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August 1988

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Document:	RSTS/E Release Notes
Order Number:	AA-LC11A-TC
Revision:	0
Pages:	62
Original Filename:	http://bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/pdp11/rsts_e/V09/1_General_Information_and_Installation/AA-LC11A-TC_RSTS_E_V9.6_Release_Notes_Aug88.pdf

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RSTS/E
Release Notes
Order Number: AA-LC 11 A-TC

August 1988
These Release Notes describe new features of the RSTSjE system and explain the
differences between this version and previous versions of RSTSjE. System managers
and system maintainers should read this document prior to system installation.

Operating System and Version: RSTSjE Version 9.6
Software Version:

digital equipment corporation
maynard, massachusetts

RSTSjE Version 9.6

August 1988
The information in this document is subject to change without notice and should not
be construed as a commitment by Digital Equipment Corporation. Digital Equipment
Corporation assumes no responsibility for any errors that may appear in this document.
The software described in this document is furnished under a license and may be used or
copied only in accordance with the terms of SUGh license.
No responsibility is assumed for the use or reliability of software on equipment that is not
supplied by Digital Equipment Corporation or its affiliated companies.

© Digital Equipment Corporation 1988.
All Rights Reserved.
Printed in U.S.A.
The postpaid Reader's Comments forms at the end of this document request your critical
evaluation to assist in preparing future documentation.
The following are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation:
ADE/RSTS
DEC
DECUS
DECdx
DECgraph
DECmail
DEC mate
DECnet
DECserver
DECtape
DECword
DECwriter
DELUA
DEONA

DEUNA
DIBOL
FMS-11
J-11
LA
MASSBUS
Message Router

P/OS
PDP
PLXY
Professional
a-BUS
RMS-11
RSTS

RSTS/E
RSX
RT
Rainbow
ReGIS
UNIBUS
VAX
VMS
VT
WPS
Work Processor

r-JurnU[J~D ™

IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.

I'REFACE

CHAPTE;R 1
11.1

1 .. 2

vII

NEW FEATURES

1-1

NEW HARDWARE SUPPORT
1.1.1
Terminal Servers
1.1.1.1
Terminal Server Software • 1-1
1. '1.2
Enabling LAT
1.1.3
Del lAT Commands
1.1.3.1
START/LAT • 1-2
1,'1.3.2
SET NODEILAT • 1-3
1.1.3.3
SHOW NODEILAT • 1-4
1.1.3.4
CREATEISERVICEILAT • 1-4
1.'1.3.5
SET SERVICEILAT • 1-5
1.'1.3.6
SHOW SERVICES/LAT • 1-5
1:1.3.7
DELETEISERVICEILAT • 1-5
1:1.3.8
SHOW COUNTERSILAT • 1-6
1:1.3.9
SHOW TERMINAL_SERVERSILAT • 1-6
1.1 .3.10
SHOW SESSIONS • 1-7
1.1.3.11
STOP/LAT· 1-7
1.1.4
Enabling lAT at System Startup
1.1.5
Isolation of LAT Problems
1.1.6
TKSO Hardware Update

1-1
1-1

NEW SOFTWARE SUPPORT
1.2.1
Terminal Configuration Information
Automatic Terminal Hardware Determination • 1-10
1.2.1 .1
1.2.1.2
Enabling Pseudo-Keyboards • 1-10
1.2.1.3
Enabling FMS-11 Support • 1-11
Installation Dialogue • 1-11
1.2.1.4
1.2.1.5
Keyboard Numbering • 1-12
INIT.SYS
1.2.2
1.2.2.1
DSKINT Suboption Changes • 1-12
1.2.2.2
Installing on Non-Primary MSCP Controllers • 1-12
1.22.3
Configuration File • 1-13
1.2.2.4
Monitor Loader • 1-13
1.2.2.5
New HARDWARE Suboption • 1-13
1.2.2.6
New Device Recognized • 1-13
1.2.2.7
Small Buffer Error Message • 1-13
1.2.3
Monitor
1.2.3.1
Small Buffer Usage • 1-14
1.2.3.2
Dynamic Pseudo-Keyboard Access • 1-15
1.2.3.3
Additional Data Returned After PK Open • 1-15
1.2.3.4
No Conditional Sleep Mode for KB Devices • 1-15
1.2.3.5
New RSX EXTM$ Directive • 1-16
Device Drivers
1.2.4
1.2.S
File Processor (FIP) File Name String Scan
Commonly Used System Programs (CUSPs)
1.2.6
1.2.6.1
LOGIN and LOGOUT· 1-18
1.2.6.2
SHUTUP • 1-19

1-2
1-2

1-7

1-8
1-8

1-10

1-12

1-14

1-17

1-18
1-18

III

Contents

1.2.7
1.2.8

CHAPTER 2

2.1

Task Builder
DCl
1.2.8.1
HELP • 1-22
1.2.8.2
LATMGR • 1-22
1.2.8.3
SHOW TERMINAL Command • 1-22
1.2.8.4
SET and SHOW SYSTEM Command • 1-22
1.2.8.5
New DCL $WAIT C,ommand • 1-23
1.2.8.6
New ICONFIRM Qualifier for REMOVE/JOB • 1-24
1.2.8.7
PBS • 1-24

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN V9.5 AND 'l9.6

2-1

INSTALLATION
Installation Dialogue
Installation Dialogue for Terminals
Installation Dialogue Removal

2-1
2-1
2-1
2-2

INIT

2-2
2-2

2.1.1
2.1.2
2.1.3
2.2

2.2.1
2.3

2.3.4
2.3.5
2.3.6
2.3.7
2.3.8

2.3.9

INIT

MONITOR

2.3.1
2.3.2
2.3.3

2.4

1-20
1-22

Monitor PEEKs
Changes to Terminal Service Sources
Corrections In Terml nal Service
2.3.3.1
Log Files • 2-3
2.3.3.2
DHU/DHV Hung Lines • 2-3
Device Drivers
2.3.4.1
DEUNA Ethernet Driver • 2-3
2.3.4.2
MSCP Disks • 2-3
Virtual Disk as Part of the PLJlblic Structure
Correction to Disk Statistics
Monitor Statistics
File Processor (FIP)
2.3.8.1
Sequential Get with Errors Correction • 2-4
2.3.8.2
File Truncate CorrelCtion • 2-4
2.3.8.3
Certain Accounts Lock the System • 2-4
2.3.8.4
Directory Lookup SYS-CALL on Magtape • 2-4
Crash Dump Changes

COMMONLY USED SYSTEM PROGRAM~3 (CUSPS)
2.4.1
DCl
2.4.1.1
BROADCAST Command • 2-5
2.4.1.2
SHOW DEVICE Command • 2-5
2.4.1.3
HELP • 2-5
2.4.2
BACKUP
2.4.3
lOGIN and lOGOUT
2.4.4
ATPK and BUilD
2.4.5
PIP
2.4.6
PBS
2.4.7
SYSTAT
2.4.8
ANAlYS
2.4.9
DISPlY

2-2
2-2
2-3
2-3
2-3
2-4
2-4
2-4
2-4

2-5
2-5
2-5

2-5
2-5
2-5
2-6
2-6

2-7
2-7
2-7

Contents
2.4.10
2.4.11
2.4.12
2A.13
2.4.14

BPCREF
RUNOFF
DSKINT
SllUS
TKB

2-7
2-7
2-8
2-8
2-8

2.5

BASIC-PLUS RUN-TIME SYSTEM

2-8

,2.6

lAYERED PRODUCTS
DECnetIE
2.6.1
2.6.1.1
Installation • 2-9
2.6.1.2
NCP • 2-9
2.6.1.3
NPKDVR • 2-9
DIBOl Changes
2.6.2

2-9
2-9

2-9

DOCUMENTATION CHANGES

3-1

:3.1

CORRECTIONS

3-1

:3.2

ADDITIONS
Programming Manual
3.2.1
3.2.1.1
SHUTUP SYS-Call • 3-1
3.2.1.2
Determining LAT Server and Port ID's • 3-2
3.2.1.3
User Request Packet Changes for INOWRAP • 3-4

3-1
3-1

KNOWN PROBLEMS AND RESTRICTIONS

4-1

4.1

INSTAllATION
Booting Magnetic Tape
4.1.1
Flag Flies
4.1.2

4-1
4-1
4-1

4.2

INiITIALIZATION CODE (INIT.SYS)

4-1

MONITOR

4-2
4-2
4-2
4-2

CHAPTI::R 3

CHAPTE:R 4

4.3

4.3.1
4.3.2
4.3.3

DB and DR Disk Drivers
MSCP Disk Driver
TMSCP Tape Driver

COMMONLY USED SYSTEM PROGRAMS (CUSPS)
4.4.1
DCl
4.4.1.1
Directory • 4-3
4.4.1.2
Time • 4-3
4.4.1.3
DCl F$MID Function • 4-3
4.4.1.4
MOUNT Command • 4-3
4.4.1.5
GOSUB • 4-3
4.4.1.6
BROADCAST • 4--3
4.4.2
ANAlYS Package
4A.3
LOGIN and LOGOUT
4.4.4
ODT
4.4.5
P~P
RT-11 Utilities on DU Disks Greater than Unit 9
4.4.6
Log File Corruption
4A.7

4-3

RSX AND RMS TASKS

4-5

4-3

4-3
4-3
4-4
4-4
4-4

4-5

Contents
4.6
4.7

RMS-11

4-5

lAYERED PRODUCTS
DECnetIE
4.7.1.1
NFT and FAL • 4-6
4.7.1.2
FORTRAN-77 • 4-i'

4-6
4-6

New DCl lAT Commands
APR MASK WORD Control of Task Extension Use
Possible Errors
RSX and RMS Tasks

1-2
1-17

4.7.1

INDEX
TABLES
1-1

1-2
3-1

4-1

3-4
4-5

Prefac~e

The: RSTSIE V9.6 Release Notes describe new features in RSTSIE for this release as well as differences
between this and the previous release, RSTS/E V9.5.
The procedure to install a new RSTS/E V9.6 system or to upgrade an existing RSTSIE system to V9.6
follows the same general process developed for V9.0.
Because of the V9.0 changes to the installation process, users of earlier versions of RSTSIE should read the
RSTSIE System Installation and Update Guide prior to attempting an installation of RSTSIE V9.6.
If you are installing a new RSTS/E V9.6 system, refer to PART I of the RSTSIE System Installation and

Update Guide.
If you are upgrading a pre-V9.0 system to V9.6, refer to PART IT of the RSTSIE System Installation and

Update Guide.
If you are updating a RSTS/E V9.0 or later system to V9.6, refer to PART IV of the RSTSIE System

Installation and Update Guide.
In addition, users and programmers familiar with RSTS/E V9.5 should read these notes to learn about

changes and new features in RSTS/E V9.6. The V9.6 Release Notes are divided into four chapters:

2.
3.
4.

New Features
Differences Between V9.6 and V9.5
Documentation Changes
Known Problems and Restrictions

NOTE
If you last used a version of RSTS/E older than V9.5, you should read the release notes for any

intennediate versions.

vII

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features

ChaptE!r 1
New Features

1.1

New Hardware Support

1.1.1

'·erminal Servers

RSTS V9.6 now includes support that allows systems with DECnet/E V4.0 to connect tenninals directly
over the Ethenlet from Tenninal Servers. These types of terminal connections are known as Local Area
Transport (LAT). LAT allows users at terminals connected to the following Terminal Servers to directly
access your RSTS V9.6 system:

DIGITAL Ethernet Terminal Server (DECSA)
DECserver 100
DECserver 200
DECserver 500
VAXmate systems
IBM-PC systems running DECnet-DOS
RSTS V9.6 only supports terminals on Terminal Servers for the pUIpose of logging into the system. Printers
connlected to Terminal Servers cannot be accessed by RSTS V9.6.

1.1.1.1

'Terminal Server Software

Each of the previously listed terminal servers (with the exception of the VAXmate and ffiM-PC systems)
requires that software be loaded into it from a host system on the Ethernet Since RSTS cannot load this
software, it must be loaded from another system. The systems which are currently available to load this
software are: VAX/VMS, ULTRIX-32, ULTRIX-32m, DECsystem-l0, DECSYSTEM-20, RSX-llM-PLUS,
or Micro/RSX.

1-1

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features

1.1.2

Enabling LAT

To enable the use of teIminal servers, RSTS requires the presence of DECnet!E V4.0. When DECnet/E
V4.0 is present on your system, and you have the required Ethernet hardware, RSTS will automatically
make LAT available.
LAT support requires approximately 2K words of memory. If you will not be using LAT on your Ethernet,
the following command can be used to prevent inclusion of LAT support in your system.
$ SET SYSTEM/NOLAT

The system must be shut down and restarted after issuing the SET SYSTEM command before the state of
LAT will change.
Use the SHOW SYSTEM command to deteImine the current state of LAT and the state that willI take effect
at the next reboot (if different than the current state). For example:
$ SHOW SYSTEM

1.1.3

DCl LAT Commands

Several new DCL commands have been added for setting, modifying, and showing the characu~ristics of
LAT services on your system. These commands are included in the online HELP files. They are as follows:

Table 1-1: New DCl LAT Commands
Command

Meaning

$ START/LAT

Start LAT on an Ethernet device

$ STOP/LAT

Stop LAT on an Ethernet device

$ SET NODE,lLAT

Set LAT node characteristics

$ SHOW NODE,lLAT

Show LAT node characteristics

$ CREA1B/SERVICE/LAT

Create a LAT service

$ SET SERVICE/LAT

Set LAT service characteristics

$ SHOW SERVICES/LAT

Show LAT service characteristics

$ DELETE/SERVICE/LAT

Delete a LAT service

$ SHOW COUNTERS/LAT

Show LAT related counters

$ SHOW TERMlNAL_SERVERS/LAT

Show tenninal servers known to LAT

$ SHOW SESSIONS

Show infonnation about LAT sessions

1.1.3.1

START/LAT

$ START/LAT dev:

This command is used to start up LAT. LAT will be started on the specified Ethernet device. Note that
Ethernet devices can only be XHO: or XEO: (UNA-O or QNA-O). It is required that a SET NODE/LAT
command be executed prior to issuing the first START/LAT command. The START/LAT command requires
SWCTL privilege.

1-2

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features
/[NO]LOG
Specifies if a confinnation message is displayed indicating whether or not LAT has started up. The
default is /LOG.
DECl1let circuits must be started before LAT circuits. If you attempt to start LAT circuits before DECnet
circuits are started, you will receive the following error messages:
$ NCP SET CIRCUIT QNA'·O STATE ON
Listener response - Component in wrong state, Line
?Aooount c)r devioe in use
A,nother oirouit on; line protoool type allows only one

Issue the following commands to correct this:
$ STOP/LAT
$ NCP SET CIR
$ START/LAT

1.1.3.2

SET NODEILAT

$ SET NODE/LAT[/qualifierl) [/qualifier2) ...

This (;ommand is used to i~tially set or change the LAT host node characteristics. SWCFG privilege is
required to issue the SET NODE/LAT command.

/DISABLE=group_list
Removes the specified group codes from the list of group codes associated with the LAT host node.
The group list can include multiple codes separated by commas. For example, /DISABLE=(0,1,4,10)
disables group codes 0, 1,4, and 10. You cannot specify a range of codes separated by a hyphen.
For example, /DISABLE=(1--4) is not supported. The keyword ALL can be specified to indicate codes
0-255. The /DISABLE qualifier may be specified only once on a command line. No error is returned
if a specified group code is not enabled.
/ENABLE::group_list
Adds the specified group codes to the list of group codes associated with the LAT host node. The
group list can include multiple codes separated by commas. For example, /ENABLE=(5,6,8,10) enables
group codes 5, 6, 8, and 10. You cannot specify a range of codes separated by a hyphen. For example,
/ENABLE::(5--10) is not supported. The keyword ALL can be specified to indicate codes 0-255. The
/ENABLE qualifier may be specified only once on a command line. No error is returned if a specified
group code is already enabled.
/IDENTIFICATION="node_id"
Specifies a description for the LAT host node. This description can be used as an announcement string
or to further identify the node. It may be up to 64 characters in length.
/[NO]LOG
Specifies if a confirmation message is displayed indicating the requested action was taken. The default
is /NOLOG.

1-3

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features
/MULTICAST_TIMER=seconds
Specifies the interval, in seconds, between the multicast messages sent for service announcements. The
minimum value is 10 seconds, the maximum value is 255 seconds. The default when the first SET
NODE/LAT command is issued is 60 seconds. The following is an example of this command:
$ SET NODE RSTS !MULTICAST_TlMER-50

1.1.3.3

SHOW NODEILAT

$ SHOW NODE/LAT

This command displays infonnation about the curren~ LAT host node characteristics. The infonnation
displayed includes the LAT version number, the node name and identification, the multicast timer, the
groups to which the LAT host node is associated, and the Ethernet line(s) on which LAT is enabled.
/OUTPUT=outpuCfile
Requests that the output of this display be put into a file rather than displayed at the tenninal.
1.1.3.4

CREATElSERVICElLAT

$ CREATE/SERVICE/LAT service_name

This command creates a service which is then offered by the LAT host node. Only one service can be

offered at a time in RSTS V9.6. SWCFG privilege is required to issue the CREATE/SERVICE/LAT
command The service_name may be up to 16 characters in length. These characters include the following:
The letters A through Z both upper case and lower case
The numbers 0 through 9
The dollar sign ($), the hyphen (-), the period (.), and the underscore L)
The 8-bit ASCII characters from 192 to 253.

/lDENTIFICATION="service_id"
Specifies a description for the service. This description is used to further identify the service being
offered It may be up to 64 characters in length. The characters include the 7-bit ASCII characters
from 32 to 126 and the 8-bit ASCn characters from 170 to 253.
/[NO]LOG
Specifies if a confirmation message is displayed indicating the requested action was taken. The default
is /NOLOG.
/STATIC_RATING=rating
Specifies the static rating associated with the service. This rating directs tenninal server users away
from or toward a particular node. The range of values is 0 to 255. A value of 255 is highly available
to users while a value of 0 is not available to us<:~rs. The default static rating is 255.

1-4

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features

Currently only one host service is supported at a time. If you attempt to create a second service, an
e:rror message will be displayed.
'''Dynamic'' service ratings, ratings which are based on various system resources, are not supported
for V9.6. You may set the static service rating using the SET SERVICE/LAT/STATIC_RATING=
command.

1.1.3.5

SET SERVICEILAT

SE~{,

SERVICE/LAT service name

This command modifies the information associated with a particular service being offered by the node.
SWCFG privilege is required to issue the SET SERVICE/LAT command.
![DENTIFICATION="service_id"
]v1odifies the description for the service. This description.is used to further identify the service being
offered. It may be up to 64 characters in length.
/[NO]LOG
Specifies if a confirmation message is displayed indicating the requested action was taken. The default
is /NOLOG.
/STATIC_RATING=rating
]v1odifies the static rating associated with the service.

1.1.3.6

SHOW SERVICES/LAT

$ SHOW SERVICES/LAT

[service_name)

This command displays information about the service(s) offered by the LAT host node. If a service name
is sp<~cified, only that service will be displayed. Otherwise, all services offered by the LAT host will be
displayed.
/OUTPUT==outpuCfile
Requests that the output of this display be put into a file rather than displayed at the terminal.

1.1.3.7

DELETElSERVICElLAT

$ DE:LETE/SERVICE/LAT service_name

This command deletes a service currently offered by the LAT host node. SWCFG privilege is required to
issue the DELETE/SERVICE/LAT command.
l[NO]LOG

Specifies if a confirmation message is displayed indicating the requested action was taken. The default
is /NOLDO.

1-5

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features
1.1.3.8

SHOW COUNTERS/LAT

$ SHOW COUNTERS/LAT [server_name]

This command displays infonnation about counters that are relevant to managing LAT on the host node.
There are three types of counter infonnation: LAT host node counters, Tenninal Server counters, and
Ethernet portal counters. These are displayed using the /NODE, /I'ERMINAL_SERVER, or /DEVICE
qualifiers. Only one of these qualifiers may appear Olll the command line.
/DEVICE
Specifies that the Ethernet device counters are to be displayed. Counters will be displayed for all
Ethernet portals open for LAT service.
/NODE
Requests that counters be displayed for the LAT host node. /NODE is the default if neither /DEVICE
nor /TERMINAL_SERVERS is specified.
/I'ERMINAL_SERVERS
Specifies that the counters be displayed for the te;nninal server(s) known to the LAT host node. If a
server name parameter is specified, only the coun.ters for that server are displayed. If no parameter is
specified, then counters for all servers known to the LAT host node are displayed.
/ZERO
Specifies that the counters be zeroed after they are displayed. This qualifier acts only on the counter(s)
that is being displayed SWcrL privilege is required to use the /ZERO qualifier.
/OUTPUT=outpuCfile
Requests that the display of the requested counters is. to go to the output file specified.

1.1.3.9

SHOW TERMINAL_SERVERS/LAT

$ SHOW TERMINAL_SERVERS/LAT [server_name]

This command displays infonnation about the tenninal server(s) known to the LAT host node. The server
name is optional and, if omitted, infonnation is displayed about all servers known to RSTS.

/OUTPUT=outpuCfile
Requests that the output of this display be put into a file rather than displayed at the tenninal.

1-6

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features

1.1.3.10

SHOW SESSIONS

$ SHOW SESSIONS [server_name]

This Gommand displays infonnation about the sessions currently running LAT on the host node. The selVer
name is optional and, if omitted, infonnation is displayed about all selVers known to RSTS. The infonnation
includes the RSTS keyboard number on which the user is logged in, the tenninal selVer on which the user
is physically connected, and the name of the selVice the user is currently running. An asterisk (lie) appears
after 1the keyboard number if the session was started from a dialup LAT line.
fJ~AT

Indicates that J-.AT sessions are to be displayed. fLAT is the default
/OUfPUT=outpuCfile
Requests that the output of this display be put into a file rather than displayed at the tenninal.
1.1.3.11

STOP/LAT

$ STOP/LAT

[E1~he,rnet_device]

This command disables LAT selVice on a particular Ethernet device or on all Ethernet devices. If no
Ethernet device parameter is specified, LAT will be disabled on all Ethernet devices. Jobs which are
currently running on an Ethernet device which is to be disabled will detach.
/[NO]LOG
Specifies if a Gonfinnation message is displayed indicating whether or not LAT has stopped. The
default is ~OG.

1.1.4

Enabling LAT at System Startup

The commands listed in the previous section are used to set parameters for the LAT software on the
system. A new sample startup file is installed as part of the V9.6 installation. If you already have a
[O,l]START.COM file, then the sample is called [O,1]START.096. If you do not have a [O,l]START.COM
on your system, then the sample file will be installed on your system with that name. Adding these
commands to the system startup file ([O,l]START.COM) would look something like the following:

'l~urn

$
$
$

l'low, we can turn LAT on

on DECnet

$ _SET NODE/LAT/ENABLE-(1,3,4,5,lO)
$
SET NODE/LAT/IDENTIFICATION="RSTS V9.6 at its finest"
$ -CREATE/SERVICE/LAT mynode/IDENT-"Unauthorized use prohibited"
$ =S~TART/LAT XEO:

1-7

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features

1.1.5

Isolation of LAT Problems

Isolation of LAT problems requires the use of the DHCnet/E Network Control Program (NCP) utility and
the DCL SHOW COUNTERS/LAT command. Thes(~ commands provide the necessary information for
isolating network problems. The specific commands are:

NCP SHOW LINE dev COUNTERS
NCP LOOP CIRCUIT dev PHYSICAL ADDRESS e-addr
SHOW COUNTERS/LAT
SHOW COUNTERS/LAT/DEVICE

Note that "dev" is the name of the device being used (UNA-o or QNA-O) and "e-addr" is the Ethernet
address of the terminal server under question.
Additional information on these commands can be fOlund in the DECnetlE System Managers Guide and
Section 1.1.3, DeL LAT Commands of this manual.

1.1.6 TK50 Hardware Update
There have been many questions from our customers regarding the uses of the TK50 cartridge tape drive.
The TK.50 tape cartridge is a low-cost TMSCP tape drive that was designed for applications that supply
data at a fast enough rate to cause the drive to "streEtm;" that is, to run continuously while wliting or
reading data While the drive is capable of operating in non-streaming mode (called "start/stop" operation),
its performance in this mode is very poor.
DIGITAL strongly recommends that the TKSO be used ONLY in applications where the drive can be made
to stream. This means that any user program that writes directly to the TKSO should use asynchronous I/O
directives (.READA, .WRITA) and the program should be written so that the data throughput to the TK.50
is as high as possible. In addition, any program that uses the TK.50 must have enough system resources
available (buffer space, CPU time, disk availability) so that it can deliver data to the TKSO fast enough to
make it stream consistently.
The only DIGITAL-supplied utility for RSTS that meets this requirement is BACKUP. We recommend
that BACKUP be used for all TK.50 operations, and we strongly discourage the use of the DeL COpy
command, PIP, SAVRES, and the AUXLm$:COPY utility with the TK.50.
DIGITAL has released a required FCO, TQK50-R002, for all TQK50 controllers. INIT.SYS for V9.6
has been enhanced to look at the revision of any TQK50 controllers present on your system and print an
informational message if they need to be updated. In future versions of RSTS/E, we will disallow the use
of any TQK50 controllers that do not have FCO TQK50-R002 installed.
It is normal to log a number of soft errors in the system error log when using a TK50. However, some
system configurations may log more errors than others, especially when reading TKSO tapes containing data
blocks of 512 bytes or less. These soft errors will use some space in your system error log, but they are
otherwise inconsequential.

1-8

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features

NOTE
Under certain circumstances, TK50 tape controllers do not correctly find tapemarks during
SKIP_RECORD_REVERSE 1 operations. A POSITION_LOST 2 failure can occur if the
controller is instructed to backspace a larger number of records than those on the tape and the
TKSO performs a track-turnaround 3 before finding a tapemark. The POSmON_LOST failure
appears to be random because a track-turnaround is transparent to the user.
Some user-written programs and DIGITAL-supplied utilities use the SKIP_RECORD_
REVERSE technique of backspacing a large number of records to find the nearest previous
tapemark. Those programs and utilities may fail. with a POSITION_LOST condition, when the
above conditions are met
Most DIGITAL-supplied utilities use a SKIP_ TAPE_MARK_REVERSE 4 operation to find
tapemarks and normally do not experience a POSmON_LOST failure under those circumstances. User-written programs should also use the SKIP_TAPE_MARK_REVERSE operation
to find tapemarks in a reverse direction.
This problem exists in all firmware releases through ECO revision 5. It will be corrected in a
subsequent release of TKSO controller firmware.
For RSTS applications, this means that the conventional method of backspacing to a tape mark (which
is to issue a backspace command for a large number of records, and then let the backspace abort when a
tape mark is encountered) will not always work on the TKSO. We have therefore provided a new method
to back up one tape mark on TMSCP drives which does work correctly. Please see Section 1.2.4, Device
Drivers for details.

The SKIP_RECORD_REVERSE command is implemented in RSTS/E by the Skip Record function (in BASIC-PLUS and BP2)
or Skip record .SPEC call (in Macro).
2 A POSITION_LOST failure will appear as a "?Device hung or write locked" error to the application program. In addition, the
error will be listed as a Position Lost error in the system error log.
3 In the TKSO, data is recorded on the tape in a number of parallel tracks. During read or skip operations, the tape reverses direction
and the tape head is repositioned when the end of a track is reachc-.d so that the next track can be read. This process is called
track turnaround. It is normally transparent to the user. It will occur more frequently as more data is put onto the tape.
01·
The :SKIP_TAPE_MARK._REVERSE command is implemented in RSTS/E by a special variation of the "Backspace" function
(in BASIC-PLUS or UP2) or "Backspace over record" .SPEC call (in Macro). See Section 1.2.4, Device Drivers for details.
1

1-9

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features

1.2 New Software Support
1.2.1

Terminal Configuration Information

Significant changes have been made to the RSTS Temlinal Service device driver. The first of these changes
is visible during system installation. There are no longer any installation questions relating to terminal
hardware interfaces or software features. All terminal hardware devices are now automatically configured
at startup. The following software features are no longer optional and are included in all systems:
Multi -Terminal Service
Echo control
Control!T support
Multiple private delimiters

NOTE
For sites that previously did not include any of lthese features, the size of the monitor will be
increased by lK word. For sites that selected some, but not all of these features, the incmase
will be less than lK word, and may not have any impact at all.

1.2.1.1

Automatic Terminal Hardware Determination

The hardware selections for terminal interfaces are now made at system boot time, rather than at system
installation time. INIT automatically determines which terminal hardware interfaces exist on your system,
and allows full use of them. This automatic determinalion has eliminated the need to specify which terminal
interfaces exist on your system.

1.2.1.2

Enabling Pseudo-Keyboards

The installation question defining the nwnber of pseudo-keyboards on your system has been replaced by
two independent features. First, pseudo-keyboards are, now fully dynamic. By the use of a special mode,
you will always have access to a pseudo-keyboard. See Section 1.2.3.2, Dynamic Pseudo-Keyboard Access
for additional information on this special mode. The monitor will dynamically create a pseudo-keyboard to
fill your need. Due to this dynamic creation, you cannot preset any of the terminal characteristics for these
pseudo-keyboards. When you have completed access to the pseudo-keyboard, and close it, the dynamic
pseudo-keyboard will be eliminated. The only time dynamic pseudo-keyboards are not available is when all
128 keyboards. are in use on your system or when the system is very low on small buffer space.
Second, for those applications that cannot be changed to make use of dynamic pseudo-keyboards, there is
a SET SYSTEM command that will allow for the creation of static pseudo-keyboards. This set of pseudokeyboards will act just as they have in the past. Terminal characteristics for these pseudo-keyboards can be
preset using the SET TERMINAL/PERM command. The nwnber of static pseudo-keyboards is limited to
the number you specify in the command. If additional ones are needed, you can reenter the command with
a higher nwnber, shutdown the system, and restart the system.

1-10

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features
OPSER BATCH requires the use of static pseudo-keyboards. PBS BATCH requires the use of static
pseudo-keyboards for nonsh~able selVers. Use the following command for specifying the number of static
pseudo-keyboards:
$ SET SYSTEM/PSEUDO_KEYBOARDS-n

The system must be shutdown and restarted after issuing this command before any changes occur.
Use the SHOW SYSTEM command to deteImine the number of pseudo-keyboards that will be available
the next time the system is rebooted. For example:
$ SHOW SYSTEM

Whe:n installing RSTS V9.6 or updating to V9.6, the installation procedure will set the system to have 4
static pseudo-keyboards if none were previously defined.

1.2.1.3

Enabling FMS-11 Support

Support for FMS is now enabled by a DCL command, rather than at system installation time. In this way,
a new system installation is not required if you wish to add the layered product FMS at a later time. The
command is as follows:
$ SET SYSTEM/[NO]FMS

After issuing the SET SYSTEM command, the system must be shutdown and restarted before FMS is
available for use.
Use the SHOW SYSTEM command to deteImine the current state of FMS and the state that will occur at
the next reboot (if different than the current state). For example:
$ SHOW SYSTEM

1.2.1.4

Installation Dialogue

When the installation procedure prompts for the template monitor's name, it is now possible to type a
question mark followed by a <CR>. The installation procedure will then list all the .SIL files in SY:[O,l].
The following is a sample display:

Use template monitor ?

Template monitor's name?

<Syo: [0,1]V96 .SIL>

A monitor has a name from 1 to 6
alphanumeric characters and a filetype
of SIL.
Enter the name
of
the
template monitor whose parameters you
wish to use
The following is a
File .Typ
RSTV94.SIL
RSTV95.SJ:L
V96. SIL
SYSGEN.SIL

lis~:

of the .SILs in [0,1] :
Creation
28-0ct-87
17-Nov-87
14-Jun-88
23-Jun-88

Template monitor's name?

<SYO: [0,1]V96 .SIL>

New :Monitor name ?

<RSTS>

V96

1-11

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features
1.2.1.5

Keyboard Numbering

The numbering of keyboards continues from 0 to maximum K.B number - 1 for static keyboards. This
numbering is based on the interface types found in your system and continues to be assigned in the
following order:
Single line interfaces (DLll-A/B/C/D/E)
Static pseudo-keyboards
Multiplexers
DIll
DHll
DZll/DZVll/DZQll
DHV II/DHUl1/DHQ 11
Dynamic keyboards
Terminals that are created dynamically are allocated st.arting at the highest physical interface KB number
+ 1. A system that was using LAT terminals and dynamic pseudo-keyboards would find these terminals
numbered just above their existing terminal interfaces.

1.2.2 INIT.SYS
1.2.2.1

DSKINT Suboptlon Changes

The capability to format RX33 floppies has been added to the disk initialization function in INIT.SYS.
If the device size is 4500 blocks or less, DSKlNT will now default the SATT.SYS and MFD placement
locations to the beginning of the disk instead of the middle of the disk. Also, if DSKINT encounters an
illegal placement value for SATT.SYS or the MFD, thle following warning message is displayed:
Specified xx.xx location is invalid - placing at: nnn

The value xxxx will be either SATT.SYS for SATT pllacement value or [1,*] for MFD placement value.
The value nnn will be the new placement value used by DSKINT.

1.2.2.2

Installing on Non-Primary MSCP Controlle,rs

Prior to V9.6, INIT would enable only the primary disk and tape units. For sites that wished to install their
software onto a non-primary disk (e.g., an MSCP disk at a CSR other than 172150), complex intermediate
steps were required. This procedure has been simplified. Now, if the installation process determines that
the specified DU disk unit cannot be found, it will prompt to determine if INIT should perform a full scan
of the hardware in an attempt to locate the requested unit. INIT will prompt with the following dialogue:

That disk was not found during limited hard~are scan.
Do you want to perform a reboot with full hardware scan <YES>?

1-12

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features
If your system devices are at standard addresses and there are no non-standard devices on your system, this
full scan will allow all the DU disks to be used during the installation. If, however, your system has any

non·-standard hardware, you will need to use the primary MSCP controller for the installation. Then, the
HAJRDWARE CSR option can be used to identify the non-standard hardware prior to accessing the alternate
MSCP controllers.

1.2.,2.3

Configuration File

INIT.SYS now examines the file CONFIG.SYS in account [0,1] to detennine tenninal service configuration
information. CONFIG.SYS is a new file that contains system configuration data. You should backup this
file as it contains infonnation set by SET SYSTEM commands. If this file is deleted, your system will
revert to the initial defaults supplied by DIGITAL.

1.2.2.4

Monitor Loader

The loading of the monitor now requires a 12K word area of memory. This area must begin above 72K
and end below 135K. While this is an increase in size of 4K over previous versions, the area available for
use is 8K larger. This memory area is only used during the transition from INIT.SYS to the monitor. If this
are~L cannot be created by !NIT automatically, the system will print an error message and require the user to
make changes to the memory table.

1.2.2.5

New HARDWARE Suboptlon

A new suboption has been added to the HARDWARE option of INIT.SYS. This suboption is called
Engineering Change Order (BCO). This suboption is intended for DIGITAL Field Service engineers and
will list the internal version numbers for those controllers for which this infonnation is available. Listed
below is an example of invoking this suboption and ilts printout:

Option <Start> ? HARDWARE ECO
Name
RUO:
MUO:

1.2.2.6

Address
172150
174500

SW Rev

HW Rev

3
4

1
1

New Device Recognized

INIT.SYS now recognizes the presence of the KXJll-CA on the bus. A listing produced using the
HARDWR LIST option of INIT will list the KXJll-CA as device KJ: with its CSR address and programmable vector assignment.

1.2.2.7

Small Buffer Error Message

If the number of small buffers you have generated into your system is not large enough, INIT.SYS will

report the following error during the start option:
??Not enough small buffers to start timesharing.

If this error occurs, you need to increase the number of small buffers that you generate into the system. In

this way, you will contihue to have the same number available during timesharing.
This error indicates the monitor does not have enough small buffers allocated to initialize all the required
data structures.

1-13

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features
Use either of the following steps to correct this:
Rerun the installation procedure and build a new monitor with more small buffers. You should
increase the number of small buffers generated based on the number of terminal ports on your system.
DIGITAL recommends that you increase the number of small buffers based on the following formula:
number of terminal ports If< 3
If you find that you cannot start your monitor afu~r defining static pseudo-keyboards with the $SET

SYSTEM/PSEUDO_KEYBOARD command, perform the following commands from INIT:
<Start> REFRESH
06-Jun-88 02:03 PM
Disk? <RET>
Rebuild? NO
REFRESH suboption? FILE
File name? CONFIG.SYS
File exists. Delete it? YES
File name? <RET>
REFRESH suboption? <RET>
Option: <Start>

This will delete any previous configuration infonnation (LAT, FMS, and static pseudo-keyboard
configurations), but will allow your system to start. Upon starting the monitor, you will have to
redefine the LAT, FMS, and the new static pseudo·-keyboard configuration.

1.2.3

Monitor

1.2.3.1

Small Buffer Usage

Keyboard data structures in previous versions were allocated at installation time. The creation of these
data structures reduced the number of allowable small buffers on the system. In V9.6, the keyboard data
structures are allocated from the small buffer pool at the time of system startup.
The overall number of small buffers in use does not cbange as a result of this difference. However, since
the number of available buffers is reduced at system startup, the installation procedure will compensate for
this and increase the buffer count when using a template monitor from V9.5 and earlier.
If the number of small buffers you have generated into your system is not large enough, INIT.SYS will

report the following error during the start option:
??Not enough small buffers to start t:Lmesharing.

1-14

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features

1 ~2.3.2

Dynamic Pseudo-Keyboard Access

Dynamic pseudo-keyboards are devices that the monitor creates as needed. Access to dynamic pseudokeyboards is limited by the number of other terminal devices on your system and by the EXQTA privilege.
If the job has this privilege, the job is allowed to open as many dynamic pseudo-keyboards as possible. If,
how1ever, the job does not have the EXQTA privilege, the job is allowed to open just one dynamic pseudokeyboard. Error 69 (?Quota exceeded) is returned if an attempt is made to open more than one dynamic
pseudo-keyboard without EXQTA privileges. The total number of keyboards available is 128. Since
dynamic pseudo-keyboards are created only when they are needed, their terminal characteristics cannot be
set prior to their use. Otherwise, dynamic pseudo-keyboards are identical to static pseudo-keyboards. To
access a dynamic pseudo-keyboard, you always open PKO: using mode 16. An example of Basic-Plus code
using this feature follows:

OPEN' "PKO: /MODE:16" AS FILE :fI:1%

or
OPEN "PKO:" AS FILE *1%, MODE 16%

Sinoe this mode enables fully dynamic creation and use of pseudo-keyboards, the ?No room for user on
device error will be returned either when all 128 keyboards are already in use, or when there are insufficient
sma11 buffers available to create the required data structures. The opening of "PKO:" multiple times with
this mode creates a new pseudo-keyboard each time.

1.2.3.3

Additional Data Returned After PK Open

The KB number corresponding to a PK is now returned in FQSIZM after a PK open. The number is
retuIned as KBnwnber * 1. This method works for both static and dynamic pseudo-keyboards.
To dletermine the Keyboard number, use a statement similar to the following, immediately after the
Bask-Plus open statement:
KB%=ASCll(MID(SYS(CHR$(12%»,4%,I%»

1.2.3.4

No Conditional Sleep Mode for KB Devices

A m~w mode has been added in V9.6 that will allow a program to conditionally sleep even if there is
soml~ condition 011 the channel that would normally block a conditional sleep. If you use this mode on a
multi-terminal service master channel, it will also affect all the slave terminals. It is therefore recommended
that this mode not be used on multi-terminal service channels unless the I/O processing of the application is
very well understood. To use this new mode, specify the mode value 512 (decimal) in the open statement
for the terminal. For example:

100
100

OPEN "KB10:" AS FILE 1%, MODE 512%
or
OPEN "KB10:/MO:512" AS FILE 1%

200

PUT *1

1-15

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features
1.2.3.5

New RSX EXTM$ Directive

A new RSX directive, EXTM$, has been added to RSTS V9.6. This directive is similar to the current
EXTK$ directive. Both directives are used to extend lthe tasks virtual address Data space. However, when
using I&D space tasks, there are additional features available in the new EXTM$ directive. In tasks built
without I&D space (TKB /-ID option) the EXTM$ directive will behave exactly as the EXTK$ directive.
The difference between EXTM$ and EXTK$ functions is in the way that Resident Library D space is
treated during task memory expansion. Resident Libraries are mapped with both I and D space APRs
mapped identically; this is done by default. The EXTK$ directive will not override this mapping. If an
attempt is made to extend into an APR used by the library, it will cause an error. EXTM$ will, if allowed
by the APR mask, unmap the D space APRs (only) from the library and include them in the memory
extension space. This will leave the resident library mapped in the I space only.
The APR mask provides a method of reserving one or more APRs in the D space for resident library use.
If, for example, a resident library is built such that its instruction I space uses APRs 5, 6, and 7' but all the
needed data space is contained in APR 7, then by res(~rving APR 7 for the library, the task can extend its
usable D space into APRs 5 and 6. This reservation is done by setting the APR 7 bit in the APR mask
word in the EXTM$ call.
If an EXTM$ extension of memory requires the use of an APR whose bit is set in the APR mask word, an
error will be generated.

The Task Builder has automated the process of constnlcting the APR mask word for the combination of
libraries used in building the task. This data is available to the program at execution time. See
Section 1.2.7, Task Builder for details.
The Macro directives (EXTM$, EXTM$C, EXTM$S) for this feature are included in the libra.ry
RSXMAC.SML.
The layout of the DPB for the EXTM$ function is as follows:

DPB--> 89.
DPB+l-> 3.
DPB+2-> size inorement
DPB+4-> APR mask word

Extend memory oode
number of words of datiL in the DPB
number of 32 word slivElrs to extend size by
see Disoussion

Discussion:
The SIZE INCREMENT is a word value representing the number of 32 word memory blocks by which the
task D space is to be increased. This value is the same! as for the EXTK$ directive.
The APR MASK WORD allows the caller to pass information about user D space APR registers which are
to be protected from being expanded into by the task D space. This mask specifies which D space APRs
are to remain available for resident library (or dynamic region) D space mapping.
In the normal EXTK$ directive, this APR MASK WORD is a zero which tells RSTS not to expand task D

space beyond the base APR of the lowest mapped library or dynamic region.
The APR MASK WORD allows the user to control how the task extension is to work. The different types
of extension uses fall into three general categories as shown in the following table:

1-16

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features
Table 1-:2:

APR MASK W()RD Control of Task Extension Use

APR MASK WORD

Description

If zero, the EXTM$ behaves as an EXTK$ on RSTS, that is, extension is only

allowed up to the base of the first library APR.
If one, the EXTM$ behaves as an EXTK$ on RSX-llM/M+, that is, extension is

allowed thru APR7 remapping the D space of any libraries. However, it is not
allowed to extend past the beginning of a dynamic region.
For all other values the APR MASK WORD acts like a memory protection flag. An
EXTM$ request is not allowed to extend task D space into an APR that is above
the current task D space and that the bit representing the APR is set (see below). It
also is not allowed to extend past the beginning of a dynamic region.

Bit 7

Represents APR 7

<200>

Bit 6

Represents APR 6

<100>

Bit 5

Represents APR 5

<40>

Bit 4

Represents APR 4

<20>

Bit 3

Represents APR 3

<10>

Bit 2

Represents APR 2

<4>

Bit 1

Represents APR 1

<2>

Bit 0

Must be set for EXTM$

<1>

NOTE
If I&D space is not turned on (/-ID) , then all EXTM$ requests behave as though they are

EXTK$ requests (i.e. the APR MASK WORD is zero).
It is possible to protect one or more D space APRs in the library space from being remapped by a task
extension by setting the bit in the APR MASK WORD that represents it.
The lowest bit set above the current task D space determines the protection line above which a request will
fail. For example, if only Bit 3 is set, then APRs 3 through 7 are protected even though Bits 4 through 7
are not set.
CAUTION

Care must be taken in using this call to remap D space away from a library. If the library is not
coded in an I only manner, indeterminate program behavior is likely to occur.

1.2.4

IDevice Drivers

The magnetic tape "Skip Record" and "Backspace" MAGTAPE or SPEC% functions (Basic-Plus and BP2)
and .SPEC caUs (Macro) have been enhanced to allow skipping fOIWard or backward one tape mark on
TMSCP drives (TK50 and TU81). This was done to circumvent a restriction on the TK50 with backspacing
over tape marks. See Section 1.1.6, TK50 Hardware Update for details.
The procedure for skipping fOIWard or backspacing one tape mark on TMSCP drives is to use the appropriate .SPEC call or magtape function ("Skip Record" or "Backspace"), passing a zero as the parameter
indicating number of records to be skipped. In both cases, the tape will be positioned after the tape mark
in the direction of tape motion, and the value returned by the call will be the number of tape marks NOT
skipped (0 if a tape mark was found, and 1 if not).

1-17

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features

Since this variation of the .SPEC call or function uses a hardware command that.is unique to Tl\1SCP, other
tape drives (MT, MM:, and MS) will not work this wBly in V9.6, but will continue to work as they have
in the past. For those drivers, passing a value of zero has the same effect as passing a value of 65535.
The driver will skip records in the forward or reverse direction until a tape mark is passed The tape will
be positioned after the tape mark in the direction of tape motion as in the TMSCP variation previously
described. However, the value returned by the call will be the number of RECORDS not skipped as is
documented today.

1.2.5

File Processor (FIP) File Name String/ Scan

The File Name String Scan directive has been enhanced to improve compatibility with some VMS style
wildcard operations. The asterisk character (*) can now be used at the end of a file name or type to replace
all question marks. For example:

ABC*.*
A*.B*

is equivalent to
is equivalent to

ABC???*
A????? B?i'

The asterisk can only be used at the end of a file name or type; it cannot be used at the beginning or in the
middle. For example, the following are illegal:

AB*E.*

*A.ABC

*.*A

*A*.BAS

Since PIP, DIRECT, BACKUP, and other utilities that allow wildcard operations use the File Name String
Scan directive, these utilities will now automatically allow this type of syntax.

1.2.6

Commonly Used System Programs (CUSPs)

1.2.6.1

The LOGIN and LOGOUT programs send messages to OPSER (or to KBO: if OPSER is ntOt running)
which contain the keyboard number for activity on dialup lines. For tenninals on Tenninal Servers
(LAT tenninals), this display will contain the serv(~r name and the port name. This infonnation will aid
in identifying where the actual activity occurred
LOGIN has also been modified to pass the LAT infonnation to [O,l]LOGIN.COM. LOGIN.COM was
modified to pass this LAT infonnation to the group and user LOGIN.COM in Parameter P5. The
[O,l]LOGIN.COM was also modified to execute a SET TERMIINQUIRE command for LAT tenninals.
If you receive the message "?Logins are disabled - please try again later" upon connecting from a
tenninal server to a RSTS system, the session is not disconnected. Instead, the terminal waits for
logins to become enabled, whereby hitting a carria.ge return will start the login sequence. The only way
to get back to the tenninal server prompt is to use the local key sequence, which is usually 1tbe BREAK
key.

1-18

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features

1.2.6.2

:SHUTUP

SHUTUP can now be run from tenninals other than KBO:. This includes dialup, local, or LAT lines.
SHUTUP cannot be run from pseudo-keyboards (e.g., SET HOST connections). In addition, SHUTUP
will now ask if you wish to automatically RESTART the system. This allows the system configuration
parameters to be changed, and the system restarted directly from your terminal. As always, INIT.SYS will
continue to use KBO: for its operations. If INIT.SYS fails to restart the monitor, you must determine this
by eJtamining the console terminal (KBO:).
The automatic restart feature of SHUTUP will not work if a DeL log file is open by the job. The system
will return to the "Start timesharing <yes>" prompt and wait for a response instead of automatically
restarting.

$RUN $ SHUTUP
SHUTUP
V9.6

RSTS V9.6 LAT Land

07:58 PM 30-Mar-88
Type

fA'

tt.#tttt

Set-up Dialogue Phase

to any query to backup one question

AlloW' Print/Bat(:h Services jobs to complete <YES>?
Minutes until system shutdown (0-99) <5>?
Minutes until logins are disabled (0-4) <O>?
Minutes until nc!tw network activity is disabled (0-4) <4>?
Shutdown with automati(: RESTART <NO>? YES

At this point, the system will proceed with the shutdown, automatically restart the monitor, and invoke the
syste:m startup procedure.

1-19

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features

1.2.7 Task Bu ilder
The Task Builder can now provide infonnation about the allocation of D space APRs for a task to the
program at execution time. This has been done to work together with the new EXTM$ memory extend
function to maximize the amount of D space memory that a task may request.
The goal of this function is to allow programmers to build tasks with libraries that have both I only and
I&D code in them and for the Task Builder to calculate the minimum number of APRs that this task will
require to satisfy the D space needs of all the libraries used by the task.
To effectively utilize this feature, each library to be used should be organized such that all DATA space
required in the library is located at the highest address in the library space. The user must know at the time
the library is task built how many APRs contain D space because this infonnation is required as input to
the Task Builder in the /U switch.
As part of the infonnation the Task Builder associates with each individual resident library, a bit mask
representing the APRs used by the library is kept. TIle default value that is kept represents the I space
APRs. RSTS will load the library with I&D space equivalent and therefore automatically protects any D
space which may exist in the library.
The saved bit mask value may however be modified by the programmer in the library switch given to the
Task Builder. The ILl switch which is required to build a library, may now include a value in the range 0
to 377 in the following fonnat:
ILl [:nnn]

The value nnn is the desired mask value.
The meaning of each bit in the mask value is the same as described in the EXTM$ function and is given in
the following table:
Bit 7

Represents APR 7

<200>

Bit 6

Represents APR 6

<100>

Bit 5

Represents APR 5

<40>

Bit 4

Represents APR 4

<20>

Bit 3

Represents APR 3

<10>

Bit 2

Represents APR 2

<4>

Bit 1

Represents APR 1

<2>

Bit 0

Represents APR 0

<1>

Through this switch value, the programmer can infonn the Task Builder which APRs contain]) space
requirements for this individual library. This switch value, rather than the default, will be associated with
this library when it is used by the Task Builder in future applications that reference this library.
It is important to note that for libraries built by Task Builders prior to V9.6 that the mask value is zero
by definition. This means that the library is defined as having I only code. If, however, the library does
have D space requirements, those requirements may be protected at the time the application task is built, as
described in the following paragraphs:
At the coding level, the application programmer must do two things to use this feature:
•

1-20

Use the EXTM$ memory extension function inst(~ad of the EXTK$ function for extending memory.
Please see Section 1.2.3.5, New RSX EXTM$ Directive for further details on the use of the EXTM$
function.

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features

Provide a properly addressed memory location for the Task Builder to fill in the APR usage mask data.
The following lines of code provide the properly addressed location for the Task Builder to fill in:
.PSECT

$$TSKP,D

$ TSKP : :
.PS:ECT

This: PSECT can go anywhere in the coding. However, if it is not at the end of the code, reset the PSECT
back to your required PSEcr.
Please note that for the EXTM$ function to work beyond what the EXTK$ does and therefore for any of
this to have significance the application task must be built with I&D space on (lID switch).
The value loaded into $TSKP by the Task Builder and readable on execution of the program will be one of
two values:
Either the value computed by the Task Builder based on the application task and all referenced libraries
An override value provided by an option line
If the Task Builder generates the value in $TSKP, it will be the logical OR of the application tasks allocated

D space APR mask and the associated APR bit mask') for all libraries referenced by the task build.
For example, a task that uses two libraries where LIB 1 uses APRs 6 and 7 and LIB2 uses APRs 5, 6, and 7
and the task has 5KW of data space the computed value would be 343 octal as determinable from the APR
repl1esentation table shown previously.
It is possible also to explicitly set the value in $TSKP at the time of the application task build. This is how
a programmer who knows a library has additional available D space can inform the task of such knowledge.
The following three option lines have been amended to include this new level of information (refer to the
respective sections in the Task Builder Manual for further details on the use of the listed options):
LIBR -name: accesscode [ : baseAPR [ : bi tmask] ]
RES LIB =file/accesscode [:baseAPR[ :bitmask]]
CLSTR -libl, lib2, lib3 ... libn: accesscode [:baseAPR[ :bitmask]]
Wh(~re the bitmask is the value logically ORed with the tasks allocated D space mask and loaded by the
Task Builder in location $TSKP.

Important notes on this feature are as follows:
Whc!n using cluster libraries, the bitmask value applies to all libraries the same, therefore, the most limiting
required value must be used
Whc!n relocation of a position independent coded library (PIC) is being done by the base APR value, the
bitmask value MUST be specified because the value associated with the library was based on its original
bas~~ and is not valid at the new base. The usual method would be to shift the bitmask value of the library
one bit up or down for each APR of relocation shift that is done and then combine it with the other mask
values required.
See Section 1.2.3.5, New RSX EXTM$ Directive for more details on the EXTM$ function.
If using libraries that were built by versions of the Task Builder before V9.6 and the library contains any

D space, then the bitmask value must be specified to protect that D space at the time the application is
task: built. As of RSTS/E V9.6, the only DIGITAL-supplied library that can take advantage of this feature
is RMSRES. RMSRES is built as I only code, therefore all the D APRs are available to the MACRO-ll
programmer through this feature. As of V9.6, all the languages supported by DIGITAL on RSTS/E use

1-21

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features
the EXTK$ function and therefore cannot take advanlCage of this feature. New versions of many of these
languages may support this feature in the future.

1.2.8

Del

1.2.8.1

HELP

The new DCL LAT commands are included in the online HELP files.

1.2.8.2

LATMGR

LATMGR is a new program for V9.6. This program works in conjunction with DCL to process all LAT
related commands. See Section 1.1.3, DCL LAT Commands for details on the DCL LAT commands.

1.2.8.3

SHOW TERMINAL Command

The SHOW TERMINAL command will now list the LAT server and port name for those connections
coming from LAT teoninal servers.

1.2.8.4

SET and SHOW SYSTEM Command

S~vera1 new DCL commands are now available for new system-related configuration options. These
commands create, modify, or show the configuration (lata in the CONFIG.SYS file located in account [0,1].
These commands are:

$ SET SYSTEM
I[NO]LAT

The I[NO]LAT qualifier is used to specify whethc~r the LAT software is to be loaded upon system
reboot

NOTE
The LAT software will only be loaded if Ethernet hardware exists on the system and
DECnet!E is present
I[NO]FMS

The I[NO]FMS qualifier is used to specify whether the FMS software is to be loaded upon system
reboot
~SEUDO_KEYBOARDS~

The /PSEUDO_KEYBOARDS=n qualifier is used to specify the maximum number of static pseudo
keyboards which will be available on the system. The minimum value allowed is 1, the maximum is
127. This parameter change will take effect upon system reboot.

1-22

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features
I[NO]STATISTICS[ =RESET]

The /STATISTICS qualifier is used to tum monitor statistics on and off. (Note that this qualifier
does not use CONFIG.SYS.) This command replaces the use of Bits 14 and 15 in the switch register.
The RESET parameter will reset the statistics counters to O. The system starts with statistics turned
off. Once statistics have been turned on, the SET SYSTEM/NOSTATISTICS command will cause
the statistics to be frozen. The SET SYSTEM/STATISTICS command will unfreeze them. SET
SYSTEM/STATISTICS=RESET will reset the statistics counters to zero.

$ SHOW SYSTEM
This command will now show the state of LAT, FMS, STATISTICS, and the number of static pseudokeyboards in addition to the infonnation previously displayed. The following is a full listing from the
SHOW SYSTEM command:

$ SHOW SYSTEM
System name:
Date format:
Time format:
Magtape label default:
Magtape density default:
Power fail restart delay:
Hangup:
Monitor Statistics:

RSTS V9.6 LAT-Land
Alphabetic
AM PM
DOS
1600 BPI
300 seconds
Delayed
Disabled

Job limit:
Current jobs:

63
5

Password Prompting:
Last System Password change:

All users
17-Mar-88 at 03:16 PM

LAT is installeci
FMS is installeci
Pseudo keyboards configured:
Current Pseudo keyboards:

10
10

1.2.8.5

New DCl. $WAIT Command

A ne:w command has been added to DCL to place the current job in a wait state until a specified period of
time has elapsed. The $WAIT command is useful in DCL command files that wish to suspend execution
for 8. some period of time.
.
Command format:

$WAIT [delta-time]

The optional parameter delta-time has the fonnat: hh:mm:ss to specify hours, minutes, and seconds. If not
specilfied, the delta-time is set to 00:00:00.

EX8II1ples:

$WAIT
$WAIT
$WAIT
$WA:rT
$WAIT

I no action

00:00:01
00:01:00
01:00:00
01:01:01

wait
wait
wait
wait

for one second
for one minute
for one hour
1 hour, 1 minute, 1 second

1-23

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
New Features

The maximum value that can be specified for each fi.eld is: 23 for hours, 59 for minutes, and 59 for
seconds. To specify 60 minutes as 00:60:00 is illegal and should be specified as 01:00:00.
Fields of the delta-time may be omitted but the delta-time must not begin with a colon even if the number
of hours is zero.

Examples:
$WAIT
$WAIT
$WAIT
$WAIT

00:01
::1
00: : 01
1

valid, wait for 1 minute
invalid, delta-time starts with ":"
valid, wait for 1 eecond
valid, wait for 1 hour

The $WAIT command on VMS also allows for speciJication of hundredths of a second. The RSTS $WAIT
command will also parse this field but it will be ignored since RSTS cannot execute a wait time of less than
one second. The $WAIT command will only be tenninated by pressing Control/C or when the specified
wait time has expired. Those are the only conditions that will terminate the command Pressing RETURN
will not terminate the command. If the executing job is suspended for any period of time, the wait may
take longer than expected.
The syntax and format of the $WAIT command is compatible with the VMS $WAIT command.
1.2.8.6

New ICONFIRM Qualifier for REMOVE/JOE,

The qualifiers I[NO]QUERY and its synonym /[NO]CONFIRM have been added to the REMOVE/JOB
command The default is now /QUERY. This will cause a SHOW JOB display for the job YOll want to
remove. You will then be prompted if you really walllt to remove this job.
1.2.8.7

PBS

The following new features have been added to the Print/Batch Services package:

PBS now has the ![NO]WRAP qualifier available! for print commands. The /[NO]WRAP qualifier
enables printers to print all the characters on a line that exceed the fonn width. The {fRUNCATE
qualifier takes precedence over this qualifier. Spt~cifying /WRAP, which is the default, callses PBS
to print characters that exceed the form width on the next line. Specifying /NOWRAP will cause the
characters to be printed on the same line. Any entries that have not been printed BEFORE V9.6 is
installed will acquire the /NOWRAP attribute. Any print entries made AFfER the update is installed
will default to /WRAP.
For files that have not been printed, this behavior differs from the current default where PBS will wrap
untruncated lines. You can either print the entry before the update, or delete the entry and resubmit it
after the update.

1-24

RSTS/E V9.~ Release Notes
Differences Between V9.S and V9.6

Chapt~~r

Differelnces Between V9.S and V9.6

2.1

In!.tallation

2.1.1

Installation Dialogue

The installation dialogue now supplies a default device. The device that you booted is used for the default.
An example of that portion of the installation dialogue is:

Please mount the RSTS Installation media and enter the name
and 'unit number of the devioe.
Valid devioe types are: 'MM', 'MS', 'MT', 'MO'" 'DM', 'DL' or'SY'
(a response of SY allows monitor only)
Installation devioe? < MOO:> : <CR>

The prompts in the installation dialogue did not always have the same format. This has been fixed.

2.1.2

Installation Dialogue for Terminals

Because of the new terminal driver in RSTS V9.6, the installation dialogue does not ask any terminal
interface configuration questions. Those questions have been removed Also, CTRL/T support and multiple
private delimiters are now included in all monitors. The FMS support question has also been removed
from the installation dialogue. FMS support is enabled or disabled with the SET SYSTEM command as
explnined in Section 1.2.1.3, Enabling FMS-ll Support.

2-1

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
Differences Between V9.5 and V9.6

2.1.3

Installation Dialogue Removal

The Extended Line Printer driver question and the Monitor Statistics question have been removed from the
installation dialogue. Both are now included in all systems. See Section 1.2.8.4, SET and SHOW SYSTEM
Command for infolTllation about turning statistics on and off.
The question for the number of KMCII devices has been removed Instead, the IBM simultan(!ous links
question will be asked Since KMCII devices could only be used for mM interconnect, this question will
also control the number of KMCll devices configured into the monitor. Note that you cannot include all
three of the following on your RSTS system:
IBM Interconnect
TU56 DECtape
Magtape (MM:, MT, MS, MU)

NOTE
IBM communications software for RSTS is no longer supported by Digital Equipment
Corporation. This software is available through the DECUS library.

2.2

INIT

2.2.1

INIT

In V9.5, a problem existed in INIT.SYS that occasionally caused an "Unexpected trap through the vector at
4" error message if an attempt was made to access a non-existent MSCP disk unit. This problem has been
corrected for V9.6.
The INIT.SYS message "Defaults cannot be set until a SIL has been installed" has been clarified to read
"Defaults cannot be changed until a SIL has been STA~Ted".

2.3

Monitor

2.3.1

Monitor PEEKs

Due to the significant number of changes in terminal service data structures, many undocumented and
unsupported PEEK sequences will no longer return th(! expected data.

2-2

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
Differences Between V9.5 and V9.6

2.3.2

Changes to Terminal Service Sources

The terminal se1Vice device driver no longer needs to be assembled during the installation procedure. This
results in a change in the time required to build a monitor (the exact change will depend on the CPU being
used). Since these driver sources are no longer required for installation, they are no longer distributed on
the binary kit. Customers who· require sources for the terminal driver will need to purchase a RSTS/E
sourGe kit. Order numbers for the source kit are:

QR43Q-EM 1600 BPI media
QR430-FR Fiche
Note that the installation procedure will automatically delete the terminal service sources from previous
releases of RSTS.

2.3.3

Corrections in Terminal Service

2.3.3.1

Log Flies

Occasionally a DeL or BATCH log file line would be overwritten due to a missing line feed in the log file.
This happened after a program issued an RSX read and then exited to DCL. This problem has been fixed.

2.3.3.2

DHU/DHV Hung Lines

Undc!r unusual timing conditions, terminals on DHU/DHV multiplexers could become hung. An XOFF
character was sent to the terminal to stop input but no XON character was ever sent to allow input to
continue. This problem has been fixed.

2.3.4

[)evlce Drivers

2.3.4.1

DEUNA Ethernet Driver

Under some conditions, it was possible to hang a user job in an XE state when attempting a transmit
command to a nELUA controller which was initialized successfully during system startup, but which was
subs~~quently rendered inoperable due to a simple failure such as cable removal. This problem has been
fixedl.

2.3.4.2

MSCP Disks

The code that perfonns automatic bad block replacement (BBR) on RA- and RC-series MSCP disks has
been enhanced to include better error detection and reduce the number of events logged in the system error
log 1ile when a BBR occurs.
In addition, two new erro:r status messages have been added to the display for MSCP errors. These new

messages will allow the system manager to better detect disk problems. The messages are:
"Multicopy protection failure" - this indicates that the on-disk table that is used to hold bad block information has developed an excessive number of bad sectors within itself. While this is not an immediately
fatal error, it does indicate that the unit may need replacement or reformatting in the near future. DIGITAL
recommends that the data on the disk be backed up regularly and Field Service be alerted to the problem.

2-3

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
Differences Between V9.5 and V9.6
"BBR Not Successful" - this message indicates that a bad block replacement attempt has failed in a severe
manner. This error is caused by either probable media corruption or hardware failure. The data from the
unit should be backed up as soon as possible. Field SI~rvice should be called to analyze the exact cause of
the failure.

2.3.5

Virtual Disk as Part of the Public Structure

Since the File Processor selects the disk in the public structure with the most free space, data files and
programs may have been lost if they were placed on the Virtual Disk and the system was shutdown or
crashed To prevent this, V9.6 requires the Virtual Disk to be mounted read-only when it is mounted as a
public disk.

2.3.6

Correction to Disk Statistics

In previous versions of RSTS, the disk statistics code would incorrectly count disk I/O which caused new
data to be read into the cache. Additionally, the disk statistics code would count DCL I/O as if it were
overlay I/O. These problems have been corrected.

2.3.7

Monitor Statistics

The monitor statistics for KW11-P clock overruns are now kept at all times, whether or not oth.er statistics
are being gathered This is consistent with the behavior of the tenninal I/O statistics.

2.3.8

File Processor (FIP)

2.3.8.1

Sequential Get with Errors Correction

In V9.0 through V9.5, when GET statements without ,a RECORD modifier aborted with a record locked
error and the program did a RESUME without a line number to retry the I/O, the correct record would not
be returned. This problem has been fixed. The correct record is now returned.

2.3.8.2

File Truncate Correction

The problem with file truncate not updating disk usage has been corrected Patch 3.5.11 is no longer
required.

2.3.8.3

Certain Accounts Lock the System

The problem with certain account numbers locking the system has been corrected Patch 3.5.12 is no longer
required.

2.3.8.4

Directory Lookup SVS-CALL on Magtape

Previous to V9.6, the "Directory Lookup on Index" SYS call did not return the MSB of the file size if the
device was a magnetic tape. The number of records in a file on magnetic tape was returned incorrectly
if the file contained more than 65535 records. The SYS call has been fixed for V9.6 and now correctly
returns the MSB of the file size.

2-4

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
Differences Between V9.5 and V9.6

2.3.9

Crash Dump Changes

In pmvious versions of RSTS, crash dumps were sometimes written incorrectly on Q-Bus systems having

an RL02 system disk with an RLV12 controller. This problem has been corrected for V9.6.

2.4 Commonly Used System Programs (CUSPs)
2.4.1

[tCl

2.4.1.1

BROADCAST Command

The message, KBn: disabled, is no longer displayed when executing a BROADCAST/ALL Command.

2.4.1.2

~3HOW DEVICE Command

In th~! SHOW DEVICE display, KBO: is displayed as having TTO: as its controller, instead of KLO:. The
first JDLll after KBO: will have KLO: as its controller. This is now compatible with the HARDWR LIST
display of INIT.

2.4.1.3

I-IELP

The HELP program has been changed to make the CCL HELP command work as the DCL HELP commandl. The HELP program will now prompt for the next topic rather than exiting immediately.

The lBACKUP program has been modified to use dynamic pseudo-keyboards when the /INITIALIZE
command is used on disk media.
BACKUP now allows the asterisk (*) character to be used in place of multiple question mark (1) characters
at the end of a file name or type. See Section 1.2.5, File Processor (PIP) File Name String Scan for
additional infOlmation on this feature.

2.4.3

L.OGIN and lOGOUT

The message displayed by RSTSIE when the system manager has disabled further logging in or the system
has feached the maximum number of allowed users has been changed to:
?Logins are disabled - please try again later

This change has been made in order to make RSTSIE messages,more user-friendly and similar to
VAXNMS.

2.4.4

~~TPK and BUilD

The ATPK and BUILD programs will now use dynamic pseudo-keyboards rather than static pseudokeyboards.

2-5

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
Differences Between V9.5 and V9.6

2.4.5

PIP

Prior to V9.6, copying a file with the following attributes:
RMS Sequential
fixed length nospan records of 512 bytes
•

maximum record length 512

to ANSI magtape would cause PIP to encounter a m(~mory management trap and exit. PIP is now able
to properly transfer RMS files with these attributes to ANSI magtape and back to disk with all data and
attributes intact.
PIP no longer includes the [pPN] in the output filespec log message after transferring a file to ANSI
magtape. The [PPN] is not stored on ANSI magtapes and is therefore not relevant.
PIP now allows the asterisk (*) character to be used ][11 place of multiple question marlc (?) characters at
the end of a file name or type. See Section 1.2.5, File:: Processor (FIP) File Name String Scan for additional
infonnation on this feature.

2.4.6

PBS

The following changes have been made in the Prlnt!Batch Services (PBS) package:

PBS now takes advantage of dynamic pseudo-keyboards. All shareable batch servers will use dynamic
pseudo-keyboards, while non-shareable servers will only use static pseudo-keyboards.
With these changes, it might be possible for shareable servers to be active while non-shar(~able servers
are in a device-wait state. This will require that you have less than 128 total keyboards on your system.

The system manager should ensure there are enough static pseudo-keyboards for the non-·shareable
servers. Sites that have a large number of total keyboards will be able to reduce the number of static
pseudo-keyboards.
For RSTS V9.5, line-feed characters at the top of a page would be ignored if the file did not have any
RMS attributes, or had the CC:IMP attribute. PBS now behaves correctly in these cases.
Prior to RSTS V9.6, PBS would not recognize CO control characters in the middle of certain escape
sequences. These characters are now passed on to the output device and PBS maintains the! state of the
escape sequence.
Prior to RSTS V9.6, PBS would go into a steady run state if a print server on a modem 1ine lost
carrier while another keyboard print server was in use. This would only happen on systems with
multi-tenninal I/O support. This problem has be(!n fixed.
On PRINT and SUBMIT commands, PBS now allows the asterisk (*) character to be used in place
of multiple question mark (1) characters at the end of a file name or type. See Section 1.2.5, File
Processor (FIP) File Name String Scan for additional infonnation on this feature.
Prior to RSTS V9.6, PBS would not skip to the top of a new page before a carriage-return or line-feed
was output below the bottom margin of a page. This problem is fixed.
Prior to RSTS V9.6, PBS would incorrectly simulate a backspace from column two to' column one on
line printer servers that require backspace simulation. This problem is fixed.

2-6

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
Differences Between V9.5 and V9.6
Prior to RSTS V9.6, PBS would lose the capability of a selVer if a second DELETE/ENTRY command
was issued before the entry was aborted. PBS now handles this case, and will display the following
warning if an entry is already aborting:
%Print entry queue: [p,pn] name already deleted

2.4.7

SiYSTAT

The SYSTAT program display for keyboard numbers bas been changed. Rather than showing pseudokeyboards in the format PnumberJnumber, the actual keyboard number in the format KBnumberJnumber
will be displayed. SYSTAT is now compiled with double-precision arithmetic to allow SYSTAT to handle
the calculations for RA82 disks.

2.4.8

ANALYS

The .ANALYS program display for keyboard numbers has been changed. Rather than showing pseudokeyboards in the format PnumberJnumber, the actual keyboard number in the format KBnumberJnumber
will be displayed Improvements have also been made in the crash dump annotations.

2.4.9

CIISPLY

The DISPLY program display for keyboard numbers has been changed Rather than showing pseudokeyboards in the format PnumberJnumber, the actual keyboard number in the format KBnumberJnumber
will be displayed as in KB40J3.
The DISPLY program no longer changes a VT100, VT200, or VT300 type terminal into VT52 mode. The
DISPLY program now uses ANSI mode for these teoninal types. DISPLY still supports VT52 mode for
VT52 terminals.

2.4.10

BPCREF

The BPCRFI program chains to $QUE.TSK to print the output file if the user specified IQ in the command
line. For those installations where $QUE and the rest of the OPSER Spooling Package have not been
installed because PBS is used exclusively, BPCRFI has been changed to try $QUE first. Then, instead of
reporting an error, it will send the print request to PBS and notify the user if it is attached.

2.4.11

RUNOFF

The RUNOFF program chains to $QUE.TSK to print the output file if the user specified IQ on the output
file name. For those installations where $QUE and the rest of the OPSER Spooling Package have not been
installed because PBS is used exclusively, RUNOFF has been changed to try $QUE first, then, instead of
simply reporting an error, it will send the print request to PBS, and notify the user of this if it is attached.

2-7

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
Differences Between V9.5 and V9.6

2.4.12

DSKINT

Prior to V9.6, if DSKINT.TSK (or the DCL INITIALIZE command) encountered an unexpected error, it
would abort with a ?ReseIVed Instruction Trap. DSKINT will now report the proper error message.
If the device size is 4500 blocks or less, DSKINT will now default the SATT.SYS and :MFD placement
locations to the beginning of the disk instead of the middle of the disk. Also, if DSKINT encounters an
illegal placement value for SATT.SYS or the :MFD, the following warning message is displayed:
Specified xxxx location is invalid - placing at nnn

The value xxxx will be either SATT.SYS for SATT placement value or [1,*] for:MFD placement value.
The value nnn will be the new placement value used by DSKINT.

2.4.13 SILUS
The SILUS program has been modified to allow up to 47 phases to be created in a monitor .SIL file.
Applications that access the monitor .SIL file may need to be examined

2.4.14 TKB
In RSTS V9.5, a problem in TK.B may show up und(~r some conditions. The problem occurs when the

TK.B command file contains a line specifying cluster libraries followed by a line specifying a non-clustered
library. For example:
XYZ.TSK,XYZ.MAP,XYZ-XYZ.ODL/MP
EXTTSK-512
CLSTR-DBARRL,RMSRES:RO
LIBR-XYZLIB:RO

Once TK.B detects a set of clustered libraries, it conclludes that all the rest are clustered also. 111is problem
has been fixed in V9.6.

2.5

Basic-Plus Run-Time System
The following corrections have been made to Basic-Plus for V9.6:
1.

2-8

The CAT Command did not generate a directory listing as documented The following problems
occurred:
Some files were listed twice
Some marked-for-delete files, that should not have been listed at all, were listed as regular files.
These problems have been fixed. Basic-Plus will give a catalog of only those files that are not
marked-for-delete, and will list each file only once.
Error 21, (?Disk pack is not mounted), was not trappable during a CHAIN. An error 21, if encountered
during a CHAIN, would clear user space and go back to the 'Ready' prompt.
Basic-Plus has been changed to allow users to trap an error 21 encountered during a CHAlN.

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
Differences Between V9.5 and V9.6
La~~ered Products

2.6
2.6.1

I:tECnetlE

2.6.1.1

Installation

Prior to RSTS V9.6, the layered product name for DEOlet/E was DECNET V40. In RSTS V9.6, the name
is chlmged to DECNET.

2.6.1.2

NCP

When attempting to set the RECALL TIMER for Point to Point or Multipoint circuits in NCP using a
command like:

NCP DEFINE CIRCUIT <circuit-id> RECALL TIMER <v'alue>

the e:tTor:

List.llner Response - Parameter not applicable, Recall Timer

would be received. With RSTS V9.6, NCP has been updated This command will work for all Point to
Point and Multipoint circuits, but will continue to fail with "Parameter not applicable" for Ethernet circuits
because the RECALL TIMER has no meaning with Ethernet circuits.
Also, with the updated NCP, a SHOW/LIST CIRCUIT <circuit-id> CHARACTERISTICS for an Ethernet
circuit (UNA-O or QNA-O) will no longer display the RECALL TIMER parameter because the RECAlL
TIMER has no meaning with Ethernet circuits.

2.6.1.3

NPKDVR

When the SET HOST command is issued to your RSTS system, it uses NPKDVR.TSK to create a job on a
pseudo-keyboaId for the other system. NPKDVR. TSK has been updated to use dynamic pseudo-keyboards
for these connections. See Section 1.2.3.2, Dynamic Pseudo-Keyboard Access for more details on dynamic
pseudo-keyboaIds.

2.6.2

CHBOl Changes

RSTS V9.6 contains changes for both RSTS nIBOL VS.2 and RSTS DIBOL V6.0. The installation
procedure will detect which version of RSTS DIBOL is being installed and use the appropriate updated
components. Online release notes are provided which document the changes made to RSTS DIBOL.

2-9

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
Documentation Changes

Chapter 3
Documentation Changes

The documentation for RSTS V9.6 consists of these release notes and a new RSTSIE System Installation and
Update Guide.

3.1

Cc.rrectlons
The following documentation errors will be corrected in a future version of RSTS:
In the RSTSIE System Directives Manual on page 3-131, the second paragraph states in part, " Unless
data passed and retunled show specific values for the XRB, it should be all zeros."
The following statement will help to clarify how you should handle FIRQB and XRB:
'When using SEND/RECEIVE calls, you must clear both FIRQB and XRB, even if XRB is not used
In the RSTSIE Programming Manual on page 9-3, the description of the confinnation data received in
:Byte 3 for a system call to PBS is incorrect. The data returned in Byte 3 is CHR.$(255%).
In the RSTSIE Programming Manual on page 9-22, the documentation for the /COPIES field is
incorrect. Byte 1 should be CHR$(131 %), not CHR$(13%).

3.2

Additions

3.2.,1

F)rogranlmlng Manual

This section describes changes or additions to the RSTSIE Programming Manual.

3.2.1.1

SHUTUP SYS-Call

You can now request an automatic reboot after shutdown by passing a flag value in Byte 3 of the SYS-call.
The value 0 means norestart (stop in INIT.SYS), 1 means restart. Previous programs omitted this flag, so
they always stopped within INIT.SYS.
The remaining Bytes (4-30) of the sys-call continue to be reserved and should be O.

3-1

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
Documentation Changes

3.2.1.2

Determining LAT Server and Port 10's

The name of the LAT tenninal server and the port ID on the server can be detennined from the following
sys-ca11:
Data Passed
Bytes

Meaning
CHR$(6%), the SYS call to FIP.

3-2

CHR$(22%), the send/receive function code.

CHR$( 12%), the LAT SHOW function.

CHR$( 6%), the SESSION subfunction.

CHR$(I%), the index of the session about: which to return infonnation.

CHR$(L%), the length, in bytes, of the s(~rver name on which to restrict the session se,arch. If this
byte is 0%, sessions are reported based 011 the index across all servers.

CHR$(K%), the keyboard number about which to report session infonnation. If Byte 6 is not 0%,
the system ignores this byte.

8-10

CHR$(O%), reserved; should be 0%.

CHR$(C%), the channel number for the I/O buffer that contains the extended parameter list, if any.
Typically, the null device (NL:) is opened and associated with a MAP (for BP2, or FffiLD from
Basic-Plus) which describes the fonnat of the infonnation to pass or return. If this byte contains a
channel number (any value from 1-12), a buffer defined by the length and offset values in Bytes 1314 contains the extended parameter list for this directive. The parameter list should be left-justified
in the buffer for channel C%, beginning at the offset value defined in Bytes 15-16. If this Byte is
zero, a string beginning at Byte 41 contains the extended parameter list for this directive.

CHR$(O%), reserved; should be 0%.

13-14

L%, the length (in bytes) of the extended parameter list from the channel buffer in the fonn
CVT%$(SWAP%(L%». If Byte 11 is non-zero, this length field can have any value between 0 and
512, subject to the restriction that the length of the extended parameter list is less than or equal
to the buffer size minus the offset value defined in Bytes 15-16. To ensure all the data can be
returned, the length of the buffer area should be 53 decimal bytes. If the length is zer(), the system
uses the whole buffer (that is, from the offset to the end of the buffer). If Byte 11 is :l.ero, these
bytes are ignored.

15-16

0%, the offset value in the fonn CVT%$(SWAP%(O%». The value specifies the offset from the
beginning of the buffer where the extended parameter list begins. The offset must be an even
number in the range of zero to (size of blllffer-l). If Byte 11 is zero, these bytes are ignored.

17-24

CHR$(O%), reserved, must be O.

25-40

N$, the name string, if any. The name SKIing is the name of the server on which the :search for
sessions will be limited. A maximum of 16 bytes may be used for passing a name stIing to the
directive. The server name is converted to uppercase characters for comparison purpo!leS, and is
returned to the extended parameter list exactly as it was reported by the server.

40+

P$, the optional extended parameter list. A maximum of 512 bytes in an extended parameter list
may be passed with the directive. These bytes are ignored if Byte 11 is non-zero.

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
Documentation Changes

Data Returned
Data is returned to the extended parameter list or the I/O buffer associated with the channel number passed
in Byte 11. The data is returned in four fields; the keyboard field, the server port name field, the server
node name field, and the service name field. These fields are always present and are always shown in the
following order:
Keyboard Field
The keyboard field returns the RSTS keyboard number on which the user is logged in. Also included in
this field is a flag byte which indicates whether or not the user dialed into a LAT terminal server.
Bytes

Meaning

CHR$(K%), the RSTS keyboard number on which the user is connected.

----,

CHR$(N%), where N% is a bitmask. Bit values are: (N% AND 128%) <> 0% indicates the user
dialed into the LAT terminal server or the status was unknown. (N% AND 128%) = 0% indicates a
line directly connected to the LAT terminal server.

Server Port Name Field
The server POlt name is the name given to the port on which the user is connected. This field immediately
follows the keyboard field.
Bytes
1

Meaning

- - - - CHR$(L%), the length of the server port name which follows.

N$, the server port name string whose length, in bytes, is previously described.

Server Node Name Field
The server node name is the name of the server on which the user is connected. This field immediately
follows the server port name field.
Bytes
1
2

Meaning

----------.------._-----------------------------------------------------------------------CHR$(L%), the length of the server node name which follows.
N$, the server node name string whose length, in bytes, is previously described.

3-3

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
Documentation Changes
Service Name Field
The service name is the name of the service which the user is running. This field immediately follows the
server node name field.
Bytes

Meaning

CHR.$(L%), the length of the service na.rrle which follows.

N$, the service name string whose length, in bytes, is previously described.

Privileges Required
None

Table 3-1:

Possible Errors

Meaning

ERR Value

?CAN'T FIND FTI...E OR ACCOUNT
There was no server matching the server specified in the sys-eall.

?NOT A VALID DEVICE
The keyboard number was not a valid RSTS keyboard number.

?DEVICE NOT AVAll..ABLE
There was no session matching the specified index.

?1LLEGAL SYS() USAGE
The server name length is not in the range 1-16, or neither a
keyboard nor an index was supplied.

?DISK BLOCK IS INTERLOCKED
The keyboard number was a valid keyboard number, but it
cannot be a LAT tenninal because it is not a dynamic keyboard.

?1LLEGAL BYTE COUNT FOR I/O
The buffer supplied did not begin on a word boundary.

?MISSING SPECIAL FEATURE
LAT is not installed on your system.

3.2.1.3

User Request Packet Changes for /NOWRJ~P

The I[NO]WRAP qualifier added to PBS for V9.6 can be accessed via the User Request Packets as can
other features of PBS. The following infonnation describes how to use I[NO]WRAP from User Request
Packets:
1.

I[NO]WRAP Flag Field

This field applies to print requests only. It consists of a flag byte that detennines whether PBS wraps
the excess portion of lines that exceed the width of the request's form onto the next line. 'This field
corresponds to the I[NO]WRAP file qualifier of the PRINT command.
If the flag is non-zero or you omit this field, PBS will wrap un truncated lines. If the flag byte is zero,
PBS does not wrap the line and continues to send. characters to the device.

The I[NO]TRUNCATE field has precedence over this field. That is, if /I'RUNCATE is specified, the
excess portion of a line will be truncated, regard1(~ss of the /WRAP setting.

3-4

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
Documentation Changes
The fonnat of the I[NO]WRAP flag field is:
Byte

Specification

CHR$(136%)

CHR$(N%), where N% is the flag byte. Values are:
0% - No wrap
1% - Wrap (the default)

3-5

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
Known Problems and Restrictions

Known Problems and Restrictions

In!;tallation

4.1
4u1,,1

Booting Magnetic Tape

Magnetic tape distributions of RSTS or any bootable recovery tapes of RSTS must be booted from unit
zero.. This problem affects MM and MT drives. This problem will be corrected in a future release of RSTS.

4.1.2

F=lag Files

The installation or update of RSTS leaves several zero length flag files (files used by the installation
prooedure to detelmine what parts of the installation have been completed) in various system accounts after
installation.
Deleting any of these files may cause unpredictable results. In particular, deleting the flag file
[1,2]VER096.SYS may cause certain layered product installations and updates to fail.

4.2

Initialization Code (INIT.SYS)

If your installed monitor has a Virtual Disk defined (DV:), and you START a monitor that has no
Virtual Disk defined, and then START your original monitor containing the Virtual Disk again, you will
get ?Device not available errors when you attempt to access the Virtual Disk.
The workaround is to use the DEFAULT option of INIT.SYS to remove and then redefine the Virtual
Disk for your original monitor.
An unnecessary error message prints when an 800 BPI magnetic tape on a TE16 subsystem that uses a
TM02 fonnatter is booted from the Option: prompt of INIT.SYS. For example:
MMO Error

MTCS1
144270

MTWC
000000

MTFC
001007

MTCS2
000100

MTDS
154640

MTER
102100

MTTC
102300

The error message you receive may be different. This message prints as a result of the density
autosizing process that occurs on TM02 formatters and does not represent a true hardware error.

4-1

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
Known Problems and Restrictions

4.3

Monitor

4.3.1

DB and DR Disk Drivers

The DB and DR disk drivers may count or log errors for the wrong disk unit if there is heavy DB/DR disk
activity and an attempt is made to mount a unit that is spun down or off-line.
This problem will be corrected in a future release of RSTS.

4.3.2

MSCP Disk Driver

On systems having multiple UDASo-A MSCP controllers, a system crash may result if disk umIt numbers
are swapped between two drives on different UDASO-A controllers during timesharing.
The preferred workaround is to only swap drive numbers when timesharing is not up. The best method
is to shut the system down and swap the unit numbers when the Start timesharing prompt appenrs. After
swapping the unit numbers, reboot the system disk and restart timesharing.

4.3.3

TMSCP Tape Driver

If your system contains only one TMSCP tape drive (TU81 or TK50), it must be designated unit O. If you
have two drives and unit 0 does not work, you must make the working drive unit 0 and disconnect the
non-working drive. This restriction will be fixed in a future release of RSTS.

The controller number must also match the drive number. For example:
Valid
Name

Address Vector Comments

MUO:
MUl:

174500
160504

Name

Address Vector Comments

MUO:
MUl:

174500
160504

P350
P354

TUSl
TK50

Units: 0 (TU'Sl)
Units: 1 (TK50)

Invalid

4-2

P350
P354

TUSl
TK50

Units: 1 (TU'Sl)
Units: 0 (T:R:50)

RSTS/E V9.6 Release Notes
Known Problems and Restrictions

4.4

Cc)mmonly Used System Programs (CUSPs)

4.4.1

I)CL

4.4.1.1