Deletes all but  the  highest-numbered  versions  of  the  specified
  files.

  Format:


    PURGE  [file-spec[,...]]

Additional information available:

ParametersCommand QualifiersExamples

 file-spec[,...]

  Specifies one or more files to be purged.  If  you  specify  two  or
  more  files, separate them with either commas or plus signs.  If you
  do not provide a file specification, the PURGE  command  purges  all
  files in the current default directory.

  There are no file name or file type defaults with the PURGE command.
  You  cannot  specify  a version number with any file spec.  However,
  you can use wildcard characters in the directory specification, file
  name field, or file type field.

Additional information available:

/BACKUP/BEFORE/BY_OWNER/CONFIRM/CREATED/ERASE
/EXCLUDE/EXPIRED/KEEP/LOG/MODIFIED/SINCE

 /BACKUP

 Selects files according to the dates of  their  most  recent  backup.
  This qualifier is relevant only when used with the /BEFORE or /SINCE
  qualifier.  Use  of  the  /BACKUP  qualifier  is  incompatible  with
  /CREATED, /EXPIRED, and /MODIFIED.  /CREATED is the default.

 /BEFORE[=time]

 Selects only those files that are dated before the specified time.

  You can specify either an absolute time or a combination of absolute
  and delta times.  See the  VMS  DCL  Concepts  Manual  for  complete
  information on specifying time values. You can also use the keywords
  TODAY,  TOMORROW,  and YESTERDAY.  If no time is specified, TODAY is
  assumed.

 /BY_OWNER[=uic]

 Selects one or more files only if  their  owner  user  identification
  code (UIC) matches the specified owner UIC.

  Specify the UIC using standard UIC format as  described  in  the VMS
  DCL Concepts Manual.

  If the /BY_OWNER qualifier is specified without a UIC,  the  UIC  of
  the current process is assumed.

 /CONFIRM
 /NOCONFIRM (default)

  Controls whether a request is issued before  each  individual  PURGE
  operation  to confirm that the operation should be performed on that
  file.

  When the system  issues  the  prompt,  you  can  issue  any  of  the
  following responses:

       YES      NO     QUIT

       TRUE     FALSE  <CTRL/Z>

       1        0      ALL

                <RET>

  You can use any combination of upper- and lowercase letters for word
  responses.  Word responses can be abbreviated to one or more letters
  (for example, T, TR, or TRU for TRUE).  Affirmative answers are YES,
  TRUE, and 1.  Negative answers are NO, FALSE, 0, and <RET>.  QUIT or
  CTRL/Z indicates that you want to stop  processing  the  command  at
  that  point.   When  you  respond with ALL, the command continues to
  process, but no further prompts are given.  If you type  a  response
  other than one of those in the list, the prompt will be reissued.

 /CREATED (default)

 Selects files based on their dates of creation.   This  qualifier  is
  relevant  only  when used with the /BEFORE or /SINCE qualifier.  Use
  of the /CREATED qualifier is incompatible  with  /BACKUP,  /EXPIRED,
  and /MODIFIED.

 /ERASE
 /NOERASE (default)

  When you simply delete a file, the area in which the file was stored
  is  returned to the system for future use.  The data that was stored
  in that location still exists  in  the  system  until  new  data  is
  written over it.  With the /ERASE qualifier, the storage location is
  overwritten with a system specified pattern  so  that  the  data  no
  longer exists.

 /EXCLUDE=(file-spec[,...])

 Any files that match the listed file specifications are excluded from
  the PURGE operation.  If you specify only one file, you can omit the
  parentheses.   The  file  specification  can  contain  a   directory
  specification.

  The file specification can contain a  directory  specification,  but
  you  cannot include the device in the file specifications you supply
  with the /EXCLUDE qualifier.

  Wildcard characters are supported for file specifications.  However,
  you  cannot  use  relative  version  numbers  to  exclude a specific
  version.

 /EXPIRED

 Selects files according to the dates on which they will expire.  This
  qualifier  is  relevant  only  when  used with the /BEFORE or /SINCE
  qualifier.  Use of  the  /EXPIRED  qualifier  is  incompatible  with
  /BACKUP, /CREATED, and /MODIFIED.  /CREATED is the default.

 /KEEP=n

 Specifies the maximum number of versions of the specified files to be
  retained in the directory.

  If  you  do  not  include  the  /KEEP   qualifier,   all   but   the
  highest-numbered version of the specified files are deleted from the
  directory.

 /LOG
 /NOLOG (default)

  Controls whether the PURGE command displays the file  specifications
  of files as it deletes them.

 /MODIFIED

 Selects files  according  to  the  dates  on  which  they  were  last
  modified.   This  qualifier  is  relevant  only  when  used with the
  /BEFORE or /SINCE qualifier.  Use  of  the  /MODIFIED  qualifier  is
  incompatible  with /BACKUP, /CREATED, and /EXPIRED.  /CREATED is the
  default.

 /SINCE[=time]

 Selects only those files that are dated after the specified time.

  You can specify either an absolute time or a combination of absolute
  and delta times.  See the  VMS  DCL  Concepts  Manual  for  complete
  information on specifying time values. You can also use the keywords
  TODAY,  TOMORROW,  and YESTERDAY.  If no time is specified, TODAY is
  assumed.

  1.   $ PURGE

  The PURGE command deletes all but the  highest-numbered  version  of
  all files in the default directory.

  2.   $ PURGE/KEEP=2

  The PURGE command deletes all but the two highest-numbered  versions
  of all the files in the default directory.

  3.   $ PURGE *.COM

  The PURGE command deletes all but the  highest-numbered  version  of
  each file with a file type of COM.

  4.   $ PURGE/KEEP=3  [WILDER.JOB308]ACCOUNT.COB

  The  PURGE  command  deletes  all  but  the  three  highest-numbered
  versions    of    the   file   ACCOUNT.COB   in   the   subdirectory
  [WILDER.JOB308].

  5.   $ PURGE/KEEP=2 TAMPA::DISK1:[EXAMPLE]*.LIS

  This PURGE command deletes all but the two highest-numbered versions
  of  each  file  with  the  file type LIS in the directory EXAMPLE on
  remote node TAMPA.