=;The OpenVMS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)D

The OpenVMS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)



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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:

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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.d

13.12 Are VAX Hardware Emulators Available?



FSoftware-based emulators of the VAX architecture and for specific VAX 6hardware platforms are available from various sources:



AVAX emulators that operate on PC systems and/or on OpenVMS Alpha Hsystems are available. For information on an alternative to using a VAX =emulator--- on the available DECmigrate VAX executable image translator---please see3Section 13.10.


F

Chapter 14
Hardware Information


A

If you are searching for something here, please (consider using the text-format FAQ.

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14.1 What are the OpenVMS differences among VAX, Alpha, and IA-64?



HIn terms of software, very few. As of OpenVMS V6.1, the OpenVMS VAX and HOpenVMS Alpha platforms achieved "feature parity". Subsequent Awork has seen significant enhancements and new features added on HOpenVMS Alpha. OpenVMS I64 started with "feature parity" with EOpenVMS Alpha at the V8.2 release, and OpenVMS Alpha and OpenVMS I64 Bare based on and built from the same source pool. (There do exist Glow-level platform-specific differences, and platform-specific code is =present within the shared source code pool, obviously.) Most ,applications can just be recompiled and run.

Some differences to be aware of:



FThere are also a number of manuals which discuss migration to OpenVMS FAlpha and to OpenVMS I64 available in the OpenVMS documentation, both Cin the main documentation and (depending on the age of the manuals 0involved) in the archived documentation section.

@As mentioned earlier, more recent OpenVMS Alpha and OpenVMS I64 Creleases have added features and support that are not available on 5OpenVMS VAX. Salient additions include the following:



\Please see Section 14.4.5 for Intel Itanium terminology.y

14.2 Seeking performance information for Alpha (and VAX) systems?



EHP makes a wide range of performance documents available through its RFTP and WWW Internet servers (see Section 3.2).

HThe following contain information on Integrity, Alpha and VAX products, Fwith the VAX information largely accessable via archive-related links 'at the Alpha-related product web pages:



BThe following sites are reachable via the AlphaServer information @pages, and contain information on various retired VAX and Alpha products:



Also see CPU2000:

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14.3 Console Commands, Serial Lines, and Controls?



AThis section contains information on VAX and Alpha consoles, and Edetails related to console commands, serial lines, and configuration settings.[

14.3.1 What commands are available in the Alpha SRM console?



qIn addition to the normal BOOT commands and such (see Section 14.3.5.2 for @some details) and the normal contents of the console HELP text, Goperations such as I/O redirection and floppy disk access are possible at the SRM console prompt:

    F
  1. Format a FAT floppy, and insert it into the AlphaStation floppy  drive.9
  2. Perform the following at AlphaStation SRM Console :

     

    "
    $   >>> show * > env.dat (   >>> show conf > conf.dat 2   >>> cat env.dat > fat:env.dat/dva0 4   >>> cat conf.dat > fat:conf.dat/dva0 
    
    
    I

  3. You may use the SRM "ls" command to display the contents  of the floppy.

     

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    $   >>> ls fat:env.dat/dva0 %   >>> ls fat:conf.dat/dva0 
    
    
    C

  4. You can now transfer the FAT-format floppy to another system.
N

14.3.2 What does SRM mean? What is PALcode?



HThe abbreviation SRM is derived from the Alpha System Reference Manual, Hthe specification of the Alpha architecture and the associated firmware.

HPALcode is a name assigned to a particular set of functions provided by Athe SRM firmware. PALcode is used to provide low-level functions Crequired by higher-level operating system or application software, Afunctions which may not be directly available in Alpha hardware. HPALcode is implemented using available Alpha instructions and using the DAlpha processor, though PALcode operates in a mode which simplifies Hprogramming. PALcode is also permitted access to processor-specific and Aotherwise internal features of a particular Alpha microprocessor Fimplementation; microprocessor-specific features which are not easily 3accessable to operating system or application code._

14.3.3 Alpha COM ports and VAX console serial line information?



HThis section contains information on the Alpha COM communication ports, Eand related settings, as well as on the VAX console bulkhead and VAX console serial line connection.`

14.3.3.1 Which terminal device name is assigned to the COM ports?



HCOM2 is normally TTA0:. COM1 is normally TTB0: if the Alpha workstation Eis booted with the SRM console environment variable set to graphics, -and is OPA0: if the console is set to serial.

GOn the DEC 2000 series (sometimes incorrectly known by the name of the Dsystem as sold for Microsoft Windows NT Alpha; as the DECpc 150 AXP Hseries) on older OpenVMS Alpha releases, COM1 through COM4 are known as FOPA0: through OPA3:. On all current OpenVMS releases, these ports are Gserviced by the terminal driver and not by the console OPDRIVER driver.

FOften the easiest way to determine the OpenVMS terminal name assigned Hto the port is to connect a terminal, log in interactively, and look at Hthe output of SHOW TERMINAL. (Device names can vary by OpenVMS version, >as well as by the SRM console environment variable selection.)

FFor serial console hardware and related information, and for pin-outs Žand related information, please see Section 14.3 and Section 14.26.[

14.3.3.2 Which serial port is the console on the MicroVAX 3100?



:Just to keep life interesting, the MicroVAX 3100 has some F"interesting" console ports behaviours based on the setting Gof the BREAK enable switch. When the console is not enabled to respond Eto BREAK, MMJ-1 is the console port. MMJ-3 will (confusingly) output Hthe results of the selftest in parallel with MMJ-1. When the console is Genabled to respond to BREAK, MMJ-3 becomes the console port, and MMJ-1 Cwill (confusingly) output the results of selftest in parallel with MMJ-3.\

14.3.3.3 How can I set up an alternate console on a VAXstation?



EMost VAXstation series systems and a few Alpha series systems have a Gswitch -- most often labeled S3, largely for historical reasons---that Henables one of the serial lines as the system console device; as OPA0:. EThis disables console output to the graphics display. (For a related Jbehaviour, please see Section 11.10.)

EAll VAXstation 3100 series systems provide a S3 slide switch, though Athe oldest may be missing the cut-out through the enclosure that Dprovides access to the switch. The slide switch is located near the Gdiagnostic LED display. (The slide switch is accessable with the cover removed.)

AVarious members of the DEC 3000 series Alpha systems also have a Bsimilarly-labled S3 switch for selection of the alternate console.

GThe particular port that becomes the console can vary. The printer MMJ Hconnection is used on all VAXstation 3100 series. On VAXstation II, the Fconsole DB9 is used, rather than the graphics display. On most (all?) HAlphaStation series systems, typically the COM1 serial port becomes the console.

´Also see Section 14.3.6, Section 11.10, and Section 14.17. Beware the gtwo different DB9 pin-outs; see Section 14.27 for related details.

FFor information on registering software license product authorization Kkeys (PAKs), please see Section 5.6.2.U

14.3.3.4 Please explain the back panel of the MicroVAX II



HThe MicroVAX-series console bulkhead interface was used with the KA630, /as well as with the KA650 and KA655 processors.

BThere are three controls on the console bulkhead of these systems:

 

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*  Triangle-in-circle-paddle: halt enable. 9    dot-in-circle: halt ([break]) is enabled, .                   and auto-boot is disabled. >    dot-not-in-circle: halt ([break]) is disabled, -                   and auto-boot is enabled.  6  Three-position-rotary: power-up bootstrap behaviour     arrow: normal operation. !    face: language inquiry mode. *    t-in-circle: infinite self-test loop.  5  Eight-position-rotary: console baud rate selection 5    select the required baud rate; read at power-up. 




FThere are several different bulkheads involved, including one for the @BA23 and BA123 enclosures, and one for the S-box (BA2xx) series Fenclosure. The console bulkheads typically used either the MMJ serial Fline connection, or the MicroVAX DB9 (not the PC DB9 pin-out), please ksee the descriptions of these in section Section 14.26. For available Aadapters, see Section 14.27.

AAlso present on the console bulkhead is a self-test indicator: a Gsingle-digit LED display. This matches the final part of the countdown Fdisplayed on the console or workstation, and can be used by a service Aorganization to determine the nature of a processor problem. The Dparticular countdown sequence varies by processor type, consult the Chardware or owner's manual for the processor, or contact the local Ehardware service organization for information the self-test sequence Gfor a particular processor module. Note that self-tests 2, 1 and 0 are Hassociated with the transfer of control from the console program to the (booting) operating system.S

14.3.4 What are Alpha console environment variables?



HAlpha systems have a variety of variables with values set up within the GSRM system console. These environment variables control the particular >behaviour of the console program and the system hardware, the Hparticular console interface presented to the operating system, various Gdefault values for the operating system bootstrap, and related control Hmechanisms---in other words, "the environment variables provide an Eeasily extensible mechanism for managing complex console state."

FThe specific environment variables differ by platform and by firmware Dversion---the baseline set is established by the Alpha Architecture:

 

"
8AUTO_ACTION ("BOOT", "HALT", "RESTART", any other value 9assumed to be HALT),  BOOT_DEV, BOOTDEF_DEV, BOOTED_DEV, 6BOOT_FILE, BOOTED_FILE, BOOT_OSFLAGS, BOOTED_OSFLAGS, 8BOOT_RESET ("ON", "OFF"), DUMP_DEV, ENABLE_AUDIT ("ON", /"OFF"), LICENSE, CHAR_SET, LANGUAGE, TTY_DEV.  




FOpenVMS Galaxy (vPars) firmware can add console environment variables Bbeginning with such strings as LP_* and HP_*, and each particular Bconsole implementation can (and often does) have various sorts of Eplatform-specific extensions beyond these variables. These variables /allow both vPars (virtual partitions) and lPars and lPars>(logical partition) support; vPars is a generic name for soft Apartitioning constructs such as OpenVMS Galaxy, while lPars is a 5generic name applied to hard partitioning constructs.

DThe contents of a core set of SRM console environment variables are Aaccessible from OpenVMS Alpha using the f$getenv lexical and the sys$getenv systemBservice. (These calls are first documented in V7.2, but have been Dpresent in OpenVMS Alpha for many releases.) Access to arbitary SRM Hconsole environment variables is rather more involved, and not directly Cavailable to application software operating outside of kernel-mode.O

14.3.5 What are the boot control flag values?



CIntegrity, VAX and Alpha primary bootstraps support flag values; a ?mechanism which permits the system manager to perform specific @customizations or site-specific debugging of the OpenVMS system Dbootstrap. While very similar, there are differences among the boot 3flag implementations for the various architectures.




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