On 15 January 2013 16:26, Brian Hechinger <wonko at 4amlunch.net> wrote: On 1/15/2013 11:23 AM, Mark Wickens wrote: On 15/01/2013 16:11, Brian Hechinger wrote: What am I missing here? My VMS is way too rusty. $ unzip :== $dka0:[bin]unzip_axp.exe $ unzip %DCL-W-IVVERB, unrecognized command verb - check validity and spelling \DKA0\ $ dir Directory DKA0:[BIN] UNZIP_AXP.EXE;1 VIM-73-AXP.ZIP;1 Total of 2 files. $ -brian Works OK for me: [MSW]SLAVE$ unzip :== $dka0:[bin]unzip_axp.exe [MSW]SLAVE$ show sym unzip UNZIP == "$DKA0:[BIN]UNZIP_AXP.EXE" [MSW]SLAVE$ Yeah, symbol assignment works, just not when i try to actually run it: $ unzip :== $dka0:[bin]unzip_axp.exe $ show sym unzip UNZIP = "DKA0:[BIN]UNZIP_AXP.EXE" $ unzip %DCL-W-IVVERB, unrecognized command verb - check validity and spelling \DKA0\ You don't have a logical name defined for any part of that do you? For example BIN? I once had an issue because I'd defined a drive name logical as DATA which was then being translated. I think that's why using a dollar sign after logical name definitions is good practice for things like drive designators. no logical named BIN, no. your original 'SHOW SYM unzip' is showing you that you had previously set up the symbol with a single = and no $ -brian