Trailing-Edge
-
PDP-10 Archives
-
bb-x130a-sb
-
micimg.doc
There are 4 other files named micimg.doc in the archive. Click here to see a list.
UNIVERSITY OF YORK
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
MIC
Installation and Maintenance Guide
Edition 1.4
(Version 11C(1223) of MIC)
April 1983
Author: J D Service
This document is an attempt to describe how a
systems programmer may maintain the MIC
program and tailor it to local requirements.
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
MIC the Macro Interpreted Command system for the DECsystem-10 was written
at the Hatfield Polytechnic from 1972 onwards by Pete Henry, Fred Brown and
latterly myself.
The MIC package was originally distributed by the Hatfield Polytechnic but
with the 6.03 release of TOPS-10 the monitor support for MIC was included
in the standard monitor and the current version of MIC and its
documentation was included on the monitor tape. Though the monitor code
was now supported by DEC the MIC program was not. It was given Category C
support and has been supported in an ad hoc fashion by me.
With the 7.01 release of TOPS-10 MIC and the MIC documentation was released
with the monitor and both these and the monitor code were roughly correct.
Some errors existed in the monitor code and corrections to these have now
been published in SPR's.
CHAPTER 2
TAILORING MIC TO YOUR REQUIREMENTS
MIC is a very complex piece of software which has gone through many
iterations and can now exist in several forms. In order that some
maintenance is possible all the relevant code is defined in feature tests
and an installation is required to set these to their own requirements.
Note:- Anyone adding enhancements to MIC is advised to include the
enhancements in a new feature test as it makes updating the source
so much easier, and if the enhancement is a good one why not tell
me.
2.1 MIC FEATURE TESTS
This section describes all the MIC feature tests and options that may be
used to tailor MIC. As all of these feature tests are defined using IFNDEF
conditionals, a simple way to redefine them is to create yourself a
MICPRM.MAC file which simply contains your settings of these feature tests.
Then simply assemble the MICPRM.MAC file immediately before MIC.MAC.
The following sections are titled as
Feature name - short description - default value
2.1.1 FTMBCH - MIC BATCH - OFF
This feature test controls the code to allow MIC to support the MIC BATCH
system. This system, which was written at Hatfield, uses MIC as its BATCON
equivalent and supports such features as user definable dollar cards in
SPRINT MIC BATCH which is described in the Proceedings of the 1976 DECUS
Europe Symposium.
TAILORING MIC TO YOUR REQUIREMENTS Page 2-2
2.1.2 FTCOSMIC - COSMIC-10 BATCH - OFF
The later version of MIC BATCH.
2.1.3 FTCJOB - COJOBS - ON
Include support for COJOBS, the MIC concurrent job facility.
2.1.4 FTGALA - GALAXY MODS - ON
Include support for COJOBS under GALAXY as opposed to MPB.
2.1.5 FTSUPR - Supervision Libraries - ON
When MIC cannot find a MACRO file on your disk area, it searches your
supervisory area [Your Project,1] for the Macro before searching ersatz
device MIC.
2.1.6 FTMSFD - MIC SFD - ON
When MIC cannot find a MACRO file on your disk area it searches your MIC
SFD [Your PPN,MIC] before searching your supervisory area or ersatz device
MIC.
2.1.7 FTOPR - MIC OPR Command - OFF
Use MIC to send messages to the system operator, never used.
2.1.8 FTPSI - Software Interrupts - ON
Use the software interrupt system to trap errors, clean up, and restart
MIC.
2.1.9 FTPATH - Path Support - ON
Support for SFD's.
TAILORING MIC TO YOUR REQUIREMENTS Page 2-3
2.1.10 FTDDT - Debugging Support - OFF
Enables the user to build a debugging version of MIC, see next chapter.
2.1.11 FTHATF - Hatfield Features - OFF
Include options peculiar to Hatfield.
2.1.12 FTBHIV - Beehive Terminal - OFF
Include support for flashy Beehive VDU used as CTY at Hatfield - gives
fancy STATUS output.
2.1.13 FTCASE - Inverted Case - OFF
Change the default of MIC SET LC to be MIC SET NO LC, and include the MIC
SET CASE command.
2.1.14 SFDLVL - Sub File Nesting - 6
This parameter controls the maximum level of nesting of Sub File
Directories. This requires FTPATH to be on.
2.1.15 IMXLVL - Nesting of Processes - 25
This parameter controls the maximum level of nesting of MIC processes. The
value may be changed dynamically by the operators using a "MIC SET MAXLVL
n" command.
2.1.16 ICJREQ - Cojobs Required - 4
This parameter defines the maximum number of COJOBS available when MIC
starts running. This value may be changed dynamically by the operators
using a "MIC SET CJREQ n" command.
2.1.17 FTOALT - Old Style Altmodes - OFF
MIC used to recognise the three altmodes 31 octal, 175 octal and 176 octal,
which was annoying as the Scandinavian character set used 175 and 176 as
special characters. This code has now been turned off by this feature
test.
TAILORING MIC TO YOUR REQUIREMENTS Page 2-4
2.1.18 FTCLASS - Class Schedular Stuff - OFF
Include the code that allows a switch to the COJOB command to select which
class the COJOB will run in.
2.1.19 FTCHARGE - Charge Accounting Stuff - OFF
Include code for charge accounting just for DEC-ISG.
2.1.20 FTTASK - More Account Stuff - OFF
As FTCHARGE.
2.1.21 FTTSG - TSG Hacks - OFF
Include some DEC-ISG special features.
2.1.22 FTNIH - NIH Features - OFF
This feature test is used to define some special bits and pieces from the
use of the US National Institutes of Health.
CHAPTER 3
DEBUGGING MIC WITH DDT
This chapter describes how to build a single user version of MIC which has
DDT loaded and which can be used under timesharing without affecting the
system version of MIC.
3.1 ASSEMBLING SINGLE USER MIC
MIC must be re-assembled if it is intended to load it with DDT, and the
feature test FTDDT must be turned on. There is no need to edit MIC to do
this as FTDDT is set to zero using an IFNDEF. Therefore a way to assemble
MIC is:-
.R MACRO
*MIC, MIC/CRF = TTY:, DSK:MIC.MAC
FTDDT == -1
^Z
^Z
Obviously the FTDDT could be put in a file or possibly a MIC macro could be
used.
3.2 LOADING MIC WITH DDT
As both the high and low segments of MIC are dynamic we must link MIC with
DDT in such a way that DDT and the SYMBOL table are loaded before MIC, and
that both are in the high segment.
The way to do this is:-
.R LINK
*/SYMSEG:HIGH
*/DEBUG
*/PATCHSIZE:7000
*MIC.REL
*/GO
^Z
.SSAVE MIC ; (NB Name must be MIC!!)
DEBUGGING MIC WITH DDT Page 3-2
3.3 RUNNING MIC WITH DDT
The MIC you have now created may be run for a single PPN by the following
technique
.R SETSRC
*SYS
*^Z
.ASSIGN DSK SYS
.R MIC ; this will run your MIC
This procedure defines your disk area as SYS and adds real SYS as an area
to be searched if it cannot find any programs on your disk area.
The copy of MIC that you have now started will remain attached to your TTY
and any operator messages which this MIC may need to output will be
directed to your TTY.
3.4 TESTING MIC FILES
To run MIC files under your single user version of MIC, log in on another
terminal and:-
.R SETSRC
*SYS
*^Z
.ASSIGN DSK SYS
Any MIC files you now run will use the special MIC, not the system version
and as your terminals are, hopefully, side-by-side you may debug MIC.
Note:- It is very easy to get confused which MIC you are running under so
it is always as well to change the version number of MIC and check
it by
.MIC ; no argument necessary
.VERSION
Another useful check is to use the "MIC STATUS" command to type out
the status of the MIC that you are associated with - this types out
a helpful text to indicate that it is running with DDT. I always
make sure that a file MIC:MIC.MIC exists which contains simply:-
.VERSION
.MIC STATUS
It has proved to be useful on many occasions.