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Trailing-Edge - PDP-10 Archives - BB-J724B-SM_1982 - documentation/ibmcom.doc
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IBMCOM.DOC -- Changes in this release                     Page 1
December 1982


         COPYRIGHT (C) DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION 1982

     THIS SOFTWARE IS FURNISHED UNDER A LICENSE AND MAY  BE  USED
     AND COPIED ONLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF SUCH LICENSE
     AND WITH THE INCLUSION OF THE ABOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICE.   THIS
     SOFTWARE  OR ANY OTHER COPIES THEREOF MAY NOT BE PROVIDED OR
     OTHERWISE MADE AVAILABLE TO ANY OTHER PERSON.  NO  TITLE  TO
     AND OWNERSHIP OF THE SOFTWARE IS HEREBY TRANSFERRED.

     THE INFORMATION  IN  THIS  SOFTWARE  IS  SUBJECT  TO  CHANGE
     WITHOUT  NOTICE  AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT
     BY DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION.

     DIGITAL ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE USE OR RELIABILITY
     OF  ITS  SOFTWARE  ON  EQUIPMENT  WHICH  IS  NOT SUPPLIED BY
     DIGITAL.
IBMCOM.DOC -- Changes in this release                     Page 2
PRODUCTS INVOLVED


1.0  PRODUCTS INVOLVED

This .DOC file covers the following three products.  The version
numbers listed below are the version numbers of this maintenance
release.

      -  TOPS-20 2780/3780 ET v2.1

      -  TOPS-20 2780/3780/HASP v1.1

      -  TOPS-20 2780/3780/HASP for the 2020 v1.1




2.0  SUMMARY


These are sold as three separate products.  Since many of  their
components are identical, this .DOC file will refer to all three
products as "the product" except where otherwise indicated.

This product is considered a maintenance release, and, as  such,
it  contains  the  fixes to problems written and published since
the release of the  current  field  image  product.   All  known
problems  with  the  field  image  product  are  solved  in this
maintenance  release.   In  addition  to  previously   published
patches,  this  product  contains  some new functionality, and a
generally tightened up and  improved  version  of  the  existing
functionality.  The following list details the changes.

GALAXY version 4.2 is required for this product.  For a KS,  the
required  TOPS-20  MONITOR  version  is  4.1 or later.  For a KL
Model B, the required TOPS-20 MONITOR version is 5.1  or  later.
This product is not supported for KL Model As.

The  2780/3780  mode  of  the  KL  product  supports  up  to   6
synchronous  lines.  When using the HASP mode of the KL product,
a maximum of 4 lines is supported, of which only 2 can  use  the
HASP  protocol.  The TOPS-20 2780/3780/HASP product for the 2020
supports 1 synchronous line.





3.0  NEW FUNCTIONS/FEATURES



     1.  The new IBMSPL writes Usage Accounting records.
IBMCOM.DOC -- Changes in this release                     Page 3
NEW FUNCTIONS/FEATURES


     2.  The new product uses the PROTOTYPE node  functionality.
         The  PROTOTYPE  node  is  used  in  termination mode to
         DEFINE, SET, and START  a  port/line  combination  over
         which  any  number of remote stations with the same SET
         features may  communicate.   Only  one  of  these  many
         remote  stations  may  communicate  over  the PROTOTYPE
         port/line combination at any one time.  The benefit  of
         this  feature  is that for remote stations with similar
         characteristics, the operator does not have  to  DEFINE
         and  START  multiple  termination  nodes.   In fact, no
         TOPS-20 operator intervention is needed  to  start  any
         physical   termination  node,  once  the  corresponding
         PROTOTYPE node has been STARTed.  The way in which  the
         actual  termination  nodes are recognized by the -20 is
         through the presence  of  their  nodenames  and  signon
         information  within  the  PROTOTYPE node's signon file.
         Status  and  parameter  perusal   within   OPR   yields
         information  on  both the PROTOTYPE node and the actual
         node(s).  Only actual nodes can have a card reader  and
         line  printer.  When using the SHUTDOWN command to OPR,
         it  is  wise  to  remember  that  one  can  shut   down
         scheduling  for  an actual termination node, or one can
         shut down a line by issuing the  SHUTDOWN  command  for
         the PROTOTYPE node.

     3.  Each available IBMcomm  product  includes  a  debugging
         front  end  that  can  be  loaded to allow easier error
         analysis.





4.0  NAME CHANGES



     1.  There are a number of module name changes.   One  is  a
         change  in  the  name  of  the hardware diagnostic from
         CHK11 to CHK60.  They are substantially the same.   The
         name  change is meant to reflect the difference between
         the CHK11 used by the IBMcomm product and those used by
         other -20 products.  Another module name change is from
         DDT60 to DDT11.  The form and effect of this change  is
         just  the  opposite of the CHK60 change.  An effort was
         made to align the DDT used with  this  product  with  a
         standard  and  quite  powerful DDT11, rather than using
         the old DN60-specific hybrid DDT.

     2.  Be aware that the tape contains files  whose  filenames
         may   seem   foreign.   Front  end  source  and  binary
         filenames were changed in some cases to better  reflect
         their  contents.   Where it made more sense, some files
         were combined;  still others were divided in two.
IBMCOM.DOC -- Changes in this release                     Page 4
NAME CHANGES


     3.  Under the previous version of this software, a  holding
         area   of   PS:<DN60>  was  required.   Under  the  new
         software, the logical name  D60:   should  be  defined.
         The  actual  structure and directory used is then up to
         the user.  This area is used as a default holding  area
         for  print  files  returning from an IBM host, and as a
         storage area for signon and signoff files.

     4.  Under the field image version of the product, a  module
         named  IBMCON  existed  to  perform those error logging
         functions that had then  been  decoupled  from  SYSERR.
         Under  the  new version of the product, those functions
         are again incorporated into SYSERR/SPEAR, and IBMCON no
         longer  exists  as  a  separate module.  D60JSY handles
         SYSERR interfacing.





5.0  IMPROVEMENTS/FIXES



     1.  Improvements were made to the scheduler to solve timing
         problems  and  to make that loop tighter.  Improvements
         were made  to  the  front  end  and  to  the  emulation
         spooler,   IBMSPL.    Thus,   substantial   performance
         improvements  over  the  existing  product  should   be
         noticed in both emulation and termination modes.

     2.  There have been improvements made to the abort handling
         code to assure that aborts are dealt with smoothly.

     3.  The disposition switches used  in  emulation  mode  now
         work as documented.

     4.  In line with the PROTOTYPE node  for  termination,  the
         five  minute  window  for  connecting to another system
         after STARTing up scheduling no  longer  exists.   That
         timeout was also eliminated for emulation connections.

     5.  More descriptive error messages have been added to this
         product.    Error  messages  are  communicated  to  the
         operator through OPR.  The messages themselves may come
         from  one  of  a number of components of or relating to
         the  IBMcomm  product.   That  is,  the  messages   may
         originate  in  the  IBMcomm  software  itself or in the
         TOPS-20  GALAXY  system.   The  documentation  on  such
         messages  is  very  informative.  It includes a further
         interpretation of the message, as well  as  the  proper
         steps to take to recover from the error.
IBMCOM.DOC -- Changes in this release                     Page 5
IMPROVEMENTS/FIXES


     6.  The documentation for this product has been  completely
         rewritten  and  updated.  The number of the new TOPS-20
         IBM EMULATION/TERMINATION MANUAL is AA-5095C-TM.

     7.  For KS customers only:  there is a W5 jumper that  must
         be  installed  on  the  DUPs  of the DN22.  This jumper
         helps assure correct operation of  the  DN22.   Contact
         field  service if the status of this jumper is wrong or
         unknown.




6.0  DOCUMENTATION

The following manual has been updated to reflect changes in this
release:

TOPS-20 IBM Emulation/Termination



7.0  DEPENDENCIES

This release requires GALAXY V4.2.  For KL  Model  B  customers,
TOPS-20  V5.1  or  later is required.  For KS customers, TOPS-20
V4.1 or later is required.  This product is not supported for KL
Model As.



8.0  INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

Before installing this software, be sure to read the  .BWR  file
and   the   installation   instructions   in   the  TOPS-20  IBM
EMULATION/TERMINATION MANUAL.

[End of DOC file]