Trailing-Edge
-
PDP-10 Archives
-
BB-H137C-BM
-
new-system/tops20.bwr
There are 34 other files named tops20.bwr in the archive. Click here to see a list.
TOPS-20 Beware File
April, 1982
VERSION 5
COPYRIGHT (C) 1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982 BY 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 RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE USE OR RELIABILITY
OF ITS SOFTWARE ON EQUIPMENT WHICH IS NOT SUPPLIED BY
DIGITAL.
Page 2
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Function
This document supplements the TOPS-20 manuals by pointing
out hints and potential problems discovered at the last
minute.
2.0 INSTALLATION INFORMATION - FLOPPIES
2.1 Floppies A and B
To make room for the larger BOOT and MTBOOT files on these
floppies, some reorganization and shifting of files has been
done since Version 4. The MAP files have been shifted to
FLOPPY-C. Note that floppies A and B still contain all
files necessary to build a working front-end file system as
described in the TOPS-20 Installation Guide.
2.2 Floppy C
This floppy now contains the MAP files for RSX20F. These
files are not critical to installing a new system and may be
installed at any time after a working front-end file system
has been built. The MAP files may be installed as follows:
This procedure assumes:
1. You have a running TOPS-20 V4 or V5 monitor
2. PS: is mounted on DB0:
Mount floppy C in floppy drive 0 (the left-hand drive), go
to the CTY (the system may remain under timesharing) and
type:
^\
PAR>MCR MOU
MOU>DX0:
Mount Complete
MOU>^Z
^\
PAR>MCR PIP
PIP>DB0:/NV=DX0:*.*
PIP>^Z
^\
PAR>MCR DMO
DMO>DX0:
Dismount Complete
DMO>^Z
This procedure is also documented in the TOPS-20 Software
Installation Guide, Chapter 4, Creating Front End File
Page 3
System.
3.3 Microcode Version 275
The floppies contain KL10 microcode version 275. This
microcode may only be used with version 5 of TOPS20.
Version 5 must use this microcode. TOPS20 version 4 will
NOT work using microcode 275. In the case that a site has
to revert back to version 4 from version 5 steps must be
taken to insure that the version 4 microcode (version 231)
is used. See RSX20F manual for help doing this.
4.0 DX20
The method of distribution for DX20 microcode is magtape.
The RP20 microcode is also on this tape.
Under certain powerfail conditions, the DX20 must be
manually reloaded. See DX20LD.DOC and TOPS-20 Operator's
Guide, Part VI, Section 1.14 for information concerning
appropriate times to manually reload the DX20.
5.0 SOFTWARE
5.1 DUMPER
The version of DUMPER that is on the distribution tape is
from Version 4. Due to some changes in the MACSYM macros,
this field-image version of DUMPER cannot be assembled with
the new version of MACSYM that is on this tape. Therefore,
in order for DUMPER version 4 to be re-built, the old
version of MACSYM must be used. Sites without this older
version should see their DEC Software Specialist for
details.
Some new ARCHIVE system functionality in the EXEC is not
supported by the current (V4) DUMPER. DUMPER is currently
in field test and a new release is expected soon.
6.0 EXEC CHANGE
6.1 DIRECTORY
Directory commands now have more descriptive guide words.
Users must change any DIRECTORY command guide words used in
control (.CTL) files. Otherwise, the command will be
rejected by the EXEC with the error "?Invalid Guide Word".
6.2 COMPILE/LOAD
The version 5 EXEC also includes a change in the operation
Page 4
of the COMPILE/LOAD commands which is intended to correct a
deficiency but which may possibly affect existing
procedures.
This situation arises on load-class commands if there is a
search list for the object (REL) files. For example,
@COMPILE PROG
where DSK: has a logical name definition including a search
list of two or more directories, or
@COMPILE AA:PROG BB:PROG
where the object file specification includes such a logical
name.
This situation usually exists where a user has a private
directory containing sources files he has modified, and
builds a program using RELs from a common library directory
as well. E.g.,
@DEFINE DSK: DSK:,PS:<LIBRARY>
The usual operation of COMPILE/LOAD is to compile a source
if there is no REL or if the existing REL is older than the
source (determined by date of last write). This is correct
when all sources and RELs are in the same directory, but it
can prevent the sources in the private directory from being
compiled, taking the library REL instead, thus building the
program without the user's version of the source.
To correct this, the Version 5 EXEC makes a further check:
the source file is found according to the given file
specification. If it is found in the connected directory,
then the lookup for the REL file will be limited to the
first item on the search list (if any) for the object file
specification. Thus, in the example above, if the source
file is found in the connected directory, only the connected
directory will be checked for the REL. If the REL is not
found there, the source will be compiled and the REL put in
the connected directory. Any source found in <LIBRARY>, not
being the connected directory, will allow the REL to be
taken from the connected directory or <LIBRARY>. As with
usual search list rules, the search will stop at the first
directory in which the REL file is found.
6.3 LOGIN.CMD and COMAND.CMD V5 now reads LOGIN.CMD before
COMAND.CMD. Also, the CSAVE, DEPOSIT, EXAMINE, SAVE,
SET-ADDRESS-BREAK, SET ENTRY-VECTOR, and START commands take
symbolic expressions in addition to octal numbers. See
TOPS-20 Commands Reference Manual. 7.0 SYSTEM MESSAGES
Page 5
Version 5 provides a way for the system administrator to
control the sending of some system messages to user
terminals.
There are various advisory messages sent by the system to
all terminals. These are divided into two categories, less
important (level 0) and more important (level 1). The
system administrator can suppress the sending of either or
both message levels by use of SMON functions.
The following messages are level 0:
1. Swapping space low.
2. SPT space low.
3. PS: space low.
The following messages are level 1:
1. Shutdown messages for a shutdown more than 5
minutes away.
2. PS: automatic expunge.
The following messages are always sent:
1. Initial shutdown message and automatic shutdown
announcements for shutdown 5 minutes or less away.
The default setting of the SMON functions is similar to
version 4, i.e. level 0 off, level 1 on. This means send
all shutdown and PS: expunge messages, but do not send
space low messages.
8.0 RSX20F
Note that there is a new version of RSX20F, which should be
installed. See the RSX20F.DOC and .BWR files for
information.
The RSX20F DEPOSIT command has changed its delimitor. The
old delimitor was a ":" and the new delimitor is a "=". The
format of the DEPOSIT command is now as follows:
DEPOSIT addr=data
9.0 FOREIGN COMMUNICATION HARDWARE
It has come to our attention that some systems are using
Page 6
communication hardware manufactured by vendors other than
DIGITAL. Some customers have experienced problems with
asynchronous line controllers. Specifically the ABLE DH/DM
has been observed to cause hung terminal lines and other
problems. The problems seem to stem from the silo delay
"feature" of the DH/DM. This "feature" can be turned off by
disabling (ie. closing) switch F4 position 3 (silo delay).
10.0 TEXTI BREAK ON CR
It is now possible for the TEXTI% JSYS to break on a CR
(ASCII 015). In previous versions it was not possible to
break on CR. The monitor always inserts a LF after a CR.
If you break on CR then the LF will still be in the terminal
input buffer.
11.0 KNOWN MICROCODE Bugs
The MOVSLJ instruction cannot transfer data between sections
unless BOTH byte pointers are global. For example, if both
pointers are indexed byte pointers, with one of the index
registers local and the other global, the data doesn't get
transferred correctly.
MOVSLJ cannot be used to fill a destination with a
"fill-character" if the destination byte pointer is a
one-word-global byte pointer. If the source length is 0 and
the destination pointer is a OWGP, then the instruction does
nothing.
EXTEND AC,[GSNGL E] where E >= 400000 octal will result in
an Illegal Memory Read. This instruction, new to V5 is NOT
currently used by any Digital Software.
12.0 RP20 Microcode It should be noted that the RP20 boot
microcode is shipped on the RP20/DX20 tape. Users are
advised to read README.MEM from this tape and follow
instructions there to restore BOOT and MTBOOT to their Front
End file system.
13.0 SPEAR
When SPEAR outputs the following message:
Page 7
%SPEAR Event file error detected in module RDFILE -- Routine
GETVALIDHEADER - CHECK - Bad header found - RESYNCing
it indicates that a portion of the event file being read is
not in the expected format (ie the data in the file has been
corrupted). In some cases, this may be caused by a lack of
disc space on PS:. Since the event file is written in a
special manner, it does not have all of the facilities of
the normal monitor file handler available. Although the
file is corrupted, both the file format and SPEAR have been
designed to recover from this problem and SPEAR will discard
the bad block and attempt to resynchronize itself in the
next file block. <><><> N O T E :: Read the TOPS20.DOC
file for additional information! <><><>