[Simh] Transferring the licence file to the VAX emulator

[Larry Baker]

Brian,

It is much simpler to use the /UNDEFINED_FAT option in the MOUNT /MEDIA_FORMAT=CDROM command.  That is what it does for you.  As Johnny said, the problem is not the bytes in your file, but the mismatched file attributes that describe the bytes in your file that is the problem.  Your CD-ROM does not contain enough metadata to describe the files contents.  (File systems have metadata; that doesn't seem to bother anyone.  Why files have abandoned metadata and forced programmers and users to deduce file formats from magic numbers encoded at the front of a file or arbitrary file naming conventions is beyond me.)

Here's the HELP screen output from OpenVMS/Alpha 7.2-1:

> BAKER SAMOA> help mount /undefined_fat
> 
> 
> MOUNT
> 
>   /UNDEFINED_FAT
> 
>        Establishes default file attributes to be used for records on ISO
>        9660 media for which no record format has been specified.
> 
>        Format
> 
>          /UNDEFINED_FAT=record-format:[record-attributes:][record-size]
>      
> 
> 
> 
>     Additional information available:
> 
>     Parameters Description           Example
> 
> MOUNT /UNDEFINED_FAT Subtopic? example
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> MOUNT
> 
>   /UNDEFINED_FAT
> 
>     Example
> 
> 
>        $ MOUNT/MEDIA_FORMAT=CDROM/UNDEFINED_
>       FAT=(FIXED:CR:80) DBA1: OFFENS STRAT
> 
>            In this example, the volume labeled OFFENS is mounted on DBA1
>            and all files on the volume are defined to be fixed length,
>            carriage return, and 80 bytes in length. MOUNT also assigns the
>            logical name STRAT.
>        
> 
> 

The one caveat is that the FAT attributes apply to every file on the CD-ROM, so you have to remount it to transfer different kinds of files, e.g., text files, object files, executables.

Larry Baker
US Geological Survey
650-329-5608
baker at usgs.gov



> On 18 Dec 2018, at 9:00:02 AM, simh-request at trailing-edge.com wrote:
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 3
> Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2018 23:52:05 -0500
> From: Brian <b_lists at patandbrian.org <mailto:b_lists at patandbrian.org>>
> To: SIMH at trailing-edge.com <mailto:SIMH at trailing-edge.com>
> Subject: Re: [Simh] Transferring the licence file to the VAX emulator
> 	- THE FIX
> Message-ID: <aa86081a-7b16-7308-b69a-e6c207156109 at patandbrian.org <mailto:aa86081a-7b16-7308-b69a-e6c207156109 at patandbrian.org>>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
> 
> On 12/17/18 8:28 AM, Brian wrote:
> 
> OK, thanks to all who helped. As I found from a website to which I was
> directed, and as Mark also said, the solution was to copy the file off
> the CD-ROM and then
> 
> SET FILE/ATTRIBUTE=(RFM=STM) VMSLICENCES.COM <http://vmslicences.com/>
> 
> Then run the commands again, and it all worked perfectly.
> 
> I guess I've forgotten a lot more about VMS than I thought in 30-odd
> years. :( This could be an interesting (re-)learning curve...
> 
> Brian.
> 
> 

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