The traditional (ODS-2) file name syntax is the syntax most
    OpenVMS users have been accustomed to up to the advent of
    extended file names. OpenVMS Versions 7.1 and earlier follow this
    syntax, which supports the following character set and naming
    conventions.

    ODS-2 Character Set

    The ODS-2 character set consists of alphanumeric characters (A-Z,
    a-z, 0-9), dollar sign ($), underscore (_) and hyphen (-). The
    hyphen (-) should not be used as the first or last character in a
    file name. While it is possible to do this under some conditions,
    special handling is required to access such a file once created.

    Case Insensitivity

    Case preservation is not supported with traditional syntax.
    Commands may be entered in uppercase, lowercase, or mixed case;
    however, all characters are stored in uppercase format.

    Standard Delimiters

    With traditional syntax, the file type is preceded by a period
    (.). The file version is separated from the type by a semicolon
    (;) or sometimes a period (.). (When the system displays file
    specifications, it displays a semicolon in front of the file
    version number.) Directories are enclosed by brackets ([]) or
    angle brackets (<>). Directory levels are separated by periods
    (.).

    Limited File Length

    Traditional file names follow the 39.39 format, supporting only a
    single period (.) separating the name and type components.