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Subject: Guide to Using the "FE" Device
File: USEFE.RNO
Date: 4-Feb-76
Author: Tom Porcher
PDM: TCP-76-001-00-S
***Copyright (C) 1976 by Digital Equipment Corp., Maynard, MA***
Guide to Using the "FE" Device Page 2
*** CAUTION ***
The "FE" device is intended for use only
in software updating and development
procedures by knowledgeable people. Use
without proper caution may produce
unpredictable results.
OVERVIEW
The "FE" device is used from the -11 to transfer files to and from the
TOPS-20 file system. Usually it is accessed through the use of -11
PIP, using device "FE:" as if it were a FILES-11 device.
FILE FORMAT
Two file formats on the TOPS-20 file system are supported: 16-bit
binary files (in 18-bit bytes) and 7-bit ASCII files. The format of a
particular file is determined by the file byte-size and/or the file
type. If the byte size is 18 bits, the file is assumed to be in
16-bit binary format. If the byte-size is 7 bits, it is assumed to be
in 7-bit ASCII format, and the proper swapping of bytes is performed
during transfers. If the byte-size is neither 18 nor 7, the file type
is checked to determine the format. File types .ABS, .BIN, .LDA,
.OBJ, .OLB, .SML, .STB, .SYS, and .TSK are assumed to be in 16-bit
binary format, all others are taken to be 7-bit ASCII files.
RSX FORMAT FILE CONVERSION
Files used by the standard RSX tasks are required to be
record-formatted, while their counterparts on the TOPS-20 file system
do not. This applies to all ASCII text files (which must be in
formatted ASCII) and to formatted binary files, notably .OBJ, .OLB,
.SML, and .STB types. A program called "RSXFMT" was developed to do
the necessary conversions, both to RSX format and back to DOS/TOPS-20
format. RSXFMT prompts by typing "RSXFMT>" to which the user responds
with the desired command. All commands to RSXFMT are described in
RSXFMT.HLP, which can be invoked by the HELP command to RSXFMT.
The default conversion mode for the file is determined from the file
type and the first data word in the file. Note that RSX formatted
files and binary files are written with a file byte-size of 18 bits to
insure binary transfer mode. Also note that the "ASCII-ized" files
(.A10 and .RAM types) read by KLINIT and all files read by KLDCP are
not read in record mode, and thereby do not require conversion. An
example of converting a group of files to rsx format:
Guide to Using the "FE" Device Page 3
@R RSXFMT
RSXFMT>TEMPORARY (OUTPUT FILES)
RSXFMT>CONVERT (FILE) QFC.* (OUTPUT AS) QFC.*
QFC.MAC.4 [7-BIT-ASCII] ==> QFC.MAC.100008;T [RSX-ASCII]
QFC.OBJ.7 [DOS-BINARY] ==> QFC.OBJ.100008;T [RSX-BINARY]
RSXFMT>
GETTING THE SYSTEM STARTED
The program "FE" must be running on the TOPS-20 system. If it is not
already running, it can be started by typing the following under the
OPERATOR account (probably under PTYCON):
@ENABLE (CAPABILITES)
$R FE
The "FE" program should now be running and is waiting for a request
from the "FE" device from the -11. The next step is to mount the "FE"
device on the -11 such that files can be accessed using it. This
requires that the file "T20ACP.TSK" be present on the -11 file system.
"FE" can be mounted using the Console Command Parser at the console
terminal by typing:
^\ (Control-Backslash)
PAR>MCR MOU
MOU>FE:
MOU -- MOUNT COMPLETE
MOU>^Z (Control-Z)
ADDRESSING TOPS-20 FILES
All files on the TOPS-20 file system may be accessed from the -11 with
the following exceptions:
Files with file names longer than 9 characters.
Files with file types longer than 3 characters.
Files with file names containing characters other than A-Z,
0-9.
Files with generation numbers not in the range 1.-8191. or
100000.-108191..
Files in directory number 20000 or greater.
Directories are mapped to UIC's on the -11 in two ways: fixed
directories and by directory number. The fixed directories are:
[1,1] <SYSTEM>
[1,2] <OPERATOR>
[1,4] <SUBSYS>
[5,5] <FRONT-END>
Guide to Using the "FE" Device Page 4
All UIC's greater than [340,0] map directly to directory numbers. The
formula to find the UIC for a given directory number "D" is [ 340 + (D
/ 400) , REMDR(D,400) ] where / represents integer division,
REMDR(X,Y) is the remainder of dividing X by Y. Some examples:
Directory number 502:
502 / 400 = 1
REMDR(502,400) = 102
==> Directory 502 maps to UIC [341,102]
Directory number 2745:
2745 / 400 = 5
REMDR(2745,400) = 345
==> Directory 2745 maps to UIC [345,345]
Files are merely referenced by file name, file type and generation.
Note that generation numbers on the -11 are in octal, and are
punctuated by a ";" rather than a ".". Generations greater than
100000. (usually job temporary files) are mapped to generations 20000
and up on the -11 to facilitate the use of these files.
USING -11 PIP
-11 PIP is used in almost all transfers through the "FE" device. PIP
can be requested through the Console Command Language using the "MCR
PIP" command. The following basic commands can be used to list and
transfer files:
To list a TOPS-20 directory on device dev:
PIP>dev:=FE:[uic]file.typ;nnn/LI (or /BR or /FU)
Example:
PIP>FE:[5,5]/BR
DIRECTORY FE0:[5,5]
4-JAN-75 00:35
QFC.LST;1
QFC.MAC;3
QFC.MAC;4
QFC.MAC;20010
QFC.OBJ;6
QFC.OBJ;7
QFC.OBJ;20010
PIP>
To copy a file to the -11 file system:
PIP>dev:[uic]=FE:[uic]file.typ;nnn/NV
Example:
PIP>DX1:=FE:[341,102]QFC.*/NV
PIP>
Guide to Using the "FE" Device Page 5
To copy a file from the -11 file system:
PIP>FE:[uic]=dev:[uic]file.typ;nnn/NV
Example:
PIP>FE:[341,102]*.NEW=[120,10]*.BIN/NV
PIP>
To delete a file:
PIP>dev:[uic]file.typ;nnn/DE
Example:
PIP>DB0:QFC.MAC;*/DE
PIP>FE:[341,102]*.*;20010/DE
PIP>
dev: is an -11 device which is mounted. If absent, SY: (the system
device) is assumed for files, TT: (the console terminal) for
directory listings. [uic] is optional and defaults to [5,5]. /NV
(New Version) is recommended in transferring files, since usually the
generation numbers on FILES-11 and TOPS-20 have no relation. To exit
from PIP, type ^Z (Control-Z).
TERMINATION OF "FE" DEVICE
When all the desired files have been transferred, the "FE" device
should be dismounted to free up system resources in use. Dismounting
the "FE" device is done by typing at the console terminal:
^\ (Control-Backslash)
PAR>MCR DMO
DMO>FE:
DMO -- DISMOUNT COMPLETE
DMO>^Z (Control-Z)
Temporary RSX format files which were generated by using RSXFMT may be
deleted using the EXPUNGE command as follows:
@EXPUNGE (DIRECTORY) ,
@@DELETE (TEMPORARY FILES)
@@
@
Note that this deletes all temporary files and deleted files so it
should be used with caution. This is done automatically when you
LOGOUT.
[End of USEFE.MEM]