topic Re: can't start detached process with sys$system:loginout.exe in Operating System - OpenVMS

can't start detached process with sys$system:loginout.exe

Chris D Cook — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 12:42:41 GMT

I am trying to run a simple program in a detached process by passing a starter script as an input file:

run /detached /augh /input='infile /output='outfile /error='errfile /proc='procname sys$system:loginout.exe

type 'infile
$! starter.com
$ run tempdir:blah.exe

blah.exe contains an infinite-loop that appends a small message to a tempfile every few seconds. I can check the file to see if the process is running.

After the run command, I get a message telling me the id of the new process, but blah.exe never seems to get started, and the new process is either not started, or stops immediately.

If I issue the run command with blah.exe as the file to be executed (instead of loginout) it works, but I am using the input since I will soon need to pass parameters into the app.

I did see messages posted that the detached process would not have access to certain logicals, so I tried absolute addresses in place of logicals, but that made no difference.

Also, just for kicks, i tried running loginout interactively and it ended my session. Didn't know if this was normal or not since I have been unable to find documentation about what loginout actually does (and how).

Thanks in advance.

Re: can't start detached process with sys$system:loginout.exe

Chris D Cook — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 12:44:39 GMT

7.3-2 in case that makes a difference.

Re: can't start detached process with sys$system:loginout.exe

Jim_McKinney — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 13:18:35 GMT

> run /detached /augh /input='infile /output='outfile /error='errfile /proc='procname

I presume that "augh" is only a typo in your posting and not the code.

Does 'outfile' get created? If so, what are its contents?

Use VMS ACCOUNTNG to determine the final status of the job - it will likely provide a clue.

$ ACCO/FULL/ID=xxxxxxxx

where those x's are replaced by the PID that you observe when the detached job is started.

> what loginout actually does

Either performs the requisite actions to accomplish a login or a logout. Since you were already logged it knew to log you out :)

Re: can't start detached process with sys$system:loginout.exe

Robert_Boyd — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 14:08:19 GMT

I presume /AUGH is really /AUTH ?

Do you have Accounting turned on? if so have you looked for accounting records for the process start/termination?

Do you get a logfile created for outfile? If you did get an OUTFILE created, there should be some message(s) in it.

All of your apostrophes should be in matched pairs. Your command should be

run /detached /augh /input='infile' /output='outfile' /error='errfile' /proc='procname' sys$system:loginout.exe

The way you typed it in will not evaluate properly. If you actually had the command the way you typed it in here, you probably had some of the symbol interpretation fail which would have made the run fail to open the input or output. You should see that logged in the accounting record(s) for the process.

Robert

Re: can't start detached process with sys$system:loginout.exe

Robert_Boyd — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 14:15:27 GMT

Fooey -- I duplicated the typo for /augh -- it should be /auth ;-)

Oh well !!

Re: can't start detached process with sys$system:loginout.exe

Jim_McKinney — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 14:20:00 GMT

> The way you typed it in will not evaluate properly.

In this case the symbols in the command line will translate correctly due to the trailing space delimeter for each of the symbols introduced with a single-quote character. However, I agree that it is bad policy to not pair up the quotes.

As noted, "/augh" is incorrect. But, the fact that command execution resulted in the creation of a process indicates that this wasn't actually part of the command line that was executed as it would have been rejected by DCL and the RUN would never have executed at all.

Re: can't start detached process with sys$system:loginout.exe

Chris D Cook — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 14:25:30 GMT

I reran the procedure to get the information requested, and wouldn't you know... it worked this time. I have looked for things that may have changed, but so far I haven't found anything.

I will keep this thread open for a little longer in case it starts acting up again.

Yes, augh was a typo.

Thanks for the suggestions; hopefully this stays "fixed"

Chris

Re: can't start detached process with sys$system:loginout.exe

Robert_Boyd — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 14:26:05 GMT

Jim,

Thanks for the correction -- I have to say though that it is so easy to make a mistake and leave out the blank and I have been bitten so many times by mismatched apostrophes and/or quotation marks. There have been some bizarre commands executed because of mismatches -- and some cases were very difficult to debug. One reason why I do really like to use DCL_CHECK on procedures that are going to become production code. I don't always agree with everything DCL_CHECK flags, but at least I get flagged on everything of importance.

Another possibility is a security issue -- if the requested output file or input file are not accessible by the user starting the detached process, so it might be helpful to do a REPLY/ENABLE=SECURITY before doing the run command and see if you get any OPCOM alerts.

Robert

Re: can't start detached process with sys$system:loginout.exe

Mohren — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 09:30:36 GMT

I have got a similar problem. I tried to start a detached process by
run /detached /input=test.com sys$system:loginout.exe
with test.com:
$ runexe=="data1:[user.mohren_j]test"
$ runexe
$ exit
With acco/full/id= I mostly only get information of quite old processes (march 06)

Thanks in advance for your help

Re: can't start detached process with sys$system:loginout.exe

Wim Van den Wyngaert — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 09:38:18 GMT

You don't get sys$scratch and sys$login. Define them yourself in the script.

I also specify /input=f$parse("file") because loginout doesn't understand (all) logicals.

I would still check with accounting why the startup failed.

Wim

Re: can't start detached process with sys$system:loginout.exe

Robert Gezelter — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 09:54:35 GMT

Chris,

For self-educational purposes, add a SHOW LOGICALS to the command file.

As has been noted, what results from a RUN/DETACH is not precisely what gets created by an interactive, network, remote, or batch login. If your program depends (explicitly or implicitly) on a presumption that certain logical names were defined, you may be in for a problem.

Also check the values of LNM$FILE_DEV in the Process Directory (Logical Name table LNM$PROCESS_DIRECTORY).

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

Re: can't start detached process with sys$system:loginout.exe

Wim Van den Wyngaert — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 09:55:42 GMT

Correction : the lexical must be enclosed in ' to get the expansion.

In your case, you DO get the logicals. It's when you specify /uic that you don't get them. /auth + /detach cause a full login to be done.

Wim

Re: can't start detached process with sys$system:loginout.exe

Chris D Cook — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 10:04:00 GMT

Thanks for the replies Robert, Wim. Fortunately I was able to get the issues resolved back in Jan (with everybody's help). Now it looks like it is Mohren that could use the help. I probably should have closed the thread months ago, but if somebody else can get some help from this, its all for the better.

Chris

Re: can't start detached process with sys$system:loginout.exe

Robert Gezelter — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 10:06:23 GMT

Wlm,

The full login may be done, but a large caution remains appropriate.

Many (and I mean MANY) LOGIN.COM procedures incorrectly presume that INTERACTIVE, NETWORK, and BATCH are the only responses. They have been designed or tested with the Detached Process case, which will yield OTHER.

It should not be a problem, but caution and vigilence is still recommended.

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

Re: can't start detached process with sys$system:loginout.exe

Joseph Huber_1 — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 10:06:47 GMT

Mohren's problem: the "runexe" command is not defined correctly: a leading "$" is missing.

Re: can't start detached process with sys$system:loginout.exe

Mohren — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 10:11:25 GMT

No, this was just a typo. The $ is in the runexe definition.
I worked on looking for the problem, and I meanwhile got something in my outfile:

Error opening primary input file sys$input
Error in device name or inappropriate device type for operation

But I don't see where sys$input is used!

Re: can't start detached process with sys$system:loginout.exe

Mohren — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 10:17:57 GMT

Just one more info: I put the command
show logical * (first line)
in my input file. But not even the logicals appear in my output

Re: can't start detached process with sys$system:loginout.exe

Robert Gezelter — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 10:21:15 GMT

Mohren,

As a point of ITRC Forum etiquette, a new thread should really be opened.

However, as Wlm mentioned earlier, check the accounting logs. If the first line of the command file does not execute, then the LOGIN.COM (if you are specifyig /AUTHORIZE) or something else is not right.

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

Re: can't start detached process with sys$system:loginout.exe

Mohren — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 10:25:31 GMT

Ok, sorry. I will open a new thread. Thnaks fÃ¼r the answers already given to me.

Re: can't start detached process with sys$system:loginout.exe

Wim Van den Wyngaert — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 10:38:20 GMT

I think it's the f$parse you need.
/input='f$parse("file")'
Idem for /output and /error.

Wim
(didn't see that it was an old one. Time flies by very fast)