🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <16DEC199208045056@spades.aces.com>, system@spades.aces.com (SYSTEM MANAGER) writes:
>#A question!  Are the underscores before the drive names mandatory,
>#optional or erroneous?
>
>Not mandatory, optional for a purpose, and not erroneous.  A leading
>underscore indicates that the item is not to be checked for logical
>name translation.  Thus _mua0 refers to device mua0, whereas mua0
>could be defined as a logical name pointing to anything (mub47).

Well, that's what the underscore USED to do.  But not undere VMS v5.4-2 anyway.
Perhaps STANDALONE BACKUP still treats them that way, but SHOW.EXE and
DIRECTORY.EXE don't seem to:

$	WRITE SYS$OUTPUT F$GETSYI("VERSION")
V5.4-2  
$	SET NOON
$	SET VERIFY
$	DEFINE _MSA0 MSB0:
$	SHO DEV _MSA0

Device                  Device           Error    Volume         Free  Trans Mnt
 Name                   Status           Count     Label        Blocks Count Cnt
SOL1$MSB0:              Online               0
$	DIR _MSA0:
%DIRECT-E-OPENIN, error opening MSB0:[]*.*;* as input
-RMS-E-DNR, device not ready, not mounted, or unavailable
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl J Lydick | INTERnet: CARL@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU | NSI/HEPnet: SOL1::CARL

Disclaimer:  Hey, I understand VAXen and VMS.  That's what I get paid for.  My
understanding of astronomy is purely at the amateur level (or below).  So
unless what I'm saying is directly related to VAX/VMS, don't hold me or my
organization responsible for it.  If it IS related to VAX/VMS, you can try to
hold me responsible for it, but my organization had nothing to do with it.