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documentation/beware.mem
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Beware File for
TOPS-20 IBM 2780/3780/HASP E/T
for the DECSYSTEM-2020
Revision 3
Date: 19 January 1981
Copyright (c) 1981, 1980, 1979
Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard, Mass.
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 responsiblility for the use or reliabilility
of its software on equipment which is not supplied by DIGITAL.
Page 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. PURPOSE OF THIS RELEASE
2. DEPENDENCIES
3. INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
4. KNOWN PROBLEMS AND DEFICIENCIES
5. SUPPORT CATEGORY
Page 3
1.0 PURPOSE OF THIS RELEASE
This is the first release of the TOPS-20 IBM 2780/3780/HASP E/T
for the DECSYSTEM-2020. This release provides software support
for the DN22. Hereafter, this software will be referred to as
the DN22 software.
The DN22 provides functionality that is similar to that of the
TOPS-20 IBM 2780/3780/HASP E/T for the larger members of the
DECSYSTEM-20 family. The only functional differences are in the
maximum number of lines that are supported and the maximum line
speeds.
The DN22 front-end is connected to the DECSYSTEM-2020 with a
synchronous (clocking) null modem. This modem is not supplied by
Digital, and must be obtained from another vendor. For maximum
performance, this modem should be used at a line speed of 19.2KB.
The software package provided includes a spooler to allow the
DECSYSTEM-2020 to emulate an IBM type RJE station, front-end
software, and software to allow booting the front end.
Termination is handled by the standard GALAXY spoolers: CDRIVE
and LPTSPL.
2.0 DEPENDENCIES
This software depends on TOPS-20 version 4.0, and GALAXY version
4.0. It will not function with earlier versions of TOPS-20, nor
with earlier versions of GALAXY.
3.0 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
Installation for this product is somewhat complicated. You
should read this installation instructions in the Manual:
TOPS-20 IBM Emulation and Termination (DEC Order AA-5095B-TM).
4.0 KNOWN PROBLEMS AND DEFICIENCIES
This product is based on the TOPS-20 IBM 2780/3780/HASP E/T
product. The code is the same except for the code that
communicates between the TOPS-20 system and the front-end. Based
on our extensive internal and field testing, there are no known
problems with this product that are specific to the DN22.
There are, however, a number of problems that this product shares
with the TOPS-20 IBM 2780/3780/HASP E/T. These problems are
documented below for your reference. We are actively working on
a maintenance release of this product.
Page 4
4.1 SEND TO BATCH Command
This command allows the DECSYSTEM-2020 operator to send text to
the IBM system in emulation mode. This action simulates the HASP
station console. This command currently has the following
problems:
1. It will currently only take one line of input at a time.
Workaround: Send data one line at a time.
4.2 IBMSPL Operational Problems
1. IBMSPL sometimes hangs in transmitting or receiving a job.
If you experience this problem, you should install the
following patch:
At the label GETINO, change
$DSCHD TW.IOD,Q ;wait a little to
$DSCHD TW.IOD,3 ;wait one second
And at PUTIB2, change
PUTIB2: $DSCHD TW.IOD,Q ;wait a little
to
PUTIB2: $DSCHD TW.IOD,^D5*3 ;wait for five seconds
2. IBMSPL doesn't schedule correctly in 2780 or 3780 mode.
Cure: Install the following patch:
In the macro definition for $DSCHD (it's on page 9), change
SETZM CURATE ;; Clear Active Task List pointer
to
SETZB TF,CURATE ;; Clear Active Task List pointer
3. IBMSPL sometimes gives the spurious error message, "Specified
Request not yours" when processing a job. Cure: Install the
following patch:
At FNDOB3+1, insert
MOVE LB,LB+T%ACS ;load address of line block
just before
Page 5
MOVE J,J+T%ACS ;and load address of job page
4. The /UNIQUE switch applies to all batch jobs that are
submitted by any one user. The includes both IBMSPL jobs and
BATCON jobs. This means that if a user has specified
/UNIQUE:YES (default) and has a batch job running, IBMSPL
will not transmit the job until BATCON finishes the job it is
processing for the user.
5. The directory <DN60> fills up with deleted LPT-IBM-?????
files. Workaround: Clean up the area periodically.
6. The time stamp on returning print jobs is not necessarily
unique. This means that two files can come back as the same
name, deleting the first file returned. It only happens if
the files are short enough to be completely tranmitted in one
minute.
7. /LSTR does not work. This means that files shipped back by
IBMSPL are always written to PS:.
8. The hold file that IBMSPL writes when receiving output is
named randomly.
9. REQUEUE, PAUSE and STOP are not implemented. These commands
should not be used with IBMSPL.
10. If a job submitted to IBMSPL is deleted before it is
processed, IBMSPL will hang trying to find the file.
Workaround: Don't DELETE control files if they have been
send to IBMSPL.
11. IBMSPL sometimes loses a portion of the print job it is
receiving if a SHUTDOWN is issued while it is reading.
Workaround: Wait for IBMSPL to become quiet before doing a
shutdown.
12. The pattern recognizer does not work exactly as advertised.
The way that the parser works is sufficient to recognize
console output from most IBM systems. If IBMSPL cannot
recognize console output coming back for your IBM system, you
should contact your software specialist who can aid you in
devising a patch for this.
13. If IBMSPL is unable to rename a file that it is receiving
from an IBM system, IBMSPL will hang until the node is
SHUTDOWN and re-STARTed.
14. The /LDISP:PRINT option doesn't work for returning output
files. Workaround: Don't use any /LDISP switch if the
output is to be printed, because the default is to print.
15. IBMSPL will not run correctly unless it is CONNECTed to a PS:
directory. If it CONNECTed to another structure, it will not
be able to queue line printer output.
Page 6
16. The code to send the sign-off file doesn't work correctly.
You can get IBMSPL to send the sign-off file by submitting
this file with a SUBMIT command. If you don't send a
sign-off file, you may have trouble using that line again
later.
4.3 Problems With TERMINATION
1. If a termination station drops off line while a file is being
printed, LPTSPL doesn't notice and the job will never
complete. The job should be aborted and the printer should
be shutdown before attempting to restart the station.
2. When an RJE session is completed by the operator with a
SHUTDOWN NODE command, the operator should hang up the phone.
Otherwise, the line will stay connected and incur additional
phone charges.
4.4 Problems With SIGNON
4.4.1 SIGNON Timeout -
After issuing a START NODE command to OPR, the operator at the
remote station must SIGNON within five minutes. Otherwise, the
DN22 will drop carrier and the operator will have to START up the
node again.
If this timeout causes problems at your site, you may change them
as follows:
For TERMINATION, the fix must be made in CDRIVE. The timeout is
specified at:
OPN.6B-1/ MOVEI T1,^D60
To set a different value, change ^D60. The value is the number
of five second intervals to wait before timing out.
For EMULATION, the fix is in IBMSPL. The time is defined as
XP SGNINT,^D60*^D3*^D5 ;5 Minutes for SIGNON
The last number, "^D5", is the timeout in minutes.
Page 7
4.4.2 SIGNON Verification -
SIGNON cards are not currently verified. There is no checking to
ensure that the correct station has signed on. This can be fixed
by rebuilding CDRIVE with the version of D60JSY that is included
on this tape.
4.5 Node Definition
It is possible to create two nodes (DEFINE NODE command to OPR)
that have the same port and line identification. Unfortunately,
it is also possible to issue START NODE commands to both. This
will create at least one node that will do very strange things.
Normally one of the two nodes will generate enough fatal errors
that it will shut down. We suggest that node definitions and
port/line assignments be checked carefully before starting nodes.
5.0 SUPPORT CATEGORY
The DN22 software is fully supported by Digital. Problem reports
should be submitted on SPR forms. Fixes will be published in the
Software Dispatch and distributed to Software Specialists.