[Simh] Making Ethernet DEC DELUA available to RSX11M+

[Johnny Billquist]

Mark...

On 2020-05-31 18:26, Mark Pizzolato wrote:
> Hi Phil,
> 
> On Sunday, May 31, 2020 at 8:37 AM, Phil J Fisher wrote:
>> All
>> Following Mark P's feedback and comments, this is in many respects a
>> re-submission of a previous poorly put together post.
>>

[...]

> 
> This output shows what your configuration file did to the simulator setup.
> The important part for us to look at is the actual commands you used to
> achieve this.  The configuration file you either explicitly (or implicitly by
> using a pdp11.ini) invoked the simulator with is required to provide
> visibility to how you got here!  PLEASE provide that.

Agreed. It might help to see what the actual commands are.

>> Now I have deliberately not attached the XU device;  I just want to make
>> sure it is picked up by RSX11M+.  I believe it should do so even if it then
>> fails to do anything sensible.  I get identical results when attached to a
>> network (for details of attach, see later).
>>
>> When booted (via RL0), RSX11M+ fires up as expected.  When I try to enable
>> the network via NETINS.CMD, I see that it is not able to "install" the UNA-0
>> network device.
>>
>> NTL -- Config File -- Device UNA-0 Offline
>>          CNT$DF  0,120,174510,5,,NX
>> NTINIT -- Failed To Load Line UNA-0

[...]

Not attaching is not useful. How would RSX pick the ethernet if you 
don't have an ethernet?

> The configuration file I'm asking for above is "What did you do?".
> 
> You also have not specified what type of traffic you expect to use the
> XU device to transport.  DECnet, IP, LAT are possible candidates.
> You haven't described whether you will only be reaching out to other
> systems via the network interface or if you will also expect to have
> incoming functionality.
> 
> These questions are specifically asking for "What you want to do?".
> 
> Please answer them and we can help more!

As shown above, he is trying to start DECnet (that is what NTL and 
NTINIT is about). So that information did come, even if not stated 
explicitly. However, RSX is not seeing any ethernet controller. It tries 
to probe the CSR and nothing shows. That is the basic problem. (There 
might be others as well, I wouldn't know...)

   Johnny

-- 
Johnny Billquist                  || "I'm on a bus
                                   ||  on a psychedelic trip
email: bqt at softjar.se             ||  Reading murder books
pdp is alive!                     ||  tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol