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Trailing-Edge - PDP-10 Archives - BB-5255D-BM - 4-documentation/cardreader-batch.doc
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                        COPYRIGHT (c) 1978,1979
                     DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION

THIS SOFTWARE IS FURNISHED UNDER A LICENSE AND MAY BE  USED  AND  COPIED
ONLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF SUCH LICENSE AND WITH THE INCLUSION
OF THE ABOVE COPYRIGHT  NOTICE.   THIS  SOFTWARE  OR  ANY  OTHER  COPIES
THEREOF  MAY  NOT  BE  PROVIDED OR OTHERWISE MADE AVAILABLE TO ANY OTHER
PERSON.   NO  TITLE  TO  AND  OWNERSHIP  OF  THE  SOFTWARE   IS   HEREBY
TRANSFERRED.

THE INFORMATION IN THIS SOFTWARE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE AND
SHOULD   NOT   BE   CONSTRUED  AS  A  COMMITMENT  BY  DIGITAL  EQUIPMENT
CORPORATION.

DIGITAL ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE  USE  OR  RELIABILITY  OF  ITS
SOFTWARE ON EQUIPMENT WHICH IS NOT SUPPLIED BY DIGITAL.
CARDREADER-BATCH.DOC -- Changes from version 3 to version 4       Page 2
SUMMARY


1.0  SUMMARY

This document describes the changes in the cardreader handling and batch
processing for release 4 of the TOPS20 batch and spooling subsystem.


                                  NOTE

               This is one of 5 documentation files  that
               exist for the batch and spooling software.
               Refer to the GAL4.DOC file for an overview
               of this release.


This document primarily discusses the following programs:

     1.  CDRIVE.EXE

     2.  SPRINT.EXE

     3.  BATCON.EXE

In the area of cardreader handling and general batch processing  release
4 is primarily concerned with performance issues.  There are, however, a
significant number of functional enhancements and a few changes.

Note that CDRIVE is a new program.  The card-reader handling and control
card  interpretation  task  which both previously resided in SPRINT have
now been split  with  the  former  going  into  CDRIVE  and  the  latter
remaining in SPRINT.
CARDREADER-BATCH.DOC -- Changes from version 3 to version 4       Page 3
EXTERNAL CHANGES


2.0  EXTERNAL CHANGES

2.1  Changes Applicable To All Batch Users

     1.  Each job placed in the batch queue either by a  SUBMIT  command
         or   by   a  card  deck  gets  a  unique  identifier  called  a
         'request-id' assigned  to  it.   This  request-id,  unlike  the
         existing  'sequence'  number,  uniquely  identifies  the  queue
         request.  The request-id may be used on the CANCEL  and  MODIFY
         commands  and  they appear in the queue listing rather than the
         sequence number.  Note that request-ids are reassigned whenever
         the  system  is  restarted  and  therefore they should never be
         built into automated procedures.  A sequence number  may  still
         be  assigned  to  each  job  by  the  user  and may be used for
         automated procedures.  Sequence numbers are  displayed  in  the
         queue listing if the /ALL option is requested.

     2.  Log File Handling - More flexibility is  provided  in  how  the
         batch  log  file  is  handle.   There is a switch on the SUBMIT
         command and on the $JOB card called  /BATCH-LOG  which  accepts
         one of the following keywords:

         1.  APPEND - This is the default.  If a log file  by  the  same
             name  already exists in the user's connected directory, the
             new batch log is appended to it.  This method of  log  file
             handling  is  the  only  method which has been available in
             previous releases.

         2.  SUPERSEDE - A new log file will always be created.  On  the
             -20  this  implies that the next generation will be created
             if a log file with the same name exists  in  the  connected
             directory  and  on the -10 an existing log file will simply
             be superseded.

         3.  SPOOL - This is a totally new type of  log  file  handling.
             If  this  option  is chosen, the batch log file will not be
             created in the user's directory at all.  A log file will be
             created  in  the  spooling  directory and maintained by the
             system.  This option is recommended for all users who don't
             require  having  the  log  file  available to them on disk.
             This option resolves most quota problems, and  also  allows
             the user to submit the same control file many times without
             having to specify unique log files.

         In all cases,  the  /OUTPUT  switch  value  is  still  used  to
         determine whether the log file actually gets printed.
CARDREADER-BATCH.DOC -- Changes from version 3 to version 4       Page 4
EXTERNAL CHANGES


     3.  There is a new switch on the SUBMIT command and the  $JOB  card
         called  /ASSISTANCE  which  accepts  YES and NO as values.  The
         default is YES.  This switch indicates  whether  the  job  will
         require  any  explicit  operator  interaction like PLEASE (with
         response), OPERATOR dialog, MOUNT commands which  will  require
         device  mounting,  or  program  generated  WTORs.   If a job is
         submitted  with  /ASSIST:NO  and   operator   intervention   is
         requested for any reason, the job is canceled automatically.

         The advantage of specifying /ASSIST:NO is that an  installation
         can (if it so desires) dedicate batch streams to these jobs, in
         effect giving them a higher priority.  In addition, these  jobs
         will  be allowed to run if no operator is in attendence whereas
         others may not.




2.2  Changes Applicable To The Timesharing User Of Batch

     1.  A new switch called /NOTIFY exists on the SUBMIT  command.   If
         this  switch  is  given,  a message is typed on the submitter's
         terminal when the batch job completes.

     2.  A new switch called /READER exists on the SUBMIT  command.   If
         this  switch  is  given, The specified file is submitted to the
         control card interpreter rather  than  directly  to  the  batch
         processor.  The file is expected to begin with a $JOB card, and
         may contain any valid control cards.  SPRINT will process  this
         file and create a control file for submission to batch.



         2.3  Changes Applicable To The Card User

         1.  The /WIDTH and /SUPPRESS now revert to their default values
             at the end of each file within a job.

         2.  The $MODE card has been removed.

         3.  The $SEQUENCE card may no longer be the very first card  in
             a  job.   This  card  may  be place anywhere 'within' a job
             (i.e.  after the $PASSWORD but before the $EOJ).   This  is
             the  first  step  in  removal  of this card.  The /SEQUENCE
             switch on the $JOB card is preferred.

         4.  All    filespecifications    may     be     full     TOPS20
             filespecifications.

         5.  The user name on the $JOB card may be terminated by a space
             or a slash.
CARDREADER-BATCH.DOC -- Changes from version 3 to version 4       Page 5
EXTERNAL CHANGES


         6.  $ERROR  and  $NOERROR  are  different.    Previously   they
             generated  IF(ERROR) and IF(NOERROR) command in the control
             file.  Now they generate just ERROR and NOERROR commands.

         7.  Control cards have been added for the other batch  specific
             commands:    $IF,   $GOTO,  $SILENCE,  $REVIVE,  $OPERATOR,
             $NOOPERATOR, $BACKTO $REQUEUE,  $CHKPNT.   The  formats  of
             these   cards  are  the  same  as  their  respective  batch
             commands.  This removes the need  to  code  these  commands
             under a $TOPS20 card.

         8.  The maximum allowable value on the /PRIORITY switch on  the
             $JOB card is now 20 rather than 62.

         9.  Previous to this release, SPRINT always included a %ERR  at
             the end of the control file.  This caused a problem in that
             jobs never terminated with the error  condition  true  (the
             error   condition   is   cleared  on  %ERR)  and  therefore
             /OUTPUT:ERROR never printed the log file.  [SPR 10-24080].

        10.  /OUTPUT is now obeyed for log files queued  up  by  SPRINT.
             Previously  it  was  obeyed  only for log files produced by
             batch jobs.

        11.  /DEADLINE has been removed from  the  $JOB  card.   It  was
             never  implemented anyway.  /CHARGE was also removed on the
             -10.




         3.0  KNOWN BUGS AND DEFICIENCIES

         None



         4.0  INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

         4.1  Files Needed To Run Cardreader And Batch Support Programs

         Given a running release 4 TOPS20 system with QUASAR, ORION, and
         OPR,  an  installation  requires  SPRINT.EXE  and BATCON.EXE in
         order to  run  batch  processing  and  in  addition  to  these,
         CDRIVE.EXE is needed to support card-oriented batch jobs.



         4.2  Instructions For Installing Cardreader And Batch Support Programs

         SPRINT.EXE, BATCON.EXE, and CDRIVE.EXE are all supplied on  the
         SYS  area  of  the  TOPS20  release  tape and will be installed
         automatically during system installation.
CARDREADER-BATCH.DOC -- Changes from version 3 to version 4       Page 6
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS


         4.3  Files Needed To Build Cardreader And Batch Support Programs

         Normally, any change to the GALAXY subsystem  will  be  include
         running  the  GALGEN  program  to  generate  a  new  GALCNF.MAC
         configuration file.



         4.4  Instructions For Building Cardreader And Batch Support Programs

         5.0  INTERNAL CHANGES

         Release 4  contains  a  number  of  changes  to  virtually  all
         components  of  the batch and spooling subsystem.  These common
         changes include:

         1.  Full conversion of all programs to run in 'native' mode  on
             both the TOPS10 and TOPS20 operating systems.  (Note:  some
             programs like LPTSPL already ran in  native  mode  on  both
             systems).

         2.  Use of the GALAXY runtime library by all components.

         3.  Removal of explicit operator  interfaces  in  all  relevant
             programs and inclusion of an OPR/ORION interface.

         4.  Increased modularization of many programs.

         In addition to these changes, the Cardreader and Batch  Support
         Programs had the following internal changes:

         1.  The SPRINT program which (in previous releases) read  cards
             from   the  card-reader,  interpreted  control  cards,  and
             created batch jobs, has been broken up into  two  programs.
             The  CDRIVE  program is the physical card-reader driver.  A
             single  job  running   CDRIVE   will   drive   all   system
             card-readers  (including  DN200  and  DN64/5 card-readers).
             The data is spooled to disk and requests are queued  up  to
             what  is  now  the SPRINT program.  SPRINT now simply reads
             spooled card data, does all control card interpretation and
             creates batch jobs as required.