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documentation/ibmcom.doc
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IBMCOM.DOC -- Changes in this release Page 1
December 1982
COPYRIGHT (C) DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION 1982
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.
IBMCOM.DOC -- Changes in this release Page 2
PRODUCTS INVOLVED
1.0 PRODUCTS INVOLVED
This .DOC file covers the following three products. The version
numbers listed below are the version numbers of this maintenance
release.
- TOPS-20 2780/3780 ET v2.1
- TOPS-20 2780/3780/HASP v1.1
- TOPS-20 2780/3780/HASP for the 2020 v1.1
2.0 SUMMARY
These are sold as three separate products. Since many of their
components are identical, this .DOC file will refer to all three
products as "the product" except where otherwise indicated.
This product is considered a maintenance release, and, as such,
it contains the fixes to problems written and published since
the release of the current field image product. All known
problems with the field image product are solved in this
maintenance release. In addition to previously published
patches, this product contains some new functionality, and a
generally tightened up and improved version of the existing
functionality. The following list details the changes.
GALAXY version 4.2 is required for this product. For a KS, the
required TOPS-20 MONITOR version is 4.1 or later. For a KL
Model B, the required TOPS-20 MONITOR version is 5.1 or later.
This product is not supported for KL Model As.
The 2780/3780 mode of the KL product supports up to 6
synchronous lines. When using the HASP mode of the KL product,
a maximum of 4 lines is supported, of which only 2 can use the
HASP protocol. The TOPS-20 2780/3780/HASP product for the 2020
supports 1 synchronous line.
3.0 NEW FUNCTIONS/FEATURES
1. The new IBMSPL writes Usage Accounting records.
IBMCOM.DOC -- Changes in this release Page 3
NEW FUNCTIONS/FEATURES
2. The new product uses the PROTOTYPE node functionality.
The PROTOTYPE node is used in termination mode to
DEFINE, SET, and START a port/line combination over
which any number of remote stations with the same SET
features may communicate. Only one of these many
remote stations may communicate over the PROTOTYPE
port/line combination at any one time. The benefit of
this feature is that for remote stations with similar
characteristics, the operator does not have to DEFINE
and START multiple termination nodes. In fact, no
TOPS-20 operator intervention is needed to start any
physical termination node, once the corresponding
PROTOTYPE node has been STARTed. The way in which the
actual termination nodes are recognized by the -20 is
through the presence of their nodenames and signon
information within the PROTOTYPE node's signon file.
Status and parameter perusal within OPR yields
information on both the PROTOTYPE node and the actual
node(s). Only actual nodes can have a card reader and
line printer. When using the SHUTDOWN command to OPR,
it is wise to remember that one can shut down
scheduling for an actual termination node, or one can
shut down a line by issuing the SHUTDOWN command for
the PROTOTYPE node.
3. Each available IBMcomm product includes a debugging
front end that can be loaded to allow easier error
analysis.
4.0 NAME CHANGES
1. There are a number of module name changes. One is a
change in the name of the hardware diagnostic from
CHK11 to CHK60. They are substantially the same. The
name change is meant to reflect the difference between
the CHK11 used by the IBMcomm product and those used by
other -20 products. Another module name change is from
DDT60 to DDT11. The form and effect of this change is
just the opposite of the CHK60 change. An effort was
made to align the DDT used with this product with a
standard and quite powerful DDT11, rather than using
the old DN60-specific hybrid DDT.
2. Be aware that the tape contains files whose filenames
may seem foreign. Front end source and binary
filenames were changed in some cases to better reflect
their contents. Where it made more sense, some files
were combined; still others were divided in two.
IBMCOM.DOC -- Changes in this release Page 4
NAME CHANGES
3. Under the previous version of this software, a holding
area of PS:<DN60> was required. Under the new
software, the logical name D60: should be defined.
The actual structure and directory used is then up to
the user. This area is used as a default holding area
for print files returning from an IBM host, and as a
storage area for signon and signoff files.
4. Under the field image version of the product, a module
named IBMCON existed to perform those error logging
functions that had then been decoupled from SYSERR.
Under the new version of the product, those functions
are again incorporated into SYSERR/SPEAR, and IBMCON no
longer exists as a separate module. D60JSY handles
SYSERR interfacing.
5.0 IMPROVEMENTS/FIXES
1. Improvements were made to the scheduler to solve timing
problems and to make that loop tighter. Improvements
were made to the front end and to the emulation
spooler, IBMSPL. Thus, substantial performance
improvements over the existing product should be
noticed in both emulation and termination modes.
2. There have been improvements made to the abort handling
code to assure that aborts are dealt with smoothly.
3. The disposition switches used in emulation mode now
work as documented.
4. In line with the PROTOTYPE node for termination, the
five minute window for connecting to another system
after STARTing up scheduling no longer exists. That
timeout was also eliminated for emulation connections.
5. More descriptive error messages have been added to this
product. Error messages are communicated to the
operator through OPR. The messages themselves may come
from one of a number of components of or relating to
the IBMcomm product. That is, the messages may
originate in the IBMcomm software itself or in the
TOPS-20 GALAXY system. The documentation on such
messages is very informative. It includes a further
interpretation of the message, as well as the proper
steps to take to recover from the error.
IBMCOM.DOC -- Changes in this release Page 5
IMPROVEMENTS/FIXES
6. The documentation for this product has been completely
rewritten and updated. The number of the new TOPS-20
IBM EMULATION/TERMINATION MANUAL is AA-5095C-TM.
7. For KS customers only: there is a W5 jumper that must
be installed on the DUPs of the DN22. This jumper
helps assure correct operation of the DN22. Contact
field service if the status of this jumper is wrong or
unknown.
6.0 DOCUMENTATION
The following manual has been updated to reflect changes in this
release:
TOPS-20 IBM Emulation/Termination
7.0 DEPENDENCIES
This release requires GALAXY V4.2. For KL Model B customers,
TOPS-20 V5.1 or later is required. For KS customers, TOPS-20
V4.1 or later is required. This product is not supported for KL
Model As.
8.0 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
Before installing this software, be sure to read the .BWR file
and the installation instructions in the TOPS-20 IBM
EMULATION/TERMINATION MANUAL.
[End of DOC file]