topic Re: using logical names: file spec.syntax error in Operating System - OpenVMS

using logical names: file spec.syntax error

Christian Burschka — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 10:06:52 GMT

Dear experts, please:
VMS6.2-1H3
how should I use logical names ?

Systartup_vms.com should call @dka0:[yyy.zzz]xxx.com p1 p2 p3 p4
where dka0: is the bootdevice
where the contents of p1 are supp. to be "dka0:"
where the contents of p2 are supp. to be "yyy.zzz"
where the contents of p3 are supp. to be "eth"
where the contents of p4 are supp. to be "tta0:"

so my (naive) line in systartup_vms.com reads
@dka0:[yyy.zzz]xxx.com dka0: yyy.zzz eth tta0:

How should I write that for the case to be able to boot from a disk with a different scsi number eg. dka200: ??

trying
@sys$sysdevice[yyy.zzz]xxx.com sys$sysdevice
yyy.zzz eth tta0:

produces a file specification syntax error.

show logical sys$sysdevice gives
"alpha$dka300:" (LNM$system_table)

Can anyone give me a hint ?

Thanks,

Chris.

Re: using logical names: file spec.syntax error

Steven Schweda — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 10:12:43 GMT

This just _might_ depend on what
dka0:[yyy.zzz]xxx.com actually does with its
parameters, but have you tried specifying
"sys$sysdevice:" instead of "sys$sysdevice"?

Re: using logical names: file spec.syntax error

Hein van den Heuvel — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 10:24:32 GMT

Sure looks like you simply forgot the ":" between sys$sysdevice and [yyy.zzz]

Now that first param "dka0:" do you want that to be dka0 unconditionally or should it match the current boot device?

If so, use: 'F$TRNLNM("sys$sysdevice")
This will pass "alpha$dka300:"
Do you prefer the 'naked' device name _DKA300:?
Then use: 'f$getdvi("sys$sysdevice","devnam")

hth,

Hein.

Re: using logical names: file spec.syntax error

EdgarZamora — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 10:25:12 GMT

I don;t know if you just made a typo in your original entry, but the line:

@sys$sysdevice[yyy.zzz]xxx.com sys$sysdevice

should be

@sys$sysdevice:[yyy.zzz]xxx.com sys$sysdevice

Re: using logical names: file spec.syntax error

Christian Burschka — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 10:39:58 GMT

Steven,

perfect !! that works,

buy You a beer !

Thanks,

Chris

Re: using logical names: file spec.syntax error

Christian Burschka — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 10:48:34 GMT

Hein , Edgar,

thank YOU just the same,

no it was not a typo,
but my own misinterpretation,

since I get

show logical sys$sysdevice gives
"alpha$dka300:" (LNM$system_table)
^
I thought , the : was included already.
I didnt assume that :: was even better.

To Your health!

Chris.

Re: using logical names: file spec.syntax error

Christian Burschka — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 10:52:24 GMT

Thank You all,

I learned something.

Regards

Chris

Re: using logical names: file spec.syntax error

Jan van den Ende — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 11:05:07 GMT

Chris,

>>>
I didnt assume that :: was even better.
<<<

Correct assumption!

In :: (as in: double colon ) the part before :: means a DecNet nodename!

The : in
>>>
show logical sys$sysdevice gives
"alpha$dka300:" (LNM$system_table)
<<<

Means that sys$sysdevice is defined such, that it will be accepted as a device specification in any file specification containing it.
But, syntax specifying a dicice must contain a colon, so you have to use it again. (It is also possible to specify a decice + directory as a "concealed device, and in that definition you need a trailing period. A prime example would be, eg, SYS$COMMON)

hth

Proost.

Have one on me.

jpe

Re: using logical names: file spec.syntax error

Christian Burschka — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 11:24:03 GMT

Jan,

You make it clear!

Sorry for not beeing able to honour Your answer with points, You deserve another 10.

Thanks,

Chris

Re: using logical names: file spec.syntax error

Robert Gezelter — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 16:40:35 GMT

Chris,

Re: the use of logical names, you may want to take a look at the introductory series of articles that I authored on OpenVMS.org. The URL is http://www.openvms.org/stories.php?story=02/09/24/5441505

For a more complex example of how they can be used, see the paper that I published in the OpenVMS Technical Journal, Volume 3: "Inheritance Based Environments for OpenVMS Systems and OpenVMS Clusters". The article is available on the OpenVMS www site, and on my www server at http://www.rlgsc.com/publications/vmstechjournal/inheritance.html

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

Re: using logical names: file spec.syntax error

Steven Schweda — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 01:05:44 GMT

> I thought , the : was included already.

Looking at it another way, "sys$sysdevice"
may be translated to "alpha$dka300:", which
includes a colon, but in the _original_ file
specification, "sys$sysdevice" itself needs
a colon to form a proper file spec. You
always need to follow the
"device:[dir]name.type;version" pattern (with
all the required punctuation), even when the
first element is a logical name instead of
an actual device.