OpenVMS Hints & Kinks
CETS2001 session 1132
Stephen Hoffman
OpenVMS Engineering
Audience
This is a technical session
•	Target Audience:
–	OpenVMS Programmers
–	OpenVMS System Managers
•	Some OpenVMS Familiarity is Assumed:
–	User Commands
–	System Management Commands
–	Programming Commands

OpenVMS Hints & Kinks
First the Hints...
Messages, Definitions
•	GNM
–	SDML
•	DOCUMENT
–	MSG Message File
•	MESSAGE/SDL
•	SDL/LANGUAGE=
–	SDML
•	DOCUMENT
Shareable Images
•	Shareable Image Cookbook
–	OpenVMS Ask The Wizard (ATW)
–	www.openvms.compaq.com/wizard/
•	Upward Compatibility
•	Multiple Versions, Redirection
Debugging
Integrate Debugging
•	OpenVMS tools
•	Application-specific tools
Debugging
•	SS$_DEBUG signal
–	Counted ASCII string
•	SS$_PRCDMP signal
Debugging
•	XQP Activity
–	SET WATCH/CLASS=cls FILE
•	ALL,NONE,etc
•	Security Auditing
–	Privilege errors
Applications
•	Descriptors
–	Static
–	Dynamic
–	64-bit
Applications
VAX vs. Alpha vs. Itanium
•	Memory Page Size
–	VAX: Fixed Page Size 
•	0.5KB (512 bytes)
–	Alpha: Implementation-specific
•	8KB to 64KB (8192 to 65536 bytes)
–	Itanium™: Implementation-specific
•	8KB+ (8192+)

Applications
Ensure Completion
•	Condition Values
–	LBS/LBC
–	stsdef
–	$VMS_STATUS_SUCCESS(x)
•	I/O Status Block (IOSB)
•	Event Flags (EF)
–	efndef (V7.1)
Applications
Signals
•	Centralize Error Handling
–	chfdef
–	stsdef
•	VAX vs Alpha
–	VAX: Hardware
–	Alpha: Software
Applications
•	Compiler Options
–	Architecture EV56
–	Tune Generic (or EV56)
–	FAQ
•	AMASK/IMPLVER
–	ATW

Applications
Alpha, VAX, Itanium™
•	Synchronization
–	ATW topic 1661

Applications
Alpha
•	Memory Caching
–	Memory Barriers
–	ATW Topic 1661, 2681

Applications
VAX vs. Alpha
•	LINKER
–	SYS.STB vs. SYS$BASE_IMAGE
–	LINK/SYSEXE

Applications
VAX vs. Alpha
•	LINKER and Shareable Images
–	Transfer Vector vs. Linker Directive
System Performance
•	EXE$GETSPI
–	I_SPI.C
–	V7.3 and later, use $GETRMI
Kitting
PCSI v VMSINSTAL
•	Choice of Tools
•	Installation v Configuration
OpenVMS Hints & Kinks
The Kinks...
OpenVMS Hints & Kinks
Kinks known in HSJ80…
•	HSJ80 block comparision failure
–	Adversely effects volume shadowing
–	upgrade to current firmware
OpenVMS Hints & Kinks
Kinks known in HSJ, HSG…
•	Very conservative I/O (greatly) slows merge
–	SHAD$MERGE_DELAY_FACTOR 1000
–	Also: ...DELAY_FACTOR_DSAnnn
–	Dynamic
SPAWN and lib$spawn change
Under Consideration for V7.3-1...
•	SPAWN process name algorithm will change
OpenVMS Hints & Kinks
V7.3 and ECO Kits...
•	Please read the cover letter!
–	SYS$UPDATE:VMS$REMEDIAL*.TXT
–	Key files can be deleted during V7.3 upgrade
–	If all else fails, apply the upgrade again!

OpenVMS Hints & Kinks
Kinks discovered in OpenVMS V7.3…
•	XFC cache errors can trigger disk corruptions
–	the fix is NOT in the XFC V1.0 ECO kit
–	In cluster, revert from XFC to VIOC pending ECO
•	set VCC_FLAGS to 1 (selects VIOC caching)
OpenVMS Hints & Kinks
Kinks discovered in OpenVMS V7.2…
•	latent bug in older versions of zip was triggered
–	Get new zip via Freeware V5.0 kit or website
OpenVMS Hints & Kinks
Kinks discovered in OpenVMS V7.2…
•	AlphaServer 4100 Firmware Boot Command
–	>>> b -fl a0,0
•	Image Privileges and Logical Name Tables (SYSNAM)
•	Case Insensitivity in Doc CD HTML
•	BACKUP API
OpenVMS Hints & Kinks
3DLabs Oxygen VX1 Graphics…
•	Available via VX1 ECO kit
–	Details to be added to FAQ

OpenVMS Hints & Kinks
PowerStorm 300 and 350 Graphics…
•	Drivers are available
–	Details to be added to FAQ

OpenVMS Hints & Kinks
ELSA Gloria Synergy Graphics…
•	Configuration steps vary by version
–	Please see OpenVMS FAQ for details

OpenVMS Hints & Kinks
Non-Privileged System Crasher…
•	Affected OpenVMS Alpha releases?
–	V7.2-1
–	V7.2 with UPDATE V1.0
–	V7.2 with HARDWARE V1.0
•	Which ECO do you need to apply?
–	V7.2, V7.2-1 SYS ECO kits… or...
–	V7.2 UPDATE V2.0 ECO kit
•	Merges UPDATE, HARDWARE, SYS
•	What happened...

OpenVMS Hints & Kinks
OpenVMS VAX V6.1...
•	BACKUP ECO kit needed for direct V7.2 and later upgrades
OpenVMS Hints & Kinks
OpenVMS Freeware V5.0...
•	Freeware Menu fails on Volume 2
–	Error 2000.4
–	Fix to be on Freeware website
•	New Menu for Freeware V6?
OpenVMS Hints & Kinks
TCP/IP Services V4.2 support...
•	Support (on OpenVMS V7.*) ended July, 2001.
•	 Please move to V5.0A or V5.1 (and ECO)
Where to go for help?
www.openvms.compaq.com
•	OpenVMS FAQ
•	Ask The Wizard (ATW)
•	OpenVMS Freeware
•	CSN (DSN)
•	CSA
The Fine Print
Copyright 2001 Compaq Computer Corporation All rights reserved.
While Compaq  believes the information included in this presentation is correct as of the date produced, it is subject to change without notice.
All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective holders.  Itanium™ and IA-64™ are trademarks of Intel.
Presentation void where taxed or prohibited by law.
Recommended for technical and engineering ranks ages 12 and up.  Ask for special pointy-haired-boss toy.
Known Glaze-on hazard, please keep this and all other similar presentations away from known-sensitive members of engineering, marketing and management.

OpenVMS Hints & Kinks
CETS2001 session 1132