=;The OpenVMS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)D

The OpenVMS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)



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  • The following touch hack:

     

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    #$!   Command procedure SETDATE.COM $! .$!   Changes the DATES for an input file to a $!   file named OUTFILE. $! $assign/nolog 'p1' outfile %$convert/fdl=sys$input 'p1' outfile: date creation   01-apr-2010 expiration 01-Apr-2012 revision   01-Apr-2011 backup ... 
    
    
    0

  • The following RMS system service sequence: 

    5Various OpenVMS tools and utilities are available at:

    

    GOpenVMS ports of the xmcd and MPlayer tools have also been reported as available.d

    13.2 Where can I find UNIX tools for OpenVMS?

    

    FThere are OpenVMS DCL and UNIX shell command comparison tables posted at:

    

    dThe GNV package ( Section 13.2.6) and the various C library calls Havailable in current/recent libraries are the replacement for the POSIX package.=

    13.2.1 C system and library routines

    

    GCommon C system and library routines are present in the DEC C run-time Glibrary, which is available for V5.5 and later, and is shipped in V6.1 Gand later. DEC C is the upgrade for VAX C, DEC C and VAX C can coexist Aon the same system OpenVMS VAX system, and both compilers can be enabled via the "C" license PAK.

    HAlso see SYS$EXAMPLES:, and (if either is installed) the DECW$EXAMPLES: ;and TCPIP$EXAMPLES (or prior to V5.0, UCX$EXAMPLES:) areas.

    CThe HP C Run-Time Library documentation is now part of the OpenVMS DOperating System Documentation, and separate from the HP C compiler documentation.

    

    HAdditionally, there have been large-scale increases to the capabilities Eand features available within recent HP C compilers. If you have not Htaken the opportunity to skim the current C compiler documentation, you Bmay well be surprised with the sheer volume of new C capabilities discussed there.G

    13.2.2 X Windows utilities and routines

    

    HVarious X Windows utilities are available for DECwindows. DECwindows is Ban implementation of the X Windows environment and libraries, and Eprovides various libraries, and provides various desktop interfaces, including COE, Motif, and XUI.

    Hxwd, xev, mosaic web browser, xrdb, bmtoa and atobm, xpr, ico, etc. are Eavailable. Look in DECW$UTILS: in DECwindows Motif V1.2-3 and later. 5Also see DECW$EXAMPLES: for example X and C programs.

    FMiscellaneous tools and examples are also available. Examples include Fthe older DWAUTH (X Windows SYSUAF authorize-like tool) tool, various ;versions of grep, fgrep, yacc, vmstar, uuencode, gawk, etc.@html tools, the mx SMTP mail exchange package, X windows flight Gsimulator, the mxrn X windows news reader, the OSU HTTPD WWW server, a EWWW gopher browser, Castle Wolfenstein (Wolf3D), etc. are all on the Bvarious OpenVMS Freeware distributions. (Also see the GNV package \( Section 13.2.6) for related materials, APIs, and tools.)P

    13.2.3 TCP/IP Tools and Utilities for OpenVMS?

    

    ETCP/IP Services (formerly known as UCX) contains tools such as ping, *uuencode, smtp, snmp, rcp, nfs, tnfs, etc.

    FOpenVMS V6.2 and later includes DCL-integrated support for various IP Atools, with commands such as SET HOST/TELNET, and COPY/FTP. This Hinterface requires the installation of an IP stack, and TCP/IP Services @(UCX) V3.3 and later as well as any then-current or now-current Ethird-party IP stack can be used. Once the IP stack is installed and Dconfigured, the DCL command qualifiers such as /FTP, /RCP, /RLOGIN, E/TELNET, and /TN3270 are available on various DCL commands including DIRECTORY.

    HVarious C programming examples in TCPIP$EXAMPLES and (on releases prior to V5.0) in UCX$EXAMPLES:.3

    13.2.4 The vi text editor

    

    Bvile, vim and elvis are all clones of the vi text editor, and all operate on OpenVMS.

    6Versions of vile are available on the Freeware and at:

    

    vim: vi improved

    9

    13.2.5 The Emacs Text Editor

    

    COpenVMS ports of versions of the Emacs text editor can be found on Hvarious OpenVMS Freeware distributions (eg: OpenVMS Freeware V7.0 has a 8port of Emacs 21.2), and at various web sites including:

    

    :"Emacs isn't a text editor, it's a way of life."

    EFor comparisions of OpenVMS text editors and UNIX, see the following:

    8

    13.2.6 GNV: Various GNU tools

    

    HInformation on the GNU on VMS (GNV; "GNU's Not VMS") Project, Ewhich aims to port and provide GNU software (bash, flex, bison, tar, 6grep, gcc emulation, etc) to OpenVMS, is available at:

    

    Software info:

    

    Software archive:

    

    5Various GNU tools are also available on the Freeware.0

    13.2.6.1 GCC compiler

    

    8Yes, gcc is available for OpenVMS Alpha and OpenVMS I64.

    

    FIn addition to gcc, the HP C compiler and other development tools are Bpart of the OpenVMS Hobbyist licensing program for non-commercial Husers, and these and other tools are available to commercial developers jvia the HP DSPP partner program. (See Section 2.15 for information on DSPP.)d

    13.3 What is the status of PL/I on OpenVMS?

    

    Kednos. now owns and supports the former DIGITAL PL/IAcompiler and run-time support on OpenVMS, and is the contact for -product status, support and associated plans.

    FAs of this writing, (older) versions of the PL/I run-time library and Dassociated supporting images remain available on OpenVMS VAX and on ,OpenVMS Alpha, including the DECmigrate VESTI translated images run-time support on OpenVMS Alpha, though neither the / PL/I shareable image nor the DECmigrate (AEST)H translated image support for the PL/I run-time are available (from HP) ' on nor present on OpenVMS I64 systems.F Newer versions of the PL/I run-time library may be (are?) available G from Kednos for various OpenVMS platforms; please contact Kednos for # product details and availability.

    d

    13.4 Where can I get the Mozilla Web Browser?

    

    BMozilla.org is an open source organization providing HTML-related Ftools; software that is the basis for various utilities including the =Mozilla web browser and the Secure Web Browser (SWB) package.

    FOpenVMS Engineering is continuously porting Mozilla.org's web browser Dto OpenVMS, and OpenVMS ports of the current Mozilla baselevels and Breleases are available. The OpenVMS Mozilla port includes the web Hbrowser, the mail client, the Composer HTML editor, an IRC chat client, 1a netnews (NNTP) reader, and various other tools.

    AThe Mozilla web browser download and the development and release Hschedules for this and for other Mozilla-related tools are available at:

    

    HThe available Secure Web Browser (SWB) kit is a packaged version of the FMozilla Web Browser, and typically the SWB version number matches the underlying Mozilla version.

    GA hardware configuration appropriate for Mozilla generally involves an EOpenVMS Alpha system with an EV56 Alpha microprocessor, or an EV6 or Dmore recent processor, and with 256 megabytes of system memory. The Eperformance of Mozilla on EV5-based and earlier Alpha microprocessor Esystems is generally viewed as inadequate, this due to the extensive Duse of an Alpha instruction subset that is first available with the EV56 microprocessor generation.

    )Mozilla is not available for OpenVMS VAX.

    HVarious versions of the Netscape Navigator web browser are based on the Mozilla code-base.]

    13.5 Where can I get Java for OpenVMS?

    

    GJava is available on and is included with OpenVMS Alpha, starting with Bthe OpenVMS Alpha V7.2 and later releases. Java download kits are 4available for OpenVMS Alpha V7.1 and later releases.

    DJava is not available on OpenVMS VAX. As for why: the Java language Fdefinition requires a floating point format (IEEE) that is not native Cto VAX, and this would require the emulation of all floating point Hoperations within Java applications. Further, the C source code used to Himplement for Java itself is heavily dependent on passing IEEE floating Dpoint values around among the many internal subroutines, and adding Fsupport for VAX would entail changes to the HP C compiler for OpenVMS HVAX---and specifically to the VAX VCG code generator that is used by HP ?C on OpenVMS VAX systems---in order to add support for passing DIEEE-format floating point doubles around. Alternatively, extensive Bchanges to the Java source code to remove the assumption that the 'double is an IEEE floating point value.

    EThere are currently no plans to make a version of Java available for GOpenVMS VAX. (A prototype version of Java was created for OpenVMS VAX, 5and performance was found to be inadequate. At best.)

    GIf Java2 or other environment lifts the requirements for IEEE floating ?point as part of the language definition, this decision may be revisited.

    HIf you are having problems with Display Postscript, you need to upgrade Eyour Java kit---1.2.2-3 and later remove the requirement for Display CPostcript extensions, and Java 1.2.2-3 is required with DECwindows V1.2-6 and later.

    EFor additional information on Java for Alpha systems, please see the ?OpenVMS documentation (V7.2 and later), and the following site:

    

    DHP Secure Web Server (SWS, formerly CSWS) includes CSWS_JAVA, which Dprovides the following Apache Tomcat technologies: JavaServer Pages E1.1, Java Servlet 2.2, and MOD_JK. Also available is CSWS_PHP, a PHP Cimplementation. (SWS is based on the Apache web server. See SOFT1.)c

    13.6 Obtaining user input in DCL CGI script?

    

    HIf you choose to use the GET method, then the form data is available in 3the DCL symbol QUERY_STRING, in URL-encoded format.

    EIf you use the POST method, then you need to read the form data from Estdin. For a DCL CGI script running under the Netscape FastTrack web ?server, you can read the data using the following READ command:

     

    "
    $ READ SYS$COMMAND postdata 
    
    
    

    to read the information in.

    AThe following describes the use of DCL command procedures as CGI scripts with the OSU web server:

    

    HDCL CGI is also discussed in the Writing Real Programs in DCL book, and in the Ask The Wizard website.o

    13.7 How can a batch job get its own batch entry number?

    

    GTo have a batch procedure retrieve its own batch entry number, use the following:

     

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    &$ Entry = F$GETQUI("DISPLAY_ENTRY", - /    "entry_number","display_entry","this_job") 
    
    
    

    ERemember that the entry numbers issued by the OpenVMS Job Controller Gare always opaque longword values. Do not assume you know the Eformat of the entry number, nor the range of entry numbers you might Gsee, nor the algorithm that is used to assign enty numbers. You should 'simply assume opaque longword.i

    13.8 How do I convert to new CMS or DTM libraries?

    

    FA change was made to the format of the CMS database for CMS libraries Cstarting with V3.5-03---to ensure that earlier versions of CMS are Aunable to access the database once the "conversion" to EV3.5-05 and later is made, you must issue the following two commands Ewhen upgrading from V3.5-03 and prior. (The only differences between FCMS version V3.5-03 and CMS version V3.5-05 involve changes to ensure Dthat no earlier version of CMS can access the "converted" database, and corrupt it.)

    HTo perform the "conversion", issue the following commands for each CMS library present:

     

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    )$ RENAME disk:[directory]00CMS.* 01CMS.* '$ COPY NLA0: disk:[directory]00CMS.CMS 
    
    
    

    CThe new file 00CMS.CMS must have the same security settings as the H01CMS.CMS file, and is created solely to ensure continued compatibility Fwith tools that expect to find a 00CMS.CMS file (eg: various versions .of the Language-Sensitive text editor LSEDIT).

    GIf you choose to install and use the longer variant names support that @is available with CMS V4.1 or later, you cannot mix earlier CMS Aversions within a cluster. If you attempt to mix older and newer versions, you will typicallyF see the following BADLIB and BADTYPSTR error sequence when accessing - the CMS library from the older CMS versions:

     

    "
    :%CMS-F-BADLIB, there is something wrong with your library <-CMS-F-BADTYPSTR, header block type is 145; it should be 17 
    
    
    

    EPlease see the CMS V4.1 release notes for additional details on this.

    FTo perform the equivalent "conversion" for DEC Test Manager D(DTM) V3.5 and prior versions to V3.6 and later versions, issue the 4following DCL commands for each DTM library present:

     

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    )$ RENAME disk:[directory]00DTM.* 01DTM.* '$ COPY NLA0: disk:[directory]00DTM.DTM 
    
    
    

    HLike CMS, this change is intended to prevent older versions of DTM from Gaccessing newer libraries, and corrupting the contents. Like CMS, once Fthe libraries are renamed, they cannot and should not be renamed back Fto the older names; like CMS, the changes are not downward-compatible.

    ETo convert version 1 (ancient) DTM and CMS libraries forward, please 1see the DTM CONVERT and the CMS CONVERT commands.^

    13.9 Where can I get Perl for OpenVMS?

    

    FOpenVMS support is included in the standard distribution of Perl, the Hpopular scripting language created by Larry Wall. In addition to nearly Eall of the functionality available under Unix, OpenVMS-specific Perl Fmodules provide interfaces to many native features, as well as access Fto Oracle, Ingres, and Sybase databases via the Perl DBI available on OpenVMS.

    FA website useful for getting started with Perl on OpenVMS---where you Hwill find such things as download links, instructions, auxiliary tools, %and sample scripts---is available at:

    

    EIf you have a C compiler, the best way to obtain Perl is to download Cand build it yourself. The latest production quality source kit is available from:

    

    AYou will need GUNZIP and VMSTAR (both available from the OpenVMS EFreeware CD, or from other sites) to unpack the archive; once you've 8done that, read the instructions in the README.vms file.

    GBinary distributions for most Alpha and VAX environments are available Hon the OpenVMS Freeware CD-ROM and from various websites, including the following:

    

    EDuring active Perl development cycles, test kits are sometimes found at: from:

    

    HWatch the mailing list (see below) for details on experimental releases.

    ECharles Lane maintains pages on how to write CGI scripts in Perl for Gthe OSU HTTP server, as well as more general tips, tricks, and patches )for building and running Perl on OpenVMS:

    

    GThere are OpenVMS-specific Perl modules that implement interfaces to a Hsubset of the VMS System Services. With these modules, you can get (and =often set) device, job, queue, user, system, and performance Dinformation. The lock manager, RMS indexed files, screen management Gutilities, and Intracluster Communication Services are also accessible 6via Perl. The relevant modules are all available from:

    

    FTo subscribe to the OpenVMS Perl mailing list (a discussion forum for Aboth user support and new development), send an email message to vmsperl-subscribe@perl.org

    -The mailing list archives may be searched at:

    z

    13.10 Obtaining the DECmigrate (AEST or VEST, and TIE) translator?

    

    FThe DECmigrate image translation family provides tools that translate FOpenVMS VAX images for use on OpenVMS Alpha, and OpenVMS Alpha images 1for use on OpenVMS I64, Details are available at:

    

    HVEST is the name sometimes given to the DECmigrate translation tool for VAX images, AESTE is the name given to the Alpha translation tools, and TIE names the I DECmigrate run-time environment within OpenVMS. (If you've ever noticed E images with filenames ending with _TV and wondered what this meant,  these images are part of TIE.)FAnd yes, you can use AEST to re-translate images that were translated @using VEST; you can perform a second translation of a VAX image.

    gPlease see Section 13.12 for related information. Please see the Cwebsite for the most current details on availability and plans and 1status of translations for OpenVMS I64 platforms.s

    13.11 Where can I get Zip, Unzip, self-extracting zip, etc?

    

    @Many packages are provided in ZIP, GZIP, or BZIP2 format, which Hrequires you to acquire the associated unzip tool to unpack it. You can Cget ZIP and UNZIP and related and similar tools from the following areas:

    

    

    />  
    Freeware V4.0 D [000TOOLS...]*ZIP*.EXE

    A The Freeware V4.0 [000TOOLS...] pre-built versions of ZIP will H erroneously return BILF errors on OpenVMS V7.2 and later. This is not H the only error lurking within these pre-built versions, just the most H obvious. Accordingly, please use one of the far more current versions F that are now readily available, whether on the most recent Freeware 6 distribution, or from one of the sites listed above.

    EDo not use the Freeware V4.0 [000TOOLS...]*ZIP*.EXE images. 

    

    =Directions for creating and using the sfx self-extracting zipBfile compression mechanism are available in the unzip kit that is available at:

    

    CIf you want to build the zip images for yourself (eg: for an older FOpenVMS version), pull over the entire contents of a recent unzip and Gunzip directory, or Info-Zip directory, or visit one of the web sites. CWith most OpenVMS ports of the tools, find and invoke LINK.COM. No Fcompilers are needed, as objects are provided with most distributions.

    >HP OpenVMS Engineering uses a tool known as FTSV for creating Cself-extracting compressed files using the OpenVMS DCX compression Etools, as seen with various OpenVMS ECO (patch) kits. (sfx typically Hprovides better compression than does DCX.) FTSV and FTSO are available Gon Freeware V7.0, for OpenVMS VAX and OpenVMS Alpha. Due to changes in Athe image headers, no version of FTSV is presently available for OpenVMS I64.

    


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