FORMAT [/TYPE] location

    Displays the formatted contents of a VAX/VMS control block.  Most
    blocks include a byte that indicates the block type.

    Associated with each type of block is a set of symbols with a common
    prefix.  Each symbol's name describes a field within the block, and the
    value of the symbol represents the offset of the field within the block.

    If the block-type byte contains a valid block type (and/or subtype),
    SDA retrieves the symbols associated with that type of block (see $DYNDEF)
    and uses their values to format the block.  If the block-type byte does
    not contain a valid block type, you must use the /TYPE qualifier to format
    the block.

    For a given block type, all associated symbols have the form

        <block type>$<type>_<name>

    where type is one of the following:

        B       Byte
        W       Word
        L       Longword
        Q       Quadword
        T       Counted ASCII string (up to 31 characters)

    If SDA cannot find the symbols associated with the block type specified in
    the block-type byte or by the /TYPE qualifier, it issues this message:

        No <block type> symbols found to format this block

    Use the READ command to obtain additional symbol definitions.

Additional information available:

/TYPE

    Indicates the symbolic prefix that corresponds to the type of block
    structure you want to format.  This qualifier accepts as parameters
    the prefix of any VAX/VMS control block.