FORMAT [/TYPE=block-type] location

    Displays the formatted contents of a VAX/VMS control block which
    begins at the address specified by the expression "location".
    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

        A       Address
        C       Constant
        G       Global Longword
        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.