Branches 3.3B Release Notes

This document comprises the Release Notes for "Branches" software, detailing changes across several versions, from 3.0-1 up to 3.3B.

Key Highlights:

1. Transition to Open Software: The most significant update is the announcement in January 2003 that "Branches," after Acorn Software, Inc. closed in February 2000, has been released as an open software product for OpenVMS under the Open Software Initiative license.
2. New Support Provider: Cottage Software Works, Inc. now holds the rights and provides support for Branches.
3. Target Audience: The documentation is aimed at experienced OpenVMS system managers and application developers.

Major Changes by Version:

• Branches 3.3B (from 3.2B):

  • Licensing System Removed: In alignment with its open-source status, Branches no longer maintains or enforces a license. Source code and installation kits are available via SourceForge.
  • OpenVMS/VAX Support Dropped: Cottage Software Works, Inc. no longer provides default support for OpenVMS/VAX due to lack of in-house systems.

• Branches 3.2B (from 3.1):

  • Licensing System Changes: Introduced a temporary key system for configuration changes, requiring a new key within 45 days for altered configurations.
  • New Library Support: Added support for the Spectralogic TREEFROG.
  • Minimum System Requirements: Updated to OpenVMS/AXP 6.2 or later, and required 6.2 C/C++ run-time library patches (provided with Branches).
  • No Unload on Dismount Default: Branches now sets all drives to "unload on dismount" behavior when the server starts, to ensure proper media management.
  • Hardware Initialization Control: Added a DISABLE-HARDWARE-INITIALIZATION [0 | 1 | 2] configuration line to manage SCSI initialize element status commands, useful for libraries with long initialization times.
  • Multi-Media Library Support: Introduced DRIVE-MEDIA-TYPE device, mediaType configuration line and a /MEDIA_TYPE qualifier for IMPORT and SET SLOT commands, allowing specification of media types per drive and for imported media.
  • Configuration Utility: Improved to fully support new multi-media library configuration capabilities.

• Branches 3.1 (from 3.0):

  • HyperTape Support: Implemented support for BridgeHead Software's HyperTape and OpenMedia Manager, allowing user-defined command procedures to execute before and after Branches commands that manipulate inventory. Required OpenMedia Manager.
  • StorageTek ACSLS Support: Preliminary changes for network-attached StorageTek libraries via ACSLS interface were put in place for future full implementation.

• Branches 3.0:

  • New Licensing System: Changed to allow licensing of multiple library types and specific library counts per system, requiring a new license key within 45 days.
  • New Configuration Lines: Added LABEL [labelOption] (for controlling tape label processing, e.g., LABEL_REQUIRED, BARCODE) and INITIALIZE-ELEMENT-STATUS 0 or 1.
  • Configuration Utility Rewrite: Completely rewritten to be menu-driven and more helpful.
  • KITINSTAL Modifications: Installation procedure now automatically modifies SYS$SYSTEM:MODPARAMS.DAT and user account quotas.

• Branches 3.0-1 (from 3.0):

  • New Device Support: Added support for Kubik Magneto Optical and CDROM jukeboxes (CDR240M, MO120), and the StorageTek 7430.
  • Licensing Bug Fixes: Corrected bugs in the licensing code and BRANCHES/LICENSE command.

The document also provides details on how to use new features like Multi-Media library support via the configuration utility, command formats for IMPORT and SET SLOT with new qualifiers, and how to integrate HyperTape with Branches and OpenMedia Manager.