KDPLDR Load Verify Utility for KMC11 Sep80

This document describes KDPLDR, a Load/Verify Utility developed by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) in September 1980.

KDPLDR is designed for use on a KS10 processor to manage the KMC11 auxiliary processor. The KMC11-A is a UNIBUS-based auxiliary processor for PDP-11 systems, which, on the KS10 (2020), drives DUP11 synchronous line interfaces for I/O control and communications protocols. Since the KMC11's microprogram is volatile, KDPLDR is essential for its management.

The utility's primary functions include:

1. Controlling KMC11: It can start, stop, and master-clear the KMC11 synchronous-line controller.
2. Loading and Verifying Microcode: It loads and verifies the microprogram into the KMC11's control memory (CRAM), either from its own "assembled in" version or a specified binary file.
3. Managing DDCMP: It initializes or halts Digital Data Communications Message Protocol (DDCMP) on the DUP11 synchronous lines controlled by the KMC11.

KDPLDR operates using various command-line switches (e.g., /AUTO, /LOAD, /VERIFY, /MCLEAR, /START, /STOP), allowing users to specify actions for particular KMC11 controllers or DUP11 lines. The document also lists potential error messages and their causes, ranging from hardware failures to software issues and user input errors.