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From: Flint.Wbst@XEROX.COM.UUCP
Newsgroups: mod.computers.vax
Subject: how to distinguish/create directory files with RMS ??
Message-ID: <860610-114357-1944@Xerox>
Date: Tue, 10-Jun-86 14:43:09 EDT
Article-I.D.: Xerox.860610-114357-1944
Posted: Tue Jun 10 14:43:09 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 11-Jun-86 19:04:30 EDT
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I assume that I am missing something very basic, but after pouring
through RMS manuals, I still don't have an answer. 

Can I determine that a file is a directory file or not simply by looking
at some field in the fab/rab/xab/nam structures ?? Conversely, can I
create a directory file simply by setting a bit in the same field (as
opposed to using LIB$CREATE_DIR) ?? My needs are simple: I generally
already have the file open and would like to distinguish whether the
file is a directory without going to more trouble than necessary and I
need to create directory files and set the creation date by using a
XABDAT structure when opening the file.

I have noticed that when I dump/header a directory file the result
specifies 'directory' in the file characteristics field... but I haven't
figured out the correlation to the RMS structures (if there is one).

Many thanks.... (sorry my VMS has grown rusty) 

-- ed