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XX-B151F-CF

May 1985

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Document:	SH Bulletin V4N1 Summer85
Order Number:	XX-B151F-CF
Revision:	0
Pages:	4
Original Filename:	http://bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/pdp11/tsxPlus/sh_bulletin/SH_Bulletin_V4N1_Summer85.pdf

OCR Text

SUMMER 1985

VOLUME FOUR, NUMBER ONE

TSX-Plus 6.0-New features
The following are some of the new features to be included
in TSX-Plus version 6.0, which is currently in field-test. The lowmemory' portion of TSX-Plus has been reorganized to reduce
the amount of space used by the system and the amount
required for tables for each job. The restriction of 30 jobs has
been removed and a minimal system may be able to support as many as 45 jobs.
A major revision has been made to the job privilege structure. The previous system (operator privilege or no privilege)
has been replaced by a set of 27 privileges which may be
individually enabled or disabled.

There will be no inherent limit on the number of shared files
that may be simultaneously in use.
Virtual and detached jobs will now inherit some information
from the oarent line. such as: orivileaes. oriorities. assianments.
logical mounts, an'd access' restrictions.
'~
,
PRO/TSX-Plus will include support for the quad serial line
multiplexer.
There will be support for named PLAS regions.

Cobol-Plus Version 6.0-New features
Cobol-Plus version 6.0 features a major enhancement to the
support of ISAM files. With version 6.0 it is possible to enable
automatic file size extension for ISAM files.
ne ISAM utility has been updated to fully support the new
iSAM structure. The "/U" switch wiii cause an oid iSAM fiie
to be updated/converted, in place, to the new ISAM structure.

There are now two versions of the compiler: one for smaller
memory systems which requires as little as 36kb to run, and
one for larger memory systems which compiles up to 1.8 times
as fast.

"c'

The format of some of ISAM's displays has been improved.
Some items are displayed in octal, some in decimal, and some
in both, depending on context.
Because of changes in the internal structure of ISAM files,
existing applications will need to be recompiled in order to
use ISAM files of the new structure.
The structural modifications for the new ISAM are due primarily
to the requirements of the automatic file extension function.
File extension is accomplished essentially in the same way
as the ISAM utility uses the "/E" switch.

There is a new option switch "IF" for the compiier. if specified, data items whose usage type is computational are instead
assigned display usage.
The ACCEPT id FROM TIME statement now returns with the
maximum accuracy possible with your system clock.
A new version of RTSORT (2.0) includes the ability to obtain
the job context from a job requesting a sort when RTSORT
is running in message mode under TSX-Plus version 6.0. The
optional switch, "/GETCXT", allows RTSORT to correctly interpret logical device assignments and logical subset disk mounts
(LD's) for the job requesting the sort, thus removing the necessity to use physical device names or include assignments and
mounts ir:1 the RTSORT detached job start-up command file.

DECNET
Several users have contacted S&H in recent months concerning whether DECNET is supported under TSX-Plus. Currently,
there is no known product which runs under TSX-Plus providIng DECNET compatibility to other environments running a
DECNET environment (such as VAX/VMS systems). We are
currently evaluating the market and feature requirements for
such a product. If such a product is of interest to you, write
us (Attn: Technical Support) and provide information in the
following areas:
What are your requirements for a DECNET product? File
-'lransfer? Remote terminal access? Program-ta-program communication? End node? Full routing? ETHERNET support?

2. Which computers do you wish to network (specify machine
types and operating systems)? Non-DEC computers (specify)?
3. Do you currently have a DEGNET product? For PDP-11
(specify operating system)? For VAX-11? Others (specify)?
4. When do you require the product? 6 months? 1 year?
5. What is the maximum amount you would be willing to pay
for a DECNET/TSX product?

s&h bulletin

Device Handler Information
DP handler
TSX-Plus version 5.0 and earlier, distributed standard DEC
RT-11 device handlers built using only the following
conditionals:
MMG$T = 1 ;enable memory management
TIM$IT = 1 ;enable time-out support
ERL$G = 0 ;disable error logging

execute part of the operating system usually resulting in a ff····
system error or halt. Therefore, the "IBSRO" call is curre~
unsupported in TSX-Plus.

MS handler

As a result, the DP handler's default support was for a RP02
device. In TSX-Plus version 5.1, the distributed handlers were
built using the RT-11 conditional file SYCND.MAC, modified
to alter the above conditionals. As a result, the SYCND.MAC
file enabled RP03 support in the DP handler rather than RP02.

The MS handler distributed with version 5.1 C of TSX-Plus contains corrections to the abort entry code within the handler.
It is now recommended that all magtape handlers be operated in an environment with abort entry processing enabled
(IOABT set to 1 or SET 10 ABOR1). The enabling of abort
processing will prevent errors such as device offline or device
in use following cancellation of a job which was using the tape
device.

DU handler

XC and XL handler

The DU handler shipped with TSX-Plus version 5.1 C is a very
early version of the DU device handler. Several problems were
identified and corrected in later RT-11 versions of this handier. Should you require any of these corrections, boot an
RT-11 XM system and configure the handler. Then COPY
DUX.SYS to DU.TSX.

TSX-Plus versions earlier than 5.1 C used bit 13 in the extension configuration word (RMON fixed offset 370) to identify
extended OBUS configurations which contained more than
256 K bytes of memory. Originally this bit was unused by
RT-11 but later became allocated to signal when RT-11 was
executing on a Professional. Thus, TSX-Plus versions which
set this bit required assignment of XC (rather than XL) when
using VTCOM. TSX-Plus version 5.1 C preserves the RT-11
meaning of this bit, resulting in the necessity of a RT-11 compatible device assignment (XL) when operating VTCOM on
extended OBUS machines.

IB handler
Several problems occur when attempting to use the DEC
GPIB software under TSX-Plus. The abort entry code in the
IB handler does not correctly isolate the job number for comparision purposes and as a result, unusual actions occur when
10ABT is 1 (enable abort entry) and other jobs are active. Temporarily disable abort entry processing by SET 10 NOABORT
(or 10ABT set to zero).
The IB subroutine "IBSRO" is implemented in the DEC IB
handler as a subroutine call from the handler directly to the
user code region. Since TSX-Plus does not load any user job
in the same map region as the operating system, the call will

Non-DEC handlers
Some non-DEC handlers (such as the FW handler used W
Scie:ntific Micro Syste~s) used bit 13 in the. extension .con~:
uratlon word (RMON fixed offset 370) to trigger 22-blt DMA
transfers (see XC and XL handler note). Device handlers
implemented to rely on this bit will require modification in order
to operate properly under TSX-Plus version 5.1 C.

Processor "Features"

After several calls from different sites, we have noticed additional patterns relating to the LSI-11/73 processor in addition
to those "features" we mentioned in a previous bulletin. Some
foreign peripherals seem to be mildly to seriously incompatible with the 11/73 processor. The peripheral vendors may
or may not claim that a given device has been "qualified"
for use with the LSI-11/73. They may also stipulate that their
board works with the 11/73B, but not necessarily with the
11/73A. If you aren't sure which processor you have, the
11/73A is a dual height board (5 inches wide) and the 11/73B
is a quad height board (10 inches wide). The symptoms which
may arise with incompatible boards range from unexplainable
system halts (with or without an error message) to 1/0 errors
such as "SAV file 1/0 error", "KRE KMON read error", "SIE
Swap file 1/0 error". These almost always indicate some sort
of hardware problem; sometimes a memory or disk controller
error, sometimes a bus grant problem, sometimes an inadequate DC power supply. When the incompatibility is device
specific, the symptoms may be as simple as device 1/0 errors

or as severe as causing the whole system to appear to
"hang".
One problem we have heard with increasing frequency is
erratic, unexplainable occurrences of the error "MON-F-Trap
to 4". These may occur sporadically within well tested,
thoroughly debugged programs. So far, two users have identified and remedied the problem. In one case, a particular program failed sporadically on an 11/73A, but never on a 11/73B
with otherwise similar hardware; the direct test of replacing
the 11/73A board with an 11/73B board was not tried. In the
second case, a similar failure was noted on an 11/73B board,
but was cured by substitution of a second 11/73B board~,·t•..,.
was then noted that an LED was lit on the second 11/7 ,.
processor which had not been lit on the first board. We p :
sume this is some sort of self-test success indicator.
Apparently (certainly?) RT-11 is not as sensitive to certain types
of processor errors as is TSX-Plus, It is like!y that much heav-

s&h bulletin
ier bus load conditions occur when using TSX-Plus due to its
multi-user/multi-tasking nature. Because of this, it may be difficult to recreate the error conditions under RT-11 or using
jiagnostic utilities. While successful operation under RT-11 and
jiagnostics are prerequisites for satisfactory operation with
TSX-Plus, they are not necessarily sufficient to disprove hardware incompatibilities or failure. Although we cannot always
deal with every vendor, we do try to serve as a clearinghouse
for information when several TSX-Plus customers are having

3
similar problems, and we try to first eliminate the operating
system software as the source of the problem. If you have
such problems, or particularly if you know of a solution to some
hardware incompatibility that may save others from a lot of
grief, we encourage you to WRITE to us with a complete yet
concise description of the problem, your hardware configuration, your software configuration, and other factors which
exacerbate the problem (such as system load).

Modem control-OFFTIM and TIMOUT parameters
The increasing use of remote terminals and modems with TSXPlus has elicited quite a few questions about how TSX-Plus
handles phone lines. The following discussion is excerpted
from a new section to be added to the revised TSX-Plus
manuals which will accompany version 6.0. There are too
many "New and Improved" types of modems being offered
every day to be able to handle each and every protocol. The
following discussion describes the dial-in protocol supported
)y TSX-Plus; most modems can be configured to conform to it.
If TSX-Plus is to handle a line as a modem, then it must be
identified as a phone line either by the $PHONE option to
the FLAGS macro in TSGEN or with the SET n PHONE command during execution. If TSX-Plus is to handle the modem,
then the line must also be connected to an interface card
which supports modem control (most multiplexers do, a
oLV11 J does not), the modem must be configured to a
"standard" auto-answer configuration, and the modem, cable
and interface card must support the following signals:
Pin

Signal name

Transm itted data
Received data
Signal ground
Carrier detect
Data terminal ready
Ring indicator

3
7

8
20
22

The normal sequence of events for a dial-in phone line is:

!Q~ p~on~ ~in~s{pos?ibly. sev~ral.times) .
..
.
c.. i ;:,X-PIUS OeLeC"LS tnE; ling signal, raiSE;S the data tE;rml-

nal ready line, and starts the OFFTIM timer
3. When OTR is raised, the modem should answer the
phone and establish a connection with the remote
modem, raising the carrier detect signal when
successful
4. When carrier detect is present, TSX-Plus starts the
TIMOUT timer
5. A carriage return is typed at the remote terminal
6. TSX-Plus transmits the greeting message, performs line
initialization, executes the start-up command file(s)
(should include running LOGON), and cancels the
OFFTI M timer

7. Normal time-sharing session operations

8. The remote terminal logs off
9. TSX-Plus starts the OFFTIM timer
10. The remote modem hangs up
11. The local modem drops carrier detect
12. TSX-Plus starts the TIMOUT timer
13, When either the OFFTIM or TIMOUT timer elaoses. TSXPlus lowers oTR
. 14. The local modem hangs up the phone
I '

In this normal sequence of events, any time the carrier detect
signal is lost, TSX-Plus starts the TIMOUT timer. If the carrier
detect signal is re-established, then TSX-Plus cancels the
TIMOUT timer. if the carrier detect signal remains iost for the
period specified by TIMOUT, then TSX-Plus logs off the line
and lowers oTR which should cause the modem to hang up
the phone. This takes care of the case in which the operator
of the remote terminal hangs up the phone without logging
off. The converse case, in which the operator of the remote
terminal logs off but does not hang up the phone, is handled
by the OFFTIM timer. If the line remains logged off, but connected (carrier detect signal present) longer than the period
specified by OFFTI M, then the system lowers oTR and the
modem should hang up the phone. The OFFTIM value also
deals with the case in which someone dials in and is unable
to successfully log in within the specified period. Some trial
and error adjustment is usually necessary for the TIMOUT and
OFFTIM values to account for the timing variability of the particular interface card. Modern and oho'le system at each
installation.
.
,J
Even if a line has been declared to TSX-Plus as a phone line,
when it first logs on (first carriage return received on an inactive line), the system will treat it as a true phone iine only if
the carrier detect signal is asserted; if not, then TSX-Plus treats
it as a local line and does not perform any of the modem control functions described above. This is usually the case for an
"intelligent" modem, which answers the phone for itself without regard to the oTR signal, and does not assert carrier
detect to the system or is connected through an interface
which does not support modem control.

s&h bulletin

A reminder from the Technical Support Department:
When calling S&H for technical assistance with one of our
products, you will need to know your license number and the
exact version number (e.g. TSX-Plus version 5.1 B-NOT "the
latest version" or "version 5"). A concise description of your
problem will help the operator properly route your call, but
keep in mind that the operator is not a technical specialist.
If your support is provided by a distributor, then you must contact that distributor for assistance. If the distributor cannot solve
the problem, the distributor will then call us. If your support
is provided directly by S&H, then your primary support contacts are: Steve, Ruth and Alan.
If you are experiencing an error while using TSX-Plus, you
should also have the following information at hand:
1) A printed copy of the TSGEN listing file (TSGEN.LSl) and
the link map file (TSX.MAP) which corresponds to the system
currently in use and in which the problem occurred.

s&h computer systems, inc.
1 027 17th Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37212

2) A printed copy of the information produced when you d
a SHOW ALL. Either do this on a printing terminal, or make
a terminal log file, using the following commands:
SET LOG FILE=LP:
SHOW ALL
SET LOG CLOSE
3) Be seated at a terminal connected to your TSX-Plus system, preferably the console terminal.
4) For problems involving system errors you must have: the
complete error message, all information presented with the
error message, and a summary of system activity at the time.
The more information you provide, the more likely we are to
identify the problem. If the error has occurred more than once
it is important to know the complete error information produced
each time.

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