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XX-5D3E2-6B

May 1973

156 pages

Original

5.6MB

Document:	OS8 V3 Memos 1973
Order Number:	XX-5D3E2-6B
Revision:
Pages:	156
Original Filename:	http://bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/pdp8/os8/OS8_V3_Memos_1973.pdf

OCR Text

MEMORA'N.D_UM
Te,:

DATE:

12/31/73

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz/R. Lary

DEPT:

PDP-8 Development

OS/8 V3 Test Sites

~EXT: 2130/333~OC:

12-3

SUBJ: Contents of V3 Field Tess tapes
The tape marked "SYSTEM" is'a'bootstrappable TC08 system.
The tape marked "BINARIES" contains'TDINIT as its bootstrap.
TDINIT has changed from V2 but its messages should be se1fexplanatory. It is suggested that the first thing you do after
bootstrapping the system is get directories of both tapes
(type
..
.DIR DTAO:,DTAl: followed py -L if 'you have a line printer)
and then get a listing of tbe file' BUILp.HL which gives a command
summary of the new BUILD (The new commands are ett,ough of a superset
of the old commands that you will be able to ,operate, it in almost
total ignorance of the new features -'but read the, ";file. anyway . )

For those of you who do not have the OS/8 F4system, the
following patch to CCL.SV will invoke FORT.SV in the ~COMPI,LE
and .EXECUTE commands when the file extension is '.FT :
.GET SYS eeL
.CDT
13414/6631 6625
13431/6555 6551
te
.SAVE SYS eCL
Please use the tapes as much as you can. we;hav~·.·tT.~e:n·,;'li$itn~; them
in-house for several weeks and they seem qui te sorid:~.'i!!J.ut[:;:we1:;.:"49;~not
exersise all of OS/8 .in' 'system development work. ,i>.:i::fiaS'$':Kwri te:,;.,us
upon receipt of the tapes arid give us a phone nurnbe~so,'·,tJ_at:~:·we can
call you semi-periodicaltiv to collect l?ugs and C:ompla'lri't.s.
We have purposely 'left in several minor ,non; ....d~st!t\Icit'ive':·l>ugs
to test your perspicacity. You will be graded'on hOw' ttt'~nY:"YDd:jfind'.
A score of 65% is passing, neatness counts, ~rid~r~bbib9;~iIL~be
severely dealt with.

Dear Field Test Site:
Enclosed is a copy of the new OS/8 version 3 (pre-release)
operating system. This software is ,the result of a continuing
development effort which we hope will culminate in the release
of OS/8 V3 early next spring.
We are distributing preliminary system tapes to selected,
experienced users such as yourselves. We encourage you to
experiment with the new software, evaluate its performance in
your data processing environment, and notify us of any shortcomings or areas for improvement that may occur to you. In
this manner, your expertise will benefit all OS/8 users and
'assist us in the final stages of development and evaluation.
We will forward complete documentation for this operating
system as soon as it becomes available. Meanwhile, you will
find that although OS/8 version 3 includes many new features,
it is essentially a proper superset of the version 2 system.
All operations which execute under OS/8 version 2 should
execute under the enclosed software. Many of the new features
are fairly obvious, and may prove useful to you even in the
absence of full documentation. If unpredictable behavior
should occur, kindly contact us. As always, sufficient information to duplicate the problem is very helpful and greatly
appreciated.
We expect to send you some preliminary documentation within
the week. Temporarily, you can list the .HL files which gives
summaries of most of the features.
When OS/8 version 3 is released to the field, your suggestions
will be incorporated into the software along with modifications
proposed at other test sites. Thus, you may expect the final
system to differ from the enclosed version in many respects.
Subsequent maintenance of the new software will be greatly
facilitated if you could keep very close track of these tapes,
or any copies you may care to make. This will prevent other
users who may have access to your system from confusing the
pre-release software ,with the final, supported version available
later.

flIGIT,'\1.

fJ)UIPMENT

CORPORr. i ION,
(617)8a7·~111

111(j

nvy

~\lI\IN

51 REE1,

MAYNAHD.

710 347-0217 TELEX:

MASSACHI.',-:;CTTS

948457

017~;4

1/8/74

Intergalactic Branch
Dear field test site:
Enclosed you will find some documentation concerning
new features of OS/8 version 3. Please keep in mind that this
is temporary documentation originally meant for in-house use only,
and although we believe it is all up-to-date, it is not in the same
form as documentation which will eventually be published in the
new OS/8 handbook. Unfortunately, this handbook will not be ready
for several months, so the enclosed memos will have to do.
The final system is scheduled to be submitted to the library
in about two weeks, so it is imperative that if you find any bugs,
they should be reported to us immediately. You can send bugs to
us in writing, or for faster service, try to phone us. Bugs should
be reported to the following people. (Try to get through to the
highest person on the list, if he's accessible:)
Shawn Spilman
Stanley Rabinowitz
Richard Lary .
Dennis Pavlock
Herb Jacobs
Mary Tamir
Marty Hurley

X2073
X2130
X3338
X3871
X2130
X4068
X4058

After hours, ask for any of the above at X2876
Once V3 is formally released by Digital through the Software
Distribution Center, bugs should no longer be sent to any of these
people, but should be submitted via the usual SPR service. At that
time, the above list of phone numbers should be destroyed (fire
is best).
.
Please be sure to note the version number of the monitor,
CCL, and the CUSP when reporting bugs. Errors in the documentation
will also be appreciated.
We hope that you will find time to pound on all features
of the new system, especially those obscure little-used options.
Some bugs have already been discovered in-house and patches
produced. Many of these got into the field test tapes which were
mailed out. These are enclosed as we~l as some more recent
patches. Be sure to put these patches into your CUSPs if they
are not already there.
Sincerely yours

/-\_~ 41~1 Pl1'!Stanley Rabinowitz
official Scavenger, P?S
DI(,t if'.'

r ('UIPMENT

COftl'c'HI\Tt()I'.J
(617;~:.r;i'r·,111

Ph
T\\lX

~.1t>..tl\!

STREET.

HAYNAHD.

110347-0212 HLEX

M/\SSAC:Hli~_f-fTS

94-8457

01754

Field Release Patches
Updates monitor V3E to V3F.

Fixes bug re monitor error messages:

This patch should be made (using EPIC or otherwise) to absolute
record 56 on the system device and/or relative record 5~ of any
system head file:
reI loc

53/7~1~~7ll~

Change to absolute block 7 on system device, or relative block I
of system head file:
reI loc 31/3~~3t6
/Patch to update CCL edit N to become edit o. Allows altmode to
be passed to SRCCOM, fixes bug re processor switches, fixes special
mode spooling, and allows CCL switch after an = option:

l262~/4~~~+-4~~l
l352~/56764-5751

l3551/?.... 4276
14431/l422~5343
l4543/?~1267;764~;5233;1422;5232
l7446/3433~7~~~
l3722/527~5335

l3735/?+-4737
l3736/'?<-5272
l3737/?~275
~6537/l65~1751

Patch ·to CCL edit 0, updating it to edit P.

Allows recursive U cmds.

l2~27/62~l~5332
l2l32/~724~;3736;62~l;523~;2422
6537/l75l~2~51

~tCh to CREF release version 9, updating it to V9A:
2477/53~3~72~~
·24~6/114~~1364

Fixes close bug re CREFLS.TM .

2564/?~3~1

~patch to BUILD V3, updating it to V3A.

Allows alter to work,

fixes bug re P command.

2l3/6~32<E:-62~1 . /~---------------------if you can It read thi~ line, here it is again:

~i~;~;~~:;i:; ~~2Ll~ cu" ""
7 3 7 / 4~~~4c:-l~~

fiO",

(f.ll .';<:; j ',11'

"'<iN Sl

:f:~5:'::::;'2~:~;:~,~"afTS am.

710 :{47·0}12

q If>

94·8457

page 2
OS/8 Field Release Patches
these are probably not in the distributed
save images
Optional patch to CCL (any edit) to allow it to use FORT and LOADER
instead of F4 and LOAD.
(The way to change these as described
in the memos doesn't work yet)
13414/6631<E-6625
13431/6555~6551

~Patch

to update BUILD V3A to V3B.

Allows BUILD to work on 8K machines:

352/7~~~~74~~
737/1~~~2~~

/'Patch to BCOMP to allow CCL .EXECUTE command to work with BASIC:
7~17/3~46~126
7l26/?~745~;5732;3~46;522~;46,05

(version # if any not updated)

0>atch,to eeL edit P updating it to edit Q. , Allows .EXEC to chain
to BCOMP correctly for BASIC files:
6571/,02~1~~2~3
6572/2311~ 1715

6,573 / ~ 3 ~ ~~2~ ~,0
6537/2,051~2151

Patch to OS/8 V3F updating it to V3G. Disables waiting for TSF
on .run under BATCH:
Fixes to record lIon system device:
reI loc 32/5,035'=-53~3
reI loc 33/5~46~ 53,0~
reI loc 1,0~/?~37,02;5,046;1722;37~2;5~35
Fixes to record 7 on SYS:
reI loc
~atch

31/3,0~ 3~7

to BATCH updating V4 to V4A.

63~6/765,0~535~
635~/?~765~;5764;5312
17~1/37~Jlk- ~1,0~
,

Eliminates strango bug:

page 3

OS/8 Field release problems

Some systems are being built wrong and incorrectly getting a bad
software core size.
If the core command claims you have more
core than you really have, or if you have 8K and FOTP doesn't work,
then you want this fix:
Examine relative location 177 in record ~ on SYS:. If it is not
then change it to~. Be sure to check this location after you
run BUILD since we haven't found out yet what's making it non-~,
but it's most likely BUILD.
If the core image of eeL on your tape is not edit P, then you
should reassemble the source (eeL.PA) to create edit N. viz:
.r PAL8
*eeL~eeL

.R ABSLDR
*eeL$
.SAVE SYS. eeL;12~~1=2~~3
.R eeL

Then apply all the patches to update to edit Q.

01' il-r ;'.L

f:.OUIPMENT

~~ORPOfiATION,
(617)~97 ·~ill1

1 t.b

TW":.

MAIN

STREET,

MAYNAFIO.

710J47-0212 TELEX

MN-:::;itlHUSf TTS

94-84b7

017:).1

-Gl"UmDD~"INTEROFFICE
. ~D'
MEMORANDUM
080-100-006".00 .'

OS/8 V3 List

TO:

DATE:

August 15, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems

EXT
SUBJ:

2130

OS/8 BOOT

BOOT is used to make it convenient to bootstrap from one system to
another and to bootstrap from one device to another by typing
commands on the keyboard.
.
BOOT can run conveniently from OS/8, and COS and can also run from
any other monitor system (e.g., CAPS-8).
To run BOOT from COS, see DEC-08-0COSA-D-D, chapter 9.
To run BOOT from any version of OS/8, type
.R BOOT/DV
or
.RUN DEV:BOOT/DV

where DV is a two character mnemonic
follow a slash.
To

which must immediately

run BOOT from a V3 OS/8 device with CCL enabled, type

• BOOT/DV
In this case, BOOT.SV must be on the system device.
You may also type
.R BOOT

and the system responds with a slash, at which time you respond with
the DV mnemonic.
If an illegal mnemonic is typed, the system types "NO" and prints a
slash to let you try again. In this case, you can type rubout to
erase a line and try again.
If you type a legal mnemonic but your configuration doesn't include
the corresponding device (or it's not ready), the boot strap may
hang.

The legal mnemonics are as follows:
Device

System or Comments

TA8E cassette

CAPS-8

Any disk (RF08,
DF32, RK8E, RK8)

05/8, COS-300

LINCtape

DIAL-V2, DIAL-MS

RF08 or DF32

Disk Monitor

Any tape (TC08,
TD8E, LINCtape)

05/8 COS-300

LINCtape

05/8, COS-300

PT8E Paper tape

Loads BINLDR into field 0

RK8E disk

05/8, COS-300

RF08, DF32 disks

05/8, COS-300

RK8 disk

05/8, COS-300

TD8E DECtape

05/8, COS-300

TC08 DECtape unit 4

Typeset Bootstrap

Mnemonic

types BOOT's version number

TC
ZE

TC08 DECtape

05/8, COS~300, Disk monitor,
DEC library system, and others
Zeroes core (field 0)

If the device mnemonic ds followed by a period, the program will
load the correct bootstrap into core and then halt. Hitting
continue branches to the bootstrap.

~D.DII-D

~. ~ U~
TO:

080~lOO-007-00.

·INTEROFFICE 'MEMORANOUM

OS/8 V3 List

SUBJ:

DATE:

August 22, 1973

FROM:

s. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems

EXT :

2130

V3 CREF

The following new features have been added to V3 CREF by M. Hurley:.
1.

invokes Herb's kludge which causes CREF to chain to
itself after crefing all symbols up to LG. This
causes CREF to run much slower but allows twice as
many symbols.
Note:

M stands for 'mammoth'.

has been changed to /0.
is from SABR.

That is, /0 means the input

now means the input is a RALF file.

means no listing and no symbol table.

CREF now prints its version number at the very end of the
CREF listing.

In addition, several bugs were fixed.
If you know of any more bugs in CREF, please report them to me or
Marty.

080-100-007-01

INTEROFFICE
OS/8 V3 List

TO:

SUBJ:

V3 CREF

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

August 28, 1973

PROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT :

2130

(Continued)

/E means don't delete CREFLS.TM, otherwise CREFLS.TM is automatically
deleted after completion.

The output file now has .LS as the default extension.

mamalma
. TO:

080-100-007-02

INTEROFFICE 'MEMORANDUM

OS/8 V3

SUBJ I

DAD:

November 27, 1973

PROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DBPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

BX'l' :

2130

LOC:

12-3

08/8 CREF

Against her will, we coerced 'Marty to add the following changes to
CREF:
With /M, there is now only one listing file produced.
about .stuff about CREFM2.LS.

Forget

CREF output on non-file-structured devices now starts at block O.
Note:

With 1M, CREF must be called SYS:CREF.SV.

CREF now uses software core-size.

080-100-007-03

INTEROFFICE
OS/8 V3 List

TO:

SUBJ:

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

December 21l,

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT:

2130

LaC:

1973

12-3

More on CREF

This memo obsoletes the previous memo, 080-100-007-02 but does
not obsolete the two before that one.

is used internally by CREF and should not be typed by a user.

causes entire CREF to go to the output file.
Forget anything that was ever said about CREFM2.TM .

Note that CREF V9 has a bug in that if it is chained to by
something other than PAL8, it may produce a CLOSE ERROR
when trying to delete a non-existent CREFLS.TM.
To get around this, merely specify the IE switch.

·080-100-008-.00 .

INTEROFFICE
TO:

05/8 V3 List

SUBJ:

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

August 22, 1973

FROM:

s. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems

EXT :

2130

V3 TECO

The following new features have been added to TECO by R. Lary:
1.

The command FS is now synonymous with the {!;)command.

The command FN has been added. It is the same as the FN
command on the PDP-lO. FN is similar to FS except that it performs
a non-stop search; i.e., it performs a P whenever the search
fails on the current page.
S:N: :FS:FN

~iS

If the character
typed immediately as the very first
character of a ne~mmand line, then the entire previous
command line (even if it was in error) is saved as a text
string in Q-register Z.

~typed at any time deletes the current line of the command
~ing being typed.

The T·ECO command by the same name is still
available in the two-character tu form.

'5.

Internal changes have been made to facilitate chaining to TECO.
Upon being chained to, TECO expects a legal command to be in
locations l76~9-l7645 inclusive (padded with altmodes or nulls
if necessary); one 7-bit ASCII character per location. It first
executes this as a command string.

Features I would still like to see added:
A.

An alternate starting address f~he SUPER-TECO patch; i.e., the
one that causes TEeo to ignore ~s.

Some form of the EG command.

080-100-008-01

·mamaama INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO:

OS/8 V3 List

DATE:

October 26, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT:

2130

LOC:

12-3

SUBJ: Final Fixes to TECO

The final version of TECO, for OS/8 release 3 will contain the
following features in addition to those given in PDM '080-100-008-00:
6)

The EG command (exit andqo) causes TECO to perform an EC
followed by a return to the OS/8 keyboard monitor with a
simulated
.EX
CCL command. This CeL command will execute whether or not
CCL is enabled.

The ER command now allows a device specification with no
filename even if the device is file-structured. For example:
ERDTAII:$
It will treat the device as if it'were non-file structured.

If TECO is chained to, and if a 116 error occurs before TECO
prints its asterisk, then TECO returns control to the OS/8
keyboard monitor.

080-100-008-02

INTEROFFICE
'l'() :

SUBJ:

OS/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DA'rE:

December 24, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EX'll:

2130

LOC: 12-3

Correction about EG

This paragraph revises item 6 of the previous edition of this
memorandum. All other items remain current.
6)

The EG command (exit and go) causes TECO to perform
an EC followed by a return to the OS/8 keyboard monitor
at which time CCL is automatically invoked and CCL
then executes whichever one of the following four
commands had been executed most recently:
a)

. EXECUTE

• LOAD

. COMPILE

• PAL

080-100-009-00

INTEROFFICE 'MEMORANDUM
~o

SUBJ:

OS/8 V3 List

DATE:

August 28, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT :

2130

OS/8 Standard Extensions

Many OS/8 programs (both system programs and commonly used user programs)
which read or create files have default (or assumed) extensions associated with the file. These should be documented and put in the next
user's manual just for standardization reasons. I am not familiar with
all such extensions; if you know of any others please add them to this
list.
Extension

Mneumonic

Use

BK
BA
'1N

Backup
BASIC
Binary

Backup ASCII file
Basic source
PAL8 binary file

Used b!
(as de ault
input)

Used b!
(as de ault
output)
TECO

BASIC
ABSLD~

PAL8

BUILD
BITMAP
DA
DI
DC
FT
HL

Data
Directory
Document.
Fortran
Help
Listing

Data file
Directory listing
Documentation file
Fortran source file
Help file
Listing file

FORT
HELP
FORT
PAL8

... .

BI
PA
RL

SV
TE
TM

Batch
Input
PAL
Relocatable
Save
Teco
Temporary
Text

Batch input file

BATCH

PAL8 source ,file
Binary relocatable
file
Core image Save file
Teco Macro file ':'
Temporary file
Text file

PAL8
LOAD

Cassette

Cassette Master file

Master

SABR
SAVE

MUNG
CREF

PAL 8

LIBCOP

CREATE

'0 :/8 V3 List

RB
AS
OB
OF
OM
SY

Macro.
Relocatable
Binary
ASCII Source
Oibol Binary
FGBG Binary
Multi terminal
System

-2-

Macro Source
RB Source
oibol Source
Oibol Binary
FGBG Binary
OIBOL Binary
System Head

August 28, 1973

080-100-010-00

INTEROFFICE
TO:

SUBJ:

OS/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

August 31, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems

EXT:

2130 LOC:

12-3

LPTSPL

Warren Brackesbusch has written a program called LPTSPL
which is an OS/8 utility which prints source files on the
line printer preceded by large block letters giving the
name of the file.

It calls the command decoder in special

mode so you can use *'s and ?'s in your file specifications.
CCL chains to this program with the print command.
.PRINT

Thus

*.LS

prints all your listing files on LPT:with headers.
I am including this program on the in-house OS/8 V3 distribution tape because I believe some people in-house may find
it useful.

I'm not sure whether we want to distribute it on

a non-supported basis or just put it in DECUS.
Options:
/N

Narrow

Assumes LPT has narrow (80 column)
paper

No Block
Letters

Headers but no block letters

No Headers

Block letters but no headers

OSO-100-01l-00

INTEROFFICE
TO:

SUBJ:

OS/S V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

September 4, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems

EXT:

2130

LOC:

12-3

PIP1,

Although PIP1, will probably go into DECUS instead of on the osla
system tape, I am including it on the in-house distribution tape
because of its usefulness.
The new version [by R. Lary] has all known bugs fixed and works on
TDSE controllers as well as TC'S's.
Whenever a DECtape drive is specified, the program examines the tape
mounted to determine if it is a PDP-S or PDP-I, DECtape and handles
the files accordingly.
Switches:

IF
IZ
10

IB
II
IP

List directory (only valid if PDP-I, input)
Fast directory (only. valid if PDP-I, input)
Zero directory before transfer (only valid if PDP-I, output)
Delete old output file before transfer
Binary mode transfer (8 bits per 36 bits)
Image mode transfer (3 l2-bits per 36 bits)
Preserve Line numbers (default is to delete them)

}

080-100-'012-00

INTEROFFICE
05/8 V3 List

TO:

SUBJ:

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

September 5, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems

EXT:

2130 LOC:

12-3

V3 PIP

I have made the following changes to V3 PIP:
1)

Fixed problem with one-page write.

In /S or /Z mode, the = option is now taken modulo 100 (octal).
This prevents-bombs when = nnnn gets too large.
Any number other than ~ which is congruent to , modulo l'~ means
write no additional information words in the directory. Although
we don't recommend this (since it gets rid of dates) it will allow
users with lots of files to get more of 'em on their device.

The message 'FREE BLOCKS' now reads "
is full.

FREE BLOCKS' when the device

Devices may now be filled up to their capacity.
block was always wasted.

A parity 4c is now accepted.

fc doesn't write on system device.

Ending a command with altmode returns to OS/8after PIP operation
completed.

PIP no longer halts on /L if TTY:
a NOP.

is riot found.

Previously one

It now acts as

I regret to report that I couldn't get the dates to line up.
Future fixes:
1)

The /0 option (meaning OK) when used on Is or IZ command will
prevent the message ARE YOU SURE? and ZERO SYS? from coming out.

J8~-lJ'-J12-~1

'mD~DDmD INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO:

SUBJ:

OS/8 V3 List

DATE:

October 8, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems

EXT:

2130

LOC:

12-3

Final Fixes to PIP

This is a continuation of memo 080-100-012-00.
9.

The /0 option (standing for OK) is now in. When used in
conjunction with /S or /Z, it will prevent the message
ARE YOU SURE? and ZERO SYS? from coming out. It assumes
the user really wants this command and prints YES on the
teletype to remind him that he's performing a potentially
dangerous operation. This message prints even if BATCH
is running.

~o.

The first time PIP calls the command decoder, if you include
the IV option in your command line, PIP will print its version
number on the teletype. The current version number is VI.

11.

If an = option is included with an image mode "transfer, then
the low order l2-bits of this = option specifies the desired
length to close the output file with. The output file is
given this length except in the following two cases:

12.

More data was written than this size. In this
case, the output file is given its correct size.

The size specified is greater than the empty space
available.
In this case, the data is transferred
but the file is not closed. Instead the error
message:
MONITOR ERROR 4
is printed and control returns to the keyboard
monitor. Data in the file following the EMPTY
is ~ destroyed.
"

Using the /1 option, the output file is always opened even if
there were no input files. This feature, combined with the
previous feature, allows you to create a named file out of an
empty.

· 080-100-012-01

-2-

October 8, 1973

Application: Suppose you accidentally deleted your 23 block
file If.iPORT. PA. You can recover it wi th the command:
.R PIP
*IMPORT.PA[23] < /1 = 27$
Note that 23 10 = 278

mamaama
'l'O:

080-100-012-02

INTEROFFICE

OS/8 V3

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

November 27, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT :

2130

LOC: 12-3

SUBJ: PIP Finally
Last minute fixes:
If /0 is used, 'YES' does ~ print.

tc now goes to 7600 not 7605.
INTERRUPTIONS.

This fixes bug re

tc with NO

If /Z' and /I are used together, any = option specified applies
only to /Z.

mamUOElU INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO:

OS/8 V3 List

SUBJ: CCL

DATE:

August 30, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems

EXT:

2130

CCL stands for concise command language. The OS/8 version of CCL
has been patterned after the PDP-l,'s. In many cases, CCL only
makes it easier for the operator to enter certain commands, e.g.,
the command
.R DIRECT
*LPT:<DTA3:
can be effected by the CCL command
.DIR DTA3:/L
However in some cases, CCL commands perform operations which could
not be performed otherwise, e.g.,
• CORE
Theory of operation:
When a command is typed to the OS/8 monitor, if it doesn't recognize
the command keyword and if CCL is disabled, then the OS/8 monitor
echoes the command (up to 6 characters) followed by a question mark.
I~however, CCL is enabled, and an unknown command is typed, the OS/8
monitor loads in the CCL overlay (from block 67 on SYS: into core
locations 4,,-777) and branches to it (at location 6,,). This overlay then looks up the command in the CCL command table (locations
4,,-577). If the command is not found, the monitor is rebootstrapped
(after echoing a ? following the illegal command). The user's core
image remains intact. If the CCL overlay determines that the command
'keyword is a legal one, it chains to the file SYS:CCL.SV for further
processing. This file should be the first file on the system device
(for DECtapesystems) for maximal efficiency. Depending on the
command, this program may then chain to other files on the system
device. While this procedure may seem complicated, it is almost
unnoticeable when running off of a disk. Although it could run off
DECtape, it is not advisable because of the extra overhead involved.
For this reason, you can enable or disable theCCL feature.

-2-

EnablinqCCL: CCL comes disabled on the system to be distributed from
the iibrary. It will be disabled when you build the system from
paper tape. To enable CCL, you type
.R CCL
Disabling CCL:To disable CCL, you type
.CCL
If eCL was already disabled, the system will reply with
CCL?
The 05/8 monitor still detects and responds to the usual keyboard
monitor commands:
.ASSIGN
• DATE
• DEASSIGN
• GET
.ODT
.R
• RUN

• SAVE
• START
Only the first two characters of each command are significant and
other letters or digits may be added. The command keyword is terminated by a space (or other delimeter).
If CCL is enabled, two exceptions are made to the above statement:
1)

The DEASSIGN statement may not start with the letters DEL
since this is taken as the DELETE statement.

If the DATE command is immediately followed by a carriage
return, different action is performed than the usual 05/8
DATE command which is followed by an argument.

CCL Commands
CCL commands consist of letters only. The full command keyword need not
be typed (for example DEL is a legal abbreviation for DELETE). For
each command, certain characters are required. The remaining characters

-3-

are optional in the sense that if additional letters are typed, these
must be them. Thus, DELEXE is not a legal command. The command keyword is terminated by a non-letter. Then, succeeding letters and digits
are scanned past until the first non-alphanumeric character. If this
is a space, multiple spaces are then scanned over. We have now reached
what is called the argument portion of the command. Not all commands
require arguments. For example,
.DELETEABC

FOO

is a legal command and FOO is the argument. '
The current CCL commands are given below in alphab"etical order.
required part of the command is underlined.
BOOT
-CCL
COMPILE
COpy
CORE

~TE

DATE
-DELETE

-DEA
DIRECT
EDIT
EXECUTE
HELP
LIST
LOAD
MAKE
MAP

MUNG
PAL

-PUNCH
RENAME
RES
SQUISH

The

-4-

-SUBMIT
!!OCO

-TYPE
y!'R

ZERO
The exact number of characters which are significant for a given
command may change in future implementations.
These commands are explained below. Some of them may not be
implemented yet in the CCL version 3G.
Feasibility of Adding New CCL Commands
It is very important that it be easy for the user to add his
favorite command to the system. This has been kept in mind when
designing the system. The commands are table driven and easy to
add to. A separate document will be produced explaining the
internal workings of CCL and telling how to add new commands. One
of the strong selling points of CCL is that new commands are
easily implemented. For this reason it is crucial that the
source and/or listing of CCL.PA be made available to the user of
OS/8as cheaply as possible.
There will be room in the CCL command keyword 'table for the user
to add at least ten additional 3-letter commands.
Of course, if the user does add his own CCL commands, we will no
longer support his system.
eCL and the Command Decoder
Many CCL commands allow file specifications on the same line as
the command keyword. They then chain to a cusp which expects
the command decoder tables to be already set up. This is accomplished by having CCL.SV contain its own command decoder. This
command decoder is completely compatible with the usual 05/8
command decoder but is not as limited in space restrictions. For
this reason, CCL.5V·s command decoder has extensions and capabilities far beyond those of mortal men.
One such extension is this: An alternative method of specifying
an 8-character filename (6 chars of name and 2 of extension
separated by a dot) is by a 16 digit sequence of octal digits

-5-

preceded by a number sign (I) which represents the internal packed
sixbit representation for the filename. For example, the specification ABCD.EF could be replaced by l~lS2$f3~4~SSiJS5lJ6. To use
such a notation, all 16 digits must be given. This notation is
somewhat compatible to the PDP-llJ's. This notation is useful for
referencing files whose names are not easily accepted by the usual
OS/S command decoder, for example, a filename which contains an
embedded space.
Explanation of CCL Commands

-BOOT

This command chains to SYS: BOOT.SV.
Any option which may appear on the .R BOOT
command may occur on the .BOOT command. For
example
• BOOT/RF
bootstraps onto your RFSS disk.

-CCL

If CCL is enabled, typing this command disables
CCL on the monitor residing on the system device.
To re-enable CCL, type .R CCL.

-COMPILE

file specification
This command chains to one of the OS/S compilers
(or assemblers) depending on the extension of the
first input file.
Extension

Compiler

.PA
.SB
.FT

PALS
SABR
F4 if present, otherwise FORT
MACRO

.RA

RALF

.BA

BASIC
LISP
SNOBOL

If no extension is explicitly given, each is tried in
order until one is found and the appropriate compiler
is invoked.

-u-

If no argument is given to the COMPILE statement, the
system remembers the previous argument used either in
the last COMPILE, LOAD, or EXECUTE command.
If no output filename is specified, the name of the
first input file is substituted.
£Q.py

file-specification
This command chains to SYS: FOTP.SV including the
IL option among any specified by the operator. Before
chaining, it prints the message
FILES COPIED:
To understand this command fully, the reader should
consult the FOTP user's document. For example, to
copy all save files from DSK: to DTA3: you type
.COPY

DTA3:< * .SV

This command types out on the TeletypeGVhOW much core is
on the computer upon which the system. is being run.

-CREATE

file-specification
This command chains to SYS: EDIT.SV. The file specification must consist of a single file only. No back
arrow may be present. The file is assumed to be an
output file. For example
• CREATE

FOO.FT

is equivalent to

.R EDIT
*FOO.FT<
If no argument is given, the argument used in the last
CREATE or EDIT statement is remembered.

-CREF

file-specification
This command chains to PALS Including the IC option
which will cause it to chain to CREF.SV. Of course, if
no listing file is specified, the listing will be sent
to LPT: Example:

(!) Teletype is a registered trademark of Teletype Corp.

-7-

CREF

BARF

produces a CREF listing of the file BARF.PA on
the line printer.

-DATE

If an argument is given, this command is treated
as the standard keyboard monitor DATE command. If no
argument is given, this command types the current
date (including day of week) on the Teletype or types
NONE if none were specified. If the file SYS:DATE.SV
exists, it is chained to. This could allow implementing
messages of the day.

-DELETE

file-specification
This command chains to SYS: FOTP.SV including the /L and
/D options. First it prints FILES DELETED: •

-DEA

This is exactly the same as OS/S's DEASSIGN command.
If CCL is enabled, CCL performs this function instead
of the monitor.

DIRECT

file-specification
This command chains to SYS: DlRECT.SV. If no
output file or device is specified, CCL looks at
the options specified. If /L is specified, CCL forces'
LPT: as the output device. If /S is specified,.CCL
forces TV: as the output device. /L overrides IS •
Example:

• DIR

FOO.*/L

is equivalent to
.R DIRECT
*LPT:<FOO.*$

-EDIT

file-specification
This command simply chains to SYS: EDIT.SV. If no
argument is given, CCL remembers the argument used on
the last CREATE or EDIT command.

EXECUTE

file-specification
This command is similar to the COMPILE command with
the addition that options are passed to the chained program causing the binary produced to be loaded and
executed. The source is always recompiled.

-8-

-HELP

-LIST

file-specification
This command causes CCL to chain to SYS: PIP.SV. The
extension .HL is used as the default input extension.
If no output device is specified, TTY: is forced. If
no input file is specified, CCL.HL is assumed. This
command may be used to type a specified help file on
the Teletype.
file-specification
This command chains to SYS: FOTP.SV.
device is specified, LPT: is forced.

!&.AD

If no output

file-specification
This command chains to the appropriate loader depending
on the extension of the first input file.
Extension

Loader

.BN

ABSLDR
LOADER

.RL
.RB

If no extension is given, a search is made. If the
option /G is specified, execution will start after
loading.
If no argument is given, CCL remembers the argument
on the last COMPILE or EXECUTE command.

MAKE

file-specification
A single file must be specified. This command chains
to SYS: TECO.SV and opens the specified file for output.
Example:
.MAKE

DTA1:FOO.TX

is equivalent to
.R TECO
*EWDTA1:FOO.TX$$

·- J

file-specification
This command chains to SYS: BITMAP.SV. If no
output device is specified, LPT: is assumed. Example:
• MAP

FOO, BARF

is equivalent to
.R BITMAP
*LPT:<FOO.BN,BARF.BN$
MUNG

filename, text
This is the most general and fantastic command in the
entire repertoire of all of DEC's software. It chains
to SYS: TECO.SV which then reads the first page of the
file specified into Q-register Y. The contents of this
file are assumed to be a TECO macro. If no extension
is specified, then .TE is assumed. If no extension is
desired, type the dot after the name with no extension.
Then all the text between the comma and the end of the
line are entered into the TECO text buffer. This text
is presumed to be an argument to the Macro. If no
text is desired, no comma is necessary. With the text
pointer at the end of the buffer, the macro in Q-register
Y is then executed. The text may specify source files to
be munged among other things. MUNG is a recursive
acronym for Mung until no good. Example:
.MUNG SYS:CLEAN,FOO,3
is equivalent to
.R TECO
*ERSYS:CLEAN.TE$YHXYHKIFOO,3$MY$$
There is a restriction on the length of the text argument. If it is too long, CCL will print an error
message.

file-specification
This chains to SYS.PALS.SV. This command is similar
to COMPILE except PALS is always chained to.

-PRINT

file-specification
This command chains to SYS: LPTSPL.SV.

-10-

PUNCH

file-specification
This command chains to SYS: PIP.SV.
is specified, PTP: is forced.

RENAME

If no output device

file-specification
I

Not yet implemented.
the /R option.

It should Ichain to FOTP.SV with
I

RES

This command chains to SYS: RESORC.SV. The options /L
and /S force LPT: and TV: as default output devices.

§.9.UISH

file-specification
This command chains to SYS: PIP.SV including the /S
option. If no output device is specified, the output
device is forced equal to the input device •
Example 1:

• SQUISH D~l:<DTA_:

Example 2:

.SQUISH SYS:

is equivalent to

-SUBMIT
-TECO

.R PIP
*SYS:<SYS:/S$

file-specification
This command chains to SYS:BATCH.SV.
file-specification
This command chains to SYS: TECO.SV. If no argument
is specified, the argument used on the last TECO or
MAKE command is remembered. If an argument is given,
one input file must be specified and at most one output
file. TECO then opens the input file for reading and
creates the output file. If no output file is specified,
then TECO does an edit backup on the specified file.
Examples:
.TECO

FILE.BA

is equivalent to
.R TECO
*EBFILE.BA$Y$$

and

.TECO

F002.PA<LTA2:FOO.PA

is equivalent to
.R TECO
*EWF002.PA$ERLTA2:FOO.PA$Y$$
The first page of the input file is read into the text
buffer before control is returned to the user.
file-specification
This command chains to SYS: FOTP.SV.
device is specified, TTY: is forced.

If no output

y'!R

This command prints the version number of both the OS/8
monitor and of CCL.

-ZERO

file-specification
This command chains to SYS: PIP.SV including the /Z
option. Precisely one device must be specified and
no backarrow may be present. The device is forced to
be an output device and is zeroed. For example:
oZERO

DTA7:

is equivalent to
.R PIP
*DTA7:<$
Additional comments
1.

CCL passes the altmode bit to most programs (mainly P.IP and
FOTP) so that after the command is executed,control returns
to OS/8 rather than the program chained to.

Arguments remembered by CCL will be forgotten when the date
is changed. These remembrances are saved in monitor block
65. Commands which require remembered arguments will produce SYNTAX ERROR messages if no argument was ever remembered.

The.R CCL command recreates the ceL overlay block in the
monitor. The command keyword table includes the eeL edit
level which must be changed whenever the table changes. Much
version number checking is performed by ceL to prevent
accidents from occurring when old versions and new versions
of CCL and the monitor are accidentally mixed.

ERROR Messages:
CCL 3x & MONITOR INCOMPATIBLE
To remedy, try typing .R CCL
I/O ERROR ON SYS:
TOO MANY FILES
ILLEGAL SYNTAX
file NOT FOUND
device DOES NOT EXIST
COMMAND NOT YET IMPLEMENTED
BAD MONITOR
The monitor predates the version of CCL in use.
NO CCL!
CCL.SV not found on SYS:
,

CAN' T

REMEMBER

This is a warning message only which means the argument was
too long to remember or an I/O error occurred.

TO:

08/8 V3 List

DATE:

1/2/74

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems

EXT:

2130 LaC:

12-3

SUBJ:CONCISE CHANGES TO CCL

This memo includes additions and correctioris to the previous
memo.
Indirect Command Files
A construct of the form
0DEV:FILE.EX
may appear anywhere'within the argument portion of a CCL
command. If DEV: is omitted" DSK: is assumed.
If .EX is'
omitted, .CM is assumed.
What this does is replace the construct in the cornrnandline
by the contents of the specified file. Carriage returns and
line feeds in the file are ignored~ but nulls are not (they
signifyend-of-line). For example, if the file FOO.CM contains the characters
F.PA then the command
.EXEC BAR@)FOO,FILE.PA
is equivalent to
.EXEC BARF.PA,FILE.PA
Co"mmand files may not exceed 1 block in length.
The message
COMMAND LINE OVERFLOW
is given if a command line grows to be more than 512 characters long.

If in any CCL command, a filename is given with no extension
but with a dot, then no default extensions are tried.

Thus
.PAL FILE.

CONCISE CHANGES TO' CCL
S. Rabinowitz
Page 2

will only assemble the file called FILE but the conunand
.PAL FILE
might instead assemble FILE.PA if it is found.,
COMPILE
Delete the extensions .MA, .LI, .SN from old list.
T~e ~CL s~itch -LS is used to generate a listing.
The
1~st1ng f~le goes to SYS: if no device was specified.
Its

f1lename 1S the same as the name of the file on whlch the
-LS is given but with a .LS extp.nsion.
This holds also for the EXEC, and PAL commands.
If no binary is wanted, type -NB at the end of the command
line.
The binary"file will be given the same name as the first
source file unless the CCL switch -NB is given in which case,
the name is taken from the first filename after the -NB switch.
The -NB switch means don't create a'binary file yet.
The -MP switch is used to get a map.
The .FT extension goes to F4 unless FORT was present on SYS:
when CCL was enabled in which case, .FT goes to FORT. Same for
LOAD and LOADER.
If you must use an unusual extension, ypu can type a processor
switch as follows:
.EX FILE . .06 -FT
means use the FORTRAN compil~r on the file

FILE.~~.

CCL switches are of the form hyphen followed by I or 2 letters
or digits.
In addition to the ones above we have
-L
-T
-p

-S

Send output
Send output
Send output
Send output

to LPT:
to TTY:
to PTR:
to 'rv:

These all force the stated device to be the first output device,
except for corrunancls' such as -EXEC BIlll • COMP which force' ti10
device to be the second output device.

CONCISE CHANGES TO CCL
S.Rabinowitz
Page 4

RENAME is implemented.

So are new commands

.SKIP
. BACKSPACE
. REWIND
. UNLOAD
.. EOF
which chain to SYS:CAMP.SV
There are 3 commands, UA, UB, UC.
If 'typed with an argument, they merely remember the argument.
If typed wihout an argument, they recall the last argument
and execute it as a CCL command.

mamaamo INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
. TO:

SUBJ:

OS/8 V3 List

OS/8 V3 Memos

DATE:

September 12, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems

EXT:

2130

LOC: 12-3

(1189-19'- series)

I am writing this memo to tryout my new number 2 pencil.

The

excuse I use is that people who joined the V3 list late may
refer to this memo and find out what useful memos they may be
missing.
OS~V3

This list includes all retrievable memos regarding

as of the date at the top of this memo.

retrieved through the usual channels.
the ,8,-1"

Memos prior to

series relate to PS/8 and are obsolete.

-'[16-9f1
-997-f111
-111
-9[18-911
-9[19-fl'
-f11[1-flfI
-911-9[1

-912-9f1
-fl13-fIfI
-914-99

They may be

OS/8 BOOT
V3 CREF
II

V3 TECO
OS/8 Standard Extensions
LPTSPL
PIPlfl
V3 PIP
ceL
OS/8 V3 Memos

-,_6 in

mamaamD

080-100-014-01

INTEROFFICE

OS/8 V3'List

TO:

SUBJ:

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

October 26, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT:

2130

LOC: 12 - 3

OS/8 V3 Memos (080-100- series)

My new number 2 pencil (first tested 9/12/73) has now undergone
,a month of exhaustive field testing.. Although preliminary, these
tests seem to yield satisfactory results. Its use in this memo marks
a major milestone in the testing procedure.
As you will recall from the previous memo, only retrievable OS/8 V3
memos are listed here-in and memos prior to -006 in the 080-100series relate to PS/8 and are obsolete.
-006-00
-007-00
-01
-008-00
-01
-009-00
-010-00
-011-00
-012-00
-01
-013-00
-014-01
-015-00
-016-00
-017-00
-018-00
-019-00
-01
-020-00
-01
-021-00

OS/8 BOOT
V3 CREF
V3 CREF
V3 TECO
Final fixes to TECO
OS/8 Standard Extensions
LPTSPL
PIP-I'
V3 PIP
,
Final fixes 'to PIP
CCL
OS/8 V3 Memos
Fixes to TD8E Non-System Handlers
V3 Fixes to TTY Handler
RESORC
Preliminary Project Plan for OS/8 V3
New RK8 System Handler
Final Changes to RK8 System Handler
Fixes to Card Reader Handler
CDR Handler
New LPT Handler

• Note from the typist:

And your secretary has 90ne throu9h a
month of exhaustive typing.

080-100-014-01

-2-

-022-00
-023-00
-024-00
-025-00
-026-00
-027-00
-028-00

Non-System Handler
VTECO
Version Numbers for Handlers
FOTP Remarks
Final Changes to EDIT
BAT Handler
Fixes to L645 Handler

-029-00
-030-00
-031-00
-032-00
-033-00

DIRECT
VR12 Handler
New KL8E Teletype Handler
TM8E Magtape Handler
PAL8 V8 Notes

October 26, 1973

RF~8

Final testing will include a heat test and shock vibration test.
To obtain any memo relating to OS/8 V3, please contact Lynn Clark
at extension 4953 •

. fp

080-100-015-00

INTEROFFICE
TO:

SUBJ:

OS/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

September 17, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT:

2130

LOC:

12-3

Fixes to TD8E Non-System Handlers

All four TD8E Non-System Handlers have been fixed as follows:
1)

Parity iC is now accepted.

The 1'<: check no longer advances the low speed reader.

In addition, TD8EC and TD8ED have been fixed as follows:
3)

A bug was fixed in their initialization table so that
these handlers now work. Previously they would change
random locations in the user's program and not work
at all.

Bug 3 appears to have gotten out into release 2 only because
the handlers were never tested! Unfortunately, this unexcusable practice could happen again in V3 unless someone tells
me where we have an 8/E with 8 TD8E DECtape drives.
All these new handlers can be identified by the fact that they
are version A.

080-100-016-00

INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM

OS/8 V3 Liat

DAft.

Sept.-ber 14, 1973

'ROIl:

S. Rabinowitz

DBP'1':

small Systems
2130

SUBJ:

V3 Fixe8 to TTY Handler

. 'l'he 'l"l'Y handler know a8 AS33 has been fixed for V3 a8 follows:
1.

A parity tz i8 recoqnized on output.

tz i8 recognized on output even if it is not followed by
zeroes. Thi8 fixes the bug of sometimes getting extra
characters on TTY output after the end of the file.

These fixes correspond to version A of the handler.
Remark: The TTY handler i8 currently set up 80 that typing +0
atop8 output for that buffer only. OUtput resume8 with the next
buffer. Some people might find the following ·patch useful:
Change relative location 175 from '_32 to a 7••••
~i8 patch causes. to to ter.minate TTY output forever throughout
multiple buffer dump. until either the proqram end8 (dismissing
the handler from core) or until a character other than to is typed
which will cause output to resume.

Thi8 patch work8 for vera ion A and almo8t all previous versions.

080-100-017-00

INTEROFFICE
1'0:

OS/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

September 14, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems

EXT

2130

SUBJ: RESORC
RESORC is a new OS/8 utility which I have written for OS/8 V3.
RESORC is short for RESOURCES. It is used to allow you to find
out what handlers you presently have configured on a given system
(or system head) and has an option to tell you further information
about these handlers.
Example:
• RES)
SYS,DSK,DTA~,DTAl,TTy,LPT,CDR,PTR

This example shows RESORC being invoked through the CCL command RES.
RESORC then prints out the system names for all the handlers on your
;ystem device.
Although RESORC is most conveniently called via CCL, the remainder
of this memo will give illustrations showing RESORC invoked the
long way, e.g.,
.R RESORC
*LPT:+DTA3:
This example shows the list of handlers on the system tape currently
mounted on DTA3: being sent to the line printer.
Detailed Explanation:
RESORC takes an optional output specification and from ~ to 9 input
files (separated by commas).
The output file is where the RESORC listing is sent. If no output
device is explicitly specified, TTY: is assumed. (This may be changed
to LPT: or TV: by the /L and /S options in CeL.) If no filename
extension is given, .LS is assumed. If no output fileBame is given,
RE is assumed. The output device must not be read-only.

-2-

The input specifications may be of two types:
1)

A device name only
In this case, the device must be file-structured, and is
presumed to have a valid OS/8 directory and monitor on it.
RESORC then looks at the handlers that are built into the
system on this device. These handlers are not available
to the user unless he bootstraps into this device.

A device and filename
In this case, the file must be what is known as a systemhead file. (Such files are created by the /Y option in
PIP and are copies of the system portions of devices).
If no filename extension is specified, the extension .SY
is tried first (by default). RESORC then looks at the
handlers in the system saved on this file. System-head
files are 511 (decimal) blocks long.
NOTE

To directly access these handlers, the
user would have to recreate the system
from whence they came. He must know in
advance (or find out via RESORC) what
device it is a system-head for. He
could then recreate this configuration
by the commands:
.R PIP
*DEV:<FILE.SY/Y$
.R BOOT/DV
Important: If DEV:=SYS:, you must still rebootstrap
in order to adjust your in-core tables.
A special case occurs when no input files are given
or when the first input file is null, e.g.,
.R RESORC
*LPT:<$
or
.R RESORC
*DSK:FILE<,DTA3:

-3-

ln such a case, the device referred to is SYS:
(not
DSK:), and wherever applicable, the in-core tables are
examined rather than the default tables on SYS:. This
mode is typically used to find the user-defined names
for the in-core system.
Regular Mode:
If no options are specified, RESORC runs in regular mode, and
merely prints the system device names for the handlers which exist
on the system in question. If RESORC cannot figure out the ASCII
device name for one of the devices, it will print the internal octal
representation of the device name enclosed in parentheses. Example:
SYS,DSK,PTA2,DTA_,DTAI,(4667),TTY,PTR2
The first two devices are always SYS and DSK respectively. The
devices are separated by commas and listed in order of their internal
device numbers.
Full Mode:
The IF option may be specified in order to get the full mode printout.
Example:
.R RESORC
*/F
128 FREE BLOCKS
NAME TYPE USER
SYS
RK
DSK
. RK
IN
DTA_
T&fl8 _
TTY
TTY
LPT2
LPTR LPT
In the first column are the system device names which are the same as
the ones you get in regular mode.
In the second column is the physical type of the corresponding handler.
Every different type of device is assigned a unique number by OS/8
which is used in the device control word table. This is what is referred
to here. Note that physically different devices which are similar
have the same type (for example, all line printers, whether LP~8, LS8E
or L645 have the type number 4). The currently assigned device type
numbers and the names associated with these types by RESORC are given
below:

'-4-

Internal Type Code

RESORC Type Name

TTY
PTR
PTP
CRSE
LPTR

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1_
11
12
13
14
15
16
17

RFSS
RFSS
RFSS
RF_S
DF32
DF32
DF32
DF32
TCSS
LINC
TMSE
TDSE
TASE
VR12

21
27
39'

Explanation
Teletype
paper tape reader
paper tape punch
card reader
line printer
non-fixed head disk
1 platter RFSS disk
2 platter RF~8 disk
3 platter RFSS disk
4 platter RFS8 disk
1 platter DF32 disk
2 platter DF32 disk
3 platter DF32 disk
4 platter DF32 disk
TC~S DECtape
LINCtape
Magtape
TDSE DEC tape
Cassette
VR12 Scope

Type codes 22-26 and 31-37 are reserved for future use by DEC.
4S-57 should be reserved for use by users.

Codes

Column 3 gives the currently assigned name given to the device with
the monitor ASSIGN command. If RESORC cannot reconstruct the name
from the internal octal, it will print the octal enclosed in parentheses.
Remark: Because of the scheme used by OS/S to pack 4-character device
names into one l2-bit word, devices may not have unique names. That
is, two different names may have the same octal representation and
hence both refer to the same device. For example,
TTY2

and

LTA2

both refer to the device whose internal octal representation is 56S6.
There is no guarantee that RESORC will pick the name preferred by the
user.
Preceding the table of device names, RESORC prints the number of free
blocks on the device (as found by examining the directory of the device.)
This information is not given in the case of system head files, since
it is not applicable.
Expanded Mode:
The /E mode will be explained in a future memo, because if this memo
gets any longer, the time required to get it typed will get disproportionately out of hand.
£p

OSO-100-017-01

INTEROFFICE
TO:

OS/S V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DAH:

December 6, 1973

PROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DBPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.
2130
LOC
12-3

BX'l' :

SUBJ: Concluding Remarks on RESORC
This memo describes the /E option in RESORC.
E stands for extended listing •.
U8ing this option, one gets more detailed informatiQn concerning
the handlers configured into a system. With the /E option, a
table is produced with the following headings: I, NAME, TYPE, MODE
SIZ, BLK, KIND, U, V, ENT and USER. These are explained below.
I

Internal device number for the handler. If a number is
missing, then there i8 no handler for this internal number.

NAME

Permanent device name for the handler, if decipherable
by RESORC. Otherwise, internal coding for this name. Same
as with IF option.

TYPE

Type

of device. Same aa with /F option.
by internal device type as fo11oW8:
Device Type
00
01

02
03
04
OS
06

10
11

12
13
14
15
16

17
20
21
22

27
30

Corresponding Name
TTY
PTR
PTP

CDR
LPTR
US

DOS
RFOS
RFOS
RFOS
DF3~

DP32
DP32
DF32
TeOS
LINC
TMSE
T08E
BAT
lUteB

TASE
VR12

Determined entirely

080-100-017-01

MODE

-2-

December 6, 1973

Consist of from 1 to 3 letters with the following meanings
R
W
F

The handler may be u.ed for reading
The handler may be used for writing
The handler handles file-structured devices

SIZ

The .ize of the davice in blo~ks (decimal).
applicable for file-8tructured devices.

BLK

The block on the system device in which this handler
resides. If this number is followed by a +, this
indicates that the handler is 2-pages long. If this
entry is SYS, this means that the handler is permanently
'resident in core in page 07600.

KIND

This entry tries to differ.ntiate the specific handler
better than the TYPE column. 'There may be several devices
all of the .ame type (for example, DEC has several
lineprinters, and their handlers all have device type 04).
There may be several different handlers for the same
device. If there is only one handler for the type
specified, this entry may be blank. This entry has no
meaning for user-written handlers. Explanation of common
kinds of handlers.
Type·

Kine!

TTY
AS33
n8E
TTY
. 1tS33
PTR
PT8E
PTR
PTP
ItS33
aT8E
PTP
026
CRIE
029
CRBB
LPTR
LPOB
LS8E
LPTR
LPTR
LPSV

LPTR

LVSE

LPTR

L645

Only

How .Identified

Description

. --:.l-page handler
by no. of pages
by no. of pages
2-page handler
by lOT codes
low-speed reader
by lOT codes
high-speed reader-.
by lOT codes
low-speed reader
by lOT co4es
high-.peed punch
by table codes
DEC-026 card cod.s
by table codes
DEC-029 card code.
lOcation dependent
Old LPOB handler
location dependent
Old Ll8E'handler
location dependent
LP08/L8SE/LVSE
handler
location dependent
LPSV altered for
LVBE
anallex line printer location dependent
r

Unit. Certain handler. can handle many units of a
given device. Thi. specifies the particular unit
number.

080-100-017-01

-3-

December 6, 1973

Ver.ion number (letter) of handler. No entry means
the handler predate. 01/8 ver.ion 3. Veraion numbers
are of the form A-Z. The .1xbit of the ASCII representation
of the vera ion letter of a handler re.ide. in the handlers
~ntry print location.

BIT

The relative entry point of the handler.

USBR

Same aa for /p option. Current uaer name for the handler
(only applicable for the in-core Bystem).

In addition to the handler infor.mation, the /E option also tells the
user the following information.
If device has directory (as opposed to systam head file):
No. of fil.s in directory
No. of block. used
No. of .egment. u.ed
No. of free blocks
No. of empties
No. of additional infor.mation word. (if not 1)
Number of free device numbers.
Number of free slots.
Veraion number of monitor 1f ••v1ce i • •ystem device.

~D~DO~D
TO:

080-100-017-02

INTEROFFICE

05/8 V3 List

SUBJ:

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

December 24, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT:

2130

LOC:

12-3

Additional documentation for RESORC

The switch /F (standing for full mode) has been removed and
replaced by /L. The /F switch now means fast ~ode and is
also the default.
To summarize:
Gives 1 line printout (default)

Fast

Regular Gives 3 column printout

Extended Gives

enor~ous

printout

Note on RK8E's: One can have up to 4 physical drives attached to
an RK8E disk controller under OS/8. These,drives are numbered
0, 1, 2, 3.
OS/8 treats the disk cartridge in each drive as two
logical units.
The lower half is called ihe A unit and the
upper half is called the B unit.
Thus drive, 2 consists of two
logical units called A2 and B2.
Since there is room for only one character in, the U column
of an extended RESORC printout, RESORC will (arbitrarily) number
the logical uni~s from 0 to 7.
the correspondence between these
numbers, logical units, and physical devices is given below:
U

logical unit

Physical device

0
1

AO
BO
Al
Bl
A2
B2
A3
B3

0
0
1
1

2
3
4
5

6
7

2
2
3
3

Furtermore, RESORC unit numbers may be incorrect when running
OS/8 under SRT-8. This bug will be fixed in a later release
of RESORC.
Please add device type 24 with name NULL to the table in the
previous memo.

mamaamD
TO:

SUBJ:

080-100-019-00

INTEROFFICE

OS/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

September 17, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT :

2130

LOC:

12-3

New RK8 System Handler

The RK8 system handler has been rewritten from scratch
(mostly mimicing the COS
~horter

3~~

handler).

It is now a lot

and cleaner.

In addition, I have added a second entry point so now
the non-system handler, RKAI: is coresident with the
system handler.
This does not obsolete the old non-system handler (which
I incidentally fixed so that it can now correctly perform
a full page read or write).

£p

mamaDla INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
080-100-019-01

TO.

OS/8 V3 Li8t

DA'l'B a October 22, 197'3
PROM a S. Rabinowitz
DEPT: Small System. SOftw. Eng.
EXT:

SUBJ:

2l30LOCa

12-3

Pinal (hopefully) Changes toRK8 System Device

The new RK8 system handler can run off any platter. After
bootstrapping into any unit, the secondary bootstrap modifies
the resident handler in core to refer to this unit. Thus,
SYS: might refer to drives " 1, 2, or 3.
It would be unwise to assign the user name ,(or permanent
name) RKA_: to be the same as SYS: since SYS: is not always
unit,. The coresident entry point at 7621 always refers to
unit 1 however, and may be given the name RKA1: •
This memo does not obsolete 080-100-019-00.

momoomo·
TO:

SUBJ:

080-100-020-00

INTEROFFICE

OS/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

September 17, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT:

2130 LOC:

12-3

Fixes to Card Reader Handler

The new card reader handler (now version A) includes the
patch given in the January 1973 SIS bulletin which fixes
the bug converning reading cards with an odd number of
columns.

080-100-020-01

mamaama INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO:

OS/8 V3 List

DATE,: October 22, 1973
FROM: S. Rabinowitz

DEPT: Small Systems Softw. Eng.
EXT:
SUBJ:

2130

LOC:

12-3

CDR Handler

This memo is a continuation of 080-100-020-00.
The card reader handler now clears the card done flag when
it's through. This is version B.

080-100-021-00

INTEROFFICE
TO:

SUBJ:

OS/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

September 17,.1973

FROM:

s. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT

2130

LOC:

12-3

New LPT Handler

Thanks to Richard Lary we now have a new line printer handler. It has
the generic name LPLS but will still be referred to with LPT as its
device name.
It is a one-page handler which handles both the LP~8 and LS8E style
lineprinters.
It handles tabs and line overflow. It ignores nulls and prints escape
as a dollar sign. Of course, it handles tz and +C.
It does not simulate vertical tabs and does not treat ~N specially.
This handler obsoletes the two previous ones,

LP~8

and LS8E.

This handler has two useful locations which may be patched (using ALTER
in BUILD).
(i)

Relative location ~ specifies the width of your line printer.
Set it to the one's complement of the width desired. It comes
initially set to 7573 (octal) which corresponds to a 132 (decimal)
column printer. Thus, you would change it to 7657 (octal) for
an 8~ column printer.

(ii)

Relative location 1 specifies whether you want carriage returns
to be inhibited. It is initially~. Set it to -15 (octal) to
inhibit echoing of carriage returns for the sake of improving
speed if your line printer already does a carriage return automatically upon seeing a line feed.

080-100-022-00

INTEROFFICE
TO:

SUBJ:

OS/8 V3 List

RF~8

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

September 17, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT:

2130 LOC:

12-3

Non-System Handler

I have modified the RF~8 system handler to give us an RF~8 non-system
handler.

Although not of extreme use, there have been many times

when I wished for one.

It is called RF: in the copy of BUILD to be

put on the in-house distribution tape.
Also, there is a DF32 non-system handler called DF:.
Both handlers require the user to specify how many platters are on
his disk if he plans to use these handlers with either the /Z or the
/S option in PIP.

There is currently no way to do this with the

existing BUILD but there will be a way in the future.
As supplied, both handlers assume you have 4 platters.

080-100-023-00

INTEROFFICE
TO:

SUBJ:

OS/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

September 17, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT:

2130

LOC:

12-3

VTECO
The following patch to TECO causes it to take input and
output from a teletype device other than the 'standard
system one with device codes 3 and 4.
xx denotes the device code of the input device
yy denotes the device code of the output device
This patch is normally used when you have a VT~5 as a
second teletype. The starred items need only be used
if the VT~5 is high speed.
*11152/~~25
9239/6~32
~461/6931

9463/6934
9473/6941
22~2/6931
22~4/6l134
2211/6~41

2214/6~46

*2215/72911
3143/61131
3146/61136
5211/61146

117~;764115551;211111;5153;5551

6xx2
6xxl
6xx4
6yy1
6xx1
6xx4
6yy1
6yy6
4151
6xx1
6xx6
6yy6

This patch only works on TECO V3114 and the result should
be called VTECO.
The corresponding patch for version 2 of TECO can be
retrieved as memo IF-22 of 1~/17/72.

mamDDmo
TO:

080~100-024-00

INTEROFFICE

OS/8 V3 List

18, 1973

DATE:

Septemb~r

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT
SUBJ:

MEMORANDUM

. 2130

LOC:

12-3

Version numbers for handlers

I am implementing the following scheme for assigning version
numbers to OS/8 handlers.
Version numbers consist of either a space or a letter from
A to Z.
(Actually, these should be called version letters)
The version number is represented internally by the code:

J
I

2
•
•
•

means space
means
A
B
means

means

The version number for a handler appears in the handler and
is located at the first location which is less than or equal to
the entry point of the handler, and which contains a number
in the range J - 32, and is closest to the handler entry
point.
All existing V2 handlers have the version number space.
Handler version numbers can be determined using the /E mode
of RESORC.

080-100-025-00

momoomo INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO:

OS/8 V3 List

DATE: September 24, 1973
FROM: S. Rabinowitz
DEPT: Small Systems Softw. EngEXT:

SUBJ:

2130

LOC:

12- 3

FOTP Remarks (by popular demand)

This document is' a technical reference manual and is not meant to
be a user's guide. Persons only interested in using FOTP should
read the examples in the back and burn the intervening material.
FOTP stands for File-Oriented-Transfer Program. It is used to perform a sequence of image-mode transfers, file deletions, and file
nomenclature revisions.
It can be run from the OS/8 system device by typing the command
.R FOTP
It responds with an asterisk (and calls the OS/8 command decoder in
special mode). ,At this time you specify one output specification
and from one to five input specifications. Switches may also be'
specified.
Input specifications consist of a device, a filename, and a filenameextension. Each of these is optional except that no extension is
permitted if the name is omitted. Each name consists of either
a)

from 1 to 6 letters, digits, or question-marks
or

single asterisk

Each extension consists of either
a)

1 or 2 letters, digits, or question-marks

or
b)

a single asterisk

The filename and extension are separated by a period which is optional
if no extension is given.
Each device consists of from 1 to 4 letters or digits followed by a
colon.

Examples of legal input specifications:
DSK:
SYS:A
LTA3:FOOBAR
DTA7:A.BC
FILE
FILE3.06
4
32 :A. *

NAME?TX
N?ME.
??????A?

*.BN
FOO:*.??
?A?B?C.?D
Input specifications are separated from each other by commas.
Illegal input specifications:
A.B.C
A:B:C
A?*.B
.AB
FOO:A.*B
A?B:C
*:FOO
The output file specification has the same general form as the input
specification except that question-marks are not currently legal.
If no output device is specified but a filename is given, then DSK:
is assumed.
For each input specification given, if no device is explicitly given,
then the device associated with the previous specification is
assumed. If no device is explicitly given for the first specification,
then DSK: is assumed.
Thus, the following command strings are equivalent
A<DTA3:B
A.*<SYS:B.*,C.*,D.*

DSK:A<DTA3:B
DSK;A.*<SYS:B.*,SYS:C.*,SYS:D.*

FOO:*.*<B.*,DTA~:C.*"SYS:*.BN

FOO:*.*<DSK:B.*,DTA~:C.*,DTA~:,SYS:*.BN

With the above understanding, we will assume in the following discussion that the device is always given.
Only file-structured devices are legal for input devices.
not be write-only.

'They must

Any device which is not read-only is legal as the output device.
Definition of Device Group
If the /U option is given, then a device group is a single input
specification.
If the /U option is not given, then a device group is a maximal
sequence of consecutive input specifications all of which specify
the same logical d~vice.

Example:

The command line

SYS: < A,B, LTA2:C,D, LTA2:E
contains two device groups.

These are

DSK:A,DSK:B
and
LTA2:C, LTA2:D, LTA2:E
Example 2:

The command line

A < SYS:B,C/U
contains two device groups.
SYS:B

and

These are

SYS:C

Example 3:
.ASSIGN DSK FOO
.R FOTP
*A<B,FOO:C,SYS:D,E,DSK:F

contains the three device groups:
1)
2)
3)

DSK:B,DSK:C
SYS:D,SYS:C
DSK:F

assuming that DSK: and SYS: do not refer to the same physical device.
Operation of FOTP:

. I.

The output device directory is read into core. If there is
no output device or if it is non-fi1estructured, then operation
proceeds as if it had an empty directory. However, if there
was no output device and the /0 option was specified, then FOTP
assumes the output device is the same as the first input device.

II.

For each input device group (in order), the following operations
are performed:
1. The directory of the input device is re.ad into core. A distinct
copy is kept in core even if the input and output devices are the
same.
2.

The input file specifications are examined. If one is missin~,
then *.* is assumed except if /0 is specified in which case the
null filename is assumed.

A set of filenames is made up of all files on the input device
which have the form specified by afiY one of the input specifications for this device group. If t e /V option is specified,
then this set consists instead of all files on the input device
which are not of any of the forms specified by the input specifications.
Furthermore, whether or not /V is specified, if /C is
specified, only files which have the same date as today's
date may enter this set. If the /0 option is specified, only
files with other than today's date may join this set. An
undated file does not have today's date unless no date was
specified to OS/8 today.
Each letter, digit, or null in the input specification can
match only input filenames with the same character in the
corresponding position.
If the input specification contains no *-'s or ?'s, then it
can match only a file by that name. If no extension is
given, it can only match a file with no extension.

If the filename is a *, then this input specification matches
any file which has an extension matched by its extension.
If the extension is a *, then this input specification matches
any file which has a name matched by its narne.
If the filename (or extension) contains a ? as the kth character,
then this input specification matches any file which is matched
by the other characters with any arbitrary character in position
k. For purposes of this test, all filenames (both real ones and
input-specification filenames other than *) are presumed to
consist of exactly 6 characters, padded with nulls on the right.
Similarly, extensions are presumed padded with nulls to 2
characters. Thus if the symbol ~ denotes a null, then the
input specification, AB??, is the same as AB??~~ and could
match a real file by the name ABCD~~.A~ or by the name ADCAA.AA
but could not match one by the name ABCDEA.AA.
Examples:
Specification

What it Matches

ABC. DE

Only ABC.DE

A.*

Any file with name A and any
extension (including no
extension)

*.BC

Any file with extension BC.

*• *

Any file

Any file with null extension

Same as *.

AB?CDE.FG

Any file whose 1st, 2nd, 4th,
5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th characters
are A,B,C,D,E,F,G, respectively
but whose 3rd character is arbitrary

???PA

All files whose names constst of
from 1 to 3 characters and which
have the extension PA.

ABC.P?

Any file with the name ABC and
extension beginning with a P.

????P.*

Ahy file with a 5-character name
ending in P and any extension.

A.??

Same as A.*

A.?

Any file with name A and either
a null extension or a onecharacter extension.

Each? must match exactly one character (which may be a null).
Each * must match an entire field (either a filename or a
filename e~tension).
A specification may not include embedded *'s, thus A*B is an
illegal specification and has no meaning.
Even if a device group consists of more than one specification,
no filename will appear more than once in the list made up by
FOTP at this stage of the process. For example, in the
specification.
A.*

??PA , A??A

the file A.PA will appear once in FOTP's list even though it
matches all three of the forms given.
A file formed now may of course be matched later on during
another device group.
More examples:
Specification

What it Matches

A.B/V

All files other than A.B

A.*/V

All files with name other than A

A.* , B.*

All files with name A or B

A.* , B.*/V

All files other than files with name
A or B

*.?/V

All files with 2-character extensions

*.*/V

No files

*.* , A.B/V

No files

A,B,C/V

All files other than A,B, or C

P?????*,*.P?/V

All files which don't either start
with P or have an extension
starting with P.

After this set is made up, FOTP examines these files, one at a
time, in the order of their appearan~e in the input device
directory.
If the set is empty, FOTP prints the warning message
NO FILES OF THE FORM

specification

on the Teietype, once for each specification among those included for this device group. If /V were specified, it is
so mentioned. Similarly if /C or /0 is mentioned.
Note: If a device group contains multiple specifications, then
one of these specifications could have no matches without the
user being told. If he desires notification, he should use the
/U option to force separate device groups. This is ugly.
The filenames in this set are now put into an ordered list, in
the o~der of their appearance in the input device directory.
For each file in this input list, FOTP now forms a corresponding
output filename using the input file name and the output
specification as follows:
1)

For each letter, digit, or null in the output specification,
that character appears in that position in the output
filename.

[Not implemented in OS/8 FOTP]
For each ? in the output specification, the corresponding
character in the input file name appears in that position
in the output filename.

For each * in the output specification, the corresponding
field (name or extension) in the input file name appears
in that field in the output filename.

The action of ?'s is described here only because they are
on the PDP-lO and so the reader might be interested in their
use when appearing in an output specification. FOTP does not
support this feature and will not in this release.
Examples:
Input filename

Output Specification

Corresponding
Output Filename

ABC.DE
,
ABC.DE

FGHI.J

FGHI.*

FGHI.DE

ABC. DE

*.J

ABC.J

ABC. DE

* •*

ABC. DE

F?HI.J

FBHI.J

ABCDEF.GH

P?S?T.*

PBSD':C.GH

ABCD.XY

*.?K

ABCD.XK

If an output device is given but no output specification, then
FOTP assumes *.* as the output specification.
If no output device or filename is'given, 'then FOTP assumes
null as the output specification and consequently all the
constructed output filenames are null.
We are now left with an ordered list of pairs of filenames,
an output filename and an input filename. There remain no
*'s or ?'s in any names. Input ~ilenames are not duplicated,
but output filenames may be.
FOTP is now ready to go into action.
5.

FOTP now performs the following steps, in order, for each
filename pair, proceeding in their order of appearance in the
list just constructed (i.eo, from low to high block numbers
on the input device):

Definition: The relevant filename of a filename pair is the input
fIlename unless the /D option is specified in which case the
relevant filename is the output filename.
a)

If the /0 option is specified, FOTP prints the relevant
filename on the Teletype and waits for the user to
respond. If the user types a nyu, then FOTP proceeds
to the next step. If the operator types an "N" or in
fact, any character other than "Y" or "ten, then FOTP
skips the following steps and proceeds to the next
filename pair.

If the /L option is specified, FOTP now prints the relevant
filename on the Teletype. This step is skipped if /0 is
also specified.

FOTP now gets the block number where the input file starts
from the input directory. If the output device is the
same as the input device, FOTP then looks up this same
file on the output directory to see if the starting block
numbers agree. (Although both directories are for the
same device, they may not be identical at this point because output operations are performed only on the output
directory in core and corresponding changes are not made
on the in-core input directory. This artifice is
necessary.) If the file's location is the same in both
directories then FOTP proceeds to step d). If the file
is not found in the output directory (e.g., it got deleted
in an earlier step) or if the file's location has changed
(e.g., it got moved in an earlier step) then FOTP ignores
this input file and proceeds back to step a) going on to
the next filename pair. This step is necessary but not
sufficient to prevent anomalous results. Let the interested
reader contemplate the specification A.*<*.B and consider
the file DSK:A.B.

If the /R option was not specified, then FOTP proceeds to
step e).
If the /R was specified, then FOTP performs the following
actions:
(i)

The ~nput filename is looked up in the output device
dire~tory.
If it is not there, FOTP proceeds to step
(Iv). No error message is given.

(ii)

The output filename is looked up in the output device
directory. If it is not there, fine, well and good.
However, if it is found there, FOTP generates the error
message
AL~Y

EXISTS - output-filename

and then proceeds back to step a), going on to the next
filename-pair.
9

(iii)

Without performing any data transfer, the name of the
output file on the output device is changed (in-place)
to become the name specified by the input filename.
The date and any additional information words are not
affected, unless the IT option is specified, in which
case the file is given today's date.

(iv)

FOTP now proceeds back to step a), .going on to the
next filename pair.

If the /N option is n~t specified, and if the output device
is not the same as the Input device, then FOTP now looks
on the output file directory (in core) to see if a file
with name the same as the current output file name exists.
If one exists, it is deleted from the output directory
(in core). If none exists, it is not an error. The
directory physically on the output device is not yet touched.

If the /D option is not specified, then FOTP proceeds with
the image transfer. First, a tentative output file is
opened on the output directory in core. It has the same
name as the current output name. It is located in place
of the first empty which is the best fit for the file, i.e.,
has the smallest size which is not smaller than the size of
the input file. If there is no empty large enough, FOTP
prints
NO ROOM SKIPPING input-filename
and proceeds back to step a) going on to the next filename
pair. The new tentative-output file entry is given the
same additional information words as those in the input
file entry wi~h the following exceptions:
1. If the /T option is specified, then the first additional
information word (if present) is set to today's date.
2) If ~he output directory has fewer additional information
words than the input directory, the extra words are
not copied.
3) If the output directory has more additional information
words than are in the input directory, the extra words
are set to zeroes.

Tnen the input file is copied to the output file in
image mode (block for block). If an I/O error occurs
while either reading or writing, FOTP prints:
ERROR ON INPUT DEVICE, SKIPPING input-filename
or
ERROR ON OUTPUT DEVICE, SKIPPING output-filename
and proceeds back to step a) going on to the next filename pair. The tentative file in the output directory is
not closed. When the image transfer is completed, the
active tentative file is changed to a permanent file.
(i.e., "the file is closed). The output directory is not
" yet written out onto the physical output device.
6.

After the last filename pair has been processed, FOTP proceeds
back to step 1 going on to the next input device group.

III. When all device groups have been finished, FOTP then writes the
output directory from core onto the physical output device. An I/O
error at this time is disastrous ~o the user. No operation is
performed if the output device is non-file-structured.
IV.

If the command line ended with a carriage return, FOTP now recalls
the command decoder and allows ano"ther operation to be specified.
If the command line had ended with an altmode, FOTP returns instead
to the OS/8 keyboard monitor by branching to location 7605.

Mnemonic Meanings of the Switch Options:
Current Date
/e ....
/D

Don't Transfer
....

Match only input files with the current
(today's) date.
Don't perform any I/O transfers, i.e.,
at most perform only deletions. Note:
/D is not an abbreviation for DELETE although
it usually performs this option. If no
transfer occurs, no post-deletion occurs.
Predeletion might still occur unless the
IN option is also given. "

/L Produce !!og

Produce a written record on the Teletype
of the relevant filenames which occurred
during the operation. Note that the device
is not specified nor is the second file
of the filename pair.

/N No pre-delete

Don't delete output filenames before I/O
transfers. If I/O transfer proceeds, when
the file is closed, any existing ones of
the same name will automatically be deleted.

Other than current
date

Match only input filenames which have a
date which is not the same as what OS/8
thinks is today's date.

QueryMode

Query the user about each relevant filename to find out whether or not he wants the
specified operation to occur for that file.

Rename

Change the output filename(as specified by
the input filename) without performing any
transfer.

!oday's Date

Give each output file today's date instead
of the date on the corresponding input
file.

!!.gly Mode

Treat each input specification as if it
belonged to a separate device group. This
is wasteful because it will cause a device's
directory to be read multiple times, once
for each input specification, instead of
just once. However, it will cause matching
files to be found in the same order as
specified by the input specifications.

inVert sense of
matches

Match only input files which do not have
the form specified by the input specifications.

Operation of +C:
Because of safety reasons, tc works slightly differently in FOTP than
in other OS/8 cusps~ If tc is typed on the keyboard, then FOTP
continues operation until it reaches the end of step II part 5 as
previously described. At this point, if FOTP had performed any
output on the physical output device, then it proceeds to step III
as if all device qroups had been processed. This assures that the
files on the output device will agree with the directory on the
output device. If on the other hand, no output had physically been
performed on the output device, (for example, the user did delete only,
or only got a log)then FOTP proceeds to step IV.
-If tc had been typed, step IV always returns to OS/8 via location
7600.

Note that it would be suicidal for the user to hit halt while
FOTP was running and manually branch to location 7600.
Examples of FOTP command lines:
Transfer the file A.B from disk to DECtape:
*DTA,:<A.B
Transfer the files A,B,C,D and E from SYS: to DTA3:
* DTA3:<SYS:A,B,C,D,E
Transfer all FORTRAN source files from one DECtape to another,
producing a log of those copied:
* DTA2:<DTA5:*.FT/L
List all FORTRAN and BASIC files on· the lineprinter in order of
appearance on DSKz
* LPT:<*.FT,*.BA
List all FORTRAN and BASIC files on the lineprinter listing all
FORTRAN files before all BASIC files:
* LPT:<*.FT,*.BA/U
Copy all files other than .SV and .BN files from DTA3: to DSK:,
then copy all files other than those whose name begins with a K
from DTA2: to DSK:. Log all files copied:
* DSK:<DTA3:*.SV,*.BN,DTA2:K?????*/V/L
Copy the file A.B from DSK: to DTA1: changing its name to C.D.
Give the new file today's date:
* DTA1:C.D<A.B/T
Copy all files from LTA2: which have the extension .PA to SYS:
changing the extension to .PL allocating storage on SYS: without

go1ng pre-aeletions;

* SYS:*.PL~LTA2:*.PA/N
-11-

Make a copy of all text files on the disk, but change the third
character of the name to an "X· (not implemented):
* ??X???*<*.TX
Find all files on RKA2: with name FOO and any extension but which
have today's date, and copy them to SYS: Changing the name to
BARF yet keeping the extension:
*SYS:BARF.*<RKA2:FOO.*/C
Delete all disk files (other than one's with today's date) which
either have the extension .LS, .TM, or .BR or have a name whose
name s tarts wi th TMP:
* DSR: <* .LS, * .TM, * .BR,TMP??? */D /0
Delete the file FOO.BN from LTA7:
* LTA7·:<LTA7:FOO.BN/D
This is the Same as the command
* LTA7:*.*<LTA7:FOO.BN/D
Note that although it may seem strange at first, files to be
deleted appear as the input files. Nevertheless only output files
are deleted. This is because, in the above examples, the output
specification is *.* so that the input file names really also
become o~tput file names.
This might become clearer by a more complicated example.
Delete the files A,B, and C on DTA2: but only if they already
exist on DSR:, log those files that get deleted.
* DTA2:<A,B,C/L/D

If at least one of the files A,B, or C exists on DSK: then you will
not get the NO PILES OF THE FORM message, whether or not A,B, or C
appear o~ DTA2:. If the file A appears on DTA2:, it will only be
deleted if the file A appears on DSK:. The file B might occur on
DSK: but not on DTA2: in which case no deletion of B occurs and no
error message is given. If the input device on a delete is not the
same as the output device, then the input device may be write-locked.
Copy all files from DSK: to SYS:
*SYS:<DSK:
This is the same·as
*SYS:*.*<DSK:
which is the same as
*SYS:<DSK:*.*
For your own protection, *.* is not assumed as an input specification
if /0 is given. Thus
*SYS:<SYS:/D
deletes no files and is not the same as
*SYS:<SYS:*.*/O
which deletes all files.
Note:

the command
*SYS:A,B,C/O

is the same as
*SYS:*.*<SYS:A,B,C/O
because the /0 option causes the output device (if none given) to

be the same as the first input device.
15

Some more complicated examples:
Delete all .BN files for which there is a corresponding .PA file:
**.BN<*.PA/D
Delete all .LS files on DTA3: for which there is a file on RKA~:
with the same name but an extension of either .PA, .RA, or no
extension:
*DTA3:*.LS RKA,:*.PA,*.RA,*/D
Delete all files on the disk for which there are already copies on
one of the 4 DECtape drives:
*DSK:<DTA,:*.*,DTAl:*.*,DTA2:*.*,DTA3:*.*/D
Produce a log of all files on TDAl: which happen to have the name
FOO and an extension which is the same as an extension of some file
on SYS: which has a one or two-character filename beginning with
a T. Do not perform any transfers or deletions:
*TDAl:FOO.*<SYS:T?*/N/D/L
Change the name of the file DSK:FILE.PA to FILE2.PA.
*FILE2.PA<FILE.PA/R
Rename all files on DTA6: with .PA extensions to have .PB extensions.
instead.
*DTA6:*.PB<DTA6:*.PA/R
Change the extension from .RL to .OL of all files on DTAl: with
extension .RL which correspond to files on DSK: with the same name
and today's date:
*DTAI:*.OL<*.RL/C/R
Interaction between FOTP and CCL:
All CCL commands which invoke FOTP,pass FOTP both the /L option and
the altmode bit.
~

If no output device is specified, LPT: is forced.

!m-

If no output device is specified, TTY: is forced.

£Q!!

CCL first prints FILES COPIED:

DELETE

CCL first Prints FILES DELETED:
The /D option is included.

1';

RENAME

CCL first prints FILES RENAMED:
The /R option is included.

FOTP Error.Messages
ILLEGAL ?

? is not allowed in output
specification

ILLEGAL •

Embedded ·'s are not
permitted

SYSTEM ERROR-CLOSING FILE

"Man are you in trouble" H.J. 1973. If you are
brave, hit continue after
computer halts.

ALREADY EXISTS-output-filename

You cannot rename a file to
a name which already exists
on the output device.

ERROR READING INPUT. DIRECTORY
ERROR READING OUTPUT DIRECTORY
ERROR WRITING OUTPUT DIRECTORY

Self explanatory

NO ROOM, SKIPPING input-filename

There was no room on the
output device to perform
the transfer. Pre-deletion
may have already occurred.

ERROR ON INPUT DEVICE, SKIPPING
input-filename
ERROR ON OUTPUT DEVICE, SKIPPING
output-filename

Clear

NO FILES OF THE FORM specification

No files of these forms were
found on the current input
device group

BAD INPUT DIRECTORY
BAD OUTPUT DIREC~ORY

Obvious

Remarks:
1.

FOTP can transfer files greater than 256 blocks long.

FOTP's starting address is 146',.

Output sizes specified with the square bracket notation are ignored •.

Typing tp at most any time causes FOTP to stop what it's doing
at the next safe spot and return to the eommand decoder for
a new input command.
17

080-100-02"5-02

mD~DDmD
TO:

INTEROFFICE

OS/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

December 24, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

Ex'r:

2130

LOC: 12-3

SUBJ: Remarks Re Remarkable and Remarked-about FOTP

IW
IF

Print FOTP's version number on teleprinter
Failsafe! This option is used to backup large numbers of
files in one big swoop even if they won't all fit onto a
single DECtape (or other device).
If this option is not given, then if a file doesn't fit
on a device, FOTP prints a warning message (described
elsewhere) and skips the file.
It may have been a big file
and so perhaps other files will still fit on the device
in question.
If IF is specified, however, then if a given file won't fit
on the output device, FOTP will fix up the directory of that
outptit device and then print a message asking you to
dismount this device (if you can) and mount another volume.
It will use this next volume to continue the transfer operation.
When you have mounted the new volume, type any character and
FOTP will continue. You can not specify a different device
at this time. Be sure the device you mount has a good OS/8
directory.

In the previous memo, add /0 to the third example on page 14.
Note that by the previous memo, I mean 080-100-025-00
inasmuch as memo 080-100-025-01 was censored by upper management
and has not been distributed.
It is, however, not obsolete.

causes FOTP to abort it's current operation. It first
of course fixes up the output device d~rectory ..
Under no circumstances should the user ever hit halt while
FOTP is running and branch to 7600 or 7605. Disastrous
results will happen.
If you must terminate FOTP unexpectedly
(for example, if an earthquake causes a power failure),
then you must manually rebootstrap onto your OS/8 device.

causes FOTP to abort as explained in the earlier memo
except if the IQ ~ption had been specified,in which case,
even though no data had been written to the output device
(for example with ID/Q) , FOTP will update the output directory.
(In all other cases it will print OUTPUT DIRECTORY PRESERVED).
This feature allows you to get tired of the querying, and
return to OS/8 with all the actions up to that point having
been done.
.

mamaama
TO:

080-100-,026-00

INTEROFFiCe

OS/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DATE: October 22, 1973
FROM: S. Rabinowitz
DEPT: Small Systems Softw. Eng.
EXT:

SUBJ:

2130

LOC:

12-3

Final Chanqes to EDIT

I have made the fol1owinq chanqes to OS/8 EDIT:
1)"

It is now leqal to chain to EDIT. In fact, the CCL
commands CREATE and" EDIT both chain to EDIT.

The?5 error messaqe now qoes away because of item 1.

I added the I command. Typinq' in response to EDIT's
I, and then typinq carriaqe return, causes EDIT to
type its version number (currently V7). Unfortunately,
the V command was already in use by EDIT; that's why I
chose " ....

I could not duplica~e any digit-swallowing or buffer-full
search problems.

mamaama
TO:

SUBJ:

080-100-027-00

INTEROFFICE

OS/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DATB: October 22, 1973
PROM:

S.Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Syatema Softw.· En9.

BXT:

2130

LOC:

12-3

BAT Handler

Mark Rosenthal has written us a new BAT handler.· It is
used from a BATCH job to read from the BATCH stream.
Characteristics:
It is a one-page read-only non-file structured device.
It uses internal device code 22.
It gives a fatal error if used at a time that BATCH is
not running.
When used, it read characters from the BATCH stream
(ignoring line feeds, and always creating a line feed
after a carriage return).
Whenever it sees a line which begins with a dollar aign,
it pads the buffer with tz and nulls, and takes the endof-file return.

080-100-006-01

INTEROFFICE

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

December 24, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

05/8 V3 List

TO:

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.
LaC: 12-3

EX'l': 2130

OS/ 8 BOOT (Last licks)
'nto unit 0 of a device.
d to bootstrap l.
BOOT may only be use
to boot onto RKA1.
used for example,
It canno t be
,

SUBJ:

~:.

.-'\• . It

080-100-027-01

~D~DDmD
TO:

INTEROFFICE

OS/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DATE: December 24, 1973
FROM: S·. Rabinowi tz
DEPT: Small Systems Softw. Eng.
EXT:

SUBJ:

2130

LOC: 12-3

BAT can get stuck

Note the fact that when BAT: encounters a line beginning with
a $, it causes an EOF-return to the program which called it.
It does not then pass up the $ but in fact, gets stuck there,
so that if the user program should call BAT: again, it will
get an immediate end-of-file.
This is good for parameter files to PAL8 which consist of
only equates; however it is bad for other input to PAL8.
This
is because PAL8 tries to read the source multiple times, and on
the 2nd and 3rd passes, it is going to get immediate EOF's.

mamaama
TO:

SUBJ:

080-100-028-00

INTEROFFICE

OS/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

October 22, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng-

EXT:

2130

LOC:

12-3

Fixes to L645 Handler

I have fixed the annalex line printer handler so that it
now recognizes a parity tC. Also, it will recognize tc
from the keyboard even if the lineprinter is off, off-line,
jammed, etc.
This version is version A.

mamaama
TO:

SUBJ:

080-100-029-00

INTEROFFICE

05/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

October 26, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng-

EXT:

2130

LOC:

12-3

DIRECT

Herb Jacobs has written a new OS/8 CUSP known as DIRECT. It is used
to produce directory listings
la PDP-I, and is better than PIP.
It supports the wild card construction.

When DIRECT is run, it calls the OS/8 command decoder. You then
specify an output specification and from one to five input specifications. If no output specification is given, TTY: is assumed.
This output specification specifies where the directory listing is
to be produced. It may be produced into a file. If a filename is
given but no extension, the extension .01 is assumed. The output
filename may contain no *'s or ?'s.
The input specification has the same meaning as in FOTP. See the
FOTP memo for details of what *'s and ?'s mean. If an input device
is given with no filename, then *.* is assumed. For each" device
group, in order, DIRECT produces a directory listing of only those
files on the device which match the input specification. This listing
is preceded by today's date and followed by the number of free blocks
on the device. Th~ length of each file (in decimal blocks) and the
file's date are given. A warning message is given "on the teletype
if there are no files (on a given device group) of the form specified.
Options:
/B

/E
/F
/M
/0
/U

/W
/1-.

List hOe sf free blocks uul}
Include starting block numbers (in octal)
List only files with current date
Include empties in the directory listing
Fast mode. Omit dates and file lengths"
List empties only
List only files with other than today's date
Ugly mode. Treat each input specification separately
List files not of the form specified
Mst adeitieftai iRfermatiu11 "erda (iA QEJ'kal}

" VeA~ It)", :'WfIM~

t> s ~,:-I ..MA.~..

al~l~~~~~"

080-100-029-01

INTEROFFICE
TO: 05/8 V3 List

SUBJ:

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

December 24, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT:

2130

LaC: 12-3

More DIRECT Directions

Delete the /A and /W explanations from the previous memo.
/1

Print additional information words (after the first)

in octal.

usual mode

'/W

type DIRECT's version number on the teletype

Use 'n columns when making the directory listing.
It is up to the user to make sure that he.doesn't specify
an n which causes the directory listing to exceed the page size
on the ouput media.
=4 is nice. on a l32-column lineprinter .
th~

. DI

default output extension.

List the remainder of the files after the first one .found.
This option causes DIRECT to find the first file (physically)
which matches all other specifications given and then give
a directory listing of all files above and including this one
(and still considering the /C and /0 options). Actually,
when /R is encountered, as soon as a file matches, the
current specification is changed to *.* and all other
switches set as they were. This should actually include
the additional hack that if a /V switch is specified, it
is temporarily removed until the next device group comes around.
Right now (V2), if /V is also specified, you get a directory
listing of precisely the first file which matched the
current specification. (Actually that's useful too ... )

No warning message is given by DIRECT if there are no files of
a given form on the specified device. This should be apparent
upon the examination you will give to the directory listing produced.

mamaama

080-100-030-00

INTEROFFICE

OS/8 V3 List

TO:

SUBJ:

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

October 26, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT:

2130

LOC:

12-3

VR 12 Handler

We have written a VR12 scope handler for 05/8 (running on a PDP-12).
It is an improved version of (and therefore obsoletes) our former
program, DECUS 12-81. We are now supporting it and it will be
included as a standard ,handler in V3 BUILD.
CCL supports it too.
Acknowledgement
I wish to thank the following organizations for their unquestionable
help:
P?S
I?S

WCFMPG
FOBM
, In particular, I would like to, thank the following bums·:
Mario DeNobili
Richard Lary
Hank Maurer
Lenny Elekman
Jack Burness
R~d Dorman
Herb Jacobs
Bob Bean

A bum is a person who has bummed at least 5 locations out of a
tightly coded PDP-8 page of code.

Operation'
When characters are sent to the scope using the handler, they are
displayed on the VR12 scope (on both channels). Whenever the scope
qets full, the handler stops reading more characters from the buffer,
and just sits there displaying characters on the scope. It also does
this upon encountering a tz in the text, or upon encountering the
end of the user's buffer. It displays what is known as a scope page.
The user can advance to the next scope page by hitting any character
on the teletype (not C).

The screen is full whenever the end of the buffer is reached or
whenever the number of lines displayed beco~s equal to the maximum
number specified by the user.

080-l00-030.i.OO

October 26, 1973

-2-

Control does not return to bhe calling program until after a character
has been struck at a point when the handler is displaying the last
scope page of a particular buffer load.
The user sets the number of lines he wishes to see in a single scope
page via the switch register (right switches). The switch register
is set to the negative of the number of lines to be displayed in a
scope page~ Depending on the length of the lines being displayed,
fewer lines should be allowed so as to prevent flicker. By 'line'
here we refer to a physical line across the scope face. When text
reaches the right margin of the scope face, it is continued on the
,next physical line (after a slight indentation).
Whenever a line feed or form feed character is encountered, succe.eding
text goes on the next physical line •. Carriage return characters have
no effect on the display.
The group name for this handler is VR12. It has a single entry point
known as TV:.
It is a two-page write only non-file-structured
handler. Its internal device code is

3,.

Typing tc on the keyboard while the handler is in operation causes
control to return to OS/8 via location

76,_.

Restrictions:

The buffer specified in the call to this handler must start at
an even address.

The handler does not preserve the status of the keyboard flag
(it always clears it) or of the LINC-mode special function
register (always sets small character size).

The handler does not give an error if the user tries to read
data using it.
.

If the buffer associated with the handler call happens to
overlap beta register 1 of the LINC seqment containing the
handler, two characters of every buffer load may display badly.
The user should not halt the CPU while the handler is in
operation and expect his core image to be intact since the
handler temporarily destroys beta register 1 but restores it
upon leaving.

The handler does not handle tabs, vertical tabs, or rubouts
correctly.

mamaama
TO:

,8,-1"-,31-,,

INTEROFFICE

OS/8 V3 List

DATE:

October 31, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Software
Engineering
2130 LOC: 12-3

EXT:
SUBJ:

MEMORANDUM

New KL8E Teletype Handier

We have done it again! After managing to write a VR12 handler in
two pages, we have now succeeded in cramming the most remarkable
features into a 2-page Teletype handler. Although we will still
support and distribute the old handler (for user programs which
don't support 2-page handlers), I imagine that everyone will soon
be using the new handler.
'
The new handler has the group name KL8E with entry· point TTY.
currently up to version C.

It is

This handler may be used only to read or write 'ASCII files. The
results are unpredictable with non-ASCII files. Data may be 7-bit,
8-bit, any parity, etc. because it only looks at the low-order
7-bits.
Some of the less common features (like support for lower-case
characters) have been conditionalized out. There are about 3'
locations free in which the user may conditionalize in any features
he wants which fit. We must give him the source if he is to use
non-standard features.
Below is a list of its features.
marked by an asterisk.

Those that are conditional are

On input:
1.

It reads a line at a time. Whenever the operator types
CR , it enters CR , LF into the buffer, it echoes CR, LF1
and then it pads the remainder of the buffer with nulls
and returns to the calling program. The characters get
put into the buffer, one character per word. Thus every
third character is a null as far as OS/8 is concerned.

080-100-031-00

-2-·

October 30, 1973

RUBOUT rubs out the previous character. It echoes as
either a back slash (\) or as the character rubbed out,
depending on assembly parameters. RUBOUT at the
beginning of the line acts as tU.

CTRL/U echoes as tu and erases the current line, allowing
the user to retype it. (It also echoes CR, LF.) The
buffer pointer is reset to the beginning of the buffer.

CTRL/Z echoes as tz (followed by CR, LF) and signals
end-of-input. The tz enters the buffer and the remainder
of the buffer is padded with nulls. The ,error return is
taken with a positive AC (soft error).

Nulls are ignored.

*6.

The altmode characters (octal 175 and 176) are converted
to escapes (octal 33).

*7.

Lower-case characters typed may be automatically converted
to upper case.

CTRL/C echoes as tc and returns control to the keyboard
monitor via location 76".

On output:

(either normal output or when echoing input)

CTRL/C on keyboard echoes as tc and returns control to
the keyboard monitor via location 76".

CTRL/O on keyboard stops further echoing. All echoing
ceases (through pos~ibly many buffer loads) until either
the handler is reloaded into core or the user types a
character other than to on the keyboard. Not operative
during input.

*3.

ts causes the handler to stop sending to the terminal.
No characters are lost and outputting resumes when a to
is typed. ts and to do not echo. These characters are
operative only upon output. On input, they are treated
like any other input characters.

Nulls are ignored.

*5.

Lower case characters may be optionally printed as upper
case and flagged with an apostrophe.

QaO-100-031-00

*6.

October 30, 1973

-3-

Tabs may be handled in one of three manners:
(a)

output as actual tabs,

(b)

output as actual tab followed by padding of two
rubouts,

(c)

output as the correct number of spaces to bring the
text to the start of the next tab stop.

Whenever the output line reaches the end of the physical
line (length set at "assembly time), the handler automatically performs a carriage-return line-feed.

*8.

The escape character (octal 33) prints as a dollar sign.

*9.

The handler may be set to delay about 16 ms after typing
any character (specified at assembly time), for example,
line feed.
J

*10.

Control characters are printed as their corresponding
letter preceded by an up-arrow. Thus CTRL/K prints
as +K.

mamaama

080-100-032-00

INTEROFFICE

TO: 05/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DATE: November 1, 1973
FROM: S. Rabinowitz
DEPT: Small Systems Soft. Engineering
EXT:

SUBJ:

2130

LOe: 12-3

TM8-E HANDLER

The TM8-E handler has the same calling sequence as any other 05/8
handler, namely
JMS I (ENTRYPT)
ARGl
ARG2
ARG3
<error return>
<normal return>

/function word
/buffer address
/block number

There are 8 entry points, symbolically MTA. through MTA7, one for each
unit. The handler has the internal device code of 2., and it is a
2-page handler. It is non-file structured and can be used to read or
write. It has version letter A. It reads and writes either 7- or
9-channel magtape with odd parity at 8•• bpi. (On 9-channel tapes
it uses core-dump mode.) Each PDP-8 l2-bit core location is written
out on the tape in 2 frames, each containing 6-bits. Each PDP-8 page
becomes a 256-frame record on the magtape.
Keyboard Interaction:
Typing +C on the keyboard while the handler is in operation causes the
handler to abort and return to the 05/8 keyboard monitor via location
76... Such action is ill~advised since it leaves the magtape without
an end-of-file indicator.
Special Handling for Block ,:
As currently set up, if the handler is called to read or write block .,
it will first perform a rewind. This feature can be patched out if
desired by altering relative location 1 from a • to a 1. This altered
handler, is said to be operating in file-mode. The original handler is
said to be operating in single-file mode.
It would be possible to supply a patch which would cause the tape to
perform a backspace record function instead for block • (for example
to backspace 1 of 2 consecutive file marks at end-of-file data). If
anyone thinks this is of use, let me know.

080-100-032-00

-2-

November 1, 1973

Special Handling for CLOSE:
A close operation is signalled to the handler by calling it with a
function word which has a page count of • (bits 1-5) and which has
bits 9-11 all zeroes. This is how the USR CLOSE operation calls the
handler (OS/8 V3 only). This causes the handler to write two successive file marks on the tape. (Would we ever want to patch this
so it writes one EOF?) Two successive EOF's is the software indication
of end-of-data (EOD).
Restrictions:
In single-file mode, the user may not have more than 4_95 blocks
because on trying to write the 4_96th block, the handler will think
it's writing block. and perform a rewind. This restriction does not
apply when using the handler in file-mode; but beware, some cusps,
such as PIP, are,suspected to behave strangely on block 4_96 of nonfile-structured devices. Such phenomena has been hinted at in the
past but skeptics have denied these allusions because of lack of evidence. Please be assured that if any definite problems are found,
they will be fixed before V3 is released.
General Operation:
When the handler is used in its normal mode, single-file made, magtapes
may consist of exactly one file. It starts at the beginning of the
tape and consists of consecutive records until and end-of-file mark
(EOF) is reached. In this sense, a magtape is similar to one big paper
tape. This is the same way that OS/8 currently treat cassettes.
Since the capacity of magtapes is so big, we have made provision for
storing multiple files per tape. In such a structure, several files
may exist on one magtape. They are unlabeled and are separated from
each other by a single file mark. The last one is followed by two
file marks. Each 'file' looks like a paper tape, that is, it is referenced in a non-file structured manner. The user must- first alter
his magtape handler to work in file mode. Then he must position the
magtape to exactly the correct spot where he wants the read or write
operation to commence. He may do this with a program of his own, using
the auxiliary capabilities of the magtape handler (described below),
or he may use the positioner program, CAMP, which is described in
another memo. To read a file, you should first position yourself to
just before the first data record of that file. To write file 11, you
must rewind the tape (i.e., be at BOT). To write file In, (n>l) you
must position yourself after the (n-l)st file mark on the tape. Previous file n and all files past it then become unreadable (nonexistent).
Device-Dependent Capabilities:
The TM8-E handler has several auxiliary features which may be invoked
by a user p~ogram which calls the handler in a device-dependent manner.
These features all rely on the contents of bits 9-11 of the function
word (argument 1 of the handler call) and some require argument 3 in
addition.

080-100-032-00

-3-

November 1, 1973

These features are brought to life whenever the handler is called with
a page count of , (bits 1-5 of the function word). Let us call bits
9-11 of the funct.ion word the ~cia1 function register (SPR) for short
and also we refer to bit • of
e function word as the direction »it.
If the page count is not I, the contents of the SPR are ignored.
If the page count is I, then the SPR together with the direction bit
(and possibly argument 3) determine what special function to perform,
•• follows:

-SI'R
,

CLOSE.

Rewind.

Space forward/reverse files. The direction to space is
determined by the direction bit ('means space forward,
1 means space reverse). The negative of the number of
file marks to space past is given by argument 3 (-1
means space past one file mark; • means 4'96 file marks).
In reverse mode, the tape is left positioned at the end
of a file, an error is given if BOT is encountered. In
forward mode, the tape is left positioned at the beginning of a file. If EOD is reached, the handler automatically performs a backspace record to leave you between the two file marks; no error is given.

Operation
Write two EOF's.

Special read/write function. The direction bit (as
usual) dete~ines read or write (, means read, 1 means
write). The specified I/O operation is performed
between the user's buffer (start is specified by argument 2) and the very next magtape record. Only one
record is transferred and the user's buffer must be
large enough to contain it. The record length is speci~ied by the negative of argument 3 (in words) • • means
a record length of 4'96~
Rewind the unit and put drive off-line.

Write a single EOF.

Space forward/reverse records. The direction to space
is determined by the direction bit (. means space
forward, 1 means space reverse). The negative (two's
complement) of the number of records to space over is
given by argument 3 of the handler call. (-1 means
space past one record, I means 4,96 records.) The
error return is taken if either a file mark or BOT is
encountered. In such cases, you would be left positioned
at the beginning of a file'.

Unused.

Reserved for future use.

If .pacified, it

currently acts as a NO-OP.

In each case, the unit affected is determined by the handler entry
point.

080-100-032-00

-4-

November 1, 1973

Other Common Operations:
(a)

To backspace n files, U8e 8p8cia1 code 2 to pass over n+1
file marks backwards, then use special code 6 to advance
(forwards) over one record (EOF) ignoring the BOP error.

(b)

To advance to BOD, first perform a backspace of one record
(or perform a rewind to play safe) then use special code 2
to advance over 4'96 files in the forward direction
(argument 3-,).

Error Conditions:
On a hard error, the handler takes the error return (with a negative AC)
and the AC contains the contents of the main 8tatus register, as follows:'

Bit on

Meaning
Error flag
Tape rewinding

1
2
3
4

BOT

Select error
Parity error (vertical, longitudinal, or Cae)
EOF
Record length incorrect
Data request late

5
6
7
8
9

EOT

File protect
Read compare error
Illegal function

Not all of these can occur.
details.

Refer to the engineering spec 'for more

The only soft error is EOF error (either on a read or on a apace record
command). In such a case, the error return is taken with a 1" in the
AC.

!!!!!!
To use this handler under OS/8 V2, you must
make the USR patch given in the March 1973
SIS bulletin, namely,
.R EPIC
*SYS:</l$
R,15

0,2,1

527,/5266
E

momaoma
TO:

~8~-1~Hf-1I33-1I11

INTEROFFICE

OS/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

October 30, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowi tz

DEPT:
EXT:
SUBJ:

Small Systems Software
Engineering
2130
Loe:
12-3

PAL8 V8 Notes
Good news! The long lost source of PALa version a has
been found. This is the version we have been using inhouse. Our thanks go to Bob Hassinger.
This memo lists the major differences of va over V7.
We still have to decide if we want to remove any of
these features and also if we want to add any more
(other than those bugs and features already noted in
the V3 bug book).
Command decoder line:
1.

If output file 11 is omitted, and if no /G or /L
option is specified, then pass 2 is skipped.

If output file 13 is specified, then it has the
default extension of .TM. If /C is included, then
this file and output file 12 are passed along to
CREF to be used as its listing file with PAL8's
file 13 as CREF's input file.

Switch options:
3.

Byte shift option.
This option makes the operator ! a 6-bit left
shift instead of an inclusive OR.
(A!B
equals Atl~II+B).

Chain to SYS: CREF.SV after assembly. The
second output file specified is the output
file passed to CREF. The third output file
is where PAL8 generates its output. If no
third output file is given, DSK:CREFLS.TM is
used. /e supersedes /L and /G.

Enable error messages if a link is generated.
The LG error message would be generated as
well as the link being flagged.

080-100-033-00

October 30, 1973

-2-

Disable automatic origining to 2" after a field
pseudo-oPe The origin remains what it was before
the FIELD pseudo-oPe

Disable extra zero fill in TEXT pseudo-oPe If the
text in a TEXT pseudo-op contains an even number
of characters, no word of zeroes will be added
to the end.

Operation:
8.

The alternate starting address of 56" has been removed.
(It used to ask questions concerning the features
covered by the above switches.)

PAL8 now saves part of itself in block 4' on SYS: •
This is an overlay used by it at some later time.

10.

At end, it prints out number of errors and number of
links generated (on Teletype if no listing file
given).

Pseudo-ops:
11.

EJECT

If this pseudo-op is followed by a string
of characters, the first
(or until a
comment is reached) are used as the new
header beginning with the next page.
This feature was not in V7 even though
the system reference manual describes it.

12.

XLIST

If followed by an expression, then the
operation is as follows. If the value
of the expression is " then enable listings.
If non-zero, disable listing.

Error Messages:
13.

Chain to CREF error.

14.

Link generated error.

Current switch conflicts between PAL8 and CREF,
ABSLDR, and BITMAP:
/S

PAL8 uses to mean no symbol table.
ABSLDR uses to mean allow multipe binaries
per file no problem.

080-100-033-00

-3-

October 30, 1973

PAL8 uses to mean enable LG error messages.
CREF used to mean don't delete .TM file when
through. One of these usages has to change.

I'm not sure of BITMAP conflicts since R.L. hasn't given me
the revised spec yet. Even though we may not chain to
BITMAP for this release, we should keep all switches
separate for possible future expansion.

mamaama
TO:

SUBJ:

080-100-034-00

INTEROFFICE

OS/8 V3 List

Core Image

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

October 30, 1973

FROM:

S. Spilman

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT:

2073 LOC:

12-3

Files under OS/8 BASIC V3

Core image files have been implemented under OS/8 BASIC V3.
a core image file from a BASIC language source, type:

To create

.R BCOMP
*DEV:PROG.BA/K
where PROG.BA is the source. The K switch indicates that a core image
file is to be created. The following additional switch/optiondesignations apply:
/N

If the resulting core image will never be executed on a TDBE
system. 'This saves 400 words of memory but reduces configuration
independence.

If a copy of the run-time system should be loaded into the core
image. This increases the size of the core image file by 10-50%
(exactly 15 blocks) but eliminates the need for a file access
to read in BRTS at run-time.

Where n is an octal digit in the range l,n'm and m is the highest
memory field available on the host machine. N will be used as
the highest memory field on the target machine. This may reduce
configuration independence, since the resulting core image will
not load correctly on a machine with fewer than n+l memory banks.
If n is not specified, n= 1 is assumed. If n is specified larger
than m, n=m is assumed.

In the absence of error conditions, the compiler post-processor (BLOAD)
will exit to OS/B. At this time, type:
.SA DEV PROG.EX
to create an executable core image. Additional arguments to the save
command must not be specified. The core image is executed by typing:
.R PROG
or
.RUN DEV PROG

as appropriate. Any errors flagged during compilation will prevent
creation of an executable core image file.

080-100-034-00

-2-

October 30, 1973

In contrast to normal BASIC program execution, which requires a minimum
of 6 file access operations, core image file execution requires no more
than two file accesses; one to read the core image file and one to
read BRTS if /B was not specified. Compiler/loader overhead is also
eliminated, so that the reduction in execution time should be very
significant, especially on DECtape systems.
Execution is terminated via the monitor, except in the c.]sc of Bl\SlC
CPAIN statements which exit to the compiler; at present it is not
possible to chain to a BASIC core image file. I hope to implement
this feature shortly.
Suggestions, modifications, enhancements, etc. will be very welcome
during the next week or so.

080-111-13'.e.

n!/e
V3 L.tst
.. , Dom~l'owTk
fJ 1
~, Ca.;ird

TO;

LaYT~

Mlto~II'
;':i' -lOh',.
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.J •

Oetitbl' 31. 1973

,ReM.

JudY Hal'l

DEpT.

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[NT RO

SHAP. 1 (Hall)

] 1/5

11/5

11/8

11./8

11/15

iHAP • 2

TcH,

11/16

11./30 .

12/6

12/7

11/27

12/6

12/1.4

J.2/7

(Emma)

1..J/9
10/24
10/31.
11/9
] 1./9
11/9
1.0/24

11/9
10/24
10/31
11/9
11/9
11/9
10/24

11/14
11/l
11/5
11/1.4
1]/14
11/14
11/1

1.1/14
11/5
11/5
t1./14
11/14
11/14
11/5

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11/12
11/12
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11/21
11/21
11/21

(Hall)

1.1/5
11/8
11/19
11/13
10/31
10/31
1.1/1.3

11/5
11/8
1.1/19
11/13
11/1
11/1
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11/7
11/1.2
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11/16
11/6
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12/10

12/13

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12/7

12/12

12/17

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'CHAP. 7 (Hall) 11/21 11/27

12/3

12/4

12/10

12/13

12/18

1/3

12/7

12/19

12/20

1/2

1/10

1/14

1/7

1/10

11/1

11/13

11/14

FORTRAN II

FORTRAN

. APPENDICES
(Hall & Emma)

12/1~

12/14

INDEX &
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(Emma & Hall) NA

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'AiT ON,
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OS/8 'UNO'MtNTA~'

CHAPTER ONE

0'/9 'UNCAMEN'ALS

c~tTi~G

ON ~lNE wlT~ oSIa
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mamaama

080-100-036-00

INTEROFFICE

TO: OS/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DATE: November 7, 1973
FROM: S. Rabinowitz

SUBJ:

POSITIONER PROGRAM

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT:

2130

LOC: 12-3

(CAMP)

. The program, CAMP (Cassette and Magtape Positioner), is used to
position cassettes, magtapes, and certain other devices.
It can be run from the OS/8 system device by the command
.R CAMP

and it responds with a number sign (I) to indicate that it is ready
to accept a command. At this' point, you enter your command terminated
by either a carriage-return or an a1tmode (escape). You have all
the usual OS/8 editing capabilities (LF, Rubout, tU). The command
is then executed and control returns to CAMP which then prints another
# to accept another command (unless the previous command line ended
with an altmode,.in which case control now returns to the OS/8
keyboard monitor).
Command lines begin with a keyword. This consists of a sequence· of
two or more letters or digits, of which only the first two characters
are significant. The permissible keywords are:
BACKSPACE

EoF

HELP
REWIND
SKIP
UNLOAD

-VERSION

Some of the keywords take arguments in which case the keyword is
followed by one or more spaces and then the arguments. These are
described below.
Whenever a device (dev:) is mentioned, we refer to a legal OS/8
device handler. This handler must be configured into your system.
You cannot, for example, position magtapes unless you have a magtape
handler.
In the case of cassettes and magtapes, the handlers are used to perform
the positioning. Thus, the V2 cassette handler is unacceptable and
will produce unexpected results if used with CAMP. Similarly, usercoded handlers for these devices will only work if their calling
conventions concerning the device-dependent bits in the function word
agree with the standards established by the DEC Vl handlers.

080-100-036-00

-2-

November 7, 1973

Commands
BACKSPACE

dev: nnnn ,rRECORDSl
l,:ILES J

dev:

may be either a cassette hand~er or a magtape
handler

nnnn

is an unsigned decimal number representing the
number of records (or files) to backspace. It
may be optionally preceded and followed by spaces.
If omitted, nnnn=l is assumed. This number is
followed by a keyword beginning with either an R or
an F. If omitted, F is assumed.

Backspace the number of records specified. If nnnn=O,
nnnn=l is aSJumed. If a file mark is read before the
proper number of records have been backspaced over,
the warning message
, CAN'T - AT BOF
is typed and the program then does a forward record
to leave the device positioned at the beginning of
the file (just before a data record).

Backspace the number of files specified. This does
not count the current file. That is, the command to
backspace 3 files skips backwards over 4 file marks
and then skips forward 1 record to get over the file
mark and leave you positioned at the beginning of a
file. This command always leaves you at the beginning
of a file (just before a data record). If nnnn=O,
this command backspaces to the beginning of the
current file.

EOF dev:
dev: .

may be either a cassette or a magtape.
This command writes a single file mark (file gap).

HELP

This command types a short help-frame'on the Teletype
which reminds the user of the syntax of CAMP commands.

REWIND dev:
If de,,: is either a cassette, magtape, TCOS DECtape
or LINCtape, then this command issues a rewind command
to the appropriate controller and then returns to
CAMP while the device rewinds.

080-100-036-00

-3-

November 7, 1973

If dev: is any other OS/8 file-structured handler,
the program uses it to read block 0 of the device.
UNLOAD (leV:

If dev: is a magtape, this command issues a 'rewind
and turn off-line' command to the magtape controller
and then returns to CAMP while the magtape rewinds.
To re-use, the magtape controller must be manually
put back on-line.
If dev: is a TCOS or TDSE DECtape or LINCtape, this
command issues a rewind command to the appropri~te
controller and then selects a different unit. Control
returns to CAMP while the tape unloads off its reel.
This drive then becomes unusable until either an I/O
PRESET pulse is generated or some other legal command
is issued to the controller.
VERSION

SKIP

dev:

This command types CAMP's version number on the
Teletype.

nnnn
.
{ EOD -

[:::J}

dev:

may be either a cassette or magtape.

nnnn

is an unsigned decimal number representing the number
of files (or records) to skip over. It may be
'~~y preceded and followed by spaces.
If neither
nnn or EOD is specified, nnnn=l is assumed. EOD
(or any keyword beginning with E) may replace the
nnnn. If nnnn is specified, it may be followed by a
keyword beginning with either an R or-an F. If omitted,
F is assumed.
.

Skip (advance) over the number of records specified.
If nnnn=O, nnnn=l is assumed. If a file mark is
read before the proper number of records have been
skipped, the warning message.
,

CAN'T - AT EOF

is typed and the program then does a backspace record
to leave the device positioned at the and of the file
(just after the last data record but before the file
mark). This command is not implemented for cassettes.
F

Skip the number of files specified. This includes the
current file. Thus nnnn=l means skip to the start of
the next file. If nnnn>O, this command leaves yo~ at
the beginning of a file (just after a file mark but .
before any data records). If nnnn=O, this command ad-

vances to the end of the current t11e(before a file

080-100-036-00

-4-

November 7, 1973

mark but after all data records). If the tape is
not initially at EOD and if EOD is encountered before
the specified number of files have been skipped, then
the warning message,
,

CAN'T - AT EOD

is typed and the tape is then positioned at EOD. In
the case of magtape, EOD is a poin~between two file
marks. In the case of ca.settes, ·EOD is a point in
the middle of a double size-file gap. If a device is
at or past EOD, this command produces meaningless
results.
EOD

Advance to EOD. If the device is already past EOD,
it must first be rewound before thia command is issued.

Remarks:
1.

If dev: is not followed by any arguments, then the
colon is optional.

tc may be typed at any time to return to the OS/8
keyboard monitor.

to may be typed to surpress teletype output until
the next t.

nnnn must be in the range 0 - 4095.

Examples:
REWIND MAO:
REWIND MTA4
UNLOAD FOO:
EOF CSA3:
SKIP MTAO:2 RECORDS
SK CSA7: 6 F
BACKSPACE MTA2
BAK MTA4: 17 RECS
SKP MTAl:E
If CCL is enabled, any CAMP command (other than 'HELP and VERSION)·
may be issued at monitor level and CAMP will be chained to with
the typed command terminated by an altmode.

-5-

080-100-036-00

November 7, 1973

Error messages:
? SYNTAX ERROR
? NUMBER TOO BIG

/nnnn>4095

? CAN'T - DEVICE DOESN'T EXIST
? CAN'T FOR THIS DEVICE

Operation doesn't make sense. for device specified,
e.g., SKIP LTA2:3 or REWIND LPT:
? CAN'T I/O ERROR

This is followed by a brief explanation of the error.
? CAN'T - DEVICE IS READ-ONLY
? CAN'T - DEVICE IS WRITE-ONLY

, OPERATION NOT YET IMPLEMENTED
?

CAN'T - AT BOT

, CAN'T - AT EOF
, CAN'T - AT BOF
, CAN'T - AT EOD

080-100-037-00

INTEROFFICE
TO:

OS/8 V3 List

DATE:

November 14, 1973

FROM:

s. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT
SUBJ:

MEMORANDUM

2130

LOC:

12-3

Changes to Command Decoder

This memo documents the principal changes made to the V3
command decoder.
1.

Lots of bugs were fixed. These had mostly to do with
syntax checking; for example A:B:C now gives an error.
·'s are now handled correctly in special mode. The
altmode bit is not affected by a IS-bit equals option.
And so on.

Added support of "?" in special mode.

Allowed special mode to work under BATCH.

Removed DCC code.

'U, runbout past begin of line, and LF now all reprint
"." on the next line.

A version # was added which resides in location'
(currently = 3). This number is not readily available
to the user.

Output device handlers are not automatically loaded.

0~0-100-038-00

INTEROFFICE
TO:

SUBJ:

OS/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

November 14, 1973

FROM:

s. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT :

2130

LOC:

12-3

Changes to ODT

All DCC code has been removed.

The core size routine has been replaced by the more
trustworthy 05/8 standard core size routine.

Support for software settable core size has been
included.

An internal version number has been added at source
or1g1n l2~~. This number is not 'readily available
to the user. It is currently 3.

During a breakpoint, if the breakpoint location is
modified, this modified value will not be used after
a "GO" command.

080-100-039-00

INTEROFFICE
'1'0:

SUBJ:

OS/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

November 8,

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT

2130

LOC:

1973

12-)

Core Size Routines under V)

All OS/8 V3 cusps must use the standard core size determining routine which is given in the old PS/8 Software
Support Manual.
Furthermore, before calling this routine, they must
examine bits 6-8 of location _7777. If this field is
non-zero, then its contents give the field number of the
highest core bank available to OS/8.
This location may be set by a user if he wishes to protect
high core from OS/8.

£p

-mamaama

). '. J

080-100-0.0-00 · 1

INTERQFFbCE

DATE:

November 16,' 1973

PROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

BXT :

'2130

OS/8 V3 List

'1'01

SUBJ,

MefV10~ANDUM

LOC:

12-3

OS/8 RUNOFF

Shawn Spilman has written us a RUNOFF program si~ilar to the PDP-1.'s.

THIS MEMO DESCRIBES THE PRELIMINARY VERSION OF OS/8 RUNOFF AND
INDICATES WHAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN ADAPTING PDP-II RUNOFF TO
EXECUTE UNDER OS/8. IT ALSO LISTS THE DIFFERENCES' BETwEEN THE TWO
VERSIONS OF RUNOFF, MOST OF WHICH SHOULD DISAPPEAR OVER" THE N~XT FEW
MONTHS, AND OESCRIBtS A FEW ADDITIO~AL FtATURES T~AT ARE AVAILABLE
WITH THE 08/8 VERSION.
05/8

RUNOFF IS CALLED FROM THE KEYBOARD MONITOR BY TYPING:

R RUNOFF

(IN RESPONSE TO THE DOT GENERATED BY"THE KEYBOARD MONITOR). RUNOfF
THEN LOADS THE OS/8 COMMAND DECODER TO ACCEPT ONE FILEIOPTION COMMAND
THAT bESIGNATES ON~ INPUT flLt ANP ONE OUTPUT FILE, T"E INPUT "FI~E IS
ASSUMED TO 8E AN Altll FILE IN RUNOFf INPUT FORMAT, THE OE'AULT
EXTENSION fOR INPUT FILES' IS ".RO". THERE IS NO DEfAULT INPUT FILE
NAME. THE OUTPUT fILE WILL 8E A FORMATTED ASCII fILE THAT MAY BE
RDUTED TO AHY SUPPORTED DEVICE. THE DEFAULT OUTPUT DEVICE IS LPTI.
THERE IS NO DEFAULT OUTPUT FILE EXTENSION,
A RUNO'F COMMAND LINE BEGINS WITH A DOT AT THE LEFT MARGIN.
THE DOT
IS FOllOWED 8Y ONE OF tHE COMMANDS LIStED IN TABLE t, DELIMITED 8Y ONE
OR MDRE SPACES, AND ANY NUMBER OF ARGUMENTS MAY fOLLOW THE COMMAND,
ARGUMENTS ARE DECIMAL NUMBERS (MODULO .19.) SEPARATED BY COMMAS AND
OPTln~AL SPACES. A CARRIAGE RETURN TERMINATES THE COMMAND LINE.
TABLE II
COMMAND

OS/8

(PRELIMINARY) RUNOFF COMMANDS

FUNCTION

8REAK

TERMINATES THE CURRENT LINE WITHOUT JUSTIFICATION"
AND RESUMES PAOCESSING AT THE 8EGINNING OF THE
NEXT LI~E.

BLANK N

EXECUTES A BREAK AND INSERTS N BLANK LINES, THEN
RESUMES PROCESSING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE HE.T
LINE. DtFAUlT N8 1.

SKIP N

EXECUTES A 8REAK AND INSERTS • TIMES N 8LANK
lINES, THEN RESUMES PROCESSING AT THE BEGINNING OF
THE NEXT LINE. DEFAULT H8 t,

, 080-100-040-00

. -2-

November 16, 1973

PARAGRAPH N

EXECUTES A ILANM AND
SPACES. DE'AULT ~.5.

IHDEHT N

EXECUTES A BREAK A~D INDENTS THE NEXT LINE N
SPACES. MOST OFTEN USED IN TABULAR MObE ~ITH N A
NEGATIYE HUMBER, NO DEfAULT N.

SPACING N,

'SETS LINE SPACING TO N (WHERE Nat IMPLIES SINGLE
SPACING, Nai IMPLIES DOUBLE, ETC.'. DEFAULT N a
ORIGINAL SETTING a t.

LEFT "A"G'IN 'N

tETa . LEFT H4RG,N TO N. IF N IS NEGATIY~, Nae IS
USED. T~E ORI~IN~L SETTING IS 10. THERE IS NO
DEFAULT N.

R~GHT

MARGIN N

INDENTS

THE

LINE

,SETS RIGHT MARGIN TO N. IF N IS TOO LARGE, Nal~0
IS USED, THt ORIGINAL SETTING IS 70, THERE IS NO
. DEFAULT N.

PAGE N

EXECUTES A BREAK, OUTPUTS A FORM FEEO, PRINTS'THE
CURRENT HEADING, AND RESUMES PROCESSING. IF H IS
SPECIfIED, THE CURRENT PAGE NUMBER IS SET TO H.
THERE IS NO DEFAULT N.

CENTER N

EXECUTES A 8REAK AND CENTERS THE NEXT N LINES
BETWEEN
THE CURRENT MARGINS. OTHER CENTERING
OPTIONS WILL 8E IMPLEMENTED LATER. If N IS NOT
SPECIFIED, 'Hat IS ASSUMED.

CEHTRE

SA"E AS CENTER, INCLUDED FOR THE BENE'IT OF OUR
FRIENOS ACROSS THE WATE~.

TAB STOPS N"Ni...

S£lS THE TA8 STOPS TO Nt, NZ, ETC. UP TO A "AXIMUM
OF 1 TAB STOPS. IF NO ARGUMENTS ARE SPECIFIED, ~O
TAB STOPS ARE SET,

FILL

' ENABLES FILL MODE. THIS CAUSES EACH LINE TO BE
'ILLED WITH AS MANY WORDS AS WILL 'IT BET~EEN THE
CURRENT MARGINS.

JUSTIFY

ENABLES JUSTIfY MODE. THIS CAUSES EVERY LINE NOT
PRECEEDING A BREAK COMMAND TO BE RIGHT JUSTIFIED,

NOFILL

DISABLED FILL MODE. EVERY LINE W1LL BE TERMINATED
BY AN I~PUT CARRIAGE RETURN AND JUSTIFIED IN· THE
USUAL MANNER.

NOJUSTIfY

DISABLES JUSTIFY MODE, EVERY LINE WILL BE FILLED
IN THE USUAL "A~NER, BUT A RAGGED RIGHT MARGIN
WILL BE USED.

~UM8ER N

ENABLES PAGE NUMBERING BEGINNING WITH PAGE N AS
THE CURRENT PAGE. If N IS ~OT SPEClfl&O, 'AGE
NUM8£AI CONTINUE IN SEQUENCE (SEE BELOW).

080-100-040-00

'-3-

November 16, 1973 .

DISABLES
PAlE
NUMBERING.
fACH 'AGE ADVANCE
CONTINUES TO INCREMENT THE INTERNAL PAGE COUNTER,
SO THAT NUMBERING MAY BE RESUMED LATER.
PAPER.IZE N,M

SETS THE PAPER WiDTH TO N CHARACTE~S AND THE PAPER
LENGTH TO M LINES, THESE PARAMETERS WILL 1£ USED
TO IMPLEMENT OPTION~L CENTERING FU~CTIONSLATfR.

TITLE fTEXT)

LO~DS

THE REMAINDER OF THE COMMAND LINE INTO THE
TITLE BUFfER 'OR USE IN PRINTING HEADINGS. I' THE
fITL! 8U'FER IS EMPTY, ONLY A PAGE HUMBER IS
PRINTED (AS ON PAGE 1 Of THIS DEMO).

THE FOLLOWING POP-10 COMMANOS ARE NOT IMPLEMENTED UNDEAOS/8 RUNO~F AT
THIS TIMEt
fJGURE

TEST PAGE
SUBTITLE
FOOTNOTE
INDEX
P~INT INDEX

THE FIRST TwO WILL ~E IMPLEMENTED SHORTLY. THE REMAININO FOUR COMMANDS
ARE NOT VERY USEFUL IN PRACTICE, I HAVE LEFT ROOM FOR THE NECESSARY
CODE BUT I DO NOT PLAN TO IMPLEMENT THESE COMMANDS UNTIL MUCH LATER,
THE PRESENT VERSIUN OF OS/8 RUNOfF PROCESSES THE FULL ASCII SET eUT
ODES NOT EXECUTE CASE CONVERSION. THE CASE CONYERSION .ROUTINES HAVE
8EENWAtTTEN AND wILL 8E ADDED AS SOON AS A LOWER-CASE OUTPUT DEVICE IS
AVAILA8LE FOR DE8UGGING,
COlE ECONOMY WAS AN IMPORTA~T FACTOR IN T~IS PROJECT TO DATE. THE
PRESENT VERSION OF RUNOF' OCCUPIES LESS THAN iK IN FIELD I, INCLUDING
ERROR HANDLERS, THE REMAINDER OF FIELD 1 IS AVAILABLE FOR EXPANSION,
INCLUDING PLENTY OF SPACE O~ PAGE ZERO. ALL Of FIELD I IS USED FOR
DEVICE "ANDLERS AND BuFFERS.

mamao!a

080-100-041-00

INTEROFFICE

OS/8 V3 List

TO:

SOBJ:

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

November 27, 1973

PROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT :

2130

LOC:

12-3

Preliminary Work on BUILD

A preliminary version of BUILD will shortly go on the in-house distribution tape in order to support the new monitor. (The old" BUILD had
a bug and will no longer run under V3). Here are the things I've
currently done to BUILD:
1. Added VE version number command
2. Fixed problem with Z's and 9's
3. Fixed length of DF32
4. Fixed RK8 bootstrap problem
S. On LOAD, null extension first searches for .BN
6. CR to $ gives no errors
7. Fixed bug with building ROM sys
8. Rubouts to BOL give $ as will as tu and LF
9. LOAD assumes default device is DSK:
10". No dots are printed if no extension
11. Revamped to stuff
12. Allowed parity tc
13: Added EXAMINE command
14. Fixed bug reaccessing OSR tables incorrectly
15. 'OVERFLOW' error message changed to 'BAD ORIGIN'
16. Fixed several bugs involving parsing of names
17. Increased number of allowable entry PTS per handler to 16
18. Names in PRINT now line up
.
19. Cleaned up code concerning move routine, number checker,
and symbol print
20. Allow multiple inserts, deletes, replaces per line
21. Allow specifying number of platters on an insert
22. Added general support of 2-page system handlers
23. UNLOAD command automatically deletes any active handlers
24. Added DSK command
25. Added DeB command
26. Added QL (quick list) command
27. Use extra core if available

mamIlla
TOI

080-100-042-00

INTEROFFICE

OS/8 V3 List

SUBJI Remarks

MEMORANDUM

DATB:

November 27, 1973

PROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DBPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

BXT I

2130

LOC:

12-3

on Version Numbers

All users who wish to. report bugs must do so on the proper form.
They must include the following information:
a)
b)

Type of machine they're running on (PDP-8/L, PDP-12, etc.)
Amount of core
Version number of monitor, program under question and all
related programs. Also what patches has user installed.

T.o. answer (c), he must know how to find version number of all cusps.
Here is how for some of them:
RBM
CCL
FOTP

DIRECT
EDIT
PIP
TECO
PAL 8

. CREF
SRCCOM
BITMAP
EPIC
ABSLDR
ODT
CD
CAMP

BUILD
CCL overlay
PIP10
RUNOFF
SABR
FORT
RALF

BASIC
RESORC

Type • VER to KBM
Type • VER to RBM
Type /W to FOTP' s CD
?

Type • to EDIT
Type IV initially to PIP's CD
Type tV= to TECO
Look on heading of listing
Look at end of listing
Look at top of output
Look at top of output
?

Internal only
Internal only
Internal only
Type VE to CAMP
Type VE to BUILD
comes out on error message if you use wrong
version of CCL
?
?
?
?
?
?

Type /V to RESORC's CD

mamaala

080,-100-044-00

INTEROFFICE

OS/8 V3 List

TOI

SUBJI

MEMORANDUM

DATE.

November 27, 1973

PROM:,

DBPT:

Small S,yatems Softw. Eng.

EX'!':

2130

Rabinowitz

LOC:

12-3

PALS Additions

Richie has optimized PALS VS and added the following features:
1.
2.
3.
4.

s.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.

/W means don't remember literals when origining off
a page.
/J means don't list lines containing code co~ditionalized out.
RELOC command now in (ask R.L. for details).
S/E mnemonics in
DF32, TCOS mnemonics out
Heading is larger
Origin back to begin of page bug fixed cleanly
forward - stuff works now
"XLIST" never lists
End-of-file treated as W$W
Form feed at end bug fixed
to and tc now work on ERRORS DETECTED message,
Above message is no longer an overlay
'I and FIXMRI interaction better
FIXMRI syntax errors now caught
Fixed bug re PALSBN.TM a block ahort

080-100-045-00

mamaama INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
OS/8 V3 List

TO :

SUBJa

DAft :

November 27, 1973

PROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DBPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

BXT :

2130

LOC:

12-3

08/8 BATCH

Remarks:
a)

b)
c)
d)
e)

BATCH now accepts input files from handlers coresident with SYS.
Long dialog mode has gone away completely. May it rest
in peace.
/N need not be specified if no lineprinter is physically
present.
BATCH uses software core size.
A single $ all alone on a line is now ignored~· This is
used to terminate a BAT: stream.

mamaama
'lOa

SUBJ.

080-100-046-00

INTEROFFICE

Jack O'Connor
OS/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DA'J.'B :

November 21, 1973

PROM:

Mark Rosenthal

DBPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT :

3372

LOC:

12-3

Mark Sense Batch

Mark sense batch will translate mark sense cards and chain to BATCH
passing the pre-processed job stream. There are two kinds of mark
sense cards. Each has 4 distinct fields. The first is column 1.
This contains batch control key words. The next field inc,ludes
columns 7 and 8 and the top two rowa of cO'lumns 2-6 which contain
language keywords (either Fortran or Basic). Rows 0-9 of columns 2-6
contain the line number. Finally columns 9-40 contain the text.
There may be only one keyword marked on a card (either batch control
or language). If a language keyword is marked, the line number may
also be marked. If neither a keyword nor line number is marked,
column 9 appears at the beginning of the line. If an error is made
in marking either the line number or text, mark rows 7, 8, and 9
of the erroneous cc;>lumn and it will be ignored. All spaces on the
card are kept except trailing spaces. A column in the text field
with rows 8 and 9 marked is a continuation column. All columns
on the current card past a continuation column are ignored. The
line continues on the next card.
The batch control cards are:
$BAS
$DATA

$DECK
$END
$EOD
$FOR
$JOB
$ LOAD
$MSG

$JOB , $END , $MSG are standard control cards for the program BATCH.
In the following, the symbol wnw will represent an 09-8 file name
in standard form:
DEV:NAME.EX

080-100-046-00

-2-

November 21, 1973

ldlere DEV: and .EX are optional.
If the card can 8pecify options, the option name i8 preceded by a
"I". If more than one file name is specified, the names are separated
by a ",". In 80me cases, an option will specify an associated file
name. If it does, the option name precedes the file name and is
separated from it by a "_". If the card i8 followed by an input
stream, this is terminated by the next batch control card.
$DECK

This card copies the cards which follow it into an OS-8 file
with the name wnw. It also lists the cards.
Options:
IBAS
- the cards which follow are Basic cards (default)
the cards which follow are Fortran cards
IFOR
/HOLIST
do not list the cards
$BAS

.(n)
This card prepares the cards which follow for execution as a
Basic program. A name is optional and if specified, input comes
from that OS8 file rather than cards. $BAS also lists the
program. The program is executed when $DATA is encountered.
Options:
/NOLIST - Do not list the Basic program.
following $BAS

$DATA

This card executes the Basic program which was prepared by the
$BAS card. Data cards, if any, follow this card.
FORTRAN IV
$FOR

n
This card will compile a FORTRAN program from the cards which follow,
and produce a relocatable binary file with the name wnw. The
program is listed.
Options:
If specified, input comes fram the OS-8 file
Ws" rather than cards.
/HOLIST

Do not list the program.

/LIST-l

Send the listing to OS-8 file Wl".

080-l00~046-00

. -3-

November 21, 1973

$ LOAD

This card loads the relocatible modules n l , n 2 , ••• generated
by PORTRAN and prepares them for execution: wi1!h $DATA. If
a name is preceded by "L-" a new level is opened. If it is
preceded by "0-" a new overlay is opened. For further information see OS-8 FORTRAN IV Users Manual - Chapter 4.
Options:
lIMAGE-i

- the loader image file produced will be
named "i".

ILIST(-l)

- the loader map will be listed, or put into
·fi1e "1" if .specified.
- use file "lin as the library of system
subroutines.

ILIB-li
$DATA

following a $LOAD
Run the program just loaded. Data follows this card.
The $DATA card may contain file specifications as follows:
Bach file specification is preceded by a "I".
The first character is a digit from 0-9 specifying
a FORTRAN logical unit number. This may be followed
by a C to reverse normal carriage control processing.
See OS-8 FORTRAN XV User's Manual - Chapter 5. It also
may be followed by a N to indicate that the file does
not al~eady exist. The next character must be "_We
Finally there is either an OS-8 filename or a digit from
0-9 which is a FORTRAN logical unit number. The name or number
is assigned to the first number for the duration of program
execution.
E.g. ,
$DATA 15-FILE.FI/6C-3

The program will access the OS-8 file "FILE.FI"
through unit number 5.
The program will access the line printer
without carriage control through unit 6.
It is normally accessed through unit 3.
If $DATA follows a $POR card, it also does a $LOAD, and

And Any of the fLOAD optionl .~. legAl,

080-100-046-00

-4-

November 21, 1973

FORTRAN I I
The $POR, $LOAD, $DATA cards are identical to those fOr FORTRAN IV
with the followinq exceptions.
$FOR
oPtion:

/MAP

Produce a map of the proqram on the listinq device.

$ LOAD

There are no overlays or levels.
$DATA - there is no assiqnment of loqical units
$EOD

- End of data

mamaama
TO:

SUBJ:

080-100-047-00

INTEROFFICE. MEMORANDUM

OS/8 V3 List

DATE:

December 3, 1973

PROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT I

2130 Lee:

12-3

What you've always wanted to know about the new BUILD
but were afraid to ask

BUILa can run under OS/8 or standalone. It is run standalone when
building an OS/8 system from acratch (i.e., from paper tapes or
cassettes).
BUILD contains OS/8 handlers (both system handlers and non-system
handlers) which the user might wish to include in his new OS/8 system.
Each such handler has a unique group name and has one or more permanent device names. The.e-permanent device namas correspond to
entry points in the handler. Some handlers (such as the TH8E magtape
handler) have multiple entry points (such as MTAI, MTA1, ••• MTA7)
corresponding to different physical units on one controller.
Such
entry point name. are said to be coreaident with each other. If
two coresident handlers are configured into a given system, then
whenever one is loaded into core, the other is automatically brought
into core at the aame time.
When BUILD ia ready to accept a command, it types a dollar sign ($).
At this point, you have the usual OS/8 editing capabilities, i.e.,
rubout, CTRL/U, and line feed, until the input line .is terminated
by typing either carriage r~turn or a1tmode.
BUILD Commands
Only the first two characters in the keyword of a BUILD command are
significant.
$PRINT
This command printa out on the Teletype the list of all the handlers
currently in BUILD which are available for possible insertion into
the user's system.

OSO-100-047-00

-2-

_December 3, 1973

Example of PRINT output:
RF_S:

-USE:
ItLSE:
PT8E:LPSV:

SYS
·*SYS
*T'l'Y
PTR
LPT

*PTP

This shows 5 groups of handlers. The group names are shown first
in each line followed by a colon. Pollowing each are the list of
permanent names (entry points) available with each group.
If one of the permanent names in a group is ·SYS", then. this handler
i8 a system handler. This means, that it will always be resident
in page _76__ of any system it is configured into.
All systems must contain precisely one system handler.
handlers have other handlers coresident with them.

Some system

Starred permanent names indicate those _hich are currently active,
i.e., are chosen to be inserted in the user's new system. The
example shows that the user has cbosen the entry point RX8E:SYS
to be his system device. This is the RltSE system handler. The
handler Rlt8E:RltB_ is alao marked as being active. It is coresident with
his proposed new system device. Hote that .e refer to a permanent
name together with its group name because there may be 2 or more groups
which happen to have the aame entry point name. Por example, the
groups LPSV (The LP.8/LS8Z/LV8E lin. printer handler) and L645 (The
annalex line printer handler) both have entry points with the name LPT.
Bowever, when there is no confusion, we may only refer to the entry
~tl!e~~~the~~rIie~~~ts- ~ith .t~e same name.. sh9uld never be made
Handler entry points can be made active by the INSERT command, they can
be deactivated by the DELETE COllIDed. See below.
After typing the list of available handlers, the PRINT command might
also type out some additional infor.mation. If the user has specified
his DSR device with the DSIt command, it will be printed, example:
DSIt .. Rlt8E:RKB,
If the user haa specified a core restriction for his new system with
the CORE command, it will be printed, example:
CORE •

080-100-047-00

-3-

December 3, 1973

This example ahows that the user requests field 2 to be the highest
core field available to the OS/S aystem.
The output from PRINT can be aborted at any time by typing CTRL/O
on the keyboard.
$QLIST
QLIST stands for Quick List. It is the same aa the PRINT command
except that only active permanent names are typed. No * is shown
and group names are not printed except in the case of the system
device.
Example:
PTR DTA3 RK,S:SYS

LPT2

DTA4

$ INSERT

This command allows you to make particular entry points·active. No
error results if it is already active. Althouqh there is a limit to
the number of de~ices which may be active in a given system, you may
go over this limit temporarily as long as you deactivate handlers later
so that you are under the limit by the type you type the BOOT command.
Basic form:
INSERT

groupname:permanentname

Examples:
INSERT KLSE:T'1'Y
INSERT 'l'C.S:SYS
For compatibility with earlier versions of BUILD, a comma ·is acceptable
instead of the colon.
Other forms:
If no permanent name ia specified (and no :), then the first permanent.
name in the group is assumed. Example:
INSERT LPSV
Several handler names all belonging to the same group can be inserted
at the same time by ••parating their names by commas. Example:
INSERT

TC:DTA"

DTA3, DTA7

080-100-047-00

-4-

December 3, 1973

Several permanent name. which are all 4-characters long and which
differ only in the last character, can be aimu1taneously inserted
with the hyphen construction provided the last characters from a
sequence of consecutive ASCII characters.
Example:
INSERT

TC:DTA2-s

is equivalent to
INSERT TC:DTA2, DTA3, DTA4, DTAs

and
INSERT BE,s: DSKA-C

is equivalent to
INSERT RKOs:DSKA, DSD, DSltC
If the permanent name .pecified ia not part of the qroupname specified,
or if the groupname doe an • t exist, the error mes.saqe

name NOT POUND
will be printed.
Any permanent name being inserted can be followed by a construction
of the form' - n where n is an octal number between 1 and 7. This
represents the number of platters of that device which are available
(only applies to certain disks). If no such option is specified,
-1 is assumed. Example:
INSERT

RI':RP-2

inserts a non-system RP_a handler into a system which has a 2-platter

RF,a disk.

The maximum number of platters available to various devices is
given below:
Device
RlCS

RKSE

RF,S

DF32
-rC.S
TDSE

LINCtape

Maximum number of Platters
1
1
4
4

1
1

980-100-047-00

-5-

December 3, 1973

If more platter. are requested than i. possible, the error message
?PLAT
is printed.
$SYS
The SYS command is identical to the INSERT command except it is used
only to insert handlers which are either system handlers or coresident
with system handlers. If another type of handler is 80 inserted, the
warni~g message:
?SYS
is typed and no further handlers in that command line will be inserted.
Thus, the commands
SYS

RKa

and
INSERT
are equivalent.

R1C8:SYS
Similarly, the commands

SYS IF_a-3 and INSERT ar_a:SYS-3
are equivalent. The SYS command i8 included only for compatibility
with earlier versions of BUILD.
$DELETE or $DEACTIVATE
The DELETE command is used to deactivate handlers that are already
active,
Basic Form:
DELETE activename
Example:
DELETE ·LPT

December 3, 1973

080-100~047·00

. s· .

. .

Tlie name mu.t· already be active, otherwi.e the error message
n. . _

'PQUjD ....:.

will be printed.' MOre than ODe permanent active name can be deleted
atone time by .eparating thea bf commas, and/or by specifying a range
via the hyphen conatruction. Example:
DELftE ftY, LP'1' , rftA3-5, PTP
$REPLACB

This command combine. the capabilities of the DELETE and INSERT commands
into one coimDand. It iafollowe4 bf a legal argument to the DELETE
command followed by an equal .ign followed by a legal argument to
the INSERT command.
EKample:

i . equivalent to the two command.
DELftB LP'1'

INSERT L6451LP'1'2

·Another example:
BEPWCB LTA3-5, Li.rA7-TCID'l'A3-S, D'l'A7

$DSK
The DSK command 1s used to specify which handler i8 to be used as 'DSK'.
It has two forma:
DSK • groupname:permanentname
DSK - activename

_.t

In the ••cond ~.e, the name ,ivan
be an active permanent name,
and the group name of this .n~ry point i. then determined.

qroupname and perma..nt· name are then .aved for future reference
by the BOOT command. The permanent name .pecified in the DSK command
need not be around now, aalong a. it exist. by the time the BOOT
command is giveb. The c""'nd

~he

080-100-047-00

-7-

December 3, 1973

OSK

causes BUILD to ~orqet about any name for OBK.
no DSK was .pecified, then DSK-SYS is assumed.

When a BOOT occurs, if

$LOAD

The LOAD command 1. used to load a new handler into BUILD. This
can be one 8upplJ.e4 by DEC or one written by the user. Consult
the software sappolt manual for how to write a device handler for
06/8 and how to put it in BUILD format. This handler is input into
BUILD aa a binary file or tmaqe.
If BUILD is'being run standalon., then the command is of the form
LOAD activenamea

Where activenam8 1. a permanent name in BUILD's current tables which
has been made Bc!:!"e. It must be a handler for a non-£il"e-structured
device.
Example:
LOAD PT.:

Thi. command would caU88 BUILD to load a new handler from a binary
paper tape using the PTR handler already in BUILD.
If BUILD is ha1ntrun from OS/8, then the command has the form:
LOAD

aev:f'lename

where 4ev i. the n... of.anOS/I device currently configured in the
user'a system aa4 b.. no relationship to handlers of the same name
in BUILD's tables. If no dey. ia specified, then DSK: is assumed.
If dev is non-file-.tructured, then filename may be omitted. The
filename has the for.m name ••xtenaion where if no extension is given
the dot. may be OIll1L.tted. The filename is looked up on the given
device and it i. presumed to be a binary file of the new handler to
be loaded. If no extenaion 1. specified, BUILD looks for a file
by the same name but with the extension .BN first.
Examples:
LOAD
LOAD
LOAD
LOAD

HR.
IYS.PILE
DTA3IBANDLR.,3
,'GT8!

080-100-047-00

-8-

~December

3, 1973

Several fil.. to be l0a4e4 "y be specified on one line by aeparating
them by commas. Bach specification muat give a device or else DSX:
is aS8umed. 'Bach file contains a separate handler to be loaded.
Example:
LOAD

DTA3 : PILE1, D'l'AS I PILB2

$UNLOAD

UNLOAD is uaed to unload handlers or permanent names that are not

wanted.

This make. IlOre room in BUILD for more badly wanted handler ••

'1'0 unload an entire group of

handler., type

UNLOAD groupnu.

Thia unloads the handler and all de.criptora aaaociated with it.
Any active permanent names in this group are automatically
deactivated.
To remove just. particular permanent name from BUILD's tables,
type
UNLOAD groupname :penaanentname
This does not unload the handler, just the entry point name. It
free. up apace.in the descriptor table but not in the handler table.
Several permanent name. can be removed at once.
UNLOAD

Bxample:

M': D'l'A4, D'l'A6

The hyphen construction oan not be uaed with the UNLOAD command.
It i8 more advantageouB to unload an entire group rather than each
entry point.
$ALTER
ALTER is uaed to modify a location within a-handler.

General form:

ALTER gr~upname, loc-newvalue
where loc i. an octal number in the range _-177 for a 1-page handler
or in the range '-377 for a 2-page handler. The contents of this
relative location in the handler 1. replaced by the new value
specified.
Example:

080-100-047-00

-9-

December 3, 1973

If no - newvalue ,is given, then BUILD fir.t prints the old value of
the specified location followed by a alaah. At this point you can
type the new value or just carriage return:to not change the value.
Example:
!ALTER TASA, 144
3266/ 3267

where the underlined 'items are typed by BUILD.
$EXAMINE

EXAMINE is like ALTBR, but it only leta you examine a location.
Form:
EXAMINE groupname, loc
$DCB

This command allows modification of the DCB word associated with a
permanent name '(See Software Support Manual for information on
DCB word.) The DCB word i. the first word after the permanent name
in a description (from the handler header information words). This
command works like Al.'1'ER. The ca.umd
DCB activename
causes BUILD to print the current DCB word for the permanent name
specified (which must be active). Then a .lash ia typed and you
type the new value followed by a carriage return (or just carriage return
o keep old value).
Example:
$DCB D'l'A4-616, .

changes the DCB of DTA4 so that this handler becomes a read-only
device.
This could also have' been typed aa
$DCB DTA4
416,/616,

080-100-047-00

-10-

December 3, 1973

$CTL

This command i8 exactly like the DCB command except it allows modification of the control word which i8 the word after the DCB word in
the handler header block. Bxamp1e:
C'l'L LTA3-24

changes the entry point of the LTA3 handler to be relative location 24.
$CORE

This command has the fo~
CORE

where n is an octal number in the range .-7. This command is used
to specify the highest core bank which is to be made available to the OS/8
system being bui1,t. If n is • or omitted, or if this command is not
used, the system built will allow all of core to be used. If n 8pecifies
more core than i8 physically available (ignoring current software
core restrictions), the error me8saqe
?CORE

results.
Exauple:
CORE

specifies that the resulting .yst.. should not use more than 24K.
$ NAME

This command is the aame as in previous versions of BUILD, namely
NAME

activename-newname

which changes the active permanent name to the new name specified.
$VERSION

This command prints BUILD's .eraion number on the Teletype.
$ BOOT

This command build8 the new .y.t...

080-100-047-00

-11-

De"camber 3, 1973

BUILD error ....ages:

name NOT POUND
xxxxxx?

NO ROOM

?SYS
(a)

permanent name in SYS command was not a system handler or
coresident with one.

(b)

a BOOT was issued when two .ystem handlers were active or an
active handler which must be coresident with a SYS handler
didn't have system handler active.

?BAD LOAD

The binary handler you attempted to load didn't have the correct format,
possibly due to an input error.
?BANDLERS

Tried to BOOT when you had more than 15 (decimal) active handlers
including SYS and DSK.
SYS ERR
An I/O error occurred with a system handler. The computer will halt.
Hit continue to retry or start allover again from scratch. Do not
assume core contains a valid system.
BAD ORIGIN
I/O ERR

?DSJ(
The device specified as DSK is not file-structured.
?CORE
(a)

The CORE command specified more core than is physically
available.

'O80-100~047-00

(b)

December 3, 1973

The BOOT command wa. i.8ued with a two page system handler
active" but only ex i . currently available to OS/8. Two
page system handlers require at least 12K.

?SYNTAX

?BAD INPUT
?BAD ARG

-12-

080-100-047-01

INTEROFFICE
TO:

OS/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DATE: December 25, 1973
FROM: S. Rabinowitz
DEPT: Small Systems Softw. Eng.
EXT:

SUBJ:

2130

LOC:

12-3

What you never wanted to know about the new BUILD
and never cared to ask

Please add the following information to your notes on BUILD:
You must always have a system device specified before you type
BOOT when reconfiguring. This is true even if you are
reconfiguring your current system and not changing devices.
You might be changing the system handler (or bootstrap) for this
device. If the new device is the same as the current device,
then BUILD won't bother to copy the sytem blocks over (but it
will copy record 0). Sameness of the two devices is determined
'-....... by looking at the devic,es' internal type (in DeB word) so that
. ~xtra tape motion may occur when building a ROM system from
a 12K system.
'
If no entry point by the name of SYS is active, BUILD will type
SYS NOT FOUND
when you trY,to do a BOOT. You should never change the name of
any entry point called SYS nor should you' rename any other entry
point to SYS."
If the devices are the same, then the message WRITE ZERO DIRECT? wont
be printed, in which case BUILD assumes you want the directory
preserved.
Add the following error message to your list:
?NAME

This indicates a syntax error wherein a name was expected
but not found.

Note that the program, CONFIG, has been completely obsoleted, since
all its functions can now be performed by BUILD. Specifically,
never use CONFIG.06 with the new monitor since it had bugs in it.
It is possible ,to use CONFIG.07 in an emergency# which is available
from me (both the source and the emergency). Note also, that
V2 BUILD had a bug in it, having to do with how it located certain
internal monitor tables, and thus it may not be used to copy a
V3 system. The new BUILD can copy earlier systems.

-2-

080-100-047-01

BU,l,J(ljn'J;} new monitor

(in-honsC')

from t.he· binaries,

'Jsing BUILD:

i.:)!;<.~rt h.tndll'J'::·', ,)11<1 sT>('cify a new SYS (which must Tl(d
t.he' ::,amc a.s t:hc ('ilrr(~nt !3y!:Lcm c~l.'vice), then type

Run lllli.JIl,
be

, $BUILD
at which point BUILD will respond with
LOAD OS8:
At this point (unlike the case wherein you're building from scratch),
you type in the file specification for the binary of OS/8 using
the handler name already configured into your current system
(this has nothing to do with any active handlers in the BUILD core
image). Forexample
DTA3:0S8.BN
This file specification is similar to the one used by the LOAD
command.
If no device is specified, DSK: is assumed.
The default
extension is .BN if none is specified.
BUILD will now read in this binary and start creating the new system
using the new internal SYS handler specified. When it is done,
it will type
LOAD CD:
at which point you must not type carriage return; instead type
the file specification for the location of CD.BN
Carriage return
will use the ~revious specification (which might be OK if you're
reading in from paper tape),.
When this is done, BUILD will print a $. You must e.ventually do
'a BOOT in order to complete the process.
If you had previously done
a BUILD, the BOOT command will not copy o~er the current system.
Nor will it ask you if you want to zero the directory, it will
assume you don't'want to, and the new tape will wind up with
ABSLDR.SV as the only entry in its directory.
The BUILD command
has code which resides in the handler space. You must then use
either a virgin copy of BUILD or one without too many handlers.
If the BUILD code has been overlaid by handlers, when you type the
BUILD command, you will get the error message
?NO ROOM

Also, the BUILD code goes away after a BOOT. So under no circumstances,
should you take a copy of BUILD which has been resaved after a BOOT
and type BUILD~
This will be disaster.

080-100-049-00

mamaamo INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO:

OS/8 V3 List

DATE:

December 11, 1973

PROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT :

2130

LOC 12-3

SUBJ: Creating a BUILD Binary Tape
This document is for in-house use only and explains how the BUILD
binary paper tape gets created.
1. Assemble

BUILD •

• PAL BUILD<BUILD
This gives you a binary of BUILD but with no handlers.
2. Save it as a core-image •
• R ABSLDR
*BUILD$
.SAVE SYS BUILD ,-7577, 1",,-175771

2,,-,

It is important that all of core be saved 80 that the core control
block is set up well. As long as the RUN command is used later
(instead of the R command) the CCB will remain set. This alleviates
extra typing.
3. Assemble all the handlers.

This can be accomplished by using the BATCH job, HASM.
all the handler sources to DSK,

First copy

.COpy DSK:<DTAJI
then
.SUBMIT HASM
4. Load the desired handlers into BUILD.
This is a bit tricky because you must qet all the system handlers
into BUILD and their bootstraps eat up tremendous core used by
the descriptor table.

OSO-100-049-00

-2-

December 11, 1973

Solution: Unload unnecessary entry points, thus freeing room in
the descriptor table. Once the system is build, the user can
unload those system handlers he doesn't need, thus making lots
of room to reload all the missing handlers and entry points.
Second restriction: Once only code for this process is location
inside the handler space at location 166".
Solution:

Don't load more than 25 (decimal) pages worth of handlers.

A typical example is shown below. This may be changed. Handlers
may be loaded in any order. Handler sizes are shown in parentheses
on the right (in pages) •
• RUN SYS BUILD

$LOAD TC,SNS
UN TC:DTA3,DTA4,DTAS,DTA6,DTA7
$LOAD LINCNS
SUN LNC: LTA3,LTA4,LTAS,LTA6,LTA7
$UN RK,S:RKA1,RKA2,RKA3,RKB1,RKB2,RKB3
$LOAD RK,SNS
$UN RK,1:RRA1,RKA2,RKA3

(1)

$LOAD PTSE
$LOAD KL8E
$LOAD LSPT
$LOAD CSA
$LOAD DF32SY
$LOAD RF'SSY
$LOAD LPSV
$LOAD L64S
$LOAD ROMMSY
$LOAD RKSESY
$LOAD RK'SSY
$tc
.SAVE SYS BUILD

(1)
(2)

(1)
(1)
(1)

(1)
(2)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)

(1)
(1)

(1)

Note that entry points should be deleted as quickly as possible,
and system handlers should be loaded near the end.
In the above example, handlers which were not loaded include
VR12, ASR33, RFOSNS, DF32NS, TDSENS.
Note that TC_S, TOSE, and LINC system handlers need not be
included since these will never be built from paper tape.

080-100-049-00

-3-

December 11, 1973

5. Punch the paper tape of this core image.
This can only be done with a special binary punch routine
incorporated into BUILD, on a machine with a high speed punch •
• GET SYS BUILD
.START 166"
BINPUN will now punch some leader on the high speed punch (which
should have been turned on) followed by an origin setting to
Then it will type a * at which point it is ready for commands.
Each command consists of those locations to be punched, in the form:
field number (,-7), a comma, Lower core limit, a hyphen, and upper
core limit. Terminate line with carriage return. You have
full editing capabilities over this line. When you are all through,
type a carriage return all by itself and BINPUN will punch special
finishing data (some required origins and data into ,76.', and a
self-starting origin at end) then will punch some trailer. Punch out
the required parts of core as follows:

2,_.

*'*',,

,-5377
64.,-7577
*1, 4,,-5777
*1, 72_~-7577

/BUILD
/descriptor table
/handlers
/more BUILD

*<CR>

After punching trailer, BINPUN will halt. Branch manually to
either 7605 to restart OS/8 or 2.' to start-up BUILD.

mamaama
'1'0:

080-108-050-00

INTEROFFICE

OS/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

December 17, 1973

PROM:. S. Rabinowitz
DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng-

EXT:

2130 LOC: 12-3

SUBJ: DIRECT

Here is the new DIRECT help file.

DIRECT.IY
•
,

wILD NAM! OR EMTENIION
WILD CHARACTER

II
It

INCLUDE ,TARTING BLOCK NUMBERS (OCTAL)
LIlT ONLV ,ILEI WITH CURRENT DATE
INCLUDE E"'TI!'
'AIT "ODP.
PRINT ADDITIONAL IN'O WORDI
UIUAL MODE
LIlT I"PTI!I ONLY
LIlT ONLY 'ILEa WITH OTHER THAN TODAV'S OAT!
LIlT REMAINDER A' 'ILII A'TI~ 'IRS' ONE (BUT US! IC,/O)
TREAT EACH INPUT I'ECI'ICATION SEPARATELV
LIlT 'ILia NOT 0' 'ORM IPECI'IED
GIVE VIRSION NUM8ER
UII N COLUMNI

IL
1M
/0
IR
IU

IV
IW

OI'AULT INPUT IPICI'ICATIONI

OE'AULT OUTPUT DEVICE.
DE'AULT OUTPUT 'J~t EXTENIION.

*,*

TTVI
,DI

080-100-51-00

INTEROFFICE
TO:

SUBJ:

as/8 V3 List

MEMORANDUM

DATE:

December 24, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EXT:

2130

LOC: 12-3

New disk bootstraps

The 05/8 V3 RK8 and RK8E system handlers now can run with
SYS: being any unit number.
To create such a system, mount your OS/8 system cartridge
in the desired unit.
Then key into core the special bootstrap
given below.
(If you want unit 0, then the old bootstrap still
works). Upon executing the bootstrap, the desired system will
be created.
RK8: loc

26
27
30
31

contents

7604
6732
6733
5031

Load address 26.
Put the unit number (0-3) into bits 9 and 10
of the console switch register (if you have one).
Set all other
switches to o.
Hit clear, continue (or start).
RK8E:loc

25
26
27
30
31

contents
7604
6746
6743
7604
5031

Load address 25.
Put the unit number (0-3) of the unit you want
to bootstrap into into bits 9 and 10 of the console switch register.
Hit clear, continue.
Notes:
1.

Be sure to put the unit into bits 9 and 10.
tendency to put it into bits 10 and 11.

Some people assign SYS: an alternate name when they configure
their system. For example, you might c~eate a system
where SYS:' has the alternate name RKAO.
Note that if you we're
to bootstrap onto unit 2 of such a system, both SYS': and RKAO
would then refer to unit 2.

You may have the

080-100-052-(30

INTEROFFICE. MEMORANDUM
TO:

SUBJ:

OS/H V3 List

DATE:

December 24, 1973

FROM:

S. Rabinowitz

DEPT:

Small Systems Softw. Eng.

EX1':

2130

LOC: 12-3

Patching your LV8E handler.

The following patches are available for the LPSV lineprinter
handler:
reI. loc 0:

set to -printer width-l

(i.e. set to -121a for
an 80 column lineprinter)

reI loc 1:

set to 4
set to 14

for the LV8E lineprinter
for the LP08 and LsaE printers

reI loc 2:

set to -40
set to 0

to convert lower case to upper case
if .your pri~ter can print lower case

080-100-054-00

INTEROFFICE

M'EMORANDUM

DATE: December 25, 1973

TO: 05/8 V3 List

FROM: S. Rabinowitz
DEPT: Small Systems Softw. Eng.
EXT:
SUBJ:

2130

LOC: 12-3

New TDINIT

I have made drastic changes in the TDINIT program.
memo describes these changes.

This

TDINIT is used to create a TD8E (either ROM or 12K)
system tape from a TC08 system tape. Unlike the V2 TDINIT,
it will work on any TC08 system tape and not just the one
supplied from the library.
If the user has the files
TDINIT.SV
TDROM .SY
TD12K .SY
and if he has his original tape #2 from the library (the
OS/8 binaries ,tape), or a copy, or has created the special
bootstrap record 0 on a tape of his own, then he can use these
files to convert any system DECtape to a TD8E tape.
Procedure: Place the tape with the special record 0 on drive o.
This same tape must have' the files TDINIT.SV, TDROM.SY, and
TD12K.SY on it, in that order and starting at the beginning of the
tape (i.e. TDINIT.SV must be at block 7). Bootstrap into this
tape. This·canbe accomplished by keying in the TD8E bootstrap,
or by using the diode ROM bootstrap switch if,available .
. At this 'point, the special record zero is read into core
and reads the beginning of TDINIT.SV into core (it skips the
core control block and the first page and reads in the next 3
pages). TDINIT.SV tnen reads in the rest of itself. If this
last read gets an error, the program will halt at location 346.
Hit continue to retry (or restart manually at location 202).
If everything is successful, TDINIT prints
TD8E INITIALIZER PROGRAM VERSION 4
on the teletype.
It then looks around to see whether you
have a ROM in field 7.
If you do, it prints
12K SYSTEM
If not, it checks to see if you have 12K or more of core, if you
do, it types

12K SYSTEM

080-100-054-00

-2-

If you don't, it is an error and it prints
NEED ROM OR 12K

and halts.
It is now ready to configure the appropriate system.
If you have a ROM but wish to create a 12K system, or you wish
to fake out TDINIT, you can hit halt and set location 17 as follows:

o if you want a 12K system
1 if you want a ROM system
and then manually branch to location 214.
Back to normal situation:
TDINIT then print~
MOUNT A CERTIFIED DECTAPE ON UNIT 1 WRITE-ENABLED
ALWAYS KEEP ORIGINAL SYSTEM DECTAPES WRITE-LOCKED
STRIKE A CHARACTER TO CONTINUE
Do as it says and strike any character to bontinue, at which
point it will copy the system from the appropriate system
head file on unit 0 onto the tape on unit 1. When this is
through, it will type
DISMOUNT TAPE #2 FROM UNIT 0 AND SAVE IT
MOUNT ORIGINAL SYSTEM TAPE #1 ON UNIT 0
PREPARE TO COpy FILES OVER
STRIKE A CHARACTER TO CONTINUE
It is now ready to copy the files from the system tape over
to the new tape being created. Strike any character (except
CTRL/Z to continue).
If you want to perform non-standard special processing, type
CTRL/Z at this time, and TDINIT will print
TYPE 1 TO COpy FILES FROM UNIT 0 TO UNIT 1
TYPE 2 TO ZERO THE DIRECTORY OF UNIT 1
TYPE 3 TO LEAVE THE DIRECTORY OF UNIT 1 ALONE
STRIKE A CHARACTER TO CONTINUE
Reply with either a 1,2, or 3 (which will not echo) to pick
the option you desire. Typing any other character will cause
th~ request··message to repeat.
Depending upon whether you typed 1, 2, or 3, you will receive
one of the following confirmatory messages in response, respectively:
COPYING FILES FROM UNIT 0 TO UNIT 1
ZEROING THE DIRECTORY ON TAPE UNIT 1
DIRECTORY ON UNIT 1 PRESERVED

-3-

080-100-054-00

If you didn't respond with CTRL/Z above, you merely get the message
COPYING FILES FROM UNIT 0 TO UNIT 1
at which point it copies the files and updates the directory.
(In the other cases it zeroes the directory or leaves it alone).
Then it types:
REMOVE AND SAVE TAPE ON UNIT 0
TAKE NEW TAPE (ON UNIT 1) WHICH WAS JUST CREATED
AND PLACE IT ON UNIT 0
IT IS YOUR NEW OS/8 SYSTEM TAPE
STRIKE A CHARACTER TO CONTINUE
Dial the unit number of the newly created tape to 0 and
strike a character for the program to bootstrap into this tape.
(The tape should be write-enabled and on unit 0).
The OS/8 monitor should start up and print a dot.
Other messages:
If the system head files are bad or in the wrong place,' the
program will print
NOT ORIGINAL 05/8 SYSTEM TAPE #2
MOUNT CORRECT TAPE ON UNIT 0
STRIKE A CHARACTER TO CONTINUE
If any I/O errors occur on the DECtape, TDINIT will not retry
3 times, but instead type
FATAL 10 ERROR
TYPE A TO ABORT AND START OVER AGAIN
TYPE ANY OTHER CHARACTER TO RETRY THIS I/O OPERATION
STRIKE A CHARACTER TO CONTINUE
Once TDINIT has correctly started up, i t may be restarted
from location 200.
Alternate procedure: For people who don't want to copy the
entire tape, they may type CTRL/Z to the key message and then
zero the directory of the new tape. When they bootstrap onto
it, it will have a good system but no files.
They may then
run the cusps from the other drive, for example, by typing
.RUN DTA1:PIP

* SYS: <. DTAI: /S$
Creating the special record 0 (in-house use only):
Run the program TDINIT directly and it will print
READY TO CREATE BLOCK 0 Of UNIT
STRIKE A CHARACTER TO CONTINUE

It, will print OK and halt when it has been successful.
Hit continue to rebootstrap.