Other ways of getting files to pc?

[Miikka Kolari]

Hello,

So I've earlier posted some problems with login and password stuff but I that got solved and I got logged in the OpenVMS system.

The system is HP OpenVMS Alpha 7.2-1.

The problem now is that I cant get the files inside the system to my PC. Where it came to us, they had an very old program called Reflection2 which used to log inside another very old program called (Finnstar) the system and it was able to recover all the patients/users data needed.

I've got the program on the PC and I got it to log inside the OpenVMS, but it can't find the program inside the system anymore. Might be because some old configures, which i'm trying to find at the moment.


Is there any other free/demo programs which could just access the openVMS and for example copy all the files to PC for closer examination?


Best regards,
Miikka

[marsh_1]

hi,

if your openvms system is using hp's tcpip stack ( do $ ucx sh vers ) then you could use nfs or ftp to get your files , see here for guide on nfs setup :-

http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/73final/documentation/pdf/tcpip_management.pdf

what your pc may make of the format of the openvms files you've got is another thing, good luck.

[Robert Gezelter]

Miikka,

I will not repost at length, but my personal preference (if ftp is unavailable) has always been C-Kermit.

I published an article on this a while back on OpenVMS.org entitled "ftp and sneakernet are not your only options". This article can be found at http://www.openvms.org/stories.php?story=05/07/09/1298233

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

[Hoff]

As for file transfers, C-Kermit works. You can also install and use Filezilla on the Windows box.

The Reflections and similar Windows tools were usually either a terminal emulator or an X Window server; there were comparatively few "smarts" in these tools; they emulated older UI display hardware on Microsoft Windows.

When you copy the files over to the Windows box, you'll fail. File formats are almost certainly different. What you're asking for here - in terms of Windows tools and processes - is to copy the raw contents of a Microsoft Access database file over to a box that doesn't have Access installed, and to get at the data over there. Sure, you can get the files. But getting at the data? That's going to be more interesting.

You're going to need to chase this stuff on the OpenVMS box.

As for how to operate (once you get the OpenVMS box configured and working), hauling files around is via ftp or Kermit such something from the 1980s. It is more common to see ODBC or JDBC or other more direct access means used on newer systems; to have more direct program-level linkages between client software and server software.

Do upgrade your old OpenVMS software; this OpenVMS Alpha stuff you're using is older than Windows 2000. This vintage OpenVMS Alpha stuff will limit what tools and applications you can bring to bear on your processing.

[Jim_McKinney]

Reflection included a propriatary transfer protocol that was supported on the VMS end by a server program named VAXLINK2.EXE that was usually referenced by a system logical name (VAXLINK2) or poitioned in the default directory of any who might need to use it. You might look and see if this executable is present on your system and try defining the logical and your file transfer if you do locate the program. You can likely find support for this - and perhaps even download a copy of the executable from Attachmate's (current owner of the Reflection product) web site.

[Brad McCusker]

Yes, as Jim said, Reflection has file transfer capability and Reflection has more "smarts" than I think Hoff is giving it credit for.

Reflection programming capabilities that would allow for automation on the PC side of things like file transfers. If your situation is such that there is a program or something on the PC side that iniates the file transfer, then, it might be that you need to chase it from the PC side intially. You'll want to find some documentation for Reflection.

Other wise, as others have said, you'll need to chase this down on the VMS side and look for VAXLINK2.EXE as a starting point.

By the way, there are numerous people in this forum, our firm included and others that have posted replies to this string, who could be hired to help you accomplish what you are trying to do. Probably much more cost effective than you banging your head against a wall and hoping ITRC points you in the right direction. Food for thought.


Brad McCusker
Software Concepts International
www.sciinc.com

[Richard W Hunt]

When all else fails AND the file is text-oriented, you can turn on logging in your Reflections program, then TYPE the file from the DCL prompt. Turn off logging, save the log to some other name, and edit the file to remove the DCL syntax surrounding the stuff you want.

Obviously, that doesn't work very well when the file is more than a few Kbytes, but for short files it works OK.

Reflections, depending on version, also supports cut/paste for relatively short code snippets, so open a file in Notepad, then type/page the file. For each page, do a copy from Reflections and a paste to Notepad.

Again, for long files this isn't too nice. But heck, when you're desperate, you'll do darned near anything to get your file from point A to point B.