hyperterminal or analogue on OpenVMS

[Joseph Huber_1]

To clarify a few things:

On a Unix type system, You need a program like minicom, because the system does not have a built-in command like VMS SET HOST/DTE.

And minicom also does not know automatically which serial port to use, just uses COM1 by default (or whatever You or Yout system admin has saved as default). And yes, VMS unfortunately does not have a default.

So You have to find the port. OPA0 should NOT be used for that purpose! It is a 'software' device pointing to the console device, and depends on the workstation or server type of system.
On most Alphas workstation types, the 2 built-in serial ports are TTA0: (COM1) and TTB0: (COM2).
Since TTA0: can be used as serial console (after SRM command SET CONSOLE SERIAL), TTB0 (COM2) should be used to connect whatever devices.

Before using a port for communication, it must be SET TERMINAL TTB0: /NOTYPE_AHEAD - otherwise all unsolicited input on the port starts a login process (on Unix systems You have to kill a process, if the port was setup for login, usually nowadays it is not setup as such, therefore minicom can access it).
Also make sure the terminal speed and other parameters are set correctly, e.g.
SET TERMINAL TTB0:/SPEED=9600
SET TERMINAL TTB0: /NOTTSYNC
SET TERMINAL TTB0: /COMMSYNC
or
SET TERMINAL TTB0: /MODEM
See HELP SET TERMINAL for further settings.

When You have the correct working parameters,
put those SET TERMINAL commands in a command-file with the /PERMANENT option (eventually called from systartup
).

If Your keyboard doesn't have the default control keys for SET HOST/DTE like control-@, then define some other on the command line:
SET HOST/DTE TTB0: /command=A and enter control-A to get the DTE command prompt, similar for /BREAK and /ESCAPE (in minicom You have to know the command key as well).

Finally, as others have said, an UPS probably isn't behaving like a console port doing a dialogue in readable text. Assuming the correct wiring, You may have to write )or get) a specific program to communicate. On Unix, minicom also would be of little help in such a case.

[Doug Phillips]

Try OPA1 or OPA2 instead of OPA0, and try the other serial port using each of the OPA numbers, too. The Jensen didn't use TTA names. I don't know what names your rx1620 might use but I would suspect it would have TTA's. If not, use the OPA's.

The Hardware names of the devices can be seen from the console (before the system boots or when it's halted) >>> show dev

Once the Operating System is booted, it uses device names based on the device's handler (driver). VMS, Linux and Windows NT might (and usually do) use a different name for the same device. The Jensen can boot all three operating systems if properly configured.

As has been said, you should connect a terminal to the serial port and log into it. This tests your port, cable and the port settings.

Once logged in, enter SHOW TERM to see the OS's name for the port. This is the name you will use for set host/dte and all other references to that port.

You need to match the device-connected port settings to the device; baud, parity, start/stop bits, flow control, and what ever else the device needs.

See: help set term

If you aren't using a "real" terminal, you might need a terminal emulator on a PC or other non-VMS system to log into VMS, but once logged in you only need to logically connect that terminal to other devices. VMS doesn't itself need a terminal emulator, but you need to have a protocol in common with the other device, and the device's "language" must be compatible with the terminal.

Since you don't even know the name of the port or whether you're connected to the right one or what its proper setting are, unless you have a working system to swap cables with you might be premature in assuming the cable is bad.

[Alex Chupahin]

Thank you for all. I solve this problem:

1. It was bad cable. I'm using good one.

2. OPA0 cannot be used.
$set host /dte opa0:
leads to open local Jensen console
I use OPA1: instead.

Now all things is work.

Thanks for all once more

[Hein van den Heuvel]

>>> Thanks for all once more

Alex,

Say thanks with points!

Hein (0 points for me please.)

[Steven Schweda]

> 1. It was bad cable. [...]

I bet you wouldn't have had _that_ problem
with Linux. Things are so complex in VMS.

[Art Wiens]

An observation:

Isn't it odd that RS232 can still invoke this much "interest" in 2008? Wiki says it came about in 1969! ~40 years!!

9600 baud forever man!

Cheers,
Art

[Ian Miller.]

9600 baud! - you where lucky (launch into rendition of four Yorkshireman sketch)

[Hoff]

---
On a Unix type system, You need a program like minicom, because the system does not have a built-in command like VMS SET HOST/DTE ---

Most Unix boxes do have built-in commands.

Compared with the screen tool that shows up in many Unix distributions by default, SET HOST /DTE (in isolation) is functional, but also comparatively limited.

Here's how screen can be operated, for purposes of comparison:

# one-shot symbolic link command
# an alias for the serial device
# (easier for folks to remember)
# (akin to an OpenVMS logical name)
ln -s /dev/tty?? /dev/modem1


# launch screen
screen /dev/modem1

screen works like SET HOST /DTE combined with a reasonably capable console environment akin to the old VAXcluster Console System (VCS) package, with touches of the OpenVMS virtual terminal support.

Given Alex's likely familiarity with minicom and with screen and other such, his confusion is understandable. There's no particularly comparable equivalent in OpenVMS, short of acquiring and installing something akin to VCS or another serial terminal application.

A screen or minicom port to OpenVMS would be nice, but VCS and friends are the likely path in the interim. See the OpenVMS FAQ for some of the other available console management options beyond VCS.

[Alex Chupahin]

>I bet you wouldn't have had _that_ problem
>with Linux. Things are so complex in VMS.

1. I had no _that_ problem with this cable in linux for a month ago. Cable was good.
2. I dont know how set host /dte should looks like when working. I see only a message like "press ctrl/@ or ctrl/\ to exit". Of course, I press ctrl/@ and up to setting command shell. I look through it and find no any command to start session.
So my words should be clear I think.