topic Re: how to access USB in OpenVMS in Operating System - OpenVMS

how to access USB in OpenVMS

linuxlover — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 01:05:30 GMT

hello,

I am using OpenVMS 8.3 version on HP Integrity rx 3600 servers. It has two usb ports on back.
How c an I access usb in OpenVMS ?

Waiting for to say thanks (^_^)

Re: how to access USB in OpenVMS

John Gillings — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 01:18:48 GMT

It depends...

If you want to use "standard" devices (meaning storage, keyboards, mice), make sure you've executed SYS$STARTUP:USB$STARTUP then just plug in the device. In theory a device should appear which you can use.

Note if it's a memory stick formatted as FAT or NTFS, you won't be able to read it from OpenVMS directly. Similarly, if you INITIALIZE one of these devices as an ODS volume, you won't be able to read it from Windows or Linux. Maybe one day this will be built into OpenVMS (there are ways of doing this, in both directions. I'm sure Hoff will elaborate)

OpenVMS recognises a few other devices (basically anything which has been physically sent to the USB engineer accompanied by sufficient beer ;-)

If you have a device which OpenVMS doesn't yet recognise, you can write your own driver. See SYS$COMMON:[SYSHLP.EXAMPLES.USB] for documentation, examples and templates.

Re: how to access USB in OpenVMS

Steven Schweda — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 01:23:01 GMT

> How c an I access usb in OpenVMS ?

You might get a more useful answer if you
said something about what you want to do when
you "access usb".

Re: how to access USB in OpenVMS

linuxlover — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 01:38:40 GMT

Thanks John Gillings for your prompt reply.

My intention is to use USB flash drive (memory stick ) .

As you said
if you INITIALIZE one of these devices as an ODS volume, you won't be able to read it from Window or Linux.

So Can I use my USB memory stick to transfer data between rx3600 servers having Openvms 8.3.

How will usb be access and initialize ?

Re: how to access USB in OpenVMS

Willem Grooters — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 08:27:33 GMT

Check the OpenVMS FAQ, there may be entries on USB, and Hoff has published on the subject on hist site (http://64.223.189.234/node/168).

for ODS format: there are some tools that allow you to access an ODS-2 formatted device, for Windows and Linux. There is a link for the latter on Hoff's page. (AFAIK, there is no such tool for ODS-5 format (yet)

Re: how to access USB in OpenVMS

Robert Gezelter — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 08:54:18 GMT

linuxlover,

You will be able to use your stick, it will appear as a disk.

You will have to INITIALIZE it first (see the appropriate HELP text for details of syntax). The INITIALIZE will put the appropriate OpenVMS disk structure information on the stick.

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com

Re: how to access USB in OpenVMS

Steven Schweda — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 09:30:26 GMT

If you're looking for interchange with a
non-VMS system, you might consider mtools,
one VMS port of which is available here:

http://antinode.org/dec/sw/mtools.html

For VMS-VMS use, it behaves the same as any
other disk (or disk-like device).

Re: how to access USB in OpenVMS

Simon Mills_1 — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:26:57 GMT

Corrected URL for MTOOLS -

http://antinode.info/dec/sw/mtools.html