Kronos on i64?

[Aaron Sakovich]

Has anyone re-built Kronos on ia64 yet? The source is on the Freeware V4 CD, but it started me scratching my head when I ran across the fact that the MERLIB has no build procedure nor documentation on how to do it, and then how to reference it while building the rest of the programs.

Just thought I'd ask here rather than reinvent the wheel...

[Karl Rohwedder]

Aaron,

if you are not focussed on KRONOS, the CRON Kit contains executables for all 3 architecures:

http://www.the-rohwedders.de/downloads/index.html

regards Kalle

[Robert Gezelter]

Aaron,

I have not looked at Kronos recently.

In general, if MERLIB is missing the sources, I would consider building it as a shareable library and translating it using the binary translator.

As has been demonstrated with MONITOR (which on Alpha was a binary translation of successive VAX executables until 7.3-2), the performance of translated images is often quite acceptable.

The binary translator can also be used as a strategic tool to improve migration schedules, as discussed in my recent OpenVMS Technical Journal article "Strategies for Migrating from Alpha and VAX systems to HP Integrity Servers on OpenVMS" (the abstract and pointers to the OpenVMS Technical Journal www site are at: http://www.rlgsc.com/publications/vmstechjournal/migrationstrategies.html ).

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

[Duncan Morris]

Aaron,

I have been maintaining a modifed 2.II version on Alphaserver, which I believe I did totally from sources (i.e. no object libraries).

Fixed problems with not accepting TAB as whitespace, and problems accepting quoted arguement strings with embedded spaces.

I will check when back at work tomorrow, and advise.

Regards,

Duncan

[Hoff]

Jim Duff has Kronos running, per his blog:

http://www.eight-cubed.com/blog/archives/001016.html

Ask nicely, and he might package it up for you.

[Aaron Sakovich]

A bit more digging and I did find a reference where the Merlib was to be setup as the Lnk$Library prior to building the rest of the components.

Karl -- I've been using Kronos on several systems for several years. While I'm not averse to learning something new, I'm also interested in maintaining consistency. If I find that building Kronos on i64 isn't practical, I'll look into Cron instead.

Bob -- I've got the Merlib sources, just no canned build procedure. All the module sources are inside a single .TLB, and some are Fortran, some Macro. It would've been nice if there'd been a BUILD.COM, know what I mean?

Duncan -- thanks! I'll be looking forward to what you've got. Have you done it on i64 or only Alpha? Even just a current Alpha build procedure with contemporary compilers would be interesting. I'd also be interested in seeing your fixes, btw.

Hoff -- if we can get a current build for both Alpha and i64, I think it sounds like a candidate for Freeware v9!

[Robert Gezelter]

Aaron,

If MERLIB is defined as the LNK$LIBRARY, personally I would be interested if it would be more appropriate to package it as a shareable library and define a logical to point to it.

My standing rule is to make common components of anything but the most modest piece shareable libraries (particularly since the shareable library mechanism is fully available to non-privileged users).

For the record, I presented "OpenVMS Shareable Libraries: An Implementor's Guide" discussed some of these issues at the 2000 Compaq Enterprise Technology Symposium. The notes from that session are at: http://www.rlgsc.com/cets/2000/460.html

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

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

[Duncan Morris · Accepted solution]

Aaron,

I have zipped up a copy of the kronos tree at

http://duncanmorris.selfip.net/kron211.zip

I recompiled all the modules in MERLIB.TLB - but it was nearly 2 years ago now, and I do not see a saved build procedure!

I used Fortran V7.6 on Alpha VMS 7.3-2, although I am now using VMS V8.3.

Regretably, I do not have the luxury of an IA64 box to play with.

I hope that it may help anyway,

Duncan

[Joseph Huber_1]

I didn't see updates for merlib since 1998, and can't find it on the NASA AMES side either.

I think all the source files can be compiled/assembled without special definitions.

In my archive at
http://wwwvms.mppmu.mpg.de/vmssig/nasa/
find merlib_src.zip, and merlib_build.com (a simple list of Fortran/Macro commands built from the directory listing) .

But be aware that some routines will compile and work only on Vax.

There is a merlib.readme file containing a list of Vax-only routines.

[Aaron Sakovich]

I created the attached "build.com" (rename the attachment's extension to protect PC users) to build Merlib. This supersedes your ext.com, Duncan, and does the entire library without human intervention. Note that it requires the program EachLine from dcl.openvms.org (shameless plug). I suppose I could create a MMS descrip file, but the rest of the code in Kronos is independent of DECset, so I didn't want to make this one part dependent on it.

Next, define Lnk$Library to point to Merlib.olb.

Note that you've got to next pre-build the FPP program in the [.Source] directory (FORTRAN FPP, LINK FPP worked for me; then create a foreign command before the next step.) The link has to be done after defining the above Lnk$Library.

I had to restore the original Make.com that came with the kit -- your Alpha-specific EV56 tweaks had to go, of course. Once that was done, @make and *poof*, we've got EXE!

Don't forget to compile and link [.source]find_job.for and [.resources]check_process.for. NB: there's a find_job.for in the root Kronos directory; me thinks it may be superfluous garbage...

Thanks for your help, Duncan -- your update saved me a lot of grief due to your code fixes!

[Aaron Sakovich]

Uhm, just a point of clarification: the grief was NOT caused by your code fixes! Your code fixes relieved my grief!!!

Geez, you'd think English wasn't my primary language sometimes... ;^)

[Duncan Morris]

Aaron,

I am glad that you were able to make use of the kit. I will certainly make use of your procedures to make sure that I have a transportable kit for our own use!

Duncan

[Aaron Sakovich]

Duncan,

Are you interested in bundling the kit up for the next Freeware CD submission? I can provide the binaries for i64 in that case.

Or, if you'd rather, I can help package it all up as a "II.11a" release and submit it. It'd need some kind of release notes about the changes you made, and I could add a note about building Merlib.

I don't have any VAXen left to build this on, just Alpha and i64 now.

Contact me offline if you're interested in continuing this effort -- my first name at openvms.org would be a good way to reach me.

Cheers,
Aaron

[Ian Miller.]

packaging it and sending to Hunter Goatley's archive would be a good thing
http://www.process.com/openvms/index.html

[Duncan Morris]

Aaron,

could not get through on email. Try me on duncan dot morris at talktalk dot net

[Hoff]

>>>Hoff -- if we can get a current build for both Alpha and i64, I think it sounds like a candidate for Freeware v9!<<<

Was that to be, Aaron, yes. Definitely. AFAIK, HP hasn't commented on plans for nor has there been a collection request seen (yet?) for Freeware V9.0.

As for conducting the process, I've offered.

Prior to some future Freeware collection, do consider passing the zip over to Hunter as Ian had suggested. Or it can easily be hosted here at HoffmanLabs, or at your OVHS site.

[Aaron Sakovich]

Yes, Duncan and I will be working on that this week. At worst, I'll host it on my site, and once I'm comfy with the kit and all, I'll give it to Hunter.

(And hopefully there will be a V9! If anyone on the inside is listening, I for one think this is essential!)

Thanks, Hoff!