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From: johnf@runx.ips.oz (John F. Baird)
Newsgroups: comp.os.vms
Subject: Why not abbreviate DCL symbols?
Message-ID: <1034@runx.ips.oz>
Date: Tue, 28-Jul-87 07:10:03 EDT
Article-I.D.: runx.1034
Posted: Tue Jul 28 07:10:03 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 2-Aug-87 09:54:38 EDT
Organization: RUNX Un*x Timeshare.  Sydney, Australia.
Lines: 16


Here's why it's not an excellent idea to abbreviate DCL symbols like this;

	$ PH*ONE == "PHONE/ANSWER"

Because DCL will create a symbol entry for each combination, PH, PHO, PHON, and
PHONE, in its internal tables.

I found this when I was wandering through P1 space for a process using the
ANALYSE/SYSTEM command. 
 
I'm sure it's alright to use abbreviations, but when you are worried about
performance and resources, it may not be a good idea. We removed all abbreviated
symbols from our captive application usernames, since they were static.
 
James Cameron
via ACSnet johnf@runx.ips.oz