From: SMTP%"VAXman@tmesis.com" 8-FEB-1997 17:33:03.84 To: EVERHART@STAR.ZKO.DEC.COM, PINKLEY@EISNER.DECUS.ORG CC: Subj: SYMBOL V3.1 %7.039 Hello SYMBOL Beta-Testers, There is a new minor update to the SYMBOL V3.1 kit you have been testing. Jon Pinkley reported that, under OpenVMS Alpha V6.2, the /SET or /DELETE functions did not work. Also, an image running in the targetted process would be terminated. The problem stems from the little scheme I dreamt up shortly after porting SYMBOL to Alpha (before R'schmuck time). The internal dispatcher routine was located by scanning the linkage section of the handler routine which is stored in cell CTL$GL_CMSUPR. I assumed that the MACRO compiler would always order the linkage section procedure descriptor based on the order in which the compiler encounters routine references. V6.2 showed me that this assumption is "no so good". :) I've added a little one-line test to the scanner routine to properly locate the internal dispatcher routine's PDSC. You can anonymously FTP the latest from TMESIS.COM. You can ignore the unpleasantnesses of the warnings on the FTP welcome. They're intended to keep R'schmuck at bay. You can not, however, disregard the distribution restriction notice displayed upon exploding the .ZIP file. This version also contains a whole bunch of little coding tricks to keep it from being easily disassembled. Glenn has had lots of practice with DISM32. Take the challenge if you want. Let me know how far you get. There's lots of .not.A.and.B.or.A.and..not.B type operations to keep one amused for hours! :) Also, this versions WILL NOT load or run on any machine which has any ASCI software installed for use. Should keep R'schmuck from accessing it or looking at it in SDA. I had one more little real nasty that I DID NOT add to this version. However, in the future, it might be ill- advised to set any XDELTA breakpoints in any of my code for the purpose of reverse engineering the code. The details of the mechanics of this brash security measure will remain tightly encapsulated within my brain- box. :) Rest assured, I would not use this last mechanism without first warning of its dangers. VAXman- VAXman@TMESIS.COM ================== RFC 822 Headers ================== Return-Path: system@tmesis.com Received: by dimond.zko.dec.com (UCX V4.1-12A, OpenVMS V6.2 VAX); Sat, 8 Feb 1997 17:33:01 -0500 Received: from ALPHA.TMESIS.COM by mail11.digital.com (8.7.5/UNX 1.5/1.0/WV) id RAA08180; Sat, 8 Feb 1997 17:27:19 -0500 (EST) Received: by TMESIS.COM (MX V4.1 AXP) id 4; Sat, 08 Feb 1997 17:26:11 EST Date: Sat, 08 Feb 1997 17:26:11 EST From: "Brian Schenkenberger, VAXman-" Reply-To: VAXman@TMESIS.COM To: EVERHART@STAR.ZKO.DEC.COM, PINKLEY@EISNER.DECUS.ORG Message-ID: <009AF96D.A40C17DB.4@TMESIS.COM> Subject: SYMBOL V3.1 %7.039