RCP on OpenVMS is best used for transferring text files. By
default, RCP converts any type of OpenVMS file that is not
STREAM_LF, FIXED, or UNDEFINED to STREAM_LF format, using the
standard OpenVMS CONVERT utility. RCP specifies the files in the
following way:
FILE;ORGA SEQU;RECO;CARR CARR;FORM STREAM_LF;SIZE 0;BLOCK YES
Options available for changing the default behavior for file copy
operations include the following:
o Convert FIXED and UNDEFINED format files to STREAM_LF
You can change the behavior of RCP to convert FIXED and
UNDEFINED format files to STREAM_LF format by using the
following logical name:
TCPIP$RCP_SEND_FIX_FORMAT_AS_ASCII
If this logical name is set to the value 1, RCP converts FIXED
and UNDEFINED files to STREAM_LF format. If this logical name
is set to a value other than 1, RCP will not convert those
files that have a fixed-length record size that matches the
value of the logical name; RCP will convert all other FIXED
and UNDEFINED files.
For example, if you set this logical name to 512, RCP will not
convert FIXED or UNDEFINED files with a fixed-length record
size of 512 (such as OpenVMS executable image files); RCP will
convert all other FIXED and UNDEFINED files.
o Preserve File Attributes in OpenVMS-to-OpenVMS File Transfer
In an OpenVMS-to-OpenVMS transfer, the receiving peer creates
the file as a STREAM_LF file by default. You can preserve the
file type and other attributes of a file transferred between
two OpenVMS systems by using the /VMS qualifier (UNIX format:
use the -v option) with the RCP command.
WARNING
Specify this qualifier only for file copy operations
between two OpenVMS systems; otherwise, the operation
will fail.