Libmsh

This document provides a user's manual for LIBMSH, a MASH library program written in FORTRAN IV (RTPS) for the Digital Equipment Corporation PDP-12 computer running the OS/8 operating system.

Summary:

• Purpose: LIBMSH is designed to catalog, manipulate, and manage information for individual MASH (MASS/INTENSITY) files. It supports functions such as searching for specific entries, listing indices, deleting/replacing entries, and moving entries between catalogs.

• System Components: The MASH library package consists of four primary programs:

  1. Transfer Program: Converts AIPOS (MASS/INTENSITY) files into OS/8 compatible floating-point files.
  2. Print Program: Prints MASS/INTENSITY pairs for a specified OS/8 file.
  3. Allocate Program: Creates a new catalog file of a user-specified size.
  4. MASH Library Program (LIBMSH): Provides the core library management functionality.

• Requirements: The software requires a minimum hardware configuration of 8K core memory, a console Teletype, two LINCtape transports, and a Floating Point Processor (FPP).

• Contents: The manual details hardware configuration, load/run procedures for the four programs, descriptions of the eight library functions (INIT, ENTER, SEARCH, XLIST, CLIST, DELETE, SQUISH, MOVE), and provides appendices covering response formats, assembly instructions, and internal technical documentation for software support.