DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 412 0 replies Reply to # 410 Left by: ELLIOT FINLEY On 20-Sep-88 At : HERE... OR (801) 363-1657 Subject: DIALING IN AT 1200/2400 Set your smart modems so that they will not echo any commands. The reason for this is because, suppose that you call at 1200 and the modem that is on your vax defaults to 2400, the vax will see the work "RING" at 2400 therefor autobauding to 2400, then when you get connected at 1200, you get garbage. SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 179 2 replies Left by: DICK THOMSON On 20-Sep-88 At : 914/658-3141 Subject: CRASHES ABOVE "ASTDEL" ? Since increasing ports on Microvax II above 16, we have had over 20 system system crashes: "INVEXCEPTN, Exception while above ASTDEL or on interrupt stack." Occurs on any random process, priority is at 9, I/O counts at their limits. How can we find out what"s wrong? SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 180 1 replies Reply to # 179 Left by: JIM MCRAE On 20-Sep-88 At : (406) 245-3191 Subject: CRASHES We had a similar problem on our 750 that turned out to be hardware. I think the CPU board was replaced (DEC field service did the work). Jim CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 303 2 replies Left by: SCOTT RIBE On 20-Sep-88 At : (205) 583-3600 Subject: PC NETWORKING We are considering using our VAX as the file (and print) server for a network of PC's (IBM Compatibles). Does anyone have experience with a setup like this? We are particularly interested in any information that would help us decide between the various options (ie, DEC, Novell, etc...). Thanks... PC'S SIG Message # 185 0 replies Left by: SCOTT RIBE On 20-Sep-88 At : (205) 583-3600 Subject: PC NETWORKING I would really appreciate your response to msg # 303 in the clustering and networking sig... thanks. COMMUNICATIONS SIG Message # 230 0 replies Left by: SCOTT RINE On 20-Sep-88 At : (205) 583-3600 Subject: PC NETWORKING Please respond to msg # 303 in the clustering and networking sig... thanks. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 304 0 replies Reply to # 303 Left by: Phil Anthony On 20-Sep-88 At : Here Subject: PC/VAX NETWORKING Scott, see my message in answer to Kitty George's question on the same topic in the Communications SIG (SIG #27, Message #226). I haven't actually put one up yet - nobody has outside of Novell, it's still in beta test - but Novell's Netware for VMS looks darned good. APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 265 0 replies Left by: BRETT On 20-Sep-88 At : DEPT OF NEUROLOGY/GRADUATE HOSP PHIL Subject: VAXLAB/VAXSTATION/GPX Interested in conversing with anyone in the VAX world who is familiar with the vaxlab software on a vaxstation II/gpx system. We are writing real-time acquisition and display programs to acquire and analyze EEG data from scalp leads and depth electrode placements. Want to share our experience and benefit from your experiences both good and bad. Please correspond via this message system or directly at 215-893-4133 or by mail to: Brett E. Skolnick, Ph.D. Department of Neurology Graduate Hospital Philadelphia, Pa. 19146 Thanks. VMS SIG Message # 723 0 replies Reply to # 722 Left by: Robert G. Schaffrath On 21-Sep-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: SET WATCH Documentation Glad you found SET WATCH interesting. I stumbled across it about two years ago and was never able to find any documentation on it. It has been quite useful though. I contacted the CSC and found out that it is on V5.0. However it, along with WP.EXE/WPDRIVER.EXE which is another interesting utility, will remain undocumented. Anyway, here is what I have on 'SET WATCH': SET WATCH/CLASS=(n) FILE Enables logging of selected XQP functions, specified by 'n', on the current terminal. Requires either CMEXEC or CMKRNL privilege. 'n' may be a list of classes. Class Function ----- -------- ALL Enables monitoring of all monitorable classes ATTACHED (I have no idea on this one. Never seen it work) DUMP Enables monitoring of FIB block contents. ATTRIBUTES Enables monitoring of read/write attibute operations CONTROL_FUNCTION Monitors ACP control operations (IO$_ACPCONTROL) DIRECTORY_OPERATIONS Monitors directory operations such as lookup, etc. MAJOR_FUNCTION Monitors major XQP functions. Combination of classes. QUOTA_OPERATIONS Monitors lookup and changes to QUOTA.SYS. NONE Disables monitoring of all classes. Also 'NOALL' There is more... to continue?  Have fun!! Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY VMS SIG Message # 724 0 replies Left by: JIM ANDERSON On 21-Sep-88 At : HERE Subject: DYNAMIC MEMORY ALLOCATION I would like to know how to increase the dynamic memory allocation for a process. I have a very large image which responds with insufficient dynamic memory whenever it is executed. My terminology may not be correct; the value that believe needs to be increased is the one on the upper right corner of the SHOW PROCESS/MEMORY command. It is 50 on all of the VMS systems that I have seen, but for a specific process, I need at least 100. I have tried increasing the working set quotas in the UAF, and have modified several SYSGEN parameters, but nothing seems to alter this value. Please tell me where I can find a good explaination of this value, including how to modify it. MICROVAX SIG Message # 160 2 replies Left by: DOUGLAS M. KABAY On 21-Sep-88 At : 609-737-5801 Subject: AREA ROUTER LOADING We are in the process of evaluating CPUs to be used as an area router and network management center. The two candidates are a MicroVAX II and a MicroVAX 3600. Where could I look for information that would help us make the choice? DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 413 0 replies Reply to # 265 Left by: Phil Anthony On 21-Sep-88 At : Here Subject: MAC/VAX NETWORKING Gary, this reply is awfully late, and you probably have an answer already. I don't know about DEC, but Novell has it now. MACs can take part in a Novell Ethernet network, using the AppleShare interface - and now VAXes can be servers on a Novell network. Call me at (215) 643-4265 if more informa- tion would still be useful. (It's a lot faster than AlissaTalk, too!) APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 266 0 replies Left by: KENNETH R. PAUL On 21-Sep-88 At : HARRIS & PAULSON Subject: GLOBAL BUFFERS IN RMS IN WRITING A DATA BASE APPLICATION ON A MICRO VAX IN VAX/FORTRAN I NEEDED TO OPEN SEVERAL FILES WITH SHARED ACCES AND USED GLOBAL BUFFERS. IF I GOT AN RMS$_CRMP MESSAGE AFTER MY CONNECT I WOULD DECREMENT MY FAB$W_GBC FIELD BY ONE AND TRY TO CONNECT AGAIN. I WOULD REPEAT THIS PROCESS UNTIL THE FILE WAS CONNECTED. WHEN I INSTALLED THE PROGRAM ON TWO DIFFERENT 8600 SYSTEMS THE PROGRAM WOULD HANG WHEN I WOULD TRY TO CONNECT WITH A SMALLER NUMBER. ANY THOUGHTS ON WHY THIS IS? THE RMS MANUAL MENTIONS THAT EITHER GBLSECTIONS, GBLPAGES, OR GBLPAGFIL IS NOT LARGE ENOUGH IN SYSGEN. I KNOW HOW TO FIND OUT WHAT IS CURRENTLY BEING USED OF GBLSECTIONS AND GBLPAGES FROM INSTALL. IS THERE ANY WAY OF FINDING OUT HOW MANY GBLPAGFIL ENTRIES I HAVE USED SO I CAN DETERMINE WHICH VARIABLE NEEDS TO BE INCREASED? COMMUNICATIONS SIG Message # 231 1 replies Left by: RAY GAUVREAU On 21-Sep-88 At : 705 945 4448 Subject: MEGALINK BY COMPUTROL We have been using Computrols MEGALINK hardware and protocol to communicate between two digital PDP micros. It connects a communications micro to an analog control micro but there have been intremittent problems with the link. It seems to work fine for a number of weeks and then for no APPARENT reason the link simply hangs. Cycling the power on the communications micro (PDP11/23) seems to restart the hardware. We have tried to fix the problem using software resets, but with no luck. If anyone out there has had similar, or indeed ANY experience with MEGALINK from Computrol, I would appreciate your insights. We are concidering replacing with DEQUNA boards. Please leave a mail message or give me a call. Thank You, Ray Gauvreau (705) 945-4448 Algoma Steel Corp. Sault Ste. Marie Ontario, Canada SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 181 0 replies Reply to # 178 Left by: Barton F Bruce On 21-Sep-88 At : HERE Subject: Force X-ON a terminal There is a SET TERM Txxn: /XON command (may be undocumented) that may help. RSX SIG Message # 246 0 replies Left by: RAY GAUVREAU On 21-Sep-88 At : 705 945 4448 Subject: MEGALINK BY COMPUTROL We have been using Computrols MEGALINK hardware and protocol to communicate between two digital PDP micros. It connects a communications micro to an analog control micro but there have been intremittent problems with the link. It seems to work fine for a number of weeks and then for no APPARENT reason the link simply hangs. Cycling the power on the communications micro (PDP11/23) seems to restart the hardware. We have tried to fix the problem using software resets, but with no luck. If anyone out there has had similar, or indeed ANY experience with MEGALINK from Computrol, I would appreciate your insights. We are concidering replacing with DEQUNA boards. Please leave a mail message or give me a call. Thank You, Ray Gauvreau (705) 945-4448 Algoma Steel Corp. Sault Ste. Marie Ontario, Canada MICROVAX SIG Message # 161 0 replies Left by: CLIFF HEYER On 21-Sep-88 At : 617-239-3684 Subject: MICROVAX 2000 I was thinking of buying a MicroVAX 2000 for program development....that is BIG programs 35,000+ lines COBOL or 100,000+ lines C. Anyone have any experience with programs this big on the 2000? I'm wondering if one has to wait hours for compiles. Perhaps getting the 6MB version is advisable to reduce paging? DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 414 0 replies Reply to # 410 Left by: RICHARD NIGHTINGALE On 21-Sep-88 At : (212)495-1406 Subject: HAYES MODEMS ON DS200 I have been very successful getting my Hayes 2400 baud modem to do dialin/dialout with automatic speed selection between 1200 and 2400 baud. I am using a DECserver 200 for this purpose. AUTOBAUD simply doesn't work on MicroVAXes. My DS200 is configured with SPEED 2400 and ALTERNATE SPEED 1200. Modem controls are enabled, and DTRwait is enabled. I initialized my HAYES modem with the command string: AT&F&C1&D3&S1S0=1&W This saves permanent settings which instruct the modem to use the Speed Selection pins of the RS232. This enables the DS200 to always know which speed the modem is operating at, and match it. This works much better than AUTOBAUD, although it is limited to two speeds. On dialin, it is not necessary for the user to press Carriage Return, as with Autobaud. On dialout, the dialing commands are always issued at 2400 baud, but the modem and DS200 will automatically switch when a 1200 baud connection is made. The only problem is that this configuration suppresses the usual CONNECT message. So, you just have to count to 10 slowly before beginning your login. Other messages, such as "BUSY" are not affected by this. MICROVAX SIG Message # 162 0 replies Reply to # 160 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 22-Sep-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: CPU LOAD DATA FOR NETWORKS The information you want can be found on pages 8 and 9 in the DECnet-VAX SPD 25.03.24. Specifically, you are interested in the load capacity. MicroVAX II is rated at 280 and the MicroVAX 3600 is rated at 640. The formula for calculating load is a bit complicated but does work. If you are planning to do area routing, you may have to use the 3600. Anyway, if you do not have the SPD, drop me a line and I can FAX it to you (if you have a FAX) or U.S. mail. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 183 0 replies Reply to # 180 Left by: DICK THOMSON On 22-Sep-88 At : 914/658-3141 Subject: CRASHES ABOVE "ASTDEL" Thank you Jim. That's what our maintenance people thought. They replaced the CPU board twice, but it didn't help. APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 267 0 replies Left by: GREGG ABE On 23-Sep-88 At : (301) 729-0610 Subject: SOFTWARE FOR IRC SECTION 89 We are looking for a standalone software package to assist us in the new IRC Section 89 Tax Reform Act. This new regulation is effective January 1, 1989 and it concerns fringe benefits paid by the employer for all employees. Basically it is a revenue generating regulation from the IRS and it will tax those employees who are over compensated. If anyone has any info on software for this purpose please let me know.. Thank YOU, Gregg Abe Walter N. Yoder & Sons, Inc. Cumberland, MD (301) 729-0610 TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 239 0 replies Left by: COLLEEN COSGROVE On 23-Sep-88 At : 201-503-4295 Subject: TOUCH SCREEN/LIGHTPEN TERM I am looking for any information on DEC compatible lightpen or touchscreen terminals. If anyone knows a manufacturer of such a terminal please let me know! SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 184 1 replies Reply to # 179 Left by: Phil Anthony On 23-Sep-88 At : Here Subject: INVEXCEPTN Dick, it took me a while to dredge this out of my memory, and somebody else around here probably knows lots more about it than I do. BUT - here goes. This message occurs when an interrupt occurs while system software is run- ning at heightened (device driver-level) priority. It can signal a device on the line sending stray interrupts (CPU board, floating point accelerator, serial ports, parallel ports, Ethernet boards, and tape drives - in that order - are most suspect). Or it can result from poorly written device driver code that tries to maintain heightened priority too darned long, especially without masking off interrupts correctly. At least, this is what I was told, piecing together information from a vari- ety of sources (DEC software support, DEC field engineers, a couple of friends), when I saw it on an 11/750 and VMS 4.3. In that case, it turned out to be an OEM's device driver. Since you added serial ports just before you started getting the crash, I'd suggest you look at your new multiplexor board. If you have any non-DEC device drivers, they'd also be suspect in my mind: The addition of that much more traffic (and one more device to interrupt) could presumably drive a marginal driver over the edge. Good luck! PC'S SIG Message # 186 1 replies Reply to # 160 Left by: BOB KERNS On 23-Sep-88 At : 202-355-2615 Subject: SMARTERM 241 We use Smarterm 241 on our Zenith PC (IBM AT clone) and it seems to work very well. Get 132 columns without any add in board - uses the EGA capability of the Zenith without mods. Don't know specifacally about the other features, but we can run DECslide and DECgraph without problems. SITE MANAGEMENT SIG Message # 241 0 replies Reply to # 240 Left by: BOB ZISEK On 23-Sep-88 At : (203)798-5240 Subject: GRPPRV & ACL'S Tim; When a process has the GRPPRV privilege, it has system access to files within the same group. I had to rescind this privilege from a privileged user, because this user was creating files in another directory, however with GRPPRV, was not designated as the owner of the file (resource charging), instead the ownership was that of the previous file version's owner, or that of the parent directory. I don't know of any other way, but to take the privilege away. Does your userreally need GRPPRV, or can file access etc. be gotten in another fashion? I think the reason that the ACL is attached is obvious. Since the file takes on another ownership, the ACL still permits the original owner access to it. I change the file ownerships and remove the ACL's when needed. COMMUNICATIONS SIG Message # 232 1 replies Reply to # 231 Left by: Barton F Bruce On 23-Sep-88 At : (617) 868-1111 or HERE Subject: No! No! NO DEQNAS I am curious about WHAT your MEGALINK is, but that is not why I responded. DO NOT BUY DEQNAs. All DEQNA owners on DEC service contracts are waiting to see what DEC 'offers' as a deal for the upgrade they have suggested may be necessary. What has been said is that DEQNAs may not be supported after the first version of VMS 5.0. Buy DELQAs. If you are currently 'stuck' with a DEQNA badger your F/S site rep into giving you ALL ECOs including the latest for LAVCs even if you don't have a LAVC. Dec has JUST announced a packaged configuration using DEQNAs, probably because it was planned way before they decided to drop support! Smooth move... The DS500's current software WON'T work with a DELQA, so guess what they ship... But you aren't supposed to peek inside anyway (HA!). If you are buying for Unibus, get the DELUA, rather than DEUNA. You save amps at +5 volts and save a slot and get 3 times the performance. MICROVAX SIG Message # 163 0 replies Reply to # 160 Left by: Barton F Bruce On 23-Sep-88 At : (617) 868-1111 Subject: Micro-Routers How much traffic do you plan to have, anyway? Remember a MV2 ~= 11/780! You can work wonders with even an 11/44 and a DELUA for ethernet and DMRs for high speed sync links. Used, they are inexpensive, BUT they won't be able to be area routers come D/N 5.0. The POISON for any D/N node is dumb character interrupt devices such as DUPs, DPVs, DZ(V)s, etc. Dec has just announced their new family of Micro-Routers that has been eagerly awaited for SEVERAL years as users suffered with DECSAs. When I first heard of them they were supposed to be a 4 port box that sat on Ethernet and the ports were 50 pin plugs that could be configured for RS-232, VRS-422, V.35, or whatever simply by plugging in a different adapter cable. What of that has changed in the last couple of years while Reading (England) has been working on these I don't yet know. They have a D/N router, PSI box and SNA gateway thing. The only other DECSA function they don't replace is being a terminal server and for that they have the DS500. In the same recent press release they mentioned a new Q bus comm. controller that I think was DEVCA, but may be wrong. Maybe it is in the new router configs. Call them free on their store @1-800-332-3366 and to 'browse' you can be a firstimer with no account. Check out the recent Press Releases - just pre Dec-World timing. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 406 1 replies Left by: PETER KROPOTKIN On 24-Sep-88 At : HERE Subject: CLANDESTINE CONNECTIVITY Addressing myself to the good Dr. R, I'm happy to report that rumours of heightened security measures by Paranoia Central were, althouigh not entirely false, greatly exaggerated. . . Power to the People. . . TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 240 1 replies Left by: STAN STREZLECK On 25-Sep-88 At : 201-502-4282 Subject: MOUSE WITH VT220/VT320 TERMINALS Somewhere, it may have been DEC Professional, I saw either and ad or an article that mentioned using a mouse with the VT220 (or it may have been VT320). At the time, I said to myself "how interesting" and promptly forgot about it. Now, I could use the information. Anyone who can help, please reply. As I said, I'm not sure where I saw the article/ad, but it was this year. UTILITIES SIG Message # 298 0 replies Left by: STAN STREZLECK On 25-Sep-88 At : 201-503-4282 Subject: MOUSE WITH VT220/VT320 This is a companion message to one in left in PRINTER?PLOTTERS. Anyone who knows of software that will permit the use of a mouse with the VT220/VT320 terminal please reply. There was and ad or article about just this subject (possibly in DEC Professional) some time this year. At the time I really didn't need to know more about it, so I forgot everything except that I saw the thing written up. Please reply if you can help. TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 241 1 replies Left by: MARTIN PENSAK On 25-Sep-88 At : 302-366-6381 Subject: VAXSTATION MONITORS I'm looking for ways to use additional big-screen monitors, or video projectors, or something like that, from a VAXstation. This is to use in training courses, so many people can see what is being shown on a VAXstation. Somebody gave me *almost* all of a new product announcement from the back of an old DEC PRO issue. It talks about a product from "Network Technologies Inc" called the VOPEX-3A3, a video output port expander for MicroVAX 2000s. This looks like a great lead -- however, the clipping I have does not have the vendor address or phone number. It was Page 166 from DEC PRO, but doesn't even show the issue date. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 305 2 replies Left by: EIRIK LYGRE On 26-Sep-88 At : +47 4 623766 (NORWAY) Subject: LOOKING FOR TCP/IP UNDER VMS I have a VAXstation 2000 without a DECNET-license (but with an ethernet controller), and really want to find a TCP/IP package that is good. I know about the Wollongong-software, but I was wondering if any other software existed. Does any of you guysknow? Thanx!! TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 243 0 replies Reply to # 241 Left by: ANNE SCHRAUGER On 26-Sep-88 At : 215-542-7008 X401 Subject: VOPEX We ran Network Technologies' release in the March 88 issue. Their address and phone are 19145 Elizabeth St., Aurora, OH 44202; (800) RGB-TECH. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 408 0 replies Left by: DR. R On 26-Sep-88 At : HERE Subject: RUMORS The eight-head Calypso (Rigel CPU) and PVAX are coming soon. Also, the RISC workstation was preannounced in Australia in August. TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 244 0 replies Reply to # 240 Left by: Phil Anthony On 26-Sep-88 At : Here Subject: MOUSE FOR VTXXX Stan, I don't know if this is what you were thinking of, but I have a pos- sible answer for you. Applied Business Systems, 12141 Candy Lane, Saratoga, Calif. 95070 - (408) 446-9469 - demonstrated what they called an ANSI Loca- tor hooked to a mouse at DEXPO East last spring. It operated either in non- interrupt mode, in which the Locator keeps track of location (and updates your screen), then sends the updated location to the host when you click; or interrupt mode, in which the Locator translates mouse movement into the ap- propriate escape sequences to emulate use of the arrow keys. APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 268 1 replies Reply to # 263 Left by: CURT SNYDER On 26-Sep-88 At : 714-752-4760 Subject: FMS AND TDMS I have been using both FMS and TDMS for several years. For inexperience programmers I strongly recommend TDMS. However, there are times when FMS is the better choice. FMS gives you better control of the screen and allows you to write 'fancier' user front ends. One of my favorites is to display a 'sub-screen' containing a list of possible choices for a given entry (often in response to a query key). As for using TDMS and DBMS, I have used TDMS to get information to/from DTR and RDB as well. If you can keep only one forms driver, however, I would keep FMS, due to its flexibility. You may wish to send your programmers to an FMS class. If you are in DECUS, check the pre-symposia seminars by Digital Educational services ( there is one on advanced FMS applications) and also the regular symposia. It may not be in depth, but gives you a good overview. CPU'S SIG Message # 46 0 replies Left by: RONALD PHILLIP On 27-Sep-88 At : 405-329-6906 Subject: RQDX3 I AM TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER AN 11/23. I WAS WONDERING IF ANY BODY KNOWS IF I CAN USE AN RQDX1 WITH AN 11/23. THE DRIVE I WILL USE WILL NOT BE A SEGATE DRIVE BUT A CONTROL DATA DRIVE? I KNOW THAT THE RQDX1 IS A POOR DRIVE BUT FOR MY PURPOSE IT WILL HAVE TO DO FOR START. THE CDC DRIVE 6IS ALSO ST506 . 7 COMMUNICATIONS SIG Message # 233 0 replies Reply to # 232 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 27-Sep-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: DEQNA Revision To those with DEQNA's: The current DEQNA ECO is K4. If you don't have a K4 board, call field service. DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 416 0 replies Left by: EVAN KUDLAJEV On 27-Sep-88 At : (215)841-4773 Subject: TCP/IP ON RSX/11M+ SYSTEM? DOES ANYONE KNOW OF A SOURCE(S) OF TCP/IP SOFTWARE FOR AN RSX/11M+ SYSTEM (PDP 11/84)? I AM INTERESTED IN INTEGRATING A HOST OF SYSTEMS: PDP 11/84(RSX/11M+), MICROVAX II (MICROVMS), IBM PC (MS-DOS), AND PDP 11/44 (TSX PLUS). I HAVE JUST ABOUT GIVEN UP ON THE 11/44...THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANYTHING AVAILABLE. THE ONLY OPTION SEEMS TO BE DECNET FOR THE REMAINING THREE SYSTEMS. COMMUNICATIONS SIG Message # 234 0 replies Reply to # 225 Left by: ALAN CRARY On 27-Sep-88 At : 212-272-6276 Subject: MICROWAVE RESULTS We have been using LOCATE for microwave service in and around the N.Y.C. area for the last year. When we started, we only used a couple of T1's (1.544Mb/s) to connect our various offices and data centers. This worked o.k. except that on high humidity days and days when it rained heavily, we couldn't do a file transfer. We eventually dropped the packet size to 576 bytes transmitted, and the problems diminished. We have since installed T3 links (28 t1's) and no longer have any problems. It can pour, and we don't have a problem. This was setup using VITALINK bridges and ethernet's at each location. Call for any other details. Alan MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 208 0 replies Left by: ERIC LYSIONOK On 27-Sep-88 At : 1-613-727-7529 Subject: BACKUP DRIVE WE NEED A BACKUP DRIVE FOR A MICROVAX II. WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO FORCE A REBOOT FROM A SECOND DRIVE IF THE SYSTEM DRIVE GOES DOWN.THIS MUST BE DONE REMOTELY;NO PHYSICAL RESET IS POSSIBLE. ANY IDEAS. SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 185 2 replies Left by: GREGG ABE On 27-Sep-88 At : WALTER N. YODER & SONS Subject: ADDING 2ND DISK DRIVE We are considering adding a second disk drive to our system. We currently have a 11/750 with 8Mb and one RA81 drive. Our current drive usually has about 350,000 available blocks. Our reason for adding the second drive is not for storage capacity. Our goal is to put the operating system on a seperate drive. Hopefully this will improve our performance. Can anyone out there give me an idea if this will have a significant impact on our system? Also can anyone suggest a DEC drive (apprx. 100 mb)? Thank You Gregg Abe Walter N. Yoder & Sons, Inc. Cumberland, MD (301) 729-0610 VMS SIG Message # 726 1 replies Left by: MARK STONE On 27-Sep-88 At : (617) 578-8665 Subject: VMS V5.0 - WHY MOVE? Here's the foolish question of the day... Should I upgrade to VMS V5.0 soon or wait forever? I'm at V4.6 with 2 780s and an 8550. The software is almost all DEC except 20/20 and Diskeeper. Is V5.0 safe or you I let the adventurous (sp?) group find the bug and features? MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 409 1 replies Left by: CLIFF On 28-Sep-88 At : 617-239-3684 Subject: DIGITAL RONNIE SYSTEM Does anyone know about the Digital "RONNIE" system, and who you contact to get access to it? MICROVAX SIG Message # 164 0 replies Left by: CLIFF HEYER On 28-Sep-88 At : 617-239-3684 Subject: MV2000 SCSI Has anyone (espc. Dave Bynon) figured out if the MV2000 TK50 'port' is actually a SCSI? Or if the RQDX3 ish controller (which strangely runs 50% slower than it's MV II counterpart) can somehow be removed, replaced and/or Bypassed? Hopefully it is on some sort of separate card. Is it true you can hook up a Seagate ST251 to the MV2000 as Dave Mallery mentioned in Cluster Chronicles(4/88)? Has anyone hazardously plugged a SCSI drive into the TK50 port to see what happens? There are too many 'interfaces' to the MV 2000 for it to be called a 'busless' machine. I guess not everyone reads DecPro...when I bring up this subject to 3rd party hardware suppliers the first thing I hear is 'thats a busless system, we CAN'T make things for it." C'mon guys...where is your american ingenuity???? This is a HOT item!! RSTS SIG Message # 308 2 replies Left by: ANDY RUTMAN On 28-Sep-88 At : 203-562-1121 Subject: LINKING RSTS AND VAX GREETINGS! I AM A RELATIVELY NEW SYSTEM MANAGER, WHOSE LATEST PROJECT IS TO COME UP UP WITH A WAY TO PULL FILES OFF OF A REMOTE RSTS MACHINE, AND INTO MY VAX. I HAVE VMSKERMIT ON MY END, AND I'M WONDERING IF ANYONE HAS ANY TIPS...I'D JUST AS SOON NOT START SPENDING CASH FOR ONE SHOT FILE-TRANSFERS. ANY PUBLIC DOMAIN STUFF OUT THERE? OR EVEN BETTER, IS THERE ANYTHING ALREADY ON THE RSTS MACHINE MACHINE? I HAVE NO WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF RSTS...WHERE'S A GOOD POLACE TO START? THANKS FOR THE HELP.... ANDY RUTMAN THE NEW HAVEN REGISTER 40 SARGENT DRIVE NEW HAVEN, CT 06511 ATTN: DATA PROCESSING MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 410 0 replies Reply to # 409 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 28-Sep-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: DIGITAL'S RONNIE SYSTEM The RONNIE system (Remote Online Network for News and Information Exchange) is for use primarily by OEM's. I used to use it at my last job. It is quite informative and is usually the place you will find out about the latest product releases from DEC. It is accessed through TYMNET. For information, contact the RONNIE hotline at 603-884-5164. I personally have not investigated whether or not a non-OEM can get an account on it. Personally I think it is superior to the DES but you have to be a bit more computer literate to use it. If you are successful, let me know. I would probably contact them myself for an account. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 VMS SIG Message # 727 0 replies Reply to # 726 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 28-Sep-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: VMS V5.0, WHY? If you don't need to upgrade, don't. I would recommend that you upgrade to V4.7 and apply the security V2.0 patch as well. I just upgraded to V5.0-1 on my MicroVAX II. It really wasn't necessary but I like to have the 'latest and greatest'!. As time goes on, you may discover bugs in certain layered products which, when fixed in a new release, will only run on VMS V5.0+. In this case, you will have to upgrade. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY VMS SIG Message # 728 0 replies Reply to # 168 Left by: DAVID BEORN On 28-Sep-88 At : 804-788-7410 Subject: "RE: GETTING/USING DISK QUOTA INFO" As some other have said there IS NO ELEGANT way to get quota info into a program. I have a DCL program that runs and defines a global symbol for each of the 4 quota numbers (Available, used, total and overdraft) and you can read these symbols from DCL, FORTRAN or whatever. This is the best way I know to do it (and yes - I reassign sys$output to a file and then parse the contents - what a pain). With version 5.0 of VMS there was SUPPOSED to be (or at least I was told there MIGHT be) an F$QUOTA function to do this but I have since heard this is not the case. Maybe 5.1??? Don't hold your breath. Hard to believe there are so many other lexicals but this is not one of them. Maybe f$environment will have a quota option at some point but until then.... I have not received V.5.0 yet since I now have a MicroVAX and they just started shipping for them recently, so can anyone confirm that the above F$QUOTA does NOT exist??? David Beorn Reynolds Metals 4th & Canal Street Richmond, VA 23219 MICROVAX SIG Message # 166 1 replies Left by: DON VANWOERKOM On 28-Sep-88 At : 616-392-7195 Subject: CONNECT 2 BUILDINGS MY COMPANY IS IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING A NEW OFFICE AND FACTORY IN ADDITION TO THE ONE THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY OCCUPYING. I NEED SUGGESTIONS ON CONNECTING THE TWO BUILDINGS TO THE SAME MICROVAX II. ONE BUILDING WILL HAVE ABOUT 8 USERS, THE SECOND WILL HAVE ABOUT 12 USERS. BOTH BUILDING WILL BE ADDING USESR AT THE RATE OF ABOUT 2-3 PER YEAR. THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE BUILDINGS WILL BE ABOUT 4 MILES BY THE ROAD. CONTROLLERS/MEMORY SIG Message # 103 1 replies Reply to # 102 Left by: ROBERT W. HOSTETLER On 28-Sep-88 At : 317-646-7518 Subject: DZ-11 UNRECOGNIZED I didn't catch the first message in this topic, but when the DEC FEs install anytype of card in a UNIBUS chassis, they have to cut a jumper in the wire-wrap on the underside of the card box. I tried to install a DMZ-32 without cutting the wire, and it was unrecognized until the FE did his thing. Has this been done to your system? VMS SIG Message # 729 1 replies Left by: GREGG ABE On 28-Sep-88 At : WALTER N. YODER & SONS Subject: TUNING INDEXED FILES We are considering using "Deferred Write" on some of our indexed files by setting that option to yes in the FDL. Does anyone know of any problems that we may run into or any reason why we should not use this option? Also, I read somewhere in a DEC manual that if the "Data_Key Compression" or the "Index Compression" is ever a negative number then you should disable the compression. Can anyone tell me why? Finally, can anyone suggest some reading materials or training courses for tuning indexed files? Thank You! Gregg Abe Walter N. Yoder & Sons, Inc. Cumberland, MD (301) 729-0610 CONTROLLERS/MEMORY SIG Message # 104 0 replies Reply to # 103 Left by: MARK KUEHN On 28-Sep-88 At : 612-646-4501 X 446 Subject: UNIBUS WIRE WRAP JUMPER The jumper you are referring to allows the controller card to DMA requests. Since the DZ-11 is not capable of DMA, the wrap should not be remove. However, if you are installing the card in a slot that previously had the wrap removed it is necessary to re-install the wire wrap to make the board function. If you need the details on which pins need to be wrapped give me a call. It takes about a minute to do, if you know where. Mark Kuehn Merrill Corp One Merrill Circle Saint Paul, MN 55108 VMS SIG Message # 730 0 replies Left by: MICHAEL MONGEAU On 28-Sep-88 At : (508)490-2023 Subject: DECSERVER LOADING ALGORITHM I'm trying to find out what algorithm DECservers software uses to deterine how to go about load balancing connect requests. How does it determine how loaded a machine is? I've been told that it involves the total IDLE time on the system, as well as the type of machine and the number of users currently logged in. Does anyone know of the exact algorithm or where I could find it? Thanks... Mike Mongeau System Manager Raytheon Company Marlboro MA SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 186 0 replies Reply to # 184 Left by: DICK THOMSON On 28-Sep-88 At : HERE Subject: INVEXCEPTN Thanks very much, Phil Anthony! We are following up your suggestions. It sure is a help to have some idea of what is causing our crashes and the meaning of the error message we keep getting. We are much obliged to you for the help. GRAPHICS SIG Message # 75 0 replies Left by: SRIVATS GOPINATH On 28-Sep-88 At : (614)792-9993 Subject: PDES EXCHANGE SPECS. I have been trying to locate the source for obtaining the PDES graphics specification. If anybody knows an address or telephone number by means of which I can obtain these specifications, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank You VMS SIG Message # 731 1 replies Reply to # 729 Left by: KITTY GEORGE On 28-Sep-88 At : HERE (ARIS) Subject: DEFERRED WRITE, ETC. Gregg, Deferred Write is simply a way of telling RMS not to move new/updated records posthaste to the disk drive, but to just wait until there's a mess of records to be written, and then do the whole thing at once. The advantage - reduced disk i-o since you are not forcing an I-O each time you write/rewrite a record. The disadvantage - records may not be up to date, or will be missing if for any reason the system goes down. For example, if you maintain "sequence numbers" in a file for the purpose of assigning order numbers or transaction numbers or whatever, which are to be consecutive, you may run into a problem with duplicate sequence numbers if numbers were being assigned from the file at the time of the crash. You be the judge as to what's prudent for your application. As far as using the FDL to set this option - fine! I would check first to see whether this is already the default for your files, since some languages (FORTRAN, I'm sure of) already use the DFW option whenever a file is opened. ____ The Data/Key compression recommendation (disable if negative compression occurs) has its basis in the way RMS adds some extra information (hidden to you) to each record. The basics ... Key compression adds control bytes to each record as it is stored to disk The overhead is a minimum of 2 bytes; 1 byte for length of the key data bytes physically stored, one byte for the count of bytes compressed at the front end. Front end compression means "for each succeeding record's key, do not write out those leading bytes that also appear in the current record's key". If the record is fixed-length, there's 2 more bytes overhead - a 2-byte count filed containing rec length after compression So if key compression is allowed but cannot be done, you waste from 2 to 4 bytes per record, depending on if it's fixed length or not. From ANALYZE/RMS/FDL, you'd see negative compression. You'd want to disable compression in the .FDL spec. Data compression is different; it involves scanning the data portion of the record looking for 5 or more contiguous bytes with the same binary pattern. Only one of these five is retained if compression is enabled. The overhead - for each compressed data segment, a 2-byte segment header with the number of bytes in the compressed segment (call this ), and a 1-byte compression count indicating the number of characters compressed (call this ). By "compressed data segment", I mean a single string of bytes containing a non-compressible string of bytes preceded by a single copy of the bytes that were supressed. For example, VVVVVVVVABCGFHIYYFJ becomes the compressed data segment VABCGFHIYYFJ and we've replaced the eight V's with a single V plus three control bytes. if the rec-type is fixed length, no key compression, there's an additional 2-byte count field per record indicating the rec length after compression. Consider a non-compressible record, you still have a control byte at the start of the record (= 0), and a control byte at the end (also = 0). PLus a possible 2-byte count field for the case of fixed length, no key comp allowed file. Again, you can have negative compression for a file if the records have few or no repeating fields within. I picked up the above from the session "RMS INDEXED FILE COMPRESSION OPTIONS" at the 1988 Cincy DECUS presented by Elinor Woods of DEC's Educational Services. To you ARIS-phobes who knew all this - sorry for the lengthy discourse. To those who didn't - this knowledge chopped off up to 15 percent of the space required for some of my 100,000+ block files. Kitty :-) MICROVAX SIG Message # 167 0 replies Left by: CHIP OLIVER On 28-Sep-88 At : 408-262-0310 Subject: NEED HELP, UVAX I DISKS I jsut recently acquired/inherited a MicroVAX I and due to financial reasons will not be able to upgrade to a II/III for some time. I'd like to put a higher performance/capacity disk on it however. I've already tried an RQDX3/RD54 combo from another machine and it works fine on the "I" but I'd really like to put a 3rd party ESDI controller on it. I've been told by someone that this may not be possible however as the uVAX I apparently does not support hardware DMA. The contradiction to this however is that the RQDX3 does block mode DMA transfers. If anyone has any ideas (or experience putting non-DEC controllers on a "I") I'd appreciate hearing from you. I'd even be glad to accept a collect phone call (after 6-7PM Pacific time) - just tell the phone-op "collect from MicroVAX" and I'll know to accept. Thanks in advance. Chip Oliver 408-262-0310 MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 411 0 replies Reply to # 406 Left by: DR. R On 29-Sep-88 At : PICADILLY CIRCUS Subject: PARANOIA RUNS DEEP Time will tell if the rumours of enhanced security measures have been exaggerated. Odds are pretty good that DEC will encrypt certain STARLET CPU type notations which relate to (dare I say it???) Unannounced Processors . . . WORD PROCESSING SIG Message # 93 1 replies Left by: SCOTT E. KENSINGER On 29-Sep-88 At : (703)281-4644 Subject: MASS11 PRINT QUEUE TO HP LASER WE ARE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS PRINTING FROM MASS11 TO THE HP LASER JET II. OUR QUEUE IS STOPPED IN SYS$PRINT AND WHEN STARTED MANUALLY THE QUE PRINTS. IS THERE ANY OUT THERE WHO CAN GIVE ME A HINT ON WHAT TO DO. THANKS! VMS SIG Message # 733 0 replies Reply to # 731 Left by: GREGG ABE On 29-Sep-88 At : WALTER N. YODER & SONS Subject: INDEXED FILE TUNING INFO. Kitty, Thank you taking the time to respond to my question. I really feel it will help me out alot. The files we were considering the "deferred write" option for are beging processed by programs written in DBL. I'am going to check and see if DBL uses deferred write. Once again thanks! Gregg... PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 332 0 replies Left by: KEVIN NORMAN On 29-Sep-88 At : (316)681-8490 Subject: SMG FROM FORTRAN I am looking for some example code to help speed the process of learning Screen Management(SMG). Does anyone out there Use SMG with Fortran ? Kevin. RSTS SIG Message # 309 0 replies Reply to # 308 Left by: RICH MCFATE On 29-Sep-88 At : (203) 728-6777 Subject: RSTS TO VAX I'm not sure what you mean by 'remote'. I presume, since you mentioned KERMIT, that you have a physical connection established and are not engaging in transfer via some secondary storage medium. KERMIT exists for RSTS. Would that do? It's available on SIG tapes. We don't run it here, but I'm sure I could find someone in our customer base who does. Give me a call if you need help finding a copy. Rich McFate Quodata Corporation Hartford, CT CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 309 0 replies Left by: STEVEN JOFFE On 30-Sep-88 At : (312) 969-4550 X2970 Subject: COMMANDS OVER DECNET Regarding Jay Shah's question (SIG 11/MESS 263), for printing over the network, you should try a SIG tape submission found on VAX87A and submitted by John Osudar at the Argonne National Laboratory. I just implemented his programs to perform remote printing over the network and am very pleased by the results. It allows you to use all of the PRINT command options; not just a subset as DEC provides. There is also a product on the market called "Thruway". It allows you to perform disk image backups over the network, issue DCL commands to devices over the network, etc. We recently took delivery of this product from Software Partners/32, Inc., Topsfield, MA and have used it with great success. You should also scan the past VAX SIG tapes for various public domain programs/routines. I am sure that you can find things to help you meet your networking requirements. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 412 0 replies Reply to # 411 Left by: MURF MCGRAFKIN On 01-Oct-88 At : HERE Subject: FACTS, RUMORS &C. Starlet processors, eh, Dr. R? Sounds like something out of the formerly much-vaunted, now oft-flaunted UPF. As for the heightened security, have no fear: those with Access to the right ports have no problem making their presence felt. Now, if only I could Access a few 'shrooms right about now, things'd be just ducky, eh? APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 269 1 replies Reply to # 268 Left by: BILL SLAYTON On 01-Oct-88 At : (205) 583-3248 Subject: TDMS, FMS, AND NETWORKS Thanks for the reply. I have another question... can we use tdms across an ethernet backbone? We are looking into the purchase of one and our DEC sales rep told us that there would be some problem using tdms, and that fms would be the tool to use over ethernet. Again... thanks for your advice... Bill. LASER PRINTERS SIG Message # 35 1 replies Left by: JOHN F. MCGLINCHEY On 01-Oct-88 At : PROPRESS OFFICE (215) 542-7008 Subject: LABEL STOCK PAPER FOR LASER PRINTERS I have been having problems finding label stock paper that will not "Gum" up our Talaris laser printers. I have 2 Talaris 800's and 1 Talaris 1590. Both have problems with the 2 types of stock labels that I have been using. The first type is just a "lick-um" type that seems to get the glue activated when the heat and humidity start acting together. They work fine in the winter when the humidity is down. The second type we tried is a peal-off label (3 up) that gets the glue squeezed out of it after passing the fuser bar. If anyone (especially someone from Talaris) could recommend a paper stock and supplier that could help this problem, please call me directly at (215) 542-7008. Thanks, John F. McGlinchey MIS Manager Professional Press, Inc. (Publisher of DEC Pro and VAX Pro) WORD PROCESSING SIG Message # 94 0 replies Reply to # 93 Left by: BONNIE On 03-Oct-88 At : PROFESSIONAL PRESS Subject: MASS11/HPLASERJET Scott, We use both MASS11 and a LaserJet here, so I might be able to help. But, I'm just a little confused about what your problem is. Why is the queue stopped? Here's how we init ours..... SET TERM/PERM/UNKNOWN/CRFILL=0/LFFILL=0/INTERACTIVE/SCOPE - /NOTYPE_AHEAD/NOECHO/TAB/FORM/TTSYNC/NOWRAP/PAGE=0 - /NOBROADCAST/EIGHTBIT/NOMODEM/NOHANGUP [device] SET DEV/SPOOLED [device] INITIALIZE/QUEUE/LIBRARY=HPDEVCTL/SEP=(RESET=HP_RESET) - /DEFAULT=(FORM=JET)/CHAR=0/START/NOGENERIC - /ON=[device] que_name The form is defined DEFINE/FORM/LENGTH=66/MARGIN=(TOP=2,BOTTOM=4)/STOCK=DEFAULT - WIDTH=255 [form] [form #] The margins are 2 and 4 because the LaserJet has a 1/2" non-printing boundary on all sides that I've been unable to overcome. (Keep this in mind in your mass11 first/last lines to print and page-size!) HP_RESET in the device control library includes only ESC-E and this escape sequence is invoked after each job. The mass11 printer table does the same thing. If you don't want jobs to print immediately (because you need to change stationery, etc) , then when you print your mass11 document, send it with a different characteristic or form. When you've got the right stuff loaded, set the queue with the appropriate char/form, and the document will print. Hope this helps. If you still have problems, give me a call 215/542-7008. I'm here ALL THE TIME! BSA PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 333 1 replies Left by: MIKE HUMPHREYS On 03-Oct-88 At : (903)791-4777 Subject: COBOL ISAM - DESCENDING KEYS HELP !!! FDL will allow me to define an indexed file with descending keys, but I cannot find a way in VAX COBOL to access such a file... any suggestions??????? Thanks APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 270 2 replies Left by: MIKE HUMPHREYS On 03-Oct-88 At : (904)791-4777 Subject: VAX COBOL ISAM DESCENDING KEYS HELP ... FDL will allow me to create a file with Descending primary keys, but I cannot seem to identify VAX COBOL syntax that will allow me to open such a file. Any help or suggestions. ????? APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 271 0 replies Reply to # 269 Left by: CURT SNYDER On 03-Oct-88 At : 714-752-4760 Subject: TDMS, FMS AND NETWORKS I have used FMS and TDMS over terminals connected via Ethernet with no trouble. The biggest problem is that our terminals do not get set properly at login time and I have to add a SET TERM/INQ or SET TERM/DEV=VTxxx to each users login.com file. Note that our network spans roughly 500 yards from end to end. There may be issues with longer pulls or other connection modes that I am not aware of. I strongly suggest that you have your DEC rep check with Maynard Mass and verify with the technical people about your particular system. APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 272 0 replies Reply to # 270 Left by: Robert G. Schaffrath On 04-Oct-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: RMS Descending Keys Descending keys in RMS was added in VAX/VMS version V4.4. Not all languages have added support for it yet. In fact, VAX BASIC V3.3 which was just released for VMS version V5.0 now supports descending keys. Two years after the release of VMS V4.4. Support will probably appear in a VMS V5.0 compatible release of COBOL. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 MICROVAX SIG Message # 168 0 replies Reply to # 166 Left by: Barton F Bruce On 04-Oct-88 At : (617) 868-1111 Subject: more info needed 4 miles down the road is fine, but there are many missing pieces before it is possible to suggest what to do. 1) Are you on your own private property for the 4 miles? 2) Are you line of sight? 3) Are you in the same town with the same phone company central office serving both sites. 4) If 3), how many miles from one site to the CO, and back out to the other site? 5) Are there any PC or VaxStations planned that will need Ethernet back to the MVII? 6) If not 3) are you even in the same state? 7) Is there a friendly Cable TV company that serves both sites from the same headend? 8) Is there any inter building need for voice phone lines or video lines for: a) centralised phone operator service and PBX functions b) centralised security 9) If your company already has a recent digital PBX and has planned for service to the other building, does your PBX support data to each phone? And probably many other questions... The typical low speed easy way that probably fits your case, is to use a pair of short-haul modems (probably @ 19.2kb) on leased copper LADD circuits, and use them to link any of the many low end 8/16/32 port class statmuxes. Each end will have exactly the same stuff. At the computer end, connect the ports to DHV or DHQ (NOT [yuk!] DZ ports) or possibly even terminal server ports. At the other end plug in your terminals. At the other end of the possible configurations is private fiber, microwave, or infa-red laser links with Ethernet bridges, remote terminal servers, remote LAVC nodes, and full bandwidth video and multiple T1 streams for voice and any 64kb - 1.544 mhz class data needs. There are all sorts of in between combinations possible. What do you need, and what can you afford? MICROVAX SIG Message # 169 0 replies Left by: ERIC S. DUNGAN On 05-Oct-88 At : 612-334-3633 X3606 Subject: ?? USERS ON A MICROVAX 3600 I would like to know if there is anyone out there running a uVAX 3600 and if so, how many users are you running on your system and what kind of response time you have with this many users ? I know that this varies depending upon the type of application you are running, but I would like to get a rough estimate. My application is built using INGRES. UTILITIES SIG Message # 299 0 replies Left by: BOB ZISEK On 05-Oct-88 At : (203)798-5240 Subject: TPTOOL TEXT PROCESSOR I would like to get some feddback from anyone who has used TPTOOL, the text processing utility from GrayMatter Software and Consulting. I am seriously considering this product in lieu of an expensive word processor, and thought the cost is relatively inexpensive ($495 for a MVII), I still would like to get some input from experienced users on how it performs and on its versatility. Thanks. Bob Zisek System manager Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc. 90 East Ridge P.O. 368 Ridgefield, Ct. 06877 APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 273 1 replies Left by: RALPH BRANDT On 05-Oct-88 At : 717-757-0210 Subject: 20/20 ENHANCEMENTS I'M LOOKING FOR 2020 ENHANCEMENTS TO PROVIDE THE FUNCTIONS OF NOTES AND SIDEWAYS IN LOTUS FORUM - DEC SIG Message # 55 0 replies Left by: TIM DAUNCH On 05-Oct-88 At : (216)646-3153 Subject: LASERWRITER TO LAVC I am producing PostScript-format files on a VAXStation 2000, Thinwired to a local area VAX cluster (LAVC). I would like to send these files to an Apple LaserWriter IINTX, which I want to hang off the network. I'm aware of Kinetic's "Fastpath" and Pacer's "Pacerprint", but both of these seem to be geared toward making Macintosh files "Ethernet compatible" by padding the LocalTalk packets with Ethernet info and stripping them at the other end (Fastpath) or translating LocalTalk to Ethernet protocol. I don't think I need this since I'm NOT using a Mac to generate the files in the first place. I simply want to "plug in" the printer to Ethernet as I would any similar printer (i.e. QMS or Xerox). I don't care to install additional software on the LAVC, or treat the printer as an RS-232 device, attached directly to the computer (too slow). Any suggestions on how to do this without resorting to a black box/software kludge? MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 209 1 replies Left by: RALPH TRIGG On 05-Oct-88 At : 505-842-1247 Subject: INIT PROBLEM WITH R80 DISK We have a VAX 730 with 5mb memory, running VMS 4.6. It has one R80, and two RL02s. We experienced a head crash and had our R80 HDA rebuilt. Once the hardware was re-installed, we tried to do a VMS 4.6 install directly from the 4.6 kit on RL02 media. We are getting the following message: %BACKUP-E-READBAD, error reading bad block data on DQA0: -SYSTEM-F-CTRLERR, fatal controller error It seems like we need to do an INITIALIZE on the volume; however, the only software available is standalone BACKUP. We've tried /IMAGE, /INIT, /PHYSICAL ... all give the same message. We're really stumped ... any ideas, anyone??? CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 310 0 replies Reply to # 297 Left by: JARED HECKER On 06-Oct-88 At : 212-310-6175 Subject: LAVC John, for my money an LAVC "by the book" is of limited value- useful to provide those VAXstations access to a disk farm, but little more. What you might consider as an alternative is purchasing the CLustor 3 controller from System Industries (Milpitas, CA) and some fo their disks. The Clustor 3 attaches to your MicroVAX by a DMA channel, effectively allowing you to set up an almost- CI cluster (certainly comparable to CI clusters in terms of performance). What they do to remain LAVC-compatible is send the distributed locks via the ethernet. We have an LAVC of 2 3500's and 2 3600's, and the system manager (they're in a different division) is about to bring it in after looking at other sites. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 311 0 replies Reply to # 301 Left by: JARED HECKER On 06-Oct-88 At : 212-310-6175 Subject: LAVC Bill, have you looked at System Industries' Clustor 3 controller? We're quite high on it. It gives near-CI cluster performance over an LAVC (by attaching via DMA channels to the controller, acting as an HSC equivalent). It retains LAVC/MSCP compatibility by running dist. lock mgmt over the ethernet. It goes a long way towards eliminating I/O bottlenecks (though not much can eliminate an 11/750 performance bottleneck...). If you're interested, SI is in Milpitas, CA. They're a quality outfit. Good luck! CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 312 0 replies Reply to # 303 Left by: JARED HECKER On 06-Oct-88 At : 212-310-6175 Subject: NETWORKING PC'S The first, most important issue to settle in your networking project is: Are you bringin PC's into a DECnet environment, or Adding DECnet access to primarily a PC environment? This is a critical distinction in terms of training issues, PC capabilities post-networking and network capabilities. I've been involved in a project to LAN a division of the investment bank where I work and have had the opportunity to explore these issues. If you cananswer the first question I think I can give you some helpful input. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 313 0 replies Left by: JARED HECKER On 06-Oct-88 At : 212-310-6175 Subject: VMS SVCS 4 MSDOS Another area of my firm has been having serious problems getting DEC to acknowledge the engineering flaws of the DEPCA. Specifically, we are experiencing conflicts with the AST-PC VGA controller. It's turning into another DEC-ocentric issue, where DEC figures they're so much more sophisticated than everyone else, the world should be beating a path to their door. Bottom line, I'm about to boot 'em out and install Syntax on my 6210. Syntax is a versionof 3COM that runs under VMS. It's worked terrifically in a 45-user test pilot, but I'm wondering if anyone has experience using it in a larger environment (I'm looking to do it for 120 users initially, up to 400 in the next nine months). Anyone ever done it? One large advantage of this approach for the PC user is that I can use 3COM's 3C505 adapter, which keeps 110K of the network shell in onboard RAM, freeing up conventional RAM for Lotus 1-2-3 jockeys or people who prefer Paradox to Oracle. The downside, of course, is that I give up peer-to-peer processing capabilities if I don't use DECnet-DOS or VMS Services for MSDOS. Anyway, has anyone ever installed Syntax in such a large network? PC'S SIG Message # 187 1 replies Reply to # 186 Left by: JARED HECKER On 06-Oct-88 At : 212-310-6175 Subject: TERM. EMUL. We use Reflections by Walker, Richer & Quinn, and love it. Aside from the remappable keyboard, it too offers 132 columns on an EGA monitor. One funtion it has that I love is the ability to load different keyboard maps under VAX control. For example, we have it set so that when our users go thorugh our SNA gateway, the VAX tells their PC's to load a keyboard map similar to IRMA emulation (our previous PC-mainframe std). WRQ is a quality company- check them out! Excellent technical support! PC'S SIG Message # 188 0 replies Reply to # 181 Left by: JARED HECKER On 06-Oct-88 At : 212-310-6175 Subject: PCSA I've been putting in PCSA for a bit. Bottom line, if you're bringing PC's into a DEC environment, fine. If on the other hand you're adding DECnet access to a PC-oriented workgroup, watch out- it has some problems. MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 210 0 replies Reply to # 209 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 06-Oct-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: INITIALIZE ERROR ON R80 Sounds like your new HDA has not been formatted! If you have diagnostics on TU58, look through them for the disk formatters. If you don't have them, you will have to log a call with field service to have them do it for you. It is probably better to have DEC do it anyhow. It is a bit tricky without experience. If you do have DEC do it, have them do the operation on a hardcopy terminal and SAVE THE PRINTOUT! In the future, you may be able to use it for reference. R80's do have a habit of dying. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 274 0 replies Reply to # 273 Left by: GEORGE M. KAUPAS On 06-Oct-88 At : (615) 229-4896 Subject: 20/20 "SIDEWAYS" Access Technology sells "20/20 Widewriter" as a separate utility to print files sideways ... lists @ $500 for an 8650. We're planning on ordering it. DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 417 0 replies Reply to # 393 Left by: WAYNE STEFFEN On 06-Oct-88 At : ARIS Subject: MULTIVENDOR COMM Have you heard of "BLAST", it works in multivendor environments. Their number is 1-800-24-BLAST. They do aysnc comm between different hosts such as Prime, VAX, RSX and RT-11, IBM-pcs, IBM mainframes, etc. GRAPHICS SIG Message # 76 0 replies Left by: GEORGE M. KAUPAS On 06-Oct-88 At : (615) 229-4896 Subject: REGIS TO HPGL Anybody know of software to take REGIS or SIXEL files and convert them to HPGL? We've got broken-hearted users who want to print DECgraph output on their HP plotters. All our 3rd-party software supports 'em... why not DEC? :-) We're recommending that our users buy LJ250's, but they all need transparencies for presentations, and printing a transparency on an LJ250 is quite tedious. Has anybody seen continuous-form tractor-feed transparency paper for the LJ250? MICROVAX SIG Message # 170 0 replies Left by: STEVE BRAINERD On 06-Oct-88 At : 216-266-8199 Subject: DRV11-J PARALLEL VMS DRIVER Can anyone offer advice on finding a VMS driver for the DRV11-J (64 bits parallel I/O) ? I've got two DRV11-J in an RSX-based system that is being updated to a MICROVAX II. There are 78 input bits and 2 output bits and using five DRV11-WA instead doesn't seem too cost-effective! WORD PROCESSING SIG Message # 96 0 replies Left by: PAT RASO On 07-Oct-88 At : 503-286-7474 Subject: MASS11 PRINTING - BLANK SHEET HAS ANYONE EXPERIENCED THE "BLANK EXTRA SHEET" WHEN PRINTING FROM MASS11 ON THE LASERJET II PRINTERS. I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING I CAN THINK OF TO STOP THIS FANTHOM SHEET, AND EVEN HAVE TALKED TO THE FOLKS AT MASS11 BUT TO NO AVAIL. HELP, HELP, I'M RUNNING OUT OF PAPER. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 314 0 replies Reply to # 305 Left by: PHILIP GRAVEL On 08-Oct-88 At : (312) 420-5474 Subject: TCP/IP UNDER VMS Network Research Corp. offers a TCP/IP product called FUSION that runs under VMS and can used a shared Ethernet. CMC offers an Ethernet processor (ENP-50) and software that they claim runs 40% faster than other VMS TCP/IP implemen- tations. Both support TELNET, FTP, SMTP. However, the latter product may not be suitable for the "busless" 2000. Phil Gravel Sr. Research Chemist Amoco Chemical Naperville, IL RSTS SIG Message # 311 0 replies Reply to # 308 Left by: KELVIN SMITH On 08-Oct-88 At : (203) 357-0504 Subject: KERMIT FOR RSTS Andy: I have a fairly recent version of KERMIT off the DECUS tapes (V3.50, if I remember correctly). Since I'm just 40 miles away, your phone bill for downloading wouldn't be too bad, or I could prepare a tape if you like. You can call me before October 13 or after October 24; Anaheim here I come! VMS SIG Message # 734 2 replies Left by: David Beorn On 10-Oct-88 At : 804-788-7410 Subject: SET HOST/DTE/DIAL .MAR CODE Does anyone have the .mar code for the files dte_df03.exe, etc?? These files are (supposedly) in the sys$library but all I have are the executables. Does the code not come with VMS anymore??? Where can I get a copy?? Thanks, David Beorn WORD PROCESSING SIG Message # 97 2 replies Left by: SYD TIFFANY On 10-Oct-88 At : (703)281-4644 Subject: MASS-11 LINE DRAW I am having a problem getting a mass-11 line drawing to print to an HP Laserjet Series II. I can't find the proper escape sequence to send to the printer through the Font Definition and Printer Personality file. Does anyone know the proper sequence?hntia am VMS SIG Message # 735 0 replies Reply to # 734 Left by: DAVE COLE On 10-Oct-88 At : (317) 846-6591 Subject: SET HOST/DTE The source code resides in SYS$EXAMPLES not in SYS$LIBRARY. Also, it does still come with VMS. PC'S SIG Message # 189 0 replies Reply to # 187 Left by: JOHN R. O'HARA On 10-Oct-88 At : (312) 661-0222 Subject: VT220 EMULATION I've had a lot of luck with two products; Reflection 2 (or 4) from Walker, Richer and Quinn and PROCOMM Plus from DataStorm Technologies. Reflection 2 supports both KERMIT and XMODEM as well as a proprietary transfer program (included with the distribution kit) and has a very healthy script command language. From what I've seen, the latest and greatest versions now support the LAT driver. A little pricey, but a good product if you want to maintain your managerial teflon. PROCOMM Plus is also a very nice product, however to support downloads you will have to load KERMIT or XMODEM on to your VAX. It does not have its own download program built in. It doesn't support the VT220 explicitly, but the entire keyboard is completely remappable. With a cup of coffee and your trusty Programmer Pocket Guide, you can add all the sequences you need. I like PROCOMM because of the flexibility it provides for setting up modem characteristics. You can easily support a multitude of vendors with only a few modifications. Best of all, it's only $75.00. Complete with manual and all the COMPUSERVE advertisements you could ever want. You won't go wrong with either product. -JRO PC'S SIG Message # 190 0 replies Reply to # 179 Left by: JOHN R. O'HARA On 10-Oct-88 At : (312) 661-0222 Subject: WHET-DRY, HOW 'BOUT I/O? Let's face it folks, you can have the meanest leanest CPU on the block but it ain't winning any races with yesterday's BUS and disk controllers. Herein lies the rub with 386 machines. The base systems are coming down in price. And they are faster. But try to load it up with high speed memory ( 4 - 8 MB) and disk drives (MAXTOR etc.). The price quickly runs up into the same neighborhood as the MicroVAX 2000. Software's another discussion. -JRO WORD PROCESSING SIG Message # 99 0 replies Reply to # 97 Left by: BONNIE AUCLAIR On 11-Oct-88 At : PROFESSIONAL PRESS Subject: MASS11/HPLASERJET/LINE DRAW Hi. What problems are you having? I just created a very simple line drawing and sent it to our printer, with no problems. I don't have a line-draw font defined, but used the default font for the print. You might want to print your drawing to a file and then take a look at the image file with an editor. Then, with your LaserJet users manual, you can figure out what is what. Give me a call (215/542-7008) if you think I can help. bsa CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 315 0 replies Left by: MITCH HARRIS On 11-Oct-88 At : ALLEN BRADLEY Subject: COMMANDS OVER DECNET Jay: Here is what I do. I have an rsx system and a vms system. The vms system is connected to the printers and the rsx one is not. To print files I wrote the two command files that follow: rprint.cmd .enable substitution .asks FILE Enter File to Print .if eq 0 .goto 999 dcl copy 'FILE' VMS"harris password"::rprint.txt/log nft VMS"harris password"::=rprint.com/sb .999: rprint.com print/que=laser2:/setup=talaris810 rprint.txt Both of these files exist on the rsx system. When I use them what happens is on the rsx system I type @rprint. Rprint.cmd ask for the file name and copies it to the vax with the name rprint.txt, then it submits the command file rprint.com, that exist on the rsx system, to run on the vms system. Rprint.com prints the file rprint.txt on the vms systems printer laser2. Hope this helps: Mitch Harris (216)-646-5789 UTILITIES SIG Message # 302 1 replies Left by: RODNEY W. STRUHS On 11-Oct-88 At : (801)863-2445 Subject: IBM TAPE READ We need a program, preferably free, that will read IBM standard labeled tapes, e ither binary or EBCDIC written VBS(Varible Block panned Record), on a VAX. Can anyone help? EDITORS SIG Message # 184 1 replies Left by: BILL SLAYTON On 11-Oct-88 At : (205) 583-3248 Subject: VMS 5.0 KILLED MY EDIT PLEASE GIVE ME A HAND WITH THIS EDIT, EDT, TPU, EVE, OR WHATEVER IT IS. WHEN I INSTALLED VMS 5.0, I LOST THE ABILITY TO USE MY "EDIT" EDITOR. IT WAS SET UP AS A SYMBOL AS EDT/EDIT/SECTION=EDTSECINI OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT WAS CONSIDERABLY FASTER, WHEN SEARCHING, ETC..., THAN USING "EDT" AND THEN STRIKING "C". COULD ANYONE PLEASE TELL ME, IN A STEP-BY-STEP MANNER, HOW I CAN FIX THIS PROBLEM. (I CAN'T STAND USING "EVE" !) THANKS... BILL APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 275 0 replies Reply to # 169 Left by: BILL SLAYTON On 11-Oct-88 At : (205) 583-3248 Subject: SMARTMAILER JANICE... DON'T KNOW IF THIS WILL HELP YOU AT THIS TIME, BUT WE RUN SMARTMAILER, SO IF I CAN HELP, GIVE ME A CALL... BILL. APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 276 0 replies Reply to # 239 Left by: BILL SLAYTON On 11-Oct-88 At : (205) 583-3248 Subject: LIST PROCESSING KENT... IF YOU NEED TO PROCESS LISTS, THEN YOU PROBABLY NEED SMARTMAILER. IT'S A RETIRED DEC PRODUCT THAT DECUS HAS IN ITS LIBRARY. I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CAN EVEN USE IT FOR SIMPLE INVENTORY... BILL VMS SIG Message # 736 1 replies Left by: RICHARD QUINN On 12-Oct-88 At : Subject: CREATING PRIV SHAR IMAGE Need some assistance creating PRIVLEGED SHAREABLE IMAGES as it is my first attempt at doing it. I recall seeing a command procedure that examines/ compiles a source code file and creates a MACRO file containing the required transfer vector, etc... Does anyone know of this -- would like a copy. The purpose of the privileged image is there is a RMS data file that contains a surrogate that gets updated by various applications. Problem with this current setup is it need world read/write capabilites and thus can be editted and changed by anyone. Would appreciate any help as the VMS don't have any good examples of creating the necessary transfer vector for high level language, i.e 'C', and linking the necessary modules to create the image. EDITORS SIG Message # 185 2 replies Reply to # 184 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 12-Oct-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: EDTSECINI and VMS V5.0 There were several warnings regarding the demise of EDTSECINI in VMS V5.0. Digital no longer supports the EDTSECINI interface. Not to fear. Go through your V4.6/V4.7 tapes and grab EDTSECINI.TPU off the tape. You must recompile the source code in order to use it under V5.0. To do this, you would type: $ EDIT/TPU/NOSECTION/COMMAND=EDTSECINI.TPU EDTSECINI.TPU This will create a new EDTSECINI.TPU$SECTION file which is compatible with VMS V5.0. After this, re-enter TPU using the following command: $ EDIT/TPU/SECTION=dev:[directory]EDTSECINI command_file.TPU Upon entering TPU, press GOLD-KP7 to get the 'TPU command:' prompt. At this prompt, type 'EXECUTE(CURRENT_BUFFER)'. If your file has a command to save itself, the following step will not be necessary. Again, press GOLD-KP7 and type 'SAVE("command_file.TPU$SECTION")'. This will create a new section file with your extensions. Then define the logical name TPU$SECTION to point to this new file. This logical name eliminates the need to use the /SECTION qualifier. I have already done this under V5.0-1 so feel free to call me if you have any questions. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 (914)-335-9792 UTILITIES SIG Message # 303 1 replies Reply to # 302 Left by: GEORGE WINKLER On 12-Oct-88 At : (312)563-6795 Subject: READING IBM TAPES There is a program on several of the recent DECUS VAX tapes which will handle IBM tapes. Are you a member of DECUS?? If not, join - no cost - and you get lots of benefits. DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 418 0 replies Left by: DON FILLION On 12-Oct-88 At : (203) 874-6019 Subject: KERMIT/MICROCOM/VMS Help!!!! I'm trying to set up Kermit V3.2.077 for VAX/VMS 4.7 to VAX/VMS V4.7 transfers. I am using a Microcom AX/2400c modem with the SX mode. I'm getting a 'too many retries' error on all attempts to transfer and a 'fatal protocol error' when I try to exit out of KERMIT afterwards. I'm pretty sure that the problem is not with KERMIT because I have physically connected our two in-house VAXes with a null-modem line and transferred files in both directions with the SERVER mode. It's possible that the modem's error correction is causing the problem. Is there any way to tell KERMIT to shut off it's own error correction so that we may stay with the modem's MNP-5? The above only describes one possible problem. Are there any other things that I should be looking out for? Thank you. P.S. Is there going to be any new problems when I upgrade my VAXes to VMS V5.0? CONTROLLERS/MEMORY SIG Message # 105 0 replies Left by: DON FILLION On 12-Oct-88 At : (203) 874-6019 Subject: TSDRIVER / VMS V5 PROBLEMS I recently updated our MicroVAX to VMS version 5. We have an Emulex controller and a Cypher F-880 tape drivefine before the update. We used the standard SYS$SYSTEM:TSDRIVER.EXE as the device driver. Unfortunatley, after the upgrade, the tape drive cannot be accessed. Every time we issue an INIT or MOUNT command, the following message appears: Device is not in configuration or not available. I realize that TSDRIVER is now located in SYS$LOADABLE_IMAGES, under the SYS$COMMON directory tree. The driver has been re-written for version 5, and now describes the device as a TSV05 when the SHOW DEVICE MSA0:/FULL command is issued. Under 4.7, the device was shown as a TS-11. I have tried to CONFIGURE the device; to LOAD the driver explicitly, to CONNECT and USE ACTIVE within SYSGEN. The commands seemed to work; but the problem remains. I spoke with Colorado Support and was told that a new TSDRIVER was in the works, but that my problem was not one of the resolutions in the release. I can't seem to find an answer. Help! VMS SIG Message # 737 0 replies Reply to # 611 Left by: WILLIAM DAUGHERTY On 12-Oct-88 At : AIRESEARCH TUCSON DIVISION Subject: VMS CHECKSUM IMAGE Prior to VMS 3.? the command language description file for CHECKSUM.EXE resided in SYS$SYSTEM: as follows: DEFINE VERB CHECKSUM PARAMETER P1,LABEL=input,PROMPT="File",VALUE(REQUIRED,LIST) QUALIFIER output, DEFAULT, VALUE(DEFAULT=SYS$OUTPUT) QUALIFIER image QUALIFIER file DEC used this command to verify the contents of VMSUPDATE.COM during installation of layered products back then. I found it by reading the command files run by VMSUPDATE.COM as part of the installation. It has proved very useful in maintaining system file integrity since 1984 (detects some system disk failures and unauthorized tampering/patching of system files). I believe the IMAGE qualifier is what you are interested in. CPU'S SIG Message # 47 0 replies Left by: MARK KUEHN On 13-Oct-88 At : MERRILL CORP (612)646-4501 Subject: "P-VAX" A colleague of mine recently as seen the new PVAX and was very impressed with what he saw. The box is built around the MicroVAX III chip. It supports full VMS/ULTIX functionality and runs MS-DOS in softwre emulation. The emulation speed is approximatly equal to the speed of a 80286. It supports a SCSI bus (similar to the Micro VAX 2000) and has a built-in Ethernet controller. This processor might be revealed to the world at DECUS. It certainly sounds hot. I'll try to keep everyone current if anything new develops. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 317 1 replies Left by: GRAHAM JAMES MARR On 13-Oct-88 At : LONDON 01-6268788 EXT 3302 Subject: VAX TO DATA GENERAL HELLO ! WE AT E.D.&.F MAN LTD (LONDON) HAVE A 3 NODE VAX CLUSTER AND SOON WITH HAVE MICRO VAX III IN OUR NEW YORK OFFICE. WHICH ALSO HAS A DATA GENERAL SYSTEM WE NEED TO FIND SOME SORT OF SOFTWARE INTERFACE OR EVEN SOME SORT OF COMMS INTERFACE. TO LINK THE DATA GENERAL AND VAX SYSTEMS TOGETHER. HELP IF YOU CAN REGARDS GRAHAM J MARR APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 277 0 replies Reply to # 270 Left by: KITTY GEORGE On 13-Oct-88 At : HERE (ARIS) Subject: DESCENDING KEY ACCESS IN COBOL Mike - I dunno if you can access records in ascending order with COBOL (I don't touch that stuff if I can avoid it, and I can avoid it), but if you can do the ascending access, read on. The following applies to other languages as well. I know it works with FORTRAN and PASCAL, I can't see why COBOL shouldn't follow suit. If you define a file as having records with descending keys, you can access them using the GE or GT qualilfiers on the READ statements. For example, in FORTRAN you may have records with keys with the following values: record one, key is "C" record two, key is "B" record three, key is "A" If you wanted the first record after the one with key = "C", the READ statement looks like this ... READ (unit=nn, keygt = 'C', .....) var1, var2, var3 And the actual record read is the one with key = "B". The point of all this - the compiler may not have the keywords (KEYLE, KEYLT) that you would expect to use to access the records in descending order. You can still process the file in descending order if that's how the file was designed using the FDL editor. Note that this does NOT mean that if you design a file with descending keys, you can process the records in descending order with READ verbs like KEYLE and KEYLT, or in ascending order with KEYGE and KEYGT; RMS traverses the index in only one direction - from first index entry to the last index entry. Thus if you have an old compiler that has not been updated due to insufficient funds, you can still use it to process files with descending keys. For you hackers who like to play bad jokes on that new programmer who just started last week - design a file with ascending keys, then write a program to access the file with KEYLT and KEYLE read verbs (or the equivalent in your favorite language), then ask the unsuspecting programmer "why-the-heck is everything coming out in reversed order when you access the records in the file ?". Kitty ;-) EDITORS SIG Message # 186 0 replies Reply to # 185 Left by: MICHAEL MONGEAU On 13-Oct-88 At : (508)490-2023 Subject: SET KEYPAD EDT V5.0 EVE has a new command SET KEYPAD EDT which defines the EDT keypad. After performing the command you can execute the command SAVE EXTENDED EVE filename" to save the keypad definitions in a section file. RSTS SIG Message # 312 1 replies Left by: BRUCE A. GREMBOWSKI On 13-Oct-88 At : 408/291-3364 Subject: PRESET PROGRAM To: Mike Mayfield The PRESET program in the recent edition of DEC Pro magazine is great. It has only one bug: On a RST V9.2 system, it doesn't set the last KB: port on the system. In fact, it disables that port, and I haven't been able to fix it yet! Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LASER PRINTERS SIG Message # 36 0 replies Reply to # 35 Left by: JANICE KALL On 13-Oct-88 At : (619) 587-0787 Subject: LABELS FOR LASERS Labels havealways been a sticky (!) problem for laser printers. That's because the laser printing process creates heat that is too hot, and you will find that the glue will melt. You will probably have better luck in general printing labels on your T800s than on the T1590 because thy engine itself creates less heat. Recently, Avery released a new brand of labels (3 up like you are using now) that are designed SPECIFICALLY for laser printers. You might want to try a box to see if they work better than what you are using now. Otherwise, you may have better luck trying to control the humidity where you are storing your labels with glue. Let me know if either of these solutions work for you. You can get the Avery labels through any major office supply store. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 319 0 replies Left by: JOHN LAPPETITO On 14-Oct-88 At : (313) 353-3300 Subject: FILE XFER VAX/VMS TO SUN My company is just starting a project to port a system developed on a VAX running VMS to SUN workstations. We are in need of a way to transfer files from the VAX system to the SUN. We have a VAX net running DECNET. The SUN equipment is on loan and I don't know what capability it has for connection into the E-net. So we may need to do file transfers using async serial lines. I need to know what is available for doing this type of transfer. Thanks WORD PROCESSING SIG Message # 100 0 replies Reply to # 97 Left by: BONNIE AUCLAIR On 14-Oct-88 At : PROFESSIONAL PRESS Subject: LINE DRAWING Oh, and make sure you are using subroutine #9 in your physical printer definition. RSTS SIG Message # 313 0 replies Reply to # 312 Left by: BRUCE A. GREMBOWSKI On 14-Oct-88 At : 408/291-3364 Subject: PRESET Well, I found the problem. Around line 100, KB.CNT% is set from the monitor tables. Looking in my 9.2 documentation, I found that it says the KB count returned is one less than the actual number of keyboards. By changing the line: KB.CNT%=Z%(3%) to: KB.CNT%=Z%(3%)+1% I fixed the problem. How I disabled the last KB was by just using the patches from the KB before. AS it turns out, the patch includes a device and port designation. In this case, the penultimate KB was DZ3:6; the final KB got DZ4:6 for a device, which is a non-existent controller for us. Anyway, by running the fixed PRESET I was able to generate the proper patch for that final KB. My thanks to Mike Mayfield for helping me resolve this problem. APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 278 0 replies Left by: ALLAN WOOD On 14-Oct-88 At : 312-272-6520 Subject: TRACKSTAR PROJ MGMT We need to obtain a Project Management System to run on a VAX 11/750. One of the packages we are comtemplating purchasing is "TRACKSTAR" from T&B Computing in Michigan. Can anyone out there give us some feedback/evaluation on this product or for that matter ANY Project Management software they have found to be effective? Thanks! VMS SIG Message # 738 0 replies Reply to # 736 Left by: STEVE BRAINERD On 14-Oct-88 At : 216-266-8199 Subject: RE: CRE PRIV SHAR IMAGE I don't know what you mean by "surogate" but would alternatives such as assigning an Access Control List (ACL) name to the file and GRANTing it to the proper users thru AUTHORIZE be simpler? Or even INSTALLing the applications .EXE in a properly protected directory? VMS SIG Message # 739 0 replies Left by: STEVE BRAINERD On 14-Oct-88 At : 216-266-8199 Subject: VMS DRV11J DEVICE DRIVER I'm looking for a VMS device driver for the Q-BUS DRV11J 64 bit parallel interface. Can anybody help? This request is a duplicate of the one entered in the ARIS MicroVAX SIG. Thanks. RSX SIG Message # 247 0 replies Reply to # 179 Left by: ROB BROWN On 14-Oct-88 At : 403 438 2101 Subject: HOME BLOCK LOSS Are you still wondering how to recover that disk? Saw your message from November 1987 and no replies. No guarantees, but there things you can check to see if the disk can be recovered. You need to spend time with the disk mounted foreign. Use DMP and refer often to the I/O operations manual. Call for more info. VMS SIG Message # 740 0 replies Left by: Robert G. Schaffrath On 17-Oct-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: FUN!!  Attention fellow VMS Internals Hackers:  Something very interesting under VMS V5.0. The PCB$M_NODELET flag in the PCB$L_STS longword has been activated. This flag existed under previous versions of VMS but never did anything. But no more! If you set this flag using the appropriate 'black magic' rituals, your process will become undeletable! If you attempt to use 'STOP/IDENTIFICATION=xxx' on the process, you will receive the error message 'cannot delete object'. It beats raising your IPL to 2!! Enjoy!! Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 335 0 replies Reply to # 132 Left by: MARK A. SICKING On 17-Oct-88 At : (314)272-6281 Subject: C CROSS COMPILER Jim, Have you checked out Boston System's Office (BSO). They have a full line of cross compilers, asseblers, linking/loaders etc., for the 6809 and other micros running on VMS and RSX machines. Their address is: The Boston Systems Office, Inc. 128 Technology Center Waltham, MA 02254-9164 EDITORS SIG Message # 187 0 replies Reply to # 185 ALternatively, you can just use the all new SET KEYPAD EDT command in TPU. THis (together with SET CURSOR BOUND) will provide you with a very EDT like environment, without the need for a section file. Lee K. Gleason Control-G Consultants APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 279 0 replies Reply to # 238 Left by: BILL HALBERSTADT On 18-Oct-88 At : (302)695-3825 Subject: LOST ALL-IN-1 FILES Your description fits very well an ALL-IN-1 problem which is known to Atlanta support. If you still haven't found an answer, talk to Atlanta again, as they do have a fix for this. RSX SIG Message # 248 0 replies Left by: WAYNE STEFFEN On 18-Oct-88 At : (313)828-4526 Subject: FEDWIRE FLASH CONV. This is for the banking community. I am interested in hearing from anyone who is converting (or has converted) to the Federal Reserve's FLASH protocol on PDPs running 11M-PLUS. Also, anyone using DEC's Flash Protocol Interface (FPI) product to do this via a VAX and a SNA Gateway. I'm not offering employment, just interested in packages or techniques used, especially any alternatives to routing through a VAX. PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 336 1 replies Reply to # 333 Left by: DALE SMITH On 18-Oct-88 At : TELCO RESEARCH CORPORATION Subject: DESC. RMS KEYS FROM COBOL I have the same problem. My intent is to try to do all my file I/O out of a Fortran subroutine, which will support descending keys. However, I haven't had time to try it yet. I'll be waiting to see if you do. Dale (615) 329-0031 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 337 1 replies Reply to # 336 Left by: KITTY GEORGE On 18-Oct-88 At : HERE (ARIS) Subject: DESCENDING KEYS Dale - check msg # 270 under Applications SIG for a possible answer to your query. Kitty PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 338 0 replies Reply to # 246 Left by: DALE SMITH On 18-Oct-88 At : TELCO RESEARCH CORPORATION Subject: SMG VS. COBOL At least, that's the way it seemed to us. We are just now starting to test VMS 5.01, in which I've heard that the COBOL implementation has been greatly improved. However, under VMS 4.6/4.7, we found that re-writing our COBOL screen subroutine (eaten up with SMG calls) in FORTRAN doubled the processing speed. The FORTRAN SMG examples in the Library Routines manual can get you off to at least a fair start. Dale (615) 329-0031 VMS SIG Message # 741 0 replies Left by: RALPH BRANDT On 18-Oct-88 At : 717 7515210 Subject: 20/20 SPREADSHEET that function like lotus notes and sideways. b I've seen a AD but cant find it. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 320 1 replies Reply to # 317 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 19-Oct-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: DEC VAX/VMS <--> DG AOS/VS Hello Britain! Interesting problem. I have been trying to respond to this message for several days but the line keeps hanging up. Maybe it doesn't like the strings 'DG' or 'AOS/VS' on a DEC Bulletin Board! I investigated such a solution about 1½ years ago in order to connect a DG MV/4000 running AOS/VS revision 7.56.00.00 to a MicroVAX II running VAX/VMS V4.5. A company called 'KI Systems' in Maryland developed a product called DG/DEKnet (yes that is a 'K') which allows DG computers to look like VAX's on Ethernet. At the time, the product only supported file transfer using Ethernet. The company was, however, planning to add DDCMP and remote terminal capability. It is quite possible that they have implemented these features since then. If you want some detailed information, drop me a line, and I'll try to dig up the product information in my files. Another product you may want to look at is BLAST. However, I don't know much about it and as far as I know, it only supports file transfers. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 EDITORS SIG Message # 188 0 replies Reply to # 150 Left by: CHARLES J. KOTAN On 19-Oct-88 At : (916)273-1250 Subject: TABS AND FORTRAN/EDT The PDP Fortran manual suggests using tab so you find code to work on that looks: C this is for fun write(5,*)burgers,pickles,onion 1,peppers,cheese 2,mayo,bun C but not much fun This brings me to MY question. An associate is using EDT on a microvax with 4.x VMS and is goin wild with code that indents 8 spaces with each tab giving this effect which he doesn't like. He has an aversion to using the space bar on fresh code and wants to set tabs to 8,11,14,17... or whatever. Seems I did this once, but it's been a few years and I don't have access to VMS to play. Any help? Thanks, ck COMMUNICATIONS SIG Message # 235 0 replies Reply to # 206 Left by: KURT BREITHER On 19-Oct-88 At : (203)866-5050 Subject: U.S TO UK COMMUNIQUE We have tried to do European connections with modems and have found it to be generally a pain in the rear. There is too much noise on the lines in Europe (even intra-Europe). I would be amazed if anyone is using a dial up line to communicate with Europe with any success. You should probably look into some sort of packet switching service (Telenet, Tymnet, and British Telecom in the UK). We got around it by using PSI to all of our European locations and have had no problems at all with the "noise" factor. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 321 0 replies Reply to # 263 Left by: KURT BREITHER On 19-Oct-88 At : (203) 866-5050 Subject: COMMANDS OVER DECNET If you get support from the Digital Software Information Network (DSIN), there are a number of solutions available to you. I am presently using one which allows you to pass DCL commands from the host node to a remote without loggin on to the remote system. We use it to run some programs and do file transfers. Look under the TXT function, DECNET/VAX product, and search for TRANSPARENT. You will see about 20 different articles. Numbers 31 and 57 should be of interest to you. If you need more info, or can't get into DSIN, give me a call. UTILITIES SIG Message # 306 0 replies Left by: DAVE MEYER On 20-Oct-88 At : 201-434-8033 Subject: FILE SHADOWING Does anyone know of a software utility that performs file shadowing across Decnet or between volume sets on a VAX? LASER PRINTERS SIG Message # 37 0 replies Left by: GEORGE HOMEYER On 20-Oct-88 At : 201-344-1200 EXT 261 Subject: LN03 LINE COUNTER HELP!!!! We have an application originally designed for a LQP02 which prints columns. We are trying to do the same- thing on a LN03. The problem: We can reset the printer to the top of the page, but it will only print 66 lines beforeorm Feeding. (i.e. If we print 45 lines on the first column, resettop the top of the page and print the second column the printer form feeds at Is there a way to set the line counter from 66 to 132 or to reset the line counter to 0 at the top of the form? Thanx EDITORS SIG Message # 189 1 replies Left by: JOE GALLACE On 20-Oct-88 At : OTTAWA Subject: EFFECIENT EDITING SESSIONS Does anyone know, how to boost the PRIORITY of users during EDITING sessions ONLY. So that those users will get faster cursor response ? INSTALL does not allow priority specification, hence the EDITOR can't be installed with any priority. I realize there are complicated ways ie. by scanning the USERS and boost those using EDITORS- but is there a simpler way? WORD PROCESSING SIG Message # 101 0 replies Left by: STAN STOOTS On 21-Oct-88 At : 804-771-3084 Subject: DISOSS 8100I CONVERSION DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE CONVERTING A LARGE NUMBER OF DOCUMENTS FROM DISOSS 8100I FORMAT TO RFT FORMAT QUANITITIES CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 322 0 replies Reply to # 320 Left by: NELSON INGERSOLL On 21-Oct-88 At : (719) 540-1263 Subject: VAX / DG LINK At Honeywell here in Colorado Springs we have several large VAXclusters as well as several indepedant VAX CPUs. One of the VAXes (11/780) is connected to several Data General CPU (running AOS) via an Ungermann Bass Ethernet network. As Ungermann Bass is no longer building the particular model of network I/F's any longer, and we have several IC testers which yet need connection our tester manufacturer has suggested a TCPIP box, which should work well over our local-area ethernet backbone. If your interested I'll be happy to find out more about the vendor suggestions (which were made known to me only this week.) - Nelson ... PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 339 0 replies Reply to # 337 Left by: DALE SMITH On 21-Oct-88 At : TELCO RESEARCH / (615)329-0031 Subject: COBOL DESCENDING RMS KEYS Kitty, Thanks. I went off and "followed" the message(s) in the Applications SIG. What I was trying to do was be able to read either way on existing keyed (indexed) RMS files with a COBOL program (a la CICS/VSAM READNEXT and READPREV on a machine of a different color). What I tried was defining the same key twice, once ascending, once descending. Creating the FDL (EDIT/FDL) worked O.K., but, when I tried to compile the COBOL I/O subroutine with the ALTERNATE KEY parameters on the SELECT statement in the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION for the descending keys, the compiler gave me an error to the effect that it wouldn't (couldn't) support more that one key with the same offset and length. When I "get around" to trying the FORTRAN solution, I'll let you know. Dale UTILITIES SIG Message # 307 0 replies Reply to # 303 Left by: MIKE MONGEAU On 22-Oct-88 At : (508)490-2023 Subject: READING IBM TAPES There is a program in SYS$SYSTEM that allows you to read IBM tapes. It's called TAPECOPY.EXE. I recently used it to read an un-labeled ASCII tape written on an IBM machine. I'm not sure, but it may only be able to read fixed-length records. To use it: 1. MOUNT/FOREIGN MUA1: (or whatever your drive name is) 2. ASSIGN MUA1: TAPE The program uses the logical TAPE to access the drive. 3. RUN SYS$SYSTEM:TAPECOPY The program will ask a few questions: what length the records are, is it written in ASCII, EBCDIC or BCD, and the name of a file to copy to. Good luck. Mike Mongeau System Manager Raytheon Company Marlboro MA TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 245 0 replies Left by: DAVE COLE On 24-Oct-88 At : (317) 846-6591 Subject: BOARD REPAIR FOR PRINTERS Does anyone have any good experience with depot repairs on boards for DEC printers? In particular LQP02's and LQP03's. Some recommendations with phone numbers would be welcome. SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 187 1 replies Reply to # 185 Left by: WAYNE E. BLISS On 24-Oct-88 At : (314)889-8968 Subject: DEC System Disk You might take a look at an RA60 removable pack. We ran a 750 configured with an RA60 system disk and 2 RA81 data disks quite successfully. Wayne Bliss VMS SIG Message # 742 1 replies Left by: MARK STREET On 24-Oct-88 At : 213-477-1421 Subject: IMAGE ACTIVATION We have software that currently uses LIB$RUN to activate subsequent images but we have found this to be rather slow. Recently, we have heard that SAS software uses an undocumented system call to activate images in a much quicker manner. Any help would be appreciated. Mark Street Sigma Systems Inc 1508 Cotner Ave LA, CA 90025-3376 VMS SIG Message # 743 0 replies Reply to # 734 Left by: WILLIAM DEKRONEY On 24-Oct-88 At : 301-974-2059 Subject: .MAR EXAMPLES The files you are looking for are still in the VMS releases as far as I know. They can be found in SYS$EXAMPLES in their .mar source format. That was as of V4.5 VMS SIG Message # 744 0 replies Left by: WILLIAM DEKRONEY On 24-Oct-88 At : 301-974-2059 Subject: VMS 4.6+5.0 I am just about to install 4.6 upgrade from 4.5 and then go to 5.0 in about 1 month. If anyone has done any of these updates, can you let me know about how long they took. Did you find any differences between what really happens and the rlease notes. UTILITIES SIG Message # 308 0 replies Left by: JOHN LAPPETITO On 25-Oct-88 At : (313) 353-3300 Subject: TERMINAL MAILBOXES Is there a way to assign an existing mailbox to a terminal to receive broadcast messages. I have a VaxStation with a nifty UIS demo program called Banner. With release 4.0 of UIS the banner program now has a display area that you can write messages to via a mailbox. If I open the mailbox and write to it, everything works fine. But what I really would like to do is use this display area to receive broadcast messages. But I have had no luck so far. There are plenty of examples of how to create and use mailboxes. But none for this specific type of application. MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 211 1 replies Left by: MARK KUEHN On 25-Oct-88 At : 1-800-328-6830 Subject: CIPHER M990 TAPE DRIVE I recently have taken over the management of a third-party configured (aarrgh) MicroVAX II. It contains no DEC gear other that the CPU (this baby even has a third party Q-BUS backplane). My problem is that is has a Cipher M990 GCR tape drive which can read/write 1600/3200/6250 bpi tapes. However, in its present configuration, using a TC03 controller, the VAX cannot set the density. This device is emulating a TS11 tape drive. I know that I have seen a similar configuration in which the M990 could be instructed to switch densities from the host. I am getting desparate to find a controller/driver combination that will accomplish this, and any ideas from anyone would be welcomed. Thanx MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 413 0 replies Reply to # 403 Left by: SIMON BROWN On 25-Oct-88 At : HERE Subject: DECUS TAPES thanks BB - i got TK50 tapes from another co. here in Brussels. Cheers, Simon SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 188 0 replies Reply to # 187 Left by: DAVE COLE On 25-Oct-88 At : (317) 846-6591 Subject: 2ND DISK You could get a used RA80 drive. The RA80 is 121MB, about $2500.00, uses the same controller as your RA81 (UDA50), fits in same cabinet, or bottom of TU80/TU81 tape drive. VMS SIG Message # 745 0 replies Reply to # 742 Left by: Robert G. Schaffrath On 26-Oct-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: Undocumented Image Activation The system service you are looking for is SYS$IMGACT. This service is documented in the VMS V4.4 Internals Manual (to some extent. You won't find any examples of how to use it). Essentially, you want to perform a merged image activation (the only type of activation allowed in user mode). Although it is faster, it is undocumented and, therefore, subject to change at anytime. If you don't have the internals manual (it costs $75), give me a call and I'll FAX you the pages. Another system service you might hear about is SYS$CLI. It is the service which is invoked by LIB$RUN_PROGRAM. It to is undocumented and can lead to problems. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 212 0 replies Reply to # 211 Left by: Robert G. Schaffrath On 26-Oct-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: Tape Drive Controller Are you sure you are using a TC03 controller? TC02's emulate TS11's and use a layered driver from Emulex. TC03's are TUDRIVER compatible and look like a TU81. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 419 0 replies Left by: JOHN STACKLYN On 26-Oct-88 At : 904/487-7702 Subject: DIAL OUT VIA LAT/CLUSTER I am trying to dial out over UDS 212s @ 1200 bps attached to a DS200 and using ALL-IN-1 communications software. We have 5 outbounds configured to A1 as HARDWIRED and set up as LTA121 thru LTA125. This setup seems to work fine when everybody access the modems from the same node of the Cluster (currently 2 nodes). However, when the first modem is in use by somebody on NODE1 and another user trys to connect to the Computer System (as defined to A1) from NODE2, it just hangs. The A1 Systems Manager's Guide says something about including the node name as part of the device name under the communications line definition (EX: NODE1$LTA121). Unfortunately, there is not enough room in the device name field to include the Node name. Our VAR says that the A1 software does not specifically support LAT access. Any ideas? EDITORS SIG Message # 190 0 replies Left by: DAVID R. URBANIAK On 27-Oct-88 At : (414) 359-9800 Subject: DRUTPU I have a custom TPU editor with a modified keypad that I think is fantastic. It has a redefined keypad and an 'EDT' emulator for the diehards. It has multiple windows (as many as the screen can handle), column cut and past, number lines, etc. I will hopefully be submitting it to DECUS soon. If anyone is interested please leave me a line or give me a call for any info or questions. Normal business hours (8-5 central time). This editor was written from scratch with ideas pulled from the EDTSECINI, EVESECINI, EVEplus, EVE$SECTION, and my head. David R. Urbaniak 1504 S. 92nd Street #4 West Allis, WI 53214 RSTS SIG Message # 315 0 replies Left by: SULLIVAN On 27-Oct-88 At : 416-433-0011 Subject: LOGICRAFT CARDWARE QUERY: SIG. 33 WE ARE CONSIDERING THE PURCHASE OF A THREE USER LOGICRAFT CARDWARE BOARD FOR OUR PDP 11/84 TO PROVIDE PC CAPABILITY ON OUR DEC SYSTEM WHICH IS RUNNING RSTS/E V9.5. LOOKING FOR USER EXPERIENCE WITH THIS HARDWARE. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 323 0 replies Left by: JOE GALLACE On 27-Oct-88 At : (613)9922332 Subject: DS200 'DISCONNECTING' PRBLM We have several DS200's terminal servers on our ethernet LAN. We are running V2.0 software and LAT 5.1 on VMS 4.7 and have several SERVICES defined that anyone on the network can access. Here is the problem: Occasionally, after using a SERVICE on one of this servers, a user will DISCONNECT from this service ( from LOCAL>), however the REMOTE port assigned to this service will get stuck on 'DISCONNECTING' state and remain "in use" until it is manually LOGGED out. DEC seems unfamiliar with this problem. Has anyone else encountered it? There is absolutely nothing special about our VAX 8300 system. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 324 0 replies Reply to # 244 Left by: JOE GALLACE On 27-Oct-88 At : 613-2264713 Subject: DS200 PORT SETUP Setting a DS200 port to REMOTE will always give you the same LTAn: device. However if you also want to use it in local, it should be set to DYNAMIC. I have no real experience with this, but according to the DS200 documentation, it should work. Good Luck. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 325 2 replies Left by: NEAL GARVIN On 27-Oct-88 At : (203) 482-9511 EXT 2903 Subject: ETHERHOSE & GROUND LOOPS HELP!! We are told by our DEC reps (You can tell they are lying -- their lips are moving) that ground loops exist between two different load centers. This necessitates using fiber repeaters to link the two buildings. Of course, DEC would be pleased as punch to sell the repeaters to us... Is this true? Is there some way around it? Can we run normal etherhose between buildings without any problems? PLEASE HELP US !!!!! Signed, Lost in DEC marketing hell TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 246 0 replies Left by: DAVE COLE On 27-Oct-88 At : (317) 846-6591 Subject: LQP03 TECHNICAL MANUAL Looking for someone with a technical manual for a LQP03 printer. I need a copy of a schematic from it. DECdirect says it is out of print, CDC says they don't handle printers, and QUME (the manufacturer) says they don't have it because they just built it to DEC specs. GRAPHICS SIG Message # 78 0 replies Left by: GARY POINDEXTER On 27-Oct-88 At : (414) 355-5900 Subject: TIFF/PCX/RES/IGF TO SIXEL/REGIS/4014CONVERSION Does anyone know of software that will convert images from a scanner in TIFF, PCX, RES or IGF into SIXEL, REGIS, or 4014. We would prefer to clean up the images (vs. full scale editing) on the way. If not, how about information that might help us produce the above? PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 340 0 replies Left by: SIMON BROWN On 28-Oct-88 At : HERE Subject: PROLOG From Belgium 26563102 or PSI%02062210339::SPLOT Does anyone have a PROLOG (any flavour) on their VAX VMS system - I'm desparately seeking PROLOG for some of the AI chappies here. I have the Unix (ah - wash me mouth out with soap) SBPROLOG sources, but it's a daunting task to convert this lot to VMS. Holidays 10 - 20 November 1988. Cheers, Simon Brown MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 414 2 replies Reply to # 412 Left by: DR. R On 28-Oct-88 At : EVERYWHERE Subject: STAB FROM THE PAST? Hi there Murf! Sounds like you're in a fungal frenzy once again. Could this be due to a close encounter with a Smith and Wesson floppy? Or a boat cluster, mayhap? I think not. Methinks you've gotten the lowdown on the VAX Secure Virtual System, an A1-compliant security kernel that DEC has written for VMS and Ultrix. If this is the case, you know as well as I do that said kernel will remain in the NCSC until DEC can get it to perform reasonably well! CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 326 0 replies Reply to # 319 Left by: CHARLES RANSOM On 29-Oct-88 At : (202) 646-2400 Subject: SUN/VMS FILE XFER.. Easiest (and probably least expensive would be to Kermit the files over to the Sun workstation. [There is a copy of Kemit for the SUN about so check around and if you cannot find one, I've got a couple of places to look...] Charles SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 189 1 replies Reply to # 185 Left by: WILLIAM DEKRONEY On 29-Oct-88 At : 301-974=2059 Subject: DISKS We have a DEC RA80 which is 121Mb and has similar performance specs. to the RA81. We have had it for 4 years without any problems. It is the system disk on our programmer development 750. As far as moving your system to a separate spindle, it's probably going to be a noticeable improvement if your users either activate lots of images, or the disk your removing vms from already accumulates large amounts of I/O requests. COMMUNICATIONS SIG Message # 237 1 replies Left by: LEONARD GERSTLE On 31-Oct-88 At : 212-236-2061 Subject: DIALING OUT MODEM ON LAT Does anyone have any experience attatching modems to LAT ports (or Decservers) and dialing out? Can this be done ? How is the connection made? CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 327 2 replies Reply to # 325 Left by: PAT SMITH On 31-Oct-88 At : ANY GOOD BOOKSTORE...713-293-1330 Subject: ETHERHOSE GROUNDING PROBLEMS... So good to see that the word is getting around about DEC's standing policy about moving lips (not to mention sinking ships). But, more to the point. Here at ###### (censored), we have installed several Etherhoses and I've been told by my own internal TCOM folks that we can't run etherhose between two different buildings because (you guessed it) the grounding levels are different. I'm no electrical engineer, but I trust our TCOM folks on this one. Check the rest of what DEC told you, there has to be a "misunderstanding on YOUR part" some where. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 328 0 replies Reply to # 327 Left by: PAT SMITH On 31-Oct-88 At : ANY GOOD BOOKSTORE 713-293-1330 Subject: ADDED ON TO WHAT I JUST SAID "Let me make this perfectly clear" - Richard M Nixon... Just want to add a disclaimer about my last comment.... DEC always claims we misunderstood what they said when they said "....". Not that you misunderstood. pat APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 280 1 replies Left by: RANDY ROTH On 01-Nov-88 At : (616) 982-6267 Subject: INGRES ORACLE NOMAD Does any body have any information on Ingres, Oracle, or Nomad for the VAX? Your experiences with them and what to watch out for. RSTS SIG Message # 316 2 replies Left by: KELVIN SMITH On 01-Nov-88 At : (203) 357-0504 Subject: RECOVERING SEMI-DELETED FILES It would have to happen, of course. No sooner am I back from Anaheim than I start thinking of all the questions I'd like to ask the RSTS gurus. Perhaps a few of them are checking in here. My current perplexing problem is: Is there any way to read a file that has been marked for deletion, aside from (somehow) finding out its cluster location and doing non-file-structured access on the disk? Some programs here use temporary files which get marked for deletion just when things start to get interesting, which makes debugging tricky. I can get the first cluster's location from DIR filnam/S, but beyond that I'm lost. Any ideas would be appreciated. COMMUNICATIONS SIG Message # 238 0 replies Reply to # 237 Left by: MARK KUEHN On 02-Nov-88 At : (612)646-4501 X446 Subject: LAT SERVED MODEMS I have several modems connected to my VAX via DECSERVER 200s. There is no trick to hooking them up, except for that the documentation that explains it is about as poor as possible. It would be easier for me to explain it over the phone ( cause I'm just to lazy to type it out :-) ). Give me a call and I'll try to explain what DEC missed. Mark Kuehn Merrill Corporation Saint Paul, MN FORUM - 3RD PARTY SUPPLIERS SIG Message # 78 2 replies Left by: NOEL K. GODDARD On 02-Nov-88 At : INT + 61-2-868-4696 Subject: MS-DOS S'WARE FOR DM II I have recently acquired a second-hand DECmate II which has an XPU board in it. That's the 8/16 bit MS-DOS machine. Unfortunately, apart from the MS-DOS v2.11 r1.0 that it came with, there doesn't appear to be any software available to be run on this computer. Certainly none of the PC and compatible software suppliers over here have any software for the DECmate version of the "PC". And, of course, D.E.C. themselves can barely be convinced to own up to building the XPU board, let alone be persuaded to find software for it! So my first query is; does anyone know of any firms in the States that (still?) produce software packages for this machine? I'm particularly interested in spreadsheets and COBOL program development systems - preferably RM/COBOL-85 if I can get it. The second query is related to the actual XPU hardware. The one that is in my machine has 512Kb of memory, with what looks to be 256Kb on the main board and another 256Kb on a "piggy-back" memory expansion board. However, this piggy-back board is only "half populated". Can it be fitted with an appropriate chip set to bring it up to 512Kb (and thus total memory up to 768Kb)? It seems to me that the MS-DOS system software would be capable of recognising the memory if it was installed. And if any of the "all-singing, all-dancing" packages was available for this DECmate-based machine, I presume that they would welcome all the memory they could get! I would certainly appreciate any help you folk could give me. Thanks for listening. PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 341 0 replies Reply to # 220 Left by: TODD R. EBERSVILLER On 02-Nov-88 At : (701) 293-4663 Subject: KEYBOARD NUMBER When we converted from RSTS to VMS in 1980 (long ago and far away), DEC SWS wrote us a routine to convert from TT number to KB number and vice versa. VMS doesn't keep a keyboard number per se, but this is a work-around. TTA1, for example, is mapped to KB number 01, TTA2 to 02, c. I can give you the specifics if you like. We are currently going to terminal servers and will have to handle this differently in the near future. RSTS SIG Message # 317 0 replies Reply to # 316 Left by: Phil Anthony On 02-Nov-88 At : Here Subject: MDL Files Kelvin, it's been a while since I did any heavy-duty messing around with RSTS internals, but - if memory serves, the MDL flag is a bit set in the UFD name blockette. It should be possible to read the appropriate UFD cluster, locate the name blockette, flip the bit, and write it back (using Mode 16384%, I believe, in your open). Then, since it's no longer marked for de- letion, the file won't disappear when the program that created it exits. Hope this helps. Good luck. FORUM - 3RD PARTY SUPPLIERS SIG Message # 79 1 replies Reply to # 78 Left by: Phil Anthony On 02-Nov-88 At : Here Subject: MS-DOS SOFTWARE FOR DMII Noel, I cheerfully admit to knowing nothing whatsoever about the DECmate II. On the other hand, it's using MS-DOS, so it should be able to run almost any software that doesn't write to the metal. This includes programs that use BIOS interrupts as well as the DOS interrupt (Interrupt 21), so long as they don't try to use the new DOS interrupts that got introduced with V3.x. Lotus 1-2-3 is definitely not a candidate; it makes some of the nastiest hardware assumptions in the business. You might, however, be able to use the Smart spreadsheet; give Innovative Software a call at (913) 492-3800 for information. The Smart system also provides word processing, a low-level database that I've still found useful for several clients (it's about in the same league as dBase III, though it is networkable), and a barely adequate communications package. R-M COBOL would probably also work, but again, check with Ryan MacFarland (if that's how they spell themselves - I use Microsoft) before plunking down your money. Of course, you'd have to figure out how to get the software on the DECmate, since it doesn't use IBM PC-type diskettes. A communications program such as Kermit should work, though. As I said, my knowledge of the DECmate II is practically nonexistent, but I don't know of any MS-DOS that can recognize anything beyond 640 Kbytes of memory without patching, and only 768 bytes with a funny patch that probably wouldn't work on your system. If you have documentation (or am I dream- ing?), it probably tells you where the DIP switches are to inform the box about its memory; one of the settings ought to be able to give you 640 K if you add some chips. Best of luck to you! FORUM - 3RD PARTY SUPPLIERS SIG Message # 80 0 replies Reply to # 79 Left by: NOEL K. GODDARD On 03-Nov-88 At : INT + 612-868-4696 Subject: MS-DOS SOFTWARE FOR DMII Phil, thank you for your help. I'll certainly contact Innovative Software (once I've come to grips with the time difference!) because I've not heard of Smart before. You see my main problem is that I'm fairly "unsophisticated" where PC's, compatibles and MS-DOS are concerned. I do know that lots of PC software here in Oz is distributed - usually under some "exclusive rights" type of agreement - by a few fairly large firms. So why should they bother to carry DECmate versions of the stuff (assuming it exists) when they might only sell six copies a year? Answer: They shouldn't. So they don't. But the people who actually create the software, because they have executed distributorship agreements with the companies down here, aren't interested in folk like me who seem to be going "behind the distributor's back". It makes it all a bit complicated, really. As for the hardware side of things, I believe you're probably right about the memory. As a matter of fact, when I looked at the XPU board when it was being installed a couple of months ago, I didn't see any DIP switches on the thing at all! Mind you, I may not have been looking very closely and I certainly wasn't aware of what to look for. The confusing thing is that the Rainbow can contain - and presumably make use of - 832Kb (!) and IT runs the "DEC" version of MS-DOS. Incidentally, DEC only admits to producing 512Kb versions of the XPU. The other thing you are quite right about is that there's no documentation. Not for the hardware, anyway. I get the impression that DEC never intended anyone to do any more with the board than plug it in, install some packages and get on with living. Once again, thanks! PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 342 1 replies Left by: SCOT SHAW On 03-Nov-88 At : (615)377-1707 Subject: 4GL'S Our Corporate powers that be, are in the process of evaluating 4GL's for use in a 9 state area.The languages being considered are INGRESS, INFORMIX andd ORACLE. Anyone have a pros/cons, pluses/minuses, caveats/brickbats o these products or on 4GL's in genera? Thanks for your support ... VMS SIG Message # 746 0 replies Left by: J. SCOTT VIVIAN On 03-Nov-88 At : TEXAS MEDICAL FOUNDATION Subject: VMS TO PICK/OS ? Just wanted to find out if any one out there has used PICK on a VMS platfor and if they have, any suggestions or comments. We are looking at possibly going to a PICK environment because of a softwar purchas. Any way, if you have any experience using PICK on any platform please leave a message or call me. Texas Medical Foundation Austin, Texas 78746 (512)329-6610 x349, x350 Thanx !!! UTILITIES SIG Message # 310 0 replies Left by: TOM MACKAY On 03-Nov-88 At : 214-620-3154 Subject: POSTSCRIPT TO LN03 CONVERSION ?? Does anyone know of a utility to convert a postscript file to a format suitable for printing on a LN03 or LN03 Plus (or even a HP Laserjet) ? Something that could be run in batch for submission to print queue would be the best. Thanks. VMS SIG Message # 747 2 replies Reply to # 735 Left by: David Beorn On 03-Nov-88 At : 804-788-7410 Subject: RE: AUTO_DIAL.MAR Well - maybe the code is still in VMS - but it's not in Micro-VMS and until I get 5.0, that's what I have. Anyway - what I really want is the code for dialing a Hayes compatible modem. Anyone got it?? David Beorn VMS SIG Message # 748 0 replies Reply to # 736 Left by: David Beorn On 03-Nov-88 At : 804-788-7410 Subject: PRIVILEGED IMAGES Maybe I don't understand what you want to do - but I thought all you needed to do for this was to go into INSTALL and do a CREATE to create an entry for the file you want, and then add /PRIV=SYSPRV (etc. - whatever privs you want). I've done this with a file I had that needed WORLD priv to run and I just made the entry and it worked. Then you need to put it into SYSTART.COM so when you reboot, it's still there!! As i said, maybe I don't know what you want - but I've also installed a SHARED MEMORY are in the same kind of way. David TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 247 0 replies Left by: DEAN WOOLDRIDGE On 03-Nov-88 At : 1-800-922-6337 Subject: OVERHEAD PROJECTIONS We have a VT220 terminal through DEC. Has anyone ever hooked one up for over head projection. We are looking for a cost efficient way of doing this. At present the only option we have found is through a PC. We would like to be able to hook directly to the 220. HELP .... Signed, the one in the dark. VMS SIG Message # 749 1 replies Left by: DAVID GRAY On 03-Nov-88 At : 301-688-7344 Subject: UNDERSTANDING VAX I/O??? Help, can anyone help me solve an I/O dilema? I am trying to write software that will read data from a dhu11 port. Everytime I perform a DCL type on that port, I can only read every other line. The port is set up as passall,notype ahead and no pasthru. I have tried varying all the parameters with no success. Can anyone explain the internals of the VMS I/O that is responsible for this behavior? Thanks, Dave Gray COMMUNICATIONS SIG Message # 239 1 replies Left by: ROMAN MITURA On 04-Nov-88 At : 306-566-3339 Subject: DEQNA SETUP I'm doing some programming of the old DEQNA ethernet controller, I have the wonderful EK-DEQNA-UG-001 user's guide. Ive been beating my brains out trying to figure out how to setup the devices target addresses but haven't had much success. The manual is ambiguous to say the least. Also haven't figured out how to set up the operating conditins such as: recognize all multicast addrs, promiscuous mode, etc. Any help will be greatly appreciated.... -Roman mitura SaskPower, R&D Center 2025 Victoria Ave Regina, Sask., Canada S4P-0S1 FAX:(306)-566-3348 RSTS SIG Message # 318 0 replies Reply to # 316 Left by: BOB DUDLEY On 04-Nov-88 At : (314)-731-3444 Subject: RECOVERING Kevin, If you terminate the job, so that the file is really deleted, AND, if no other job creates a file before you, you can PIP /mo:16./si:.../po:...=nl: a new file on top of the old one. NL: is the null device, which will not actually write any data on top of it. E.g., if you know the file is contiguous, 16 blocks, at 12000, $ pip file.tmp/mo:16./si:16./po:12000.=nl: will create file.tmp, which you can then manipulate at will. Of course, the original file must be contiguous, or this won't work... back from retirement, Bob DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 420 0 replies Reply to # 393 Left by: MIKE DANIELS On 04-Nov-88 At : 414-721-5510 Subject: KERMIT RSX-11M 4.0 GERRY WOLLNER I NOW HAVE A COPY OF KERMIT THAT WILL RUN ON 4.0. I CURRENTLY AM USING IT ON AN 11/23, BUT THE PERSON I GOT IT FROM SAYS IT WILL WORK ON HIS 11/73. IF YOU STILL NEED IT LEAVE ME A MESSAGE HERE OR ON THE PDP-11 NET. MIKE DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 421 0 replies Left by: MIKE DANIELS On 04-Nov-88 At : 4147215510 Subject: KERMIT RSX-11M 4.0 GERRY WOLLNER I NOW HAVE A COPY OF KERMIT THAT WORKS ON RSX-11M 4.0. I AM USING IT ON AN 11/23 BUT HAVE BEEN ASSURED THAT IT WILL WORK ON AN 11/73. IF YOU STILL WANT A COPY LEAVE ME A MESSAGE HERE OR ON THE PDP-11 NET. MIKE CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 329 0 replies Reply to # 327 Left by: JANE COX On 04-Nov-88 At : --------- Subject: ETHER GROUND I'm afraid DEC person's lips are pretty consistent on this one ; even in the UK you're advise not to string Ethernet between different electrical grounding stations. VMS SIG Message # 750 0 replies Left by: TOM CACHAT On 04-Nov-88 At : 714 496-1215 X354 Subject: HIERARCHY.DOC, DO.COM I made the following changes to HIERARCHY.DOC to get it to run (my version on top): 8 $ SAVE_DIR == F$ENVIRONMENT("DEFAULT") 8 $ SAVE_DIR = F$ENVIRONMENT("DEFAULT") 12 $ @'SAVE_DIR'DIR_STRUCTURE 12 $ @DIR_STRUCTURE 25 $ @'SAVE_DIR'DIR_STRUCTURE \ 'LEVEL' 25 $ @DIR_STRUCTURE \ 'LEVEL' ********************************* The following is a way to execute DCL commands and command files without tying up the keyboard: BBS> sh sym do DO = "spawn/notify/nowait/out=tmp.lis @utilities:do " BBS> t utilities:do.com $set nocontrol_y $'p1' 'p2' 'p3' 'p4' 'p5' 'p6' 'p7' $ PURGE TMP.LIS/KEEP=3 BBS> do show dev du %DCL-S-SPAWNED, process SYSTEM_1 spawned BBS> DO::SYSTEM_1 16:15:33 (DCL) CPU=00:00:01.28 PF=363 IO=194 MEM=251 DO::_LTA475: 16:15:33 (DCL) CPU=00:06:45.29 PF=23970 IO=26583 MEM=341 BBS> Subprocess SYSTEM_1 has completed BBS> t tmp Device Device Error Volume Free Trans Mnt Name Status Count Label Blocks Count Cnt DUA0: Mounted 0 VMS42 38097 137 1 DUA1: Mounted 0 DISK_1 142815 68 1 DUA2: Mounted 0 DISK_2 34788 22 1 Tom Cachat Systems Specialist Capistrano Unified School District 32972 Calle Perfecto San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 (714) 496-1215 RT SIG Message # 16 0 replies Left by: NOEL K. GODDARD On 05-Nov-88 At : INT + 612-868-4696 Subject: TK25 PROBLEM I have been supporting a real estate agent - a small site with a PDP-11/23+ that has 512Kb, the 31Mb winchester, RX50 floppy and a TK25 in the desk top box. The system was installed in January 1987 and uses CTS-300 V8.2 based on RT-11 V5.04. There has been a problem with the system that refuses to go away or to yield to reason. All the application software is written in DIBOL and runs under XMTSD built for RT11-XM. However, all backup is done to the TK25 using RT-11's COPY. We have discovered that every time the TK25 is used - even if it is just INIT'ed and not even COPY'd to - the next attempt to print a file from a DIBOL program using the TSD line printer spooler will either hang or crash the system. Either way we have to re-boot to get everything back to normal again. In fact, the "workaround" we have been using is to "cut our losses" and re-boot after every use of the TK25. It works but it's a right royal pain! DEC have been as helpful as possible - they even actually sent us the RT-11 upgrade 88/1 only six months late - but none of the documentation seems to indicate that the problem we have might be addressed in the upgrade. I'm wondering if anyone else has struck the same problem and found a fix for it. We haven't installed the upgrade yet but that should be done in the next couple of weeks. The problem definitely seems to be some sort of incompatibility between the TK25 handler and CTS-300, and I'm blowed if I can see anything wrong in the way either RT-11 or CTS-300 was originally installed/SYSGEN'd. Any help anyone can give us would be appreciated. Thank you. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 415 2 replies Left by: MICHAEL PROCOPIO On 05-Nov-88 At : 213/5403260 Subject: DEAR SYSOP Since you have KERMIT and XMODEM can you make them available for downloading? Thank you, Michael Procopio CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 330 2 replies Left by: BOB HEROUX On 07-Nov-88 At : 508-222-2202 X 2519 Subject: DECNET/PCSA INSTALLATION HELP!!!!!!!!! I'm trying to install a PCSA network on my existing VAX Decnet network. A little background first, the present network consists of a VAX/11 751, 2 microVAX's and a VAXstation 2000. All are Decnet endnodes except for one of the microVAX's. The other microVAX is the one in which I am trying to use as a PCSA server. Also, LAT is running since I just added a couple of Decservers on the network last week. Everything seems to go well with the installation until.... 1. I have installed the VAX/VMS Services for MS-DOS on the microVAX. 2. I have installed the PCSA PC Client on the microVAX. So far so good! Now the problems start. Following the installation guide and moving over to the PC to install the PCSA PC Client software. 1. Made a bootable disk and re-booted PC. OK 2. Swithed disks and typed AUTOEXEC and selected keyboard. OK 3. Typed NET START LAD /N:nodename This is where I am having problems, I get an error message saying UNABLE TO MAKE CONNECTION I've tried everything (well almost everything) and nothing helps. You should also know that the PC is not a "supported" PC. It's a Colorscan/2 from Datamedia. It should work since I saw it running in their sales office. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. VMS SIG Message # 751 0 replies Reply to # 747 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 07-Nov-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: DTE_HAYES.MAR Regarding your search for a HAYES autodialer routine. I have one! I wrote it about 6 months ago by converting DTE_DF112.MAR. It is a bit kludgey but it does work. The only problem it appears to have is occasionaly it will not issue an 'ATZ' command after a session to reset the modem. This was necessary at our site because the modem was used for both incoming and outgoing calls. If you want the code, give me a call and we can arrange a transfer. I have KERMIT, RX50, TK50, TK70, 1600/6250 bpi. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 VMS SIG Message # 752 1 replies Reply to # 749 Left by: MARK KUEHN On 07-Nov-88 At : (612)646-4501 Subject: VAX SERIAL IO The problem that you are encountering could be caused by the NOTYPE_AHEAD setting. When this is set VMS does NOT buffer any IO characters for you. This means that a read request must always be pending on the port that you did the type to or the data will be lost. I'm not sure if you are doing this read for DCL or from an executable image, but if it is from DCL, it probably won't work because DCL is VERY slow relative to serial interrupts. You might try setting the port to TYPE_AHEAD and HOSTSYNC this will allow VMS to buffer 72 characters (I think) and XOFF the serial port when only eight characters positions remain of the 72. If that doesn't work try setting the port to TYPE_AHEAD, HOSTSYNC, and ALTYPEAHD. Then VMS uses the SYSGEN parameter TTY_ALTYPAHD for the buffer size and TTY_ALTALARM for the number of characters remaining when to send the XOFF. I hope that this helps. If not I have a VAX macro subroutine library that could be linked with another program to accomplish this. VMS SIG Message # 753 0 replies Reply to # 747 Left by: DAVE COLE On 07-Nov-88 At : (317) 846-6591 Subject: HAYES AUTO DIAL There is source code (.MAR.) for using the Hayes to auto dial on DSIN. DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 422 1 replies Left by: RICK MAGILL On 07-Nov-88 At : (709)745-0100 Subject: IBM/VAX SNA RJE We have recently installed a VAX 8350 connecting to an Amdahl 5880 (running MVS/XA) using DEC's SNA/RJE product. We are having a problem with print jobs returned to the VAX in that the RJE software does not recognize changes in form type within a batch job. Whether we spool the output or not the VAX is recognizing only the first form in the job. Is anybody aware of a means to handle this or any third party products which correct our problem MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 416 1 replies Reply to # 415 Left by: Phil Anthony On 07-Nov-88 At : Here Subject: INCORRECT XMODEM Mike, I don't think you really want the ARIS version of XModem. I've left a couple of messages to the Sysop about it after extensive testing; it really wouldn't be too friendly to somebody calling in at long-distance rates to try an XModem download and get what I've gotten consistently using four dif- ferent XModem implementations under PC-DOS on my end. This tells me that the problem is in the ARIS code. It seems the ARIS implementation doesn't handle line terminators properly. Instead of sending a combination at end of line, it pads the line out to 128. characters (the size of an XModem packet, minus four or five bytes of control information) with spaces, then immediately starts in on the next line. This has the effect of making the download much longer than it ought to be - one packet per line of the source file. For example, RMSFILE.DOC, which is two blocks long according to the listing, transferred as 20. XModem packets, or 2560. bytes. Upon examination, only 533. bytes were found to be genuine information, yielding a 4.8 times expansion. Longer files, especially those with blank lines separating sections of code, are even worse. This also renders the downloaded file useless until you run it through an editor to get rid of the extra spaces and insert in the appropriate places - and if you don't have an editor that can handle a text line as long as the entire file, you're plumb out of luck. XModem really isn't a difficult protocol, so I can only suggest that whoever wrote the ARIS version managed to get lost in the morass of RMS - i.e., it's trying to convert a variable-length ASCII file into fixed-length binary packets, and not doing it correctly. Probably it's under the mistaken im- pression that when it requests a 128.-byte read, it gets 128. bytes. The other problem with the ARIS XModem is that it doesn't know when to stop. After "successfully" sending the file, it turns around and tries to send it again. The only way out of the loop that I could find was to type in a couple of CANs (Ctrl-X's) when I got the message to start my transfer proce- dure for the second time. VMS SIG Message # 754 0 replies Left by: LES VON HOLSTEIN On 07-Nov-88 At : (214)386-4311 Subject: FILE NAMES IN .EXE'S I am trying to create a cross reference of files and subroutines used within a COBOL .EXE file. The ANALYZE/IMAGE will give me a list of system library's used (i.e FDLSHR,LIBRTL,SORTSHR,COBRTL) but no specific images that were called. The ANALYZE/OBJECT will give me a list of all reference to all CALLS, and in the TIR records will identify the files being used (but not in a manner that is consistant). A MAP from a LINK will identify the CALLS and the 'number of files used', but not the files themselves. A MAP from a COBOL compile will give me a listing of all CALLS and all FD entries (but not the file-spec). Since all of this info (called programs and file-specs) is located in a .EXE file, there MUST be a way to locate it. Any ideas? Thanks, Les von Holstein (214)386-4311 VMS SIG Message # 755 0 replies Left by: JEFF FINKELSTEIN On 07-Nov-88 At : 609-338-4730 Subject: LIB$FIND_IMAGE_SYMBOL Something to remember if you are planning (or are) using LIB$FIND_IMAGE_SYMBOL for accessing routines/data within a shareable image. Be sure that the filename that you link against is an exact match of the filename that you pass to LIB$FIND_IMAGE_SYMBOL. If there is any discrepancy at all, a new copy of the shareable image is mapped to your P0 space (after expansion if needed). This typically manifests itself by causing problems with debugging the shareable image, particularly dealing with data or the debug symbol table. Usually, if you can see the symbols but cannot access them, you are running on a second copy of the code and data psects without realizing it. A simple solution is to use a logical name for all file accesses. For example: $! Always use an system-executive mode logical for this. I know the manual $! say never specify the file extension, but this works... $ DEFINE /SYSTEM /EXEC MY_SHARE SYS$COMMON:[SYSLIB]MY_SHAREABLE_IMAGE.EXE $ LINK/DEBUG/MAP MY_PROGRAM,SYS$INPUT/OPT MY_SHARE/SHARE /* Then in your program */ Status = LIB$FIND_IMAGE_SYMBOL("MY_SHARE","SOME_SYMBOL",SYMBOL_ADDRESS); This way, there never is any doubt concerning which name you are using. Needless to say, I spent about 3 days trying to track this puppy down. Now at least I know better. Shareable images are great for software development, but good planning is essential. DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 423 1 replies Reply to # 419 Left by: KITTY GEORGE On 08-Nov-88 At : HERE (ARIS) Subject: MODEM ACCESS FROM ALL-IN-1, CLUSTER John - In response to your problem with accessing modems from two nodes in a cluster from All-in-One (All-in-many?) - you mentioned something about specifying a device name somewhere, but have a problem with the name length. One - have you tried a short logical name in lieu of a physical name ? Two - you seem to be stumped by a name of form NODE1$LTAnnnn. Would it be possible to just specify a name like LTA1, LTA2, etc at all times? I thinking in terms of the way you can set up printer ports on a DECserver by configuring ports LTAxyz (you pick xyz) at SYStartup time. Hope this helps. Kitty :-) SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 190 0 replies Reply to # 189 Left by: KITTY GEORGE On 08-Nov-88 At : HERE (ARIS) Subject: ADDING RA80 TO SYSTEM Regarding a query on options to upgrade a 750 ... The recommendation of an RA80 sounds good, with pluses and minuses ... The plus - the RA80/RM80 is (was?) extremely reliable when compared to earlier and later DEC offerings. The minuses - 121 meg (~240,000 blocks) is not a lot of disk space, and the monthly maintenance when figured on a $ per block basis has got to be high, especially in view of the age of the device - it's been out at least seven or eight years now, and typically maintenance costs on disk drives creep up as Father Time marches on ... From an economics/reliability point of view, a second-hand Fujitsu Iggle may be a better buy. Kitty :-) FORUM - 3RD PARTY SUPPLIERS SIG Message # 81 0 replies Reply to # 78 Left by: David Beorn On 09-Nov-88 At : 804-788-7410 Subject: RE: Software for RAINBOW and/or DECMate II There is plenty of software available for the RAINBOW (at least there WAS) and if the DM II uses the same MS-DOS, they should run there too (I guess??). LOTUS IS available for the Rainbow, as well as WORDSTAR, WORD PERFECT, etc. DBASE is also available - the trick here is, what VERSION??? They probably have not kept up with the present versions of most (if not all) of the packages available. KERMIT is also available And as far as getting software onto the Rainbow (I'm not really familiar with the DECmates), just use a single-side formated disk (FORMAT/1 on the IBM or compatible to format it - can't do it on the Rainbow) and then opy software onto this disk from the IBM, then read it with the Rainbow. There are some problems with some non-text files (LOTUS for instance seems to lose header info - but the spreadsheet seems to be intact). As far as Hardware goes, the Rainbow can handle 896 KB. And there ARE dip switches, if I remember correctly - if you get the chip set from DEC, the manula tells you what to do. OH - and WHERE does the softwre above come from??? DEC distributed it at one time - again, I don't know about now, but they should know where you can get it or the "manufacturers" should be able to get you a Rainbow version. There must still be some out there somewhere!!!! David Beorn VMS SIG Message # 756 2 replies Left by: WAYNE STEFFEN On 09-Nov-88 At : HERE Subject: SYS PROG ON ALT. DISK We have a uVaxII w/ RA81 and RA60. The RA81 is the boot device. The system is a production system. There is no development cpu at this time. We need to apply system updates, etc. I need to know if we can do the VMS updates on the RA60, to keep it separate from the production on the RA81, and then transfer that after testing to the RA81. I know I could do this with RSX, can I do this with VMS? Thanks. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 332 1 replies Reply to # 332 Left by: WAYNE STEFFEN On 09-Nov-88 At : HERE Subject: GROUND LOOPS You should take their advice on this one, unless you want to string a VOM between the buildings to check for ground potentials. I worked in an engineering company, that was located in a loft in New York City, and we had a ground potential between equipment across the room. By the way did you know that the neutral wire isn't ground and can have a potential to ground? FORUM - DEC SIG Message # 56 2 replies Left by: DAVID BEORN On 09-Nov-88 At : 804-788-7410 Subject: RE: DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG What number is this SIG??? I see it on messages but it is not on your menu of SIGS? Or if it is, I MUSt have missed it. David Beorn MICROVAX SIG Message # 171 0 replies Left by: STEPHANIE L. HYDE On 09-Nov-88 At : 301-695-4040 Subject: DQ132/VMS We have recently installed VAX VMS ver 5.0. Since that time we have been experiencing some problems with backups. We are using DQ132, so I contacted DILOG who informed me that DEC has a problem with their version of TSDRIVER.EXE (which they are in the process of fixing). In reading your ARISTALK in November's issue, Barton F. Bruce (SIG 13/MESS 156) stated in a response to a user "DON'T GET DQ132, BECAUSE IT HAS SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH VMS BACKUP. DILOG IS FIXING THE PROBLEMS ON THE DQ142'S, BUT IT MIGHT NOT HAVE MICROCODE SPACE TO FIX ON THE EARLIER CARD." Could you please let me know what problems you are aware of with the DQ132 and VMS backup, so we can determine if they are the same ones we are experiencing? Are you aware of any problems with TSDRIVER.EXE and DQ132? THANK YOU. STEPHANIE L. HYDE ADVANCED NAVIGATION, INC. 61 THOMAS JOHNSON DRIVE FREDERICK, MD 21701 UNIX/ULTRIX SIG Message # 32 0 replies Left by: JENE ATKINSON On 09-Nov-88 At : UW-OSHKOSH (414) 424-3028 Subject: VIRUS PROTECTION/DETECTION I am looking for any information on detection, prevention, and even creation (which would facilitate detection and prevention) of viruses, trojans, etc., on VAX (VMS), IBM MVS and PC's (under DOS, OS/2, and Novelle network O.S.). Thanx. Jene Atkinson, Jr. Central Information Systems 307 Dempsey Hall - UW-Oshkosh Oshkosh, WI 54901 (414) 424-3028 FORUM - DEC SIG Message # 57 0 replies Reply to # 56 Left by: Phil Anthony On 09-Nov-88 At : Here Subject: DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Dave, the Data/File Transfer SIG appears on the menu as No. 42, the Communi- cations/File Transfer SIG. Now, if I can figure out which the DEC SIG is (maybe No. 91, "Open Forum re DEC"?), I'll be able to reply .... FORUM - DEC SIG Message # 58 0 replies Reply to # 56 Left by: PHIL TRIPP On 09-Nov-88 At : 804-528-7629 Subject: WHICH SIG This is SIG 91, Open Forum re DEC. SIG 42 is the Data/File Transfer SIG. Now, what is the question? :-) MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 417 0 replies Left by: JENE ATKINSON On 09-Nov-88 At : UW-OSHKOSH Subject: VIRUS DETECTION/PROTECTION I am looking for any information on detection, prevention, and even creation (which would facilitate detection and prevention) of viruses, trojans, etc., on VAX (VMS), IBM (MVS) and PC's (under DOS, OS/2, and Novelle network OS [NETWARE]). Thanx. Jene Atkinson, Jr. Central Information Systems 307 Dempsey Hall - UW-Oshkosh Oshkosh, WI 54901 (414) 424-3028 MICROVAX SIG Message # 172 1 replies Left by: STEPHANIE L. HYDE On 09-Nov-88 At : 301-695-4040 Subject: DQ132/VMS We have recently installed VAX VMS ver 5.0. Since that time we have been experiencing some problems with backups. We are using DQ132, so I contacted DILOG who informed me that DEC has a problem with their version of TSDRIVER.EXE (which they are in the process of fixing). In reading ARISTALK in November's issue, Barton F. Bruce (SIG 13/MESS 156) stated in a response to a user "DON'T GET DQ132, BECAUSE IT HAS SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH VMS BACKUP. DILOG IS FIXING THE PROBLEMS ON THE DQ142'S, BUT IT MIGHT NOT HAVE MICROCODE SPACE TO FIX ON THE EARLIER CARD." DOES ANY KNOW what the problems are with the DQ132 and VMS backup, so we can determine if they are the same ones we are experiencing? Are you aware of any problems with TSDRIVER.EXE and DQ132? THANK YOU. STEPHANIE L. HYDE ADVANCED NAVIGATION, INC. 61 THOMAS JOHNSON DRIVE FREDERICK, MD 21701 DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 424 0 replies Left by: MARK E. SODERLUND On 09-Nov-88 At : (913) 684-5135 Subject: NFS ( & TCP/IP) FOR VMS I am looking for a version NFS that will run under VMS (version 4.7-5.x) I will be incorporating some Sun workstations on my EtherNet and the applications that will be using the suns will need to access Vax disks as remotely mounted disks under NFS. The main application will need to be able have about 40-50 files open through NFS, and files created can get up to 50-200 Mbytes in size. Another site here is running this same application and they have tried NFS by Fusion and NFS by the Wollongong Group. They prefer the software by Wollongong, but it has crashed the VAXes during previous tests. Does anyone know of any other products that provide NFS? Mark E. Soderlund USATRADOC Analysis CommanFLVN ATRC-FOC-S (Bldg 391) Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027-5200 UNIX/ULTRIX SIG Message # 33 0 replies Left by: MARK E. SODERLUND On 09-Nov-88 At : (913) 684-5135 Subject: NFS FOR VMS I am looking for NFS for the VMS operating system. I left a similar message in the Communications SIG. I will be connecting some Sun workstations to my existing EtherNet. We have tested a couple of products (by Fusion and by Wollongong) and had problems with them. If anyone knows of something, please leave me a reply. Mark E. Soderlund USATRADOC Analysis Command-FLVN ATRC-FOC-S (Bldg 391) Fort LEavenworth, KS 66027-5200 APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 281 0 replies Reply to # 280 Left by: MARK E SODERLUND On 09-Nov-88 At : (913)684-5135 Subject: INGRES FOR VAX I have INGRES on my VAXen. I have a cluster of 2 11/785s running VMS 4.7, with a uVax II on EtherNet. Ingres works fine as far as I';ve noticed. It can use a lot of memory, and it does all its work in Subprocesses. I've been developing a database of System Management type info, like user account info, dates accounts were added, deleted modified, some accounting info, the like. I'm using INGRES version 5, and I do my development in their QUEL query language. They also have SQL. They tell all the users that as of Version 6, QUEL will go away. I'm NOT happy about that, because from a brief reading of the SQL manuals, its a LOT easier to do the things I'm doing in QUEL than it will be in SQL. I like the product. As a System Manager, I don't like its method of file access, and I wish they used more of VMS's built-in file protection features. All access is performed based on thUSERNAME of the process. I d to writerite a program that changes a processes username to allow multiple users to have Database Administrator (DBA) access to single databases. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 418 0 replies Left by: CRAIG R. MASON On 09-Nov-88 At : 801-586-5436 Subject: PROBLEM WITH DCL DIALOGUE MAY 88 The program 'Fortune Cookies for the Masses' is great. But as I started to implement it, I discovered a minor problem. Several places in the program 'BAKE.COM' the subroutine DONE is called. THe problem is simply that the subroutine DONE does not exist. Please let me know somehow what happened and what can be done to rectify this problem. Thank you. A faithful reader. Craig R. Mason DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 425 0 replies Reply to # 393 Left by: MIKE On 09-Nov-88 At : 4147215510 Subject: KERMIT RSX-11M 4.0 GERRY I HAVE KERMIT FOR RSX-11M 4.0 . LEAVE ME A MESSAGE IF YOU STILL NEED IT. MIKE DANIELS PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 343 0 replies Reply to # 223 Left by: DON ROBERTS On 09-Nov-88 At : 818/969-6741 Subject: ALTERNATIVE TO DTR This is somewhat late, but I am new to ARIS... In case you care, there are alternatives to datatrieve for the function you describe. Two products I have come across are XENTIS from Park Software in Seattle and RMSEDIT from Beck Computer in Long Beach. Xentis basically does what datatrieve does but has a menu driven user interface, can be limited functionally with a little effort and does not require CDD. It is, however, a hog like datatrieve. But it is somewhat less expensive, and support is very responsive to help. RMSEDIT is kinda new, and I have not used it, but I know Beck Computer and it is likely a good product. In anycase, you can crank out rather complex reports very quickly, much more so than COBOL, and, in the case of XENTIS at least, training is much less than for datatrieve. RSTS SIG Message # 319 0 replies Reply to # 272 Left by: DON ROBERTS On 09-Nov-88 At : 818/969-6741 Subject: VIRTUAL TO RMS Another late reply... If you REALLY want your virtual array converted to RMS and you don't have VAX BASIC handy, you can write a quick RSTS Basic program to convert the virtual array to terminal output (plain vanilla ascii with cr/lf line terminators), copy the file to VMS (or do it on RSTS) and use the RMS convert facility with the proper switches to convert to an RMS sequential file (whatever). Call me if you need help. RT SIG Message # 17 0 replies Left by: DOUGLAS TAYLOR On 09-Nov-88 At : 202-767-6893 Subject: USING RX02'S IN MICRO-11/RT When I upgraded our old LSI-11/23 system to a Micro-PDP11 I wanted to keep the RX02 drives from the old system and use them in the new one. The RX02 is a Data Systems Design 440 unit and will not work in the MicroPDP under the RT-11 v5.4 system, does anyone know how to make the RX02's work in the Micro-PDP? Is is a conflict between 22 and 18 bit addressing, or between the RQDX1 controller and the RX02? The boot prom on the 11/23+ board in the system allows booting from an RX02, but the system hangs when I try to use the RX02 as a boot device. RSTS SIG Message # 320 0 replies Reply to # 306 Left by: DON ROBERTS On 09-Nov-88 At : 818/969-6741 Subject: TEACHING RSTS Well, if you already know RSX, RT and VMS, you really need little help with RSTS. Digital has been pretty consistant. Particularly using things like PIP. If you want some help, call me. My location and availability are such that I wouldn't feel right to charge, but I will help all I can (of course, we take donations!). Call the above number between 8 and 5 PST. MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 213 0 replies Left by: DONALD PARKER On 09-Nov-88 At : 608 271-3333 Subject: HIGH SIERRA CD-ROMS Does anyone know of a driver to support a High Sierra format CDROM on an RRD-50 CD reader? Currently, DEC says it will support it in the future, but will not give a time frame. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 419 0 replies Reply to # 415 Left by: KELVIN SMITH On 09-Nov-88 At : (203) 357-0504 Subject: GETTING YOUR VERY OWN KERMIT Mike, the "Notes from SYSOP" section of ARIS has information on a bulletin board with all the versions of Kermit for various operating systems you could ever want, and then some. I don't know about as good a source for XMODEM; I know the DECUS RSTS SIG has had an XMODEM (source code) on its SIG tape recently, but I can't offer anything else. PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 344 1 replies Left by: MALIN ZERGIEBEL On 10-Nov-88 At : 203-855-2298 Subject: PACKED EBCDIC NUMBERS We're reading an IBM EBCDIC formatted tape and converting it to ASCII. So far so good ... until we hit packed numerical fields. Is there any VMS utility that will unpack this mess? We're running VMS 4.5 and the conversion routine is written in Basic. We also have C available to us. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 420 1 replies Reply to # 416 Left by: BILL HALBERSTADT On 10-Nov-88 At : (302)695-3825 Subject: XMODEM VS KERMIT Since you mentioned both XMODEM and KERMIT, you might also want to consider one more item before deciding. In the XMODEM protocol, a "checksum" is transmitted with each packet. Since that checksum character is mathematically computed and not restricted, it can turn out to be any ASCII character at all. No problem, except that if it turns out to be an XON (control Q) or XOFF (control S) character, and if ANY device in the communications path between you and the other end (host or pc) is using "software flow control", then that device will either "eat" the XON or XOFF, and/or act on it as a flow control signal. Either way, your file transfer just failed. Depending on your communications devices, there may be other "killer" characters. One reason this is occurring more frequently is the increasing use of high speed and/or error-correcting modems. Because these modems might have to retransmit packets of characters, they need some way to tell their host to "stop sending characters" until their buffers are ready to receive more. That means they need to implement flow control. Often, the flow control used is XON/XOFF. Thus the conflict with XMODEM. KERMIT, on the other hand, was specially written to NEVER transmit any characters other than the standard, printable, ASCII characters. KERMIT converts other characters (or binary bytes) to two (or occasionaly 3) character pairs when necessary to avoid sending control characters, etc. Thus, KERMIT is much more reliable over an increasing number of communications paths. WORD PROCESSING SIG Message # 104 2 replies Left by: DAVID KINDLER On 10-Nov-88 At : (212) 350-1235 Subject: ONE MORE TIME? Let's see if I can get this right now. I am having a terrible time with this editor. Anyway... I am the systems manager for Rolling Stone magazine. We are currently looking for a wordprocessor for our Microvax II. We have one drive (ra81) and expect over a dozen people using the wordprocessing software alone. These people are on several floors and so I will need to have a number of printers all over the place. I am also interested in printing off a slave printer as well. I am looking for a good package which has low overhead and is fast. Does the basic things well (underline, bold, etc.) and has some extra added features such as list processing, mail merge, etc. My interests include the ability to print envelopes, forms generation, and sorting of list documents. We have been looking at Wordperfect, Mass-11, Word-11 and WPS-Plus. I would appreciate any feedback I can get since this all very new to me. We have a very small computer shop here so reliablity and ease of use critical to us. Wordperfect looks very good and so does Mass-11. Does anyone have any good/bad experiences with any of these products? Thanks for any information you can supply. - Dave WORD PROCESSING SIG Message # 105 1 replies Reply to # 104 Left by: Robert G. Schaffrath On November 10, 1988 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: Word Processor Recommendation You latched on to two good products! Wordperfect is good especially if you are already using it on PC's and have user's familiar with it. My preference is for Mass-11. I have found it to be a great package (no I don't work for Microsystems Engineering Corporation). Mass-11 has three different keyboard layouts. A WPS-Plus emulation, a standard Mass-11 keyboard, and an EDT keypad emulation for those of us whose fingers are trained to run under EDT! Also, Mass-11's VMS Mail interface for transferring documents is excellent. I used Mass-11 at my previous job and have been trying to convince my new employers to get it. We currently use WPS-Plus and I am not very happy. Hope this helps! Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 RSTS SIG Message # 321 1 replies Left by: BOB DUDLEY On 10-Nov-88 At : (314) 731-3444 Subject: C TOOLKIT FOR RSTS Has anyone successfully implemented the "C" toolkit on RSTS/E (v9.1) as CCL's? I can't find a define/comm/syst grammar that works for them. E.g.: $ Defi/comm/syst grep- c:grep.sav /line=8192 $ $ grep "..." files argv: The command line isn't passed to the tool. I've tried no /line, /line=0 8208, 8192, 8220, and /priv with <232>. Nothing works. Obviously, since pip xxx=xxx works, there is a way with RT11 to get the command line to the program. Bob EDITORS SIG Message # 192 0 replies Left by: ALAN BARKER On 10-Nov-88 At : (314) 895-8267 Subject: TPU INI FILES I'm having trouble getting a working TPUINI file that defines some keys. Once more than a few key definitions have been made, there is a real need to make some sort of Help screen. I have a help text file that I'd like to read in at start up into the buffer "GOLD HELP", which works fine with this command: gld_hlp := create_buffer("GOLD HELP",file spec) The problem comes when trying to define a key that switches to that buffer when a specified key is pressed, I chose "CTRL_K", but this does not work: define_key('buffer'"gold help", ctrl_k_key) Both of these are contained within procedures, of course, and then executed at the end of the INI file. When yuo do this however TPU responds with a "Ctrl_K has no definitions" Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? Alan Barker DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 426 1 replies Left by: DAN FRASER On 10-Nov-88 At : 817-695-5086 Subject: DIALING OUT FROM VAX HELP! I AM HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY DIAL OUT. I CONNECT TO DIFFERENT BBS'S BUT AT DIFFERENT POINTS I GET BUMPED OUT WITH THE ERROR MESSAGE: %SYSTEM-W-DATAOVERUN CAN ANYONE HELP ME CURE THIS PROBLEM? I AM USING A HAYES COMPATIBLE MODEM. I ALSO SET THE TERMINAL UP AS NOHOSTSYNC AND NOREADSYNC BECAUSE WHEN I DO THE LINE HANGS UP AND I CAN'T GET ANYTHING THROUGH TO THE MODEM. ALSO DOES ANYONE KNOW OF AN INDUSTRIAL GRADE MOUSE? I HAVE AN APPLICATION THAT NEEDS TO USE ONE IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT HAS A LOT OF PAPER DUST AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO STOCK EXTRA MICE AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO DISASSEMBLE IT EVERY DAY TO CLEAN IT. MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 214 2 replies Left by: MIKE CHEN On 10-Nov-88 At : 818 405-0131 Subject: CDC WREN V, MAXTOR XT8760 We consider using either MAXTOR XT8760S (675MB) or CDC WREN V 638 (638MB) disk drive with SCSI controller for the MicroVAX II. Both disk drive are 5 1/4" and can fit in the BA123 chassis. Is anyone currently using any of those on any system? Any information, suggestion, or recommendation will help. What about MAXTOR XT4380E (338MB) or CDC WREN V 383 (383MB) disk drive? Thanks! PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 345 0 replies Reply to # 344 Left by: ANDREW DUGGAN On 10-Nov-88 At : Subject: PACKED DECIMAL I have been reading and writting EBCDIC tapes on my 11/750 and also under RSTS. For packed decimal fields you don't want them to be translated from EBCDIC to ASCII because there not in EBCDIC. What you want to do is create a BASIC Record or Map such as: RECORD PACKED_D Variant Case String The_Whole_Record = nn ! nn = record length Case String Field_1 = mm ! mm = field length Decimal (kk,dd) Packed_Num ! kk is the total field length in digits ! dd is the number of places to the ! right of the decimal point String Field_2 = zz String Field_3 = yy Decimal (rr,ss) Packed_Num2 . . . End Variant END RECORD Just translate the individual string fields not The_Whole_Record. The packed decimal format is compatable between VAX/VMS and IBM etc. At least they are on all tapes I have ever received from any type of non-DEC shop. Hope this helps. ANDREW CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 333 0 replies Reply to # 285 Left by: JANE COX On 10-Nov-88 At : (916) 732 4360 Subject: XYPLEX TERM SERV I'm interested to hear you're evaluating the Xyplex MAXserver. This uses Xyplex's proprietary LAT-type protocol which is not compatible with DEC LAT. IT has been a real pain supporting two terminals server management methods, and I'd advise anyone else NOT to...but to the main point...one of the things you were concerned about was character echo. The MAXserver 5000, unlike the earlier Xyplex servers, does not do local character echo. The Vax does all the character echoing, same as with the DECservers. Hope this helps as the main reason we bought the MAXserver was for the local echo feature ----- MFU (more fools us). TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 248 0 replies Reply to # 247 Left by: KELVIN SMITH On 10-Nov-88 At : (203) 357-0504 Subject: OVERHEAD PROJECTION SYSTEMS A friend of mine works for an audio/visual company. He says they have something that works off a VT100, but they're still working on getting the system to work with a VT220. They're also working on running with a VT340. He couldn't offer any dates as to when something would be available. If a VT100-based system would work for you, give me a call and I can give you the name and number of the company. (I don't want to run afoul of the anti-commercialism policy by posting it here.) Anyone else interested is welcome to call as well. CONTROLLERS/MEMORY SIG Message # 106 0 replies Left by: STEVE LEFEVRE On 10-Nov-88 At : (818) 706-4059 Subject: UDA50 ON 8500 Situation: 8500 with single BI bus. UNIBUS attached to the BI bus. All slots in single BI bus filled. Only have single KDB50 disk controller and all it's ports used. Need some more disk space. Limited funds (are there any other kind of funds?) Can't afford to buy both a BI expansion and a second KDB50 to support new disks. Solution: Buy a UDA50 (UNIBUS disk controller) Throughput for the disks to be added not critical, they just need to be accessable. Now the problem. Installed the UDA50 on 8500, it didn't work. The system does not see the UDA50. SHOW DEVICE and SYSGEN> SHOW /UNIBUS failed to find the UDA50 on the 8500. An explicit sysgen connect failed. Yes the NPR jumper was checked and double checked. All disks are DEC RA60s and disks are connected to the new UDA50. The 8500 is running VMS 4.6 The UDA50 was moved to a 8550. It worked. The 8550 has two BI bus with KDB50 on each. UNIBUS only on second, NBIB, BI bus. The 8550 is also running VMS4.6 When the UDA50 moved back to 8500 could boot the system from a disk on the UDA50 and everything would work fine. But; when system booted from same RA60 disk pack in a drive connected to KDB50, the UDA50 disks are not seen by the system! All other UNIBUS devices removed from the 8500 system, still UDA50 would not show up. Questions: 1) Is there any reason a UDA50 works on a 8550 but not a 8500? 2) Does having two BI buses allows a UDA50 to work while a single BI bus won't? 3) Does placement of the UBA (UNIBUS adaptor) on NBIA or NBIB matter to UDA50 performance? 4) Can devices on BI bus conflict with devices on UNIBUS (i.e. CSR address, vectors, interrupt priority)? I know about the limited bandwidth of the UNIBUS on a BI machine, so please no flames about not buying a BI expansion box. Any responses with technical help/suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance Steve LeFevre Contel Federal Systems M/S 222 Westlake Vill. Ca. (818) 706-4059 MILNET: sfl@etn-wlv.eaton.com MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 215 0 replies Reply to # 214 Left by: Robert G. Schaffrath On 11-Nov-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: Disk Drives I have had no experience with the Wren V but I did have a SCSI subsystem using a DILOG SQ706 host adapter and 3 Wren IV's. The SQ706 will support Wren V's. I would recommend the CDC drives as they are some of the best designed and tested products on the market. Also note that CDC just announced the Wren VI drive. That drive stores approximately 760+ MB!! It should be available sometime in January or February. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 421 0 replies Reply to # 420 Left by: Phil Anthony On 11-Nov-88 At : Here Subject: XMODEM VS KERMIT Bill, the real question is whether flow control can be turned off on all de- vices in the communications path. Vanilla XModem and its lineal descendents (YModem, e.g.) are half-duplex protocols that handle their own flow control by using ACKs and NAKs in a prescribed manner. Even the full-dux variants (windowed XModem, SEALink) go temporarily half duplex in case of a timeout. Therefore, no external flow control - XON/XOFF (software control) or RTS/CTS (hardware control) - is required. There's inefficiency involved in this, since a full packet has to be sent before the transmitter knows there's a problem, but the same is true of Kermit. XModem's much larger problem, assuming you can turn software flow control off at all points in the communications link, is that the transmitter aborts the transfer if it receives a CAN (two CANs back to back in some implementa- tions). Unfortunately line noise is rather likely, for mathematical reasons I don't understand, to generate a CAN. On bad lines an XModem transfer is quite likely to be aborted where Kermit sails blithely, if inefficiently, on. If high speed transfers do create too much of a problem for XModem (trans- mission rate greater than effective computer speed), one could define and add a WAK character (acknowledged, but wait before resuming transmission) to the XModem protocol. This would keep the host from having to transmit a packet before it detects a problem. It's generally considered more effi- cient, though, to handle this in the communications hardware. If you get too many NAKs or timeouts, drop down to a lower speed. I personally use Kermit for maximum data integrity and an XModem variant (usually YModem batch or SEALink if the remote system supports it) for speed over clean lines. They both have their place in the communications toolkit. The ultimate answer, I suspect, will be an asynchronous network protocol that isn't machine/operating system dependent to permit file transfer by us- ing some variant of the native COPY, or PIP, or cp command - a beefed-up and generalized TCP/IP, maybe. But that's a ways down the road. MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 217 0 replies Left by: TOM OLIN On 11-Nov-88 At : 315 738 0600 Subject: RQDX1 + RD52 PROBLEMS I purchased a used RQDX1 controller and RD52 drive for an LSI-11/23 system (VT103 running RT-11). I have no enclosure for the drive; a desktop enclosure would cost as much as or more than the controller and drive combined. What I would like to do is interface the drive and the controller by means of a homebrew interface consisting of 3 connectors (1 for the controller, 2 for the disk) appropriately wired together. Alas, it isn't working. I know the controller and drive work together because they were used on a Microvax to format the disk. But when I hook them together on the 11/23 with my interface block, I cannot access the disk. (I'm using the standard DU handler.) I have quadruple-checked my wiring against the Technical Descriptions of both pieces. I'm at my wits' end. (It was a short trip.) Can anybody tell me (1) if it is possible to do what I'm trying to do? (2) if it has ever been done? (3) if there is anything mysterious about the wiring of the distribution panel on a BA23 box that my scheme might be overlooking? (4) if they have an RD52 desktop enclosure they would like to get rid of? CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 334 0 replies Reply to # 313 Left by: DANIEL C. LANZI On 11-Nov-88 At : (914) 934-6320 Subject: SYNTAX SERVER We use Syntax v1.1 on an old 11/785 as a sort of giant archive for in-house written PC software. We have also written an application, running on the VAX, that takes the volumes created by Syntax and downline loads PCs connected to the VAX by 2 separate Ethernets. We use hundreds of these PCs as front-ends for a communication switching application, and everytime we make a code change in one, we just re-load it off of the net. We only support Ethershare in our VAX software, so we can never upgrade to 3+ (the currently supported version) without completely re-writing the application. In about a month, we will be attempting to run Syntax v1.1 on VMS 5.0-2. Should be interesting... WORD PROCESSING SIG Message # 106 1 replies Reply to # 105 Left by: DAVID KINDLER On 11-Nov-88 At : (212) 350-1235 Subject: THANKS! Thanks for the help! - Dave COMMUNICATIONS SIG Message # 240 0 replies Reply to # 239 Left by: DANIEL C. LANZI On 11-Nov-88 At : (914) 934-6320 Subject: ETHERNET PROGRAMMING I believe that you will find what you seek in the VMS I/O users guide, part II. There is a section on programing XE, XQ, ET, etc devices. VMS SIG Message # 758 0 replies Reply to # 757 Left by: DAVID GRAY On 12-Nov-88 At : 301-768-2188 Subject: RE:RE: VAX I/O PROBLEMS Mark, thanks for your help. I've tried reading the port from both DCL and a executable image. I've tried setting the port to typeahead, but found that the incoming data would cause the port to think it was logging in.no typ DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 427 1 replies Left by: PETER STADICK On 12-Nov-88 At : 504-536-4111 Subject: KERMIT PROBLEM I WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT BRIAN NELSON WITH A PROBLEM I'M HAVING X-MITTING FORM FEEDS WITH RSX KERMIT. ANY INFORMATION AS TO WHERE I COULD FIND HIM WOULD BE HELPFULL. MY ADDRESS IS: CARGILL,INC. ATTN: PETER STADICK P.O. DRAWER AR RESERVE, LA 70084 THANX DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 428 0 replies Reply to # 427 Left by: Phil Anthony On 13-Nov-88 At : Here Subject: BRIAN NELSON'S NUMBER Peter, you could leave a message for him on his Kermit bulletin board at the University of Toledo - (419) 537-4411. The logon is KERMIT KERMIT. RSTS SIG Message # 322 0 replies Reply to # 321 Left by: Phil Anthony On 14-Nov-88 At : Here Subject: DECUS C GREP AS A CCL Bob, if you're using the 1980 DECUS C distribution, your command to install grep as a CCL should be $ define/command/system grep- c:grep.sav /line=32766 For some arcane and no doubt incorrect reason, the authors decided to use that line number as a signal to examine core common. Take a look at MCR.BAS to see what I mean - and if you'd like MCR.ASM, which does the same thing in RT11-style assembler, call me at (215) 884-9128 during my usual irregular working hours. Incidentally, I usually just install MCR as a CCL with the command line $ define/command/system mcr- c:mcr.sav /line=CCL and accept the overhead of doing a .CHAIN for the sake of using fewer small buffers. SITE MANAGEMENT SIG Message # 244 0 replies Left by: DAN FEMINELLA On 14-Nov-88 At : (203) 866-4900 Subject: TAPE LIBRARY? Does anyone know of a good article on creating a good backup tape library?? If you do, then please call or FAX it to me at (203) 866-3827. DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 429 1 replies Reply to # 426 Left by: J. SCOTT VIAIAN On 14-Nov-88 At : (512)329-6610 Subject: $SYSTEM-DATA-OVERRUN I also was getting the same message when trying to call DSIN. The way I fixed it was to 'set term/perm/altypeahd'. I'm not sure about your other settings. I know that this was the only one that I had to change. Hope this helps... CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 335 0 replies Reply to # 330 Left by: BILL JAMISON On 14-Nov-88 At : (619) 442-3451 X3196 Subject: PCSA INSTALLATION The problem you are having can be caused by many different things. Is the PC node defined? Each PC node must be defined before it can connect to the server. I've had problem with the "E1" revision of the DEPCA card. It usually takes 2 attempts before the connection is made. Are you using a VGA card? If you are that will cause problems. Call me at the above number if you would like to discuss the problem further. Bill Jamison AMETEK Straza Division El Cajon, CA WORD PROCESSING SIG Message # 107 0 replies Reply to # 104 Left by: BILL JAMISON On 14-Nov-88 At : (619) 442-3451 X3196 Subject: WORD PROCESSORS We have both MASS-11 and WPS-PLUS. We are running MASS-11 on an 11/750 and a MicroVAX II. We bought MASS-11 because WPS-PLUS was bringing the 750 to it's knees. We have an average of 20 MASS-11 users on the 750 and 10 on the MicroVAX. I highly recommend MASS-11. It has all of the features that you are looking for, is very flexible, and supports many different printers. Bill Jamison AMETEK Straza Division El Cajon, CA MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 422 0 replies Left by: GARRY DURDEN On 14-Nov-88 At : 803-731-0668 Subject: INGRES USERS GROUP I AM CURRENTLY WORKING WITH INGRES/SQL/EQUEL AND AM VERY INTERESTED IN JOINING AN INGRES USERS GROUP. CURRENTLY WE ARE USING CLUSTERED VAX'S , AND ARE SHORTLY GOING TO IDMS/SQL FOR ALL NEW APPLICATIONS DEVELOPEMENT. HAS ANY ONE USED IDMS ON VAX, IF SO WHAT IS PREFERENCE? VMS SIG Message # 759 0 replies Reply to # 756 Left by: KITTY GEORGE On 15-Nov-88 At : HERE (ARIS) Subject: BUILD VMS ON NON-SYSTEM DISK Wayne - There's no reason why you cannot use the RA60 to build your system, assuming you can get the system to boot off a disk other than your current RA81 disk. What you'd do is do a BACKUP of the [SYS0...] tree to a blank RA60 pack. Then boo the RA60. This will bring up the same copy of VMS as you are running on the RA81. From this point on, it's just a matter of applying the upgrades to the RA60 and testing them. At the end, you should be able to do a final backup of the RA81, BACKUP the [SYS0...] tree from the RA60 back to the RA81, and then you'll have an upgraded RA81 as well. If you can, keep the RA60 pack as a spare boot pack to troubleshoot problems on the RA81. We had a similar arrangement using an RM03 and RM80 combo in the past, and there were many times the RM03 saved my neck when we had problems on the RM80. :-) Kitty RSTS SIG Message # 323 1 replies Left by: JOHN HEINZ On 15-Nov-88 At : (513)866-3300 Subject: RSTS/VMS FILE XFER Does anybody know of a good third party software package that will transfer ASCII or binary files between an 11/70 (RSTS/E V8.0) and a VAX (VMS V4.6) AUTOMATICALLY in a batch mode over RS232 lines. I have KERMIT but I've been having problems getting it to work unattended. I would appreciate any suggestions and/or comments... thanks.... APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 282 1 replies Left by: KEVIN M. HANEY On 15-Nov-88 At : 977-6287 Subject: CREATE PROCESS PROBLEM Help....I'd like to use the system $CREPRC system service to create a detached process. The problem is, I would like to specify an image, but that image uses SPAWN, which is not valid, since the CLI is not mapped in unless you specify LOGINOUT.EXE as the image. What I need to know is how can I map in a CLI to a process? I didn't see a SYSTEM routine that lets you do it, and according to the SYSTEM SERVICE manual, a created process will be unable to run an image that calls the run-time-library procedure LIB$DO_COMMAND,( which SPAWN does) unless LOGINOUT.EXE is specified as the image. I am currently getting around the problem by creating the process with a specific name, and then specifying LOGINOUT.EXE as the image. Then, the login.com checks the process name...If it is the process name I am looking for, I run the image I originally intended to run. This worked fine, until I decided to run the program (with the $CREPRC call) from SYSTARTUP, but this doesn't work, because the process "logs on" as SYSTEM, and the login.com is set up for another process. I thought I could get around this by using $SETDDIR to the directory with the login.com, but that didn't work, either. Any help would be appreciated. Kevin M. Haney 215-977-6287 19/10 Penn Center Sun Refining and Marketing Philadelphia, PA PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 346 0 replies Left by: JOHN ASTARITA On 15-Nov-88 At : (201) 474-4882 Subject: ANYONE USING PL/I V2.3 I AM ATTEMPTING TO WRITE TO A INDEXED SEQUENTIAL FILE AT WHICH POINT I RECEIVE A FATAL ERROR,"RADRMOD" (RESERVED ADDRESSING FAULT). I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO RESOLVE THE ERROR A NUMBER OF TIMES WITH NO LUCK. I HAVE NO EXPERIENCE WITH MACRO-11 OR RESOLVING DUMPS WHICH IS AN ADDITIONAL BURDEN. IF ANYONE COULD OFFER SOME HINTS IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.......THANK YOU.....J.A. TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 250 1 replies Left by: WAYNE JOHNSON On 15-Nov-88 At : 9014235968 Subject: PROGRAMING VT220/VT320 I AM INTERESTED IN LEARNING HOW TO USE THE 'ESC' CODES IN THE VT TERMINALS VT-220 AND VT-320 . I WANT TO TYPE THE FILES TO MY SCREEN DURING LOG-IN AND CREATE PICTURES FOR THE HOLIDAYS. I HAVE LOOKED AT THE MANUALS THAT CAME WITH THE TERMINALS AND HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET ANYWHERE. ANY HELP IN GETTING STARTED OR FILES THAT YOU HAVE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANKS, WAYNE JOHNSON APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 283 1 replies Reply to # 282 Left by: ANDREW DUGGAN On 15-Nov-88 At : Subject: CREATE PROCESS PROBLEM Kevin, I don't know about any way to map DCL, but You can get your work arround to work very easily by creating a small dcl command proceedure that does nothing but a $ Run Image_Name.Exe. To use this you can $ Run/Detach/Input=Command.com/Output=Nla0:/priority=nn/Process_Name=xxxxx - Sys$system:Loginout.Exe where Command.Com contains the $ Run Image_Name.Exe you can put this in your Systartup.Com. If you need to have a specific default you can inclued a $ Set Default just before the $ Run Image_Name. I hope this helps. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 424 1 replies Left by: JIM STERMER On 15-Nov-88 At : (316)681-7896 Subject: PATCH PANELS We are currently looking for a good method of connecting our twisted pair wiring to modular patch panels in an equipment cabinet. We have looked at RSX SIG Message # 250 0 replies Left by: CHARLIE HOBAUGH On 15-Nov-88 At : 412-754-2058 (EVENING) Subject: FIRST TIME WOE Greetings, I am a 1st timer, would like to get the whole index without paying a lot of money. I suggest you maintain, as the first file in the list, xt es a text file which is formattes as a list of one-liners: name, breif (I gave up trying to use backspace) description. I could download this file a lot faster. Tnx, c. APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 285 1 replies Reply to # 283 Left by: KEVIN M. HANEY On 16-Nov-88 At : (215)977-3950 Subject: OKAY, BUT... Thanks for the help...The only problem with that is if I run it from SYSTARTUP, the process owner is SYSTEM, and I'd like it to be a different USERNAME. Is there any way I can create a detached process, or RUN an image (as a detached process) and have the USERNAME, or process owner, be something other than the one that created it? VMS SIG Message # 760 2 replies Left by: BOB MCCASKEY On 16-Nov-88 At : (215) 441 2166 Subject: VMS 5.0 UPGRADE AND SHARED MEMORY Durnig our preparation for the big step to 5-OH we came upon a warning that shared memory is not supported, can anyone be more spacific on this subject? What doesn't work? When will it? HELP PLEH thanks bob APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 286 1 replies Reply to # 285 Left by: Robert G. Schaffrath On November 16, 1988 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: $CREPRC solutions The method needed to map DCL into your process is to perform a "P1 Merge" through the SYS$IMGACT system service. This service is undocumented except in the V4.4 internals manual. It also should be running in Kernel mode in order to have write access to memory. If you have time to experiment (and a system you can crash) it could be worth the effort. Changing your username is rather easy. You cannot do it through $CREPRC but you can write a short macro program to do it. The following example will show you how. It should be executed in Kernel mode: USERLN = 7 ; username is 7 characters long USERNM: .ASCII "NEWUSER" ; username will be "NEWUSER" . ; other code here . . CHANGE: MOVL #CTL$GL_PCB,R1 ; Kernel mode code MOVL PCB$L_JIB(R1),R2 MOVC5 #USERLN,USERNM,#32,#12,JIB$T_USERNAME(R2) MOVL #1,R0 RET This is the general solution. The MOVC5 syntax may be a little off because I took this off the top of my head. Overall, you can change the username to anything you want. My favorite is working under the id ""!! Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 FORUM - 3RD PARTY SUPPLIERS SIG Message # 82 0 replies Left by: SEAN O'BANION On 16-Nov-88 At : (805)258-3311 EX. 5331 Subject: LARGE MV2000 DISK In the March edition in Aristalk, Steve Thomas says that "somebody sells a 300-MB drive for the MicroVAX 2000." Does any body know who that is? MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 426 0 replies Reply to # 414 Left by: DR. R On 16-Nov-88 At : IN THE BAHAMAS Subject: RUMOURS, RUMOURS, RUMOURS Ah, yes. It's great to be back in the states after my recent foray to France. Here's a few juicy details on a forthcoming DEC workstation, the much-vaunted FIREFOX. FIREFOX is a CVAX-based SMP workstation that will be available in your choice of 2- and 4-CPU versions that will deliver 5 and 10 VUPS of processing power respectively to VMS *and* ULTRIX users alike. Does this mean that ULTRIX SMP is right around the corner? You bet, cuz DEC's hot new midrange workstation is due to hit the streets early next year, mayhap hard on the heels of the PMAX (MIPS RISC workstation) which is tentatively scheduled to debut during the second week of January. Gotta run--an old pal who specializes in unannounced processors has dropped by to explain the difference between the 4 MIPS 60-nanosecond CVAX II CPU that will form the heart of the VAX 6300 series and the 7 MIPS 40-nanosecond CVAX successor known to insiders as RIGEL . . . dr. r RSTS SIG Message # 324 0 replies Reply to # 323 Left by: Phil Anthony On 17-Nov-88 At : Here Subject: KERMIT TRANSFERS John, what kinds of problems are you seeing with Kermit? If you'd like to talk about it, give me a call at (215) 884-9128. I won't guarantee a solu- tion, but it really ought to work. LASER PRINTERS SIG Message # 39 0 replies Reply to # 35 Left by: JANICE KALL On 17-Nov-88 At : (619) 587-0787 Subject: ANOTHER SOURCE OF LASER LABELS Here's another one: Starluxe Laser Printer Labels. They are manufactured by MACtac Printing Products of Ohio. They have a toll free number 1(800) 334-7310. Perhaps they will send you a sample. Hope this helps! APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 287 0 replies Reply to # 286 Left by: KEVIN M. HANEY On 17-Nov-88 At : (215)977-3950 Subject: THANKS Robert... Thanks for the $CREPRC information...I don't know if the powers that be will appreciate a system crash just now, but we do have three microvax's that I can experiment with, so maybe just one crash wouldn't hurt! The SYS$IMGACT info should be helpful...It at least gives me a place to start...I do happen to have the 4.4 internals manual (A.K.A. "The bible"), so I can start looking.. Kevin Haney RSTS SIG Message # 325 0 replies Left by: BOB DUDLEY On 17-Nov-88 At : (314) 731-3444 Subject: THANX, PHIL line=32766 worked like a charm. Bob LASER PRINTERS SIG Message # 40 0 replies Left by: BONNIE On 17-Nov-88 At : HERE Subject: AST TURBOLASER/PS We have an AST TurboLaser/PS connected to MAC II, and are in need of a legal- size (8-1/2 x 14) paper tray. I've been told that no such thing exists. Is that true? Has anyone found one? Has anyone jury-rigged a letter-size tray or a legal-size tray of anyone else's that will work? Thanx, VMS SIG Message # 761 1 replies Left by: DAVE COLE On 17-Nov-88 At : (317) 846-6591 Subject: JOBCTL.DMP FILE I have a file in SYS$SYSTEM called JOBCTL.DMP. Does anyone know what this file is for? Thanks APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 288 1 replies Reply to # 286 Left by: BOB MCCASKEY On 17-Nov-88 At : 215 441 2166 Subject: USERNAME MODS OH BOY.... THAT ONE CERTAINLY PRODUCED A KERNL MODE CRASH! I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE LOOKED UP THE MOVC5 INSTRUCTION. ILL HAVE A BETTER LOOK AT THIS ONE AND REPLY WITH A SOLUTION LATER! DON'T TRY BOB S's SOLUTION ON A USER- LOADED SYSTEM, PLEASE. LATER BOB APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 289 0 replies Reply to # 288 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 18-Nov-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: CHANGE USERNAME Sorry about the crash but as I said in my note it was an 'off the top' solution and the user mode code interface was not included. The MOVC5 instruction was coded correctly. The problem was I typed 'MOVL #CTL$GL_PCB,R0' instead of 'MOVL CTL$GL_PCB,R0'!! That little '#' will kill you. Rather than access your PCB's memory location at location 'CTL$GL_PCB', the '#' forced you the value of the symbol 'CTL$GL_PCB'. Needless to say, the locations areound that symbold are not willing to accept a change. The exact kernel mode code to change a username (entered from hardcopy) follows. (The user mode username string and length definitions are provided): USERNM: .ASCII "NEWUSERNAME" ; new username string LENGTH = 11. ; 11 characters in the username . ; user mode code here . . .ENTRY KERNEL, ^M MOVAL HANDLER,(FP) MOVL CTL$GL_PCB,R0 ; put our PCB into R0 MOVL PCB$L_JIB(R0),R1 ; address of JIB into R1 MOVC5 #LENGTH,USERNM,#32,#12,JIB$T_USERNAME(R1) ; change username MOVL #SS$_NORMAL,R0 RET .ENTRY HANDLER, ^M<> $EXIT_S That's it! Again, however, this is provided as an example. Use it at your own risk. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 290 0 replies Reply to # 263 Left by: JUSTIN SCHULMAN On 18-Nov-88 At : (212)250-4909 Subject: OLD(ER) PRODUCT NEW NAME WE HAVE BEEN USING INTACT FROM ASCI SINCE IT FIRST CAME OUT AND HAVE BEEN QUIT SATISFIED WITH IT AS A PLATFORM FOR DEVELOPING MENU DRIVEN ON-LINE APPLICATIONS. THE PRODUCT IS NOW OUT UNDER THE DECIntact LABEL. NOT ONLY DOES IT PROVIDE SCREEN HANDLING BUT ALSO RMS FILES. HOPE THIS HELPS. VMS SIG Message # 762 0 replies Reply to # 760 Left by: Daniel C. Lanzi On 18-Nov-88 At : (914) 934-6320 Subject: Global Sections with SMP If you read the "VMS Version 5.0 New Features Manual", there is a big warning on page 25-5 about using writable global sections on an SMP VAX. It seems that multiple processes that access the same data in a writable global section on an SMP VAX without some means of synchronization run the risk of finding "garbage" where their data should be. We recently ran some tests using global sections on a 62xx SMP VAX, and found that this "garbage" problem can definately occur on any data type larger than a byte. The moral of the story is: Use some kind synchronization technique (locks, event flags, whatever) when designing writable global sections into an application, or forever be relegted to running on a uniprocessor. Daniel C. Lanzi MCI International Rye Brook, NY SITE MANAGEMENT SIG Message # 245 0 replies Left by: BOB KUHFAHL On 21-Nov-88 At : (301)772-7896 Subject: ACCOUNTING PROBLEMS I need to be able to charge a process for all the detached process and subprocess that he invokes. From my investigation I can find no one who does this. Has anyone seen a program or written on that does this? Thanks, Bob Kuhfahl. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 336 2 replies Reply to # 330 Left by: MARTY CHAMBERLAIN On 21-Nov-88 At : (215) 636-8398 Subject: PCSA SOLUTION Hi Bob, I think I know what the problem with your PCSA installation is. I had the same problem when installing the first PCSA node on my system. It seems there is a typographical error in the "Installing DECnet/PCSA" manual. The manual reads: ...start the local area disk (LAD) by typing: A:\> NET START LAD /N:nodename Where: nodename Is the DECnet node name for the local area disk... This is misleading. I'm guessing you are typing the node name of the host MicroVax in place of "nodename" in the command. Am I right? I did the same thing! The manual should read: Where: nodename Is the DECnet nodename of your local workstation Try the command using the node name of the PC. It does wonders. Give me a call If you need further information. I've already submitted an SPR to DEC about this problem. No wonder they charge $4000 for their PCSA installation. The average person could spend a lot of time just figuring out what the manuals are "supposed" to say! Marty VMS SIG Message # 764 2 replies Left by: BILL JORGENSEN On 21-Nov-88 At : SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY Subject: USAGE OF DCL Is it alright to use DCL as a programming language or are there certain drawbacks such as poor system preformance? VMS SIG Message # 765 1 replies Left by: BILL JORGENSEN On 21-Nov-88 At : SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY Subject: DCL INDEXED FILES How do you go about creating an indexed file from DCL that you can access from DCL? SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 191 0 replies Left by: DAVE MCNULTY On 21-Nov-88 At : (617) 899-0012 Subject: VAX 750 SYSTEM PERFORMANCE I HAVE A VAX 750 WITH 2 RA81 DRIVES AND 7 MB OF MEMORY. WE ARE RUNNING ASK SOFTWARE WHICH IS A HOG. MY RESPONSE TIME IS NOT BAD, BUT I FEEL IT COULD BE A LOT BETTER. I AM LOOKING INTO TAKING A PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT COURSE, AND NOTICED THAT THERE ARE NOW A LOT OF COMPANIES NOW OFFERING THIS. IS IT REALLY WORTH TAKING THE COURSE OFFERED BY DEC OR WILL A THIRD PARTY COMPANY SUFFICE? FORUM - 3RD PARTY SUPPLIERS SIG Message # 83 0 replies Left by: M. RAHMAN On 21-Nov-88 At : 413-499-4660 Subject: VAXSTATION 2000 POSSIBILITIES We are interested in finding third party solutions for maximizing Vaxstation 2000 in terms of disk space and backup options. Can anyone with experience in the same share their findings ? We are starting with a diskless system and wish to use it to teach programming to CIS students at a 2 year college. TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 251 0 replies Left by: ERNIE POTENZIANI On 21-Nov-88 At : Subject: POSTSCRIPT LASER PRINTERS I'm considering buying a Postscript type laser printer for my VAX 11/750 at work. It'll be used for printing MacIntosh and PC disk files (Postscript code). Does anyone have any recommendations (or horror stories) about any printers they are familiar with. It'll most likely be spooled off the parallel port. I'll be receiving literature from AST, QMS, Apple, TI, and DEC (unless there are other units to consider). Also, does anyone know of any software out there that facilitates connecting PS printers to VAXes? (Like utilities to download fonts to the printer, etc.) Thanks for your help. VMS SIG Message # 766 0 replies Reply to # 764 Left by: Phil Anthony On 21-Nov-88 At : Here Subject: DCL FOR PROGRAMMING Bill, DCL is one of the slower ways to implement anything, short of revert- ing to pencil and paper. There have been a number of suggestions for opti- mizing DCL here, and a couple of discussions of internals - but it remains an interpreted language, with all the drawbacks of interpreters. For quite some time the users have been asking DEC to come up with a compiled version of DCL, and I even remember seeing a posting here from somebody who was in- terested in creating one but wanted some co-conspirators on the project. But so far, nobody's seen that mythical, if desirable, beast. Tests run in Maynard, Mass., back in the days when VMS V3.0 was first intro- duced, showed that DCL ran about 100 times slower than VAX FORTRAN or VAX BASIC. I won't call 'em benchmarks, since they were simply comparisons that a group of DECcies ran in their spare time. Still, they were indicative of what you could expect. I haven't heard of any corresponding figures in the years since then, but I suspect the difference is still of the same order of magnitude. On top of that, DCL is severely limited. It's been a while since I've used it on VMS, but when I was using it (through VMS V4.2) there was no way to get hold of indexed, or even relative, files. There are no native arrays or subroutines (though you can kludge both of them with symbol substitution). The IF-THEN construct applies only to single commands and lacks an ELSE, implying that it lends itself to spaghetti code, a la straight Dartmouth BASIC with all its incomprehensible GOTOs. Maintenance is difficult because of these lacks and also because comments take up program space and slow exe- cution. It's great stuff for what it was designed for, and it solves the problem of having separate interactive and batch languages, but an efficient programming language it ain't. So I'd strongly suggest that you buy a good compiler - BASIC, FORTRAN, C, COBOL, or whatever suits your style and background. You'll save a lot of time and money in the long run. SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 193 0 replies Reply to # 185 Left by: DAVID W. HOOPER On 22-Nov-88 At : 302-999-4774 Subject: 750 PERFORMANCE I have a VAX 750 with 8 MB of memory and dual RA-81's. I generally have 25 to 30 processes. I found that my system was memory-limited until adding a performance tuner. Now I generally have 2MB of memory available. There arenumerous good tuners out there as commercial products. I had to keep my purchase under $1000 so I opted for a new product with which I am very pleased. There are many things that affect performance. For example, is the system disk defragmented and optimized? SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 194 1 replies Has anybody ever had a gremlin in their system which only works its mischief at night when noone is using the system? For the last few weeks, our ALLIN1 system running on a VAX 8530 has been plagued with a mysterious midnight pileup of dele te pending global sections of th e form "RMS$nnnnnnnn"quit Left by: MIKE THOMAS On 22-Nov-88 At : 201-648-2879 Subject: GLOBAL SECTION GOBBLER SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 195 0 replies Reply to # 194 Has anybody ever had a g remlin in their system which only works its mischief at night when nobody is logged onto the system? For the last few weeks, our Allin1 system running on a VAX 8530 Left by: MIKE THOMAS On 22-Nov-88 At : 201-648-2879 Subject: GLOBAL SECTION GOBBLER DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 430 0 replies Reply to # 429 Left by: D.E. FRASE On 22-Nov-88 At : (817)695-5086 Subject: SYSTEM-W-DATAOVERRUN PROBLEM Thanks for all of the help! I can now access this BBS and be able to stay on-line through more than one message. The SET TERM/PERM/ALTYPEAHDworks great! I did manage to find n industrial grade mouse. I f anyone else has an application thatcan use this, leave me a message and I will supply you with the name and address of the vendor that makes these. I will check back after the Thanksgiving holidays. UTILITIES SIG Message # 312 1 replies Left by: KAREN M. HUSKA On 22-Nov-88 At : (201)519-1087 Subject: MAIL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I need the ability in the MAIL utility to see whether a message that I have sent has been opened. I found a program called RRR (Return Receipt Requested) in a DEC Professional of March 1985. This privileged program would allow me to check a user's MAIL.MAI file to see if my mail message was opened. That's fine, but it was written before the internal format of MAIL.MAI changed with V4.*. Can anyone help? Perhaps someone has rewritten RRR for V4.* or maybe someone has an alternate solution. It would be very much appreciated. Thank you. Karen WORD PROCESSING SIG Message # 108 0 replies Reply to # 106 Left by: DON ROBERTS On 22-Nov-88 At : 818/969-6741 Subject: CHOICE OF WPS Well, in case you're still interested... Agreement totally with previous reply on mass-11 and wordperfect (except I would add that wordperfect is *excellent* on pcs and if you have both in your environment it would give your users a lot of flexibility). As far as word-11 and wps-plus, well... if you don't want your Mvax to do anything else and have no more than about six slow users... I have a great deal of experience with word-11, and I gotta say I do not understand how DPD stays in business... TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 252 0 replies Left by: TIM DIBENEDETTO On 22-Nov-88 At : (215)-667-6100 Subject: VT220 CHARACTER DEFINITIONS I was reading some past issues of DEC PRO when I located an article concerning loading a new character set from the host. The article was understandable and very helpful but I have run into a small problem. If I try to light up a pixel in the 8th column, 2 pixels are lit!! I even tried the examples in the article for a resistor char and found the same problem. Is there a way around this? By the way, the article was in the 1986 December issue. WORD PROCESSING SIG Message # 109 0 replies Left by: THOMAS On 22-Nov-88 At : 201-648-2879 Subject: ALLIN1 USERS LOCKED OUT Has anybody ever had a gremlin in their system which only works its mischief at night when nobody is logged onto the system, which piles up delete pendign global sections of the form "RMS$NNNNNNNNN", and which prevents users from running ALLIN1 in the morning? The ALLIN1 error message produced is "OA-E-DBEOR, Error opening PROFIL File...RMS-F-CRMP, CRMPSC system service failed to map global buffer...SYSTEM-W-LCKPAGEFUL, no more pages may be locked in memory". TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 253 0 replies Reply to # 250 Left by: DON ROBERTS On 22-Nov-88 At : 818/969-6741 X265 Subject: CURSOR CONTROL Well, its kinda tedious to do, but we have used most of the escape sequences in our DCL routines. As far as documentation is concerned, in the "Installing and using the VT320 Video Terminal" manual, look on page 72, section 7, Visual Character and Line Attributes for most of the commands you need. Keep in mind that "CSI" = [ If you want to do things like draw lines and make boxes, you need to change the keyboard to graphics character set, see section 5 on page 68. If you need more help, feel free to give me a call at 818/969-6741, 8-5 pst. I wrote a DCL routine that draws all kinds of boxes (just for the fun of it, but it takes forever to draw 'em). I would highly recommend that you set a symbol for esc in your dcl routine so you can print the darn thing! VMS SIG Message # 768 0 replies Left by: THOMAS On 22-Nov-88 At : 201-648-2879 Subject: GLOBAL SECTION GOBBLER Has anybody ever had a gremlin in their system which only works its mischief at night when no one is logged onto the system, which piles up delete pending global sections of the form "RMS$nnnnnnnn", and which prevents users from running ALLIN1? Instead, ALLIN1 produces these error messages OA-E-DBEOR, Error opening PROFIL File RMS-F-CRMP, CRMPSC system service failed to map global buffers SYSTEM-W-LCKPAGEFUL, no more pages may be locked in memory These error messages appear to signal that no more room is available to create additional global sections, since our global section gremlin has gobbled them up. (A system reboot clears away these delete pending global sections.) When using SDA to look at these sections, I find that they are no longer being used as RMS FCBs, but instead are appearing as IRP or other lookaside list buffers. I am considering writing a diagnostic program to keep a log of the gremlin's work. Each time it chew off another delete pending global section, this program would write a record to the log file naming the process and file pertaining to the section. I will keep you posted. In the mean time, I will appreciate any suggestions, comments or wagers as to the possible identity of our nocturnal beast. Third party software, anyone? VMS SIG Message # 769 0 replies Reply to # 765 Left by: DON ROBERTS On 22-Nov-88 At : 818/969-6741X265 Subject: INDEXED FROM DCL First, if you want to create brand new indexed files for which you have not yet defined the structure, DCL is probably not the best way to go about it. It might take quite a while to do it. If you have already created an FDL for the indexed file (look up edit/fdl if you don't know how to do this), the DCL command would be CREATE/FDL=fdlfilename.fdl indexedfilename.dat you can then open and write to this file (and read by key). Look up the appropriate commands in the DCL dictionary. As far as performance, DCL is interpreted, has to go through an interpreted command library, and therefore, as a basically double-interpreted language it can be ten times slower than a 3GL program. Secondly, as with any interpreted language, it will use more CPU than a compiled language so everybody else would slow down as well. However, if you have a quick user interface to write that is not particularly big, go for it. Just remember one thing, since DCL is interpreted, all your comments get interpreted and a heavily commented DCL procedure will be severely degraded by the comments. Keep those to a minimum. If you need any further help, feel free to give me a call at 818/969-6741 x265. 8-5 pst. DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 431 0 replies Left by: T. LARRY RAY On 22-Nov-88 At : (201) 648-2417 Subject: DOCUMENT CONVERSION We would like to be able to transfer a Word Perfect document to the Vax and convert it to ALL-IN-1 (WPS-Plus). Currently, we are testing the software packages KeyPak from Keyword and DEX from Systems Compatibility but they do not convert properly. Therefore, we would like to know if anyone knows of another software package that can do the job. It will be greatly appreciated. RSTS SIG Message # 326 0 replies Reply to # 323 Left by: KELVIN SMITH On 22-Nov-88 At : (203) 357-0504 Subject: RSTS-VAX TRANSFER If you haven't been able to set up Kermit the way you want it, you might try contacting Evans Griffiths & Hart (Lexington, Mass; (617) 861-0670, I'm pretty sure). They have a couple of different possibilities depending on your needs: a DIALUP package that probably has most of the same advantages and limitations of Kermit, and for heavy-duty cross-system applications (with higher-speed connections than an RS-232 type cable), another package whose name escapes me at the moment. Both of them work well both on RSTS and VMS. Conflict of interest disclosure: I used to work for EG&H, but I have no current involvement except as a customer. I don't know how much marketing they've done on the second package; I think it was primarily for internal use, but I saw enough documentation when I was there to indicate that they had at least thought about selling it. UTILITIES SIG Message # 313 0 replies Reply to # 312 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 23-Nov-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: MAIL internals format Well, if you have no objections to doing a little coding, I can provide you with the new format of VMSMAIL_PROFILE.DATA and the format of MAIL.MAI. The coding of a new MAILRRR program would be rather straight forward. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 VMS SIG Message # 770 0 replies Reply to # 761 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 23-Nov-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: JOBCTL.DMP - WHAT IS IT The JOBCTL.DMP file is created by the Job Controller when it terminates abnormally. This can happen, for example, when the Job Controller receives a strange message in its Mailbox (MBA1:). Before terminating, the Job Controller dumps its memory into JOBCTL.DMP. Normally, if there is a serious problem and you are submitting and SPR to Digital, you would include a copy of this file. Since you don't appear to be aware of any problems, you can delete it. Make sure though that it is reasonably old. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 VMS SIG Message # 771 0 replies Reply to # 764 Left by: MARTY CHAMBERLAIN On 23-Nov-88 At : HERE Subject: USAGE OF DCL AS A PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE One of the major problems with using DCL as a "programming" language, beside the fact that it is an interpreted language, is that with most DCL procedures you have a lot of image activations. Each DCL command you use that is associated with an .EXE requires an image activation. There is a lot of overhead involved in activating an image. I don't think DCL was designed to be a substitute for a high-level programming language, so the point that I brought up is really no big deal...just don't use DCL for anything but the most lightwieght applications. As a system manager, I look at the accounting information for my users to see if any have an unusually high number of image activations or spend a lot of thier CPU time in SUPERVISOR mode. SUPERVISOR mode is primarily used for the command line interpreter. If I find someone who exceeds what I think is "normal" for my users, I talk with them and try to get them to program whatever DCL program is the hog in a "real" high-level language. PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 347 0 replies Reply to # 342 Left by: STEVE THOMAS On 23-Nov-88 At : HERE Subject: 4GL'S Well, as far as 4GL's go, I think Informix's is the best. It is the most "language-like"--that is, it has features that real languages (C, Pascal, Fortran, Cobal) have. The others I've seen aren't really languages, and are only a little better than pure SQL for doign actual applications. A major part of this is the fact that you can separate your application into several modules, and can even create libraries in 4GL. This is real important if you want to build a REAL appication, i.e. a BIG application that you need to be able to get a handle on. Informix calls their 4GL "cobal-replacement-caliber". Check that out when you look at those other guys. Ingres and Oracle may have better Backend/Internals for VMS, this is something you'll have to take into account. (I am assuming you're doing this under VMS). If you know C or Pascal, you find learning Informix 4GL real easy. Steve Thomas DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 432 0 replies Reply to # 423 Left by: KENT CEARLEY On 23-Nov-88 At : HERE Subject: PROBLEMS WITH DIAL-OUT John, you may want to try the following: In your LTLOAD definitions, insure that the LTA port is assigned to a service... e.g. SET PORT LTAnn..../NODE=server/SERVICE=DIAL Then on the DECserver200, group the DIAL out ports together as a service with... DEFINE SERVICE DIAL PORTS 4-8 ENABLED This should allow the server to queue requests for the resource. The ALLIN1 HARDWIRED definitions will still point to specific LAT ports, but these ports will be mapped to a shared service managed by the DECserver. Let me know if this doesn't work! Kent DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 433 0 replies Reply to # 422 Left by: KENT On 23-Nov-88 At : HERE Subject: SNA/RJE Rick, the problem with RJE not recognizing form changes within a batch job could be related to JES creating a single spool file for all output of a common class. I believe if you change the output class along with the form type, JES will close them out in different spool files, with the appropriate form type in the spool file control block for that class. Kent MICROVAX SIG Message # 173 0 replies Reply to # 172 Left by: Barton F. Bruce On 23-Nov-88 At : (617) 868-1111 Subject: DQ132 Info First off, your v5.0 tsdriver problems have nothing to do with your Dilog controller. I think DEC will soon have a new driver for everyone... My earlier comments about DQ132s and Vms Backup need clarifying. The DQ132 controller works well on MV2s, and WILL work perfectly reliably with Backup. But, depending on what you are doing, you may find yourself watching in amazement for a VERY long time as your CDC Keystone 92185 (TU81) backs up by doing read reverses in the only way that drive can: BACKSPACE+READ_FORWARD+BACKSPACE. The problem is specific to the CDC Keystones, and some Backup operations make it painfully obvious. Dilog DQ142s have a new microcode version that overcomes this, but may need an factory level board eco, too. Check with DILOG, they know best. The DQ132s simply aren't upgradable. The DQ153, which has the preferable MU: emulation, either has a new prom fix for this or never had the problem. This controller is also MUCH less $s than DQ132 or DQ142s, and will allow S/W density control! (MS: was only 1600, so all MS: type controllers suffered). The DQ132 DOES have a real limit you better be aware of. It is NOT supported (I think that reads: WON'T WORK...) on the MV3s, but the DQ142s and DQ153s are ok. It is some sort of Q bus problem, and there will be no fix. For the MV3 users with SKUNK boxes, DILOG has a DQ3153 which has the big front panel, etc. It is a DQ153 at heart. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 428 0 replies Reply to # 424 Left by: Barton F. Bruce On 23-Nov-88 At : (617) 868-1111 Subject: TWP to Modular Patch Your message was chopped off, so I don't know what you looked at, but I can cover the options anyway. The classic way is to use 25 pair connectorized cables to go from the modular patch to 66 (M or B) blocks. The variations are: 1) prefab blocks with factory 25 pair tails long enough to get to the mod patch. 2) prefab blocks with factory 25 pair connectors. 3) use vanilla blocks, and the 25 pair cables from the patch have connectors at the patch end only and are punched down on the blocks. All of these allow some amount of moving the connectors on the back of the patch to rearrange what is where on your mod patch as you discover you preallocated sections in the wrong proportions, and now still want to keep similar stuff together. These 'classic' ways also apply to 110 blocks on the wall, but now at least 2 suppliers mount the 110 blocks on the back of the mod patch directly. Before, small pair count cables (3 or 4 pair) would be punched onto the wall mounted blocks to be carried on 25 pair cables to the patch. With this newer style, the small cables go right onto the back of the patch! Ortronics, and Nevada Western both supply these. I would suspect the former is less $s, but they are an east coast company and the latter a west coast company, both with distribution somewhat to match. The biggies of wire/cabling (not just data) that have offices all over probably carry both. ANIXTER does, and GRAYBAR undoubtedly does too. If I didn't hit your problem, finish your question, or call. There is lots more that could be be said. DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 434 0 replies Left by: PAUL MORRICE On 25-Nov-88 At : +31 205234537 Subject: CAL. OF CURRENT NPAGEDYN I have written a basic program to monitor certain values, but the one that i don't know how to get is the current size of none paged dynamic memory. Most values i get from using sys$getjpi and linking to sys$system:sys.stb. Can anyone help to fill my last empty box?. Paul Morrice The Amsterdam Stock Exchange Holland. APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 291 0 replies Left by: BRIAN DESANTIS On 27-Nov-88 At : (201)670-0286 Subject: SUN_MENU Regarding the Sun_menu.for menu driver in a past issue of Vax Professional - I have not been able to get this code compiled successfully - for whatever reasons. I am very interested in fiddling around with it - if anyone has the correct source code, .obj and .exe files (as well as an example of some menu definitions) I would appreciate it greatly. Thanks! MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 430 0 replies Reply to # 414 Left by: KONRAD T. BARGRAFKIN On 28-Nov-88 At : HERE 'N THERE Subject: SMITH 'N WESSON Well, Dr. R, I guess you might say I've been into the 'shrooms 'n salsa lately--but that's nothing new. As for the VAX Secure Virtual System, I think it's about time DEC gave us a taste of the Kernel's Original Recipe, don't 'cha agree? On other matters, it's reassuring to see your continued presence in these environs, given the ignominious depths to which more conventional rumor- mongering has reprehensibly and most regrettably descended. Those of us who aren't too busy watching overweight opera singers need hard info about the ins and outs of the slimy underbelly of the DEC market, and it's reassur- ing to know that we can count on the good Doctor. Well, gotta run. Keep the lines of communication open!! Konnie B. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 431 0 replies Left by: PAUL MORRICE On 28-Nov-88 At : +31 205234537 Subject: CAL. OF CURRENT NPAGEDYN I have written a basic progarm to monitor certain system values, but one that i don't know how to calculate or get is the current size of the none paged dynamic memory. Most values are obtained from using sys$getjpi and linking to the sys$system:sys.stb. Can anyone help me fill my last empty box? Paul Morrice The Amsterdam Stock Exchange Nederland. COMMUNICATIONS SIG Message # 242 1 replies Left by: JERRY KILGORE On 28-Nov-88 At : 512-331-0508 Subject: DHQ-11 EQUIVALENT Please ignore goof-up on msg 241. I'm looking for replacements for a bunch of DLV-11J boards. So far, the DEC DHQ-11 seems to be best. Does anyone know of a third party mfr. that offers an equivalent? Thanks. PC'S SIG Message # 191 0 replies Left by: JUSTIN SCHULMAN On 28-Nov-88 At : 212-250-4909 Subject: MAC VS FREELANCE Has anybody found a way to move graphics from MacDraw to Freelance + or vice versa? MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 432 1 replies Left by: SIMON BROWN (18172) On 29-Nov-88 At : HERE Subject: INDEXF.SYS INFO NEEDED Hi - My boss will not buy me a disktuning kit (I wanted diskeeper / Rabbit) so i've had to write my own using $qio. Well, It's gone so far so good, but I'd like to add a little nicety, that is to show just exactly where the file did/ now lives on the disk. I can see the info in hex in the file header (also in relevant block of [000000]indexf.sys), but I don't known the recipee for converting the file map info to disk block nos - it's o.k. so long as the block no is small, but I soon get lost. My plea - can anyone help?? - I want to know how to translate the file header into a list of #blocks starting at block x. (Makes sense?). Also, does anyone out there know how bitmap.sys holds the unused block info? exactly? - this isn't over-important though. Also, are there any DEC documents with all this info?. It certainly has been interesting using $qio for all this. Please help!! Simon - PSI%02062210339::SPLOT DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 435 0 replies Reply to # 434 Left by: JOE KAZIMIERCZYK On 29-Nov-88 At : 609-921-5448 Subject: RE: NON-PAGED DYN. My method of figuring out SYS.STB is by trial and error, so this may not be the best method, but it works: MMG$GL_NPAGNEXT - MMG$GL_NPAGEDYN = non-paged dynamic memory MMG$GL_NPAGEDYN - MMG$GL_PAGEDYN = paged dynamic memory Hope that helps. Joe Kazimierczyk E.R. Squibb & Sons Princeton, NJ PC'S SIG Message # 192 0 replies Left by: NEAL DAVIS On 29-Nov-88 At : 509-927-1030 Subject: PRO 350 STUFF I would be interested in a pro350 user group on aris. I have a pro350 with toolkit and pascal. I'm still using p/os version 2.? I recently installed the DECUS BLR (Bonner Lab Runoff) program on my pro350. I had one problem with the .req command, it gave me some sort of error on that. Thanks Gary Rice for sending me all the DECUS stuff you sent even though I sent you IBM floppies the first time! Could some tell me how to have the BLR program come up has an application on the pro350 main menu. I don't know how to install it this way, so for now we just go into the toolkit and install it manually and then type run rno. Can it be installed as an application on the main memu? One other thing is it possible to get the Greek and Hebrew character set so that these characters can be typed and printed on an LA50? thanks for any help ---- Neal Davis DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 436 0 replies Reply to # 434 Left by: JOE KAZIMIERCZYK On 29-Nov-88 At : 609-921-5448 Subject: RE: NON-PAGED DYN. I haven't been able to find a specific value that gives you the non-paged dynamic memory size, but it can be calculated. My usual method of figuring out SYS.STB is trial and error, so there may be a better way than this, but it works: MMG$GL_NPAGNEXT - MMG$GL_NPAGEDYN = non-paged dynamic mem count MMG$GL_NPAGEDYN - MMG$GL_PAGEDYN = dynamic memory count Joe Kazimierczyk E.R. Squibb & Sons Princeton, NJ. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 433 1 replies Reply to # 432 Left by: JOE KAZIMIERCZYK On 29-Nov-88 At : 609-921-5448 Subject: RE: MAP POINTERS I have an answer for the first part of your question concerning map retrieval pointers: The second byte of the indexf record is the number of words to the beginning of the pointer list. (Usually the offset if 100, meaning the list starts at byte number 200). The thing that complicates it now, is that there are 4 different formats for the retrieval pointers. This is a little tough to explain, but lets assume that the first byte in the list is called byte1, then byte2, etc. Isolate the 2 highest bits of byte 2 (i.e. %B'11000000') to get the format type (0 to 3). From now on, byte2 will refer only to the lowest 6 bits of byte 2 (%B'00111111'): format 1: count = byte1 + 1 lbn = byte3 + byte4 * 256 + byte2 * 65536 format 2: count = byte1 + byte2 * 256 + 1 lbn = byte3 + byte4 * 256 + byte5 * 65536 format 3: count = byte3 + byte4 * 256% + 1 lbn = byte5 + byte6 * 256 + byte7 * 65536 format 0: this has something to do with placement control, but I haven't figured that out yet. After you finish with that pointer, the next one begins immediately after the last byte you just referenced (depending on the format type). Keep going until you reach the end of the list, if there is an extension header, the retrieval pointers may be continued there. I don't know if that was explained too clearly, but if you have any questions, feel free to call. Joe Kazimierczyk E.R. Squibb & Sons Princeton, NJ (609) 921-5448 VMS SIG Message # 772 1 replies Reply to # 768 Left by: JEFF FINKELSTEIN On 29-Nov-88 At : 609-338-4730 Subject: MYSTERY PAGE GOBBLER Just a suggestion, but check on when the system is running the janitor and FCVR. FCVR is a notorious hog of system resource, though I never have had it just chew up pages. Something out there had to try to deinstall those RMS FCB's somehow... EDITORS SIG Message # 193 1 replies Reply to # 182 Left by: JEFF FINKELSTEIN On 29-Nov-88 At : 609-338-4730 Subject: EMACS FOR VAX Simon, on the VAX88B DECUS tapes there is a wonderful version of GNU EMACS for the VAX. It is one of the best (mainly cause it's free) versions I have ever used. If you need a copy, give me a call (or contact your local DECUS office). Remember, EMACS is not just a text editor, it's a religion. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 434 1 replies Reply to # 433 Left by: SIMON BROWN On 30-Nov-88 At : HERE Subject: THANK-YOU INDEXF.SYS Thanks for the info - where did you get it from? - The placement format would be interesting - I'll see if I can figure it out, but I don't place file here - never have / never will? - so now I can update my 'disk tuning' software. I'd like to get a full DEC description of the file header - it must be available, as Diskeeper uses it. Cheers, Simon VMS SIG Message # 773 0 replies Left by: JEFFREY D. POUND On 30-Nov-88 At : (513) 255-5200 Subject: SET PROMPT FROM FORTRAN ? I have been wondering if anybody out there has the code to change the prompt from within a Fortran prorgam ( Please do not refere th the methode of writing a DCL procedure and then doing a lib$do_command on it.) I think that the methode used to play around in the process' PPD (Process Permanent Data) area of P1 space should be a starting point ( as this is where DCL store's it). Digital's telephone support center tells me that it can not be done. ( BHA-HUMBUG on them.) Hunter Goatley has written several articals that lead me to beleive that it is not impossable to do. See messages 203,222,315,321 and Hunter Goatley's articales "DCL Key definition Routines","Flushing The Buffer" and his current (December) artical. Please call me at (513)255-5200 or leave a reply here and I'll check back.. Thank you Jeffrey D. Pound VMS SIG Message # 774 1 replies Reply to # 315 Left by: JEFFREY D. POUND On 30-Nov-88 At : (513)255-5200 Subject: REQUEST FOR HELP Hunter Goatley Please see my messae # 773 about setting the dcl prompt from with in a fortain program (or a Callable Macro Subroutine). I think that you could generate another worthy artical for release on this subject. Thank You Jeffrey D. Pound COMMUNICATIONS SIG Message # 243 0 replies Left by: S. W. PAI On 30-Nov-88 At : Subject: VAX ARCHITECTURE A friend of mine would like to learn more about Digital's Vax Networking or Interconnecting Architecture. He is looking for some good references for VAX computer architecture. Can someone help ? Does anyone know the phone # and address of Digital Press ? Thank-you. VMS SIG Message # 775 0 replies Reply to # 773 Left by: JOE KAZIMIERCZYK On 30-Nov-88 At : (609) 921-5448 Subject: RE: SET PROMPT It definitely is possible to change the DCL prompt from a program. There is a submission on a DECUS tape called NEWPROMPT which is written in macro and does just that. Unfortunately, all I can tell you is that it is in a directory called [.WENTZ] - I'm not sure what tape it came from, but it may be VAXSP70. It allows you to change the prompt of any process on the system (can be lot's of fun). WORD PROCESSING SIG Message # 110 0 replies Reply to # 104 Left by: JIM MCRAE On 30-Nov-88 At : (406) 245-3191 Subject: WORD-11 USE We have been using WORD-11 for about three years and have been very happy with it. We also are a small shop, but we currently are printing to a laser printer, two or three types of letter quality printers, line printers and to LA120 and letter quality printers as slaves. We have it installed on a 750 and on remote MV-II's and MV-2000's. The 750 gets the heaviest use, but it is hard to quantify the impact because we also do our production work on it. The WORD-11 people have been good support also. Hope this helps. JDM VMS SIG Message # 776 1 replies Reply to # 773 Left by: JOE KAZIMIERCZYK On 01-Dec-88 At : 609-921-5448 Subject: RE: DCL PROMPT Please see my message #775 for an answer to setting the DCL prompt from a program (for some reason, that message doesn't show up when you follow #773's conversation). Also, I'm pretty sure that the program was on [VAXSP70.VAX87A] (DECUS tape, that is.) MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 435 0 replies Reply to # 434 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 01-Dec-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: INDEXF.SYS format Back in the Fall of 1986, VAX Professional published a series of articles on the ODS-2 disk structure and the format of INDEXF.SYS. This is one source. The other is to do a little 'Ficheing'!! The source fiche from practically any version of VMS will suffice. ODS-2 hasn't really changed much. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 WORD PROCESSING SIG Message # 111 0 replies Left by: ELLEN MARIE GULDAN On 01-Dec-88 At : (703)998-2868 Subject: WPSPLUS TO LQP02 W/THEME WHEEL WE WISH TO PRINT WPSPLUS DOCUMENT TO LQP02 WITH A THEME PRINT WHEEL. WPSPLUS PRINT MENU DOESN'T SUPPORT A THEME PITCH. WHAT'S THE WORKAROUND? ANY PRINT CONTROL WE CAN INSERT INTO THE DOCUMENT? VMS SIG Message # 777 0 replies Reply to # 772 Left by: MIKE THOMAS On 01-Dec-88 At : 201-648-2879 Subject: RMS GLOBAL SECTIONS Thanks Jeff, for your suggestions. I wil check out those possibilities. However, the problem has not reoccurred since I increased the size of the page file on the boot disk after noticing that the file had 0 unused blocks. MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 219 1 replies Left by: CLIFF HEYER On 01-Dec-88 At : 617-239-3684 Subject: RP06 SPECS Does anyone happen to know or have some old LSM books around that would show the access/seek time, transfer rate, and original list price of the RP06? I'm putting together a report comparing MicroVAXs to DECsystems, comparing what things cost 10 years ago compared to now. I have the newest LSM product book, but that only lists the RP07 as having a 2.2 Mbyte/sec transfer rate, and nothing about the RP06. Cliff Heyer UTILITIES SIG Message # 314 3 replies Left by: DAVID RAICH On 01-Dec-88 At : 415-895-1313 Subject: VAX BBS SYSTEMS We would like to put up a bulletin board system like ARIS or DECUServe on our VAX so our local experts can help out our local VAX users. I see three systems listed in the DECUS library -- from Rochester, Canberra, and JMU. Does anyone have opinions on which would be best for us? Pros and cons of all of them? Other options available elsewhere? Also, does anyone know what systems ARIS and DECUS use themselves? Thanks, David Raich, MDL, 2132 Farallon, San Leandro CA 94577 CPU'S SIG Message # 48 0 replies Left by: GUY OLIVA On 01-Dec-88 At : 617-225-1122 Subject: UNIBUS OPTIONS ON 6200S We are looking at purchasing some 6200 series systems in 1989. The Unibus option is supported on the 6210 and 6220 models, BUT I've heard that Dec has approved only three of it's Unibus devices to run in the 6210/6220. I think the 3 devices are the DUP11, DR11, and LP11. I've heard that the problem is due to the faster speed of the 6200 series bus. I use Emulex CS32s and Bridge Ivecs oards which emulate DMF32 ports. These devices run fine on our 785, 8650, 8700s, and 8810 (with Unibus option). Has anyone heard anything about this???? I don't want to convert all our terminal devices to LATS!!!!! But maybe this is Dec's way of forcing the issue........ RT SIG Message # 18 0 replies Left by: DOUGLAS TAYLOR On 01-Dec-88 At : 202-767-6893 Subject: RX02 ON MICRO11 I was able to use my old DSD 440 RX02 floppies on a MicroPDP/11 but I had to wire the memory board for 18 bit address and also put the RQDX1 controller in the last slot. There is mention of this in the MicroVax1 documentation, but none in the very limited MicroPDP documentation I have. The RQDX1 controller seems to be a very slow controller, compared to say a third party DL emulation. Has anyone else noticed this? RT SIG Message # 19 0 replies Reply to # 13 Left by: David Beorn On December 2, 1988 At : 804-788-7410 Subject: RT-11, RX01/Upgrading A System Well, I'm not sure what I have but i have some "newer: copies of RT-11 for my PDP-1103 "MINC" machine but I know next to nothing about it (does version 5.something sound right??). But I do have it on RX01's. Speaking of not knowing much, I am upgrading my 1103 RT-11 system to a MicroVAX (which I do know a little about). Does anyone have any info on translating RT-11 MACRO to MACRO-32 for a VAX?? or any other info on the translation/tranfer??? Any help would be appreciated. You can reach me at: David Beorn 804-788-7410 Box 27003 Metalurgy Lab 4th & Canal Street Ricmond, VA 23219 Thanks!!! DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 437 1 replies Left by: SIMON BROWN On 02-Dec-88 At : HERE'S BEST Subject: DIAL ME UP Thanks all who answered my indexf.sys question. Now that I have my own disk tuning software humming along it's time to save the phone bills. I have a uVAX II and Lightspeed 122/2400 (hayes compat) modem. I'd like the microvax to phone me up in the evening or whenever to save my phone bills. (Actually it's for someone else, but I'll use it as well.) Has anyone figured out what to do to get the good little uVAX to phone one up in the evening, and offer one a login prompt? Bet you'll all tell me it's on a DECUS tape somewhere? All help appreciated - see you next week - Simon (Brussels) UTILITIES SIG Message # 315 1 replies Reply to # 314 Left by: DON ROBERTS On 02-Dec-88 At : 818/969-6741 Subject: ARIS V. DECUSSERVE Decusserve uses a product called VAXnotes that is written in TPU. See your DEC salesman for information. The TPU as configured for VAXnotes is properly configured for the keys to the right of your keyboard (unlike the TPU on ARIS, as I am finding out right at the moment). I find VAXnotes *much* easier to use than ARIS. I don't know what they use here, but I wish they would switch to VAXnotes. For one thing, one key noting is available, and there are special functions for the numeric keypad. Also, it is easer to figure out what topics are currently going, and you can even see only your unread notes, instead of picking the last day you looked and having to go through that days morning notes again! ARIS editors, are you listening? VAXnotes is easy to learn and perfect for the application you have listed. PC'S SIG Message # 193 1 replies Reply to # 172 Left by: JOE NARTOWICZ On 03-Dec-88 At : 889-2880 Subject: HP LASER PRINTER ON MAC There are a few products to connect an HP LaserJet directly to a MAC. "printworks for the Mac: Laser Version" by Softstyle and Grappler LQ and Grappler LS. Also Insight Development is working on a "real good solution" that they plan to announce at Macworld in San Francisco in January. You may be able to network your MACs with AppleTalk at least to get some sharing so you don't have to buy the LaserWriters from Apple. Since you message is 6 months old, did you implement anything?? MICROVAX SIG Message # 174 0 replies Reply to # 173 Left by: STEPHANIE HYDE On 03-Dec-88 At : ADVANCED NAVIGATION Subject: RE: DQ132/UVAX2'S & BACKUP (Phone # is 301/695-4040). Thanks for the info... We purchased the uV2 circa 4/86, and the DQ132 was all that DILOG offered. It has performed well with uVMS 4.X and DILOG supplied TSDRIVER (as far as we could tell). We are in midst of procurring uV3, but will probably opt for EMULEX i/f (new one) and a tape switch to existing drive. We are using a Kennedy 9610 tape drive. We don't mind doing the density selection from the front of the Kennedy. Problem (and it is major!!) arises from an apparent incompatibility between DEC's TSDRIVER supplied with 5.0, and the DQ132. When we are backing up a tape from a large disk, and this causes the saveset to spill onto a second tape, the subsystem gets extremely confused, and subsequently won't issue a rewind command. Have not, as of yet, been able to perform backup onto 2nd tape. DILOG help was marginal (non-existend???), and they agreed with you that the problem was DECS, and that it would be fixed in future release. Sounds like you are agreeing with them. Do you have any inkling when the S/W dinosaur in MA is likely to come out of himbernation on this??? Thanks again for the help!!!!!!!!!!! (It is a pleasure to be able to air these kinds of technical questions without feeling like you are talking to a wall.) Stephanie Hyde MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 436 0 replies Reply to # 421 Left by: BILL HALBERSTADT On 03-Dec-88 At : (302)695-3825 Subject: XMODEM VS. KERMIT Phil, you mentioned several good reasons why sometimes one would want to use XMODEM. However, as you pointed out, for the general case this requires you (or whomever we are making the recommendation to) to be able to turn off the XON/XOFF flow control at every place it might exist in the communications path between them and the "other end" (e.g. host). That might be OK for a rather fixed application between the same two known points, but I just can't buy that for a general recommendation for the masses. Quite simply, because it doesn't use any "special characters", KERMIT works where XMODEM won't, and for that reason, I believe it is the best one to recommend generally for "ad hoc" file transfers. VMS SIG Message # 778 1 replies Reply to # 776 Left by: JOHN FLYNN On 04-Dec-88 At : (615)269-2266 Subject: NEWPROMPT Using NEWPROMPT was indeed loads of fun under VMS V4. However, the first time someone tried to run it after we upgraded to V5, the whole system crashed and burned. Just a warning. By the way, the most fun we had was setting someone else's prompt to be blank! The victim in this case (someone who should have known better) waited half an hour for his prompt to reappear after running some program, when all he had to do was to try to type a DCL command to see that DCL was in fact ready. It was a hoot. John. APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 292 0 replies Reply to # 264 Left by: CLIFF HEYER On 04-Dec-88 At : Subject: INTERLEAF The price for TPS was quoted around $12,000 for my MicroVAX recently, their number is 617-935-0422 in the Boston area. Good luck! MICROVAX SIG Message # 175 0 replies Left by: BRUCE ABELS On 05-Dec-88 At : (312)682-4700 Subject: MV2000 EXPANSION I have recently purchased a MicroVAX 2000 with the RD32 and RX33 and 6Mb. I have an RD53 and a TK50 from a MicroPDP system that I would like to connect to this system. I have a BC17Y-1J cable for my RD53, as the installation guide says I need, but when I try connecting it, I get nowhere. Is there anyone out there who can give me guidance. I called DEC already, and they haven't been able to help. Actually, the installation guide says BC17Y, it doesn't mention the 1J part. I assumed that just had something to do with the length. Also, I could only get ORACLE to ship me their product on a TK50, although they advertise floppies. If someone could help me hook up my TK50, I would surely be appreciative!! TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 254 0 replies Reply to # 252 Left by: MIKE BELCH On 05-Dec-88 At : 609 895 0404 Subject: VT220 CHARACTER DEFINITION I believe that the answer to your problem is quite simple. I have had a lot of experience writing terminal emulation software & designing terminals and from what I remember of the VT220 the following is true: 1) The character cell is seven pixels wide. 2) If a pixel is placed into the eighth position then it is extended by one further pixel. This is so that it will join onto the next character on the screen. The reason for this seemingly strange rule becomes obvious if you think about DEC Line drawing characters. Use ESC ( 0 or ESC ) 0 to select. This extra pixel is used so that the character will join and give unbroken graphics. It has been around since the VT100 days but has never been fully documented by anybody. PC'S SIG Message # 194 0 replies Reply to # 149 Left by: DENNIS L WANLESS On 05-Dec-88 At : 414-765-2145 Subject: MATURE PCSA ENVIRONMENT I HAVE HAD THE SAME FRUSTRATIONS WITH SETTING UP OUR PCSA ENVIRONMENT. THE GREATES SOURCE OF FRUSTRATION IS THE LACK OF WORKING KNOWLEDGE ONTHE PART OF ATLANTA. THEY HAVE HELPED, BUT MORE TIMES THEN NOT I GET IT BY TRIAL AND ERROR. WE HAVE A 12 NODE NETWORK ATTACHED THROUGH A BACKBONE TO OUR CLUSTER RUNNING V5 OF VMS. THE PC'S ARE ANYTHING BUT PURE BLUE. WE HAVE OVERCOME MOST OF THE CONFIGURATION OBSTACLES. I'D BE WILLING TO SHARE. DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 438 2 replies Left by: DENNIS L WANLESS On 05-Dec-88 At : 414-765-2145 Subject: COMMUNICATIONS SCRIPTS i HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SMOOTH OUT HOW I SIGN ON TO EXTERNAL DATA SERVICES. ALL-IN-1 COMMUNICATIONS SCRIPTS WORK OKAY IF THERE ARE NO UNUSUAL SITUATIONS TO ACCOUNT FOR. I AM LOOKING FOR A PRODUCT SUGGESTION. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE SEEN A PRODUCT THAT WILL ALLOW ME TO USE A MODEM POOL HOOKED TO A DEC SERVER 200/MC OVER LAT AND WILL GIVE ME EXTENSIVE SCRIPT BRANCHING AND ERROR CONTROL. IT MUST BE CALLABLE FROM BATCH AS WELL AS BE INTERACTIVE WHEN NEEDED. IT MUST BE ABLE TO HANDLE LOOKING FOR THE NEXT AVAILABLE MODEM AND REPORTING BACK CORRECTLY WHEN NONE ARE AVAILABLE. THANKS. APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 293 0 replies Left by: DON ROBERTS On 05-Dec-88 At : 818/9696741 Subject: LABELS ON VAX We need software for generating labels on VAXen. Does anyone out there know of any packages for this function? Need bar codes and upside down printing. Also, any information for label stock vendors for LASER printers would be appreciated. Thanks DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 439 0 replies Reply to # 438 Left by: BILL JAMISON On 05-Dec-88 At : HERE Subject: COMMUNICATION SCRIPTS Clyde Digital Systems offers a product called CALOUT-PLUS that may be just what you are looking for. It offers branching, and checking for next available modem. I've used a demo of the product, but haven't purchased it yet. I don't know if it will run under v5.0 of VMS, I'm still waiting for a release of one of their other products (Dialback). The company is located in Orem, Utah. The phone number is: (801) 224-5306. I hope this helps! Bill Jamison SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 196 0 replies Reply to # 191 Left by: KITTY GEORGE On 05-Dec-88 At : HERE (ARIS) Subject: 750 PERF MANAGEMENT Dave - In regard to your query about taking a performance management course to help you squeeze more work out of your 750 - yes, it's definitely worth your while to do so. I took one last year that was sponsored by RAXCO, and it was definitely worth the time and money. RAXCO has (or had, last time I looked) two courses, one for system performance management (which I took) and one for "programming for optimal performance" (I don't have the exact name). Re: whether to take a DEC course or a third-party course (RAXCO, ERI, whoever), I think the third-party approach is better. You'll get a better viewpoint that's not slanted toward buying DEC hardware; the instructor will also be less likely to be ignorant, or pretend to be ignorant, of DEC's software shortcomings. Just don't try to do too much all at once when you come back with bright ideas about how to supercharge the old bit-banger. Kitty :-) PC'S SIG Message # 195 1 replies Reply to # 195 Left by: BRIAN DESANTIS On 06-Dec-88 At : (201)670-0286 Subject: MAC--->>>HP I have a Mac SE, an HP Laserjet Series II, and a VAX 8300. I tried for a Mac II (boss say too much $$$), I try for an Apple Laserwriter IINXT (boss say same thing). I have SoftStyles Printworks, laser version for the mac, and it works surprisingly well. I have not done much experimenting on the hp from the vax, frankly because i dont know what I could do, that I couldnt do better on the mac. My only complaints so far, is that the hp is not postscript compatible (I am working on it for '89), and that hypercard wont accept the printworks drivers to print from hypercard (SoftStyle is said to be working on this). If anyone else has any related Mac-HP experience, pls 'chime' in... VMS SIG Message # 779 0 replies Reply to # 778 Left by: Robert G. Schaffrath On 06-Dec-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: Prompt Fun! On the subject of games with NEWPROMPT, try setting the prompt to the prompt in a program the user is currently running (ie. Dtr32>, SYSGEN>, UAF> etc.) Lots of fun when a user can't figure out how to get out of the program! Also, I managed to get NEWPROMPT to work on V5.0. A simple reassembing and relinking will not work because you need to use Spinlocks. Also, I believe it references SCH$GL_CURPCB which should be replaced with CTL$GL_PCB. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 VMS SIG Message # 780 0 replies Left by: DON ROBERTS On 06-Dec-88 At : 818/969-6741 Subject: LABELS ON VAXEN I am looking for a software package for generating mailing labels on a VAX. Need upside down, sideways and barcode. Also looking for information on label stock for laser printers. Any help along these lines would be greatly appreciated. Thanks PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 348 0 replies Reply to # 346 Left by: JEFF FINKELSTEIN On 06-Dec-88 At : 609-338-4730 Subject: PL/I RMS PROBLEMS Where I am working we are using PL/I for a significant project, and have also had some problems doing PL/I I/O to indexed files. What we currently are using are direct calls to RMS (via SYS$GET and SYS$PUT). You should know that DEC is aware of problems with their PL/I to RMS interface, particularly in the area of record locking and such. The error (reserved op fault) is not one that I have seen relating to this problem. Though off the top of my head, I'd say that it could be anything from linking against the wrong RTL to using a bad environment specification on the get/put line. If you need more help, either give me a call or send me an example on this sig. -- Jeff DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 440 0 replies Reply to # 437 Left by: JEFF FINKELSTEIN On 06-Dec-88 At : 609-338-4730 Subject: VAX CALLBACK Yes, you are correct about it being on a DECUS tape. I seem to remember it being in the directory that contains the VAXNET program (by Robin Miller) I believe. The program was called CALLBACK (what else?). You can use this to get your VAX to call your number at a given time. Though I remember coding up a cute trick a while back, where I not only got it to call me, but log me in also. Seems that there is a flag you can use when calling $CREPRC, and telling it to create an interactive process for you. You just tell it to run SYS$SYSTEM:LOGINOUT.EXE and assign it to the terminal that is attached to the modem. Don't know if this trick works on V4..V5 or not. Haven't used it since V3.x days. -- Jeff UTILITIES SIG Message # 316 0 replies Reply to # 314 Left by: JEFF FINKELSTEIN On 06-Dec-88 At : HERE Subject: VAX BBS You can get VAXNotes (if you want to spend some money) or you can get the BULLETIN program off of the latest DECUS tapes. We have it up on one system and it provides the same basic functionality as Notes (though not nearly as nicely). But the cost is right... -- Jeff LASER PRINTERS SIG Message # 41 1 replies Left by: ERNIE POTENZIANI On 06-Dec-88 At : Subject: POSTSCRIPT PRINTERS & SYMBIONTS I'm considering buying a Postscript type laser printer for my VAX 11/750 at work. It'll be used for printing MacIntosh and PC disk files (Postscript code). Does anyone have any recommendations (or horror stories) about any printers they are familiar with. It'll most likely be spooled off the parallel port. I'll be receiving literature from AST, QMS, Apple, TI, and DEC (unless there are other units to consider). Also, does any one know of any software out there that facilitates connecting PS printers to VAXes? (Like utilities to download fonts to the printer, symbionts, etc.) Thanks for your help. LASER PRINTERS SIG Message # 42 0 replies Reply to # 41 Left by: JEFF FINKELSTEIN On 07-Dec-88 At : HERE Subject: POSTSCRIPT PRINTERS ON VAX I can heartily recommend either PACERPRINT by Pacer Software and also Alisa Systems has a printing utility. Both support all Postscript printers and work wonderfully. My favorite was the Pacer package but Alisa has done a fine job also. I had a slew of Apple LaserWriters connect to Terminal Servers, and used the software to print to them from Mac's connected to the ethernet via ethertalk cards or the Kinetics Gateways. If you need more info just let me know, I've done this sort of thing for 2 years now.. -- Jeff SITE MANAGEMENT SIG Message # 246 0 replies Left by: C.COOK On 07-Dec-88 At : 201-869-8300 Subject: DEC DISASTER RECOVERY DOES ANYONE KNOW OF ANY DEC DISASTER RECOVERY USER GROUPS. MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 220 0 replies Left by: STERNBERG-POWIDZKI On 07-Dec-88 At : (401)8494750 Subject: IIR FILTERS We would like to design IIR filters by fitting the frequency responce to an arbitrary shape. Aleast mean square approximation over a specified band might be appropriate. The implementation will use 1 or 2 quadratic sections, therefore high accuracy is not a requirement. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 438 0 replies Left by: TONY GROSS On 08-Dec-88 At : Subject: CASE TOOLS Does anyone use Mentor Graphics CASE. I would like your opinion on how well it works for a real-time embedded system with DOD-STD documentation. APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 294 0 replies Reply to # 280 Left by: DEREK FIELDS On 08-Dec-88 At : (609) 520-2000 Subject: REPLY TO ORACLE INGRES NOMAD I just got up here to look at your message. I have extensive experience with Ingres and Oracle. I have never used NOMAD. What types of problems were you particularly interested in? Derek Fields fields@jvnca.csc.org (internet) Sr. Database Analyst fields@jvncc (bitnet) John Von Neumann SuperComputer Center (609) 520-2000 (MaBellNet) 665 College Rd. Princeton, NJ 08540 DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 441 0 replies Reply to # 420 Left by: GERRY WOLLNER On 08-Dec-88 At : 201 430-7159 Subject: KERMIT FOR RSX 4.0 THANKS FOR THE REPLY. I WILL CERTAINLY NEED SUCH A COPY OF KERMIT VERY SOON. IF YOU CAN GIVE ME A CALL OR LEAVE A MESSAGE AS TO WHERE I CAN SEND A TAPE I WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATIVE. THANKS G.W. COMMUNICATIONS SIG Message # 244 1 replies Left by: GERRY WOLLNER On 08-Dec-88 At : 201 430 7159 Subject: DLV-11J HANGING MY PDP-11/73 AS PART OF A PROJECT TO HAVE A PDP-11/73 DO FILE TRANSFERS WITH A PRIME, A VAX 8800 AND ABOUT A DOZEN OTHER 11/73'S WE HAVE BEEN TRYING OUT SEVERAL COMM PACKAGES AND DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS MODEMS. WE ARE EXPERIENCING SOME STRANGE PROBLEMS WHEN WE BOOT OUR PDP-11 WHILE A PORT ON THE DLV-11J IS CONNECTED TO AN INTELLIGENT MODEM. THE DLV PORT SEEMS TO BE TALKING TO ITSELF WHICH EFFECTIVLEY HANGS UP THE MACHINE UNTIL IT CRASHES. IF YOU LOOK AT THE MODEM RD AND TD LEDS THEY ARE LIT ALMOST SOLID. THIS HAPPENS AS SOON AS YOU GET AN MCR PROMPT ON THE CONSOLE. THIS HAPPENS WITH EVERY MODEM WE HAVE TRIED. MICROCOM, RIXON AND CONCORD DATA. IT ALSO DOES NOT MATTER IF THE MODEM IS ASYNC DIALUP OR LEASED LINE. IF ANYBODY HAS SOME IDEA AS TO WHAT IS GOING ON PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE...... THANKS G.W. DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 442 0 replies Reply to # 419 Left by: TIMOTHY D. FERRELL On 08-Dec-88 At : (904)731-6414 Subject: DIAL-OUT VIA LAT You may encountering the problem because queueing is not enabled on the server ports you have specified for dial-out access. Try the command Local> DEFINE PORT X QUEUE ENABLED Assuming you have priviledge on the server, this will allow queuing for the service you have specified on a particular port. Good luck! VMS SIG Message # 781 0 replies Reply to # 774 Left by: HUNTER GOATLEY On 09-Dec-88 At : 801-224-5306 - ESL 62128960 Subject: SETTING DCL PROMPT As Jeff knows, I have a routine that will set the DCL prompt from a MACRO routine that is callable from FORTRAN or any other language. Any one who is interested can call me at the above number. I can FAX the message if you want, or send it via EasyLink. Other arrangements can be made. Hunter Goatley Clyde Digital Systems 371 East 800 South Orem, Utah 84058 (801) 244-5306 SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 197 0 replies Reply to # 194 Left by: PHIL GALKA On 09-Dec-88 At : (201)648-2417 Subject: GLOBAL MEMORY SECTIONS We were able to solve the problem with Global memory Sections that Mike Thomas wrote about in an previous message. Before I continue I should note that I work with Mike Thomas and he resolved the problem with joint efforts from DEC's Colorado support and the Touch Technology, DLB People. Our goal was to reduce the I/O activity that was on our system drive. Under VMS 4.7 you can have multiple page and swap files spread across the disk farm. We reduced the Pagefile on the system disk to 8000 block (the minimum required to boot VMS). We then added additional page files to DUA1:, DUA2: and DUA3: . This worked fine for a few weeks and we were able to observe less I/O activity on the system drive. However because page file activity fills the files in sequential order the pagefile on the system disk became badly fragmented. In normal VMS housekeeping Pagefile resources and Global sections are related so as VMS did its thing it would lock up global sections. Allin1 could not activite because it relies on these global section for RMS and other activity. Also the Modified page list could not be flushed. The Solution: Thanks to one of the experts at DEC Support in Colorado we were advised to increase the system disk pagefile to 10000 blocks. Our system is now back on track with plenty of global sections and nice healthy flushes. VMS SIG Message # 782 0 replies Left by: JOHN HEINZ On 09-Dec-88 At : (513) 866-3300 Subject: PORTACALC I AM HAVING BIG PROBLEMS GETTING PORTACALC (FROM THE DECUS LIBRARY) TO WORK ON VMS V4.6. I DONT HAVE THE FORTRAN COMPILER BUT IT SAYS IT SHOULD WORK ANYWAY. I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO TALK TO SOMEONE WHO IS USING THIS PROGRAM W/OUT THE FORTRAN COMPILER OR FOR SOMEONE JUST TO SAY IT DOESN'T WORK... UTILITIES SIG Message # 317 0 replies Reply to # 315 Left by: URBIE WATROUS On 09-Dec-88 At : HERE Subject: VAX NOTES Well, I'd have to agree that VAX Notes is a great piece of software. I often log into the DECUS Pageswapper system, on which one can spend endless hours VAXnoting to one's heart's content. Unfortunately, VAX Notes is a VERY expensive piece of software; I forget what it goes for, but it's somewhere in the 5-figure range for a decent-sized VAX, if I'm not mistaken. . . Urbie COMMUNICATIONS SIG Message # 245 1 replies Reply to # 242 Left by: JERRY C. HUDGINS On 10-Dec-88 At : (804) 948-6006 Subject: DHQ-11 ALTERNATIVES The DHQ-11 is a big improvement over the DHV-11, especially in terms of performance, but there are a number of good alternatives. My personal favorites are the DILOG 16-line dual and Webster 16-line quad emulations. (Oops, switch that: the DILOG is the quad and the Webster is the dual.) DILOG also makes a very high-performance 8-line dual. Emulex has good 8 and 16-line offerings, as well. COMMUNICATIONS SIG Message # 246 0 replies Reply to # 244 Left by: JERRY C. HUDGINS On 10-Dec-88 At : (804) 948-6006 Subject: RSX MODEM LOOPBACK This sounds like a fairly classic problem with a very simple solution. RSX (and VMS, too) will exhibit this type of behavior when a autodialing modem responds to something sent down the line (like a prompt or a broadcast) with some type of message which the machine then takes to be invalid input. It sends an error message, the modem responds again, and you're in a loopback situation which eats the machine alive with serial interrupts. This can happen if: 1) the port is set NOREMOTE and NOSLAVE, or 2) the port is set REMOTE but the modem is holding CD up continuously. Many PC-oriented autodialing modems have CD held up continuously by default. This should be jumpered to follow the true CD state. The modem should also be jumpered to go on-hook and return to command state when an on-to-off DTR transition occurs. If something here doesn't solve your problem, give me a call. MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 221 0 replies Left by: DARYL THOMAS On 11-Dec-88 At : 504-686-2478 Subject: RD5X TABLETOP DRIVES I need a copy of the wiring schematic for a tabletop or rackmount RD%x series drive (RD51, 52, 53). I'm trying to hang an additional RD type drive onto a MICRO11. As I understand it, the only difference between the internal drive and the tabletop or rackmount drive is that the tabletops have a power supply and a "front panel" built-in. I would like to convert some on-hand internal-type 's that I have to work as external drives. Any help woul dbe appreciated. Daryl Thomas 16434 Spring Ranch Livingston, LA 70754 MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 439 0 replies Reply to # 418 Left by: KEVIN G. BARKES On 12-Dec-88 At : ARIS OR SYS$OUTPUT BBS 412-854-0511 Subject: FORTUNE COOKIES Craig, Sorry for the delay in responding. I somehow missed your message until now. To get the procedure to work, just change all GOTO references from DONE to exit. Or, you could just add the following line above the EXIT: label near the end of the procedure: $ DONE: $ EXIT: . . . Again, sorry for the delay. Regards, KGB DCL Editor MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 440 0 replies Reply to # 426 Left by: Dr. Gonzo On 12-Dec-88 At : ARIS Subject: Happy New Year Hello everyone! Dr. R had some very interesting tid-bits regarding new CPU's. Now for the decision making information. If you are considering puchasing a VAX 62xx series computer, I recommend (prescribe?) a rest period until January 20, 1989! This is the date slated for the release of the CVAX II series of Calypso processors known as the VAX 63xx series. Inside word (is there any other kind) has it that the price on this new series will be comparable to the current price of the 62xx series. However, the 63xx will give you a speed of 4 MIPS per CPU (see Dr. R's previous message). This is basically VAX 8600 performance on a chip. So, if you have your heart set on a 6200 series CPU, wait and it will cost you less. If you have $200K to burn, wait and you'll get a faster CPU!! Also, inside figures quote the residual value on a 6200 series computer after three years at 25% of current list price! OUCH!!!! Bye MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 222 1 replies Reply to # 219 Left by: BERN FOX On 12-Dec-88 At : (313)-994-1200 Subject: RP06 TRIVIA RP06 Specifications: Formatted cap. : 176 Mb Peak xfer rate : 806 Kb/sec Avg. access : 38.3 mS Weight: : 600 # Price: : If in fact anyone did buy one of these boatanchors, they would have paid more than 25K$ MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 223 0 replies Reply to # 214 Left by: BERN FOX On 12-Dec-88 At : (313)-994-1200 Subject: MAXTOR XT-8XXX TESTIMONIAL I have been using the XT-8760E & -8380E Maxtor drives, with Dilog ESDI interfaces, on VAXes for the passed 10 months or so with very good success. The XT-4380 is an older (slower) version of the -8380E, and probably would work equally as well (for less $) where maximum performance is not the consideration. Of some note is the fact that one -8760 is the VMS system device on a very over-worked 11/780, and it has served very well in that capacity for the passed 6 months (the kiss-of-death). The SCSI versions of these drives should perform almost as well. Shop around for a good $ on these drives, as there are wild variances, but find a vendor who tests his drives very thoroughly before shipment. GOOD LUCK! MICROVAX SIG Message # 177 2 replies Left by: STEWART ZOBIAN On 12-Dec-88 At : 212-382-8086 Subject: DOWNLOADING FILES THIS MAY SEEM LIKE A MUNDANE QUESTION TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN USING ARIS FOR SOME TIME BUT, HOW DOES ONE DOWNLOAD A FILE FROM ARIS? WE HAVE KERMIT ON THE SYSTEM, BUT I AM UNABLE TO DETERMINE HOW ONE INVOKES KERMIT FROM WITHIN ARIS TO RECIEVE A FILE. ALSO, ONCE THE FILE IS RECEIVED, DOES IT HAVE TO BE DE-COMPRESSED, I.E. SOMETHING SIMILAR TO 'UN-ARCING' ON A PC? UTILITIES SIG Message # 319 4 replies Left by: SCOTT VIVIAN On 12-Dec-88 At : (512) 329-6610 Subject: DEFRAGMENTERS I am condisering a disk defragmenter. My concern is which one. I have heard various rumours concerning 'crashes' brought on by these packages. I was wondering if anyone has had any problems using any of the commercially available on-line defragmenters (i.e. raxco, diskeeper, and squeezpak)?? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanx, jsv MIGRATION ISSUES SIG Message # 38 1 replies Left by: RALPH TRIGG On 12-Dec-88 At : 505-842-1247 Subject: EXE COMPATIBILITY WITH VMS 4 AND 5 We distribute software to a number of sites that run VMS 4.4 thru 4.7 as well as VMS 5.0-1. Typically, we distribute .OBJs, .EXEs, and COM files to re-build the .EXEs from the OBJs. We have successfully sent OBJs and EXEs built with VMS 4.7 to sites running 5.0-1. They were able to execute WITHOUT relinking the OBJs. No apparent problems. Our question is whether the opposite of this will work? Can we compile and link on VMS 5.0-1 and subsequently send the OBJs and EXEs to VMS 4.n sites. Can they run without re-linking? Our language compiler is BASIC V3.2. FORUM - 3RD PARTY SUPPLIERS SIG Message # 84 0 replies Reply to # 72 Left by: JON BADGER On 12-Dec-88 At : 713-621-2115 Subject: EMULEX SC03 AND MICROCOM MODEMS I have encountered the same problem with DMZ-32's and MICROCOM modems. The problem is a result of the DMZ (or other) controller cycling DTR every 30 seconds, when it see DSR ON. On your MICROCOM modems enter the SX command S1D2 or AT command AT\D2, depending on the mode you operate in. This forces DSR and CTS to follow CD and prevents the DMZ from hanging up the modem while you're trying to dialRemember to set the configuration switches not to reset the modem on power-up or you'll lose this setting if you experience a power failure. MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 224 1 replies Left by: JEFF REDDICK On 12-Dec-88 At : 212-614-4868 Subject: HSC50 VS. HSC70 We are thinking of getting an HSC70 and I was wondering if anyone out there has had any problems with them? Also how do they compare to the HSC50's is there as big a differance as DEC claims? Much thanks for any help that can be provided. UTILITIES SIG Message # 320 1 replies Reply to # 319 Left by: JEFF GOWDY On 12-Dec-88 At : (714) 397-4700 EXT. 2289 Subject: DEFRAGMENTER In response to your question about defragmenters. We are currently using Diskeeper. I am very happy with it to say the least. As it is currently installed, I don't ever hardly have to think about it. It just does its job and has not caused any types of problems. Along with the defragmenter there is also a disk analysis utility that gives all kinds of info about the state of the drives on the system. Support is also a big consideration. I have found the people at Executive Software to most helpful. They are willing to spend as much time with you as needed to make you comfortable with the product. Bottom line is you can't do much better than Diskeeper. UTILITIES SIG Message # 321 0 replies Reply to # 319 Left by: DAVE COLE On 13-Dec-88 At : (317) 846-6591 Subject: DISK DEFRAGMENTER I have been using Diskit 200 from Software Techniques Inc. for better than a year now and have NEVER had a problem. I use the Online Structuring Utility (OSU) which runs in batch mode and I never have to worry abouit. (I do check the log files every day.) I am running Diskit on a 11/750 with two RA81's and one RA80 with about eighteen users on the system. The software we are using does a lot of sorts on large relative files and the disks get badly fragmented in a hurry. Diskit supports defragmenting, file placement where you want it, and free space optimization. I really like and recommend this product. MICROVAX SIG Message # 178 0 replies Reply to # 177 Left by: DON ROBERTS On 13-Dec-88 At : 818/969-6741 Subject: DOWNLOADING As with anything else in computers the answer to your question is "it depends". How are you getting into ARIS? If you are not logged on your VAX when you establish your connection, you can't download. If you have used set host/dte, add the log=filename qualifier and it captures your entire session, you then edit out the parts you need. Finally, the best alternative is if you connected using kermit (it doesn't sound like you did). ^]C back to kermit and issue the appropriate commands for downloading a file without kermit running on the foreign system (in other words, the kermit equivalent to set host/dte/log=filename). The kermit documentation is fairly clear on this procedure, but if you don't have it, give me a call. UTILITIES SIG Message # 322 1 replies Reply to # 322 Left by: DON ROBERTS On 13-Dec-88 At : 818/969-6741 Subject: DISKEEPER Echo diskeeper comments. Have heard equally good things about RABBIT. I have heard the talk of corruption. It did happen some years ago, and Digital used to do their best to discourage the use of de-frags. At the last DECUS, however, more than once I had Digital persons recommend de-frags to me, and one told me they are working on their own. I have used Diskit on PDP11's, and it also was a good product. I think diskeeper is the market leader, if that matters. In general, the problems with de-frags are in the past, but you should exercise due caution. Avoid using them during your highest use periods (they can't do much then anyhow). Monitor their logs on a regular basis. And don't worry, the risk is very low and the benefits are very high. However, don't belierve anyone who tells you there is no risk whatsoever. Anything that twiddles with bits on your disks has a potential problem. But if you are adequately backed up, why worry! WORD PROCESSING SIG Message # 114 0 replies Reply to # 108 Left by: DAVID BEORN On 13-Dec-88 At : 804-788-7410 Subject: RE: WPS+, WORD-11 I agree EXACTLY with the comment about the makers of WORD-11 staying in business - it's an amazing feat if ALL their products are like this one. Well, I guess if you are used to typing on a line printer it might not be so bad.... And as far as WPS+ goes, it is NOT YET, in my opinion, a full-functioning word processor. It's got some nice features over EDT (bolding, underlining, etc) and the library DOC's are great, but other than that - it's less than what you would expect for a word procesor - you can't even customize your editor like you can EDT. However, if you're eventually going to Allin1, this is the "best" editor that currently is usable with Allin1 (the last time I heard, anyway). But the files are pretty big (not as bad as earlier versions though) so watch out. David MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 225 0 replies Reply to # 224 Left by: DON ROBERTS On 13-Dec-88 At : HERE Subject: HSC50 V. HSC70 The differences: instead of more devices than you will ever use, as with the HSC50, you can hang a LOT more devices than you will ever use on the HSC70. The HSC70 has more memory for caching, so if you are heavily I/O bound you can see some improvement. Digital, in a recent seminar here in so cal, stated that there is not that much difference outside of that. So if you don't need all those drives, go with the 50. VMS SIG Message # 783 2 replies Reply to # 771 Left by: David Beorn On 13-Dec-88 At : 804-788-7410 Subject: RE: DCL As A Programming Language Well, although DCL may be a "hog" it is, I believe a fairly powerful language. Admittedly, if you are doing lots of math and/or it's a long program, some other (any? other) language if prefered. But for manipulating files, directories, system info, etc. it's pretty good - but then of course it should be, that's what an operatiing system is for. I guess MY advice on "DCL as a Programming Language" is, as with any language, there are good and bad places/things to use it for but you have to decide, based on what your program is to do, what language to use (rather basic, I know, but "it's the facts"). And someone mentioned that indexed files could not be read from DCL - but I don't believe this is the case. You can say READ /INDEX=# /KEY= ... I've not used it myself but have some DCL that uses it. As for relative files, I don't know if DCL can handle it or not. But it handles indexed files VERY quickly - an 8000 block file parsed for names in a matter of a second or 2 (obviously because it was indexed). David VMS SIG Message # 784 0 replies Reply to # 783 Left by: David Beorn On 13-Dec-88 At : 804-788-7410 Subject: RE: DCL AS LANGUAGE Also, DCL NOW HAS GOSUB - it's not an if-then-else, but it's closer to it. David VMS SIG Message # 785 2 replies Left by: DAVID R ROBISON On 13-Dec-88 At : 702-878-7250 Subject: V5.0 LICENSE FACILITY I have been reading about the license management facility under 5.0. We would like to use it to handle the licenses for our own product and we are wondering if any one knows if DEC is going to allow third party vendors to use the facility and if there will be a callable interface. If anyone has any information, I would be interested in knowing. Thanks. Dave. PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 349 2 replies Left by: DAVID R ROBISON On 13-Dec-88 At : 702-878-7250 Subject: SHARED LIBRARIES We have a data base module writen in C that we want to make into a shared library. The module has global variables that are shared among the procedures within the module. My question is that if two processes are using the shared library will they share a single copy of the global variable or will they each have their own copy. If anyone knows or can tell me where to look in the documentation, I would appreciate it. Thanks. Dave UTILITIES SIG Message # 323 0 replies Reply to # 319 Left by: MARK KUEHN On 13-Dec-88 At : (612)646-4501 Subject: DISK DE-FRAGGERS I currently am using RAXCO's RABBIT 7 (I hate the way they name their products all RABBIT-n but that is not really important). It is a very good defragging package and is extremely robust. The cost is reasonable and it as 4 different optimization level to balance the defragging against concurrent use by other users. It also is FREE to demo for about one month. P.S. Rumor has it that DEC, purchased this product for use on some of its internal equipment. P.P.S. DO NOT run a BACKUP/FAST at the same time as defrag, because this command reads INDEX.SYS into memory (to speed the backup), and since the defragging modifies INDEX.SYS, disk corruption can result if the two take place concurrently. VMS SIG Message # 786 1 replies Left by: TOM CACHAT On 13-Dec-88 At : 714 837-5198 X354 Subject: DYNAMIC VAX TUNERS With the advent of dynamic tuning programs, is it worth the time to try to tune your VAX or better to buy a dynamic tuner. Any good/bad experiences with dynamic tuners? PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 350 0 replies Reply to # 349 Left by: MARK KUEHN On 13-Dec-88 At : (612)646-4501 Subject: SHARE IMAGES The default is to only share the non-writable portions of the image (i.e. executable code and constants). If this is not what you want it is possible to share writable portions of the image (i.e. data), but this is not the default. It can be accomplished with PSECT directives or by CREATING and MAPPING global sections. A word of caution, if you are planning to share data areas, make sure that you have some convention to insure exclusive access to the data, (multi-processor systems add a little complexity). Read the section in the MACRO manual about the interlock instructions BCCI and BSSI. These two instructions can provide a reliable data area in-use flag even in multi-processor systems. These instructions can also be used from high-level languages by using the RTL routines LIB$BCCI and LIB$BSSI. UTILITIES SIG Message # 324 0 replies Reply to # 314 Left by: DAVID BEORN On 13-Dec-88 At : 804-788-7410 Subject: RE: BULLETIN BOARD FOR VAX Well, SYS$OUTPUT BBS in Pittsburgh, 412-854-0511, has one but I don't know if it is the same as one you mentioned. Kevin?? VMS SIG Message # 787 0 replies Reply to # 786 Left by: MARK KUEHN On 13-Dec-88 At : (612)646-4501 Subject: RE: DYNAMIC TUNERS I think that dynamic tuners can function in two environments: 1) A system that is total loaded, (no additional CPU, no free memory, no money to buy what is really needed - more CPU and more MEMORY) In this environment you can probably extend the life of the system, but remember these tuners do not create more CPU cycles they just redistribute them, so basically you are robbing from Peter to pay Paul. If Peter puts up with it then the problem has been solved, at least temporarily. 2) A system where the work load changes DRAMATICALLY - very DRAMATICALLY very often. But I think that some time spent tuning the system, observing the changes that occurred and then repeating the process will give better results and leave you with a better idea of how the VMS ghost actually works. SITE MANAGEMENT SIG Message # 248 0 replies Left by: STERNBERG-POWIDZKI On 13-Dec-88 At : (401)8494750 Subject: CLEAR MEMORY I'd like to clear memory and any info left in the controllers... Cycling power is not a solution!!!!! PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 351 0 replies Reply to # 349 Left by: Jeff Finkelstein On 13-Dec-88 At : HERE Subject: SHARED LIBRARIES The creation of the shared library is actually fairly simple. But as you stated, the trick is to find what is actually shared. I have found that the easiest way is to generate a full compiler listing, and look at the psect descriptions produced. What you want to look for are Psects that are SHR and WRT. Typically, if the variable is global it fits into this category. Though it can either be controlled by some language specific function, e.g. in PL/I EXTERNAL CONTROLLED. which puts it into a WRT/NOSHR Psect. You can either fix it via the language or use the linker options to do it. For quick fixes the linker is easy. In the options file just use the PSECT_ATTR=psect_name,NOSHR to make it non-shareable. MIGRATION ISSUES SIG Message # 39 0 replies Reply to # 38 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 13-Dec-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: VMS V5.0-1 <-> VMS V4.7 binary compatibility For non-privileged code, VMS is upward compatible. Any n-p image ever created on VMS will still run (ie. an image created on V1.0 will run on V5.0). However, they are not backward compatible (V5.0 will not run on V4.7). You can, however, safely port the object file back to VMS V4.7 and link provided your new code is not using any system services new to V5.0, such as STR$ELEMENT or one of the new SMG$ routines. We periodically port object code from a MicroVAX II running V5.0-2 to an 8350 running V4.7 and link under V4.7 with no problems. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 UTILITIES SIG Message # 325 1 replies Reply to # 319 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 13-Dec-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: DISK DEFRAGMENTERS Well, up until the time I upgraded from Diskeeper V2.0 to V2.1, I would have recommended it hands down. Now, I'm not so sure. V2.0 worked beautifully and quietly. Now on our MicroVAX II system, Diskeeper V2.1 can bring our system to it's knees. I haven't reported the problem to Executive Software yet but you do know exactly when it is running from the way your system slows down. One problem seems to be that it raises it's priority to 16 when it is doing certain tasks. On a loaded system that will stop alot of people. Also, the DISKEEPER logfile in past was relatively small. It only logged a message when it woke up and when it went to sleep. Now it logs the name of every file it moved. Expect to see a logfile from a single pass, on a full disk, of 200+ blocks. Two passes will probably add another 100! There is no way to turn this reporting feature off! Finally, Diskeeper is SID protected. If you are running on a VAX system which keeps track of microcode changes in the SID register (VAX 8250/8350 etc.), you will need a new tape from them everytime the system firmware is updated (about 4 times a year if you are on maintenance). Other than that, it works great! VMS SIG Message # 788 0 replies Reply to # 785 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 13-Dec-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: LMF It has often by mentioned that DEC may allow third party software vendors to interface to the LMF. DEC, however, would generate and send the PAK's to your costumers. You would not be given the algorithm for generating a checksum. Just for interest, the system services (callable interface) which are used with LMF are: SYS$GRANT_LICENSE, SYS$LOOKUP_LICENSE, and SYS$REVOKE_LICENSE. SYS$GRANT_LICENSE is the service called by DEC utilities to test for an active license. All this is undocumented of course. Hope this helps! Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 RSTS SIG Message # 328 0 replies Reply to # 326 Left by: Bruce A. Grembowski On 13-Dec-88 At : 408/291-3364 Subject: DIALUP (EG&H) Well, I've never worked for EG&H, and I'll add my vote for the DIALUP package (I'm using it right now). The only problem with DIALUP is that the current version, running under RSTS 9.x, will not transfer files either through a batch file or a command file written in DCL. This happens because EG&H says that DCL cannot handle binary input from a terminal. Other than that, the package is great and allows you to design custom macros to highly automate file transfers, which I do a lot of. If you need any more info, leave a note here or contact me at the above number. MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 226 0 replies Reply to # 222 Left by: CLIFF HEYER On 13-Dec-88 At : 617 239-3684 Subject: RP06 Thanks a bunch Bern! Too bad, though, I had to print my report out a few days ago so I missed this critical data....however, with some testing I estimated 600KB/sec & 45 ms access, so I guess I wasn't too far off. Gee, just think a $25,000 RD54 that now sells used for $250 10 years later...at this rate, the computer industry is going to be out of business before we retire! VMS SIG Message # 789 2 replies Reply to # 783 Left by: DON ROBERTS On 14-Dec-88 At : HERE Subject: DCL AS A LANGUAGE I have just finished writing an application which uses DCL to read an indexed file. It works fine. However, performance is another problem. The slowest thing in the application is the dcl access to the file. In set verify, the delay during execution of open is unbelievable. Writes are also very slow. Reads are not too bad. BTW, IF-THEN-ELSE is AVAILABLE in DCL for VMS V5.0. Hasn't anyone noticed? MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 227 0 replies Left by: FRED On 14-Dec-88 At : ARIS Subject: VS2000 HARD DRIVES The vs2000 has a format routine in ROM for both RX33 floppy and winchesters. I believe that the interleave factor is 1:1, same as the RQDX3 controller on the Q Bus. Note that the RQDX1 (and the RQDX2, a repackaged RQDX1) used a 1:3 interleave factor. I don't see any reason that an RD51 can't be used on a vs2000, although I did try an RD53 and had some difficulty. The drive formatted ok, the verify test said it was alright and correctly identified it, but a restore of a 50mb system disk image to it failed repeatedly. The same tape restored with no grief on an mvII. UTILITIES SIG Message # 326 2 replies Reply to # 325 Left by: JOE KAZIMIERCZYK On 14-Dec-88 At : 609-921-5448 Subject: RE: DISKEEPER We upgraded to DISKEEPER V2.1 a few months ago. I haven't noticed any change in it's performance, however. It still runs virtually un-noticeable on our system. Regarding the log files, they did make quite a few changes there, but there is a way to suppress the logging of every file moved. The qualifier for this is /NOMOVED_FILES. They added some new qualifiers, and also changed the actions of a few of the old qualifiers, which took me some time to realize and was a bit annoying, but I would still highly recommend the product. VMS SIG Message # 790 1 replies Reply to # 789 Left by: BRIAN DESANTIS On 14-Dec-88 At : (201)670-0286 Subject: DCL/INDEXES/IF-THEN-ELSE DCL is not as bad as many people make it sound when dealing with reading, writing indexed files, et al. I have written many programs that deal with this and have a program that my captive users run upon login that sets up some symbols about who they are, etc, stuff that would be nice to have a place for in the uaf file. Considering I have about 120 captive users on an 8300 with 52mb, running 5.0-0, it is not bad.... As for If-then-else, Yes, we know its there - been waiting for it for a long time, and with 5.0 finally have gotten the chance to use it. It really saves many procedures from becoming programming monsters - less gotos and gosubs mean clearer code. VMS SIG Message # 791 1 replies Reply to # 790 Left by: DON ROBERTS On 14-Dec-88 At : HERE Subject: UAF Could you give a little more information about what you think would be nice to have in uaf? The symbols in login that you have? I am curious to see how you deal with some of the problems (at least performance-wise) with dcl indexed file access. TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 255 0 replies Left by: CHUCK LEWIS On 14-Dec-88 At : (503) 641-4141 Subject: COLOR GRAPHICS PRINTER Has anyone found color graphics hardcopy device other than DEC's companion color printer? We are looking for a device that would be supported by the Render graphics software system. We'd like to find something a little less expensive than a color postscript laser printer. TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 256 1 replies Left by: CURT SNYDER On 15-Dec-88 At : 714-752-4760 Subject: VT220 TERMINALS I have a VT220 terminal, revision code V2.3. I wrote an application which uses SMG$* calls. On any other terminal, everything works fine and the screens are placed correctly. On my VT220 (which I use for development) some of the screens come out skewed, the first line is correct but the following lines are left shifted by several characters. Is there a problem with the firmware for this version? CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 343 0 replies Left by: GEORGE DAWSON On 15-Dec-88 At : (818)397-9060 Subject: SUBMITTING REMOTE JOBS "/REMOTE" We have 4 MicroVax II connected through DECNET. What is the easiest way to "submit/remote" without getting printout. The '/remote' ignores all other options. VMS SIG Message # 793 0 replies Reply to # 785 Left by: ANONYMOUS On 16-Dec-88 At : Subject: DEC'S LMF Hi Dave, I would not rely on DEC's LMF to protect your software from being used illegaly. [SYS0.SYS$LDR]SYSLICENSE.EXE can and has been patched to disable the checking, thus creating an evironment where all anybody needs is the media, not to mention what is now build into VMS, namely DECnet, LAVC, shadowing and journaling. UTILITIES SIG Message # 327 0 replies Reply to # 326 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 16-Dec-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: I stand corrected on /MOVED_FILES qualifier in Diskeeper V2.1. You can turn off the logging of all moved files. We still notice a rather heavy impact on our MicroVAX II though. Probably the obsolete ST506 technology! VMS SIG Message # 794 3 replies Left by: MARK HENNESSY On 16-Dec-88 At : (312) 580-0069 Subject: DCL COMPILERS I am interested in finding a DCL compiler. I have written some large DCL procedures and would like the performance to increase without rewriting all of the procedures. I do not think I could rewrite the procedures, since some use DIR and other common commands and I do not know of any substitute in a 3GL language. Another option would be to transfer some of the procedures to a PC running DOS, but would allow the use of DCL commands. The compiler or PC software would need to translate most lexical functions. I would appreciate information on this subject. Thank you. VMS SIG Message # 795 0 replies Reply to # 789 Left by: David Beorn On 16-Dec-88 At : 804-788-7410 Subject: RE: DCL AS "Language" Well, I have never really seen BIG problems with DCL running too slow, but there are some things it would be nice if it would do faster (SET TERMINAL!! for instance.). F$Verify is another, as you mentioned. MAybe one of these days.... And as for if-then-else / Version 5.0 - whose got it anyway?? I JUST got the package - haven't installed it yet. David VMS SIG Message # 796 0 replies Reply to # 794 Left by: Phil Anthony On 16-Dec-88 At : Here Subject: DCL COMPILERS Well, Mark, maybe I shouldn't respond, since I'm obviously a couple of re- leases of DCL behind. But to the best of my knowledge, there ain't no such animal as a DCL compiler for VAXen. Seems to me there was some talk on this board of putting together a home brewed one about a year back, but then I didn't hear any more about it. If it exists, I'd guess it'd be on a very recent DECUS tape. Maybe somebody else here can add some information. So far as going to PCs, there's the Wendin O/S Construction Kit, which seems to have (according to an ad I have in front of me) a PC/VMS shell. I haven't used it, and a check of six or seven back issues of Doctor Dobb's Journal and Computer Language doesn't show a listing for Wendin themselves; but the Austin Code Works, 11100 Leafwood Lane, Austin, Tex. 78750-3409, or call (512) 258-0785, carries it in C source code. I don't know how well its DCL works, or how MS-DOS compatible it is, but at least it's a place for you to start looking. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 442 0 replies Reply to # 440 Left by: URBIE WATROUS On 17-Dec-88 At : HERE 'N ELSE;QSX Subject: P Hey, that sounds good, Dr. G. Now, what inquiring minds wanna know is, has Dr. R's wine cellar been stocked with any of Jose Cuervo's fine libations, like the high-octane cactus juice fondly remembered by rumor hounds of a bygone era? Those with an appreciation of the finer things in life, like local-area networks of bamboo thumbscrews &c., might also like to know if 'shroom Wellington, surrounded (of course) by a thin, thin, thin 16-millimeter shell, can be made available to the general public. Now that a certain scurrilous scandal sheet has once again threatened to bombard our in-baskets with mounds and mounds of glossy paper on a semi- fortnightly basis, buyers are getting confused--they really are. What's more, sellers are getting confused. Furthermore, I'm getting confused. Maybe it's time to make use of a small tactical nucular [sic] device on an one bearing a strong resemblance to a North African dictator--c'est what? Urban C. MICROVAX SIG Message # 179 0 replies Reply to # 177 Left by: RICHARD B. GILBERT On 17-Dec-88 At : (609) 452-5130 Subject: KERMIT FILE XFER Stewart, To download a file from ARIS using Kermit, go to the download area from the main menu using the DO command. Once in the download area, select the file you wish to download and enter its name when prompted. You will then be asked to select the protocol. Choice 2 is Kermit, enter a 2. The directions given on-screen at this point are a little confusing, you could be led to believe that you have to condition your program to receive first. Not so! When you are told to enter a carriage return when ready to procede, enter the carriage return and _then_ condition your program to receive. If you are using VMS Kermit, type control-]C to escape back to local mode, then enter RECEIVE. If you are using some other version of Kermit, read and follow the directions for receiving files. VMS SIG Message # 797 0 replies Reply to # 794 Left by: RICHARD B. GILBERT On 17-Dec-88 At : (609)452-5130 Subject: DCL COMPILER Mark, There is no DCL compiler and, in all probability there won't ever be one. This has been requested from DEC and DEC indicates that it is not possible. The problem, as I understand it, is that the operation of DCL commands is dependent upon the environment at execution time. Users can and do define symbols that affect the operation of commands. For example, many people use $ DEL*ETE:==DELETE/CONFIRM in their LOGIN.COM files. This changes the operation of the delete command. The compiler has no way of knowing what symbols will be defined at execution time. If the symbols defined at compilation time are used, the results of executing the compiled procedure may differ considerably from the user's expectations. To speed up your DCL procedures, remove all commments and all extraneous white space. If you must have comments, put them at the end, rather than the beginning. TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 257 1 replies Reply to # 256 Left by: JOHN FLYNN On 18-Dec-88 At : (615)269-2266 Subject: SKEWED-UP VT220 I have seen this symptom many times, and it always has been caused by incorrect tab settings in the terminal. SMG sometimes uses tabs to optimize screen positioning, and assumes that the tab stops in the terminal are set at column 9 and every 8 thereafter. Some other software packages occasionally leave the tab stops screwed up (e.g. maybe if you ctrl/c out of them), and if this happens and you then run an SMG-driven program, some characters will come out in the wrong place because of SMG's wrong assumption about tab stops. This may be completely unrelated to your problem, but I have learned that it's the first thing to check. John. UTILITIES SIG Message # 328 0 replies Reply to # 326 Left by: JOHN P. FLYNN On 18-Dec-88 At : (615)269-2266 Subject: DISKEEPER Diskeeper has worked very well for me, and I would recommend it. However, for the benefit of those examining the competing packages, I would advise that you take the sales literature with a grain of salt, maybe two. I consider Executive Software's advertising and brochures for Diskeeper to be obnoxious and misleading. That's what advertising is all about, so I don't really fault them, but we all should be careful. Primarily, the emphasis is that Diskeeper is "the only truly on-line defragmenter", it runs continuously, etc. This is to differentiate it from products such as Rabbit, which run one time and stop. I naturally envisioned Diskeeper as a process lying in wait on my VAX, ready to reposition fragmented files as they are created, activating automatically when needed. In fact, Diskeeper operates by making individual passes through the disk, like Rabbit, and hibernating in between for an amount of time. The process will not ever reactivate until the amount of time has passed. At that time, Diskeeper will make another pass. Rabbit can easily be made to perform similarly, by setting up a batch job which resubmits itself. Such a command procedure comes with Rabbit, I believe. The two packages work differently internally, and have different features. But the big difference in operations is how Diskeeper can vary the amount of time it hibernates between passes. The fewer files it needs to move this time, the longer it hibernates next time. This is a great feature, in that it dynamically responds to the need for processing. However, on a stabilized disk, it will run once every 24-48 hours. Set up Rabbit to run at fixed 24-hour intervals, and it amounts to the same thing. So, when you are selecting among defragmenters, don't give too much weight to Diskeeper's on-line dynamic capability, but concentrate on the REAL functional differences, of which there are many. John. SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 199 0 replies Left by: ALAN BURG On 19-Dec-88 At : 516-575-9620 Subject: TRISTAR DISK DRIVES We're considering purchasing some TRISTAR "removable" winchester disk drives. These are 760 MB (unformatted) drives, and you can fit up to 4 of them in the same space as an RA60. They require the EMULEX UD23 controller (ESDI). Does anybody have any feedback on these?. The only removable drive DEC has to offer is an RA81 for about the same price as 2 of these guys, and of course, we would get over twice the storage capacity with the TRISTAR system (which actually uses MAXTOR drives). Thanks.... RSX SIG Message # 251 0 replies Left by: WAYNE STEFFEN On 19-Dec-88 At : ARIS Subject: SI MEGACARD I was wondering if anyone has used System Industries' MegaCard ram disk product on a Unibus-11 (pref. 11/84) running RSX-11M-PLUS (or 11M). Any stories, testimonials, etc. would be appreciated. Also, are there other products available? MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 228 0 replies Left by: WAYNE STEFFEN On 19-Dec-88 At : ARIS Subject: SI MEGACARD Looking into System Industries' MegaCard ramdisk product for use on an 11/84 running RSX-11M-PLUS, would appreciate any information concerning this or any other product available. Thanks. FORUM - 3RD PARTY SUPPLIERS SIG Message # 85 0 replies Left by: WAYNE STEFFEN On 19-Dec-88 At : ARIS Subject: SI MEGACARD Please see mass storage (#22) message 228. Thank you. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 443 0 replies Left by: GEORGE DAWSON On 19-Dec-88 At : (818)397-9060 J.P.L. Subject: "SUBMIT/REMOTE" OUTPUT We currently have 4 MICROVAX IIs connected by DECnet. Is there any way to supress the output of a "SUBMIT/REMOTE" command. When the "/remote" qualifier is used all others are ignored. We are running VMS 4.6. FORUM - 3RD PARTY SUPPLIERS SIG Message # 86 1 replies Left by: DAN KLENKE On 19-Dec-88 At : CLI Subject: NON-FILE STRUCT DEVI We are trying to install an Abekas video systems digital frame store as a peripheral to our microvax. It has a SCSI port that we are using through a TD systems VAX-SCSI interface to connect to the VAX. Unfortunately it knows nothing of being a VAX peripheral and hence has no file structure. How can I access this in FORTRAN or C? I tried a useropen and setting the NFS bit in the FAB, but when I tried to read, it still looked for for010.dat and crashed. Any advice would be appreciated. VMS SIG Message # 798 3 replies Left by: MARTY CHAMBERLAIN On 19-Dec-88 At : HERE Subject: GET_LAT_PORT PROCEDURE Hello. Has anyone tried to compile the GET_LAT_PORT macro program from the latest issue of VAX PROFESSIONAL? I get an invalid assigment syntax error on line 41 in the statement " itmlst = ITEMS". If anyone has any idea what the matter might be, I would appreciate some help. Thanks in advance. Marty Chamberlain FORUM - 3RD PARTY SUPPLIERS SIG Message # 87 0 replies Reply to # 86 Left by: DON ROBERTS On 19-Dec-88 At : HERE Subject: NEED DEVICE DRIVER Have you ever written a device driver? Otherwise it has to emulate *something*. TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 258 1 replies Reply to # 257 Left by: CURT SNYDER On 19-Dec-88 At : 714-752-4760 Subject: SKEWED VT220 Your premise was correct. The skewing on my VT220 during SMG calls was due to incorrectly set tab keys. Once I reset the tabs, everything ran correctly. You can specify to not use tabs through SMG$CONTROL_MODE and set the no-tabs bit on... I will probably implement like this, as I can't guarantee tab settings on any of my destination terminals. Thanks for the answer and assistance! MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 444 1 replies Left by: BOB HOSPADARUK On 19-Dec-88 At : 313-591-3800 Subject: EMPIRE SOURCE NEEDED HELP ME PLEASE, I HAVE SADLY BECOME ADDICTED TO A GAME CALLED EMPIRE RECENTLY. MY ONLY CODE IS AN EXECUTABLE THAT RUNS ON A PDP. DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE THE SOURCE CODE CAN BE OBTAINED FOR THIS? I WOULD LIKE TO PORT IT TO VMS. THANX, BOB TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 259 0 replies Reply to # 258 Left by: JOHN FLYNN On 19-Dec-88 At : (615)269-2266 Subject: SMG TABS You could also leave SMG alone but do a SET TERMINAL/NOTAB so that VMS will automatically transform all out-going tab characters into the appropriate number of spaces. This will solve the problem for non-SMG applications too. John. UTILITIES SIG Message # 329 0 replies Left by: DAN HARMON On 19-Dec-88 At : 713-869-2220 Subject: RMS UTILITIES ARE THERE ANY RMS UTILITIES AVAIBLE FOR RSTS OTHER THAN WHAT IS PROVIDED BY DEC? IF THERE ARE I WOULD LIK E TO KNOW ABOUT THEM. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 445 0 replies Reply to # 444 Left by: SIMON BROWN On 20-Dec-88 At : HERE (ONLY) Subject: WELL, GAMES For games sources, try 606 271 0558, say you heard of it via ARIS. I have too much line noise here in Belgium to be able to access said beast on a regular basis. Anyway, it's christmas, and much as I detest games, I'd like an mega hard empire type game for a banking chappie who beats 1982 empire (VMS) hands down. If you can help with this I'd be grateful. I'm off to try above number again. Simon (Super hard games rqd!) PSI%02062210339::SPLOT, Next Year (possibly) Belgium 2656 3102 MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 446 1 replies Reply to # 444 Left by: MARTY CHAMBERLAIN On 20-Dec-88 At : HERE Subject: EMPIRE FOR VMS Hi Bob, Sorry to hear of your terrible addiction to EMPIRE! EMPIRE is available for VMS on an old DECUS tape. The tape you want is VAX-12 EMPIRE: War GAme of the Century, Version 4, January 1981. Unfortunately, the source code is NOT included with this version. I beleive it is also available on VAX-LIB-1. Have fun. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 447 0 replies Reply to # 446 Left by: DON ROBERTS On 20-Dec-88 At : HERE Subject: EMPIRE ON UNIX I know where to get the source for empire on UNIX, written in C (I think). I don't know if this will help you, it probably won't port easily. But it is a very recent version. PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 352 3 replies Left by: DON ROBERTS On 20-Dec-88 At : 818/969-6741 Subject: COBOL RANDOM NUMBERS Does anyone know how to get COBOL to create random (pseudo-random?) numbers? I can't find syntax for a random function and don't really want to write my own. I can't believe COBOL can't do it. After all, you can do it in BASIC... Thanx PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 353 0 replies Reply to # 352 Left by: MARK KUEHN On 20-Dec-88 At : (612)646-4501 Subject: RANDOM NUMBERS The VMS languages that have internal functions to provide psuedo-random numbers (FORTRAN and BASIC) eventual call MTH$RANDOM. This function can be directly invoked by any VMS language that conforms to the VMS standard calling sequence. Y = MTH$RANDOM( X ) X is a 32 bit unsigned integer seed value for the generator Y is the F-floating point random number returned, where 0.0 <= Y < 1.0 X must be passed by reference, not by value, because the call updates the seed. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 344 0 replies Reply to # 323 Left by: SIMONE JARZABEK On 20-Dec-88 At : 206-872-7500 Subject: NO CLUES ON DISCONNECTING I have also seen the same problem. I think that it happens sometimes when users turn off the terminal before the logout is complete, but I don't know if that is the (only) cause. The only bright side to this is that at least I can use NCP to connect to the server in question to log the person out. Simone VMS SIG Message # 799 0 replies Reply to # 798 Left by: JOHN HILDEBRAND On 20-Dec-88 At : (214) 702-4433 Subject: MACRO, YES. ADA, NO! There are a number of bugs in the program as printed in the VAX Prof and as available for downline loading. I've corrected the MACRO routine bugs, but don't know enough ADA to fix that routine. Editors - how 'bout getting ahold of the author and asking for the fixes!!! The turkey had enough gall to send in a buggy program! VMS SIG Message # 800 0 replies Reply to # 798 Left by: JOHN HILDEBRAND On 20-Dec-88 At : (214) 702-4433 Subject: THE MACRO FIXES... Here are the fixes for the MACRO routine in order to get a clean compile, BEWARE - there may be more subtle errors that will cause the code not to run. 1. The $GETDVI system service call argument should be "devnam", not "devname". 2. The $ASSIGN system service call argument should be "devnam", not "devname". 3. The "DASSIGN_S" macro should be "$DASSGN_S". 4. The "90$" label should be "90$:". VMS SIG Message # 801 1 replies Reply to # 798 Left by: Robert G. Schaffrath On 21-Dec-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: FYI Just for information, the program for getting the LAT server/LAT port name is not needed on VMS V5.0. A new SYS$GETDVI item called DVI$M_TT_ACCPORNAM will return the information. If you wish to continue to use the GET_LAT_PORT(sp) program on VMS V5.0, it will have to be modified because the format of the returned information has changed. The following is the difference in formats and buffer lengths: VMS V4.x 34 character buffer +--------+------+--------+--------+ | length | port | length | server | +--------+------+--------+--------+ VMS V5.x 51 character buffer +--------+------+--------+--------+--------+------+ | length | port | length | server | length | link | +--------+------+--------+--------+--------+------+ Hope this helps! Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 VMS SIG Message # 802 0 replies Reply to # 801 Left by: JOHN HILDEBRAND On 21-Dec-88 At : (214) 702-4433 Subject: WORKS FINE! I figured out how to modify the ADA code to get it working. The code works fine under VMS V4.7 AND VMS V5.1T2 (the previous reply indicated there was a problem, but I haven't had one yet). GRAPHICS SIG Message # 79 0 replies Left by: PHILIP MILLER On 21-Dec-88 At : 301-953-3330 Subject: QUESTIONS ON VSV21 Questions about the VSV21 graphics board. The VSV21 is being used in our application for various historical reasons. We are very much aware of the VAXStation graphics capabilities (UIS and DECWINDOWS), but for now we must explore the VSV21 approach. The VSV21 is connected to a MicroVAX II. If there are VSV21 users willing to discuss this product, please call collect or submit replies. 1. Is the VSV21 board popular? Is Digital likely to continue support for the hardware and software? 2. Has anyone used the VSV11 emulation mode? Does it work? 3. Is anyone using Digital's Provue package with the VSV21? 4. Does anyone know of third-party software packages for the VSV21? By "package" we mean anything from subroutine library to full end-user systems. Our application is probably best described as "process monitoring". Regards -- Phil Miller Century Computing, Inc. 1014 West Street Laurel, MD 10707 (301)-953-3330 MICROVAX SIG Message # 180 0 replies Left by: PHILIP MILLER On 21-Dec-88 At : 301-953-3330 Subject: QUESTIONS ON VSV21 Questions about the VSV21 graphics board. The VSV21 is being used in our application for various historical reasons. We are very much aware of the VAXStation graphics capabilities (UIS and DECWINDOWS), but for now we must explore the VSV21 approach. If there are VSV21 users willing to discuss this product, please call collect or leave ARIS replies. 1. Is the VSV21 board popular? Is Digital likely to continue support for the hardware and software? 2. Has anyone used the VSV11 emulation mode? Does it work? 3. Is anyone using Digital's Provue package with the VSV21? 4. Does anyone know of third-party software packages for the VSV21? By "package" we mean anything from subroutine library to full end-user systems. Our application is probably best described as "process monitoring". Regards - Phil Miller Century Computing, Inc. 1014 West Street Laurel, MD 10707 (301)-953-3330 DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 443 1 replies Left by: CHRIS SHEA On 21-Dec-88 At : (304) 472-4610 Subject: USING VAXNET I am considering installing VAXNET on the Vax 11/780 I am currently using. VAXNET is freeware, written by Robin Miller, which does terminal emulation / file transfer, much like Kermit, but is more advanced in some ways. Unlike Kermit, it provides for script files, logging of phone calls, call back, and many other features. Appears to be pretty neat at first glance, but I've yet to really try it. I'm looking for someone who has experience with it, for whatever pointers, criticisms, etc, you might be in circulation. I don't know what version I have, but the document VAXNET.MEM is dated July, 1986. VMS SIG Message # 803 0 replies Reply to # 794 Left by: KITTY GEORGE On 22-Dec-88 At : HERE (ARIS) Subject: DCL COMPILER Mark - The answer to your DCL compiler for VAX query is elsewhere in ARIS. Yes, there was a debate, and the conclusion was that a compiler couldn't be done because of various factors, including the one about defining symbols to mean different things at different times. As for a PC DCL - I'm trying out a product called VCL from Boston Business Computing, Ltd. It is not a 100 percent DCL emulator only because there are some things that aren't required in the PC world - like ALLOCATE. But from what I've seen of it so far, it's a good product. The only drawback I've encountered to date is the fact that certain large programs like EXCEL cannot be started up from within the VCL shell because VCL itself takes up about 150 to 200 kbytes of memory (if I remember correctly), leaving about 330 kb free on my machine (640Kb), and I need about 450 kb for EXCEL. For general purpose command files, I find it a lot easier to work with than DOS .BAT files because it does so much more. BBC ltd 's number is 508-683-7920. If you go into the PC environment, you should also look at BBC's EDT+ editor. It's a pretty good knock-off of the VAX EDT editor, to the point where on my PS/2 keyboard, there's only one or two keys that are different in function. We originally had SEDT, and EDT+ is better by far. Kitty :-) DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 444 1 replies Reply to # 443 Left by: KITTY GEORGE On 22-Dec-88 At : HERE (ARIS) Subject: VAXNET Chris - If you haven't gone ahead with putting VAXNET on the 780, you'll find it to be well worth your while. I've been using it for over six years, and it's definitely a handy piece of software to have on-line. At present I'm running version 12; I got this about two years ago, so there may be newer versions available. I ordered this through the DECUS software library. I've noted a lot of improvements added since I started out with version 6. Typical usage - 1. Calling ARIS. 2. Calling other systems from home by calling into the VAX at work, then dial out from work (so I don't have to worry about the long distance charges on my own phone bill) 3. File transfers from other VAX systems using the KERMIT built-in file transfer protocol. We dial out to a system in NY, start the NY VAX's Kermit up and suck in 10 - 20 files each morning. Only problems here have been the phone system line noise. 4. Within a command file, automatic calling of a database in CA from PA every Monday morning to get some stock market stats. 5. Within another command file, call the same CA database, pull ten reports into a log file, then use EDT's /COMMAND option to edit the log file into ten neat looking reports for the boss. 6. Dumping files from one VAX to another; this helps in maintaining software on widely dispersed systems. 7. Since the source came with VAXnet, we cannibalized parts of it for use in autodialing a 801B modem hooked up to our 2780/3780 emulator software and hardware. The source is Fortran and Macro. The only things I haven't been able to get to work is to dial out on a terminal server. I'm using DZ ports at present, have tried on occasion to get it to work on the DECserver 200's (with modem control) without success. Anybody in ARIS-land able to help out ? Kitty :-) EDITORS SIG Message # 194 0 replies Reply to # 193 Left by: Rod Falanga On 22-Dec-88 At : (505)822-7393 Subject: possible problem w/ GNU & 5.0 We have got GNU Emacs version 18 for VMS from the Free Software Foundation. During our Christmas Shutdown, we'll be upgrading to VMS 5.0-2 and I've done a little bit of playing with GNU Emacs on the one VAX that our System's Manager is testing 5.0-2. I ran into some problems using GNU Emacs ver. 18 when on the 5.0-2 VAX. If I'm on the regular VAX cluster which uses VMS 4.7, I don't have any problems. Specifically the problems that I've encountered are when changing the screen width from 80 columns to 132 under 5.0-2 GNU Emacs will split the screen in two horizontally but put nothing in the lower window. AND it leaves garbage onto the end of the file (in the screen at least) that can only be corrected by doing a screen-refresh. Has anyone got any ideas as to how to take care of this?? Rod Falanga UTILITIES SIG Message # 330 1 replies Reply to # 315 Left by: Rod Falanga On 22-Dec-88 At : (505)822-7393 Subject: what is Decusserve?? APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 295 0 replies Left by: JOHN HELPINGSTINE On 22-Dec-88 At : 916 739-5621 Subject: INFODB + DBMS SOFTWARE BY HENCO WE ARE INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM ANY USERS OF INFODB+ TO SHARE EXPERIENCE WITH THIS PRODUCT. CALL FOR JOHN OR MEHRDAD AT COMMISSION ON PEACE OFFICER STANDARDS & TRAINING, STATE OF CALIF - (916) 739-5621. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 345 0 replies Left by: ELAINE KIERNAN On 22-Dec-88 At : 808-244-5565 Subject: DECNET DATA TRANSFER PROBLEM Hi, We are running DECnet on a Vax 730 with Ultrix, and a PDP 11/73 with Micro RSX. We have a program on RSX which communicates with a program on Ultrix, the two programs use calls to DECnet. The RSX program sends blocks of data to the Ultrix program. All this is done over an Ethernet. Here's our problem: The Ultrix program, every now and then, receives an extra block of "data", all garbage. i.e., The RSX program will send 10 blocks of data, and the Ultrix program will receive 11 (or more) blocks. Neither program detects any error conditions, neither does DECnet itself. I should mention that when this program runs, it slows down the 730 considerably (it's pretty slow to begin with!). The problem seems to occur more often when the 730 is busy, but I haven't proved that. Does this problem sound familiar to anybody? Much thanks! Merry Christmas!!!!!! Elaine UTILITIES SIG Message # 331 0 replies Reply to # 330 Left by: DON ROBERTS On 22-Dec-88 At : HERE Subject: DECUSERVE Bulletin board sold thru DECUS at $50 (?) per year. Similar to pageswapper and OASIS. Would you like a number to contact for info? PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 354 2 replies Left by: DON ROBERTS On 23-Dec-88 At : HERE Subject: SEGMENTED KEYS IN COBOL Can somebody tell me how to do a non-contiguous segmented key in COBOL? I need to do that and also an overlapping alternate key. The file is as follows: field 1 pic x(4) primary key seg 1/alt key seg 1 field 2 pic x(15) alt key seg 2 field 3 pic x(5) field 4 pic x(4) primary key seg 2 more fields pic whatever Any help would be appreciated. I think we may have an application that uses overlapping keys, so with a little digging I can get that, but I need help on that segmented key. Where is it in the COBOL documentation? Call me or leave a message here, number is 818/960-6741 x265. Thanx DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 445 1 replies Reply to # 444 Left by: CHRIS SHEA On 23-Dec-88 At : (304) 472-7964 Subject: VAXNET Kitty Thanks for the reply and the good review of Vaxnet. I have already installed it and started an application using it. Wish I had a solution for your terminal server problem, but don't use them enough to offer any advice. I did however see in the document Vaxnet.MEM, some mention of certain settings provided to remedy some known terminal server problems. Check the SET portion of this memo. My application sounds similiar to something you mentioned doing with Vaxnet. I need to download some files from another machine, and need to do it as a spawned or batch process. I prefer to use Kermit because of it's reliability over noisy lines, but can't seem to figure out how to get Vaxnet to use it's scripting feature such that it can put the remote machine in to Kermit Server mode, then escape to the local machine to issue a "GET ". Any ideas on this, or a good plan B? Thanks Chris PS I'm currently running version 11. Looks like I should get a newer version. UTILITIES SIG Message # 332 0 replies Left by: J. DALE GIVENS On 23-Dec-88 At : (504) 5-8900 Subject: IBM TAPE READ/WRITE I recently saw an add for a tape utility that would write IBM standard labeled tapes. The problem is I lost the reference. Has anyone seen the add or such a product? We need to write IBM standard label tapes at 1600/6250 bpi. VMS SIG Message # 804 1 replies Reply to # 791 Left by: BRIAN DESANTIS On 25-Dec-88 At : (201)670-0286 Subject: UAF Don, I mostly use site specific-type symbols - symbols that setup process names, etc. I have the process name set with the "owner" of the username. Since you cant extract it from the uaf using lexicals, which I think is strange, I had to put it somewhere. Upon login, it gets that info, and does with it what I want. My users are actually public libraries located throughout Bergen County, New Jersey. They have a reciprocal borrowing program in which a person who lives in town A can borrow from town B and return to town C if they wish. They can also request that a library get the book for them, from the other library. I wrote up a program that creates a "form" with all the necessary information (book name, author, call number, person requesting, phone number,etc.) and gets mailed via VmsMail to the lending library. I use an index file to keep track of these loans, giving each one a loan number. I can then search using the indexed loan number, for any transaction, or run a report on it. Usually there will be around 100 of these loans per day ( spread between 46 libraries) and over the last 5 months, I would say I have only "lost" maybe 1 or 2 per week (most likely due to file being locked or in the process of being written to by another user). While I woud love to have done all of this with a programming language, DCL has gotten the job done for me. And speaking of the Uaf, does anbyone have anything that they might want to see in a uaf record??? PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 355 0 replies Reply to # 352 Left by: BRIAN DESANTIS On 25-Dec-88 At : Subject: COBOL Don, check into the MTH$RANDOM routine - I know it works when used correctly - but I cant give you the exact syntax... It was used in a fortune cookie program I had written in cobol a couple of years back. DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 446 1 replies Reply to # 445 Left by: KITTY GEORGE On 25-Dec-88 At : HERE (ARIS) Subject: STARTING KERMIT SERVER Chris, here's how Miss Piggy gets her letters from her dear beloved from the remote VAX on which Kermit works. Three files are used : .. MissPiggy_XFER.COM runs the whole process, invokes .. .. DO_TRANSFER.COM starts up the file transfer with the help of .. .. START_SERVER.SCRIPT which does nothing other than start the server mode. Hope this helps. Remember to plug in the device and directory names as needed, then you can run this as a batch job. Kitty :-) *************** MissPiggy_XFER.COM ********** $! MissPiggy_XFER.COM $! $! Logs onto Rowlf's VAX and retrieves moi love letters from Kermie. $! $! set up options for VAXNET $! $ VAXNET :== "$DUA0:[VAXNET]VAXNET.EXE" ! define foreign commands $ REF :== "$DUA0:[VAXNET]REF.EXE" $ VAXNET_INTRO := N ! don't want intro $ VAXNET_LOG := Y ! please log Vaxnet session $ LOG_LOCAL := Y ! show local messages $ LOG_FILE := MissPiggy_xfer.LOG ! put log file here $ REMOTE_PORT := TTA0: ! use TTA0 port, 2400 baud $ REMOTE_SPEED := 2400 $ SYSTEM_TYPE := DEC ! Rowlf has a VAX $ INTERRUPT_CHAR := "^A" $ MODEM_TYPE := HAYES ! use USRobotics Courier modem $ PHONE_NUMBER := "12125551212" ! Rowlf's number. $! $ LOGIN_START := "^M" ! hit return for login prompt $ LOGIN_PROMPT := "Username:" ! request to log in $ LOGIN_CMD := "MissPiggy" ! moi username $ PASS_PROMPT := "Password:" ! Password request $ PASSWORD := "moilovesmoi" ! moi password on Rowlf's VAX $ LOGIN_ERROR := "User authorization failure" $ SCRIPT_TIMEOUT :== 60 ! num of secs to wait for 1st char from Rowlf $ SCRIPT_RETRYS :== 5 ! number of times to wait for good response $ VAXNET_CMD := "@do_transfer.com" ! use this command file, not SYS$INPUT $ VAXNET $! $! At the "VAXNET" command VAXNET dials and logs into Rowlf. When the login $! succeeds, DO_TRANSFER.COM kicks in to begin the file transfer. $! $! We return here when VAXnet logs off Rowlf. Hint: Use $! $ SEARCH /WIND=0 MissPiggy_XFER.LOG "%GET - FILE" $! to check if a file actually got transferred. $! $! At this point you're on your own, Chris ... Miss Piggy. ******************* Do_Transfer.com ************** script start_server.script get his_morning.ltr my_first.ltr get his_evening.ltr my_second.ltr send my_morning.ltr his_first.ltr send my_evening.ltr his_second.ltr hang exit ******************* Start_Server.script ************** .WAIT KERMIT-32> SERVER .WAIT Kermit Server ^A Note: That control-A is "^" and "A". ****************** the end ********************** UTILITIES SIG Message # 333 2 replies Left by: BEN MARTIN On 26-Dec-88 At : 615/265-0607 Subject: VMS FILE RECOVERY UTILITY HAS ANYONE USED AN UTILITY TO RECOVER VMS FILES THAT HAVE BEEN DELETED BY ACCIDE NT? ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!! PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 357 1 replies Reply to # 354 Left by: STAN BARNDT On 27-Dec-88 At : (215)743-4653 OR HERE Subject: SEGMENTED KEYS IN COBOL DON, Sorry to break the bad news, but you don't get segmented keys in VAX COBOL. I asked the same question of the COBOL developer at Spring '88 DECUS, and his answer was that it wasn't in the ANSI standard. He knew of the desire for this, but he said that there were no plans to implement support for it. THe solution that I would recommend is to implement an I/O routine for the file in a language that supports segmented keys and pass the data back to the COBOL program in an external data block. I've done it this way lots of times and never had any problems. If you have any questions, please give me a call. STAN DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 447 1 replies Reply to # 446 Left by: CHRIS SHEA On 27-Dec-88 At : (304) 472-4610 Subject: VAXNET SCRIPT PROBLEMS Kitty, thanks for the reply. I looked over your examples, and I'm still wondering where my problem is. The general scheme I'm using is very close to yours, but when it comes time to escape (^A), nothing happens. I'm left stuck in server mode on the remote machine. I believe I'll start looking at some port setups. I have the port (DMF32) currently set for ESCAPE and PASTHRU, but maybe further checking is in order. One more test on the files themselves, then I'll check the port. Thanks Chris PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 358 0 replies Reply to # 357 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 27-Dec-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: SEGMENTED KEYS I agree with Stan. Use another language to implement the segmented keys (ex. BASIC) and call that code as a subroutine. Another solution, albeit a bit more tricky, is to use the RMS system services to do it. Of course you will have to deal with XAB's, RAB's, and FAB's. Also, it will require the use of USEROPEN. Check into volume 6B of the VMS V5.0 documentation and see if this is for you. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 VMS SIG Message # 805 1 replies Left by: Philip Gravel On 27-Dec-88 At : 312-420-5474 Subject: CORRUPTED DIRECTORY FILE I'd like to know how to delete corrupted directory files. Due to disk problems (RD-54/MicroVAX II), a couple of directory files became corrupted causing the following error message: SYSTEM-W-BADIRECTORY, bad directory file format. I renamed the corrupted directory files and retrieved good copies of the directories from a backup tape. Later I had the drive replaced and restored the disk from an image backup. I'd like to remove the corrupted directory structures from the disk. However, when I try to delete the directory files, I get the following error message: SYSTEM-F-DIRNOTEMPTY, directory file not empty. When I attempt to delete the files in the directory, I receive the BADIRECTORY error message. I've DUMPed the directory files and found that the first block in both is empty (all nulls). One directory file is only one block in size and contains just nulls. The other is much larger and all blocks but the first appear to have directory information in them. Other sources (Diskeeper) show that there are files which belong to this larger directory. Can I get rid of the corrupted directory files or will I have them on disk forever? If I manage to delete the corrupted directory files what will happen to the files that were in them? Thanks in advance, Phil MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 229 1 replies Left by: Philip Gravel On 27-Dec-88 At : 312-420-5474 Subject: TK50/BACKUP Problem Recently I have run into problems with backups onto TK50s. The backups are failing with the following messages: %BACKUP-I-STARTVERIFY, starting verification pass %BACKUP-F-POSITERR, error positioning _MUA0:[]SAVE.BCK; -SYSTEM-F-TAPEPOSLOST, magnetic tape position lost I had never observed this problem in the 2 years I have managed this system. The problem occurs only during the verification pass. I have had both the TK50 drive and controller replaced, but to no avail. The system configuration is a MVII - BA123 cabinet, 8 Meg memory board, DEQNA, two DHV11s (16 RS232 ports), RQDX3 controller with 2 RD54s, TK50 drive and controller, and two KXT11s (PDP-11 board for I/O processing with third party software). The DEC field engineer suggested that moving the TQK50 controller closer to the cpu on the bus might solve the problem. His feeling was that the cpu could not service the TK50 controller interrupts fast enough because of the activity of the other devices on the bus. This doesn't, however, explain why the problem only began recently (nothing in the system -- hardware/software -- has changed and the backups are done when the system is relatively inactive). Has anyone else observed this type of problem? If so, how was it solved? Thanks, Phil SITE MANAGEMENT SIG Message # 249 2 replies Left by: Philip Gravel On 27-Dec-88 At : 312-420-5474 Subject: BACKUP/VERIFY What useful purpose does /VERIFY qualifier serve on the BACKUP command. As nearly as I can tell, it turns up primarily block and end-of-file mismatches for files that are being modified during the backup or for directories that have files created in or deleted from them. Considering that the verification pass doubles the backup time, this seems to be a steep price to pay just to find out that files and directories were changing during the backup (files and directories are always changing on a system in use). What are the feelings of other VAX managers on the use of verification passes during backups? Phil DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 448 2 replies Reply to # 447 Left by: Phil Anthony On 27-Dec-88 At : Here Subject: VAXNET PROBLEM Chris, this may be off the wall, but looking back over this sequence of mes- sages I don't see anything about what kind of modem you're using. There are modems in the world (can't remember off the top of my head which ones) that eat CTRL-A's ... and you may just be the lucky guy who has one of 'em. And as I remember, CTRL-A is used as a Kermit start-of-packet anyway. (You are entering that CTRL-A as uparrow plus "A", as Kitty George suggested, aren't you?) I don't know a thing about VAXnet, but all the Kermit implementations I've run across (except for a certain green Beloved) permit you to change your escape character; the usual Kermit escape character, in fact, is either CTRL-] or CTRL-\. If VAXnet permits, try using one of those two for your local escape. It may just persuade your setup to be a little more coopera- tive. Good luck! SITE MANAGEMENT SIG Message # 250 2 replies Reply to # 249 Left by: MARTY CHAMBERLAIN On 28-Dec-88 At : HERE Subject: BACKUP/VERIFY Hello, Philip. The /VERIFY qualifier to the BACKUP command is not designed as a tool for simply showing you what files were modified during your backup. It's "BIG MISSION" is to compare the contents of the output saveset with the contents of the files that are being backed up. This will tell you if the data on the backup tape matches the data on the source media. If you have bad tapes, this qualifier will alert you to problems with the backup that might be missed (God knows how) by the drive and controller. Depending on the importance of the backup in question, the /VERIFY qualifier is good insurance if you can spare the time. It's a judgement call. Concerning your "tape position lost" error, have you tried different tapes since the drive and controller were replaced? I've received this error only twice. Once when a tape I was using was bad (an old Burroughs SP6250 tape, like, that was last used in 1965!). It seems the part of the tape reel that contacted the drive hub was slipping. The drive was just freaking out. I had to unwind the tape from the defective reel by hand (it was a VERY important backup!) and wind the tape onto an empty reel. (WHEW!) The other time was when the Formatter/Read board in a TU81+ (read TU81 "puss"...excuse the disgusting reference) went whacko. But if you have replaced both the drive and the controller, I'd have to lay my bet on a bad tape. Good luck. If you look in the VMS System Messages and Recovery Procedures manual, the "User action:" suggested by DEC will probably be something useful like, "Correct the condition that caused the error and reenter the command." They like that little number. Have a happy new year. Marty Chamberlain DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 449 0 replies Reply to # 448 Left by: CHRIS SHEA On 28-Dec-88 At : (304) 472-4610 Subject: VAXNET Oops!! It appears as though I lied. My procedure was not as close to Kitty's as I thought. I was executing a script as the Vaxnet_CMD instead of executing a command procedure which would in turn execute the script. What I was doing went something like ... Kermit ! A command intended for the Remote PDP... Server ! another similiar command ... ^A ! escape back to the Local Vax ... Get A_FILE.TXT ! A command intended for the Local Vax running Vaxnet This just won't work. The script GET statement still gets sent to the remote. After changing my program to work like Kitty's example ... script set_up_server.com -- (containing) --> Kermit Server ^A Get A_FILE.TXT ... then it worked so well I even amazed myself!! Thanks for the help Kitty. Phil, a good thought about the modem, but I had already checked out the effect of ^A on the modems I'm using, a Racal Vadic Maxwell, Microcom 2400 AX, and an Avatex 1200. The reply was appreciated nonetheless. Thanks again and Have a great `89, all. Chris DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 450 0 replies Reply to # 377 Left by: WILLIAM PORTEOUS On 28-Dec-88 At : 617-622-3807 Subject: XMODEM WITH 1K BUFFERS I have a version of xmodem that does 1 K buffers. VMS SIG Message # 806 2 replies Reply to # 805 Left by: NICK D'APICE On 29-Dec-88 At : (301)-682-0298 Subject: CORRUPTED DIRECTORIES I have encountered the same problem with corrupted directories in the past. The easiest solution to the problem is as follows: 1. SET FILE/NODIRECTORY filename.DIR first set the file as a non-directory format file. Since the directory is corrupted anyway, this won't have much of an effect. 2. DELETE filename.DIR;1 Then, whammoo, delete the file. 3. ANALYZE/DISK/REPAIR diskname: Then run the system disk analyze utility. This little goody is worth its weight in gold. It will search thru the INDEXF.SYS file on the disk and find any files that do not have a valid directory back-link (such as the files that were left "homeless" by deleting the aforementioned directory). The "lost" files will then be placed in a directory on the same disk named [SYSLOST] (it will be created if not already there). Thats about it. Simply move the files from the [SYSLOST] directory with a RENAME to where they belong. The files will still retain their ownership, acls, modification dates, etc. just as when they were "Home". (This can be a pain if there are numerous files, however using RENAME makes it much easier). Well, good luck and HAPPY NEWYEAR. Call me if you need a hand etc. Nick. DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 451 1 replies Left by: NICK D'APICE On 29-Dec-88 At : (301)-682-0298 Subject: PROMISCUOUS DEQNA I have been working on a VME based ethernet controller driver for a piece of hardware we are developing at work. I have been attempting to get two VME based UNIX machines to pass messages between each other over thick-wire ethernet. I am following the protocol as prescribed in the board manufacturer's documentation; however, the machines will not fully communicate. I used a scope and analyzer and have determined a few problems with the controller itself. This brings me to my problem. I have a MICRVAX-II with a working DEQNA and would like to use it as a test bed for the aforementioned (and undebugged) hardware/software. However, to do so I need to be able to put the DEQNA in "promiscuous mode" (just as the VME ethernet controllers) and "listen" to any messages sent by the UNIX machines. This will allow me to easily determine the contents of the packets without using analyzers. THE PROBLEM I AM HAVING IS THAT I CANNOT GET THE DEQNA TO ENTER PROMISCUOUS MODE AS PRESCRIBED BY THE I/O USERS GUIDE (software context $QIO's) NOR AS PRESCRIBED BY THE DEQNA USERS GUIDE (hardware context). Does anyone have any idea how to successfully place a DEQNA or DEUNA into promiscuous mode and then read the messages using QIO's? I thought at first the MVAXII would make a wonderful message analyzer, (like a LAN MONITOR), however I am encountering problems that are making the simple solution not worth the effort. If anyone has any clues then they would be greatly appreciated!!! An early thanks and a HAPPY NEWYEAR. Nick D'Apice (sounds like DE-AH-PIECE) COMMUNICATIONS SIG Message # 247 1 replies Left by: DOUGLAS KAIP On 29-Dec-88 At : (214) 931-9097 Subject: MODEM PROBLEMS I have several problems. Solutions or references to solutions would be greatly appreciated. 1. I have the DTR problem that has been mentioned before. DTR keeps going down every thirty seconds. I would prefer to be able to use DTR to disconnect the line since most of the calls into and out of the modem are long distance. I am currently running VMS V5.0-1D0 on a 3600 using a CXY08 port. I looked at the section in the IO/USERS GUIDE PART 1 on modems. In our manuals section 8.2.3 Dial-up Support. It suggested a solution of setting the SYSGEN parameter TTY_DIALTYPE = 4 to stop the "security feature" 30 second timer. I tried the solution and it did not appear to work. It also suggested that the timer would be deactivated if the port were allocated. I tried this using the DCL alloc command. It did not work either. 2. When and if the previous gets resolved we plan to run 9600 baud DECNET links over the modem ports. In my reading of the afore mentioned manual section i determined that the mode of handshaking was hardware (RTS/CTS). Am I correct? Does it need to be this way when using DECNET over async DDCMP lines(modems). Also is it bidirectional? The modem we are testing with at the moment are Microcom's 9600 Baud V.32 modem. In the bidirectional mode the modem watches RTS if the vax lowers RTS the modem will stop sending data from the phone line to the VAX port. Is this what a vax will do when it gets bogged down? 3. Through the method of ignoring DTR we were able to establish a high speed(9600 baud) reliable(MNP 7) link between the modems. We tried to establish a Dynamic async DECNET connection between two nodes everything looked like it was going well however the line or circuit(i forget which) never got out of the starting state. I watched the TX/RX lights on the modem and the systems were talking to each other but they did not appear to SYNC. thanks in advance. dsk COMMUNICATIONS SIG Message # 248 1 replies Left by: DOUGLAS KAIP On 29-Dec-88 At : (214) 931-9097 Subject: XOFF PROBLEM We seem to be having a problem sometimes with our cxy08 and cxy16 boards. When the problem appears the port starts sending an XOFF(DC3) after every other character that is send to the port. The only apparant way to correct the situation is to reboot the machine. This is very inconvient to say the least. Any suggestions? dsk UTILITIES SIG Message # 334 1 replies Left by: DOUGLAS KAIP On 29-Dec-88 At : (214) 931-9097 Subject: TIMER QUEUE ENTRY Is there a version of TQE or TQE2 that work for VMS 5.0+? These are the very usefull programs that would dump the timer queue entries of VMS. dsk MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 230 1 replies Reply to # 229 Left by: NICHOLAS ABBOT On 29-Dec-88 At : 201.327.1444 Subject: TAPE POSITION LOST Moving your TQK50 won't do much of anything. I've seen this problem in Tu80's on and 11/780 when using the BACKUP command: $ BAC/BUF=5/BLO=65535 *.*/NOCRC MSA0:TEST.SAV/SAV/NOCRC ...this sends the TU80 into warp 9 and some recoverable errors occur. UETP also runs the TU80 in the ground. Suggestions: 1) Try a different tape 2) Ask DEC field service to clean the tape head. Perhaps the take up reel assembly may need cleaning, lubeing, whatever. Also the TK50 tape head is... well a moving part, it goes up and down. Maybe it isn't going fast enough. 3) If none of the above solve the problem, then have the drive swapped out. I would try shot gunning the whole drive if using a different tape does not help. Nicholas Abbot Hardware and Software support specialist Hamilton Computer Sales and Rentals 6 Pearl Court Allendale, NJ. 07401 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 360 0 replies Left by: MARC E. MCNEAL On 29-Dec-88 At : GENERAL BUS. SERVICES Subject: APPL. DEV. PROGRAM Does anyone out there recommend a good application development package that will support the DIBOL language. We are in the process of overhauling our applications and are looking into finding a good application development package. Please leave a reply or contact me at (301) 428-1040 Ext. 384 Thanks! COMMUNICATIONS SIG Message # 249 0 replies Reply to # 247 Left by: NICHOLAS ABBOT On 29-Dec-88 At : 201.327.1444 Subject: DYNAMIC ASYNC. DECNET Yummy! Yummy! My favorite. ----------------- BOTH NODES -------------- $ MCR SYSGEN CONN NOA0 /NOADAP CONN VTA0 /NOADAP /DRIVER=TTDRIVER EXIT $ SET TER /PERM /DISCONN TT$DIALUP $ INSTALL CREA /PROT /OPEN /HEAD /SHAR DYNSWITCH EXIT ... The areas should be the same eg. local=1.1 remote=1.2 ----------------- LOCAL NODE -------------- $ MCR NCP SET NODE 1.2 NAME remote TRANS bb RECEI aa INBOUND (ROUTER or ENDNODE) ----------------- REMOTE NODE ------------- $ MCR NCP SET NODE 1.1 NAME local TRANS aa RECEI bb INBOUND ROUTER $ SET HOST/DTE...call remote node and log in. $ SET TER/SWITCH=DECNET/PROT=DDCMP NOTE, The INBOUND characteristic is what the doc. set says should be set but not as point blankly as it should. The procedure above allows either node to call the other and establish the dynamic circuit. ---------------- SHUTTING DOWN ----------- I suggest shutting down from the remote node. $ SET HOST REMOTE $ SH U $ STOP/ID=XX ! Disconnected user $ MCR NCP SET CIRC TX-n-n STATE OFF ... returned to local node, phone hangs up, remote circuit is gonzo. $ MCR NCP SET CIRC TX-n-n STATE OFF If you shut the circuit down from the local node, the circuit on the remote node will still be up for 3-4 minutes and the remote dialup port will useless for interactive action until the remote circuit disolves. Nicholas Abbot Hardware and Software support specialist Hamilton Computer Sales and Rentals 6 Pearl Court Allendale, N.J. 07401 COMMUNICATIONS SIG Message # 250 0 replies Reply to # 248 Left by: Robert G. Schaffrath On 29-Dec-88 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: Resetting the XOFF on a terminal Rather than rebooting your machine, try using the undocumented DCL command 'SET TERMINAL/XON TXAn:'. It works wonders on frozen terminals. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 VMS SIG Message # 807 0 replies Reply to # 806 Left by: Philip Gravel On 29-Dec-88 At : 312-420-5474 Subject: CORRUPTED DIRECTORY Thanks for the suggestion, Nick. I'll give it a whirl. Phil MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 231 0 replies Reply to # 97 Left by: BROWN WELLMAN On 30-Dec-88 At : 205-726-2069 Subject: ERASE PATTERN IN SYS$EXAMPLES Dear Mike Sisson, I regret that it took me 20 months to discover the world of ARIS and subsequently respond to your request about DOD_ERAPAT. I was the system manager of an 8650 with two RA81s and one RA60. I was faced with the problem of having to scrub the RA81s when changing modes of process classification. Interestingly enough, it was precisely the period in time that you made your request known - April 1987! In fact, it was probably my persistent requests to the CSC that they were referring to in their conversations with you! The reponse I first got from the CSC regarding SYS$EXAMPLES is that they do not support it. They drew my attention to the rather broad dis- claimers at the front of each of these files. It was not very satisfying at all since I recall seeing such disclaimers on other products that they do support. However, I continued to make a pest of myself by asking the same question 98 different ways. The bottom line that I got to with DEC after six months of calls to the CSC and to the RDF was 1) They do not support DOD_ERAPAT, 2) No one knows how to use it, 3) No one knows how to get in touch with its author (actually, I don't believe this, only DEC has a reputation of keeping their very knowledgeable engineers away from public access) 4) There is an encryption team at the CSC that can talk to the issue of changing patterns or keys relative to the DELETE command, 5) The process of writing blocks of ones, zeros, and gibberish to the entire magnetic media required control at the operating system level. That is, by the questions I was asking them about what I wanted to do, I was essentially trying to do things that VMS was made to do and I wasn't supposed to be interfering. 6) If I wanted to do this, I would have to use QIOs, and 7) They suggested that I call the field office to arrange for a Software Specialist to come out (at $119.50/hr) and help me write the software I needed to scrub my disks. Essentially, the problem is this. Judging by your question of needing to erase with patterns of ones, zeros and one other pattern, it sounds like we both had the same requirement to cleanse our systems of classified data. I would recommend that you abandon trying to use DELETE/ERASE (with /ENCRYPT or any other variation) and write a program to overwrite your media with whatever patterns you want, and use this program when changing processing modes. The Scrubber is not difficult to write - you won't need a Software Specialist - but it is very dangerous to leave on the system. Since the time I was reponsible for this system, there has been a new reading from the DIS on how to treat non-removable magnetic media. I have not got it confirmed, but the current rumor is that hard disk drives cannot be declassified by scrubbing. They must be destroyed. This would seem to put the issue to rest once and for all. I will be following this letter with a letter to the Site Management SIG to find out once and for all what the "skinney" is. Feel free to call with any questions. Sincerely, Brown Wellman Huntsville, Alabama 205-726-2069 SITE MANAGEMENT SIG Message # 251 1 replies Left by: BROWN WELLMAN On 30-Dec-88 At : 205-726-2069 Subject: DECLASSIFY RA81S? HOW???? I have several questions concerning the declassification of hard disk drives. Declassification involves removing all traces of classified infor- mation prior to releasing the drive to an uncontrolled environment (uncon- trolled relative to security issues and physical access). The questions are as follows: 1) In the SYS$EXAMPLES directory, there is a program called DOD_ERAPAT (Department-Of-Defense ERAse PATtern). All disclaimers aside, is there any application software (3rd party or otherwise) that uses this program or any other pattern to erase magnetic media in com- pliance with DoD guidelines? 2) How do you access bad blocks once the controller has vectored around them? And, how do you access the scratch pad that is on the disk (namely an RA81). 3) Is there any substance to the rumor that even though erase patterns can be written to disks over and over again that traces of data still linger deep within the media? These questions are critical to establishing System Practices and Pro- dures involving a secure system, and to making a well-informed decision on whether or not hard disk drives are ever procured with the intention of de- classifying them after being in a secure system. I wish above all that DEC would either publish guidelines to declassifying their magnetic media or warn their customers (through TECH-EDIT or other means) to not purchase non-remov- able disk drives for secure systems intending to declassify them later on. Please help me to find the answers to these questions. Thanx! Brown Wellman Huntsville, Alabama 205-726-2069 SITE MANAGEMENT SIG Message # 252 1 replies Reply to # 250 Left by: Philip Gravel On 30-Dec-88 At : 312-420-5474 Subject: VERIFY Marty, I understand that the purpose of /VERIFY is to check the data on the backup media with the source version. However, most of the errors I observe on the verify pass are end-of-file mismatches. I guess my real question is: With the redundancy checks that are built into hardware and software today, is the backup verification pass a relic of a past era and is unnecessary with today's technology? Backing up a nearly full RD54 to TK50s (read Time Killer) with the verification pass can take 3-4 hours. That shoots half of a working day and renders the system unavailable if it's a standalone backup. If it's a judgement call and if I don't find the verify information useful, then I probably don't need to do it. I was wondering if other system managers use the verify option (safety in numbers?). Hope you had a good '88 and that '89 is better. Phil SITE MANAGEMENT SIG Message # 253 0 replies Reply to # 250 Left by: Philip Gravel On 30-Dec-88 At : 312-420-5474 Subject: LOST TAPE POSITION The lost tape position problem has happened with different tapes. Replacing the TK50 drive and controller got rid of the device attention errors that were piling up in the error log. However, the position lost errors continued. Perhaps the culprit was the cpu. Yesterday, it went out to lunch and never came back (The MicroVAX crashed and I was unable to boot it). DEC replaced the cpu board and system came back to life. (It's times like this that maintenance contracts pay off.) Last night's backup didn't produce any of the tape lost errors, but it will take more than one backup to determine if the problem has been resolved. Phil PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES/AI SIG Message # 361 0 replies Left by: JOE MCMAHON On 30-Dec-88 At : GTE (301) 738-8917 OR 381-0808 Subject: UWD W/ ADA ON VMS I am experiencing some difficulties in getting the User-Written Debugger program, presented in the October 1988 issue of the VAX Professional, to work with an Ada program. I was successful in getting it to work on a program written in FORTRAN, and I assume that the BASIC example in the article works as well. When the UWD operates on an Ada program, I get an "access violation" exception !! Could someone out there in Ada-land (or VMS-land) shed some light on this problem? Is the 'user transfer address' in a different place in the image header? I am operating under VMS 4.7, and I believe the Ada compiler is the latest. If someone out there in Ada-land could try it on their system and relay the results to me, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks !! ...Joe McMahon GTE Government Systems 1700 Research Blvd. Rockville, MD 20850 VMS SIG Message # 808 0 replies Reply to # 806 Left by: DOUGLAS KAIP On 30-Dec-88 At : (214) 931-9097 Subject: DIRECTORY PROBLEM You might consider running ana/disk/repair twice. For more information check the VAXPRO 10.6.32. dsk MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 232 1 replies Reply to # 230 Left by: DOUGLAS KAIP On 30-Dec-88 At : (214) 931-9097 Subject: TAPE PROBLEMS I have had the same problem when transfering file from a backup tape made on a tu80 (VMS 4.2) to a 3600 running VMS 4.7 with a tu81+. I had tapes from two different tu80's both(different vaxes 11/730 & 11/780) running VMS 4.2 each 4.2 machine/tu80 could read each others tape but the tu81+ (on 4.7) would get the tape position lost error etc. We have one of our 3600's up on VMS 5.0-1. In the 5.0-1 release notes it mentions this problem. Only it mentions this problem between 5.0 and 5.0-1. It does explain that this problem seems to involve the tu81+. In a nutshell it says that the problem comes about because a media error during writing caused backup to rewrite the block again after the bad block. It looks as if there was a bug in backup such that when it found the first media error it did not bother to check the next block to see if the data had been rewriten...etc. Your case sounds like the same problem to me. My suggestion if your cannot get you system upgraded is to get a new ERROR free tape and keep your fingers crossed. dsk FORUM - 3RD PARTY SUPPLIERS SIG Message # 88 0 replies Reply to # 81 Left by: NOEL K. GODDARD On 30-Dec-88 At : INT + 61-2-868-4696 Subject: MS-DOS S'WARE FOR DM II Dear David, Sorry that its taken me this long to deliver an update. Together with your information and some dedicated chasing of DEC and suppliers, I've found out a few more things about the DECmate version of MS-DOS. First, the DM version of the operating system is considerably "cut down" when compared to that of the Rainbow. The SPD's for the two products show there to be lots more functions and utilities in the Rainbow product. Second, the DM XPU board is NOT an 8bit/16bit machine as I first thought. It is purely a 16bit device. This probably explains the peculiar construction differences between what Rainbow users are used to and what I've seen. I also discovered, when I tried to run a WPS emulator package, that the "display hardware" for the Rainbow is totally different to that on the DECmate so stuff written for CP/M or MS-DOS on Rainbows only half works on DECmates. Third, although there is a graphics option for the DM it doesn't seem to be available to the XPU, so any software that depends on graphics crashes with "illegal BIOS function" messages (or something like that). I discovered this when I attempted to run a rather fancy communications package designed for PC's and compatibles. By an extremely round about method I managed to get a text-based "adventure" game from a PC compatible onto my DECmate. This game seems to work quite well (with only a few very minor "glitches"!) Since the exercise with the game, I've discovered that the DECmate version of MS-DOS can actually read a couple of IBM single-sided diskette formats (8 sector and 9 sector, for all that means). But I still have to make use of a friend's Olivetti with Media Master to convert from double sided formats. Anyway, thanks for your reply to my queries. As you say, there are still suppliers of Rainbow software about the place, I just have to find them and hope they've still got some old DECmate versions lying about gathering dust. Mind you, I'm getting desperate. I actually rang DEC in Maynard the other day. I even found someone who said "... I don't have the answers just now, but leave it with me and I'll call you back in a day or so." Maybe. Just maybe. So, thanks again for your interest. SITE MANAGEMENT SIG Message # 254 0 replies Reply to # 252 Left by: Phil Anthony On 31-Dec-88 At : Here Subject: BACKUP/VERIFY Phil, I can't give you a list of technical reasons - but I do know that when I was system manager for a pair of VAXes a couple of years back, I insisted on BACKUP/VERIFY. Backups were done on Sunday afternoons, when nobody was supposed to be on the system (and if anybody was, it was reported as a secu- rity breach - a little bit different from your situation). The operators who did the backups were under standing instructions that if any nonrecoverable errors occurred during the entire operation, the job should be aborted and restarted. And a handful of times over the three years I was there, the verify pass uncovered errors that weren't flagged during the backup pass. The company I was working for felt (and I agreed with them completely) that data integrity was worth far more than the operators' time - or my time, for that matter. MICROVAX SIG Message # 181 1 replies Left by: DICK THOMSON On 31-Dec-88 At : 914/658-3141 OR ARIS Subject: MICROVAX MAINTENANCE I would like to get acquainted with other MicroVAX ownerusers in the Northeast, to share experience with hardware Maintenance Co.s and/or self- maintenance. We have a MicroVAX II with 19 terminals, most running Niakwa BASIC-2C business programs. We've been through a gruelling patch of hardware problems. If anyone would be willing to share advice, sympathy, or even let me visit, I would be very glad. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 346 1 replies Left by: MIKE MONGEAU On 01-Jan-89 At : (508)490-2023 Subject: BOOTING STANDALONE FROM HSC DISKS I'd like some advice on how to create a Standalone Backup kit on an HSC disk (booting Standalone from floppy takes too long!). I've seen some instructions in one of the VMS manuals, but they seemed rather general. I know how to create the directory on the target disk, but modifying the bootstrap procedure is where I am stuck. We have a VAXcluster consisting of an 8650, a 785 and a 780, 2 HSC50's and 13 RA81's dual-ported between both HSC's. The system disks are RP07s. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 449 0 replies Reply to # 443 Left by: RICHARD B. GILBERT On 01-Jan-89 At : (609) 452-5130 Subject: SUBMIT/REMOTE OUTPUT In a word, no! SUBMIT /REMOTE works by doing a CLOSE with STATUS='SUBMIT' on the destination system. There is simply no mechanism for passing qualifiers. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 450 0 replies Reply to # 444 Left by: RICHARD B. GILBERT On 01-Jan-89 At : (609) 452-5130 Subject: EMPIRE Bob, The indicated treatment for your addiction is total withdrawal, unfortunately, the prognosis is poor . EMPIRE has already been ported to VAX/VMS. The executable for EMPIRE V5.0 is available on CompuServe's VAX Forum (GO VAXSIG) in LIBrary 13. The Fortran sources for EMPIRE V4.0 are also available there. As well as not being the latest version, I believe that these sources may be for PDP-11. The version 5 sources are not available anywhere that I am aware of. FORUM - 3RD PARTY SUPPLIERS SIG Message # 89 0 replies Reply to # 86 Left by: RICHARD B. GILBERT On 01-Jan-89 At : (609) 452-5130 Subject: ACCESSING FOREIGN DISK Try mounting the disk /FOREIGN. This will tell the system not to expect any labels for file structure. I think that you will have to read the disk via calls to SYS$QIOW with the IO$_READPBLK function. UTILITIES SIG Message # 336 0 replies Reply to # 333 Left by: RICHARD B. GILBERT On 01-Jan-89 At : (609) 452-5130 Subject: UNDELETE Ben, There is an UNDEL utility available. I have a copy but I have never tried to use it. The probability of being able to recover a deleted file drops very rapidly as new files are created on the disk. Any new file may use some or all of the space released by the deleted file. Once this has happened, kiss your file good bye. If you inadvertently delete a file and wish to recover it, WRITE PROTECT the disk IMMEDIATELY! Then throw all the other users off the system. Then, if you have only one disk, unprotect it and run UNDEL. If you have to store UNDEL on your disk in order to run it, you may be writing over the file you deleted. If you get the idea that this is a great deal more trouble than regular backups, you are oh so right! SITE MANAGEMENT SIG Message # 255 0 replies Reply to # 249 Left by: RICHARD B. GILBERT On 01-Jan-89 At : (609) 452-5130 Subject: /VERIFY Phillip, The /VERIFY qualifier on the BACKUP command helps to assure that you have created a readable tape from which you can recover your data if it becomes necessary. I hate the extra time it takes but, if for some reason the tape is not readable and I need it, I am in deep trouble indeed. /VERIFY serves no purpose during a restore as long as you have CRC checking enabled. (You should definitely have CRC checking turned on, but that's another story.) SITE MANAGEMENT SIG Message # 256 0 replies Reply to # 251 Left by: RICHARD B. GILBERT On 01-Jan-89 At : (609) 452-5130 Subject: DECLASSIFY RA81'S? Brown, I don't think that you will be able to access bad blocks that the controller has revectored. There is at least one company that does this sort of thing but they use special hardware and software. They do this as part of the process of recovering "crashed" disks. It might be possible to remove classified information from a disk so completely that it could not be recovered by any means whatever. If such a thing is possible, I expect that the cost might exceed that of destroying the HDA (Head-disk Assembly) and replacing it. DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 452 1 replies Reply to # 451 Left by: RICHARD B. GILBERT On 01-Jan-89 At : (609) 452-5130 Subject: PROMISCUOUS DEQNA Nick, I seem to recall reading somewhere that the trick of putting a DEQNA into promiscuous mode requires that you specify a valid protocol number. VMS SIG Message # 809 0 replies Left by: ED HEINRICH On 01-Jan-89 At : 914-353-4000 Subject: REPLY TO #794 DCL COMPILERS - what a great idea, if only symbol substitution could be done and ... you felt like re-writing DCL, which by the time you finished DEC will have come out with a new version of VMS with a whole new set of lexicals, and what-have-you. I thought about doing this project a few years ago until I really thought about it. Before one sets up a system dependent on DCL they must realize that DCL is NOT a programming language. It is a Command Language. Just as I would hope you would not, if you ever worked on an IBM machine, write in JCL, you should not write in DCL for production environments. DCL is ideal for writing little hacks that need to be executed infrequently and do not require either the development time or CPU performance that a production system demands. (To be honest it usually takes me less time to write in a real language, i.e., MACRO, BLISS, FORTRAN or even BASIC, than it does to get a DCL procedure to work). The best thing to do is to write your "DCL Procedure" as a program. Between the VMS RTL jacket routines, system services, and spending a little time going thru the fiche one can usually duplicate just about any DCL functionality. Many of the routines in VMS have global entry points so that even though there may not be a "documented" interface to them by setting up the inputs as VMS expects you can make use of them. A lot of the DIRECTORY functionality can be accomplished by using RMS if you want the performance penalty or by issuing QIO's to the XQP, which is what RMS winds up doing eventually. I think an ideal project, either for people in DECUS or readers of this publication, would be to create a library of callable public domain routines that provide DCL-like functionality. Since it seems very unlikely that either Digital or a "third-party" vendor will ever provide a DCL compiler this would be a way for the VMS community to obtain "fast DCL-like" routines. I know that I have done some work to eliminate DCL and have obtained significant runtime improvements. (For example, at login I execute a BLISS program that sets up my logicals, symbols, etc.) If we all contribute our routines we can probably build a significant sized library. UTILITIES SIG Message # 337 0 replies Reply to # 325 Left by: Philip Gravel On 02-Jan-89 At : 312-420-5474 Subject: DISKEEPER Robert, I'd like to second your comments on Diskeeper. I have used Diskeeper for over a year on three MicroVAXs each with two RD54s; one system has a highly active disk accumulating 100 Mbytes of information every 2-3 weeks. Diskeeper has kept all the disks in good shape. I believe Diskeeper is a good product and would recommend it to others VAX managers. I have encountered some minor problems with Diskeeper. None of these problems have corrupted any files but I was disappointed with Executive Software's handling of them. In one instance, Diskeeper wasn't moving some fragmented files -- they weren't open and weren't directory files. After a number of discussions with Executive Software and trying various things, they decided to chalk it up as an "unexplainable" problem. This response surprized me since Executive Software says their product is the best on the market. The Diskeeper developers should be able to determine why some files aren't being handled. I had thought that Executive Software would be interested in looking into this problem more closely. Like you, I am disappointed with the performance of V2.1 of Diskeeper. I have also noticed the effects of Diskeeper on system performance that you have. The first time I ran it, I aborted the batch job running it. The disk it was working on, an RD54, was about 50% full and contained about 9700 files. The disk verification pass took 1/2 hour and the defragmentation pass had covered less than 25% of the files in 3-1/2 hours. I assumed these long times were caused by the I/O throttling that is the default for this version of Diskeeper. Since my systems are used interactively only in prime-time, I run Diskeeper as a batch job at 3:30AM using the /NOIO_THROTTLING and /NOMOVED_FILES option and making ten passes on each disk. I am satisfied with running Diskeeper in this manner and the results it provides. By the way, Executive Software told me that Diskeeper 2.1 does not move directory files as the documentation says it does. I was told this problem will be rectified in next version of Diskeeper which will be released soon. Phil Gravel UTILITIES SIG Message # 338 0 replies Reply to # 335 I have upgraded all of the Control-G utilties (TQE, PFRAG, and a whole slew of others) to VMS V5. I plan to send them along to the Professional Press people, to replace the tired old VMS V4 ones in ARIS (if they see fit). In the meantime, let me know if you need one, and I'll see about getting you a copy of the new version. Lee K. Gleason Control-G Consultants 2416 Branard #D Houston TX 77098 Phone: 713/528-1859 713/960-4455 DECuserve: GLEASON Pageswapper: US161701 CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 347 1 replies Reply to # 346 Left by: SEAN DEVOY On 03-Jan-89 At : (301) 332-3891 Subject: BOOTING S.A. FROM HSC Booting Stand Alone Backup from a disk on the HSC is not much different then booting it from any other disk. In your current boot file you are loading the highest "nible" of register R5 with the directory to boot from. That is, the default R5=0, boots from sys0. If you have a multinode cluster, you are booting with R5=10000000 for one of the nodes (which boots from sys1). To boot S.A. Backup run SYS$UPDATE:STABACKIT.COM and tell it to install on the system disk, then make a boot file just like your default with R5=E0000000. This will make the system boot from the sysE directory of the system disk, which is where Stand Alone Backup boots from. Since Stand Alone is now completely memory resident, backing up and restoring the device from which you are booted is not a problem. MASS STORAGE SIG Message # 233 0 replies Reply to # 232 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 03-Jan-89 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: TU81-PLUS ERRORS The position lost errors on TU81-Plus drives were the result of bad media and a bug in TUDRIVER.EXE. According to CSC, TU81's have the ability to recover from a bad block, unlike some other drives. Unfortunately, TUDRIVER did not take this into account. Apparently there are two forms of position lost errors, hard and soft. Previous to the TUDRIVER patch in VMS V5.0-1, they were both considered fatal. Now a hard error is still fatal but a soft error will recover. If you are running on V4.7, there is supposed to be patch available to fix the problem. Otherwise, upgrade to V5.0-1. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 MICROVAX SIG Message # 182 0 replies Reply to # 181 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 03-Jan-89 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: MicroVAX service Well, I'm game. We have several MicroVAX II's and a MicroVAX 3600 that are on DECservice and self-service. I gather from your 914 area code that you are somewhere within 100 miles of White Plains. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 451 1 replies Reply to # 443 Left by: WAYNE STEFFEN On 03-Jan-89 At : ARIS Subject: REMOTE COMMANDS The January issue of DEC Professional in the DCL Dialogue has a procedure for executing DCL on a remote system. The original usage was to pass qualifiers to the PRINT command. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 452 0 replies Reply to # 451 Left by: GEORGE DAWSON On 03-Jan-89 At : ARIS Subject: SUBMIT/REMOTE Thanks for the reply. I will look it up. TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 260 0 replies Left by: WAYNE STEFFEN On 03-Jan-89 At : 313-828-4526 Subject: COMBI DEC-IBM TERMS In a previous incarnation, I used a TELEX CO-78 combined function terminal to connect to an IBM host as a 3278 with a coax port and to connect to a DECserver as a VT220 with RS-232. This term also had a built-in telephone and modem, calculator, and calender functionality. Almost as good as your own PC. The cost is like a PC, $2000. My question is, does anyone know of a combined function terminal without the extras? The cost should be in line with replacing two $500 terminals, I figure $1200-1300. TELEX does not have it now (2Q89). DEC does not have it and probably won't ever. Their suggestion is use a VT330 or 340 (>$1800) to switch between the 3278 terminal emulator on the SNA-gateway and a VMS session, which doesn't help my PDP users. UTILITIES SIG Message # 339 1 replies Reply to # 307 Left by: RICHARD CROOKS On 03-Jan-89 At : (815)226-3757 Subject: TAPECOPY I can't seem to find TAPECOPY.EXE on our system.....Is this a DEC program? DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 453 0 replies Reply to # 452 Left by: Jeff Finkelstein On 03-Jan-89 At : 609-338-4730 Subject: PROMISCUOUS DEQNA I have a routine in C that knows about quite a few protocols, and listens for them on the ethernet. If you want a copy or more info on how to do it, give me a call. Jeff UTILITIES SIG Message # 340 0 replies Reply to # 333 Left by: Philip Gravel On 03-Jan-89 At : 312-420-5474 Subject: UNDELETE The December '88 issue of VAX Professional has an article on p. 27 by Arthur Townsend entitled "UNDELETE.FOR - Recovering Deleted Files in VMS". Phil UTILITIES SIG Message # 341 0 replies Reply to # 339 Left by: BRIAN DESANTIS On 03-Jan-89 At : (201)670-0286 Subject: TAPECOPY.EXE Aristalk does not have the executable versions of programs just the source codes, and only of programs that appear in the DEC Professional and VAX Professional publications. However, I do know where you can obtain this program - Kevin Barkes' BBS, SYS$OUTPUT, has it, and it can be downloaded from there. I also recommend that you download a file called DECBBS.LST - it is an ascii file, needs to protocol as long as you can capture it - it is a list of BBS's that either cater to VAXers or have sections involving the VAX world. The number for SYS$OUTPUT is (412)854-0511. Good Luck! Brian DeSantis System Manager Bergen County Computer Consortium Ridgewood, New Jersey SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 200 2 replies Left by: JIM SHELLY On 04-Jan-89 At : THIS SERVICE Subject: PERFORMANCE BENCHMARK I'm System Manager of a cluster of two 11/785's, a 6220, and 2 HSC's with an assortment of various disks, etc. We have about 100 or so users with 50 or 60 logged on at any given time. Tuning so far has been cake, with 32 meg on both the 785's and 64 on the 6220, most problems can be solved by throwing memory at them. As we add more and more users and tuning becomes a bigger issue, I need a way of measuring the results of tuning efforts. Tuning guides talk alot about knowing how your system "feels" ("Feelings, nothing more than feelings..." but I digress). That's all well and good, but feelings like, I want numbers to back up those feelings. I plan (hope?) to create a procedure that will create an artifical workload of my choosing and then gather performance statistics before and after tuning. If anyone else out there has done this, is there any advice you could give me? Is there something like this already available, and if so what is it and where is it? We have SPM, if you use SPM to test the results of tuning, what information do you find most valuble and what format do you report it in? If you don't use SPM what statistics would you suggest gathering? Please leave any replies on this service. Thanx. VMS SIG Message # 810 0 replies Reply to # 804 Left by: DON ROBERTS On 04-Jan-89 At : HERE Subject: SYSUAF I am a little confused. What information is it you say you *CANNOT* get from sysuaf with lexicals that you would like? I think the holiday break has fried my brain. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 348 1 replies Left by: MIKE SCHMIDT On 04-Jan-89 At : (314)872-3168 Subject: MICROVAX3300 BOOT NODE Would like to hear if anyone has experienced or solved the following problem I am having configuring a 3300 as the boot node for a LAVC. Satellites are VAX stations 2000s: First, I am confused by the local disk names, (e.g. DIA0:, and DIA1). These device names are preceeded by what appears to be a node name. The drives are shown as R3JUJA$DIA1: and R3Q2NA$DIA0: It seams as if the new bus structure for the 3300 requires a node name per disk. Anyway, the real problems is after using CLUSTER_CONFIG to add a satellite and booting the satellite for the first time accross Ethernet, I get an error message suggesting thatthe system disk is offline. Circuit SVA-0 is enabled and the system disk (R3Q2NA$DIA0:) appears to be a served device. I say appears, because MSCP_LOAD = 1, and MSCP_SERVE_ALL = 1; however a SHO DEVICE/SERVED does not show either of the local 3300 disks. After issuing a SET DEVICE/SERVED R3Q2NA$DIA0:, I receive an error message stating that the device is unservable. Now it would help if I had received docs for the 3300, however it is a field test machine running VMS 50T2A3. Puzzled... Mike CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 349 2 replies Reply to # 348 Left by: DON ROBERTS On 05-Jan-89 At : 818/969-6741X265 Subject: LAVC By your question about the drive naming on an LAVC (preceded by a node name), which is normal for LAVC, I take it you are not familiar with LAVC's. Therefore it is not surprising that you get strange messages when booting, since LAVC's need all kinds of strange commands to be issued at startup for everything to work right. We have an LAVC here with an 8350 as server and if you would like to discuss LAVC details, give me a call. SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 201 0 replies Reply to # 200 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 05-Jan-89 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: Loading your system Have you considered trying the User Environment Test Package (UETP)? While it's not perfect (is anything), you can use it to simulate a system full of users. I haven't used it in awhile so I can't give you the specifics. For information, check the 'VMS Installation and Operations' manual for your processor. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 351 1 replies Reply to # 349 Left by: MIKE SCHMIDT On 05-Jan-89 At : HERE Subject: ATTN: DON ROBERTS Don, I am familiar with clusters; my confusion arose when seeing MicroVAX3300 RF30 disk with what appears to be an HSC node name preceeding their device name. Before CLUSTER_CONFIG.COM was ever invoked, these devices were named as shown ---> R3JUJA:DIA1: and R3Q2NA:DIA0: I then configured the 3300 as a boot node with a DECnet name of BOOT01. After AUTOGEN and rebooting, the disk names remained as shown above. The disk must be mounted and referred to as above (i.e. BOOT01$DIA0: and BOOT01$DIA1: are not the device names even though SYS$NODE = BOOT01!!!!!). Still puzzled, Mike RSX SIG Message # 252 0 replies Reply to # 121 Left by: WAYNE STEFFEN On 05-Jan-89 At : ARIS Subject: DISK CACHE Is anyone still reading the ARIS RSX SIG (Warren, anybody)? I recently relocated to Michigan and installed disk caching as I had before in New York. We had RC25s and the cacheing seemed to give good response time, etc. This time, however, the users became very surly instead of happy. The response time on the system was very bad. The disk is an RA60 with both data and the system on it (I know, I know...move the data to another drive) and with cacheing the I/Os per second (via RMD I page) run 20-30 per second (about max for avg. access for RA60). With cache the I/Os per second drop to 10-12!!! I've tried larger cache regions. I might to try to play with extents as per #121. Has anyone really figured out the cacheing scheme, how to optimize it, when it can't possibly help, etc.? Maybe, an article in the DECUS MultiTasker would be nice? Thanks for any help. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 453 0 replies Left by: STEVE SMITH On 05-Jan-89 At : 902 420 5477 Subject: DEXPO EAST Could someone leave the number to get information for Dexpo East. In all of the ads a 1-800-87-dexpo is mentioned but the number doesn't work in Canada. I would like to call directly and have the info sent to me. Please reply if anybody can help Thanks in advance Steve Smith SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 202 0 replies Reply to # 200 Left by: Phil Anthony On 05-Jan-89 At : Here Subject: TUNING AND BENCHMARKING Jim, it'd help if we knew what you were tuning for. The usual progression is first, determine that there is a problem; second, isolate the problem (SPM can be very useful for this: Examine SPM dumps when a system slowdown or whatever occurs to find out what values are out of range); third, if tun- ing is called for (rather than adding or upgrading hardware), tinker with the system parameters and run SPM again under the same workload to find out whether, and how much, the situation has improved. My own experience is that until the users are actually experiencing a prob- lem in getting their work done, it's best to leave the system parameters alone. If you, knowing your applications and how VMS works, think you can squeeze more out of your system by tweaking a parameter, you might try (1) running SPM under your artificial workload with the current parameters, (2) making the change, and (3) rerunning SPM with the artificial workload to see if there's been an improvement in the metrics affected by the change - and hopefully, no degradation of other metrics as an undesirable side ef- fect. But the real test will be (4) find out whether the users are actually getting their work accomplished faster/better. Artificial workloads can be helpful for benchmarking different systems, but they generally aren't all that good in simulating real (especially interactive) workloads. My feeling is that before starting to tune, you'd do best to run SPM and gather all the information it'll give you in the real working environment. The printouts are horrendous, but careful examination of the metrics during peak processing periods will indicate whether you have a current problem. If there aren't any particular problems at present, the printouts will still provide a baseline from which you can estimate future requirements and iso- late future problems when the workload increases. UTILITIES SIG Message # 343 0 replies Reply to # 298 Left by: JAY BELLER On 06-Jan-89 At : 718 767-2304 Subject: MOUSE WITH VT-XXX In response to STAN STREZLECK's inquiry about mouse with VT-xxx terminals. Your memory is correct, there is a hardware product which allows you to connect a mouse (i.e, Logitech, Microsoft, Mouse Systems) to any standard ansi x3.64 terminal (VT-100, 200, 300). It is called the LOCATOR and is manufactured in Israel by a company called GIGA. In general terms, the Locator is situated between the host and your terminal. There are three ports: RS232 from the host; RS232 to your terminal; 9-pin to the mouse. All communication must pass thru the Locator, allowing it to seamlessly integrate mouse input with keyboard input. The Locator is setup up through a SETUP MENU or from an application program. My company (System Builders) has developed a Command Language Interface for those who don't like coding Escape Sequences. There are two ways in which the Mouse can be used. In ARROW-KEY mode movement of the mouse is translated into equivalent arrow key keystrokes which are sent to the host. Thus applications which recognize the Arrow Keys will immediately be able to work with the Locator (the Locator also supports Application arrow keys - used by INGRES and ORACLE). The second mode of operation is NON-INTERRUPT mode in which all mouse movement is reflected locally - the host is not interrupted - until the user presses one of the mouse buttons. At that time the host is sent a string of characters which the application program must interpret. This sting typically includes the cursor position at the time of "clicking". Non-interrupt mode is extremely beneficial to users at slow speeds, or in applications which would otherwise require many arrow key keystrokes (i.e, forms). The Locator is programmable. Some features include: Defining buttons; setting up boundaries; defining sensitivity to movement; sending text to the host as if it were typed in from the keyboard (this feature allows keyboardless applications). You can call me if you need more information. I am expecting a review of the product by DEC PRO in the Feb 89 issue. APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 296 1 replies Reply to # 231 Left by: JAY BELLER On 06-Jan-89 At : 718 767-2304 Subject: SHARE IMAGES I wanted to thank you all for responding. I will definitely look through your responses. I also realized that the COMMON data must be FORCED into a lower loaction than my other DATA. My current solution is to use the CLUSTER= statement in my linker options file in order to force these COMMON blocks to the top of the image. So far it's working, but I do not feel that I can trust this mechanism. Anyone agree or disagree? APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 297 2 replies Left by: JAY BELLER On 06-Jan-89 At : 718 767-2304 Subject: NO ON PRINT JOBS!!! I am looking for anyone who has solved or can help me solve the problem of trying to be able to send printer control strings through a queue without the symbiont generating a trailing form feed - LOTS OF BLANK SHEETS!!! I am running VMS 4.5 and trying to send setup strings to an HP-Lasejet, as well as downloading fonts. From the perspective of the printer, these files do not end up printing any text on the page, therefore there is no need to eject after prining. However, the print symbiont always sends a form feed at the end of the job to clear out the printer. I have looked through a lot of VMS Documentation and could only come up with two methods of accomplishing my goals: 1) put the setup strings in a device control library and use the /SETUP= qualifier when printing; or 2) write my own version of the print symbiont. I tried method 1) first. I set up the Library and associated it with the queue. Printing with the /SETUP qualifier worked fine, BUT I still got that blank page from the control string. I found a small paragraph in the release notes for VMS 4.4 (page 3-32) which indicates that placing a character at the start of the control string will suppress the page eject, but ONLY FOR RECOGNIZED CONTROL STRINGS. I tried this and still got a blank page, but assume that the HP's escape sequences are not recognized as standard. Then I tried method 2). Using the PSM$ utility reference in the ROUTINES manual, I proceeded to create a modified a version of PRTSMB.EXE in FORTRAN. I was trying to replace the JOB COMPLETION routine with one which does not send a to the printer. The first problem I encountered was - there is no $PSMDEF definition in the FORSYSDEF.TLB. I looked in the LIB.MLB and found the MACRO entry, but it did NOT contain definitions for Statuses which my subroutines have to return (PSM$_FUNNOTSUP, PSM$_EOF, etc.). Needless to say I was fumbling in the dark when my subroutine had to return a PSM$_FUNNOTSUP status to a PSM$K_START_STREAM request. Through trial and error, I managed to get the symbiont to do something other than to return a "(JBC) unexpected termination" message. However, it still sent a Form Feed. Can anybody help, or suggest another method? Right now I have a small procedure which stops & deletes the queue; writes to it directly; inits & starts it again. This requires privileges and is too sloppy to be an effective long term solution. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 352 1 replies Left by: DAVE HANSEN On 06-Jan-89 At : CANADIAN PACIFIC FOREST PRODUCTS Subject: AUTOLOGIN'S WITH TERMINAL SERVERS We have recently installed Ethernet in our plant. Previously, all of our terminals were connected via our phone system directly connected to our computer, serveral of these terminals were setup for automatic login (ALF). We would like to continue to use this feature by having a terminal connected to a Decserver 200 automatically login to a specific account on our VAX system. We would appreciate any insight to this problem. APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 298 0 replies Reply to # 297 Left by: JAY BELLER On 06-Jan-89 At : 718 767-2304 Subject: NO No sooner had I finished entering my previous message that an idea came to mind. Since the symbiont or job controller will suppress form feeds when the control string from a library is recognized as a standard escape sequence, I simply tricked it into treating the non-standard HP escape sequence as a private ansi sequence. The format is as follows: P laserjet escape sequence goes here \ i.e, landscape mode P&l1O\ Print commands are of the format: PRINT /SETUP=LANDSCAPE file.ext I still need a method of printing soft font files without getting an eject at the end. For those who are unfamiliar with soft fonts they can be between 25,000 and 100,000 bytes in size. Typically, several are shipped at once. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 353 0 replies Reply to # 351 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 06-Jan-89 At : 914-335-9792 Mike, sounds like you are a guinea pig for DEC's new MicroVAX configuration! Interesting that the device names are node:device: instead of node$device:. Just a guess, but I would think that because these devices can be shared between two different CPU's simultaneously, DEC has come up with some kind of firmware encoding to uniquely identify the drives and the controllers. On a hunch, check through the documentation and see if there is any diagnostic software for the DSSI controller and drives. They may have an EEPROM which could be programmed like an 8250/8350 EEPROM. Also, check with field service. Again, just a guess but you never know... CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 354 0 replies Reply to # 352 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 06-Jan-89 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: ALF on a DECSERVER Bad news! You cannot use ALF with a LAT port (LTAnnn:). In fact, someone posed this question on DEC's DSIN and the response was that it cannot be done. The main reason is the fact that ALF is programmed with port names that never change (ie. TXA1:, TXB3:, TXD7: etc.). LTA's are created sequentially and can never be relied upon to be a specific name. There are two work arounds to the problem. 1) If you are running VMS version V5.0, you can create a port with the /DEDICATED qualifier through LATCP, create a service for that port, and have users automatically connect to it. It is not, however, as elegant as ALF and is a bit more complicated than I have explained. 2) A bit more pricy but hookup a DECserver to your existing ports. Then define this server to offer a service on those ports. Then if a user calls that service, they will be routed through the DECserver to one of the hard ports and ALF will take over. Again, a bit kludgey but it will work. Feel free to give me a call if you want some more information. Finally, gifted insight perhaps? But now that VMS V5.0 provides a feature for determing the server name and port name for a specified user connected through a DECserver, it wouldn't be too difficult for DEC to extend ALF to work with DECserver names and ports as well as terminal names. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 FORUM - 3RD PARTY SUPPLIERS SIG Message # 90 0 replies Left by: DANIEL SERVRANCKX On 06-Jan-89 At : (514) 990-0805 Subject: 8MM MASS STORAGE DEVICES - PROBLEMS? The Space Division of the Canadian National Research Council is about to order 8 mass storage devices (based on EXABYTE 8MM subsystems) for data archiving and system backups. Recently, through the scientific grape vine, we have heard that all is not well with these devices, more specifically: 1) there is at least one recorded case of major failure: during a real time data recording session, a total door motor failure occurred which required on site unit disassembly and resulted in physical damage to the tape (which had to be cut and pulled out in pieces) 2) In two discrete instances, during VMS backup and restore operations, data was lost due to parity errors which were traced back to excessive gaps on the tape media between data records. No errors were reported during the SAVE phase as such, only during the VERIFY phase. At RESTORE, the error appeared and was irrecoverable i.e. the operation had to be aborted and all the files past the point where the excessive gap was encountered were lost. 3) There seems to be a tape I/O synchronization problem causing large amount of blank tape gaps between files. This reduces considerably the usable storage. Does any one have more problems? thank you MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 454 0 replies Left by: GEORGE DAWSON On 06-Jan-89 At : ARIS OR Subject: HAS ANYBODY TRIED TO CALL THE KERMIT BULLITEN BOARD AS DESCRIBED IN THE "NEWS FROM SYSOP". I can only get as far as entering the class name then I get a screen full of garbage APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 299 0 replies Reply to # 297 Left by: BRIAN DESANTIS On 06-Jan-89 At : (201)670-0286 Subject: VAX-->HP LASERJET Jay, out of curiosity, have you tried the /NOFEED qualifier either when initializing the que, or directly in the PRINT command? I am not sure if it would work, but worth a try. I too have a Laserjet (Series II) hooked up to my VAX but I do not use it heavily enough (or at all lately) to look for better ways to save paper, etc. I usually use it from a MAC SE (the MAC does not send a trailing so it must be something from the print symbiont). Try /NOFEED and let me know - I would try it know, but I am in New Jersey, and today it is snowing like a son of a, well, you know. I will let you know if I try it before I get your reply. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 355 0 replies Reply to # 347 Left by: MIKE MONGEAU On 06-Jan-89 At : HERE Subject: STANDALONE I guess I didn't explain my configuration well enough. None of our System disks are connected to the HSCs. I would like to be able to boot standalone from one of the User disks on the HSC. This is useful for cases when I would like to compress the system disk. I have read that the HSC node address has to be put into one of the registers, but I am not completely sure of how to modify the boot procedure. -Mike Mongeau VMS SIG Message # 811 1 replies Left by: WILL IANDOLO On 06-Jan-89 At : (202) 746-1732 Subject: V4.7 BACKUP NOT WORKING I have a problem with backup not working correctly for me when I perform my incre. nightly backups. I have to files that are squential with 2048 fixed length records and the file is 300,000 blocks. I perform backup with this command: backup/since=backup/ign=inter/list=file.lis/buffer=5 dua0:[000000...]*.*;* - dua6:[backup]dua0_backup.bck/save The problem occurs when I attempt to restore the file. The file is restored with a record size of 32,xxx and the total size of the file is about 350,000 blocks. This is a ORACLE dbms file which can be used unless the file is the original size. Has anyone had this problem and is there a work around!! Thanks will APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 300 0 replies Reply to # 296 Left by: ANDREW DUGGAN On 06-Jan-89 At : Subject: SHARABLE IMAGES Jay, I have been using the Cluster= statement in linker options for about 2 years. Works great. I have sharable images are linked against my own RTL sharable images and I make extensive use of Basic Commons (.Psects). Using Cluster= all my commons which are NOSHR. One other thing I do is use the Collect statement to put the cluster of .Psects that are noshr right after the Xfer Vectors. I don't have the linker mannual here with me, and I can't remember the format. Another trick you can do is place a good sized dummy .psect in the same cluster so you can add new commons to the sharable image if you want. All you have to do is reduce size of the dummy .psect by the approp amount and put your new common in the cluster just before your dummy .psect. I hope this helps. VMS SIG Message # 813 0 replies Reply to # 811 Left by: Philip Gravel On 07-Jan-89 At : HERE Subject: RESTORE FROM DISK BACKUP Will, when you do the restore, are you qualifying the input file name with the /SAVE_SET qualifier? BACKUP savesets have record lengths of about 32,000 bytes. If the BACKUP input file is on a disk and you don't qualify with /SAVE_SET, BACKUP will just copy it, the saveset, rather than restoring file from it. Phil TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 261 0 replies Left by: BRETT BUMP On 07-Jan-89 At : (308)432-2828 Subject: DUAL SESSIONS After reading the article "Two Terminals Or One" in the January issue of Dec Pro I was wondering how many out there are actually using VT330/340s for dual sessions. When the VT3xx series came out we were already running our own "PC-style overlapping windows" approach software. Our current in house version is designed for a maximum of 9 seperate "windowed" jobs. Does anyone know if DEC is planning to build the SSU software for the PDP-11? [Transm. 07-Jan-89 pga.] MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 455 0 replies Left by: BRETT BUMP On 07-Jan-89 At : (308) 432-2828 Subject: ARIS BOYCOTT A few months ago I was informed by ????? that the material I had placed on Aris had been trashed 2 days after I sent it. "It had those funny double-high double-wide characters in it". Those are called escape sequences I said. Since then I have been waging my own personal boycott against Aris. *Yeah, I know, no one missed me*. But things have changed, and I have been informed that there are some new sysops managing certain areas of Aris. Since I know who is managing this area, I shall return. *Bummer huh*. Thank you Carl and Dave 8-) [Transm. 07-Jan-89 pga.] MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 456 1 replies Left by: STEPHEN CRAIG On 07-Jan-89 At : 1-613-741-4430 Subject: PROBLEM - CORRUPTED DIRECTORY Is there a way of recovering files from a corrupted directory on a MVII. I have a directory comtaining vital information that was not on my last backup. ANA/RMS tells me that a directory segment spanns a block boundary. I take it that that is unrecoverable. This prevents me from reading the files I need. I thought that I had once seen a way of recovering files orphaned from a deleted directory. If this is so, can I get rid of the offending directory and recover my files. TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 262 1 replies Reply to # 261 Left by: Philip Gravel On 08-Jan-89 At : HERE Subject: VT DUAL SESSIONS I use the dual session capability of the VT340 and like it. I don't have a PC so I don't have the options you have. I run dual sessions through two physical connections. I has been nice to watch the progress of a job (eg MONITOR or SHOW PROCESS/CONTINUOUS) on one system while working on another. Phil MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 457 0 replies Reply to # 456 Left by: Philip Gravel On 08-Jan-89 At : HERE Subject: CORRUPTED DIRECTORY I had a problem with a corrupted directory. See my message (#805) in the VMS SIG and the replies by Nick D'Apice and Doug Kaip. Everything worked as they described. Phil VMS SIG Message # 814 2 replies Reply to # 809 Left by: CLIFF HEYER On 08-Jan-89 At : 617-239-3684 Subject: COMPILED DCL Ed, You're on the right track with your bliss program! Years ago in DEC-20 land I became quite upset with the slow .CMD files at login in a large TRAFFIC-20 application. (eg. file server rather than direct file access). So as part of my client's system I added a .CMD file compiler. You'd either give it a TAKE file to which it would compile, or enter directly TOPS-20 commands and it would compile whatever it could or give you an error. The really NEAT thing about it was that it output an EXE code module directly with no intermediate steps - a FAST compile!!! And the EXE code ran with about 1/15 the time of the .CMD file and a TAKE command. The LOGIN.CMD file had a RUN LOGIN.EXE command, which ran LOGIN.EXE. Most of it was easy to write because commands translated to MACRO directly. Those that did not you ran on a fork. I haven't investigated this in VMS land, but experience has taught me NEVER to believe a person that says "you can do that." You can do anything on a computer if you know how and can formulate the appropriate algorithms. Persons who write compilers, operating systems, etc. know how to do these things, application programmers and systems analysts are not trained at this level. A compiler writer can write applications programs, but a programmer/analyst probably can't write compilers. My guess is that those who are claiming that "you can't write a DCL compiler" are NOT the compiler/operating system gurus who would know how to do it. I'm not trying to imply that it is possible to do a COMPLETE DCL compiler. But as your experience proves, it IS possible to speed up things as with my experience on TOPS-20. My guess is that many useful commands could be compiled currently in VMS, and the fact that there is no product to do it is a marketing decision (for example to encourage customers to buy a larger VAX). The TAKE file compiler I mentioned cost about $25,000 to develop. (It was never a product because it was embedded in a much larger system control facility) I'm sure for $25,000 a useful product could be developed VMS. Perhaps I'll have my company do it. Cliff VMS SIG Message # 815 1 replies Reply to # 814 Left by: CLIFF HEYER On 08-Jan-89 At : SAME AS 814 Subject: TYPO CORRECTION quote should be "you can't do that" a pie in the face!! MICROVAX SIG Message # 183 0 replies Left by: DR. Z On 08-Jan-89 At : ARIS Subject: PVAX After talking with an engineer working on the PVAX who has 3 of them in his office, they run about 2.5 X 11/780 (slower clock speed than VAXstation 3000) and will not present a lower-cost alternative to the VAXstation 2000, but instead will be placed between the 2000 and 3000. This is because the 2000 is already priced competitively with 68020/80386 microcomputers, and DEC does not need to compete with the Japanese no-name computers. Hope I have passed along truthful information! DR. Z. Message # 816 0 replies Reply to # 815 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 09-Jan-89 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: DCL compiler I agree with your statement that when somebody says 'it can't be done on VMS' it is very often wrong. One feature though that would make a DCL compile closer to reality would be callable versions of the various DCL utilities such as SET, SHOW, BACKUP, AUTHORIZE, ACCOUNTING, etc. If it were possible to perform a 'CALL DCL$SHOW("SHOW TERMINAL")' or 'CALL DCL$SET("SET PROTECTION=W:RE *.*;*")' the task of writing a DCL compiler would become a bit easier. Still things like "GOTO 'F$MODE()'" and a code snibbet like: $ USERNAME = F$GETJPI("","USERNAME") $ 'USERNAME' = "This symbols name is the current username" would be rather interesting to attempt to implement! Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 TERMINALS/PLOTTERS/PRINTERS SIG Message # 264 0 replies Reply to # 261 Left by: STAN BARNDT On 09-Jan-89 At : HERE Subject: SSU FOR VTXXX Brett, I have SSU on a VT340 and love it! I have the single wire configuration, as I don't have extra ports around to use. It's very useful to the small shop manager, (I am a department of one), to be able to flip out of one session and take care of the day to day problems that come up. Now, if only DEC would enable SSU to support something at the cost of a VT320! Message # 817 1 replies Reply to # 814 Left by: WAYNE STEFFEN On 09-Jan-89 At : ARIS Subject: APPLICATIONS BY COMPLIE Have you ever tried to maintain an application written by a compiler programmer? MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 458 0 replies Reply to # 454 Left by: David Beorn On 09-Jan-89 At : 804-788-7410 Subject: RE: KERMIT BB at U. Dayton Yes - I've accessed it and since I got the info about the "class", which is VX785A (if memory serves), it works fine. It IS 1200 baud though - I connected at 2400 when dialing out a port on my MicroVAX and had to drop back and change the speed of my port - other than that, I got around OK. Keep trying!!! David MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 459 0 replies Reply to # 455 Left by: DOUBLE WIDE On 09-Jan-89 At : Subject: Another Double Wide User I don't know what the problem is! I don't know what the problem is! VMS SIG Message # 818 0 replies Reply to # 817 Left by: David Beorn On 09-Jan-89 At : 804-788-7410 Subject: RE: Applications By Compiler Programmer Yeh - this is probably bad news!!! Concerning the in the dumps to the printer - I thought that the /NOFEED should work on a queue, too. But what about keeping an LN03 printer from doing it when it's an attached printer, when using Allin1??? I know a DEC programmer who "rewrote" part of Allin1 to accomplish this, then we lost the programmer, upgraded, and pffft. went the change - back to getting zillions of blank sheets. Any suggestions??? Or have they fixed THAT yet in Allin1?? I'm not on that system anymore, so I don't have Allin1 to use. David RT SIG Message # 20 0 replies Left by: CURT SNYDER On 09-Jan-89 At : 714-752-4760 Subject: RT-11 TO VMS FLOATING POINT Sigh, the subject should explain it all.... I have an RT-11 system which has floating point numbers in a file. I kermit it to the VAX, but need to decrypt the numbers. I have the format of both the RT11 and VMS versions, but I am not enough of a bit hacker to transform it (I have trouble incrementing registers in Macro...). Can any of you bit-diddlers help me? Curt VMS SIG Message # 819 0 replies Left by: CURT SNYDER On 09-Jan-89 At : 714-752-4760 Subject: RT-11 TO VMS FLOATING POINT The subject says it all. I have a file on an RT11 system which contains floating point numbers. I can transfer it via Kermit, but need to be able to transform the floating point values to VMS format. I have the formats for both systems, but am not enough of a bit-diddler to write the Macro code. Anyone able to help? Curt GRAPHICS SIG Message # 80 0 replies Left by: HARLEY RHODEHAMEL On 09-Jan-89 At : 617 942 2666 Subject: PLOTTING PACKAGES Does anyone know of a vendor that sells the ISGP (industry-standard graphics package)? It's a plotting package that contains many subroutines (called by user written FORTRAN programs) like PLOT, SYMBOL, AXIS, etc. I have many programs written for this package and don't want to lose the investment. The package would be hosted on a MVAX-II. thanks MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 460 0 replies Reply to # 454 Left by: Phil Anthony On 10-Jan-89 At : Here Subject: KERMIT BBS I had trouble with the Kermit board myself over the weekend. But I called in tonight with no trouble at all - I suspect the system simply wasn't available the first time I called. Make sure you're using the correct com- munications settings (1200 Baud, 7 bits, 1 stop bit, even parity), and you shouldn't have any problems. Good luck! MICROVAX SIG Message # 185 0 replies Reply to # 177 Left by: BONNIE AUCLAIR On 10-Jan-89 At : HERE Subject: DOWNLOAD (KERMIT) You've gotten most of the information you need from others, so I'll skip that and just tell you that you won't have to decompress anything. You are down- loading only ascii text, so that's what you've got. VMS SIG Message # 820 0 replies Reply to # 819 Left by: CURT SNYDER On 10-Jan-89 At : 714-752-4760 Subject: RT-11 TO VMS FLOATING POINT Never mind. Answered my own question about 1/2 hour after asking it. The only difference in floating point from RT11 to VMS is the high/low word swap. I simply did it in C.... MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 461 1 replies Left by: HARLEY RHODEHAMEL On 10-Jan-89 At : 617 942 2666 Subject: DECUS TAPES Hey... What are DECUS tapes, and how can I gain access to them? thanks DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 454 1 replies Left by: RICHARD W. EATON On 10-Jan-89 At : 803-239-3045 OR 242-3170 X 2291 Subject: USING MODEM FROM OTHER TERMINAL I am an instructor at Greenville Technical College and have four uVAX's. One has a DEC 1200 BPS modem on TTA2:. I can call the uVAX from my computer at home but have not found out how to call out from the VAX. I am currently using an IBM AT with a Hayes 1200 modem at home to dump files form ARIS and then transfer the disk to another IBM PC as a terminal on the uVAX to copy files retrieved. I would like to call out on the DEC modem from another terminal "OPA0:" directly. Does anyone know of any software available or is the capability already there in VMS? Any help would be appreciated. My modem is at 803-250-8045 1200bps N-8-1 user: DEC password: JABERWOCKY CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 356 1 replies Left by: Mike Schmidt On 10-Jan-89 At : HERE Subject: MicroVAX 3300 Thank you Colorado Springs, Jeff B. and Robert Schaffrath for your inputs on configurting a 3300 as a cluster boot node. The trick is in connecting a console to the RF30 disk DSSI node. By doing so the parameter ALLCLASS can be set to some value other than zero. Yes, ALLCLASS is correct; not ALLOCLASS. Although ALLOCCLASS should also be set to the same value in MODPARAMS.DAT To change ALLCLASS to a nonzero number issue the SET HOST/DSSI command at the console prompt (i.e. >>>). At this point you will see a PARAM> prompt where you can change values for the node. Example PARAM> set allclass 1. Also, the online help was rather useful once you know how the connect to the DSSI node. The DSSI node can also be named and this node text can be used when refering to the drive, or the allclass value can be used. Example; $ SHO DEV $1$DIA0: OR $ SHO DEV node$DIA0: where 'node' is the disk DSSI node name. F.Y.I. we configured all satellites with a zero sysgen ALLOCLASS (not ALLCLASS) and their local disk are refered to as you would expect (node$DUA0:). Thanks to all for your input, the cluster is now very alive and well. Mike MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 462 0 replies Reply to # 461 Left by: Philip Gravel On 11-Jan-89 At : HERE Subject: DECUS TAPES DECUS is the Digital Equipment Computer Users Society. Members can submit programs to the library DECUS maintains. These programs are available to other members on magtape, TK50s, or floppies for a nominal fee. Programs run the gamut from games to utilities to system management and cover the VAX, PDP-8/11, DEC-10/20, and personal computer systems. You can get the tapes by joining DECUS (its free) and then ordering them. For membership information call (508)480-3418,3446,3659. Phil DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 455 0 replies Reply to # 454 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 11-Jan-89 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: DIALING OUT OF A VAX In order to dial out from the VAX, you will need to use the SET HOST/DTE command. Make sure that port, I guess TTA2: is not set to AUTOBAUD and that the speed of the modem matches the speed of the port. Then all you have to do is type SET HOST/DTE TTA2:. That should let you talk to the modem. Any questions, feel free to call. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 357 0 replies Reply to # 356 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 11-Jan-89 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: SET HOST/DSSI Great news Mike! It is interesting to see how well the SET HOST/DSSI command is documented and how this feature of being able to communicate with your disk drives and change their parameters is so clearly outlined in the technical literature! Looks like DEC jumped the gun on the announcement of DSSI. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 463 0 replies Reply to # 440 Left by: Dr. Gonzo Some news you can use: The VAX 6300 series will be priced 5% higher than the the same configuration in the 6200 series. Therefor, a 6310 will cost 5% more than a 6210 and a 6320 will cost 5% more than a 6220, etc. User's who have a 6200 series system will have the option of paying the 5% to have their system upgraded. The VAX 6200 series is being DISCONTINUED!!! Formal announcement will be on or about January 24, 1989. Also, expect to see the HSC-40. This will be a low-end storage controller for entry level VAXclusters. It is supposed to provide a cost effective means of starting up a VAXcluster. It's longevity could be in question, however, due to the fact that Digital is releasing a fiber optic replacement for the CI later this year which should have a speed somewhere in the range of 120-200 MB/sec (more than adequate for the 100 MB/sec XMI bus). Finally, the TA90 tape drive has been up and running in beta sites. No details except the price is around $50,000. VMS SIG Message # 821 0 replies Left by: J. BOYD NOLAN On 11-Jan-89 At : (405)677-0526 Subject: ERRONEOUS PAGE COUNTS WHEN PRINTING INDIVIDUAL PAGES, OR RANGES OF PAGES FROM A WORD PROCESSOR, (WE USE WORD PERFECT) THE ACCOUNTING UTILITY REPORTS THE TOTAL PAGES UP TO THAT POINT AS BEING PRINTED. FOR INSTANCE, IF PAGE 25 IS PRINTED FROM A 50 PAGE DOCUMENT, ACCOUNTING REPORTS 25 PAGES PRINTED, NOT ONE. DOES ANYONE KNOW OF A WAY TO GET THE TRUE PAGES RELEASED FROM THE QUEUE AS OPPOSED TO THE PAGES SENT? WE ARE USING A MICROVAX II WITH AN LN03+ LASER PRINTER. MIGRATION ISSUES SIG Message # 41 0 replies Left by: JIM VITALE On 11-Jan-89 At : (714) 720-0130 Subject: VMS TO ULTRIX MIGRATION I AM INTERESTED TO FIND OUT WHAT WOULD BE INVOLVED IN MIGRATING FORTRAN/RDB/ FMS/DATATRIEVE APPLICATIONS IN VMS OVER TO ULTRIX (THIS COULD BECOME A HOT TOPIC WITH THE ADVENT OF THE PMAX). IN ANY CASE, I REALIZE IT MAY BE ASKING TO MUCH TO MIGRATE ALL OF THE ABOVE NAMED SOFTWARE BASED APPLICATIONS EXCEPT FORTRAN CODE. DOES ULTRIX HAVE ANY HOOKS OR BUILT-IN COMPATIBILITIES FOR VMS? I HAVE DONE NO RESEARCH SO FAR ON THIS TOPIC SO ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE APPRECIATED. RSX SIG Message # 253 1 replies Left by: PHIL BEDARD On 11-Jan-89 At : 602-344-3586 Subject: EXPERT SYSTEMS HELP NEEDED NEED SYSTEMS HELP! SYSTEM FAULT DETECTED AT PC 045576 FACILITY 000300 SOMETIMES 000311 ERROR CODE 000100 SOMETIMES 000207 CRASH... CONfCRASH.... &| ~NFCONFIG: PDP11/24 1MB 1-RA80- RSX SIG Message # 254 0 replies Reply to # 253 Left by: PHIL BEDARD On 11-Jan-89 At : THIS BOARD Subject: MORE TO THE ABOVE SORRY ABOUT THE CONFUSION FOLKS I CANT TELL IF ITS ME OR THE EDITOR -- THERE IS MORE -- CONFIGURATION: PDP11/24 1MB 1-RA80 4 TERMS RSX V3.0 I WILL SINCERELY APPRECIATE ANY INFO YOU CAN GIVE ME ON THIS ERROR. THANK YOU. VMS SIG Message # 822 0 replies Left by: PETER JOHANSSON On 12-Jan-89 At : PETER@UMBC2.UMBC.EDU Subject: DCL COMPILERS Hmm, I could have sowrn (sp?) I chose the TPU editor (in fact, my scroll back buffer proves I selected option t) but this sure ain't it. Oh well... It was mentioned a few posts ago that it was not possible to execute commands such as SHOW TERMINAL from an EXE file. Not true! The lib$spawn command works perfectly commands like this. The usuall complaint among people that use this approach is that it takes too much cpu time to create the sub-process. However, there is an option to the spawn command to cause it not to copy all of the symbol and logical tables to the subprocess, thereby considerably reducing the time it takes to create the subprocess. I would include a short Fortran program to demonstrate this, but alas I can not sign on to my VAX at the moment. If you would like the program send me email (does this system support email? I don't know, this is my first call) and I'll remember to post or upload it. Disclaimer: Since I can't PF4 SPELL_CHECK_DOCUMENT, I hereby absolve myself of all spelling errors. APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 301 0 replies Reply to # 299 Left by: JAY BELLER On 12-Jan-89 At : 718 767-2304 Subject: PRINT/NOFEED Brian, The PRINT/NOFEED command will NOT solve my problem with suppressing trailing Form Feeds - thanks anyway. The print symbiont normally sends a when your print job exceeds the bottom margin, as well as a at the end of the printed file (if there was any outstanding text sent to the printer since the previous ). The /NOFEED qualifier suppresses the sent when exceeding bottom margin. The sent at JOB_COMPLETION is not affected by /NOFEED. I would like to pass on a critical use for the /NOFEED qualifier when printing on the laser. If you create documents with embedded control sequences for the laser, you may find that your output is split onto two pages. I first saw this happen when trying to print laser labels. Assuming that your bottom margin is 63 lines, your document may have 50 lines of text and 25 lines with just control sequences. When you PRINT the file, a would be inserted after the 63rd line, regardless of the fact that the Laserjet has not reached its 63rd line. If you use PRINT/NOFEED, the entire 75 lines would be sent without any characters. Using /NOFEED with a multiple page document will require you to put your own characters into your document. SITE MANAGEMENT SIG Message # 257 0 replies Reply to # 252 Left by: BOB ZISEK On 12-Jan-89 At : (203)798-5240 Subject: RE: BACKUP/VERIFY Phil; I have used BACKUP/VERIFY, as Marty Chamberlain stated, to test the reliability of new (and cheaper) tapes that we were evaluating for our backup media. It did point out some errors on the tape, and because of this, we bagged using these tapes. Had we gone ahead and ordered them, who knows what backup disaster could have been waiting to bite us! So, I do think it is a judgement call on your part. Again, the time is also a valid consideration. Bob Zisek System Manager Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc. 90 East Ridge P.O. 368 Ridgefield, Ct. 06877 SITE MANAGEMENT SIG Message # 258 0 replies Reply to # 35 Left by: CHRIS COOK On 12-Jan-89 At : 01144865842300 Subject: REQUEST FOR POSTING please post the scripts to this board. thanx MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 464 1 replies Left by: DON ROBERTS On 12-Jan-89 At : HERE Subject: ARIS Can anyone tell me if there is a way to suppress all (any) the pages of text that ARIS kindly displays on your screen (BROFF only seems to affect the main menu)? At 1200 baud we're talking a long time. I have better things to do than find out for the 75th time that aris is available from so cal or how the message center works. BTW, I have given up on the tpu editor for this board cause it don't work right! Give me PAGESWAPPER! MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 465 0 replies Reply to # 464 Left by: don roberts On 12-Jan-89 At : HERE Subject: ARIS, REPRISE Re: previous message, I meant BRON, naturally. How come ARIS has to change my left by name to uppercase? How come when I enter the sig from the options menu it feels the need to re-display the options menu? I WANT A TRUE BRIEF MODE! please? VMS SIG Message # 823 1 replies Left by: MARTY CHAMBERLAIN On 12-Jan-89 At : HERE (ARIS) Subject: SYSTEM DUMP FILE Hi, yall! Does anyone out there know of a way to place the system dump file on a disk other than the system disk on a VMS v4.7 system? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Marty MIGRATION ISSUES SIG Message # 42 0 replies Left by: JOHN HELPINGSTINE On 12-Jan-89 At : (916)739-5621 Subject: INFO DB+ FROM HENCO We are currently in the process of implementing INFO DB+ database system on our VAX 8350. We would like to hear from anyone who has comments or knowledge of this product. John Helpingstine Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training State of California VMS SIG Message # 824 0 replies Reply to # 823 Left by: PAUL CROARKIN On 12-Jan-89 At : ARIS Subject: SYSTEM DUMP FILE The Dump file can be moved off the system disk with the System Dump Analyzer: $ analyze/crash_dump sys$system:pagefile.sys set output diskname:[directory]sysdump.lis show crash show summary show process/pcb/phd/registers copy diskname:[directory]sysdump.dmp More info available in the System Dump Analyzer (SDA) manual. SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 203 0 replies Left by: STEVE SIMEK On 12-Jan-89 At : 619-587-9399 Subject: DE-FRAGMENTATION EVALUATION For those interested in disk de-fragmentation, which we all should be, let me describe my experience with evaluating defragmenters. After reading all the hoopla, I was positive that Diskeeper was the best option. Man, have they got slick marketing!! I installed the product, and it ran fine on my RA-81 clones. After testing it, I ran it against a live volume set and lost 300 files within 30 seconds! Diskeeper admitted changing one small thing before it went out the door and sent me the change. Then they called me after the fed-ex came and said forget the change tape, I know now what it is and we can patch the image. Of course, I immediately smelled a rat in the QC arena and doubted they really knew it was fixed. They admnitted that they weren't sure, didn't get it reproduced, although 3 sites had complained, and would I let them know if it was still bad! I even offered them a volume set to play with at my office, only 1 hour from them, and they refused. They didn't even return my call for 3 weeks, stating that they were making a lot of sales presentations and didn't have time. Lousy support, from my experience. Then I read a review (unfortunately in DEC pro) which ended with the same last paragraph that the diskeeper sales person said, word for word. Hmm... I tried Rabbit-7, but found it cumbersome and full of details I personally don't care about (Ie, number of page faults per 2% processing of the disk.) For me, squeezepak was the only company that has given me consistent help and quality through releases. I can't guarantee that squeezepak is as fast, and really don't care. My machine (and I suspect most of us in the real world) are relatively open at night. I don't care if a run takes 35 or 45 minutes. I just care that the data is there in the morning. Speed means nothing next to security, and a disk de-fragmenter is the most dangerous software you can buy if the QC and support are lacking. My choice, Squeezepak. Message # 259 0 replies Reply to # 257 Left by: Phil Anthony On 12-Jan-89 At : Here Subject: BACKUP/VERIFY Bob, I agree it's a judgement call. The tapes we were using were whatever the (IBM-oriented) tape library chose to lay on us, and we suspected they were purchased at a war surplus store - Franco-Prussian War, at that. But I've also seen an occasional new, brand-name (Memorex, 3M, BASF) tape go south after only half a dozen uses. Like Steve Simek (System Performance SIG, Message No. 203), I feel that data integrity is the overriding crite- rion, even if it means taking extra time to achieve it. (As DEC says, if your applications are taking all day and night, buy a bigger VAX. Or two.) Then again, I've been accused of being a trifle conservative in this regard - "three degrees to the right of Atilla the Hun" was the way it was put, if memory serves. Message # 466 0 replies Reply to # 464 Left by: Phil Anthony On 12-Jan-89 At : Here Subject: ARIS MESSAGES Good questions, Don! And the answer is - no, there isn't any way to sup- press the ARIS messages. At 2400 Baud, it usually takes me between a minute and a half to two minutes of connect time to get to the messages. Pity the poor guy trying to run at 300 Baud! ARIS programmers, do you copy? Incidentally, instead of choosing a SIG, I usually choose Option 4. Some of the messages don't interest me very much, but it's faster to dump them all to disk and read them later than going back to the options menu and setting up to dump a new SIG. It's also much easier to automate, since I normally call in from a (non-DEC) PC using the Mirror communications program. I'd guess the all-caps name, location, and subject fields are meant to fa- cilitate searches. As you found out, they can be edited; but subject searches don't do too well if you lower-case the subject field. APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 302 0 replies Reply to # 301 Left by: BRIAN DESANTIS On 13-Jan-89 At : (201)670-0286 Subject: Jay, what about the /TRAILER quelifier in the PRINT command? Such as PRINT/NOTRAILER or PRINT/TRAILER=0 - also, check to see if its set in the INITialization of the que - INIT/QUE/DEFA=(FEED,TRAILER) - or something like that (One of these days I will log in from work, during the daylight hours...) Let me know if you do figure something out.. APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 303 0 replies Reply to # 301 Left by: BRIAN DESANTIS On 13-Jan-89 At : (201)670-0286 Subject: Jay, one more thing - do you use system device control libraries in defining printer forms (SYSDEVCTL) to be specific, or whatever you would name it.. I know that my how will print one page before printing the file, and it will be blank - i am not sure if the codes i use to setup to hp are on that 'page' or not, I assume so though. Does the printer que have a /RESET qualifier on it, determining what to do after printing the file? If so, it may be sending codes on that last page to reset the hp, such as mine does beforehand. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 467 2 replies Reply to # 464 Left by: BRIAN DESANTIS On 13-Jan-89 At : (201)670-0286 Subject: ARIS To: Phil Anthony, Don Roberts Phil - at 2400, it takes over 2 minutes to get to the messages?????? Next time, try this- after getting connected, hit return a few times until you see some 'action' - when prompted to hit return after viewing the first welcome screen, hit control/z, and you will be prompted ot hit return again - do so - the next screen will be the screen that asks for last name a subscription number. you then use your BRON command, ME, and before you know it, you are in the msg base. I have been hitting the control z after that first screen for so long, I am not sure what is after it anymore! Don - pls read above, and also, if there is text that is scrolling that you dont want to see for the umpteenth time, try using control o, which in vaxland will toggle OUTPUT OFF and OUTPUT ON - this is very usefuil when downloading text files using the ASCII dump, when you either decide that you dont want the file, yet it is so long it will take a minute or ten to scroll uncontrollably. Control o will stop the display, and very quickly after, bring you to the next prompt. SITE MANAGEMENT SIG Message # 260 0 replies Reply to # 258 Left by: BRIAN DESANTIS On 13-Jan-89 At : (201)670-0286 Subject: CHRIS COOK Chris, when you say '...post the scripts...' to this room, what exactly is it you are referring to? I have never quite heard that phrase, at least not around ARIStalk-land MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 468 1 replies Reply to # 467 Left by: don roberts On 13-Jan-89 At : HERE Subject: BREVITY First of all, have you tried ctrl/o on this system? The only screen I have been able to get it to work on is the very first. It doesn't seem to work on any other. I appreciate the control/z suggestion. As far as bron, since the only thing it seems to affect is the main menu, it really does very little cause I normally only see that menu once more after issueing bron (type me, read messages, exit, log off). Phil, as far as sigs, I also normally only use 4, but when I want to go back and reply to a specific message, this system will not let you do that without going into a sig. Lousy design. I don't generally reply to a message until I have read all relevant replies in order to avoid leaving a redundant answer. The other complaint I have about ARIS is the frequency that it gets screwed up. I have often followed a conversation only to get stuck on one message that gets printed over and over, that shows replies but I can't get to them following the message stream. Speaking of replies, that is another gripe. In VAXNotes, you have a base message and a set of replies associated with it. In ARIS, you can reply to the replies, and sometimes following the conversation from the base message will show you those and sometimes it won't. It is also much harder in ARIS to get a directory of subjects.\ Despite my complaints about ARIS, I still use it cause the people here are more responsive to applications questions than pageswapper, where the majority of the population seems to be VAX system managers. I do think ARIS would be much improved if a switch to VAXNotes was made. I also wish they would eliminate those blasted pages of text! MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 469 1 replies Reply to # 468 Left by: DON ROBERTS On 13-Jan-89 At : HERE Subject: OH YEAH, I FORGOT I forgot my biggest complaint. In VAXNotes, it AUTOMATICALLY knows what you have already read and what you have not. So rather than the case here of remembering that last day you were on, going back to that day and reading forward, unfortunately having to read that last day, cause you want to see any messages on that day AFTER you were on, in VAXNotes you automatically see the oldest unseen notes and will take you to each of the following unseen notes. A proper exit will then update your pointers so next time you start on new notes. I find that a tremendous advantage. Especially at 1200 baud. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 470 0 replies Reply to # 467 Left by: Phil Anthony On 13-Jan-89 At : Here Subject: "BRIEF" ARIS Brian, thanks for the tip about CTRL/Z - I didn't know that one. But CTRL/O doesn't suppress the two screens' worth of messages before you get into the Message Center. And the (up to) two minutes includes the time between first connecting and getting the introductory message on the screen - during work- ing hours, it takes even longer, as much as a minute just to get past the initial handshaking. 'Course, there's not much can be done about that, ex- cept for (a) dedicating a VAX to ARIS or (b) getting a bigger box. VMS SIG Message # 825 0 replies Reply to # 747 Left by: JIM HOBBS On 13-Jan-89 At : (303) 277 2855 Subject: SET HOSTE/DTE HAYES i beleive version 5 still has the df03 and df112 as part of the OPTIONAL save set; and are placed in sys$examples. (they are there on the MicroVAX 2000 i have) as for the dte_hayes, yes there is such a macro. i could not find it on the distribution of v5 but DSIN does have it. (Digital Software Information Network) if you have telephone support from Colo. Springs then you should have access to this (and many more articles and files) i used dec's tymnet access to DSIN and downloaded it. although it states that it was only tested on v5 systems, i have compiled it and now use it on the v4.7 systems as well. since this is really 'decs' software really dont think i can upload it here. Jim Hobbs MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 471 0 replies Reply to # 469 Left by: Mr. Manners On 13-Jan-89 At : Subject: ARIS Can I ask how much you pay for this "service"? I don't pay anything for it. The magazine (DEC Pro) is also free. I know this is not perfect, but you get what you pay for. (No I don't work for Prof Press.) Throughout all those messages about ARIS's shortcommings something about looking a gift horse in the mouth keeps comming to mind... GRAPHICS SIG Message # 81 0 replies Reply to # 80 Left by: RICHARD B. GILBERT On 15-Jan-89 At : (609) 452-5130 Subject: PLOTTING PACKAGES Harley, Hewlett-Packard supplies an Industry Standard Plotting Package written in Fortran. It supports Hewlett-Packard devices which speak HPGL (Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language), such as their flatbed pen plotters. Versatec uses software of the same family to support their electrostatic printer/plotters. Calcomp developed it in the first place to support their plotters. Whose devices are you trying to support? If your devices do not fall into any of the categories above, you could still use the user interface and develop your own "driver" to support your device. The H-P package was quite reasonably priced when I purchased it a couple of years ago. MIGRATION ISSUES SIG Message # 43 0 replies Reply to # 41 Left by: RICHARD B. GILBERT On 15-Jan-89 At : (609) 452-5130 Subject: VMS TO ULTRIX MIGRATION Jim, You are looking at a real can of worms. Your Fortran code _may_ be portable with the greatest of ease but only if it doesn't call any system services or call RMS directly. "Pure" Fortran should require little more than recompilation. FMS and Datatrieve are layered products that have no direct replacement on ULTRIX (that I know of anyway). ULTRIX/UNIX have some odd ideas (from a VMS user's viewpoint) about file structures, records, file and record locking, etc. There is no such thing as an indexed file, unless you "roll your own". There is no such thing as a record; there are only streams of bytes. If you wish to consider that that byte stream is really a sequence of 80 byte records, you are at liberty to read 80 bytes at a time but the operating system will not just hand you records or even tell you that the file consists of fixed length 80 byte records. You can not just "allocate" a device by setting a bit in a control block somewhere. There is an equivalent, but it involves checking for the existance of a disk file, creating it if it does not exist, and deleting it when you are done. What if your program crashes and doesn't delete the file? Don't ask! (Somebody has to know which file, and go in and delete it by hand.) ULTRIX/UNIX have some powerful tools available, particularly for text processing and code development. Unfortunateley, these tools are buried behind cryptic command languages, hidden in poor documentation, and generally have a _very_ steep learning curve. A conversion is likely to cost you dearly! VMS SIG Message # 826 0 replies Reply to # 824 Left by: RICHARD B. GILBERT On 15-Jan-89 At : (609) 452-5130 Subject: MOVING SYSTEM DUMP FILE Paul, I think the question was, is there a way to have the system use another disk for the dump file. The procedure you gave will copy the contents of the crash dump to another file but will not cause the system to write its crash dump to another disk in the first place. LASER PRINTERS SIG Message # 43 0 replies Left by: BRIAN DESANTIS On 15-Jan-89 At : (201)670-0286 Subject: HP LASERJET Does anyone out there in vaxland, have a hp laserjet AND the postscript adapter/card, etc, for it? I know it goes for about $2000, but I would like some samples of output to show the higher ups just what it can do. I mainly use it from my MAC SE and not being able to use PS really can hurt, especially in the font area - I am limited to courier and line printer, as hp defaults, and times 10pt, helvetica bold 14pt, times bold 10, times italic, times 8 (also known as the B font cartridge). If anyone has some samples of graphics, fonts, any output at all, pls send me something!! Much appreciated, and hopefully I will join the PS'ers!! Brian DeSantis System Manager Bergen County Computer Consortium 30 Garber Square Ridgewood, NJ 07450 (201)670-0286 MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 472 0 replies Reply to # 471 Left by: BRIAN DESANTIS On 15-Jan-89 At : Subject: MR. MANNERS I really would not call it looking a gift horse in the mouth. Instead, think of it as a group of people trying to make this board the best it can possibly be - the subscription to DEC Pro is free and I am sure it is not cheap to produce - the least a reader, and a user of ARIStalk can do in return (other than subscribe to VAX Pro) is to try and point out what may be wrong, or may not look 'right', or simply if there is an easier way to do things.. Think about it.... MIGRATION ISSUES SIG Message # 44 1 replies Reply to # 43 Left by: Phil Anthony On 15-Jan-89 At : Here Subject: VMS/ULTRIX CONVERSION Jim, I agree almost completely with Richard Gilbert's *facts* - but he and I have a difference in philosophy that make his presentation more negative than I would be. He's exactly right, for example, about ULTRIX - all Unices, for that matter - treating all files as byte streams. The disadvantage is that you can't just ask for "a record" and expect ULTRIX to know what you're talking about. On the plus side, though, when (not if) a file gets clobbered, it's much easier to repair. Ever try to figure out an RMS variable-length sequential nontext file when the RMS information got hit? So file structure isn't part of the ULTRIX operating system, nor are such layered products as FMS and Datatrieve. There are third-party libraries you can buy for most flavors of UNIX, however, that provide the same functional- ity. There are also third-party libraries to give indexed-file capabilities to your FORTRAN programs. There'd be a reasonable amount of conversion effort, I suspect, since I've never heard of an ULTRIX product that emulates RMS, FMS, or Datatrieve; but depending on the product you choose, you might actually see a performance increase in your applications after the conver- sion. DEC software isn't always the most efficient, nor the safest to use from the standpoint of file corruption, in the world. Competition in the UNIX environment has produced some really good coding. As to RDB, I have literature about it somewhere around here, but I can't put my finger on it immediately. I know it's available on PCs running MS-DOS, and there may well be a UNIX/ULTRIX distribution. My best advice would be to call and find out - and when I locate the RDB information I'll update this message. With regard to the steep learning curve for programmers, I personally took to it like the proverbial duck. But I'm just one person, and different peo- ple with different backgrounds will react differently. The documentation *has* gotten better over the past few years, too - it's no longer the mildly updated text of the original Bell Labs internal-distribution-only manual set. Good luck! VMS SIG Message # 827 0 replies Reply to # 823 Left by: MIKE SCHMIDT On 16-Jan-89 At : HERE Subject: REGARDING DUMPFILES... Speaking of dumpfiles, has anyone out there ever truly benefited from them? I set DUMPFILE=0 and save myself a bunch of diskspace with a 32 Mbyte system. By the way, incase anyone is considering doing the same; be sure to rename your system dumpfile and reboot before deleting it! CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 358 0 replies Reply to # 354 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 16-Jan-89 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: ALF on a DECserver (the sequel) Good news everyone who ever wanted to use ALF with a DECserver!! ALF does support DECservers. If you replace the terminal name in SYSALF.DAT with the DECserver node and port name, in the format returned by DVI$_TT_ACCPORNAM, you can do autologins on a DECserver port. The only problem currently is that ALFMAINT.COM does not support this and it is only available on V5.0+. However, I have modified the procedure and if anyone wants a copy, drop me a line. I have KERMIT. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 473 0 replies Reply to # 471 Left by: don roberts On 16-Jan-89 At : HERE Subject: ARIS First of all, Although there is no subscription fee for DECpro, it is hardly free. As has been pointed out, it is undoubtedly expensive to produce. This makes the magazine subject to advertisements. So the price we pay is a magazine that has more ads than articles, and that must tread lightly when criticizing their advertisers. This built in bias is the price we pay, although I am sure the editors would vehemently deny any bias, it nevertheless cannot be avoided. Free is a subjective term. Also, not all of us are just DECPro subscribers, some of us are VAXPro subscribers and there is a subscription fee for that one. Though it is a much better magazine since it does not contain the problems stated above for DECPro. I have been comparing this service with PAGESWAPPER, which is free, only requiring membership in DECUS and contains no adds. What I am saying is that user-driven media are much superior to vendor driven, and criticisms that cannot appear in the latter can be found in the former. Am I then looking a gift horse in the mouth? Perhaps. Is there anything wrong with that? Don't assume that old truisms are necessarily factual. VMS SIG Message # 828 1 replies Reply to # 826 Left by: MARTY CHAMBERLAIN On 16-Jan-89 At : HERE (ARIS) Subject: DUMP FILE CLARIFICATION Yes, Richard Gilbert is correct. Perhaps I should have been more explicit in my original message. I know the procedure for getting the CONTENTS of an existing system dump file onto another disk. What I really need to know is if there is any way to utilize a disk other than the system disk for the ORIGINAL dump file. In my particular situation, the dump file for the system takes up 200708 blocks of disk space (200704 pages of memory + 4 pages for error log continuity). I have plenty of space to spare on any of a number of my other disks, so I'd like to reclaim this space which is only used in the event of a system failure. I do feel compelled to have a system dump file, so I don't want to just disable crash dumps. SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 204 1 replies Left by: DAVE DEBALD On 16-Jan-89 At : HERE Subject: NON-PAGED DYNAMIC MEMORY Having big problems with non-paged dynamic memory growing until our 780 finally goes to it's knees. DEC suggested that we up the max, but that simply gives us more time betwixt crashes. We'd like a way to look at the non-paged memory pool and see who is there, and how big they are. ANALYZE /SYSTEM won't give us the info we need, since we have to identify the specific culprit. Bringing the system up piece-wise and watching the pool is not a feasible option. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. MIGRATION ISSUES SIG Message # 45 0 replies Reply to # 44 Left by: Phil Anthony On 16-Jan-89 At : Here Subject: VMS/ULTRIX AND RDB I spoke with my RDB contact today, Jim, and RDB isn't currently available for ULTRIX. A port to XENIX is on its way out the door, though, and it's expected that the next step will be to ULTRIX. That port hasn't yet been scheduled, to the best of my informant's knowledge; check with your salesman and see if he/she can dig up any more. SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 205 0 replies Reply to # 204 Left by: DON ROBERTS On 16-Jan-89 At : HERE Subject: NON-PAGED POOL Can't help you with determining the cause (I couldn't figure it out either). However, I think DEC's suggestion to increase is sound. It was our experience that there appears to be a "critical mass" sort of limit over which you would not go. As long as you have a limit below that, you will eventually run out of non-paged pool. If you set a limit above that, you never do. This number appears to be different for different systems, but on our 8350, it was quite a bit larger than the default given by AUTOGEN. If you ever do come up with a way to measure that, do post it here, I think quite a few of us would want to know how to do that. VMS SIG Message # 829 0 replies Reply to # 828 Left by: RICHARD B. GILBERT On 16-Jan-89 At : (609) 452-5130 Subject: MOVING SYSTEM DUMP FILE Marty, I've been thinking about your question and I'm afraid I have bad news for you. I don't think it can be done under version 4 and maybe not under version 5 either. The reason is that VMS uses the boot disk driver (a stripped down disk driver) to write the crash dump; I don't think it even suspects the existance of another disk than the one it loaded VMB.EXE from. There is at least one other problem that would make it difficult for DEC to do. What happens when the system crashes and the dump volume isn't mounted? If another volume is mounted on that device, does the system just write all over the volume that happens to be there? (Remember, the system is crashing, it has had some unknown portions of its "brains" blown out.) Do you want to trust whatever may be left to verify that the proper volume is mounted and that the dumpfile still exists? Instead, think about what else you might move off the system disk. You can have secondary paging and swap files on another disk; if you haven't already done so, try using smaller primary files and put secondary files on another disk. Moving some of the paging and swapping load to another disk might improve system performance as well as freeing up some space. SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 206 0 replies Reply to # 205 Left by: Phil Anthony On 16-Jan-89 At : Here Subject: NONPAGED POOL Just to get my two cents' worth in, it's completely possible that if you could find a way of determining the culprit, you might find the nonpaged pool increase resulting from VMS itself in response to a user process, rather than being caused by the user process itself. Maybe Richard Gilbert has some insight into this? DATA/FILE TRANSFER SIG Message # 456 0 replies Reply to # 453 Left by: NICK D'APICE On 17-Jan-89 At : (301)-682-0298 Subject: PROMISCUOUS DEQNA Richard and Jeff: I certainly appreciate both of your replies. I have been out of town for two weeks and have not been able to persue this issue. I am back and working again, so look out promiscuous ethernet!!. Also, Jeff, I would like to take you up on your offer of calling you and discussing and/or viewing your C code that utilized some protocols on ethernet. So, if you don't mind, I'll be talking to you later in the week. Once again, thanks for the replies. Its nice to known others are listening (or at least reading desperation notices such as this!!!). Nick MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 474 1 replies Reply to # 468 Left by: JEFF GOWDY On 17-Jan-89 At : (714) 397-4700 EXT. 2289 Subject: PAGESWAPPER I am a system manager and this is the first I have heard of Pageswapper. Because I am a fairly new user of Aris could help explain that. Please inform me of Pageswapper. I would like the number to this board if you happen to have it. Anybody else have it?? I would appreciate it. Thanks. Jeff Gowdy Pomona Unified School District MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 475 0 replies Reply to # 474 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 17-Jan-89 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: PAGESWAPPER Before you can use PAGESWAPPER, you have to be a member of DECUS. Then, call 617-262-6830 (1200 baud) and login as username PAGESWAPPER, password PAGESWAPPER and answer the questions (be sure you have your DECUS membership number handy). You should receive a letter several days later from Larry Kilgallen the SYSOP. SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 207 0 replies Left by: CRAIG PLUNKETT On 17-Jan-89 At : (212)841-5618 Subject: VPA, DCL Has anybody out there figured out a way (using DCL or some other way) to get VPA to generate reports for more than one day at a time? For instance, a DCL procedure that will step through a set of days and issue the proper command string to VPA varying the date requested for each iteration of the procedure? If this is too vague, how about a .COM procedure that does some form of date arithmetic? I can also be reached via BITNET: PLUNKETT@FORDMULC Thanks in advance to all who reply. [BRETT: What in the name of all that is holy is VPA??!? - Phil.] CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 359 0 replies Left by: WAYNE STEFFEN On 17-Jan-89 At : Subject: ETHERNET BRIDGES I'm looking for bridges to unite two EtherNet LANS using V.35 on a T1 line. DEC sells something from Vita-Link, are there any other vendors? And most importantly does anyone have things to say about one or the other? Thanks. MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 476 0 replies Reply to # 475 Left by: JEFF GOWDY On 18-Jan-89 At : 714 397-4700 EXT. 2289 Subject: PAGESWAPPER Thank you for that info on Pageswapper. I made the call and will await the information's arrival in the mail. Although a member of Decus, I have had little time to really be involved. A situation I hope to change some time in the near future. Thanks again. Jeff Gowdy Pomona Unified School District CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 360 1 replies Left by: BRUCE FRANCIS On 18-Jan-89 At : ADVANCED NAVIGATION Subject: LOCAL AREA TERMINAL #'S (LTAXXX) I've got a problem with a terminal server that someone has probably solved before. We just added a uVAX-3500 to our uVAX-II, sewing them together with DECNET. We opted for the Emulex 4000 terminal server, which seems to work VERY well (at least given that we are server-novices). Generally speaking, the setup is working FINE, save for one problem. One of our applications uses a file of terminal id's to allow access to the application. Pre-server, this was very easy: we would fill the file with TXA2:'s and TXE6:'s, etc. Now, we are becoming accustomed to a terminal id which increments with each new session login. From what we can tell from the VMS full doc kit, the upper bound on the session id for a terminal (LTAxxxxx:) is 65535. This is outrageous for file entries; further it will defeat the purpose of disallowing some user access. Is it possible to map a server name and port number, logically, to a computer port name THAT IS FIXED??? It would seem that if we did this on each machine (assigning LTA1: thru LTA128: to SPECIFIC server and ports) that there would be no drawbacks or downside. I have played with NCP for several hours, trying all possible combination (!) to no apparent avail. Can anyone help with specific NCP command sequences and server command settings?? (Also, what is the purpose in the session id, vice fixed terminal ids such as we are trying for?? ... why was LAT implemented this way??) ............. THANKS in advance ..... Bruce Francis Advanced Navigation, Inc. Frederick MD 21701 301-695-4040 APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 305 0 replies Left by: JAY BELLER On 18-Jan-89 At : 718 767-2304 Subject: Calling HELP from FORTRAN Anyone trying to call HELP from their application, using the LBR$OUTPUT_HELP subroutine may encounter a little problem which happened to us. Hopefully this will save you hours of head-scratching. The arguments for input-routine and output-routine are looking for references (address) to these routines. We used the arguments 'LIB$GET_INPUT' and 'LIB$PUT_OUTPUT' for these routines. When run, we would receive a system error message about a 'DIGITAL reserved opcode' encountered. We were not sure which of our LBR$OUTPUT_HELP arguments was causing the problem until we went into DEBUG and examined the address that we bombed out with. It was the reference to LIB$PUT_OUTPUT. The problem related to the manner in which we declared the variable LIB$PUT_OUTPUT in our FORTRAN program. Since we were referencing that routine elsewhere in the program (i.e, status = lib$put_output('hello')), it was declared as an INTEGER*4. Therefore, the argument passed to LBR$OUTPUT_HELP was the address of our INTEGER*4 variable, and not the subroutine. The problem was corrected when we changed the reference to LIB$PUT_OUTPUT and LIB$GET_INPUT to "EXTERNAL" instead of INTEGER*4. Calling of these procedures elsewhere in the program required a syntax of "CALL LIB$...". CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 361 1 replies Reply to # 360 Left by: don roberts On 18-Jan-89 At : HERESubject:LAT First, we use the following commands to bind our printers to specific LAT port numbers: From LAT: (this is in our ltload.com for system startup) CREATE PORT LTAXX: /nolog!XX being a number, nolog for printers SET PORT LTAXX: /APPLICATION /NODE=SERVEX /PORT=PORT_Y !SERVEX is the logical name of the server !PORT_Y is the logical name (from NCP) of the port on the server From DCL:(this is in our remote_printer.com) SET TERMINAL LTAXX: /PERM/DEVICE=LA120/NOBROADCAST/NOWRAP - /SPEED=4800/NOFORM !Obviously, la120 may not be what you want. SET PROTECTION=(S:RWLP,O,G,W) /DEVICE LTAXX: !again, very specific to us SET DEVICE LTA1: /SPOOLED=(Printer_name, SYS$SYSDEVICE:) !obviously not what you need, but if you have the urge to !set up a printer, here it is. INITIALIZE/QUEUE/START/PROCESSOR=LATSYM/FORM=DEFAULT - /DEFAULT=(NOBURST,NOFLAG,NOTRAILER) /RECORD_BLOCKING - Printer_name /ON=LTAXX: /BLOCK_LIMIT=3000 !same as previous note I don't think this will really help you much cause even if you set a terminal this way, I don't think that LTA number will be used. I don't think you are going to be able to do what you want because of the way LAT works. As far as the way LTA's are assigned, I think this is mostly because of the multi-session nature of LAT (I haven't used spawn yet!) which is much easier than SPAWNing. Perhaps you should change your procedure to use UICs instead of port numbers. Anyway, here are some options to play with, may your system never crash! Don CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 362 0 replies Reply to # 361 Left by: DON ROBERTS On 18-Jan-89 At : HERE Subject: TABS I had tabs in my previous response, really I did. I don't have a clue where they went. I wonder if this system is trying to get back at me for all of my complaints. VMS SIG Message # 830 0 replies Reply to # 829 Left by: MARTY CHAMBERLAIN On 18-Jan-89 At : HERE (ARIS) Subject: RETURN OF THE SYSTEM DUMP FILE! Richard, I think you are right about why it would be difficult if not impossible to implement a dump file on a disk other than the boot disk. I don't have a pressing need to free up space on my system disk, I was just checking out the various ways of doing it. Secondary page/swap files are the first things that I thought of. We have so much memory on the system that using secondary page/swap files would not give us much in terms of performance gains. There is very little I/O on the page file and NO swapping at all. My first step if I really need space is to do secondary page/swap files. We have already spread our ALL-IN-1 system over three RA82's. The performance gains were significant. Since I've wandered into the subject of performance improvments, I also have a little tip for other ALL-IN-1 system managers: If you have the phone memo's option to ALL-IN-1, it would be a good idea to CONVERT the PMEMOS.DAT file in OA$DATA weekly as a part of your weekly janitor batch run. The internal structure of this file gets REALLY inefficient as it is being used. Using the convert utility to restructure the index and reclaim free space gives us a big boost. If you want details, just ask. CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 363 0 replies Reply to # 359 Left by: Daniel C. Lanzi On 18-Jan-89 At : (914) 934-6320 Subject: Ether Bridges We looked very extensivly at the Vita-link Translan 350 bridge, but ended up not purchasing it due to financial reasons. The box is very smart, and can do things like compress LAT packets, filter things based on data in packets, etc. It also has a remote console interface, Ethernet loop detection, ... the list goes on. This bridge is made and sold by Vitalink, and is also re-sold (and possible even serviced) by DEC. Before you run out to buy it from DEC, though, check out the price from Vitalink direct. Daniel C. Lanzi MCI International Rye Brook, NY GRAPHICS SIG Message # 82 0 replies Reply to # 81 Left by: HARLEY RHODEHAMEL On 19-Jan-89 At : 617 942 2666 Subject: PLOTTING PACKAGES THANKS FOR THE INFO RICHARD I'D CALLED HP MONTHS AGO, AND THEY SIMPLY HAD NO ISPP AT ALL. THIS TIME WHEN I CALLED, I WAS MORE INSISTENT THAT THEY KEEP LOOKING, AND LO AND BEHOLD, THEY FOUND IT. THANKS AGAIN MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 477 0 replies Left by: KEVIN BARKES On 19-Jan-89 At : HERE OR SYS$OUTPUT BBS (412) 854-0511 Subject: DEXPO INFO Info on DEXPO can be obtained from Expoconsul International at 609-987-9400 Regards, KGB APPLICATIONS SIG Message # 307 0 replies Left by: KEVIN HANEY On 20-Jan-89 At : HERE Subject: JOB OPPORTUNITY GVSC Inc., is looking for experienced software specialist interested in projects dealing with state-of-the-art technology. We have several immediate openings in the areas of DATABASE/4GL application development @consulting, and ADA systems support. We desire highly motivated candidates with a degree in Computer or Physical Sciences and/or 3 or more years of CURRENT job experience in one or more of the following areas: INGRES/VMS FOCUS DBASE3/PC ADA/UNIX For concideration, please send your resume to: PRESIDENT GVSC Inc. 2 Cool Valley Road Malvern, PA 19355 attn: ARIS CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 364 0 replies Reply to # 360 Left by: ROBERT G. SCHAFFRATH On 20-Jan-89 At : 914-335-9792 Subject: LAT TERMINALS What is the name of the software package you are running that is tied to the terminal? The software vendor may have a way to tie it to the username or some other unique attribute for a job. As an example, WordMARC is normally tied to the terminal name. However, since LTA's are always different, they allow you to define a logical name which points to an entry in the configuration file. Robert G. Schaffrath System Manager General Foods Corporation White Plains, NY 10625 MISCELLANEOUS SIG Message # 478 0 replies Reply to # 417 Left by: STEVE MULLENIX On 20-Jan-89 At : LIBERTY SYSTEMS INC. Subject: REGARDING VIRUSES In answer to your question on viruses... I saw a book at (I think)Waldenbooks in the computer dept on viruses, etc.... it did include some source code and a whole bunch of disclaimers on the use, care and feeding of the code... Hope it will help... One note.... the book was kind of pricey ($25-30) but may have the info you want... Smx CLUSTERING/NETWORKING SIG Message # 365 0 replies Reply to # 360 Left by: MARK KUEHN On 20-Jan-89 At : (612)646-4501 X 446 Subject: LAT PORT There is a way to translate an LTAx: to its physical server node name and to the physical port number of the server, which I think would accomplish what you want. Call me if you what the details (I'm far to lazy to type them in if you're not interested ! ;-} ) Mark SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SIG Message # 208 0 replies Reply to # 207 Left by: Phil Anthony On 20-Jan-89 At : Here Subject: DCL DATE ARITHMETIC Craig, I'm the wrong person to be answering - I don't know anything about VPA - but the DCL date lexical functions, using a combination of absolute and delta times on the input side and converting to absolute on output, might help you in a command file. I forget the exact syntax (no manuals handy). But the idea would be something like this: $ I = $LOOP: $ DATE_1 = $ DATE_2 = $ $ $ I = I - 1 $ IF I .GT. 0 THEN GOTO LOOP Hope this helps!