Notebook and give the conference an entry name that is easy for you to remember and type by using either
of the following methods:
•
•

Specify the conference as the parameter, and use the /NAME qualifier to
specify the entry name.
Specify the entry name as the parameter, and use the /FILE qualifier
(and/or the /OBJECT qualifier if applicable; see below) to specify the
conference.

To add a conference that exists in the NOTES$LIBRARY directory on a remote
node, you must include the node name with the conference name. To add a
conference that resides in a private directory, you must include the full notefile
specification (device and directory name) with the conference name.
You can use the /CLASSES qualifier to add the entry to one or more specific
classes. Use /CLASSES=• to add the entry to all existing classes. If you do
not specify any classes, VAX Notes assumes you want to add the entry to the
current class. You can also use the /CLASSES qualifier to add an existing entry
to one or more additional classes.
If the conference has an object name registered in the VAX Distributed Name

Service (DNS) database, use the /OBJECT qualifier to associate the entry with
the DNS object. Then, whenever the entry is accessed, VAX Notes looks in the
DNS database for the notefile specification of the conference.
CD-12

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

ADD ENTRY
If you have added the conference with the ADD ENTRY/OBJECT=object-

name/FILE=notefile-spec command, VAX Notes, when accessing the conference,
always looks first in the DNS database for the object, and uses the file specification recorded there. If there is no file specification in the database, VAX
Notes uses the file specification you supplied with the /FILE qualifier. If you
do not use the /OBJECT qualifier, you must use the /FILE qualifier or supply
the notefile specification as the parameter to the ADD ENTRY command. If
the /OBJECT qualifier is used, the notefile specification can be omitted, or the
/NOFILE qualifier can be used.
If you want to determine whether an entry in your Notebook has been

associated with a DNS object, you can use the SHOW ENTRY or the SHOW
CONFERENCE command. If the conference is a DNS object, and if you have
used the ADD ENTRY /OBJECT or MODIFY ENTRY /OBJECT command to
associate the entry with the object name, this object name is displayed (along
with other information) in response to the command.
The MODIFY ENTRY /NOOBJECT command can be used to dissociate the
entry from the DNS object so that VAX Notes will not look in the DNS
database when the conference is accessed. (For more information on DNS
objects, see the ADD OBJECT command.)
VAX Notes does not verify that the conference exists when you use the ADD
ENTRY command. This is done purposely to allow you to add the entry to
your Notebook even if the node on which the conference resides is unreachable
at the time. Make sure you spell the conference name correctly.
You can use the DIRECTORY/CONFERENCES command to obtain a directory
of available conferences on the node. Once the directory is displayed, you
can add a conference to your Notebook by pointing to the conference of your
choice and issuing the SELECT command (or by pressing the SELECT key).
VAX Notes applies defaults for /CLASSES and /NAME.

Command Qualifiers
/CLASSES=(class-name[, ... ])
/CLASSES=current-class (default)

Names the Notebook classes to which the entry is to belong. Separate multiple
class names with commas. The default is the current class. You can use the
wildcard character (•)to add the entry to all classes.

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

CD-13

ADD ENTRY
You must enclose a list of class names in parentheses and separate the names
with commas.
You ~an also use the /CLASSES qualifier to add an existing entry to one or
more classes. If you specify a class that does not exist, VAX Notes automatically
creates the class. The ADD ENTRY /CLASSES command is convenient to
use when an entry already belongs to several classes; with the MODIFY
ENTRY /CLASSES command, you have to list the classes to which the entry
currently belongs, as well as the new ones, to add an existing entry to new
classes. Use the ADD ENTRY/CLASSES=• command to add the entry name to
all existing classes.
/FILE=notefile-spec
/NOFILE
Specifies the conference you want to add to your Notebook. Use this qualifier
(and/or the /OBJECT qualifier if applicable) when you specify the entry name
as the parameter.
/NAME=entry-name
/NAME=notefile-name (default}
Gives the entry a name other than the file-name portion of the notefile
specification. Use this qualifier when you specify the conference as the
parameter, unless you want the conference file name to be the entry name.
/OBJECT=object-name
/NOOBJECT (default}
Associates the entry in your Notebook with its DNS object name. The conference must be a DNS object.

Examples
1.

Notes> ADD ENTRY FARMING

Adds the conference FARMING, located on your node, to the default class
in your Notebook, and uses the notefile name, FARMING, as the entry
name.
2.

Notes> ADD ENTRY SOMNOD::EPA_PROJECT/NAME=EPA

Adds the EPA_pRQJECT conference, located on node SOMNOD, to the
current class in your Notebook, and names the entry EPA.
CD-14 VAX Notes Command Dictionary

ADD ENTRY
3.

Notes> ADD ENTRY EATS/FILE=BOSTON::LOCAL_RESTAURANTS

Adds the conference LOCAL-RESTAURANTS, located on node BOSTON,
to the current class, and specifies EATS as the entry name.
4.

Notes> ADD ENTRY/CLASSES=(GAMES,LUNCH)/NAME=CHESS CHESS_TECHNIQUES

Adds the conference CHESS_TECHNIQUES to two classes in your
Notebook (called GAMES and LUNCH), and names the entry CHESS.
5.

Notes> ADD ENTRY BDSTON::DISK$: [GLEN]ENGINES

Adds the conference ENGINES, residing in user GLEN's private directory
on device DISK$: on node BOSTON, to the current class, and by default
uses ENGINES as the entry name.
6.

Notes> ADD ENTRY SAMPLE/OBJECT=CONFERENCES.PUBLIC.SAMPLE/FILE=MAR: :NOTES$SAMPLE

Adds the VAX Notes sample conference, which is located on node MAR,
gives it the entry name SAMPLE, and associates it with its DNS object
name, which is CONFERENCES.PUBLIC.SAMPLE. When accessing the
conference, VAX Notes will look in the DNS database first and use the
notefile specification recorded there; it will look for the notefile specification
on the /FILE qualifier only if there is no notefile specification associated
with the object in the DNS database.

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

CD-15

ADD KEYWORD

ADD KEYWORD
Adds a keyword to the current or specified note. The specified keyword must
be an existing keyword for the conference. If you have CREATE_J(EYWORDS
privilege or keyword creation is unrestricted, however, you can use the ADD
KEYWORD command to simultaneously create and add a new keyword to a
note.

Format

ADD KEYWORD

keyword-name [note-ID]

Restrictions
•
•

You must be in a conference to use the ADD KEYWORD command.
In a conference that restricts the creation of keywords, the keyword you
specify must have been previously created or, if not, you must have
CREATE_J(EYWORDS privilege.

Command Parameters
keyword-name

Specifies the keyword you want to add. The keyword name must exactly match
a keyword previously created, unless the keyword is new. If the keyword
is new, keyword creation in the conference must be unrestricted or, if it is
restricted, you must have CREATE_J(EYWORDS privilege.
If the keyword consists of more than one word separated by a space, enclose
the keyword in quotation marks. If you are creating a new multiword keyword,
you can avoid the need for quotation marks by separating the words with a
hyphen or an underscore character instead of a space.
note-ID

Refers to a single topic or reply. The default is the topic or reply you are
currently reading.

CD-16

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

ADD KEYWORD

Related Commands
CREATE KEYWORD
DELETE KEYWORD
DIRECTORY /KEYWORD
MODIFY KEYWORD
SELECT
SHOW KEYWORDS
SHOW NOTE/KEYWORDS

Description
The ADD KEYWORD command adds a keyword to the current or specified
note. If you do not specify a note, VAX Notes adds the keyword to the note
you are currently reading.
The keyword name you specify must be an existing keyword for the conference
if the conference restricts the creation of keywords and you do not have

CREATE_KEYWORDS privilege. In a conference with restricted keyword
creation, you must have MODERATE or CREATE_KEYWORDS privilege to
create or add a new keyword. In a conference that does not restrict keywords,
you can create a new keyword with the CREATE KEYWORD or the ADD
KEYWORD command.
You can see all the keywords defined for a conference by using the SHOW
KEYWORDS command.
You can see all the keywords associated with a particular note by using the
SHOW NOTE/KEYWORDS command.
You can see all the notes associated with a keyword by using the
DIRECTORY /KEYWORD=keyword-name command.

Examples
1.

Notes> ADD KEYWORD FARMING 5.2

Adds the keyword FARMING to note 5.2.

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

CD-17

ADD KEYWORD
2.

Notes> READ 4.7
Notes> ADD KEYWORD COMPILER_BUGS

Adds the keyword COMPILER_BUGS to note 4. 7 (which is the current
note).
3.

Notes> READ 4.7
Notes> ADD KEYWORD "COMPILER BUGS"

Adds the keyword COMPILER BUGS to note 4. 7 (which is the current
note). The quotation marks are necessary because of the space in the
two-word keyword.

CD-18

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

ADD MARKER

ADD MARKER
Adds a marker to the current or specified note in the current entry.

Format

ADD MARKER marker-name [note-ID]
Restrictions
•

You must be in a conference to use the ADD MARKER command.

Command Parameters
marker-name
Consists of a text-string that names a marker in a Notebook entry.
If the marker consists of more than one word separated by a space, enclose

the marker in quotation marks. You can avoid the need for quotation marks
by separating the words with a hyphen or an underscore character instead of a
space.
note-ID
Refers to a single topic or reply. The default is the topic or reply you are
currently reading.

Related Commands
DELETE MARKER
MARK
READ /MARKER

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

CD-19

ADD MARKER
SHOW ENTRY
SHOW MARKER

Description
The ADD MARKER command adds a marker to the current note or the note
you specify. A marker is a word or phrase that you associate with a particular
note so that you can refer to the note by the word or phrase instead of its note
number. A marker name must be unique within an entry, although you can use
the same marker name in different entries.
Unlike keywords, which are available for any of the conference participants to
use (but not necessarily to create), markers are for your individual use only.
You can add them freely for your own convenience without being concerned
about their relevance to anyone else.
If you issue the READ /MARKER command when the desired conference is not
open and specify a duplicate marker name, VAX Notes displays the marked
note in the first entry (in alphabetical order). You can use the /ENTRY=entryname qualifier, however, to display a marked note in a specified conference,
when the marker name is a duplicate.
If you have a marker named REMINDER in entry BOOKS and in entry COOKS,
for example, VAX Notes displays the note marked in entry BOOKS when
you issue the command READ /MARKER REMINDER, regardless of which
class these entries are in. You can display the marked note in the conference
COOKS if you open that conference and issue the command READ /MARKER
REMINDER; or, without first opening that conference, you can issue the
command READ /MARKER/ENTRY=COOKS REMINDER.
If you do not specify a note to be marked, VAX Notes adds the marker to the
note you are currently reading.

You can see all the markers you created for the current entry, and the note
number associated with each, by using either the SHOW ENTRY command or
the SHOW MARKER/ ALL command. To see the note number associated with
a particular marker, use the SHOW MARKER command.
To retrieve a note that you marked, use the READ /MARKER command.
To delete a marker, use the DELETE MARKER command. This does not delete
the note, only the marker.

CD-20 VAX Notes Command Dictionary

ADD MARKER
The ADD MARKER and MARK commands are synonyms and can be used
interchangeably.

Examples
1.

Notes> ADD MARKER TELEVISION

Adds the marker TELEVISION to the current note.
2.

Notes> ADD MARKER STAR_WARS 3.2

Adds the marker STAR_WARS to note 3.2.
3.

Notes> ADD MARKER "STAR WARS" 3. 2

Adds the marker STAR WARS to note 3.2. ·The quotation marks are
necessary because of the space in the two-word marker.

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

CD-21

ADD MEMBER

ADD MEMBER
Adds a new user to the membership list for the conference.

Format

ADD MEMBER member-name
Command Qualifiers

Defaults

/ ACCESS=(node: :username(, ... ])
/[NO]MAIL=mail-address
/NODES=(node-name(, . . . ])
/[NO]PRIVILEGES=([NO]MODERA TE,
[NO]CREA TE_KEYWORDS,(NO]WRITE_REGARDLESS)

See text
See text
See text
See text

Restrictions
•
•

The ADD MEMBER command is a moderator command.
You must be in a conference to use this command.

Command Parameters
member-name
Specifies, for the user who is to become a member of a conference, one of the
following:

•

The VMS user name (for example, ADD MEMBER SMITH)

•

The node and the VMS user name (for example, ADD MEMBER
NODEA::SMITH~ which is equivalent to the command ADD MEMBER
SMITH/NODES=NODEA)
A string enclosed in quotation marks and having a maximum length
of 64 characters, typically the person's full name, and used only
with the /ACCESS qualifier. (An example is ADD MEMBER uJOHN
SMITH"/ ACCESS=NODEA::SMITH. The quotation marks are not required
if there are no spaces in the string, so you can specify, for example,
JOHN-SMITH instead of uJOHN SMITH"; or you can use mixed case, as in

•

CD-22

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

ADD MEMBER
liJohn Smith" because Notes retains the case you use for display purposes;
for most other purposes Notes is case-insensitive)

Related Commands
DELETE MEMBER
MODIFY MEMBER
SET MODERATOR
SHOW MEMBER

Description
The ADD MEMBER command adds a new user to the membership list for
a conference. With this command, you can list node names that, together
with the user name, identify the new user. You can specify his or her mailing
address. You can grant privileges that let the user act as moderator, create
keywords for the conference, or (assuming the conference is write-restricted)
write notes in the conference.
When two or more members have the same user name and need to have
different privileges or different assigned mailing addresses, you can distinguish
them by using the /ACCESS qualifier and specifying a unique member name
for each. This member name is a string up to 64 characters long. If one user
is already a member of the conference, you can accomplish the same thing
by using the /ACCESS qualifier on the MODIFY MEMBER command. The
/ACCESS qualifier supersedes the /NODES qualifier; for detailed information,
see the MODIFY MEMBER command description.
You can change a user's privileges, mail address, nodes, and name at any time
with the MODIFY MEMBER command.

Command Qualifiers
/ACCESS=(node::username[, ... ])

Specifies the unique identity of a member by assigning one or more nodes and
user names to the member's name. This name is a string enclosed in quotation
marks (the quotation marks are needed only if the string includes any spaces)
and having a maximum length of 64 characters.
VAX Notes Command Dictionary

CD-23

ADD MEMBER
The /ACCESS qualifier is necessary when two members who have the same
VMS user name need to be assigned different privileges or different mail
addresses.
You must enclose a list of nodes and names in parentheses.
/MAIL=mail-address
/NOMAIL
Specifies a mailing address for this member. This is useful when the member
uses a mail system other than the VMS Mail Utility (MAIL), or wants to receive
mail on a particular system. If /NOMAIL is specified, the member receives
mail sent from within VAX Notes only if he or she happens to be on the same
system as the person sending the mail.
/NODES=(node-name[, ... ]}
Specifies the node names that, used in combination with the user name, identify
this member. You must enclose a list of node names in parentheses, separating
names with commas.

The /ACCESS qualifier supersedes the node names list. Once a user has an
access list, the node list is ignored by VAX Notes.
/PR/VILEGES=([NO]MODERA TE,[NO]CREATE-KEYWORDS,
[NO]WRITE_REGARDLESSJ
/NOPRIVILEGES
Gives or denies a member one or more specified privileges. If you give
MODERATE privilege, the member can issue the SET MODERATOR command.

The MODERATE privilege automatically includes the CREATE-1<EYWORDS
and the WRITE-REGARDLESS privileges.
If you give a member CREATE-1<EYWORDS privilege, the member can create
new keywords. In a conference that restricts keyword creation, a user without
CREATE-1<EYWORDS privilege can only add existing keywords to notes.

The WRITE-REGARDLESS privilege enables a member to write notes in a
write-restricted conference. This privilege is useful for a conference set to
NOWRITE in which certain users need to be able to add information without
possessing the full MODERATE privilege. The WRITE-REGARDLESS privilege
also allows the member to write topics in a conference that is set to REPLy_
ONLY, and to reply to topics that are set to NOWRITE.

CD-24 VAX Notes Command Dictionary

ADD MEMBER

Examples
1.

Notes> ADD MEMBER SOMNOD: :COHEN

Adds user COHEN on node SOMNOD to the membership list for this
conference. Since the full user name specification is given in the user name
parameter, the /NODES qualifier is not needed.
2.

Notes> ADD MEMBER MILLY/NODES=(NODE1,NODE2,NODE3)

Adds user MILLY on nodes NODEl, NODE2, and NODE3. User MILLY
can log in from any one of these three nodes and be recognized by VAX
Notes.
3.

Notes> ADD MEMBER ABRA: :CASEY/PRIVILEGES=MODERATE

Adds user CASEY on node ABRA and grants this member MODERATE
privilege. User CASEY can use the SET MODERATOR command to act as
moderator for this conference and can create keywords.
4.

Notes> ADD MEMBER DEAN/NODES=(BLINNY,BLINKY)/PRIVILEGES=CREATE_KEYWORDS

Adds user DEAN on nodes BLINNY and BLINKY, and grants this member
CREATE-1<EYWORDS privilege. User DEAN can create keywords for this
conference but cannot act as moderator.
5.

Notes> ADD MEMBER "JOHN LEE"/ACCESS=(NODEA: :LEE,NODEB: :LEE)/MAIL=NODEB: :LEE

Notes> ADD MEMBER "Susan Lee"/ACCESS=NODEC: :LEE/PRIVILEGES=WRITE_REGARDLESS

Adds two members with the same VMS user name, LEE, and assigns them
unique identities for purposes of mail and privileges. John Lee is identified
as the LEE on NODEA and NODEB, and NODEB is specified as the system
on which he is to receive mail. Susan Lee is identified as the LEE on
NODEC, and is granted WRITE_REGARDLESS privilege, allowing her to
write notes to a conference that is set to NOWRITE, or to write both topics
and replies to a conference that is set to REPLY_ONLY. Whenever Notes
VAX Notes Command Dictionary

CD-25

ADD MEMBER
displays Susan Lee's member name, it appears in mixed case, as specified;
for all other purposes Notes is case-insensitive, recognizing "SUSAN LEE"
and "Susan Lee" as equivalent.

CD-26 VAX Notes Command Dictionary

ADD OBJECT

ADD OBJECT
Adds a new object to a VAX Distributed Name Service (DNS) database and
optionally associates a file specification with that object. In VAX Notes, the
object is a name identifying a conference.

Format
ADD OBJECT

object-name

Command Qualifiers
/[NO] FILE[=notefile-spec]

Defaults
/NOFILE

Restrictions
•
•

The ADD OBJECT command requires write privilege to the DNS database.
DNS must be installed on your system if you are to use this command.

Command Parameters
object-name
Specifies the name to be registered in the DNS database. For VAX Notes,
the name identifies a conference. The name is a pathname with an indeterminate number of elements separated by periods; for example,
CONFERENCES.PUBLIC.SAMPLE might be the object name for the VAX
Notes sample conference.

Related Commands
ADD ENTRY
DELETE OBJECT
MODIFY ENTRY
SET OBJECT
SHOW CONFERENCE

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

CD-27

ADD OBJECT
SHOW ENTRY
SHOW OBJECT

Description
The ADD OBJECT command adds a new object to a DNS database. An
object in the DNS database is a name recognizable across the entire network,
wherever DNS is installed. In VAX Notes, the object is a name for a conference.
With the /FILE qualifier, the object can be associated with a file specification.
The conference moderator can instruct the users of the conference to add it
to their Notebooks with the ADD ENTRY/OBJECT command, or to change
it in their Notebooks with the MODIFY ENTRY/OBJECT command. Then if
the conference is later moved, its file specification need be changed only once
by a user with write privilege to the DNS database (using the SET OBJECT
command). The users who specified the /OBJECT qualifier with the ADD
ENTRY or the MODIFY ENTRY command do not need to change the entry's
file specification because the object in the DNS database is associated with the
new file specification.
If a conference is an object, and if a user has added the conference with the

ADD ENTRY /OBJECT=object-name /FILE=notefile-spec command, VAX Notes,
when accessing the conference, always looks first in the DNS database for
the object, and uses the file specification recorded there. If there is no file
specification in the database, VAX Notes uses the file specification supplied by
the user.
The MODIFY ENTRY/NOOBJECT command can be used to dissociate the
entry from the DNS object so that VAX Notes will not look in the DNS
database when the conference is accessed.
If you want to determine whether an entry in your Notebook has been

associated with a DNS object, you can use the SHOW ENTRY or the SHOW
CONFERENCE command. If the confeience is a DNS object, and if you have
used the ADD ENTRY/OBJECT or MODIFY ENTRY/OBJECT command to
associate the entry with the object name, this object name is displayed (along
with other information) in response to the command.

CD-28 VAX Notes Command Dictionary

ADD OBJECT

Command Qualifiers
/FILE=notefile-spec
/NOFILE (default}
The notefile specification given with the /FILE qualifier associates the file
specification of the conference with the DNS object. The /FILE and /NOFILE
qualifiers are optional.

Example
Notes> ADD OBJECT CONFERENCES.PUBLIC.SAMPLE/FILE=MAR: :NOTES$SAMPLE

Adds the VAX Notes sample conference as an object in the DNS database with
the object name CONFERENCES.PUBLIC.SAMPLE, and associates that object
name with the notefile specification MAR::NOTES$SAMPLE.

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

CD-29

ANSWER

ANSWER
Enters a reply to the current topic or reply.

Format
ANSWER

[file-spec]

Command Qualifiers
/[NO]CONFIRM
/[NO]EDIT
/[NO]EXTRACT
/LAST
/[NO]TITLE[=" string"]

Defaults
/CONFIRM
/EDIT
/EXTRACT

See text
See text

Restrictions
•
•

You must be reading a note to use this command.
If the conference or the note has been set to NOWRITE, you must be a
moderator or a member with WRITE-REGARDLESS privilege to use this
command.

Command Parameters
file-spec
Specifies a file containing text you want to use for your reply. You cannot use
the file-spec parameter together with the /LAST qualifier.

Related Commands
REPLY
WRITE

CD-30 VAX Notes Command Dictionary

ANSWER

Description
The ANSWER command invokes EVE or the editor specified in your profile to
allow you to add a reply to the current discussion. If you have a text file you
want to use for your reply, specify this file as the parameter to the ANSWER
command.
If you are using EVE, this editor is invoked with two "windows" (that is,
two areas of the screen, top and bottom; the use of the term windows in EVE
should not be confused with DECwindows). The NOTES$SCRATCH buffer,
which contains the text of the note you are answering, appears in the top
window. You can access the NOTES$SCRATCH buffer to scroll through or
extract text from this buffer, if desired. The bottom window shows the contents
of the NOTES$EDIT buffer. If you specify a text file as a parameter to the
ANSWER command, the text appears in the bottom window. Otherwise, the
NOTES$EDIT buffer is empty, and you type your reply in this buffer.

Use the EVE command OTHER WINDOW to move back and forth between the
two buffers.
If you do not want to see the NOTES$SCRATCH buffer, use the /NOEXTRACT
qualifier. The NOTES$EDIT buffer is enlarged to a full screen.

Use /NOEDIT when you want to use text in a file for your reply and you do
not want to edit the text. VAX Notes immediately asks you to provide a title for
your reply.
If VAX Notes is unable to write your reply to the conference, or if you cancel
your reply, you can use the /LAST qualifier to retrieve the most recent contents
of the NOTES$EDIT buffer. You can also use the /LAST qualifier to repeat the
same note (as a topic or a reply) in several conferences by following these steps:
1. Immediately after adding the reply you want to repeat, use the CLOSE
command to leave the current conference.
2. Use the OPEN command to open the conference in which you want to
repeat the note.
3. Go to the place in the conference where you want to insert the reply,
and issue the WRITE/LAST command (to use the note as a topic) or the
ANSWER/LAST command (to use the note as a reply).

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

CD-31

ANSWER
4. The reply you last entered in the previous conference appears in the
NOTES$EDIT buffer. You can edit the note, if desired, before you add the
note to the current conference.
NOTE

On a personal computer, you can use any editor that gives ASCII
output. With most PC editors, this can usually be accomplished by
printing to a file with the PRINT command. This file must then be
transferred to your VMS system before you can add the text to the
conference.
The ANSWER and REPLY commands are synonyms and can be used interchangeably.

Command Qualifiers
/CONFIRM (default)
/NOCONFIRM
Determines whether you get a prompt asking you if the reply should be
entered. /NOCONFIRM suppresses the prompt.
/EDIT (default)
/NOEDIT
Specifies whether or not to invoke the editor. You can use /NOEDIT only
when you are using a text file for your reply.
/EXTRACT (default)
/NOEXTRACT
Determines whether or not to display a portion of the current note in the
NOTES$SCRATCH buffer upon entering the editor. The default is /EXTRACT.

/LAST
Prevents the NOTES$EDIT buffer from being erased so that the most recent
contents of the NOTES$EDIT buffer can be retrieved for further editing or
repeated in another conference, if desired.

C0-32 VAX Notes Command Dictionary

ANSWER
/TITLE="string"
/NO TITLE

Creates the reply with the specified title or with no title, and suppresses the
prompt for a title. If you do not specify /TITLE or /NOTITLE, Notes prompts
you for one.

Examples
1.

Notes> ANSWER

Invokes the editor; the current note shows in the NOTES$SCRATCH buffer,
and the NOTES$EDIT buffer is empty.
2.

Notes> ANSWER/NOEXTRACT REORG.MEM

Invokes the editor without displaying the NOTES$SCRATCH buffer and
puts a copy of the file REORG.MEM in the NOTES$EDIT buffer. You can
edit the text from the file REORG.MEM before adding the reply to the
conference.
3.

Notes> ANSWER/LAST

Retrieves the most recent contents of the NOTES$EDIT buffer to be used
as the text for this reply. You can edit the text before adding it to the
conference.
4.

Notes> ANSWER/NOEDIT MEMO.TXT

Uses the text in the file MEMO.TXT for this reply without invoking the
editor. VAX Notes immediately asks you to provide a title for this reply.

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

CD-33

ATTACH

ATTACH
Attaches to the parent process or the specified subprocess.

Format

ATTACH

[process-name]

Command Parameters
process-name
Specifies the name of the process to which you want to attach.

Related Commands
SPAWN

Description
The ATTACH command lets you attach to the parent process or a specified
subprocess. This command takes one optional parameter-a process name. If
no process name is specified, you attach to the parent process of the current
subprocess.

Example
NotAA>
-· - - - -

A'l''l'Af"'u

1'1..1. .1.Z'1VU.

f"'nr r T~m

VU.&....Lt.L.l.1U_..L

Attaches to the process named COLLINS-1.

CD-34 VAX Notes Command Dictionary

BACK

BACK
Displays the previous reply in the current discussion.

Format

BACK
Restrictions
•

You must be reading a reply to use this command.

Related Commands
BACK NOTE
BACK REPLY
BACK TOPIC
TOPIC

Description
The BACK command displays the previous reply in the current discussion. If
you are reading the first reply, this command displays the current topic.
You cannot use the BACK command to move past the current topic. If you are
reading a topic and issue the BACK command, VAX Notes displays the message
"No more replies. n

Examples
1.

Notes> READ 8.6
Notes> BACK

Displays reply 8.6, then displays reply 8.5.

VAX Notes Command Dictionary CD-35

BACK
2.

Notes> READ 8
Notes> BACK
No more replies

Displays topic 8, then attempts to move past the current topic. VAX Notes
displays an error message.

CD-36 VAX Notes Command Dictionary

BACK NOTE

BACK NOTE
Displays the note previous to the one you are currently reading.

Format

BACK NOTE
Restrictions
•

You must be reading a topic or reply to use this command.

Related Commands
BACK
BACK REPLY
BACK TOPIC
TOPIC

Description
The BACK NOTE command displays the previous note in the conference,
whether you are reading a topic or reply. If you are reading a topic, this
command displays the last reply to the previous topic.

Examples
1.

Notes> READ 8.6
Notes> BACK NOTE

Displays reply 8.6, then displays reply 8.5.
2.

Notes> READ 8
Notes> BACK NOTE

Displays topic 8, then displays the last reply to topic 7.
VAX Notes Command Dictionary CD-37

BACK REPLY

BACK REPLY
Displays the previous reply for the current topic.

Format

BACK REPLY
Restrictions
•

You must be reading a reply to use this command.

Related Commands
BACK
BACK NOTE
BACK TOPIC
TOPIC

Description
The BACK REPLY command displays the previous reply for the current topic.
You cannot use the BACK REPLY command to move past the current discussion. If you are reading a topic and you issue the BACK REPLY command, VAX
Notes displays the message "No more replies."
You can press keypad 1 to issue this command.

Examples
1.

Notes> READ 4.3
Notes> BACK REPLY

Displays reply 4.3. The next command displays reply 4.2.

CD-38 VAX Notes Command Dictionary

BACK REPLY
2.

Notes> READ 6.1
Notes> BACK REPLY

Displays reply 6.1. The next command displays topic 6.
3.

Notes> READ 5.0
Notes> BACK REPLY
No more replies

Produces an error message. You must be reading a reply, not a topic, to use
the BACK REPLY command.

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

CD-39

BACK TOPIC

BACK TOPIC
Displays the topic previous to the one you are currently reading.

Format

BACK TOPIC
Restrictions
•

You must be reading a topic or reply to use this command.

Related Commands
BACK
BACK NOTE
BACK REPLY
TOPIC

Description
The BACK TOPIC command displays the previous topic in the conference,
whether you are reading a topic or reply.
You can press keypad 5 to issue this command.

Example
Notes> READ 8.6
Notes> BACK TOPIC

Displays note 8.6. The next command displays topic 7.

CD-40 VAX Notes Command Dictionary

CLOSE
Closes the currently open conference.

Format

CLOSE
Related Commands
EXIT
OPEN

Description
The CLOSE command closes the currently open conference and returns you to
your Notebook.
You can issue the OPEN command (instead of the CLOSE command) to close
the current conference automatically, without returning to your Notebook,
before the specified conference is opened.
You can use the FlO key or the control key sequence CTRL/Z to issue this
command.

Example
Notes> CLOSE

Closes the currently open conference and returns you to your Notebook.

VAX Notes Command Dictionary CD-41

CONTINUE

CONTINUE
Causes continuation of the current operation with the same effect as pressing
the RETURN key at the Notes> prompt.

Format

CONTINUE
Description
The CONTINUE command is useful for batch processing. You can use it in
a command procedure to indicate continuation at points where you would
normally press the RETURN key (which cannot be used in a command
procedure) at the Notes> prompt.

Example
Notes> READ 22
Notes> CONTINUE

Displays topic 22. The CONTINUE command causes the next page, if any, of
note 22 to be displayed; if at the end of the note, it causes the next reply (note
22.1 in this case), if any, to be displayed. In general, the CONTINUE command
is equivalent to pressing the RETURN key at the Notes> prompt.

CD-42

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

CREATE CONFERENCE

CREATE CONFERENCE
Creates a new conference with the name you specify.

Format

CREATE CONFERENCE notefile-spec
Command Qualifiers
/[NO]REPLY_QNL Y
/[NO]RESTRICT[=(MEMBERS,KEYWORDS)]
/[NO]WRITE

Defaults
/NOREPL Y_ONLY
/RESTRICT=KEYWORDS
/WRITE

Restrictions
•

•

The CREATE CONFERENCE command is classified as a moderator
command because you automatically become the moderator when you
create a conference.
If you restrict membership, keyword creation, or writing, you must create
a membership list in order to specify members and assign them any
privileges.

Command Parameters
notefile-spec
Specifies the conference that you want to create. To create a conference on a
remote node, you must specify the node name in the specification. The default
device, directory (NOTES$LIBRARY), and file type (.NOTE) are assumed. The
file name portion of this specification is the default entry name when someone
adds this conference to a Notebook.

To create a conference in your private directory, include the device and
directory name in the notefile specification.

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

CD-43

CREATE CONFERENCE

Related Commands
ADD MEMBER
MODIFY MEMBER
SET CONFERENCE
SET NOTE/CONFERENCE
SHOW CONFERENCE

Description
The CREATE CONFERENCE command lets you create a new conference
on your system. When you create a conference, VAX Notes automatically
recognizes you as moderator for the conference; you do not need special
privilege to issue this command.
You must specify the name of the conference you want to create. The default
device, default directory (NOTES$LIBRARY), and default file type (.NOTE) are
assumed. This name appears in the DIRECTORY/CONFERENCES display, and
is the default entry name when someone adds this conference to a Notebook.
At installation, your system manager establishes default protection for the
NOTES$LIBRARY directory. This protection may allow only certain users on
your system to create conferences in the NOTES$LIBRARY directory. If you are
not authorized to create conferences in the NOTES$LIBRARY directory, create
the conference in your own directory by specifying the device and directory
name with the conference name. You can then ask your system manager to
move your conference to the NOTES$LIBRARY directory (using the command
procedure SYS$MANAGER:NOTES$MOVE_CONFERENCE.COM).
You can use the /[NO]REPLY_ONLY qualifier to control whether other users
can add topics to the conference; the ability to add replies remains unrestricted.
You can explicitiy give seiected users the privilege of writing topics by granting
them the WRITE-REGARDLESS privilege (see the ADD MEMBER and
MODIFY MEMBER commands).
You can use the /[NO]RESTRICT qualifier to control access to the conference,
restrict the creation of keywords to specific users, or both. The default is to
create a public conference that anyone can access and in which the creation of
keywords is restricted.

CD-44 VAX Notes Command Dictionary

CREATE CONFERENCE
If you decide to create a private conference (open only to a selected group of

users), you must create a membership list, which identifies who can access
the conference. You also need a membership list if you want to grant to
certain members privileges that are restricted in the conference (MODERATE,
CREATE_J(EYWORDS, or WRITE_REGARDLESS privileges). You use the
ADD MEMBER command to create the membership list and to grant privileges.
You can use the /[NO]WRITE qualifier to control whether other users can add
notes to the conference. /NOWRITE prohibits users other than a moderator
from adding notes to a conference, unless you explicitly give them the WRITE_
REGARDLESS privilege.
You can use the VMS Mail Utility (MAIL) to announce a private conference
to members only by issuing the SEND /MEMBERS or FORWARD /MEMBERS
command. VAX Notes uses the membership list like a MAIL distribution list.
You can make a public conference available on a "shopping list" in another
conference by using the SET NOTE/CONFERENCE command. (This method is
not recommended for private conferences.)

Command Qualifiers
/REPLY_ONLY
/NOREPLY_ONLY (default}
Specifies whether or not the ability to write is restricted to replies, except for
moderators and any other members to whom you give WRITE_REGARDLESS
privilege.
/RESTRICT[=(MEMBERS,KEYWORDS}]
/RESTRICT=KEYWORDS (default}
/NORESTRICT[=(MEMBERS,KEYWORDS}]
Specifies whether or not to restrict access, the creation of keywords, or both.

The /[NO]RESTRICT qualifier accepts two values: MEMBERS and
KEYWORDS. If you do not specify one of these values, the qualifier applies to
both access and keyword creation.
/WRITE (default}
/NO WRITE
Specifies whether to prevent anyone other than a moderator, or any member
to whom you give WRITE_REGARDLESS privilege, from adding notes to the
conference. The default is /WRITE. A conference that can be written to only by
VAX Notes Command Dictionary CD-45

CREATE CONFERENCE
a moderator is called a bulletin board. If another user attempts to add a note,
that user receives a message that the conference is write-protected.

Examples
1.

Notes> CREATE CONFERENCE SOMNOD::COURSES

Creates the conference COURSES on system SOMNOD. By default, this
conference allows any user to access the conference and to add notes.
2.

Notes> CREATE CONFERENCE/RESTRICT BASIC

Creates the private conference BASIC on your system. Membership and
keyword creation are restricted.
3.

Notes> CREATE CONFERENCE/RESTRICT=MEMBERS/NOWRITE PERSONNEL

Creates the conference PERSONNEL on your system with restricted access,
with keyword creation restricted by default, and with the ability to write
notes restricted to moderators and to any members given the WRITE_
REGARDLESS privilege.
4.

Notes> CREATE CONFERENCE DISK$: [ROSCOE]TASK_FORCE

Creates the conference TASKJORCE in user ROSCOE's private directory
on device DISK$:.
5.

Notes> CREATE CONFERENCE/REPLY_ONLY MATHEMATICS

Creates the conference MATHEMATICS on your system and restricts the
writing of notes to replies only; only moderators and any members with the
WRITE-REGARDLESS privilege can write topics.

CD-46 VAX Notes Command Dictionary

CREATE KEYWORD

CREATE KEYWORD
Creates a new keyword for the current conference.

Format
CREATE KEYWORD

keyword-name

Restrictions
•

•

In a restricted conference, you must be privileged to create keywords. You
must be a moderator or your membership record must contain CREATE_
KEYWORDS privilege.
You must be in the conference for which you want to create keywords.

Command Parameters
keyword-name
Names the keyword you want to create.
If the keyword consists of more than one word separated by a space, enclose
the keyword in quotation marks. You can avoid the need for quotation marks
by separating the words with a hyphen or an underscore character instead of a
space.

Related Commands
ADD KEYWORD
DELETE KEYWORD
DIRECTORY /KEYWORD
MODIFY KEYWORD
SHOW KEYWORDS
SHOW MEMBER
SHOW NOTE/KEYWORDS

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

CD-47

CREATE KEYWORD

Description
The CREATE KEYWORD command allows you to create new keywords for a
conference. You specify the name of the keyword you want to create.
In a conference that restricts keyword creation, you must either be a moderator
or have CREATE-1<EYWORDS privilege specified in your membership record.
You can use the SHOW MEMBER command to see your membership record.
Once you create a keyword, any user can add the keyword to any note in the
conference by using the ADD KEYWORD command.
If you are authorized to create keywords, VAX Notes automatically creates a
keyword the first time you add the keyword to a note.

Examples
1.

Notes> CREATE KEYWORD TRUCKERS

Creates the keyword TRUCKERS for this conference.
2.

Notes> CREATE KEYWORD MONEY_MARKET
No privilege for attempted operation

Produces an error message in a conference that restricts keyword creation if
you do not have CREATE-1<EYWORDS (or MODERATE) privilege.

CD-48

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

DELETE ENTRY

DELETE ENTRY
Deletes an entry from your Notebook from the specified class or all classes.

Format
DELETE ENTRY entry-name
Command Qualifiers
/CLASS=class-name

Defaults
/CLASS=current-class

Restrictions
•

The DELETE ENTRY command is a Notebook command.

Command Parameters
entry-name
Names the entry you want to delete. The entry is deleted from the current class
or the class you specify with the /CLASS qualifier. To delete the entry from
all classes, use the wildcard character (•)as the class name with the /CLASS
qualifier.

To delete an entire class, specify a class name with the /CLASS qualifier and
use the wildcard character ( •) for the entry name.

Related Commands
ADD ENTRY
DIRECTORY/ENTRIES
MODIFY ENTRY
SHOW ENTRY

VAX Notes Command Dictionary CD-49

DELETE ENTRY

Description
The DELETE ENTRY command deletes an entry from your Notebook. You
must specify the name of the entry you want to delete.
If the entry is in more than one class, VAX Notes deletes it from the current
class unless you specify a particular class. To delete all entries in a class (that is,
to delete the class itself) issue the command DELETE ENTRY • /CLASS=classname.

Command Qualifiers
/CLASS=class-name
/CLASS=current-class (default)

Specifies a single class from which to delete the entry. The default is to delete
the entry from the current class. To delete the entry from all classes, use the
wildcard character (•)as the class-name.

Examples
1.

Notes> DELETE ENTRY FOOTBALL/CLASS=*

Deletes the entry FOOTBALL from all classes.
2.

Notes> DELETE ENTRY/CLASS=GAMES ALIENS

Deletes the entry ALIENS from the class GAMES only.
3.

Notes> DELETE ENTRY */CLASS=MISC

Deletes the class MISC.

CD-50 VAX Notes Command Dictionary

DELETE KEYWORD

DELETE KEYWORD
Deletes a keyword from the specified or current note.

Format
DELETE KEYWORD

keyword-name [note-ID]

Command Qualifiers
/ALL

Defaults

See text

Restrictions
•
•

You must be a moderator for the conference or have CREATE_KEYWORDS
privilege to delete a keyword from all notes (with the/ ALL qualifier).
You must be in the conference for which you want to delete keywords.

Command Parameters
keyword-name
Names the keyword you want to delete.
If the keyword consists of more than one word separated by a space, enclose
the keyword in quotation marks.

note-ID
Specifies a single topic or reply. The default is the note you are currently
reading. If you use the/ ALL qualifier, do not specify a note-ID.

Related Commands
ADD KEYWORD
CREATE KEYWORD
MODIFY KEYWORD

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

CD-51

DELETE KEYWORD
SHOW KEYWORDS
SHOW NOTE/KEYWORDS

Description
The DELETE KEYWORD command deletes a keyword from a note. If you do
not specify a note, VAX Notes deletes the keyword from the current note.
To use the /ALL qualifier to delete the keyword from all notes (and, therefore,
delete the keyword), you must be a moderator for the conference or have
CREATE_J(EYWORDS privilege.

Command Qualifiers
/ALL

Specifies that the keyword is to be deleted from all notes. This also causes
the keyword itself to be deleted. You must be a moderator for the conference
or have CREATE_J(EYWORDS privilege to use this qualifier. If you specify a
note-ID, you cannot use this qualifier.

Examples
1.

Notes> DELETE KEYWORD MRP

Deletes the keyword MRP from the current note.
2.

Notes> DELETE KEYWORD KIDS 2.9

Deletes the keyword KIDS from note 2.9.
3.

Notes> DELETE KEYWORD/ALL SUGAR

Deletes the keyword SUGAR from all notes, and deletes the keyword
SUGAR.

CD-52 VAX Notes Command Dictionary

DELETE MARKER

DELETE MARKER
Deletes a marker from the current entry.

Format
DELETE MARKER

marker-name

Restrictions
•

You must be in a conference to use this command.

Command Parameters
marker-name
Names the marker you want to delete.
If the marker consists of more than one word separated by a space, enclose the

marker in quotation marks.

Related Commands
ADD MARKER
MARK
READ /MARKER
SHOW ENTRY
SHOW MARKER

Description
The DELETE MARKER command deletes a marker from the current entry only.
If this marker name is also in another entry, the marker remains in that entry.

You must specify the name of the marker to be deleted.

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

CD-53

DELETE MARKER

Example
Notes> DELETE MARKER FORGET_ME_NOT

Deletes the marker FORGET_ME_NOT from the current entry.

CD-54 VAX Notes Command Dictionary

DELETE MEMBER

DELETE MEMBER
Deletes a member from the membership list for the conference.

Format

DELETE MEMBER member-name
Restrictions
•
•

The DELETE MEMBER command is a moderator command.
You must be in a conference to use this command.

Command Parameters
member-name
Specifies the member to be deleted. Do not specify nodes. If the member has
a member name (established with the ADD MEMBER/ ACCESS or MODIFY
MEMBER/ ACCESS command) that is different from his or her VMS user name,
you must specify that member name (enclosed in quotation marks if it includes
any spaces, for example, "JOHN SMITH"). Otherwise, use the VMS user name.

Related Commands
ADDMEMBER
MODIFY MEMBER
SET MODERATOR
SHOW MEMBER

VAX Notes Command Dictionary CD-55

DELETE MEMBER
Description
The DELETE MEMBER command deletes a member from the membership list
for a private or restricted conference. You must specify the member name.
To use the DELETE MEMBER command, you must have moderator privilege
and must have first issued the SET MODERATOR command to enable that
privilege.
You can delete one member at a time.

Example
Notes> DELETE MEMBER MITCHELL

Deletes user MITCHELL from the membership list for this conference.

CD-56 VAX Notes Command Dictionary

DELETE NOTE

DELETE NOTE
Deletes a topic or reply from the conference.

Format
DELETE [NOTE

[note-ID]]

Command Qualifiers
/[NO]CONFIRM

Defaults
/CONFIRM

Restrictions
•
•

You must be in a conference to use this command.
To delete a note, you must be the author or a moderator.

Command Parameters
note-ID
Specifies a single topic or reply. The default is the topic or reply you are
currently reading.

Related Commands
ANSWER
REPLY
SET NOTE
SHOW NOTE
WRITE

VAX Notes Command Dictionary CD-57

DELETE NOTE

Description
The DELETE NOTE command deletes the current or specified note. You can
use DELETE (instead of DELETE NOTE) to delete the current note.
If you are a moderator for the conference, you can delete any note. Otherwise,
you can delete only your own topics and replies.

To determine whether you are authorized to delete a note, VAX Notes checks
the combination of the node name and the author name. In a public conference,
the node name in the note heading must match the node you are on in order
for you to delete your note. In a private conference, as long as you are on one
of the nodes listed in your membership record, you can delete your note.

Command Qualifiers
/CONFIRM (default)
/NOCONFIRM
Controls whether a prompt is issued before the deletion is performed, asking
you to confirm that it should be performed. Your response to the prompt can
be YES or NO.

Examples
1.

Notes> DELETE

Deletes the current note.
2.

Notes> DELETE NOTE 2. 1

Deletes note 2.1.

CD-58 VAX Notes Command Dictionary

DELETE OBJECT

DELETE OBJECT
Deletes an object from a VAX Distributed Name Service (DNS) database. In
VAX Notes, the object is a name identifying a conference.

Format
DELETE OBJECT

object-name

Restrictions
•

The DELETE OBJECT command requires write privilege to the DNS
database.

•

DNS must be installed on your system if you are to use this command.

Command Parameters
object-name
Specifies the name of the object to be deleted from the DNS database. For VAX
Notes, the name identifies a conference.

Related Commands
ADD ENTRY
ADD OBJECT
MODIFY ENTRY
SET OBJECT
SHOW CONFERENCE
SHOW ENTRY
SHOW OBJECT

VAX Notes Command Dictionary

CD-59

DELETE OBJECT

Description
The DELETE OBJECT command deletes an object from a DNS database. In
VAX Notes, the object is a name for a conference.
For more information on DNS objects, see the ADD OBJECT command.

Example
Notes> DELETE OBJECT CONFERENCES.PUBLIC.SAMPLE

Deletes the object CONFERENCES.PUBLIC.SAMPLE from the DNS database.

CD-60 VAX Notes Command Dictionary