From: CRDGW2::CRDGW2::MRGATE::"SMTP::CRVAX.SRI.COM::RELAY-INFO-VAX" 27-JUL-1989 18:25 To: MRGATE::"ARISIA::EVERHART" Subj: VAX/LT Spring 1989 SIG Tape Reviews - Part 3 Message-Id: <8907272218.AA00547@crdgw1.ge.com> Received: From KL.SRI.COM by CRVAX.SRI.COM with TCP; Thu, 27 JUL 89 14:43:20 PDT Received: from AAMRL.AF.MIL by KL.SRI.COM with TCP; Thu, 27 Jul 89 14:15:01 PDT Received: from FALCON by AAMRL.AF.MIL; Thu, 27 Jul 89 17:10 EDT Date: Thu, 27 Jul 89 17:12 EST From: Ted Nieland <@AAMRL.AF.MIL:TNIELAND@FALCON> Subject: VAX/LT Spring 1989 SIG Tape Reviews - Part 3 To: info-vax@kl.sri.COM X-Vms-To: IN%"info-vax@kl.sri.com" The Spring 1989 L&T/VAX SIG Tape Reviews Earle Ake Science Applications Intl. Corp. Todd Aven Computer Associates International Jack Davis Phillips Consumer Electronics Daniel Graham Dynamics Research Corporation Rand Hall Merrimack College David Hittner Pioneer Standard Electronics Ted Nieland Control Data Corporation Jon Pinkley Westinghouse Electric Corporation This is a review of the VAX89A1 section of Spring 1989 L&T/VAX SIG Tape. Due to the large amount of overlap between the L&T and VAX SIG tapes, the Tape editors decided to combine the tapes into one large tape with no overlap. This SIGs tape contains many useful items for people with VAX Computers and people interested in Languages and Tools. The reviewers have scoured through most of the tape and have jotted down the following notes on the material that is on the tape. Not everything on the tape is reviewed due to the shear volume of material, but it is hoped that this review will help people in deciding what on the tape might be useful to them. The SIG tapes are a project started by the SIGs a while back as a method of distributing free software that might be helpful to others. Not all of the material on the tapes are "finished" products. The encapsulated reviews are rated on a 1-5 scale with 5 being excellent. Submission Subdirectory: [VAX89A1.AEPSC.VDDRIVER] Ease of installation: 3 Documentation: 4 Intended Audience: System Managers Ease of use: 4 Usefulness: 4 Sources Included: Y (Macro) Objects Supplied: Y This directory includes a driver that implements a "virtual disk" device using a contiguous container file residing on a real (or other virtual) physical disk. Works as advertised, as far as I dared to test. VPA (VAX Performance Advisor) was confused by it but I think that's just because it didn't know what it was. Submission Subdirectory: [VAX89A1.AEPSC.CDDRIVER] Ease of installation: 2 Documentation: 2 Intended Audience: System Managers Ease of use: 2 Usefulness: 2 Sources Included: Y (Macro, Fortran) Objects Supplied: Y This directory includes a driver that implements a "fully-associative" type of caching for data read from disk via a standard VMS disk device driver. You can define caches for up to 8 `real' or `virtual' disks. CDDRIVER is not as polished as VDDRIVER. The driver is documented well but its actual use is not. I got it running, but it's not ready to go straight out of the box. Submission Subdirectory: [VAX89A1.ALLIED.DCL] Ease of Installation: 5 Documentation: 4 Intended Audience: System Managers Ease of use: 5 Usefulness: 5 Sources included: Yes, DCL Objects Supplied: N/A Command procedures to o Execute AUTOGEN and provide you with a complete list of changed SYSGEN params, with before and after values o Submit an executable to run in batch without having to make a command procedure for it. o Run VPA and send a MAIL message indicating if any `conclusions' were reached. o Do $INSTALL REPLACE commands on every node in a cluster using SYSMAN. o Optimize and rebuild indexed files. o Display a number of VPA graphs for the previous day. Submission Subdirectory: [VAX89A1.ALLIED.LOGIN] Ease of Installation: 5 Documentation: 3 Intended Audience: General Ease of use: 5 Usefulness: 5 Sources included: Yes, MACRO Objects Supplied: No A Macro program (mostly Hunter Goatley's code from the VAX Professional Magazine) with some mods I added. It should speed up logins considerably for anyone who is doing more than a few logical and symbol assignments via DCL in their current LOGIN.COM. This is a very easy MACRO program to use that speeds up login a lot. It defines all your symbols for you using MACRO instead of DCL. The time savings is enormous. If you are not already using something like this on your system, then why not? Submission Subdirectory: [VAX89A1.ALLIED.SEND_MAIL] Ease of Installation: 5 Documentation: 3 Intended Audience: General Ease of use: 5 Usefulness: 5 Sources included: Yes, FORTRAN, BASIC Objects Supplied: Yes In this directory are a function and a subroutine which perform the same operation: one written in BASIC and the other in Fortran. What they both do is interface with DEC's unsupported (and undocumented) Callable MAIL Interface. The Fortran version, written by Jim Geier of General Instrument, is the original work. The BASIC version, which I did, is a somewhat simpler paraphrase of Jim's work. I've heard some rumors that the MAIL$_ functions were shipped with VMS V4.7, but really never looked or messed with it until V5.0-2. My BASIC function (and Jim's subroutine) both worked under V5.0-2 and are working now under V5.1. This provides a good example on how to interface with DEC's MAIL utility from an application program. Source is provided in both FORTRAN and BASIC. Submission Subdirectory: [VAX89A1.APPLIEDRES] Ease of Installation: 3 Documentation: 2 Intended Audience: General users Ease of Use: 3 Usefulness: 2 - 4 depending on your needs Sources/objects Included: sources & objects, in various languages This directory contains several useful programs, all get the same ratings, but separate descriptions. Description: - Address Database Management The address database management system provides a set of software for automating address/telephone lists. This system supports private address databases, group-wide databases and corporate-wide databases. As well as two standalone programs that implement the system, there are two separate callable interfaces to make it easy to incorporate address database management into larger menu driven systems. - Documentation Utilities Included are two routines which can be used to assist in maintaining programming documentation. CLEANMEM is a simple program that reads a ".MEM" file produced by Digital Standard Runoff and strips off the imbedded characters that DSR leaves in the file. DOCUMENT is a routine that searches an entire directory and extracts the comment header blocks from all of the source code files in that directory, formatting them as a DSR input file. This routine assists in maintaining programming documentation. This requires that the programmer use a standardized comment block in each program module. Each source code module in this submission contains such a block and several templates are provided. - Forms And Menus The Applied Research Corporation Forms Management System is the major part of this submission. The ARC FMS consists of a suite of subroutines and a set of FORTRAN include files contained in a text library. It is designed to assist in the coding of programs that are menu driven and/or rely on forms manipulation for data entry and editing. ARC FMS is based on the SMG routines. - The Form/Menu Demonstration Program The Form/ Menu Demonstration Program is an example of how the ARC FMS can be used to provide a completely menu-driven system to non-technical users of a VAX. - The Make Facility This is yet another implementation of a Unix-like MAKE facility. It is provided here mainly because it was used to build all of the executables in this submission and is the easiest way for you to rebuild them if you wish to modify them. - Portwatch V2.0 Portwatch V2.0 is yet another idle terminal killer. This version is a total rewrite of an idle terminal killer that appeared on an earlier SIG tape submitted by J. B. Fischer. This version maintains a database of each terminal port on the system. For each port, you may specify whether processes running at that terminal are eligible for deletion and at which hours of the day. In addition, you may specify whether or not warning messages are broadcast to the terminal before process deletion. - QMS Kiss Driver This is a laser printer driving routine that may or may not be useful depending on the users environment. - Show Purge There are three small programs that make up this set. First, there is the SHOWPURGE program itself which has a command line interface and which takes most of the same parameters and qualifiers as does the DCL PURGE command. However, it does not actually delete anything; rather it informs you, how many files would be deleted by a PURGE and, optionally, which files. The second and third programs work together as a gentle way of reminding users to purge old versions. - Telephone TELEPHONE is a autodial routine that dials a modem without the user having to know anything about which port the modem is on or even about what kind of modem it is. - Time Management System TMSV41 is a time management system that allows you to keep track of what you should do and when you must do it. It also can keep track of what you have done and when you did it. The Time Management System is based on the ARC FMS and has both a command-line interface and a fully menu-driven interface. - Utilities There are a collection of utility routines. o CLI routines for parsing the command line. These routines make it easy to determine what the user wants your program to do. o Lexical functions. Included are callable implementations of the following DCL lexicals: F$EDIT, F$FILE_ATTRIBUTES, F$GETGPI, F$INTEGER, F$LENGTH, F$MODE, F$PARSE, F$PID, F$SEARCH, F$USER. o Various functions. A small collection of functions that perform a variety of tasks such as declaring exit and AST handlers. Some of these routines have been modified from routines that others have put on previous SIG tapes. Comments: The programs in this directory are pretty nice and useful. One problem, they are not segregated by subdirectory. The subdirectories have all the executables in one, all the sources in another, etc. This makes figuring out which programs are which a bit difficult, but not too bad. The true usefulness of many of these programs will vary widely with user needs, however, they are well written and work as advertised. Submission Subdirectory: [VAX89A1.CVLUG] Ease Of Installation: 2-4 Documentation: 2-4 Intended Audience: General Ease of Use: 2-5 Usefulness: 1-5 Sources Included: Yes, BASIC, DCL, FORTRAN Objects Supplied: No Various Items from the Connecticut Valley Local Users Group. Included are some BANNER programs, Posters and other terminal/printer items, Calendar material, an UNTAB utility, an UNQUEUE command to delete items by Job Name, and other general tools and command procedures. Submission Subdirectory: [VAX89A1.DOWN] Ease Of Installation: 5 Documentation: 5 Intended Audience: General Ease of Use: 5 Usefulness: 2 Sources Included: Yes, BASIC Objects Supplied: Yes The [.DOWN] submission consists of one program, DOWN. This program allows one to type "$ DOWN subdirectory" and have the program set your default to the subdirectory, regardless of where the subdirectory is in your current directory tree. A screen mode is supported for those who forget the names of their subdirectories. Usefulness of the software depends on how flat your disk structure is. Submission subdirectory: [VAX89A1.DTRSIG] Ease of Installation: 2-4 Documentation: 3-4 Intended Audience: Parts to interest all Ease of Use: 3-5 Usefulness: 4-5 Sources/objects Included: yes, various languages This is material from the Datatrieve SIG: It is always a pleasure to see their material, it is neatly organized and most always works the first time. The ratings are for the entire set, but descriptions are included for each subdirectory. Description: [.ACCOUNTING] Programs to convert System Accounting and PSI Accounting data to a normalized form readable by Datatrieve (and other languages) with record definitions. Also has a procedure to measure terminal usage (an Erlang traffic study on terminal sessions). [.ALLIN1] Contains DTR definitions to work AI1 logging and data files. The document database also works with WPS-PLUS/VMS. (Note: this is ALL-IN-1 V2.0 through 2.2) [.CORPHONE] DTR replacement for the AI1 corporate phone directory, which also works quite well on it's own. [.FUNCTIONS] Many user defined functions including many string functions, Datatrieve procedures for cataloging, defining, and generating functions. [.MAGIC] Some procedures from Wombat Magic sessions which didn't fit anywhere else. Build an FMS form from a record definition, and calculate mortgages. [.PLOTS] Additional PLOTS and articles on adding your own plots. [.RALLY] For the first time, some RALLY examples. [.DATE_FORMATTING] shows how to accommodate a wide variety of date formats as input to Rally. [.EXTERNAL_LINK] shows how to link to system Run Time Library routines LIB$GETJPI and LIB$SPAWN. [.RSX_ACCOUNTING] Process RSX-11M-Plus system accounting with DTR, also RSX console logs, and a routine for all 11s to convert the DTR (and VMS) DATE types to/from ASCII (without DTR). [.SYSMGR] Datatrieve definitions for Disk Quotas, SYSUAF, rightslist, network proxy logins, etc. Plus a method of processing an INSTALL/LIST/FULL listing to find out which are the most used images, shared images, etc. Comments: If you have Datatrieve, there are invaluable items here. The accounting and All-in-1 item descriptions and procedures are especially helpful for those products. This is yet another example of the fine material produced by the DTR SIG folks. Submission Subdirectory: [VAX89A1.GCE.ANALYBIG] Ease of Installation: 3 Documentation: 4 Intended Audience: General Ease of use: 3 Usefulness: 5 Sources included: Yes, FORTRAN Objects Supplied: Yes, In a Library This is Glenn Everhart's Analyticalc, one of the most powerful spreadsheet programs for the VAX. And he has made it more powerful by removing some of the previous limitations on cell size. The only complaint I have ever heard about Analyticalc is that it isn't 1-2-3 compatible (but if you start with Analyticalc, then you are biased to 1-2-3). Submission Subdirectory: [VAX89A1.GCE.NETS89] Ease of Installation: 1-5 Documentation: 1-5 Intended Audience: General Ease of use: 1-5 Usefulness: 1-5 Sources included: Yes, Various Objects Supplied: No This is Glenn Everhart's usual submission of material off the Internet. As usual, there is a lot of material here including a number of messages about DECWindows. Other items include GNU items, the MAILSERV channel for PMDF, VAX_SHARE, source to a BACKUP reader for UNIX, several different patches to VMS, LIBSEARCH (a program to search libraries), and much more. This is one directory you just have to go through yourself. (If you are interested in getting this material yourself, then start going through the DECUS UUCP submission. DECUS UUCP will allow you to get all of this material through the NEWS Software.) Submission Subdirectory: [VAX89A1.GCE.TARRDWRT] Ease of Installation: 3 Documentation: 2 Intended Audience: System Managers, Tape Users Ease of use: 3 Usefulness: 5 Sources included: Yes, FORTRAN, C Objects Supplied: No Here are several programs to Read and/or Write TAR tapes under VMS. With the popularity of UNIX boxes these days, you should have these programs available on your system. Submission Subdirectory: [VAX89A1.GCE.VMSVD] Ease of Installation: 3 Documentation: 2 Intended Audience: System Managers Ease of use: 4 Usefulness: 5 Sources included: Yes, FORTRAN, MACRO Objects Supplied: Some This is a virtual disk driver and several associated programs that allow you to set remote disks across DECNet or Crypto-Disks. If you have many VAXen through your shop with people wanting to look at the material on one disk on one specific machine the FD Driver can be used to set up a remote disk to all the remote hosts.