How to transfer file from OpenVMS to Windows XP

[Hoangles]

Emergency!
I want to transfer files from my host running OpenVMS V7.3-2 to my PC running Windows, but I cannot. Does any one know the easiest way to do so?

[Phil.Howell]

on vms
enable ftp in tcp/ip services
on xp
run ftp from a command line
ftp> open
it will ask for your username/password
ftp> bin OR asc (as required)
and you can (from your default directory)
ftp> get
ftp> bye (when you're done)

[Steven Schweda]

> Does any one know the easiest way to do so?

No, not without more information from you.

Do you want to run the transfer from the
Windows system (pull the files), or from the
VMS system (push the files)?

Is there any IP software on the VMS system?
("TCPIP SHOW VERSION" might say something.)

Many things are possible.

> run ftp from a command line

That's one of them.

[Hoangles]

Thanks alot for your reply.
1. I used "Transfer" function of Reflection application in order to tranfer file from VMS but I unsucceeded.

2. I also tried to connect FTP from MS-DOS command promt, and the follow lines returned:
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>ftp 172.16.1.1
> Ftp: Connected to 172.16.1.1
ftp> Connection closed by remote host
ftp>

Could anyone help me please

[Andy Bustamante]

>>> Does any one know the easiest way to do so?

Yes.

[Steven Schweda]

> > Ftp: Connected to 172.16.1.1
> ftp> Connection closed by remote host

Sounds like a problem, but we still don't
know anything useful about the IP software
on the VMS system. (Assuming that
"172.16.1.1" really is the VMS system.)

Is there a firewall between these systems?

If you log into the VMS system, can you FTP
from it to itself?

> Could anyone help me please

It's hard to say. Can you answer questions?


> >>> Does any one know the easiest way to do so?
>
> Yes.

Prove it.

[Brad McCusker]

Please tell us what the error was when you tried to use Reflection. Do you know that your process has access to the VAXLINK*.EXE image?

Do you have access to the VMS server - can you log in? If so, can you determine if ftp is configured?

Try:

$ TCPIP SHO SERV FTP /FULL

And sho us the result.

Also try to push it from the VMS box. Try:

$ FTP

And see if you can connect to the Windows box. Show us the errors if you can't connect.

Brad McCusker
Software Concepts International
www.sciinc.com

[Hoangles]

* Hello Steven Schweda,
- Yes I want to run the transfer from the
Windows system.
- Is there any IP software on the VMS system?
The follow text returned:
$ TCPIP SHOW VERSION
HP TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS Alpha Version V5.4 - ECO 1 on a AlphaServer DS10 466 MHz running OpenVMS V7.3-2
- Yes, "172.16.1.1" is our IP of VMS system.
- Is there a firewall between these systems?
Can you FTP from it to itself?
+ Yes I did, pls see the result:
FTP> open 172.16.1.1
220 ttles1 FTP Server (Version 5.4) Ready.
Connected to 172.16.1.1.
Name (172.16.1.1:ttces): ttces
331 Username ttces requires a Password
Password:
230 User logged in.
********************************************
* Hello Brad McCusker,
- I tried
$ TCPIP SHO SERV FTP /FULL
Service: FTP
State: Enabled
Port: 21 Protocol: TCP Address: 0.0.0.0
Inactivity: 5 User_name: TCPIP$FTP Process: TCPIP$FTP
Limit: 10 Active: 0 Peak: 0

File: TCPIP$SYSTEM:TCPIP$FTP_RUN.COM
Flags: None

Socket Opts: Rcheck Scheck
Receive: 0 Send: 0

Log Opts: Acpt Actv Dactv Conn Error Exit Logi Logo Mdfy Rjct TimO Addr
File: SYS$SYSDEVICE:[TCPIP$FTP]TCPIP$FTP_RUN.LOG

Security
Reject msg: not defined
Accept host: OPE1
Accept netw: 0.0.0.0
Hope to hear from you soon.

[Volker Halle]

Hi,

is your PC named OPE1 ? I don't think so.

If not, FTP will reject your connection attempt.

Accept host: OPE1 <<<

FTP on your OpenVMS host is explicitly configured to only accept FTP connections from host OPE1. Talk to your system manager.

Volker.

[Oswald Knoppers_1]

One other strange thing is:

>Inactivity: 5 User_name: TCPIP$FTP Process: TCPIP$FTP
>Limit: 10 Active: 0 Peak: 0

The peak usage is 0 while a succesfull connection was made from your VMS system.

So are you really sure that 172.16.1.1 is your IP address, can you do a 'tcpip show int'?

Oswald

[Robert Gezelter]

How to transfer file form OpenVMS to Windows Xp,

Before choosing a transfer method, please explain what type of file is being transferred.

If the file is an ordinary text file, then FTP is fine. If the file is a non-text file (e.g., database repository, indexed, relative, or other) it will be necessary to use BACKUP and/or ZIP to containerize the file so that it can be transferred in safety.

Also, are you the manager of the system or merely a user. Is FTP permitted between the two systems or is it not.

FTP is often not permitted or not wise for any number of reasons. In those cases, I often use C-Kermit, maintained by Columbia University to transfer files over the otherwise existing telnet or ssh connection.

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

[paquins]

Hi, How ;-)
It looks like you already have Reflection emulator installed. There is a FTP Client app bundled with Reflection. It is very easy to use if you can open a ftp session to your VMS machine. And it takes care of VMS file version very nicely, something other ftp clients do not handle well.
Good luck
Stephane

[Doug Phillips]

Make sure the MULTINET FTP server is set up properly and allows a connection from your PC's network:

$ MULTINET CONFIG /SERVER

SERVER-CONFIG>SHOW FTP/FULL

or use MULTINET CONFIG /MENU if you prefer.

Then, you should be able to use either:

- Reflection: log in to VMS, set your default to the directory of your choice, select File->Transfer in the menu, or click the icon if it's displayed, select the FTP protocol and transfer type in the Transfer window. Click Setup then click the FTD tab and make sure the boxes are filled in correctly. Check the other tabs and set your preferences. Then close the setup and in the Transfer window, enter the file name in the Host box (or if the directory is small, click "Show Host Files" and choose the file), choose your target folder from the Local tree and click the Local <<[] transfer button. If you're going to be doing this often, do a File->Save of your configuration when you're finished.

-or the Windows FTP command-line

-or your browser, ftp://x.x.x.x (VMS IP)

But, first read what Bob wrote.

[Steven Schweda]

> $ TCPIP SHOW VERSION
> HP TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS Alpha Version V5.4 - ECO 1 on a AlphaServer DS10 466 MHz running OpenVMS V7.3-2

> Make sure the MULTINET FTP server is set
> up properly [...]

Sounds to me like a big job.

[Doug Phillips]

> Sounds to me like a big job.

Yep. Could be danged near impossible. (thread bleed?)

So, from memory,

$ tcpip help set service

might start our friend off in a better direction. But, I imagine Mr. Schweda would be able to provide much clearer instruction.

[Steven Schweda]

> [...] I imagine Mr. Schweda would be able
> to provide much clearer instruction.

I'd say that Mr. Halle seems to have found
the FTP problem. After that,
tcpip help set service
should provide the details.

[Hoangles]

Hi Volker Halle,
- No, My PC is OPIF1, I don't understand "Accept host: OPE1"
*****************
Hi, Oswald Knoppers,
That's right, 172.16.1.1 is IP of my host, pls see:
$ tcpip show int
Packets
Interface IP_Addr Network mask Receive Send MTU

LO0 127.0.0.1 255.0.0.0 4 4 4096
WE2 172.16.0.2 255.255.255.0 937569 856115 1500
WE3 172.16.1.2 255.255.255.0 3380675 3097194 1500

*********
Hi Robert Gezelter,
- I try to transfer binary files like *.CAL
- Thanks for C-Kermit, I will test at my system.
***************
Hi Doug Phillips,
- Sorry I could not find $ MULTINET CONFIG /SERVER in my system.

[Hoangles]

Hi Robert Gezelter,
- Thanks for C-Kermit, but Is C-Kermit a software that helps transfer files to Windows?
Can you sh me a trail link to download this?
Thanks.

[Volker Halle]

Hi,

too many mistakes or typing errors ?

The IP address of the host you've shown us are either:

172.16.0.2 or 172.16.1.2

as can be seem from the following output:

WE2 172.16.0.2 255.255.255.0 ...
WE3 172.16.1.2 255.255.255.0 ...

I suggest, that you try 'FTP localhost' on your OpenVMS host, to see whether that will work.

For Accept host OPE1, please see TCPIP HELP SET SERVICE /ACCEPT

Volker.

[Steven Schweda]

It may not matter here, but ...

> HP TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS Alpha Version V5.4 - ECO 1 on a AlphaServer DS10 466 MHz running OpenVMS V7.3-2

ECO 7 is the current one.

ftp://ftp.itrc.hp.com/openvms_patches/alpha/V7.3-2/
ftp://ftp.itrc.hp.com/openvms_patches/alpha/V7.3-2/DEC-AXPVMS-TCPIP-V0504-15ECO7-1.txt

[Robert Gezelter]

How to transfer file form OpenVMS to Windows Xp,

The home page for Columbia University's Kermit project is at http://www.columbia.edu/kermit

Executable files are available for a number of OpenVMS versions, including Alpha with 7.3-2. Columbia's site is accessible using HTTP or anonymous FTP.

The client side can either be the C-Kermit available for Windows, or support for Kermit file transfers that already exists in most PC-based terminal emulations.

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

[Hoff]

This whole "file transfer" area can get larger and more complex as things here proceed.

Getting ftp going is but one part of the complete package that is OpenVMS system management. And there may well be alternatives to using ftp to transfer this stuff around. And there can be issues around whether the files that are being transferred will arrive both readable and uncorrupted. Others have not yet mentioned, for instance, that various of the standard OpenVMS RMS sequential text file formats on OpenVMS are NOT directly compatible with Windows. VFC sequential files, for instance, won't be directly usable on Windows. You'll usually need to use or to convert to Stream or Stream LF sequential files here, if you're reading and using the file data on Windows. (Bob has mentioned that some common OpenVMS RMS file formats will be corrupted when transferred through Windows boxes. That happens with various common RMS file organizations, and can cause issues for BACKUP savesets and such, too.)

And C-Kermit is an option here (it's old, but effective) and I've also recommended FileZilla tool for Windows users. (Google C-Kermit or FileZilla for details and downloads.)

While I am not looking to talk you off of using OpenVMS here, it seems time to evaluate whether OpenVMS is an appropriate solution for your environment; to consider replacing or porting whatever application(s) might be running on OpenVMS here with an application and an operating system that is better suited for your particular local requirements and to best match your local skills and experience.

If upon review OpenVMS is deemed still the most appropriate (and most cost-effective) solution, then it is time to invest in up-rating local management skills, or in acquiring some sort of an escalation or support channel. Whether that's reading the manuals or acquiring and reading the books or attending classroom training or otherwise; with however you learn best.

As you're clearly discovering, OpenVMS is completely different than Microsoft Windows, and (coming over from a Windows background) OpenVMS management and monitoring and general system manager operations are going to be strange. And these tasks are typically going to be command-line based, and will be using various cryptic tools and procedures and sequences. (For better or worse, system administration by "winging it" generally isn't feasible on OpenVMS. Though yes, the OpenVMS Management Station (OMS) was an attempt to provide that "winging it" user interface for Windows users.)

There are also secondary questions here around whether the AlphaServer DS10 box here is operating effectively and efficiently here, and with adequate BACKUP coverage for data and applications. Whether the application(s) running on this box can survive and can be recovered after a disk crash, for instance. (If you're the OpenVMS system manager here, then somebody (your manager?) has "tossed you into the deep end of the pool", and you're going to want to ask your manager for assistance and guidance and for time to learn or to train here.) (nb: we all started out knowing nothing about OpenVMS.)

And you're correct; OpenVMS does not have a particularly forgiving nor simple nor newbie-friendly command UI.

Stephen Hoffman
HoffmanLabs LLC

[Doug Phillips]

> Hi Doug Phillips,
> - Sorry I could not find $ MULTINET CONFIG
> /SERVER in my system.

That was my mistake. You are using TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS, not MULTINET, but the thread next to yours was about MULTINET and my old mind carried that into your thread. Sorry.

As Volker and others have pointed out, your FTP server is currently set to accept connections only from host OPE1, as shown in your Oct 2, 2009 09:14:30 GMT post:

> $ TCPIP SHO SERV FTP /FULL
> ...
> Accept host: OPE1
>

Apparently this is wrong so you need to correct it. Reading what $TCPIP HELP SET SERVICE and specifically the sub-topic /ACCEPT says will help you figure out how to do that. If you have a network administrator, please check with that person before you change the access restrictions.

Once you have corrected this problem you may use one of the described methods to copy your files. Since you are using Reflection, that would be a good method to use because it does a good job of allowing for the differences between Windows and OpenVMS (as stated in paquins' post).

I mostly use Kermit, but if you don't have it use one of the other methods already available to you.

(The fact that this forum software doesn't show the entire thread during a reply is a real Pain In The A**.)

[Andy Bustamante]

See the help for TCPIP SET SERVICE at http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/732final/6527/6527pro_011.html#set_serv_comm.

Your FTP server is configured to only accept connections from OPE1. You can add your system name or it's ip address to this configuration. If your VMS system has DNS available for your workstation you can use the name.

$ TCPIP SET SERVICE FTP/ACCEPT=HOST=
$ @sys$startup:tcpip$ftp_shutdown
$ @sys$startup:tcpip$ftp_startup

Before jumping on this, you may wish to check why this enabled to begin with. Do you have a security policy or access restrictions in your organization which apply?

Besides C-Kermit,Advanced Server (aka Pathworks) is another package which allows the VMS system to present network shares to Windows based systems. Most Alphas shipped a limited number of license for this connectivity.

And of course you can consider hiring a consultant to review your requirements, make recommendations and provide training.

Andy Bustamante

[Hoangles]

Hi Volker Halle,
I'm sorry for the mistake, pls see my IP as bellows:
TTLES1-TTCES 6_4 $ tcpip show int
Packets
Interface IP_Addr Network mask Receive Send MTU

LO0 127.0.0.1 255.0.0.0 10 10 4096
WE2 172.16.0.1 255.255.255.0 2340669 2152836 1500
WE3 172.16.1.1 255.255.255.0 4251124 3934025 1500