PAGESWAPPER Editor's Workfile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 VAX Interrupt Response Time and Other Myths . . . . 4 Bug Fix for the FERMILIB library . . . . . . . . . . 6 Micro VAX Disk Controller Problem . . . . . . . . . 8 Fast Boot 730 with RA81 and FPA . . . . . . . . . . 9 Commercial Working Group Update . . . . . . . . . 11 Privileged and Execute-only Command Procedures . . 13 VMB Register Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 VAX/VMS Optional Software Cross Reference Table . 20 MicroVMS Optional Software Cross Reference Table . 30 Letters to the Pageswapper . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 The S and M in System Manager . . . . . . . . . . 34 Calling Pascal from FORTRAN and Vice Versa . . . . 38 VAX System SIG Committee List . . . . . . . . . . 44 INPUT/OUTPUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 LUG Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 LUG Meeting Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 INPUT/OUTPUT Submission Form . . . . . . . . . . . 58 System Improvement Request Submission Form . . . . 60 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 General material for publication in the Pageswapper should be sent (US mail only -- no "express" services please) to: Larry Kilgallen, PAGESWAPPER Editor Box 81, MIT Station Cambridge, MA 02139-0901 USA Preference is given to material submitted as machine-readable text (best is Runoff source). Line length should not exceed 64 characters. Please do not submit program source, as that is better distributed on the VAX SIG tape. Material for "The DBMS Monitor" section of the Pageswapper (pertaining to VAX-11 DBMS) should be sent to: Julie Llewellyn United Technologies Microelectronics Center 1365 Garden of the Gods Road Colorado Springs, CO 80907 USA Change of address, reports of non-receipt, and other circulation correspondence should be sent to: DECUS U.S. Chapter Attention: Publications Department 249 Northboro Road (BPO2) Marlborough, MA 01752 USA Only if discrepancies of the mailing system are reported can they be analyzed and corrected. 2 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 Editor's Workfile Editor's Workfile by Larry Kilgallen, Pageswapper Editor The VMS layered product cross-reference tables in this issue were provided by VMS product manager Dick Mahoney at the Anaheim Symposium. I had not realized how long the list of DEC layered products for VMS was, and at that there are a few missing. The Boston DEC office is still trying to figure out their position on how folks who bought the FMS Forms Language Translator get V2.2, since there is no such thing as software update service for it. As an update to information in the Westinghouse Report on page 35 of the May 1984 Pageswapper, I have been informed the "VAX Regis Hardcopy" software produced by Software Services is now available (effective October 1, 1984). For more information, contact: Digital Equipment Corporation 8085 South Chester Street Englewood, Colorado 80112 Attention: Marian C. Blackshear Business Development Specialist Telephone (303) 649-3226 or DTN 553-3226 Johan Hamaker of the Netherlands Foundation for Radio Astronomy, author of this issue's article entitled "Privileged and Execute-only Command Procedures" writes that the material has also been submitted "to DECUS Europe as an entry for their 1984 contest". I recall seeing something briefly about the contest in the French VAX SIG newsletters we brought to Anaheim, but I forget the exact nature of the contest. Isn't it a shame how little those of us in the United States know about what is going on elsewhere? The Pageswapper gets reproduced in other countries (as evidenced by the I/O submissions we receive), but I was at a loss when someone at the Anaheim Symposium asked how they would subscribe to the French VAX Newsletter we had in the campground. Some people from other countries used to belong to the US DECUS Chapter as well as to their own chapter and subscribe to US Newsletters directly as a hedge against distribution mechanisms that involve multiple committees. I heard mumblings at Anaheim that such cross-national membership is now banned by DECUS, but all of that is the committee stuff I strive very hard to avoid. So if all readers will grant me the luxury of skipping the bureaucracy and just trying to package a monthly issue, perhaps we can rely on our non-US readers to keep the Pageswapper informed of non-US news (as Alan Silverman did with the December article on the European SIR results). 3 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 VAX Interrupt Response Time and Other Myths VAX Interrupt Response Time and Other Myths By Bob Wilson General Electric Company Lanham Center Operations 4701 Forbes Boulevard Lanham, MD 20706 "The opera ain't over till the fat lady sings", said Bullets basketball coach Dick Motta after losing a playoff game in their NBA championship year. So too, the time from interrupt to first instruction does not tell how long a driver takes to start the next I/O. But alas, standard VMS drivers multiply the hardware idle time between I/Os. When an I/O operation completes a hardware interrupt starts the driver interrupt service routine (ISR) code. But to initiate the next I/O: (1) the ISR queues the FORK block (i.e., Unit Control Block) for execution (2) a FORK priority interrupt is set pending (3) the ISR dismisses the current interrupt (4) the FORK priority software interrupt occurs (5) VMS dispatches the driver (6) the driver returns status in the current I/O request packet (IRP) (7) finally, the driver stars the next I/O using the I/O request packet (IRP) The problem occurs after the FORK priority interrupt. Even the lowest priority device interrupt preempts driver FORK processing. What's more, the mailbox driver uses IPL-11 and competes for FORK dispatching. Yet, the mailbox driver does not control time dependent hardware. General Electric modified the standard VMS device driver design by adopting an IBM channel or DEC DR-780 approach. The modified driver treats the ISR as an intelligent channel operating on channel control words (CCW). The major change recodes the Function Decision Table (FDT) routine to prepare CCWs containing copies of the registers needed for each I/O. Using interlocked queue instructions, the ISR perfroms a "LOAD and GO" from the CCW to begin the next I/O, thus avoiding FORK IPL delays. 4 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 VAX Interrupt Response Time and Other Myths Using oscilloscopes and logic analyzers, we measured I/O dead time before and after driver modifications. Happily, the modified driver eliminated fatal driver delays. In fact, VAX timer interrupts which were alleged to cause the delays, proved to be secondary when compared to FORK IPL problems. Device Driver Average Maximum NASCOM "A" CHANNEL standard 1 ms 4.5 ms * (Unibus) modified 180 usec 240 usec ** Laser Beam Recorder standard .8 ms 2.5 ms * (Massbus) modified 220 usec 350 usec *** * Fatal data late errors when data FIFOs overflowed ** VMS timer interrupt and service time *** SBI data burst and non-interruptible code in another user written driver The ISR of the modified driver takes longer to execute since it now starts the next I/O. However, optimizing the driver FDT and FORK routines more than made up the difference. General Electric's software monitor, PROFILE, measured the Laser Beam Recorder overhead: Original Modified IPL-22 (ISR) 0.9% 1.2% IPL-11 (FORK) 1.9% 0.6% IPL-2 (FDT) 0.5% 0.7% ____ ____ 3.3% 2.5% However, one VMS bug remains (V3.x). Using PROFILE, we found working-set-purge (i.e., image termination) loops at IPL-7 until all pages are removed. A low priority batch job with a large working set (i.e., 2500+) stops EVERY process for hundreds of milliseconds when it ends. If there aren't enough queued IRPs/CCWs, the driver can run out. The only fix is to increase I/O queueing or avoid processes with large working sets. The first ISR instruction is only part of turning around an I/O. Until the next I/O starts, the following instructions must execute with the same certainty as the first. Fortunately, modified VMS drivers can achieve dependable, low overhead performance. The key is to minimize reoccuring overhead in the main driver SYS$QIO code. A driver defined IO$_SETMODE can handle mapping register, controller and buffered data path allocation so that 5 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 VAX Interrupt Response Time and Other Myths subsequent SYS$QIO calls need only handle the I/O. One blocked SYS$QIO can service many buffers to avoid driver FDT overhead. Finally, since most buffers are reused, the driver can retain buffer status across SYS$QIO calls to avoid locking and ownership testing. However, this technique involves careful tracking of buffer addresses and lock state. Bug Fix for the FERMILIB library LIBREMQUE and LIBINSQUE routines Frank J. Nagy Fermilab POB 500 MS/306 Batavia, IL 60510 The FERMILIB library, an extension of the VMS Run Time Library developed at Fermilab, has been distributed on past SIG tapes and is available from the DECUS library. Recently, we discovered a major bug in the routines which provide High-Level Language access to the REMQUE and INSQUE instructions. This bug manifests itself when using the routines to manipulate queues shared by two processes or within a single process at both AST and non-AST levels. The bug is that the queue instructions within the LIBREMQUE and LIBINSQUE routines do not properly reference the queue head or tail. Queues manipulated asynchronously must be manipulated only at the head or the tail! If this is not done, then occasionally you queues would be corrupted when an AST (or another process) broke into a queue manipulation already in progress and attempted to manipulate the same queue. The following code fragments describe the changes which must be made in the source module LIBABSQUE.MAR to correct the problems. The new source module will be available in the FERMILAB submission on the Fall 84 VAX SIG tape. The LIBINSQUE entry point code should be: .ENTRY LIB_INSQUE,^M<> INSQUE @4(AP),@8(AP) BRB BOTH_INSQUE 6 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 Bug Fix for the FERMILIB library The LIBINSQUETAIL entry point should be (and is immediately followed by the common INSQUE code): .ENTRY LIB_INSQUE_TAIL,^M<> MOVL 8(AP),R0 INSQUE @4(AP),@8(R0) BOTH_INSQUE: BEQL ONE_ENT SUCCESS: MOVZWL #SS$_NORMAL,R0 RET ONE_ENT: MOVL #LIB$_ONEENTQUE,R0 RET EMPTY: MOVL #LIB$_QUEWASEMP,R0 RET The LIBREMQUE entry point is: .ENTRY LIB_REMQUE,^M<> MOVL 4(AP),R0 REMQUE @(R0),@8(AP) BVS EMPTY BEQL ONE_ENT MOVZWL #SS$_NORMAL,R0 RET 7 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 Micro VAX Disk Controller Problem Micro VAX Disk Controller Problem Bits and Bytes from the Internals Working Group (Note, this article is written at the Fall DECUS Symposium, so some of the numbers, particularly the sector geometry, may turn out differently in reality). Recently, I sold a MicroVAX I to a customer in the New York City area. They were up and running easily, and ran without major problems for several months. About a month ago, I began using the system, and discovered it was significantly slower than an IBM PC; the customer didn't know what to expect, and was happy anyway. A fair amount of experimentation led to the discovery that the RD52 (31 Mbyte) disk was not operating properly, in the sense that on multiblock transfers (such as are done for paging), one block was being transferred each 17 milliseconds (approximately). At DECUS, one of the MicroVAX engineers confirmed that there is a problem. It seems that there is a table in the RQDX1 controller memory where bad block data is stored. Before a block can be read from or written to the disk, this table must be processed to see whether or not that block was revectored (because it was a bad block). Bad block revectoring is a feature of MSCP style disks/controllers (the RQDX/RD52 is MSCP). On multiblock transfers, the time required to scan/process the bad block list in controller memory may exceed the time available between the completion of one transfer, and the beginning of the next. Since there is an interleaving factor of 3 on the disk, the available processing time is about 3/16 th of a revolution, or about 3 milliseconds. If for some reason, the time required for bad block processing exceeds this window, the next disk block in the multiblock transfer will have (just) passed the disk read/write heads, and the controller then waits for one entire revolution. This scenario repeats for each block in the multiblock transfer. This scenario ONLY occurs if you have lots of bad blocks on your RD52. How many is lots is a bit unclear, but on my customer's system, at any rate, there were 18 bad blocks, and that was clearly too many. The engineer stated that the MicroVAXes being shipped now are hand selected to have RD52's with less than 18 bad blocks, which will avoid the problem until additional bad blocks crop up on your disk (the table is transparently and dynamically updated). In the long run, a controller firmware upgrade will be required (stay tuned for details). 8 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 Micro VAX Disk Controller Problem In the meantime, if you have an early system, you might want to test your disk to see if it is doing block transfers well. This is easily done by writing a program to read a contiguous file, always starting at the same virtual block number, and increasing the number of blocks read. This test must be done on a standalone system (no network, no other users). You should expect to see that you can read up to about 5 blocks in one request before the elapsed time jumps (by about 17 milliseconds). If each additional block transferred in one I/O request adds 17 milliseconds of elapsed time, then you have this problem. If you are lucky, you might cure the problem (as I did) by reformatting the RD52, with the format utility available on the 2nd diagnostic diskette; details are in the MICROVAX owners manual. The formatter reported that it only found 1 bad block. Thus it might be that the manufacturer's list of bad blocks was excessively pessimistic. On the other hand, what can you lose but .... - Carl Friedberg, December 12, 1984 Fast Boot 730 with RA81 and FPA (also the Tacky Unit 58) by Paula Sharick Reprinted from LUG*NOTES newsletter of the Rocky Mountain VAX LUG There have been two articles in recent Pageswapper issues dealing with a fast boot for an 11/730. Recently, I had the opportunity of working on a 730 and became painfully aware of how L O N G it takes to get one up and running, especially at installation time when foreign boards are part of the system. Optimistically, I pulled out the July issue of the Pageswapper and followed the directions for making a nonstandard boot tape. Unlike the author of the article, I didn't care to put all of DEC's other files on the tape, so I FLXed only the required files to a scratch tape and tried to boot. The fast boot tape is replaced with DEC's standard tape whenever Field Service is on site. Much to my surprise, the boot tape didn't work. Since this was my first encounter with a 730, I didn't consider that the boot files changed for different hardware configurations (obvious in retrospect). After some reading and scratching of heads, and watching a list of the files processed off the standard console tape, I figured out that the Pageswapper article listed the files for an RL02-based system without a floating-point accelerator. After matching my standard console list against the Pageswapper list, I created a second tape which works just 9 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 Fast Boot 730 with RA81 and FPA fine. Here is a list of the files for a fast but minimal boot tape on a 730 with an RA81 system disk and FPA (November 1984 delivery of hardware), in order of use from first to last. 1. CONSOL.EXE 2. POWER.CMD 3. CONSLE.CPU 4. MMIE.CPU 5. POWER.CPU 6. CODE02.CMD 7. FPSP.CPU 8. BITFLD.CPU 9. CM.CPU 10. IRDFPA.CPU 11. QUEUE.CPU 12. DEFBOO.CMD 13. VMB.EXE 14. BOOT.EXE You can follow the July Pageswapper instructions verbatim, substituting only the different file names and cut a couple of minutes off the boot time. Creating the new tape takes about 2 hours, since the source TU58 must wind/rewind several times before all required files are located and copied. 10 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 Commercial Working Group Update Commercial Working Group Update Greetings from Anaheim. This is the first of a continuing series of letters from the Commercial Working Group of the VAX SIG. The Commercial Working Group was originally formed and chaired by Ross Miller and others to address issues related specifically to the Batch and Print support provided by VAX/VMS. These issues were originally raised by the users who had shops that operated as traditional "commercial" shops. Since that time, especially with the advent of VAXClusters, the number of you who have shown an interest in the working group has grown to include a broad spectrum of users. Those of you who have shown an interest in working with the group have come from a variety of shops including Scientific R&D, Timesharing Service Bureaus, traditional Commercial Institutions, Government, etc.... In the past we have had to pursue DEC management to get our concerns heard. In Cincinnati at the Spring 1984 Symposium we were given quite a pleasant surprise. Several members of the VMS Development came to the working group meeting. Trevor Kempsel, former VMS Product Manager told us that DEC was very concerned that the Commercial Working Group was possibly going to be dissolved. DEC is very interested in the inputs from this group for many reasons. DEC has a concern that they be more competitive in the commercial market place. To do this they will need some assistance in determining the directions that they should pursue to enhance or extend VAX/VMS. Because of this new posture DEC has taken with regard to the Commercial Working Group, we are in an enviable position. If for no other reason, simply because DEC is open and listening to the concerns voiced by the Group. In order to validate the issues that we raise, it will be necessary to conduct periodic surveys of the membership of the group. Our plan is to collect ideas from the group and make regular mailings and ask you to respond with comments and additional suggestions. All of the responses will be collected, consolidated, and presented to DEC. When we work on ideas to present to DEC we will work with the goal of generalizing the expression of the perceived problem/need. When possible we will make suggestions for possible implementations. Our purpose, however, will be to give DEC as much direction as possible without pressing for specific implementations. This will encourage VMS Development to use their store of knowledge and creative genius as much as possible toward a sound and efficient implementation. 11 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 Commercial Working Group Update The following topics are already under consideration by the Commercial Working Group: 1. Tape Handling Facilities 2. Archiving 3. Operator Facilities 4. Batch/Print Facilities 5. Project Accounting 6. Resource Allocation and Accounting 7. Load Balancing and Class Scheduling 8. Journaling/RMS Performance 9. Network Management for Large Networks 10. OEM System Users/Buyers -- Commercial Systems or Applications The current Chair of the working group is Robert L. Boyd, GE Microelectronics Center, MS 2P-04, POB 13049, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, phone (919) 549-3627. The current Vice-Chair is Stanley M. Rose, Bankers Trust Company, 130 Liberty Street, One Bankers Trust Plaza, New York, NY 10006, phone (212) 775-2157. If you are interested in working with the group, please send your name, address, phone number and a brief description of the shop/environment you're working in to either Bob or Stan. You'll then be put on the mailing list, and we'll look for you at future working group meetings at the DECUS Symposia. When you have ideas you would like to get put up for consideration by DEC, please submit them in writing to either Bob or Stan. Also, be sure to submit it as an SIR to Gary Grebus. In conclusion, I'd like to give a special thanks to DEC, VMS Product Management, and especially Trevor Kempsel, Andy Goldstein, Greg Robert, Ralph Weber, and Brad Bradley for their interest and support. Bob Boyd Commercial Working Group Chair 12 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 Privileged and Execute-only Command Procedures Privileged and Execute-only Command Procedures Johan Hamaker, Netherlands Foundation for Radio Astronomy, Radio Observatory, Dwingeloo, Netherlands Introduction The CERBERUS package enables the VMS system to temporarily grant privileges to non-privileged users for the execution of specific command files. One particular aspect of this feature is, that users can execute command procedures without having read access to them. The name of Cerberus, the Greek-mythological hell-hound that guarded the entrance to the Hades where lived the invisible spirits of the dead, is thus particularly appropriate. The desirablilty of a feature of this type has often been alluded to in the Pageswapper. Indeed, the standard file protection mechanisms in VMS are very crude: It is simply "Read: yes or no" and "Write: yes or no"; once, e.g. write access has been granted, the system has no control whatsoever over the way a user exercises his rights. Privileged command files are precisely what is needed for a more refined control: Through them, one may allow a user access to sensitive data on whatever conditions one wants to impose. The basic method for giving a user privileges in excess of those allowed by the UAF file is quite simple: A simple program installed with SETPRV and CMKRNL privileges can do the job. To make it useful for our purpose, two problems must be solved: - The user may obtain the temporary privileges only for the execution of a specific (set of) command file(s). - There may be no way for the user to return to normal conditions without losing the temporary privileges. 13 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 Privileged and Execute-only Command Procedures Controlling access to temporary privileges The privileged installed program, CERBERUS.EXE, does not give away privileges indiscriminately. It requires as input the name of the command file to be executed. and PROCEEDS ONLY IF ITS OWNER UIC HAS A PARTICULAR VALUE ([135,2] in our case). Having verified this condition, it - disables control_Y interrupts. - confers the BYPASS and CMKRNL privileges to the process. The former privilege is required in case the user has no read access to the requested procedure, and it more generally allows access to files that are normally protected. The latter allows the privileged procedure, amongst other things, to change its UIC and invoke the INSTALL utility. - invokes the requested command file. To do its work, CERBERUS.EXE must be installed with BYPASS, SETPRV and CMKRNL privileges. The former it needs to verify the ownership of files to which the user has no read access; the latter two are required for making process-permanent privilege changes. Controlling the return path It could be left to the privileged command procedures to reset the privileges before exiting. It is difficult, however, to predict all the possible failure modes of a command procedure and insure that none of them will cause an unauthorised exit. For this reason, another command procedure, CERBERUS.COM, is interposed as an interface between CERBERUS.EXE and the privileged procedure; thus, CERBERUS.EXE invokes CERBERUS.COM which in turn calls the requested procedure. CERBERUS.COM saves the process's privilege status and restores it before returning control to the user. It also insures that control_Y interrupts or failure conditions can never cause the restoring code to be bypassed. The programmer of a privileged procedure is free to re-enable control-Y's if necessary. The only way in which he might break the security is to program a SET NOCONTROL=Y/SET CONTROL=Y sequence without an intervening ON CONTROL_Y command; indeed, the SET NOCONTROL=Y command cancels all CONTROL_Y action 14 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 Privileged and Execute-only Command Procedures procedures (including the one established by CERBERUS.COM), thereby opening an uncontrolled control_Y path to the interactive command level. This security restriction on privileged command file programming is easy to understand and verify; thus it does not pose a significant barrier to extensive use of the facility. User interface The most appropriate way to provide a convenient user interface would be to create a foreign command for CERBERUS.EXE. This does not work: When invoked through this command, CERBERUS was found no longer to be privileged in spite of its installation. The non-privileged command file ATPRIV.COM is therefore used instead. (Note that this is merely a matter of user convenience; ATPRIV has no responsibility for any security aspect of CERBERUS.) Its invocation is @ATPRIV Up to 7 parameters may be given; they are passed directly to the requested procedure. Variations on the theme The privileges set by CERBERUS.EXE are those required for our application. CERBERUS.FOR may be edited to give out any number of other privileges to conform to other applications. My original idea was to let it make SETPRV available, so privileged procedures could pick whatever privilege they need. It turns out that this is impossible: SETPRV is an exceptional privilege in that a process can only acquire it through authorisation by the system manager. One possible way to set privileges per procedure would be to specify them in the first line of each procedure and let CERBERUS.EXE read and interpret this line. CERBERUS.COM could use the same line to reset the temporary privileges. 15 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 VMB Register Inputs VMB Register Inputs The following material was supplied by Trudy Matthews of DEC. This lists the values of registers R0 through R5, input registers to the VMB primary bootstrap program. A pair of numbers enclosed in angle brackets and separated by a colon indicates a range of bits. (For example, <07:00> represents the range of bits from bit 0 to bit 7.) Register R0 identified the boot device type: ---------------------------------------------------------------- Bit Range Meaning ---------------------------------------------------------------- <07:00> Boot device type code (RPB$B_DEVTYP). The value of this range of bits takes on the following meanings: ----------------------------------------------------- Value Meaning ----------------------------------------------------- 0 MASSBUS device (RM02/03, RP04/5/6/7, RM80) 1 RK06/7 2 RL01/2 3 IDC (almost an RA80) on 11/730 17 UDA-50 (Note: values 1-31 are reserved for Unibus devices) 32 HSC on CI 64 Console block storage device ----------------------------------------------------- <15:08> Reserved for future expansion <31:16> Device class dependent (RPB$W_R0UBVEC) UNIBUS - optional vector address; 0 implies use the default vector MASSBUS - not used ---------------------------------------------------------------- 16 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 VMB Register Inputs The value of register R1, which holds the boot device's bus address, is processor-dependent: ---------------------------------------------------------------- Processor Type Bit Range and Meaning ---------------------------------------------------------------- 11/780,11/730 <31:04> MBZ <03:00> TR number of adapter 11/750 <31:24> MBZ <23:00> address of the I/O page for the boot device's adapter 8600 <31:06> MBZ <05:04> A-bus Adapter number <03:00> TR number of adapter ---------------------------------------------------------------- Register R2 contains address information about the controllers used on the system: ---------------------------------------------------------------- Controller Type Bit Range and Meaning ---------------------------------------------------------------- all controllers <31:24> controller letter designator (optional) UNIBUS <31:18> MBZ <17:00> UNIBUS address of the device's CSR MASSBUS <31:04> MBZ <03:00> adapter's controller/formatter number CI <31:08> MBZ <07:00> HSC port number (station address) ---------------------------------------------------------------- Register R3 contains the unit number of the boot device. Register R4 contains the logical block number to boot from if bit 3 is set in register R5 (not supported on any processor except the 11/780). 17 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 VMB Register Inputs Register R5 contains the software boot control flags. The value -1 is reserved. These flags have the following meanings: ---------------------------------------------------------------- Bit Meaning ---------------------------------------------------------------- 0 RPB$V_CONV. Conversational boot. At various points in the system boot procedure, the bootstrap code solicits parameters and other input from the console terminal. If the DIAG is also on, then the diagnostic supervisor should enter "MENU" mode and prompt the user for devices to test. 1 RPB$V_DEBUG. Debug. If this flag is set, VMS maps the code for the XDELTA debugger into the system page tables of the running system. 2 RPB$V_INIBPT. Initial breakpoint. If RPB$V_DEBUG is set, VMS executes a BPT instruction immediately after enabling mapping. 3 RPB$V_BBLOCK. Secondary boot from boot block. Secondary bootstrap is a single 512-byte block, whose LBN is specified in R4. 4 RPB$V_DIAG. Diagnostic boot. Secondary bootsrap is image called [SYSMAINT]DIAGBOOT.EXE. 5 RPB$V_BOOBPT. Bootstrap breakpoint. Stops the primary and secondary bootstraps with a breakpoint instruction before testing memory. 6 RPB$V_HEADER. Image header. Takes the transfer address of the secondary bootsrap image from that file's image header. If RPB$V_HEADER is not set, transfers control to the first byte of the secondary boot file. 7 RPB$V_NOTEST. Memory test inhibit. Sets a bit in the PFN bit map for each page of memory present. Does not test the memory. 8 RPB$V_SOLICIT. File name. VMB prompts for the name of a secondary bootsrap file. 9 RPB$V_HALT. Halt before transfer. Executes a HALT instruction before transferring control to the secondary bootstrap. 10 RPB$V_NOPFND. No PFN deletion (not implemented; intended to tell VMB not to read a file from the boot device that identifies bad or reserved memory pages, so that VMB does not mark these pages as valid in the PFN 18 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 VMB Register Inputs bitmap). 11 RPB$V_MPM. Specifies that multi-port memory is to be used for the total exec memory requirements. No local memory is to be used. this is for tightly-coupled multi-processing. 12 RPB$V_USEMPM. Specifies that multi-port memory should be used in addition to local memory, as though both were one single pool of pages. 13 RPB$V_MEMTEST. Specifies that a more extensive algorithm be used when testing main memory for hardware uncorrectable (RDS) errors. 14 RPB$V_FINDMEM. Request use of MA780 memory if MS780 is insufficient for booting. Used for 11/782 installations. 15 RPB$V_AUTOTEST. Used by Diagnostic Supervisor. 16 RPB$V_CRDTEST. Specifies that memory pages with correctable (CRD) errors NOT be discarded at bootsrap time. By default, pages with CRD errors are removed from use during the bootstrap memory test. <31:28> RPB$V_TOPSYS. Specifies the top level directory number for system disks with multiple systems. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 19 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 VAX/VMS Optional Software Cross Reference Table VAX/VMS Optional Software Cross Reference Table This table has been prepared to assist in determining which optional software products are supported by VAX/VMS. Refer to the appropriate SPD for all other details on a particular product. The list of V4 supported products is changing daily and this table reflects the position on Dec 10. All of the products indicating support for V4 are either available today or have submitted to the SDC and will be available early in Jan. This list superceeds that which accompanies the V4 distribution and it will be published as part of Feb. SPD package. Please attend the relevent Decus presentations to get more specific product information. Layered products which are targeted for a VAX-11/725 or VAX-11/730, may have special system requirements. For specifics, refer to the SPD. As additional VAX/VMS layered products are made available, they will be added to this table. +----------------------------+ | VAX/VMS (25.01.xx) | +------------------------------------------------------------------| | Optional Software | SPD No. | V3.7 | V 4.0 | |==================================================================| |ADF01/VMS Subroutine Library | 26.61.xx | 2.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |ALL-IN-1 Office Menu | 25.85.xx | 1.3 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |CMR21 Host Utility | 30.39.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |CORAL 66/VAX to RSX | 25.69.xx | 2.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |Courseware Authoring System | 25.95.xx | 1.1 | 1.1 | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |Courseware Design System | 26.58.xx | 1.0 | 1.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | | | +==================================================================+ 20 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 VAX/VMS Optional Software Cross Reference Table +==================================================================+ |DECdx/VMS | 26.36.xx | 1.0 | 1.1 | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |DECnet Router | 30.34.xx | 1.1 | 1.1 | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | (b) | |==================================================================| |DECnet Router/X.25 Gateway | 30.41.xx | 1.0 | 1.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |DECnet/SNA Gateway Products | 30.15.xx | 1.1 | 1.2 | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |DECnet-VAX | 25.03.xx | 3.1 | 4.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c,t) | |==================================================================| |DECpage | 26.29.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |DRX11-C VMS Driver | 26.64.xx | 4.3 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |EDE | 26.37.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |Ethernet Terminal Server 30.35.xx | 1.0 |1.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |FEPCM Software Tool Kit | 25.51.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |FORTRAN-77 DEBUG/VAX to RSX, PDP-11 | 26.75.xx | 1.0 |1.1 | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |FORTRAN-77/VAX To RSX | 26.16.xx | 5.0 | 5.1 | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |FORTRAN IV/VAX to RSX | 25.17.xx | 2.6 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | +==================================================================+ 21 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 VAX/VMS Optional Software Cross Reference Table +==================================================================+ |IEC11V | 25.74.xx | 2.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (a,b) | | |==================================================================| |IEX-VMS-Driver | 26.30.xx | 2.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |LAT-11 | 15.32.xx | 1.0 | 1.1 | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | (b) | |==================================================================| |LN01 Font Utility | 26.35.xx | 1.0 | 1.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |Message Router/VMS | 26.33.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |MicroPower/Pascal-VMS | 26.24.xx | 1.5A | 1.5A | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | (b) | |==================================================================| |MUX200/VAX | 25.02.xx | 1.2 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (a,b) | | |==================================================================| |PDP-11 DATATRIEVE/VAX | 25.14.xx | 2.6 | N/A | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |PLXY-11/VAX | 25.42.xx | 1.3 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |Professional Host Communications | 30.29.xx | 1.7 | 1.7 | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | (b) | |==================================================================| |Professional Host Tool Kit | 30.28.xx | 2.0 | 2.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | (b) | |==================================================================| |Prof. Host Tool Kit BASIC-PLUS-2 | 30.27.xx | 2.2 | 2.2 | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | (b,c) | |==================================================================| |Prof. Host Tool Kit COBOL-81 | 30.31.xx | 2.0 | 2.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | +==================================================================+ 22 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 VAX/VMS Optional Software Cross Reference Table +==================================================================+ |Prof. Host Tool Kit DIBOL | 30.26.xx | 1.6 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |Prof. Host Tool Kit FORTRAN-77 | 30.38.xx | 5.0 | 5.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | (b,c) | |==================================================================| |Prof. Host Tool Kit FORTRAN-77 DEBUG | 30.42.xx | 1.0 | 1.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | (b,c) | |==================================================================| |Professional Host Tool Kit Pascal | 30.30.xx | 1.2 | 1.2 | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | (b) | |==================================================================| |Prof. Real Time Interface Library | 30.37.xx | 1.1 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |ReGIS Software | 26.15.xx | 1.1 | 1.1 | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | (b) | |==================================================================| |RSX-11S | 09.21.xx | 4.0 | 4.1 | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |RTEM-11 | 30.21.xx | 2.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |VAX ACMS Product Set | 25.50.xx | 1.1 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |VAX ADE | 25.76.xx | 2.3 | 2.3 | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |VAX APL | 25.31.xx | 1.2 | 1.2 | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |VAX BASIC | 25.36.xx | 2.2 | 2.3 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c,t) | |==================================================================| |VAX BLISS-16 | 25.19.xx | 4.1 | 4.1 | | | |-----------------| | | | | | +==================================================================+ 23 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 VAX/VMS Optional Software Cross Reference Table +==================================================================+ |VAX BLISS-32 | 25.12.xx | 4.1 | 4.1 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c) | |==================================================================| |VAX BTS | 26.08.xx | 1.0 | 1.1 | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | (b) | |==================================================================| |VAX C | 25.38.xx | 1.5 | 1.5 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c) | |==================================================================| |VAX COBOL | 25.04.xx | 3.0 | 3.1 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c,t) | |==================================================================| |VAX Common Data Dictionary | 25.53.xx | 3.0 | 3.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |VAX DATATRIEVE | 25.44.xx | 3.1 | 3.1 | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |VAX DBMS | 25.48.xx | 2.1 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |VAX DECalc | 25.79.xx | 2.0 | 2.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |VAX DEC/CMS | 25.52.xx | 1.2 | 2.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c) | |==================================================================| |VAX DECgraph | 26.07.xx | 1.3 | 1.3 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c) | |==================================================================| |VAX DEChealth | 25.78.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |VAX DECmail | 25.64.xx | 2.1 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |VAX DEC/MMS | 26.03.xx | 2.0 | 2.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c) | +==================================================================+ 24 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 VAX/VMS Optional Software Cross Reference Table +==================================================================+ |VAX DECOR | 25.05.xx | 1.1 | 1.1 | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |VAX DECprom | 26.49.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |VAX DECrad | 25.77.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |VAX DEC/SHELL | xx.xx.xx | -- | 1.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c) | |==================================================================| |VAX DECslide | 26.11.xx | 1.3 | 1.3 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c) | |==================================================================| |VAX DECspell Verifier/Corrector | 26.34.xx | 1.0 | 1.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |VAX DEC/TEST MANAGER | 26.68.xx | -- | 1.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c) | |==================================================================| |VAX DECtype | 26.56.xx | 3.2 | 3.2 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c) | |==================================================================| |VAX DIBOL | 25.49.xx | 2.2 | 2.2 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c,t) | |==================================================================| |VAX DN11 Driver | 25.96.xx | 1.0 | N/A | | | |-----------------| | | | (a,b) | | |==================================================================| |VAX DR11-C Driver | 25.97.xx | 1.0 | N/A | | | |-----------------| | | | (a,b) | | |==================================================================| |VAX Driver for 11C03 | 25.56.xx | 2.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |VAX DSM | 25.08.xx | 2.0 | 2.1 | | | |-----------------| | | | | | +==================================================================+ 25 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 VAX/VMS Optional Software Cross Reference Table +==================================================================+ |VAX DT07 | 25.88.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |VAX DY32 | 25.57.xx | 2.2 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (a,b) | | |==================================================================| |VAX FMS | 26.10.xx | 2.1 | 2.2 | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |VAX FORTRAN | 25.16.xx | 3.5 | 4.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c,t) | |==================================================================| |VAX GKS/0b | 26.20.xx | 1.0 | 1.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c) | |==================================================================| |VAX INDENT | 26.46.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |VAX LISP | 25.82.xx | 1.0 | 1.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | (b,c) | |==================================================================| |VAX MDE | 25.87.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |VAX NTR | 25.68.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |VAX PASCAL | 25.11.xx | 2.5 | 2.5 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c,t) | |==================================================================| |VAX PCL | 26.23.xx | 1.0 | 1.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | (b) | |==================================================================| |VAX PL/1 | 25.30.xx | 2.2 | 2.2 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c) | |==================================================================| |VAX PRODUCER | 26.52.xx | 1.0 | 1.5 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (b,c) | +==================================================================+ 26 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 VAX/VMS Optional Software Cross Reference Table +==================================================================+ |VAX PRODUCER Interpreter | 26.53.xx | 1.0 | 1.5 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (b,c) | |==================================================================| |VAX PSI & PSI Access | 25.40.xx | 2.2 | 3.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | (b) | |==================================================================| |VAX ReGIS Graphics Library | 25.62.xx | 1.0 | 1.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | (b) | |==================================================================| |VAX SPM | xx.16.xx | 1.1 | 2.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c) | |==================================================================| |VAXstation Display Services | 25.90.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |VAX TDMS | 25.71.xx | 1.4 | 1.4 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c) | |==================================================================| |VAX VTX | 26.57.xx | 1.0 | 1.1 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c) | |==================================================================| |VAX 2780/3780 PE | 25.07.xx | 1.4 | 1.5 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c) | |==================================================================| |VAX 3271 PE | 25.21.xx | 2.1 | 2.2 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c) | |==================================================================| |VAXELN Toolkit | 28.02.xx | 1.1 | 1.1 | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | (b) | |==================================================================| |VAX-11/725/730 Diagnostic Set | 26.93.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (a,b) | | |==================================================================| |VAX-11/750 Diagnostic Set | 26.42.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (a,b) | | |==================================================================| |VAX-11/780 Diagnostic Set | 26.41.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (a,b) | | +==================================================================+ 27 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 VAX/VMS Optional Software Cross Reference Table +==================================================================+ |VAX-11/780 Microprogramming Tools | 25.09.xx | 2.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |VAX-11/785 Microprogramming Tools | 26.63.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (a) | | |==================================================================| |VAX-11 BCP | 26.26.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |VAX-11 CORAL 66 | 25.37.xx | 1.1 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |VAX-11 DRE11-C Device Driver | 26.17.xx | 4.2 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (a,b) | | |==================================================================| |VAX KMS11-BD/BE HDLC/BSC | | | | |Framing Software | 26.55.xx | 1.0 | 1.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | (b) | |==================================================================| |VAX KMS X.25 Link Level Software | 25.80.xx | 1.1 | 1.1 | | | |-----------------| | | | (a,b) (a,b) | |==================================================================| |VAX-11 LOLA/GER | 26.32.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |VAX-11 LOLA/FR | 26.31.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |VAX-11/PROVUE | 25.84.xx | 2.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |VAX Rdb/ELN | 28.03.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |VAX Rdb/VMS | 25.59.xx | 1.0 | 1.1 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c) | +==================================================================+ 28 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 VAX/VMS Optional Software Cross Reference Table +==================================================================+ |VAX RPG II | 26.05.xx | 1.0 | 1.1 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c) | |==================================================================| |VAX-11 RSX | 26.73.xx | -- | 1.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |VAX-11 TSU05 Device Driver | 26.65.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | | | |==================================================================| |VAX-11 VIGL | 25.94.xx | 1.0 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |VAXSim | 26.62.xx | 1.0 | 1.0 | | | |-----------------| | | | | (c) | |==================================================================| |VS11-VAX Driver | 25.45.xx | 2.2 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | |==================================================================| |WPS-PLUS/VMS | 26.27.xx | 1.1 | -- | | | |-----------------| | | | (b) | | +==================================================================+ LEGEND: a = Is not available on the VAX-11/782 b = Is not currently available on the VAX-11/785 c = Supported in the SYS$COMMON system disk environment t = Supported in the TAILORED disk environment 29 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 MicroVMS Optional Software Cross Reference Table MicroVMS Optional Software Cross Reference Table SPD 28.99.03 This table has been prepared to assist in determining which optional software products are supported by MicroVMS and or VAXstation I. Refer to the appropriate SPD for all other details on a particular product. As additional MicroVMS and or VAXstation I layered products are made available they will be added to this table. +--------------------------------+ | MicroVMS (28.08.xx) | +----------------------------------------------------- | Optional Software | SPD No. | V1.0 | V4.0 | |===================================================== | VAX ADE | 25.76.xx | 2.3 | 2.3 | | | |---------------------- | | | (m) | (m) | |===================================================== | VAX BASIC | 25.36.xx | - | 2.3 | | | |---------------------- | | | | (m,v) | |===================================================== | VAX BLISS-32 | 25.12.xx | - | 4.1 | | | |---------------------- | | | | (m,f,v) | |===================================================== | VAX C | 25.38.xx | 1.5 | 1.5 | | | |---------------------- | | | (m,f) | (m,f,v) | |===================================================== | VAX CDD | 25.53.xx | 3.0 | 3.0 | | | |---------------------- | | | (m,f) | (m,f) | |===================================================== | VAX COBOL | 25.04.xx | - | 3.1 | | | |---------------------- | | | | (m,f) | |===================================================== | VAX DATATRIEVE | 25.44.xx | - | 3.1 | | | |---------------------- | | | | (m,f) | |===================================================== | DECnet-VAX | 25.03.xx | 3.1 | 4.0 | | | |---------------------- | | | (m) | (m,v) | +====================================================+ 30 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 MicroVMS Optional Software Cross Reference Table +===================================================== | DECnet/SNA Gateway| 30.15.xx | - | 1.2 | | Products | |---------------------- | | | | (m) | +===================================================== | VAX DIBOL | 25.49.xx | 2.2 | 2.2 | | | |---------------------- | | | (m,f) | (m,f,v) | |===================================================== | VAX DEC/CMS | 25.52.xx | - | 2.0 | | | |---------------------- | | | | (m,f,v) | |===================================================== | VAX DEC/MMS | 25.52.xx | - | 2.0 | | | |---------------------- | | | | (m,f,v) | |===================================================== | VAX DECOR | 25.05.xx | 1.1 | 1.1 | | | |---------------------- | | | (m,f) | (m,f) | |===================================================== | VAX DECGRAPH | 26.07.xx | - | 1.3 | | | |---------------------- | | | | (m,f) | |===================================================== | VAX DEC/SHELL | 26.69.xx | - | 1.0 | | | |---------------------- | | | | (m,f,v) | |===================================================== | VAX DECSLIDE | 26.11.xx | - | 1.3 | | | |---------------------- | | | | (m,f) | |===================================================== | VAX DEC/TEST | 26.68.xx | - | 1.0 | | MANAGER | |---------------------- | | | | (m,f,v) | |===================================================== | VAX DECTYPE | 26.56.xx | 3.2 | 3.2 | | | |---------------------- | | | (m) | (m) | |===================================================== | VAX DSM | 25.08.xx | - | 2.1 | | | |---------------------- | | | | (m,f) | |===================================================== | VAXELN Toolkit | 28.02.xx | 1.1 | 1.1 | | | |---------------------- | | | (m,f) | (m,f) | +===================================================== 31 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 MicroVMS Optional Software Cross Reference Table +===================================================== | VAX FMS | 26.10.xx | 2.2 | 2.2 | | | |---------------------- | | | (m,y) | (m,y,v) | |===================================================== | VAX FORTRAN | 25.16.xx | 3.5 | 4.0 | | | |---------------------- | | | (m,f) | (m,f,v) | |===================================================== | VAX PASCAL | 25.11.xx | 2.5 | 2.5 | | | |---------------------- | | | (m,f) | (m,f,v) | |===================================================== | VAX PL/I | 25.30.xx | 2.2 | 2.2 | | | |---------------------- | | | (m,f) | (m,f,v) | |===================================================== | VAX RPG II | 26.05.xx | - | 1.1 | | | |---------------------- | | | | (m,f) | |===================================================== | VAX TDMS | 25.71.xx | - | 1.4 | | | |---------------------- | | | | (m,r,f) | |===================================================== | VAX VTX | 26.57.xx | 1.0 | 1.1 | | | |---------------------- | | | (m,f) | (m,f) | |===================================================== | VAX PRODUCER | 25.52.xx | - | 1.5 | | | |---------------------- | | | | (f,m) | |===================================================== | VAX PRODUCER | 25.53.xx | - | 1.5 | | INTERPRETER | |---------------------- | | | | (f,m) | |===================================================== | VAX 2780/3780 | 25.07.xx | - | 1.5 | | PROTOCOL EMULATOR | |---------------------- | | | | (f,m) | |===================================================== | VAX PSI and | 25.40.xx | - | 3.0 | | PSI ACCESS | |---------------------- | | | | (m) | |===================================================== Legend: f = Requires MicroVMS Full Kit, (QN002), or its equivalent, MicroVMS Extended Base Kit (QN001) plus MicroVMS Development Upgrade (QN003). m = Product is supported on MicroVAX I. 32 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 MicroVMS Optional Software Cross Reference Table r = Runtime only functionality. v = Product is supported on Vaxstation I. y = Run time only functionality with MicroVMS Extended Base Kit (QN001). For full functionality, this product requires the MicroVMS Full Kit (QN002) or its equivalent. Letters to the Pageswapper On a lighter side (and out of the mouths of babes), I have a new pronunciation for the title of our publication, the Pageswapper. My young daughter, not knowing of the wonders of virtual memory, asked me what the PAGES-WAPPER was!!? Since then that is how I think of it. J. Bridges AECL/WNRE Pinawa, Manitoba Canada R0E 1L0 33 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 The S and M in System Manager The S and M in System Manager by Chris Quinn, a USER The Aerospace Corporation Post Office Box 92957 2350 East El Segundo Boulevard El Segundo, CA 90009 NOTE These comments are extracted from Chris's presentation at the Anaheim VAX Magic session. You really had to be there as the crowd gave vigorous reaction in both directions to her underlying suggestion that system managers should show a little respect for users of the system. Unfortunately the Pageswapper's machine-readable format does not allow for reproducing her cartoons showing: - All users versus the one system manager in a tug-of-war over the VAX - A System Manager's schematic vision of the VAX environment, leaving out all users - A System Manager's self image of being enthroned on a mountain labeled SETPRV 34 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 The S and M in System Manager Disclaimer o Not all System Managers are like those I'm about to describe. We users know there are some decent ones out there (where are you?) o Under three different SMs the incidents mentioned actually occurred. Nothing is made up except these slides. o Those three SMs are at this DECUS Symposium - you know who you are - please don't take this too personally, I'd like to keep my account. Attitudes reflected at the DECUS Symposium - "My users are unsophisticated ..." - "Yeah, it's a good thing my users are captive." - "I just lower their disk quota!" Just a Modest Proposal Rename DECUS to be DECSMS (but how do you pronounce it?) Actual Incidents - A link command (system-wide symbol) doesn't work (directory not found) SM quote "Gee, I didn't know anyone used that directory." - A new queue is defined "BLACKHOLE" user print jobs sometimes go there and never come out! 35 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 The S and M in System Manager - One sysgen parameter modified while another which is dependent on the first is not: system hangs for some "unknown" reason - BACKUP restore without /OWNER - SHUTDOWN of SYSTEM first message: System shutdown in 0 minutes please logoff - System date in error by one year. SM modifies system date while users logged-in. Accounting keeps track of connect time. Did you ever run up $13,000 of charges in one minute? - System Manager stops a process but uses the wrong PID. Job Control process is stopped. - SM modifies user's login.com file to perform: $ DIRECTORY [...]*.*/SIZE it takes 5 minutes to log in - PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE scheduled for 2 pm - System Manager process runs at higher priority than users (hey, we all have a job to get done). - Backs up system at 2:00 pm (busiest part of the day) and the system was already running slowly! - SM adds an account but forgets to supply a directory - Multiple DECUS tapes are purchased, some nifty programs are loaded onto the system ... and not a single user is made aware of them - System wide used file suddenly not accessible due to protection (e.g. SYLOGIN) - SM creates a procedure to simulate: $ DELETE [...]*.*;*/LOG as a user logs in for having forgotten to log out the time before. (and of course SET NOCONTROL=Y) Pageswapper Editor's Note Let the system manager who is without blame post this article 36 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 The S and M in System Manager outside the computer room door so those users who do not have a subscription know that their own system manager is truly exemplary. 37 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 Calling Pascal from FORTRAN and Vice Versa Calling Pascal from FORTRAN and Vice Versa Hints and Kinks Ned Freed and Douglas Grover MATHLIB Project Harvey Mudd College Claremont, CA 91711 October 24, 1984 One of the major advantages of the implementation of various languages under VAX/VMS is the potential for code in one language to call code written in another language. This unusual feature is found on very few machines and is particularly useful since it allows code to be written in whatever language is best suited for a particular task. A particularly desirable language-to-language interface is the ability to call FORTRAN routines from Pascal and vice versa. Countless high-quality numerical analysis codes have already been implemented in FORTRAN, but many programmers prefer to use the more "modern" language Pascal. By allowing inter-language calls the Pascal programmer can access FORTRAN library routines without being forced to translate them into Pascal code; a tedious and error-prone process. Similarly, when old code written in FORTRAN is upgraded it may be convenient to call newer Pascal routines to perform various operations. However, not all types of data pass easily between FORTRAN and Pascal, and differences in data types and parameter passing mechanisms, even under VMS, give rise to various problems. Most problems can be avoided if the user steers clear of exotic data types in Pascal and sticks to data types FORTRAN understands. Nevertheless, we have encountered two especially annoying problems passing even mundane parameters between the two languages. These problems are: (1) A descriptor mismatch occurs when a FORTRAN program tries to pass a string to a Pascal routine that accepts variable length strings. FORTRAN always uses simple string descriptors, while conformant arrays in Pascal are passed as array descriptors. The obvious workaround of declaring the string to be of fixed length in Pascal has obvious disadvantages. (2) Many numerical analysis routines require actual functions as input parameters. For example, a routine that finds roots of an equation is usually set up to accept a FORTRAN function to compute values of the 38 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 Calling Pascal from FORTRAN and Vice Versa equation under study as one of its parameters. VAX Pascal can pass functions as parameters, but an incompatability exists between the two languages. FORTRAN passes function parameters by immediate value (the address of the procedure is passed in the argument list) while Pascal passes them by reference (the address of a bound procedure value, or BPV is passed in the argument list -- the BPV in turn contains the address of the function). Although Pascal can pass a function as an immediate value by using the %IMMED attribute, using this attribute renders the function UNBOUND, which prevents the functions from being able to access lexically scoped variables within the Pascal program. This can become a major limitation, possibly disturbing the entire strucure of the Pascal program. We have solved these problems by designing automatic interface routine generators. These generators take the form of macros which are expanded to create specialized interface routines, one for each troublesome FORTRAN or Pascal routine to be called. This technique is quite general and can be used to solve many other language interface problems besides the ones at hand. The generators presented here are called CVTSA and CVTPRI, respectively. CVTSA converts string descriptor arguments into array descriptors, and CVTPRI converts procedure passed by reference into procedures passed by immediate value without making them UNBOUND. The method for using the generators is quite simple. First a small macro module is created containing lines having the following format: GENxxx routine, "xxx" is either "SA" or "PRI", depending on the generator, "routine" is the routine requiring an interface, and argstoconvert is a list of comma-delimited arguments that require conversion. The arguments are specified by positional number in the call, i.e. "1,2,3" would mean the first, second and third arguments must be converted. All unspecified arguments are left alone by the interface routine. The number of arguments does not need to be specified and can vary from call to call. If conversion is requested on a nonexistent argument, the interface routine will detect this at runtime and the conversion request will be ignored. The resulting MACRO source file is assembled along with the proper CVTxxx file to produce a .OBJ file that contains new routines to call in lieu of the original ones. The new 39 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 Calling Pascal from FORTRAN and Vice Versa routines, when called, convert their arguments into an acceptable form and then call the original routine. Thus the generators effectively produce interface routines automatically. The new routines differ in name from the original only in that they have an additional letter prepended to their names; "S" is prepended by CVTSA and "P" by CVTPRI. Note that CVTSA and CVTPRI cannot be used simultaneously in the same interface routine; this is not a real problem since CVTSA is usually applied to Pascal routines while CVTPRI is applied to FORTRAN routines. CVTSA generates code to create array descriptors on the stack, which are substituted into the argument list before the original routine is called. The argument list itself is duplicated before modifications are made since it is possible for an argument list to reside in read-only memory. CVTPRI is somewhat more complex. It creates a phony routine on the stack to substitute for each function parameter. This pseudo-routine has the BPV needed by Pascal built in to it so when it calls the true function lexical scoping information is provided (in register R1). Without further ado, then, here are the conversion routines, each with an accompanying test program. The source is broken up into 8 files delimited by a horizontal bar. The name of each file appears on the first line in the file. ---------------------------------------------------------------- ; CVTSA.MAR - Macro to generate interface routines which convert ; array descriptors to string descriptors. ; Written by Ned Freed and Douglas Grover, 15-Mar-1983 ; Define primary PSECTs .psect $CODE,PIC,USR,CON,REL,LCL,SHR,EXE,RD,NOWRT,NOVEC,LONG .macro gensa,routine,arglist .save_psect .psect $CODE .entry s'routine,^m ; Preliminaries - allocate a duplicate of the argument list on ; the stack. This arglist will be edited to point to new class a ; string descriptors. movl (ap),r0 ; compute larlist length moval @#4[r0],r0 40 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 Calling Pascal from FORTRAN and Vice Versa subl2 r0,sp ; room for new arglist movc3 r0,(ap),(sp) ; on the stack movl sp,r5 ; save SP for CALLG ; Steps taken for each string parameter .irp argpos,arglist ; Check to see if this particular parameter was actually ; passed -- so optional parameters and short argument lists will ; not produce anomalous results. cmpl #argpos,(ap) ; see if parameter there bgtr 8$ ; if not, skip to end movl (ap),r0 ; R0 = pointer to descr beql 8'argpos'$ ; if not there then skip ; Build the class a descriptor on the stack. movzwl (r0),-(sp) ; upper bound movl #1,-(sp) ; lower bound movl 4(sp),-(sp) ; addressing coefficient subl3 #1,4(r0),-(sp) ; base of array (A0) movl 4(sp),-(sp) ; array size movl #^X01C00000,-(sp) ; dim,aflags,digits,scale movl 4(r0),-(sp) ; pointer to string movl #^X04000001,-(sp) ; length, type, class movl sp,(r5) ; install descriptor addr 8'argpos'$: .endr ; Finally, the routine can be called 8$: callg (r5),g^routine ; call the real routine ret .restore_psect .endm ; End of CVTSA.MAR ---------------------------------------------------------------- ; CVTPRI.MAR - Macro to generate interface routines which convert ; by-reference procedure parameters to immediate ; value parameters without making them unbound. ; Written by Ned Freed and Douglas Grover, 22-Aug-1984 ; Define primary PSECTs 41 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 Calling Pascal from FORTRAN and Vice Versa .psect $CODE,PIC,USR,CON,REL,LCL,SHR,EXE,RD,NOWRT,NOVEC,LONG ; And now the macro used to create conversion procedures .macro genpri,routine,arglist .save_psect .psect $CODE .entry p'routine,^m ; Preliminaries - allocate duplicate of the argument list on the ; stack. This arglist will be edited to point to the created ; pseudo-procedures. movl (ap),r0 ; compute length of arglist moval @#4[r0],r0 subl2 r0,sp ; make room for new arglist movc3 r0,(ap),(sp) ; on the stack movl sp,r5 ; save SP for later CALLG ; Steps taken for each procedural parameter .irp argpos,arglist ; Check to see if this particular procedure was actually ; passed -- so optional parameters and short argument lists will ; not produce anomalous results. cmpl #argpos,(ap) ; see if parameter is there bgtr 9$ ; if not, then skip to end movl (ap),r0 ; R0 = pointer to BPV beql 9'argpos'$ ; if not there then skip ; Build the following interface procedure on the stack ; ; 1$: .blkl 1 ; BPV pointer ; 2$: .blkl 1 ; address for JMP to procedure ; .blkw 1 ; entry mask ; movl 1$,r1 ; get address and pointer ; jmp @2$ ; invoke procedure ; .byte 0 ; filler movq #^x00F3BF1751F3AF7D,-(sp) ; MOVL, JMP instructions movw @(r0),-(sp) ; save entry mask movl sp,(r5) ; procedure addr in arglist addl3 #2,(r0)+,-(sp) ; save JMP address movl (r0),-(sp) ; save BPV pointer 9'argpos'$: .endr 42 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 Calling Pascal from FORTRAN and Vice Versa ; Finally, the routine can be called 9$: callg (r5),g^routine ; call the real routine ret .restore_psect .endm ; End of CVTPRI.MAR ---------------------------------------------------------------- 43 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 VAX System SIG Committee List VAX System SIG Committee List As of December 12, 1984 Joe Angelico - Volunteer Coordinator and System Management US Coast Guard CCGD8(DT) Hale Boggs Federal Building 500 Camp Street, New Orleans, LA. 70130 June Baker - Planning Joe L. Bingham - Librarian Mantech International 2320 Mill Road Alexandria, VA 22314 C. Doug Brown - Security Sandia Labs P.O. Box 2644 Albuquerque, NM 87185 Jack Cundiff - Assistant Symposium Coordinator Muskigum College New Concord, OH 43762 James R. Cutler - Hardware Software Results Corporation 2887 Silver Drive Columbus, OH 43211 Doug Dickey - Data Management SIG Interface CTEC, Inc. 6862 Elm Street McLean, VA 22101 Jim Downward - Migration and Host Development KMS Fusion Inc. 3621 South State Road, P.O. Box 1567 Ann Arbor MI 48106 Dan Fleury - Education University of Hartford West Hartford, CT 06117 Dennis Frayne - Real Time/Process Control McDonnell Douglas 5301 Bolsa Avenue Huntington Beach, CA 92646 Carl E. Friedberg - Internals In House Systems 165 William Street 44 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 VAX System SIG Committee List New York, NY 10038 Bob Boyd - Commercial GE Microelectronics Center MS 2P-04 Post Office Box 13409 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 Don Golden - Overseas Coordinator / Publications Coordinator c/o Shell Development Company, D-2132 Westhollow Research Center Post Office Box 1380 Houston, TX 77001 Mark Graff - TOPS-VAX Gary Grebus - System Improvement Request Battelle Columbis Labs 505 King Avenue Columbus, OH 43201 B. Hancock - Network Sohio Petroleum Company Two Lincoln Center 5420 LBJ Freeway, Suite 900/LB 03 Dallas, TX 75240 R. Haydt - Foreign Devices, Hardware/Software Information Consultants International Incorporated P. O. Box 2014, E. V. STA Ormond Beach, FL 32074 Jeffrey S. Jalbert - Symposium Coordinator Dennison University Granville, OH 43023 Ken Johnson - Handouts 800 N. Lindbergh Monsanto MS V2B St. Louis, MO 63043 Lawrence J. Kilgallen - Newsletter Editor Box 81, MIT Station Cambridge, MA 02139-0901 Margaret Knox - Chair Computation Center University of Texas Austin, Texas 78712 Ross W. Miller - Vice Chair and Working Group Coordinator Online Data Processing, Inc. N 637 Hamilton Spokane, WA 99202 45 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 VAX System SIG Committee List Bob Robbins - VAXElan Array Computer Consultants 5364 Woodvale Drive Sarasota, FL 33582 Larry Robertson - Real Time/Process Control Bear Computer Systems Inc. 5651 Case Avenue North Hollywood, CA P. Sandwell - Graphics Seismograph Service Corporation P. O. Box 1590 Tulsa, OK 74102 David Schmidt - LUG Coordinator Management Sciences Associates 5100 Centre Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15232 Al Siegel - Advisor Battelle Memorial Institute 505 King Avenue Columbus, OH 43201 D. Slater - Artificial Intelligence Mantech International 2320 Mill Road Alexandria, VA 22314 Louise Wholey - Languages and Tools Measurex Corporation One Results Way Cupertino, CA 95014 Douglas J. Wilson - Office Automation MIT Joint Computer Facility Room 5-137, 22 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139 46 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 INPUT/OUTPUT INPUT/OUTPUT A SIG Information Interchange A form for INPUT/OUTPUT submissions is available at the back of the issue. INPUT/OUTPUT 350 Caption: Problem copying VMS update floppies -- Reply to I/O # 304 Message: The "device not mounted" message in the directory listing results from the fact that the intrinsic update is a BACKUP save set. This means a part of the first floppy and all following floppies are treated as a sequential disk consisting of several volumes. Therefore only the directory [SYSUPD] can be copied with COPY, while the save set VMS032.A must be copied with BACKUP. Contact: Haus-Michael Ramm 1PK - Berlin Kleiststr, 23-26 D-1000 Berlin 30 Telephone Berlin 2125-268 Date: October 1, 1984 INPUT/OUTPUT 351 Caption: VAX FORTRAN French Manual Message: A VAX FORTRAN manual has been written in French at the National Institute of Demographic Studies and typed with RUNOFF (DSR under VMS). Beyond the usual description of the programming language you will find the enhancements of VAX FORTRAN with respect to PDP-11 FORTRAN and some advice to users who want to write programs close to the "normalized" FORTRAN 77. Contact: Madame Fancoise DARNAUD I N E D 27, rue du Commandeur 75675 PARIS CEDEX 14 FRANCE 47 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 INPUT/OUTPUT Telephone 33(1) 320 13 45 poste : 431 Date: October 1, 1984 INPUT/OUTPUT 352 Caption: TMB-11 Driver for VAX 11/730 Unibus Message: We have upgraded our Nuclear Medicine imaging system from a PDP 11/34A to a VAX 11/730, but we need to keep our TMB-11 tape controller and TE-10W tape drive. Does anyone know of a driver for VMS which will allow us to do this? Contact: Ari M. Rabinowitz Einstein College Hospital Department of Nuclear Medicine 1825 Eastchester Road Bronx, NY 10461 (212) 904-4058 or (212) 904-2923 Date: October 15, 1984 INPUT/OUTPUT 353 Caption: Multiple Terminal Output Message: Is there and easy way (or not so easy) to display output from a program running at one terminal on multiple terminals (i.e., a classroom situation)? Are there capabilities within VMS to do this? Contact: Michael Bowers University of California Animal Science Davis, CA 95616 Telephone (301) 496-4295 Date: October 19, 1984 48 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 INPUT/OUTPUT INPUT/OUTPUT 354 Caption: Reply to I/O # 314 Message: "TEX and Metafont" describes an obsolete version of TEX. A new book entitled "The TEXbook" by D. Knuth documents the new version of TEX (called TEX82). A company called Kellerman and Smith (503-232-4799) in Portland, OR sells a distribution for the VAX for distribution costs only. There is also a TEX Users Group (TUG). The address of the chair is: Barbara Beeton AMS Post Office Box 6248 Providence, RI 02940 Contact: Colin Selleck Division 1531 Sandia National Laboratory Albuquerque, NM 07185 Telephone (505) 844-2877 Date: October 19, 1984 INPUT/OUTPUT 355 Caption: EBCDIC Labeled Tapes from a VAX Message: We are looking for a program (in BASIC or COBOL) to write IBM compatible labeled EBCDIC tapes on our VAX. Does anyone have this? Contact: Jay K. Greene Newspaper Printing Corporation 315 South Bolder Tulsa, Oklahoma 74102 Telephone (918) 581-8568 Date: October 22, 1984 49 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 INPUT/OUTPUT INPUT/OUTPUT 356 Caption: Reply to I/O # 314 Message: 1) Buy a copy of Knuth's The TEXbook (Addison-Wesley) 2) Join the TEX Users Group : c/o American Mathematical Society, Post Office Box 6248, Providence, RI 02940, USA, telephone 401-272-9500) 3) For source code: Maria Code, 1371 Sydney Drive, Sunnyvale, California 94087 USA (telephone: 408-735-8006 10:00-14:30). Contact: Kevin LaRue Post Office Box 458 Syracuse, NY 13210 Kevin@Syr-cis-aos@csnet-relay Telephone (315) 423-3132 Date: October 22, 1984 INPUT/OUTPUT 357 Caption: Communications Program MS-DOS to VAX -- Reply to I/O # 323 Message: Try Poly-Com by Polygon Associates. DEC sells a Rainbow version; an IBM version is available from the vendor. For a more comprehensive Rainbow to VAX communications solution, watch for DEC announcements this winter. Contact: Bob Nusbaum DEC Rainbow Base Product Marketing 30 Porter Road - LJO2/I4 Littleton, MA 01460 Telephone (617) 965-1607 Date: October 24, 1984 50 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 INPUT/OUTPUT INPUT/OUTPUT 358 Caption: Sharing a TS11 between two VAXes Message: I have two 750s, each with a TS11 controller connected through an A/B switch to a common tape drive. The system that boots up without the TS11 will not recognize the TS11 when it is subsequently connected. (AUTOCONFIGURE ALL does not help). To solve this both CPUs were connected so they always receive data from the drive independent of the switch position. In this case if CPU "A" is doing a tape read, CPU "B" which is not expecting any data crashes with: "INVEXCEPTN, Exception while above ASTDEL or on interrupt stack". This appears to be a software bug. Does anyone know how to solve this problem of switching CPU's? Contact: Fulko Hew Westinghouse Canada 777 Walkers Line Burlington Ontario CANADA L7R 4B3 Telephone (416) 528-8811 x 4231 Date: October 26, 1984 INPUT/OUTPUT 359 Caption: Implementation of TeX on the VAX -- Reply to I/O # 314 Message: D. E. Knuth has recently published a book on the text formatter Tex that superseded "TeX and Metafont". The new book is called "The TeXbook", published by Addison-Wesley, 1984. It describes an updated version of TeX, but nothing on making fonts. The program is written in Pascal and can run on the VAX. (But it is meaningful to use it only if there is some nice output device such as a laser printer or typesetting machine connected to the VAX.) It is in the public domain, but a fee is charged for processing the tape. The amount varies depending on the number of fonts requested. To get a copy, either contact Dr. Knuth at Stanford University, or the TeX Users Group at: TeX Users Group c/o American Mathematical Society 51 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 INPUT/OUTPUT Post Office Box 6248 Providence, RI 02940 USA Contact: Chick Ming Yeung 23318 Sesame Street, Apartment A Torrance, CA 90502 Telephone (213) 518-3645/(213) 535-3098 (work) Date: November 1, 1984 INPUT/OUTPUT 360 Caption: NCAR Graphics Devices Message: I am interested in hearing from anyone who has successfully added a DEC LA100 or DataSouth DS180 printer as a graphics output device to the NCAR graphics package. Contact: Jack Berger FluiDyne Engineering Corporation 5900 Olson Memorial Highway Minneapolis, MN 55422 Telephone (612) 544-2721 Date: November 30, 1984 INPUT/OUTPUT 361 Caption: Initializing a disk for RSX Message: The proper command for initializing a disk under VMS to be used on an RSX system is: INITIALIZE/STRUCTURE=1/SYSTEM devicename label If the /SYSTEM qualifier is omitted, the disk will mount under RSX, but all of its files will be inaccessible. Contact: Charles E. McMichael, Jr. Pittsburgh Corning Corporation 800 Presque Isle Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15239 Telephone (412) 327-6100 Date: December 3, 1984 52 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 INPUT/OUTPUT INPUT/OUTPUT 362 Caption: Color hard copies of DECSLIDE and DECGRAPH output Message: Does anyone know how to get color hard copies of DECSLIDE and DECGRAPH outputs other than by photography? Contact: TSVI RUBIN Department 4754, Engineering Division Israel Aircraft Industries Ben-Gurion Airport Lod ISRAEL Telephone 3-977246 Date: December 6, 1984 INPUT/OUTPUT 363 Caption: Archive System for VMS Message: We are looking for a "user friendly" archival and retrieval system for VMS. The system would hopefully allow users some ability to archive and also submit retrieval requests to the operator. Contact: Bill Lackey Post Office Box 12314 MD 24 RTP, NC 27709 Telephone (919) 541-3744 Date: December 7, 1984 INPUT/OUTPUT 364 Caption: Looking for MODULA-2 Language System Message: We are looking for a Modula-2 compiler, translator or interpreter which runs under VAX/VMS for use in conjunction with Computer Science courses. Does anyone know of such an implementation? Contact: Ray Ontko Computing Center Earlham College Richmond, IN 47374 Telephone (317) 962-6561 x 285 53 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 INPUT/OUTPUT Date: December 14, 1984 INPUT/OUTPUT 365 Caption: Ethernet Installation Trick Message: The connector at the end of an Ethernet coax cable is "type N". The center pin of this connector should not protrude beyond the edge of the outer ring. Sometimes in the installation process, handling and pulling the cable will cause this problem. If so, have someone hold the cable firmly, six feet down from the connector. Then, holding the cable lightly, walk toward the connector, tugging at the outer jacket. This will pull the jacket over the inner conductor and retract the center pin. Contact: Larry Bolef Washington University Campus Box 1169 St Louis, MO 63130 Telephone (314) 889-5493 Date: December 17, 1984 INPUT/OUTPUT 366 Caption: Double sided DSD-480 Support -- Reply to I/O # 340 Message: I have modified the DEC DYDRIVER (source entered from fiche) to support the DSD-480 double density double sided feature for the IBM 2D-256 format (26 sectors). The driver also supports standard single sided single density, for which DEC and IBM are compatible (IBM 3740 or 1-128), and single sided double density (side 1 only of IBM 2D-256) for use with a one-sided diskette (incompatible with use of DEC's single sided double density format). Error handling is just as bad as in the DEC driver. Code to support formatting IBM 2D-256 is incomplete presently. Contact: Louise Wholey Measurex 1 Results Way Cupertino, CA 95014 Telephone (408) 255-1500 x5571 Date: December 18, 1984 54 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 LUG Agenda LUG Agenda The following LUG meeting information is published with the understanding that Pageswapper readers will receive it too late to attend the meetings. The purpose, rather, is to share meeting topic ideas among LUGS. o New Mexico VAX LUG - February 11, 1985 From meeting minutes in newsletter The tentative topics are All-in-One and Clusters. o Rocky Mountain VAX LUG - Tuesday January 8, 1985 From LUG NOTES, the RMVLUG Newsletter 8:30 - 9:00 am Donuts, etc. 9:00 - 9:30 Business meeting 9:30 - 11:00 Finding Your Way Around DEC; Tony Carrato and Mary Rankin 11:00 - 12:00 Novice Question-and-Answer Time: Bring all the silly VAX questions you've ever had! 12:00 - 1:00 pm *** Lunch *** Options are the NCAR cafeteria (what a view!) and some nice little sandwich shops at the bottom of the hill. 1:00 - 2:00 Overview of Spring DECUS Tapes: Louis Krupp, Fred Langerich and Gary Thrower 2:00 - 2:30 Selection of topics for our spring meeting. We very probably will have Ken O'Monhundro form Able Computer for the afternoon at our spring meeting. 2:30 - 4:00 Reports from Fall DECUS. 55 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 LUG Meeting Reports LUG Meeting Reports o New Mexico VAX LUG - November 9, 1984 From meeting minutes in newsletter Donald Robbins, VAX LUG Secretary The meeting was well attended with over 40 people present. It was on several topics, the main topic being UNIX, called ULTRIX by DEC. The meeting was called to order by or chairman, Paula Capps at 1:15. A. ULTRIX Dave Gutierrez of the Customer Support Center (CSC) of DEC in Colorado Springs gave the presentation on ULTRIX. In the genealogy of ULTRIX the departure is at V7 in the UNIX line. The VAX version, ULTRIX-32, also has as an ancestor the Berkeley version 4.2 of UNIX. The engine in the VAX ULTRIX is like that of Berkeley. It is not the AT&T engine. ULTRIX-32 is written in the VAX native mode. It is distributed in binary form, with an interactive SYSGEN to build your system. Unlike some other DEC products, ULTRIX is not a layered product. The license gives the user all parts of the product. This package includes "C", Fortran 77, Pascal, Franz Lisp. The main selling points for ULTRIX from DEC are: a. A continuing commitment to UNIX from DEC, b. A stable kernel, c. A set of drivers to match all of DEC's peripherals. DEC has the VNX product, which is the Shell with VMS. The use of this package will allow new users (university types) with UNIX experience, to come up to speed easily in a VMS environment. Gutierrez said DEC is not going to make ULTRIX VMS like. 56 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 LUG Meeting Reports There does seem to be interest in ULTRIX. Accordingly a LUG is a-borning. The nurturers are: Dave Padilla of DEC at 345-3311 and John McDermott of UNM at 277-4650 If you have read this far, and have a UNIX interest, and would like to be a charter member of this new group, let one of the above know of your interest. B. VAX 8600 Dave Padilla, of DEC, mentioned the new VAX 8600, which has been announced by DEC. The speed, relative to the 780 is 4.2 times. Also the physical memory can be expanded to 32 Mbytes without additional cabinets. Naturally the VAX 8600 can be configured into the VAXcluster. C. Santa Fe DECUS reports. Paula had contacted some of our VAXLUG members who participated in the fine Santa Fe New Mexico DECUS meeting. 1. Larry Ebinger of Sandia talked of his presentation at Santa Fe regarding a system problem with a new VAX, based on his PDP-11 experience. 2. C. Doug Brown of Sandia talked about some of the security enhancements DEC is adding to VMS 4.0. Doug has been most faithful in suggesting and testing these enhancements. 3. Hattie Dietzel of Sandia talked about some of the papers she covered at Santa Fe, mainly on office automation. 4. Doug Olson of Kirtland talked about what he had heard about ADA. Clif Fisk of Sandia mentioned he had heard that the DEC compiler for ADA had been accepted by the DOD committee. The release is next April. D. Education Rob Edwards of Kirtland mentiond some of the upcoming seminars from DEC on VMS. 57 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 INPUT/OUTPUT Submission Form INPUT/OUTPUT Submission Form A SIG Information Interchange Please reprint in the next issue of the Pageswapper If this is a reply to a previous I/O, which number? ________ Caption: ______________________________________________________ Message: ______________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Contact: Name _______________________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Telephone ____________________________ Signature _____________________________ Date ________________ Mail this form to: PAGESWAPPER Editor, DECUS, 249 Northboro Road (BPO2), Marlborough, MA 01752, USA 58 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 INPUT/OUTPUT Submission Form Tear out to submit an I/O item PAGESWAPPER Editor DECUS 249 Northboro Road (BPO2) Marlborough, MA 01752 USA 59 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 System Improvement Request Submission Form System Improvement Request Submission Form Page 1 of _____ ________________________________________________________________ Submittor: Firm: Address: Phone: ________________________________________________________________ How to write an SIR: Describe the capability you would like to see available on VAX systems. Be as specific as possible. Please don't assume we know how it's done on the XYZ system. Justify why the capability would be useful and give an example of its use. If you wish, suggest a possible implementation of your request. ________________________________________________________________ Abstract (Please limit to four lines): ________________________________________________________________ Description and examples (use additional pages if required) 60 PAGESWAPPER - January 1985 - Volume 6 Number 7 System Improvement Request Submission Form Tear out to submit an SIR Gary L. Grebus Battelle Columbus Laboratories 505 King Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43201 USA 61