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OpenVMS Version 7.1 Release Notes


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To allow broadcasts to OPA0: in the U.S. version of DECwindows Motif Version 1.2--3, edit the file SYS$MANAGER:DECW$PRIVATE_APPS_SETUP.COM (creating it if it does not exist) and add the following global symbol definition:

$ DECW$CONSOLE_SELECTION == "ENABLE" 
Then, restart DECwindows by entering the following command:
$ @SYS$MANAGER:DECW$STARTUP RESTART

On workstation systems, Digital recommends that you set DECW$CONSOLE_SELECTION to WINDOW instead of ENABLE. This setting directs console output to a Console Window application (which is new in DECwindows Motif Version 1.2--3) instead of to the operator window on the graphics screen.


Note

If your workstation uses a Qvision graphics board, you must set DECW$CONSOLE_SELECTION to WINDOW. (See Section 2.10.1.1 for another release note pertaining to Qvision graphics boards.)

If you prefer that console broadcasts not be disabled by default on nonworkstation systems, install the following remedial kits, which ship on the OpenVMS Version 7.1 operating system CD--ROM and are also available from your Digital support representative:

Note that console broadcasts will still be disabled by default on workstations.

2.9.2.4 System Files Purged During Startup

V7.1

In the U.S. version of DECwindows Motif Version 1.2--3, the following DECwindows files are purged each time DECwindows Motif starts:

This problem is corrected in Version 1.2--4. If you are running the U.S. version of DECwindows Motif Version 1.2--3, you can correct this problem by installing the following remedial kits, which ship on the OpenVMS Version 7.1 operating system CD--ROM and are also available from your Digital support representative:

2.9.3 Documentation Changes and Corrections

The following note corrects a file specification in the Getting Started With the New Desktop manual.

2.9.3.1 Getting Started With the New Desktop (Alpha Only)

DECwindows Motif V1.2--4

A file specification for a command procedure in Getting Started With the New Desktop (part number AA-QUW1A-TE) is incorrect. The file specification appears in Section 3.4.9, paragraph 5, as follows:

"Optional DECwindows applications, such as DECwindows Notes, may not provide any information and therefore are not restarted. For such cases, there is a command procedure called disk$:[user.DT]SESSIONETC.COM that you can use to start any applications that cannot be restarted automatically. This procedure is analogous to the DECW$LOGIN.COM procedure in the traditional DECwindows environment."

The correct file specification is:

disk$:[user.DT.SESSIONS]SESSIONETC.COM  

2.10 DECwindows X11 Display Server (Alpha Only)

This section contains release notes pertaining to the DECwindows X11 display server for OpenVMS Alpha systems.

2.10.1 Changes and Enhancements

The following note describes a change in behavior on the DECwindows X11 display server.

2.10.1.1 Ctrl/F2 Behavior Change

V7.1

Starting with OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.1, you can no longer press Ctrl/F2 to switch from windows mode to console mode if your workstation or server contains one of these Qvision graphics boards:

This behavior has always been true for the S3 Trio64 graphics board (PB2GA--JA/JB).

Support for the operator console is now provided using a Motif-based window option that is enabled during DECwindows startup. For details, see Section 2.9.2.3.

Note that you can still use Ctrl/F2 to switch from console mode to windows mode.

2.10.2 Problems and Restrictions

The following note describes a restriction for the DECwindows X11 display server.

2.10.2.1 Graphics Boards Support for Release 6

V7.1

You must install Digital Open3D Version 4.1 for OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.1 in order to support the following types of graphics boards:

The Digital Open3D product also provides the following 3D extensions: OpenGL, PEX, and PCM.

2.11 Digital Distributed Computing Environment (DCE) for OpenVMS

This section contains release notes pertaining to the layered product, Digital Distributed Computing Environment (DCE) for OpenVMS VAX and OpenVMS Alpha.

2.11.1 Problems and Restrictions

The following sections describe problems and restrictions associated with DCE.

2.11.1.1 DCE and Digital TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS Version 4.1

V7.1

Attempts to start DCE on OpenVMS systems running Digital TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS Version 4.1 can result in system crashes. Before you start DCE on a system running TCP/IP, install the TCP/IP mandatory update that is included on the OpenVMS VAX and OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.1 operating system CD--ROMs.


Caution

Do not start DCE on an OpenVMS Version 7.1 system running Digital TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS until you install the mandatory update for Version 4.1 of Digital TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS.

2.11.1.2 Support Restrictions

V7.1

To use Digital DCE for OpenVMS with OpenVMS Version 7.1, you must upgrade Digital DCE for OpenVMS to Version 1.4.

On Alpha systems, Digital DCE for OpenVMS Version 1.4 does not support multiple kernel threads.

2.12 POSIX for OpenVMS

This section contains release notes about POSIX for OpenVMS.

2.12.1 Problems and Restrictions

The following note describes a support restriction for POSIX for OpenVMS.

2.12.1.1 POSIX for OpenVMS Version 2.0 Is Not Supported

V7.0

POSIX for OpenVMS Version 2.0 is not supported on OpenVMS VAX and OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.0 and later. To use the POSIX interface on OpenVMS Version 7.0 or later, you must install POSIX for OpenVMS Version 3.0.


Caution

Do not try to start up POSIX for OpenVMS Version 2.0 on an OpenVMS VAX Version 7.0 or later system. Your system will crash.

2.13 Wind/U Products for OpenVMS

V7.1

Bristol Technology's Wind/U products are used by independent software vendors (ISVs) and developers to create Windows-based applications that can be deployed across multiple computing environments.

Bristol Technology's Wind/U Run-Time Library for OpenVMS is distributed with the OpenVMS Version 7.1 kit. However, you must directly contact Bristol Technology for the Wind/U Developer's Kit as well as for licenses and support for both the Run-Time Library and the Developer's Kit.

To obtain your product authorization key (PAK) to access Wind/U for OpenVMS, contact Bristol Technology as follows:

For more information about Wind/U for OpenVMS, access the Bristol Technology web site:

http://www.bristol.com. 


Chapter 3
General User Release Notes

This chapter provides information for all users of the OpenVMS operating system. It includes information about commonly used commands and utilities.

For information about new features included in this version of the software, refer to the OpenVMS Version 7.1 New Features Manual.

3.1 DCL Commands

This section contains release notes related to the DIGITAL Command Language (DCL) for this release of the OpenVMS operating system.

3.1.1 Changes and Enhancements

See Section 4.18.1.2 for a change in output displayed by the DIRECTORY/SECURITY and DIRECTORY/FULL commands.

3.1.2 Problems and Restrictions

The note in this section describes a restriction pertaining to DCL commands.

3.1.2.1 SET PROCESS/NOAUTO_UNSHELVE Command in Cluster Environment

V6.1

The DCL command SET PROCESS/NOAUTO_UNSHELVE does not support operations across the cluster. It can be issued only for a process on the same node, including as the default case, the process from which the command is issued.

The /IDENTIFICATION=pid qualifier is supported, but only when the target process is on the same node as the process where the command is issued.

3.2 DECTPU

This section contains release notes pertaining to the DEC Text Processing Utility (DECTPU).

3.2.1 Problems and Restrictions

The note in this section describes a DECTPU problem.

3.2.1.1 Motif Widget Context Help Built-In

V1.0

The following built-in, which should enter Motif context-sensitive help mode, is disabled because of a problem in the Motif toolkit:

SET (WIDGET_CONTEXT_HELP, widget_variable, {on|1|off|0}) 

The mouse pointer changes to a question mark, and DECTPU waits for you to select a widget by clicking MB1. DECTPU then executes the help callback of the selected widget (or of its parent if the selected widget has no help callback). The widget_variable is the widget within which the modal help interaction will occur, usually the top-level widget returned from the GET_INFO (SCREEN, "widget") built-in. The last parameter confines the question mark pointer to the specified widget if ON or 1, and does not confine the pointer if OFF or 0.

3.3 High-Performance Sort/Merge Utility (Alpha Only)

This section contains release notes pertaining to the command line interface and the callable interface (SOR routines) of the OpenVMS Alpha high-performance Sort/Merge utility. This information is of interest to both general users and programmers.

For more information about using the OpenVMS Alpha high-performance Sort/Merge utility, refer to the OpenVMS User's Manual and the OpenVMS Utility Routines Manual.

3.3.1 Problems and Restrictions

This section describes problems associated with using the command line interface and the SOR routines of the high-performance Sort/Merge utility.

3.3.1.1 Secondary Error Messages Not Displayed

V7.0

Unlike the Sort/Merge utility, error messages generated by the high-performance Sort/Merge utility do not include secondary error messages from RMS or other facilities. For example, the Sort/Merge utility displays a secondary RMS message with the following SORT message:

%SORT-F-OPENOUT, error opening EXAMPLE.DAT as output 
-RMS-E-FLK, file currently locked by another user 

Under the same conditions, the high-performance Sort/Merge utility displays only the SORT message.

This difference in behavior will be fixed in a future release.

3.3.1.2 Concurrent Sort Operations

V7.0

Memory allocation differences may limit the high-performance Sort/Merge utility's ability to perform the same number of concurrent sort operations as the Sort/Merge utility can perform in the same amount of virtual memory.

If this situation occurs, you can either increase the amount of virtual memory that is available to the process, or reduce the working set extent.

3.3.1.3 Merging Stream Files Limitation

V7.0

When the high-performance Sort/Merge utility is used to merge stream files, the end-of-file is not written correctly for the output stream file. To work around this limitation, explicitly specify the format of the output file as fixed or variable:

If you want the output file in stream format, use the RMS Convert utility to convert the output file from fixed or variable record format to stream format.

This limitation will be removed in a future release.

3.3.2 Corrections

This section describes problems that have been fixed in the command line interface and the SOR routines of the high-performance Sort/Merge utility in OpenVMS Version 7.1.

3.3.2.1 Default File Specification

V7.1

In OpenVMS Version 7.0, the high-performance Sort/Merge utility required the user to explicitly specify the output file extension. This behavior differed from the Sort/Merge utility, which takes the default output file extension from the first input file (when there is a user-specified input file).

This problem has been corrected in OpenVMS Version 7.1; you no longer need to explicitly specify the output file extension when using the high-performance Sort/Merge utility.

3.4 Online Help

This section contains release notes pertaining to online help.

3.4.1 Changes and Enhancements

This section describes changes to online help.

3.4.1.1 Topic Name Changes

V7.1

The titles of several help topics have been changed to promote usability. The content of these help topics is comparable to the content in previous releases. Changes affect the following topics:
Old Topic Title New Topic Title Contents
System_Files Sys_Files Describes content of system files.
Specify DCL_Tips Describes syntax conventions for DCL commands.

3.5 Point-to-Point Protocol Utility (Alpha Only)

This section contains release notes pertaining to the Point-to-Point Protocol utility (PPPD) on OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.1 systems.

3.5.1 Problems and Restrictions

The following note outlines TCP/IP requirements for using the Point-to-Point Protocol utility on OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.1 systems.

3.5.1.1 Internet Protocol Callback Images Requirement

V7.1

The Point-to-Point Protocol utility (PPPD) included with OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.1 provides point-to-point networking capability to the base operating system. However, for this utility to be fully functional, your current TCP/IP vendor must also develop and integrate the appropriate callback images into their Internet Protocol (IP) stack.

The Digital TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS team is currently integrating these images into the next version of their product. Digital is also working in tandem with our third-party TCP/IP vendors to provide this functionality; contact your individual TCP/IP vendor for more details.

If you receive the following error message while using PPPD, contact your system manager to verify whether PPPD is currently functional on your OpenVMS system.

%PPPD-E-NOTREG, network protocol has not been registered 

For more information about the callback images, refer to the following files:

For information about PPPD, see the TCP/IP Networking on OpenVMS Systems manual.


Chapter 4
System Management Release Notes

This chapter contains information that applies to system maintenance and management, performance management, and networking.

For information about new features included in this version of the software, refer to the OpenVMS Version 7.1 New Features Manual.

4.1 Alpha System Dump Analyzer (SDA)

The following release notes pertain to the Alpha System Dump Analyzer (SDA).

4.1.1 Corrections

The following note describes a correction to Alpha SDA.

4.1.1.1 SHOW POOL/RING_BUFFER Command Now Displays Large Pool Packets

V7.1

The SHOW POOL/RING_BUFFER command now correctly displays pool packets whose size exceeds 65535 bytes.

For more detailed information, see the OpenVMS Alpha System Dump Analyzer Utility Manual.

4.2 AUTOGEN Command Procedure

This section contains release notes pertaining to the AUTOGEN command procedure.

4.2.1 Changes and Enhancements

This section describes changes and enhancements to AUTOGEN on OpenVMS systems.

4.2.1.1 NPAGEDYN and NPAGEVIR Limitations and Warnings (VAX Only)

V7.0

For the benefit of OpenVMS VAX systems with limited physical memory, AUTOGEN logs a warning message in its report if NPAGEDYN exceeds 10 percent of physical memory or if NPAGEVIR exceeds 33 percent of physical memory.

AUTOGEN also limits its own calculated value for NPAGEDYN to 20 percent of physical memory, and limits NPAGEVIR to 50 percent of physical memory. These calculated values are adequate for most workstations and systems with 16 or fewer megabytes of physical memory. If your system requires a larger value, you can override the AUTOGEN calculated values by setting higher values in MODPARAMS.DAT.

4.2.1.2 Calculating the Page File Size (Alpha Only)

V7.0

On OpenVMS Alpha systems, the formula for calculating the size of page file space has changed. For details about calculating the size of page file space, refer to the OpenVMS System Manager's Manual.

4.2.1.3 WSMAX Calculations

V7.0

Starting with OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.0 and OpenVMS VAX Version 6.2, the calculation of WSMAX is no longer linear but resembles a logarithmic curve. Instead of calculating WSMAX as being a quarter of the size of physical memory, it is now calculated as a quarter of the first 32 MB, plus a sixteenth of the memory from 32 to 256 MB, plus a sixty-fourth of the memory (if any) above 256 MB.

This is intended to assist managers of systems that host large numbers of users whose working sets are not large. Systems whose user bases consist of a small number of users (or processes) that require large amounts of physical memory (for example, simulations) might need to set MIN_WSMAX to a value that satisfies the requirements of those processes.

4.3 Backup Utility

Release notes in this section pertain to the Backup utility (BACKUP).

4.3.1 Changes and Enhancements

The note in this section describes a change in behavior.

4.3.1.1 /SINCE Qualifier Behavior Change

V7.1

With OpenVMS Version 6.2, the Backup utility was changed so that specifying the /SINCE qualifier caused more files to be saved than in previous releases. This change was made to ensure the integrity of the contents of incremental save sets.

For users who prefer the pre-Version 6.2 behavior when performing Backup operations that use the /SINCE qualifier, Version 7.1 includes a workaround, as shown in the following example:

$ CREATE/NAME_TABLE BACKUP$BTE
$ DEFINE/TABLE=BACKUP$BTE BACKUP$BTE_DISABLE_SAVE_ALL_DIR " "

The first command creates a table called BACKUP$BTE. The second command inserts the logical name BACKUP$BTE_DISABLE_SAVE_ALL_DIR into the table. This logical invokes the pre-Version 6.2 behavior for all Backup sessions in that process that use the /SINCE qualifier on any operation.

This temporary workaround will be replaced by a new qualifier in a future release.

4.3.2 Problems and Restrictions

This section describes known problems and restrictions for the Backup utility.

4.3.2.1 /IMAGE and /ALIAS Qualifiers

V7.1

Specifying the /IMAGE qualifier without also specifying /NOALIAS can result in incomplete disk or file restoration operations. Therefore, Digital strongly recommends that you specify /NOALIAS with /IMAGE when performing image mode backup operations.


Note

If you do not specify /NOALIAS, the /ALIAS qualifier is activated by default.

When a save set is created using /IMAGE and /ALIAS (explicitly or by default) in OpenVMS Versions 6.2 and 7.0, Backup saves only one copy of a file: either the alias file entry or the primary file entry. If the primary file entry is not saved in the save set, subsequent restore operations for this save set would restore the file using its alias entry, causing the file header of the created file to contain the wrong file name.

If you use /NOALIAS to restore a volume from a save set created using /ALIAS in Version 6.2 or 7.0, the volume might be incompletely restored. If Backup previously saved alias file entries instead of primary file entries, the alias file entries would be omitted from a volume restored using /NOALIAS.

To safely restore a save set created using /ALIAS in Version 6.2 or 7.0, use the following procedure:

  1. Restore the save set using the /IMAGE and /ALIAS qualifiers.
  2. Correct file entries by renaming the offending files, as shown in the following example:
    $ RENAME DISK:[000000]VMS$COMMON.DIR DISK:[000000]SYSCOMMON.DIR 
    $ RENAME DISK:[000000]SYSCOMMON.DIR DISK:[000000]VMS$COMMON.DIR 
    

    In this example, VMS$COMMON.DIR is the primary file entry and SYSCOMMON.DIR is the alias file entry.

Starting with OpenVMS Version 7.1, if you specify /IMAGE without /NOALIAS, Backup saves both the primary and alias file entries.

4.3.2.2 /VERIFY Qualifier

V7.1

Disk-to-disk copy operations initiated using the /VERIFY qualifier may attempt to verify files that are not copied. For example, if an error prevents you from successfully copying a file from one disk to another location and you specified the /VERIFY qualifier for that operation, the system displays two error messages: one indicating that the file was not copied and another indicating that the file was not verified.

4.3.2.3 /ENCRYPTION Qualifier Not Supported (Alpha Only)

V7.1

Use of the /ENCRYPTION qualifier is not supported on OpenVMS Alpha systems. This problem will be addressed in a future release.

4.3.2.4 MOUNT Messages When Backing Up Tapes

V7.1

The MOUNT utility generates VOLINV messages on continuation tape volumes during backups when you use devices that have loaders or when the stackers or loaders become empty. Following is an example of the messages displayed during a BACKUP/NOASSIST operation:

%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, ABCD03 mounted on _$4$MUA3: (HSC70) 
%BACKUP-I-RESUME, resuming operation on volume 4 
%MOUNT-F-VOLINV, volume is not software enabled 
%BACKUP-I-READYWRITE, mount volume 4 on _$4$MUA3: for writing 
Enter "YES" when ready: yes 
%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, ABCD04 mounted on _$4$MUA3: (HSC70) 

Once the devices are put back on line or the media is made ready, the backup session continues or finishes as expected. This problem will be addressed in a future release.

4.3.2.5 FILES--11 Mounted Tapes

V7.1

When tapes are mounted in FILES--11 mode, Backup outputs an ACCVIO message on a write operation or reports "file not found" on a READ operation instead of reporting a fatal error message stating that a FOREIGN mounted tape volume is required. Following is an example of the messages displayed during a BACKUP/LIST operation:

%BACKUP-F-OPENIN, error opening $4$MUA3:[TEST].; as input 
-RMS-E-FNF, file not found 

This problem will be addressed in a future release.

4.3.2.6 Image Backups from an RF73 Disk

V6.1

When performing an image backup from an RF73 disk (or a disk with a cluster size of 4 blocks) to an RF74 disk (or a disk with a cluster size of 7 blocks), the Backup utility does not check the file size when it is allocating space for the file being copied. Therefore, if the file has an allocation greater than the value of the CLUSTER_SIZE attribute established during initialization, the Backup utility will allocate one more cluster size number of blocks to the allocation size even though the actual file size is less than the cluster size. For example, during an image backup, a file that uses 6 blocks and is allocated 8 blocks (which displays as 6/8 on the screen if you enter a DIRECTORY/SIZE=ALL command) shows an increase in its allocation size to 14, instead of 7, after it is copied to the target disk.

As a result of this problem, the following files are copied to the image system disk with a blocks used/allocation size of 6/14 blocks:

This incorrect allocation size causes standalone BACKUP to fail on the booted image system disk.

To correct this problem, recopy the two previously listed files to the same directory after the image backup, by using the following command (which also specifies the correct allocation size):

$ COPY/ALLOCATION=7 SYS$COMMON:[SYS$LDR]LIDRIVER.EXE SYS$COMMON:[SYS$LDR]
$ COPY/ALLOCATION=7 SYS$COMMON:[SYS$LDR]LPDRIVER.EXE SYS$COMMON:[SYS$LDR]

4.4 Debugger

This section describes system management release notes for the OpenVMS Debugger. Debugger programming release notes are in Section 5.3.

4.4.1 Problems and Restrictions

The following note describes a restriction when using the OpenVMS Debugger.

4.4.1.1 Displaying a Debug Session from a Personal Computer (PC)

V7.0

Although displaying a debug session from a PC is not officially supported or tested at this time, many users have reported successful results when using the following configurations:


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