  DCL Symbols, Processes and Subprocesses? 
 The Question is:
 
I need to change the symbol in the parent process fron a spawned process.
The following is what I get .  How can I get last_user to be "tom" in this exam
 
$last_user == "mike"
$sh symb last_user
  LAST_USER == "mike"
$spawn
%DCL-S-SPAWNED, process 911TOM_1 spawned
%DCL-S-ATTACHED, terminal now attached to process 911TOM_1
$sh symb last_user
  LAST_USER == "mike"
 
$last_user == "tom"
$sh symb last_user
  LAST_USER == "tom"
$log
  Process 911TOM_1 logged out at 16-JUL-2004 12:48:25.32
%DCL-S-RETURNED, control returned to process 911TOM
$sh symb last_user
  LAST_USER == "mike"
 
Thank-you
 The Answer is :
 
  There is no connection and no propogation from a subprocess into
  a parent process.  There is no supported means to access or to
  modify symbols in other processes, as well.
 
  Use of a logical name (in a shared table, such as the job table)
  or a file are common approaches.  The DCL command PIPE has  the
  same restrictions, and sees various discussions including one
  in the OpenVMS FAQ.
 
  Please see the OpenVMS FAQ and its discussion of pipes and
  symbols.
 
  Topics include (9468), (8931), (8763), (7951), (7356),
  (6893), (6383), (6380), (5981), (5589), (5303), (2937),
  (1960), (1760), (1414), and likely other topics.
 
  Other topics such as (5982) may be of interest, as well.
 
  The OpenVMS DCL Dictionary and the OpenVMS User's Guide in
  the OpenVMS manual set, as well as the Guide To Writing Real
  Programs in DCL book may be of some interest, as well.
  Other resources are referenced in the OpenVMS FAQ.
 
 Answer written or last revised on  16-JUL-2004 
