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Revision/Update Information: This manual supersedes the Overview of OpenVMS Documentation, Version 7.0.
Software Version: OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.1 OpenVMS VAX Version 7.1
Digital Equipment Corporation Maynard, Massachusetts
Digital Equipment Corporation makes no representations that the use of its products in the manner described in this publication will not infringe on existing or future patent rights, nor do the descriptions contained in this publication imply the granting of licenses to make, use, or sell equipment or software in accordance with the description.
Possession, use, or copying of the software described in this publication is authorized only pursuant to a valid written license from Digital or an authorized sublicensor.
Digital conducts its business in a manner that conserves the environment and protects the safety and health of its employees, customers, and the community.
© Digital Equipment Corporation 1996. All rights reserved.
The following are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation: AXP, Bookreader, CI, DDCMP, DECamds, DECdtm, DECnet, DECdirect, DECmigrate, DECtalk, DECthreads, DECwindows, Digital, EDT, InfoServer, MicroVAX, MicroVAX II, OpenVMS, OpenVMS Cluster, PDP-11, POLYCENTER, VAX, VAX-11/750, VAX-11/780, VAX 6000, VAX 8200, VAX 8250, VAX 8300, VAX 8350, VAX 8530, VAX 8550, VAX 9000, VAX MACRO, VAXcluster, VAXserver, VAXstation, VMS, VMScluster, and the DIGITAL logo.
The following are third-party trademarks:
Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Motif is a registered trademark of the Open Software Foundation, Inc.
PostScript is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated.
POSIX is a registered trademark of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Wind/U is a registered trademark of Bristol Technology.
All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
ZK4511
The OpenVMS documentation set is available on CD-ROM.
Digital welcomes your comments on this manual.
Print or edit the online form SYS$HELP:OPENVMSDOC_COMMENTS.TXT and send us your comments by:
| Internet | openvmsdoc@zko.mts.dec.com |
| Fax | 603 881-0120, Attention: OSSG Documentation, ZKO3-4/U08 |
|
OSSG Documentation Group, ZKO3-4/U08
110 Spit Brook Rd. Nashua, NH 03062-2698 |
Use the following table to order additional documentation or information. If you need help deciding which documentation best meets your needs, call 800-DIGITAL (800-344-4825).
The name of the OpenVMS AXP operating system has been changed to the OpenVMS Alpha operating system. Any references to OpenVMS AXP or AXP are synonymous with OpenVMS Alpha or Alpha.
VMScluster systems are now referred to as OpenVMS Cluster systems. Unless otherwise specified, references to OpenVMS Clusters or clusters in this document are synonymous with VMSclusters.
This manual describes the documentation for OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.1 and OpenVMS VAX Version 7.1. It helps you choose the documentation that best suits your needs, describes the components of the complete OpenVMS documentation set, details the contents of the Documentation CD--ROM, and provides ordering information.
OpenVMS documentation is available in printed form and on the Documentation CD--ROM. In addition, the OpenVMS operating system provides Online Help for OpenVMS routines, utilities, and commands.
| Set | Order Number |
|---|---|
| OpenVMS Full Documentation Set | QA--001AA--GZ.7.1 |
| OpenVMS Base Documentation Set (subset of Full Documentation Set) | QA--09SAA--GZ.7.1 |
The OpenVMS Full Documentation Set contains all current OpenVMS documentation in one offering. It is for users who need extensive explanatory information on all major OpenVMS resources, complete reference information on system routines and utilities, detailed examples, guidelines for OpenVMS Clusters, programming concepts, a master index, and information on the Help Message utility. This set meets the needs of system managers and of system and application programmers. It includes the Base Documentation Set.
The OpenVMS Base Set is a subset of the Full Documentation Set. It includes the most commonly used OpenVMS documents, addressing the needs of general users and system managers of small standalone systems. Documents such as the Release Notes, New Features, and the DCL Dictionary are included in the Base Set.
Refer to Table 2-1 for a complete listing of the documents in the Base and Full Documentation Sets. Each book in these sets can be ordered separately.
The installation guides, the OpenVMS License Management Utility Manual, and the Guide to OpenVMS Version 7.1 CD--ROMs are included in the media kit with your software. These manuals are not part of the Full Documentation Set and if you do not order media, they must be ordered separately. Refer to Table 2-2 for a complete listing of the installation guides.
The OpenVMS Documentation CD--ROM consists of manuals in the following formats:
This section describes notable changes to the OpenVMS documentation set for OpenVMS Version 7.1.
The entire OpenVMS Documentation Set has been reprinted for Version 7.1. In previous releases, many documents were updated in Bookreader format only. For this release all OpenVMS documents are updated in Bookreader and printed formats. In addition, several documents are in HTML format and viewable through an Internet browser.
For the past few releases, outdated information has been archived. For Version 7.1 we have reorganized some information, enhanced Online Help, and continued to archive obsolete information. Refer to Table 3-1 for a complete listing of archived manuals.
The Guide to OpenVMS Performance Management and the Guide to OpenVMS AXP Performance Management are now consolidated into one manual titled OpenVMS Performance Management.
Migration information is located in Migrating an Application from OpenVMS VAX to OpenVMS Alpha. This document replaces previous migration documents. The following documents have been archived. Table 3-1 lists the order numbers for these archived documents.
OpenVMS device support documentation has been reorganized for OpenVMS Version 7.1. Two manuals about writing OpenVMS Alpha device drivers are now available, and several device support manuals from previous releases have been archived.
The OpenVMS Alpha device driver books available as of OpenVMS Version 7.1 are as follows:
Table 1-2 summarizes the Alpha and VAX device support documentation changes for OpenVMS Version 7.1. It lists the device support books that have been archived, and indicates whether the information they contain is available in other books.
| Title | New Location in Version 7.1 |
|---|---|
| Creating an OpenVMS AXP Step 2 Device Driver from a Step 1 Device Driver | Same |
| Creating an OpenVMS AXP Step 2 Device Driver from an OpenVMS VAX Device Driver | Creating an OpenVMS Alpha Device Driver from an OpenVMS VAX Device Driver (This book now includes reference information.) |
| OpenVMS AXP Device Support: Developer's Guide | Writing OpenVMS Alpha Device Drivers in C |
| OpenVMS AXP Device Support: Reference | C reference information is available in Writing OpenVMS Alpha Device Drivers in C. MACRO-32 reference information is included in the Creating an OpenVMS Alpha Device Driver from an OpenVMS VAX Device Driver book. |
| OpenVMS VAX Device Support Manual | Same |
| OpenVMS VAX Device Support Reference Manual | Same |
DECnet-Plus, formerly named DECnet/OSI, has replaced DECnet for OpenVMS Phase IV in the main operating installation menu. To assist customers choosing to move from DECnet Phase IV to DECnet-Plus, OpenVMS is delivering a one-time complimentary offering that includes DECnet-Plus binaries and a DECnet-Plus Starter Kit.
The DECnet-Plus Starter Kit for OpenVMS Version 7.1 customers includes the following documents:
DECnet for OpenVMS Phase IV binaries will continue to ship with the operating system. DECnet Phase IV manuals are included on the OpenVMS Documentation CD--ROM in DECW$BOOK or PostScript format, or you can order the printed manuals separately through DECdirect (800-344-4825). Table 1-3 lists the DECnet Phase IV manuals.
| Manual | Order Number |
|---|---|
| DECnet for OpenVMS Guide to Networking | AA--PV5ZA--TK |
| DECnet for OpenVMS Networking Manual | AA--PV60A--TK |
| DECnet for OpenVMS Network Management Utilities | AA--PV61A--TK |
This chapter describes the following components of OpenVMS information and provides ordering information:
OpenVMS manuals are available in documentation sets, with your media, or can be purchased separately.
The following two offerings make up the OpenVMS Documentation Sets:
| Set | Order Number |
|---|---|
| OpenVMS Full Documentation Set | QA--001AA--GZ.7.1 |
| OpenVMS Base Documentation Set (subset of Full Documentation Set) | QA--09SAA--GZ.7.1 |
Table 2-1 lists the manuals included in the OpenVMS Full and Base Documentation Sets.
| Manual | Order Number |
|---|---|
| OpenVMS Base Set | |
| Migrating an Application from OpenVMS VAX to OpenVMS Alpha | AA--QSBKB--TE |
| OpenVMS DCL Dictionary: A--M | AA--PV5KE--TK |
| OpenVMS DCL Dictionary: N--Z | AA--PV5LE--TK |
| OpenVMS Guide to System Security | AA--Q2HLC--TE |
| OpenVMS Management Station Overview and Release Notes | AA--QJGCB--TE |
| OpenVMS Master Index | AA--QSBSB--TE |
| OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual: A--L | AA--PV5PD--TK |
| OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual: M--Z | AA--PV5QD--TK |
| OpenVMS System Manager's Manual: Essentials | AA--PV5MD--TK |
| OpenVMS System Manager's Manual: Tuning, Monitoring, and Complex Systems | AA--PV5ND--TK |
| OpenVMS User's Manual | AA--PV5JC--TK |
| OpenVMS Version 7.1 New Features Manual | AA--QSBFB--TE |
| OpenVMS Version 7.1 Release Notes | AA--QSBTB--TE |
| Overview of OpenVMS Documentation | AA--QSBEB--TE |
| TCP/IP Networking on OpenVMS Systems | AA--QJGDB--TE |
| Continuation of Full Documentation Set | |
| Creating an OpenVMS Alpha Device Driver from an OpenVMS VAX Device Driver | AA--R0Y8A--TE |
| DECamds User's Guide | AA--Q3JSC--TE |
| DEC C Run-Time Library Utilities Reference Manual | AA--R238A--TE |
| DEC Text Processing Utility Reference Manual | AA--PWCCB--TE |
| Digital Portable Mathematics Library | AA--PV6VC--TE |
| Extensible Versatile Editor Reference Manual | AA--PWCDB--TE |
| Guide to Creating OpenVMS Modular Procedures | AA--PV6AB--TK |
| Guide to DECthreads | AA--QSBPB--TE |
| Guide to OpenVMS File Applications | AA--PV6PB--TK |
| Guide to the DEC Text Processing Utility | AA--PWCBB--TE |
| Guidelines for OpenVMS Cluster Configurations | AA--Q28LB--TK |
| OpenVMS Alpha Guide to 64-Bit Addressing and VLM Features | AA--QSBCB--TE |
| OpenVMS Alpha Guide to Upgrading Privileged-Code Applications | AA--QSBGB--TE |
| OpenVMS Alpha System Dump Analyzer Utility Manual | AA--PV6UC--TE |
| OpenVMS Calling Standard | AA--QSBBB--TE |
| OpenVMS Cluster Systems | AA--PV5WC--TK |
| OpenVMS Command Definition, Librarian, and Message Utilities Manual | AA--QSBDB--TE |
| OpenVMS Debugger Manual | AA--QSBJB--TE |
| OpenVMS Delta/XDelta Debugger Manual | AA--PWCAB--TE |
| OpenVMS I/O User's Reference Manual | AA--PV6SB--TK |
| OpenVMS Linker Utility Manual | AA--PV6CB--TK |
| OpenVMS Performance Management | AA--R237A--TE |
| OpenVMS Programming Concepts Manual | AA--PV67C--TK |
| OpenVMS Programming Interfaces: Calling a System Routine | AA--PV68B--TK |
| OpenVMS Record Management Services Reference Manual | AA--PV6RB--TK |
| OpenVMS Record Management Utilities Reference Manual | AA--PV6QB--TK |
| OpenVMS RTL General Purpose (OTS$) Manual | AA--PV6HB--TK |
| OpenVMS RTL Library (LIB$) Manual | AA--QSBHB--TE |
| OpenVMS RTL Screen Management (SMG$) Manual | AA--PV6LB--TK |
| OpenVMS RTL String Manipulation (STR$) Manual | AA--PV6MB--TK |
| OpenVMS System Messages: Companion Guide for Help Message Users | AA--PV5TB--TK |
| OpenVMS System Services Reference Manual: A--GETMSG | AA--QSBMB--TE |
| OpenVMS System Services Reference Manual: GETQUI--Z | AA--QSBNB--TE |
| OpenVMS Utility Routines Manual | AA--PV6EC--TK |
| OpenVMS VAX RTL Mathematics (MTH$) Manual | AA--PVXJB--TE |
| OpenVMS VAX System Dump Analyzer Utility Manual | AA--PV6TB--TE |
| POLYCENTER Software Installation Utility Developer's Guide | AA--Q28MB--TK |
| Porting VAX MACRO Code to OpenVMS Alpha | AA--PV64B--TE |
| VAX MACRO and Instruction Set Reference Manual | AA--PS6GB--TE |
| Volume Shadowing for OpenVMS | AA--PVXMD--TE |
| Writing OpenVMS Alpha Device Drivers in C | EY--T133E--DP |
Installation manuals and the OpenVMS License Management Utility Manual are included with your media kit.
OpenVMS Alpha customers receive the OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.1 Upgrade and Installation Manual. This manual contains step-by-step upgrade and installation information as well as device-naming and booting information.
OpenVMS VAX customers receive the OpenVMS VAX Version 7.1 Upgrade and Installation Manual. This manual is your primary source for step-by-step upgrade and installation procedures using the VMSINSTAL utility. In addition to the OpenVMS VAX Version 7.1 Upgrade and Installation Manual, you may receive one or more upgrade and installation supplements with your media kit. These manuals contain information specific to your VAX computer. Use your computer-specific supplement in conjunction with the OpenVMS VAX Version 7.1 Upgrade and Installation Manual when you install or upgrade your system software.
Table 2-2 lists the titles and the order numbers for the upgrade and installation manuals and supplements.
| Manual | Order Number |
|---|---|
| Upgrade and Installation Manuals | |
| OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.1 Upgrade and Installation Manual | AA--QSE8B--TE |
| OpenVMS VAX Version 7.1 Upgrade and Installation Manual | AA--QSBQB--TE |
| OpenVMS License Management Utility Manual | AA--PVXUD--TK |
| Guide to OpenVMS Version 7.1 CD--ROMs | AA--QSBRB--TE |
| Optionally Orderable VAX Upgrade and Installation Supplements | |
| OpenVMS VAX Upgrade and Installation Supplement: VAX 7000 Series and VAX 10000 Series | AA--PVXTA--TE |
| OpenVMS VAX Upgrade and Installation Supplement: VAX 9000 Series | AA--PS6TA--TE |
| OpenVMS VAX Upgrade and Installation Supplement: VAXstation 3100, 4000 and MicroVAX 3100 Series | AA--PS6SA--TE |
| OpenVMS VAX Upgrade and Installation Supplement: VAX 6000 Series | AA--PS6NA--TE |
| VMS Installation and Operations: VAX-11/730 | AA--LB31B--TE |
| OpenVMS VAX Installation and Operations: VAXstation II, II/GPX and MicroVAX II | AA--PS6ZA--TE |
| OpenVMS VAX Upgrade and Installation Supplement: VAXstation 3520, 3540 | AA--PS6LA--TE |
| OpenVMS Upgrade/Installation: VAX 4000 Series, MicroVAX, VAXstation, and VAXserver 32/33/34/35/36/38/3900 Series | AA--PS6RA--TE |
| OpenVMS VAX Upgrade and Installation Supplement: VAXstation 2000, MicroVAX 2000 | AA--PS6YA--TE |
The covers of OpenVMS manuals are color coded to help specific audiences quickly find the documents that meet their needs. The color coding is reinforced with a letter designator on the spines of the documents. Refer to Table 2-3 for manual type, color, and letter designator.
| Manual Type | Cover Color | Letter Designator |
|---|---|---|
| General user | Blue | G |
| System management | Red | S |
| Programming | Green | P |
Some documents in the documentation set help meet the needs of several audiences. Keep this in mind when searching for information on specific topics. See Figure 2-1 for an illustration of the OpenVMS documentation set organized by audience.
Figure 2-1 OpenVMS Documentation Set Organized by Audience
This section contains information about the contents of the OpenVMS Version 7.1 Documentation CD--ROM. Use the following part number if you wish to order the OpenVMS Version 7.1 Documentation CD--ROM: AG--QSBYB--BE.
The Documentation CD--ROM includes HTML, Bookreader, PostScript, and text files. The files are organized in the following directories:
For detailed information about the Documentation CD--ROM, refer to the Guide to OpenVMS Version 7.1 CD--ROMs.
Selected OpenVMS manuals in HTML format are stored in the [HTML] directory.
Use the INDEX.HTM Web page to browse the selected OpenVMS books. You can view these files with any Level 2 Internet browser, but Digital suggests using Netscape Navigator Version 2.01 software. If needed, download the Netscape Navigator from the Internet Product Suite CD--ROM, which is part of your OpenVMS Version 7.1 package.
PostScript (.PS) and text (.TXT) files are stored in the [DOCUMENTATION] and [OVMS_ARCHIVED] directories. The [DOCUMENTATION] directory contains the following files:
The [OVMS_ARCHIVED] directory contains archived manuals in PostScript format.
For more information about the OpenVMS CD--ROM kit and the manuals available on line, refer to the Guide to OpenVMS Version 7.1 CD--ROMs.
The following documentation is in Bookreader format in the [DECW$BOOK] directory:
If you have a workstation and have installed DECwindows Motif software, you can view the manuals in Bookreader format with DECwindows Bookreader.
During installation or upgrade, the DECwindows Motif software automatically creates a library directory for Bookreader on your system disk and defines the logical name DECW$BOOK to refer to this directory. When you start Bookreader, it looks for the library file in the directory defined by DECW$BOOK.
For instructions on reading manuals with DECwindows Bookreader, refer to the Guide to OpenVMS Version 7.1 CD--ROMs.
Volume Shadowing for OpenVMS, RMS Journaling for OpenVMS, and OpenVMS Clusters are System Integrated Products (SIPs). They are included in the OpenVMS software, but you must purchase separate licenses to enable them. The OpenVMS Cluster, DECamds, and Volume Shadowing documentation is included in the OpenVMS Full Documentation Set. RMS Journaling documentation must be purchased separately. Table 2-4 lists the order number for the RMS Journaling manual. See Section A.3 for a description of this manual.
| Title | Order Number |
|---|---|
| RMS Journaling for OpenVMS Manual | AA--JG41C--TE |
The OpenVMS operating system provides online help for the commands, utilities, and system routines documented in the Full Documentation Set.
You can use the Help Message facility to quickly access online descriptions of system messages. In addition, you can add your own source files, such as messages documentation that you have written to the Help Message database. The manual OpenVMS System Messages: Companion Guide for Help Message Users explains how to use the Help Message facility. You can also access DCL Help for Help Message by entering:
$ HELP HELP/MESSAGE
OpenVMS continuously updates, revises, and enhances the OpenVMS operating system information set. Table 3-1 lists the manuals that have been archived since OpenVMS Version 6.2.
Table 3-1 lists the OpenVMS manuals that have been archived. Please note the following:
| Manual | Order Number |
|---|---|
| A Comparison of System Management on OpenVMS AXP and OpenVMS VAX | AA--PV71B--TE |
| Building Dependable Systems: The OpenVMS Approach | AA--PV5YB--TE |
| Creating an OpenVMS AXP Step 2 Device Driver from a Step 1 Device Driver | AA--Q28TA--TE |
| Creating an OpenVMS AXP Step 2 Device Driver from an OpenVMS VAX Device Driver | AA--Q28UA--TE |
| Guide to OpenVMS AXP Performance Management | AA--Q28WA--TE |
| Guide to OpenVMS Performance Management | AA--PV5XA--TE |
| Migrating an Environment from OpenVMS VAX to OpenVMS Alpha | AA--QSBLA--TE |
| Migrating to an OpenVMS AXP System: Planning for Migration | AA--PV62A--TE |
| Migrating to an OpenVMS AXP System: Recompiling and Relinking Applications | AA--PV63A--TE |
| OpenVMS AXP Device Support: Developer's Guide | AA--Q28SA--TE |
| OpenVMS AXP Device Support: Reference | AA--Q28PA--TE |
| OpenVMS Bad Block Locator Utility Manual | AA--PS69A--TE |
| OpenVMS Compatibility Between VAX and Alpha | AA--PYQ4C--TE |
| OpenVMS Developer's Guide to VMSINSTAL | AA--PWBXA--TE |
| OpenVMS DIGITAL Standard Runoff Reference Manual | AA--PS6HA--TE |
| OpenVMS EDT Reference Manual | AA--PS6KA--TE |
| OpenVMS Exchange Utility Manual | AA--PS6AA--TE |
| OpenVMS Glossary | AA--PV5UA--TK |
| OpenVMS National Character Set Utility Manual | AA--PS6FA--TE |
| OpenVMS Obsolete Features Manual | AA--PS6JA--TE |
| OpenVMS Programming Environment Manual | AA--PV66B--TK |
| OpenVMS RTL DECtalk (DTK$) Manual | AA--PS6CA--TE |
| OpenVMS RTL Parallel Processing (PPL$) Manual | AA--PV6JA--TK |
| OpenVMS Software Overview | AA--PVXHB--TE |
| OpenVMS SUMSLP Utility Manual | AA--PS6EA--TE |
| OpenVMS System Messages and Recovery Procedures Reference Manual: A--L | AA--PVXKA--TE |
| OpenVMS System Messages and Recovery Procedures Reference Manual: M--Z | AA--PVXLA--TE |
| OpenVMS Terminal Fallback Utility Manual | AA--PS6BA--TE |
| OpenVMS VAX Card Reader, Line Printer, and LPA11--K I/O User's Reference Manual | AA--PVXGA--TE |
| OpenVMS VAX Device Support Manual | AA--PWC8A--TE |
| OpenVMS VAX Device Support Reference Manual | AA--PWC9A--TE |
| OpenVMS VAX Patch Utility Manual | AA--PS6DA--TE |
| OpenVMS Wide Area Network I/O User's Reference Manual | AA--PWC7A--TE |
| PDP-11 TECO User's Guide ¹ | AA--K420B--TC |
| POLYCENTER Software Installation Utility User's Guide | AA--Q28NA--TK |
Table 3-2 lists installation supplements that have been archived and are no longer available on the OpenVMS kit. However, they can be ordered from DECdirect using the order numbers shown in Table 3-2. These supplements are also available on the Documentation CD--ROM in printable PostScript format. For information about how to print these supplements from the Documentation CD--ROM, see Guide to OpenVMS Version 7.1 CD--ROMs.
| Manual | Order Number |
|---|---|
| OpenVMS VAX Upgrade and Installation Supplement: VAX 8820, 8830, 8840 | AA--PS6MA--TE |
| OpenVMS VAX Upgrade and Installation Supplement: VAX 8200, 8250, 8300, 8350 | AA--PS6PA--TE |
| OpenVMS VAX Upgrade and Installation Supplement: VAX 8530, 8550, 8810 (8700), and 8820--N (8800) | AA--PS6QA--TE |
| OpenVMS VAX Upgrade and Installation Supplement: VAX 8600, 8650 | AA--PS6UA--TE |
| VMS Upgrade and Installation Supplement: VAX-11/780, 785 | AA--LB29B--TE |
| VMS Upgrade and Installation Supplement: VAX-11/750 | AA--LB30B--TE |
This appendix describes each manual in the OpenVMS documentation set. The following table lists the section where the manuals in a specific set are described.
| Descriptions of | See Section |
|---|---|
| Manuals in the OpenVMS Documentation Set | A.1 |
| Manuals in the Media Kit | A.2 |
| System integrated product manual | A.3 |
| Archived manuals | A.4 |
This section provides a description of each manual in the Documentation Set.
Creating an OpenVMS Alpha Device Driver from an OpenVMS VAX Device Driver
4511P.HTM OSSG Documentation 22-NOV-1996 12:55:37.52
Copyright © Digital Equipment Corporation 1996. All Rights Reserved.