(LOGO.JPG) Python for OpenVMS

Documentation about Python for OpenVMS is available in a number of formats. This page describes various methods to access them.


The original source is written as a number of '.HTML' files which you can find in the [.VMS.DOC...] subdirectory tree of the Python for OpenVMS source kit. You have several options to access them:
  • If you run a web-server yourself, then you can include the files there. You only need to extract all '.HTML' and '.JPG' files from the [.VMS.DOC] subdirectory. As of 19-AUG-1998 I am aware of the following two freeware HTTP servers, which run on the OpenVMS operating system:

    Other freeware and commercial servers are available, too, but I don't have any information about them.

  • You can access the files directly from your web-browser like:
    $! define a foreign command
    $ NETSCAPE == "$disk:[directory]NETSCAPE.EXE"
    $ NETSCAPE -
      file://localhost/DKA100/PYTHON/PYTHON-1_5_2/VMS/DOC/DOCU.HTML

    The procedure PYTHON_TOOLS:FILE2URL.COM eases this task.


As of 27-APR-1998 I am aware of the following browsers, which are available for the OpenVMS operating system:
  • NETSCAPE for OpenVMS is available from Compaq Computer Corporation and can be used if you have a valid DECwindows/ Motif license. It is part of the 'Internet Product Suite for OpenVMS'. The URL is:

  • LYNX is a text-only browser that allows reading the '.HTML' files from an ASCII terminal. Please start from:

    Currently, the documentation does not contain any pictures (except for the logo), so you will not miss anything important.

  • MOSAIC is included with some versions of DECwindows /Motif. Different versions of MOSAIC are also available from other sources, but I do not have any information.

I have created a simple converter (written in Python) named HTML2RNO that is able to convert the '.HTML' files into RUNOFF format ('.RNO' files). RUNOFF, also known as DSR - Digital Standard Runoff, is a text-formatter that is supplied with the OpenVMS operating system.

It converts the '.RNO' files to a '.MEM' file for line-printer output or a '.LNI' file for printers understanding ANSI format. I have not tried to include much '.test page nn' hints into the '.HTML' files to help RUNOFF make a better looking documentation - the page breaks are sometimes located at very 'unfortunate' positions...

A simple set of EDT commands converts the '.MEM' file to a '.TXT' file which is for reading the text with a text editor. They just delete the '<CR><LF>' sequences and remove any lines for bold printing. The file TXT.FDL is used to change the record attributes of the '.TXT' files.


(go to: table of contents, index, prev: introduction, next: conventions used in the documentation)

07-AUG-2000 ZE.