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10,7/nettst/nettst.hlp
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1.0 GENERAL OPERATION
1.1 Assembly Instructions
NETTST is built from several files. Before trying to build it, collect
the following files into a single area:
NETTST.MAC This is the main program. It references all the
following files.
TULIP.MAC This assembles into TULIP.UNV, the symbol definition
file for the TULIP IO package (DECUS #10-231). This
version is newer than the DECUS version, which will be
updated sometime. TULIP documentation is not shipped on
the release tape, interested parties should order TULIP
from DECUS.
TULLIB.MAC This is the IO package subroutine library and assembles
into TULLIB.REL.
MACLIB.MAC A collection of IO subroutines not well enough designed
to warrant inclusion with TULLIB. This assembles into
MACLIB.REL.
NETLIB.MAC A collection of subroutines that allow the caller
(NETTST) to symbolically access memory in running DN8x
systems. This assembles into NETUNV.UNV and NETLIB.REL.
DTEPRM.UNV This is a module used in building TOPS-10 monitors and
is needed by NETTST to access the DTE20 communications
area.
Next, assemble all the ancillary stuff:
.COMPILE TULIP,TULLIB,MACLIB,NETLIB
Then load and save NETTST:
.LOAD NETTST
.SAVE NETTST
See the description of the DDT command below for saving NETTST with DDT.
1.2 Restrictions
A few commands make symbolic references to running DN8x systems.
Unfortunately, these require extensions to NETTST, NETLIB, and some
other program that writes symbol table files (probably DDT11). This
probably will not be done for the 6.03A network LIR but hopefully will
be done for 7.01. The commands affected by this restriction are SYMSET,
OCNMON, and SCBMON.
NETTST - A NETWORK TEST PROGRAM V5D(37) Page 2
GENERAL OPERATION
1.3 Command Format
Any reasonable number of commands may be typed on a single line
separated by commas (although spaces sometimes (but not always) work).
Commands will be executed in the order typed.
For example:
Do? ASCOUT:LPT22:, RIPPLE, SPACE, RIPPLE, RELEASE
Do? OCNMON, NDBMON, SCBMON
1.4 Arguments
Commands that take arguments are shown that way below with their default
as the argument. The argument is tacked onto a command with a colon,
commands that take arguments may be typed without them in which case the
last argument used will be the default.
The types of arguments presently used are:
1. File spec
SFD's are not handled, but the NODE_DEV:FILE.EXT construct is.
Furthermore, terminals on network nodes may be specified this
way, something that cannot be done with the monitor assign
command. (E. G. "ENCORE_TTY0:" specifies the console terminal
of node ENCORE.)
2. ON/OFF
3. Decimal numbers (unsigned)
4. Octal numbers (unsigned)
5. SIXBIT strings (6 character max)
2.0 DATA TEST COMMANDS
2.1 Device Specification Commands
1. ASCINP:IN:NETTST.LST
ASCOUT:OUT:NETTST.LST
BININP:IN:NETTST.LST
BINOUT:OUT:NETTST.LST
BYTINP:IN:NETTST.LST
BYTOUT:OUT:NETTST.LST
IMPINP:IN:NETTST.LST
IMPOUT:OUT:NETTST.LST
PIMINP:IN:NETTST.LST
PIMOUT:OUT:NETTST.LST
All these specify the file to access with the following test
NETTST - A NETWORK TEST PROGRAM V5D(37) Page 3
DATA TEST COMMANDS
commands. Only one of these can be in effect at any given
time, issuing a new command will cause the previous file to be
closed and released.
2.2 Test Pattern Commands
1. ONES
ZEROS
These are meant for use with the BININP/BINOUT commands but
will handle ASCII quite nicely also. The pattern used will be
floating ones or floating zeros. These patterns were
originally used to test binary task/task transfers.
2. PERIOD
SPACE
RIPPLE
These are meant for use with the ASCINP/ASCOUT commands but
will also handle binary quite nicely. The patterns used are
strings of period, spaces, or a ripple pattern bracketed with
angle brackets (so you can see where the spaces stopped).
These patterns were orginally used for test LPT compression.
3. LISTEN
This command only works after ASCINP, BININP, or BYTINP. It
will print data from the connection on the terminal (in octal
if used after BININP). It was originally written to see
exactly what an RSX-11M system was sending through the
compatible port.
4. LOOP
This continually repeats the command line until an error occurs
or something is typed on the keyboard. See below under
"Monitoring Commands" for more information.
2.3 Parameter Modifying Commands
1. NUMLIN:130
This specifies the number of messages to be sent or received
per invocation of pattern command.
2. STLEN:1
This specifies the length of data for the first message sent.
3. INCREMENT:1
This specifies the increase in length of each successive
message from the pattern generater.
NETTST - A NETWORK TEST PROGRAM V5D(37) Page 4
DATA TEST COMMANDS
4. PARAMETERS
This prints out the present values of the preceeding three
commands and some (usually wrong) information about the amount
of data that can fit in a buffer. The preceeding three command
also force this command to be executed.
5. BUFFERS:0
This specifies the number of buffers to be used by the data
test commands and must be issued before them. Zero means to
use the system default for the number of buffers.
6. NOECHO
This specifies that devices are to be opened with the IO.SUP
bit (i.e., TTY suppress echo; bit 28) set in the status word.
7. NOFORM
This specifies that devices are to be opened with the IO.SFF
bit (i.e., LPT suppress form feed; bit 29) set in the status
word. For LPT's this means the preceeding and trailing
formfeeds will be suppressed. It also must be issued before a
data test command.
8. ECHO:OFF
When echo is set ON, the next device specification command sets
up the device in modify mode. When the next pattern command is
typed, after each message is received (sent), an echo is sent
(received). This is to check out full duplex TSK's, a task yet
to be done.
9. HASH:OFF
When on, a hash mark (#) will be printed on the terminal after
the transmission of each message to provide visual and audible
(sometimes) feedback that the data is still moving. At the end
of a data pattern command, a CRLF will be output.
10. STATISTICS:OFF
When on, the baud rate of the transfer will be printed for the
data moved for this invocation of a data pattern command. Keep
in mind that this doesn't include parity bits, or TTY's start
and stop bits. If ASYNC:ON is in effect, this will also print
the number of successful and unsuccessful IO instructions.
2.4 Special IO Mode Commands
These commands exercise the extensions to normal buffered mode IO done
in the past several monitor releases. All of these commands are of the
ON/OFF variety and are used to enable or disable the special modes.
When the interrupt and async. IO modes are on, their action cannot
really be appreciated unless HASH is also on.
NETTST - A NETWORK TEST PROGRAM V5D(37) Page 5
DATA TEST COMMANDS
1. ASYNCHRONOUS:OFF
This makes the next device specification command do its OPEN
with the asynchronous IO bit set. Whenever an IN or OUT UUO
gets an error return with no error bits set, NETTST will print
an "A" if in hash mode and then HIBERnate waiting for IO
activity to happen. In case nothing happens, it will wake up
after 10 seconds anyway and try again. This makes it tolerant
of monitor bugs that forget to wake NETTST. See also:
STATISTICS.
2. INTERRUPTS:OFF
When the argument is ON, this turns on the PSI system which is
set up to handle interrupts for the device under test. The
interrupt routine does not materially affect the operation of
the test routines, it merely logs the interrupts if the hash
switch is set. Whenever an interrupt occurs, visual indication
will be given if HASH:ON is in effect. The output based on the
reason bits are:
Output bit meaning
I PS.RID input done
O PS.ROD output done
-EOF- PS.REF end of file
-INPUT ERROR- PS.RIE
-OUTPUT ERROR- PS.ROE
-OFFLINE- PS.RDO
-ONLINE- PS.ROL
All other interrupt conditions are not enabled for but if they
occur they will be marked with a "?".
3. MPX:OFF
When this is set to ON, the next device specification command
will OPEN the MPX device and then connect the test device to
that channel. The special actions of the MPX device
(specifically the storing of the UDX in the buffer header) will
not be checked (after all, this is a network tester, not MSGSER
tester); the goal of this command is to have no effect on the
operation of the test.
2.5 Terminal Commands
1. TTYMAP:ALL
The parameter this takes is either a node name or number or
ALL. It will print a mapping on the TTY between node_line
pairs to TTY numbers. If a node name or number is given, the
mapping will be from line numbers on that node (0 to whatever)
to TTY numbers (356 from 'TTY356'). If the special case of ALL
is typed, then the mapping is from TTY number to node_line
pairs. Note that TTYs PTYs use are include at the high end of
the output.
NETTST - A NETWORK TEST PROGRAM V5D(37) Page 6
DATA TEST COMMANDS
2. SEND:0
This command is a hack command of sorts. The parameter is a
TTY number, every line typed after this command up to an ESCape
will be printed on the TTY specified. I got tired of typing a
lot of .SEND's one night.
3. FOX:
There is no default for this command at first. The parameter
is either a node name or number or a TTY device name. If a
node is used, it will have the same effect as the TTY name for
the terminal on the specified node with the same line number as
the program's job number (That's so I could tell OPSER
'ALL-FOX:FOO'). This will send several lines (set by NUMLIN)
of text to the terminal specified. Last I saw, the TRMOP. I
used to send the data no longer blocked the job which makes it
kind of useless for this application.
4. SPEED:9600
This sets the baud rate to be used in future FOX commands.
Only the output side will be set.
5. FILL:0
This sets the fill class to be used on future FOX commands.
2.6 Monitoring Commands
There are several commands that display useful information from the -10
or -11s. When used with the LOOP command (below) they output data, wait
awhile, output any errors that occurred since last time, wait some more,
etc. Once in a great while, they output all the information in a
summary form.
1. BADMON
This prints out the contents of bad NCL messages as they arrive
in the -10. Most NCL messages are decoded and are printed in a
reasonable form. Take this data with a grain of salt. Race
conditions inherent in any network designed to date make it
possible for almost any message that made sense when it was
transmitted be illegal when it is read.
2. DTE:25316
Someday I'm going to add code to read the symbols contained in
a monitor .EXE file. Until then, this parameter is the address
of the KL10's comm area that is used by all systems with
DTE20's. This command isn't really a monitoring command
because it won't remember to sleep before the next invocation,
but this is a good section to put it. Since it outputs a lot
of data, using the logging facility described below is a good
idea. Therefore, its normal use is to type:
Do? LOG, DTE, ENDLOG
NETTST - A NETWORK TEST PROGRAM V5D(37) Page 7
DATA TEST COMMANDS
3. NDBMON
This is almost an analogue of the SYSDPY T display but is meant
for hardcopy instead of video. It also outputs the queue of
unacknowledged messages for each NDB. Since that information
changes often, it is a good idea to take it with a grain of
salt. If you get the same output twice, it will be valid.
Since detecting errors in this data is not easy, in loop mode
this will print only during the summary times.
4. NETMON
This produces a quicky display of the data stored in the .GTNET
GETTAB table. A better way to see this data is to use the
SYSDPY "\" command. Keep in mind that this data is available
only in systems that have FTCMSR turned on and that the system
is shipped with it turned off.
5. OCNMON
This outputs the DDCMP messages statistics for all -11s in the
network (the LB.OCN/LB.ICN data). Errors are defined to be any
change in the error counts.
6. SCBMON
This is the analogue of the SYSDPY T data from the -11s' point
of view. It outputs the NCL message data for each active SCB
for each -11 from the network. Since detecting errors in this
data is not easy, in loop mode this will print only during the
summary times.
7. SCNMON
This outputs SCNSER statistics since the last execution of the
command or since startup if this is the first time. The items
listed are:
1. RCV - # of receive interrupts
2. XMT - # of transmit done interrupts
3. ECHO - # of characters echoed
4. ACT - # of lines active. Receive active is when there is
input in the buffer and transmit active is when LDLOIP is
set (I think). If both are active, that will increase the
count by 2.
5. SIZE the number of characters SCNSER is willing to buffer
6. BAUD - average baud rate (based on sum of receive and
transmit interrupts). The asterisks following make a
histogram, one per every 500 baud.
8. LOOP
This command makes NETTST constantly repeat the command line
until a fatal error is detected or a character is typed on the
NETTST - A NETWORK TEST PROGRAM V5D(37) Page 8
DATA TEST COMMANDS
TTY. In the case of the monitoring commands, there will be a
sleep between invocations of the command line to keep from
loading the system you're trying to measure. LOOP can also be
used with any other command to repeat it. For example, "LOOP
RIPPLE" sends continuous ripple patterns to the currently open
device or reads and checks them from the current input device.
LOOP alone is not recommended - it gobbles machine time.
9. SLEEP:10000
This specifies the number of milliseconds to sleep before
NETTST repeats the command line when looping.
10. SUMMARY:10
This specifies the number of minutes before a summary printout
is done. Summaries are based on clock time, not the time since
the command was typed, so by using the defaults, summaries
should appear within 10 seconds of the start of each 10 minute
interval during the day.
2.7 Logging Facility
1. LOGFILE:LPT:NETTST.LOG
This specifies the log file that will record output request by
future LOG commands. Special treatment is accorded different
logging devices. Once opened, most devices (LPT, TSK, MTA)
will be left open until explicitly released; however DSK and
TTY will be released before NETTST prompts for a new command
and before the hibernate encountered when looping on a
monitoring command.
2. LOG
The remainder of the output from this command string will be
directed to the log file instead of the TTY.
3. ENDLOG
This releases the logging device if it is still open. (Which
should not be the case if it is a DSK or TTY.)
Typical usage:
Do? LOGF:DSK:
Do? LOG TTYMAP:ALL
Do? LOOP LOG OCNMON, SCBMON, NDBMON
NETTST - A NETWORK TEST PROGRAM V5D(37) Page 9
DATA TEST COMMANDS
2.8 Miscellaneous
1. SYMSET
OCNMON and SCBMON access the -11s in the network symbolically
using symbol tables output by a special version of DDT11. As
versions change, these have to be replaced and that may be done
via this command. Generally what you want to do is:
.RUN NETTST
Do? SYMSET, EXIT
.SSAVE NETTST
2. PAUSE:1000
This pauses the specified amount of time in milliseconds and
may be useful in exercising race conditions. If more than one
PAUSE command is typed on a line, the time spent sleeping will
equal the last value typed on the line, for example
Do? PAUSE:1000, PAUSE:2000
will sleep for two intervals of 2 seconds each. This happens
because NETTST's command decoder evaluates all the arguments
before executing the commands. commands that take values have
only one location dedicated for that value, so in the example
NETTST first stores 1000, then 2000, and then executes the
pause twice, both times with a sleep time of 2 seconds.
3. DDT
If DDT is loaded, this will call it via a "PUSHJ P," type call.
To get back to NETTST, type "CPOPJ$G". Easier though is to do
this patch:
.DEBUG NETTST
NETTST$:
CDDT/POPJ P,
.$B
Then all you have to do to get back is type "$P".
4. HELP
This prints a list of the current commands.
5. EXIT
This closes any open files and returns to the monitor.