4.5 AMOS SOFTWARE UPDATE DOCUMENTATION OSS—i0000—DE alpha micro AMOS 4 5 SOFTWARE UPDATE DOCIJMENTPTION PACKET C: 'At.pha Micro', 'AMOS', 'AIphaBASIC', 'AM—laO', 'AIphaPASCAL', 'AIphaLISP', and 'AIphaSERV' are trademarks of ALPHA MICROSYSTEMS Irvine, CA 92714 These documents reflect AMOS Versions 4.5 and later © 1981 — ALPHA MICROSYSTEMS ALPHA MICROSYSTEMS 17881 Sky Park North Irvine, CA 92714 C—2rm—4/nl April 1981 AMOS Release 4.5 MASTER TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THE AMOS SOFTWARE UPDATE DOCUMENTATION PACKET Status Version 4.5 Release Notes Revised Disks Available from Alpha Micro Revised A Guide to the Alpha Micro Software Revised Documentation Library H User's Information Section: New Command File and DO File Features H Revised The DUMP Command Unchanged Important Notice for LISP Users Unchanged EDIT: A Character—oriented Text Editor Unchanged Program Design Language Formatting System Unchanged System Operator's Information Section: The System Initialization Command File Revised Setting Up the Line Printer Spooler Revised Memory Management Option Revised Defining Switchable System Memory Revised Configuring FLoppy Disk Drivers Unchanqed AMOS Version 4.4 Method of HandLing Unchanged Bad Disk Blocks Software Installation Instructions for New the AM—i 20 Software Installation Instructions for New the AM—710 Memory Board Software Notice for AM—410 Users Revised Disk Labeling Procedures Unchanged Disk Maintenance Procedures for the Revised System Operator Defining Non—system Disk Devices Revised Disk Drivers and Formats Unchanged Generating System Monitors Unchanged Using the Magnetic Tape Utility Programs Unchanged The Magnetic Tape Fl le Backup Programs New Building a Terminal Driver New (The NEWTRM Program) System Programmer's Information Section: I/O Programming for the Alpha Micro Computer Unchanged. Terminal Service System Unchanged Page 2 0 9ASIC Programmer's Information Section: BASORT — BASIC Subroutine for Sorting Random and Sequentia:L Files COMMON — BASIC Subroutine to Provide Common Unchanged Variable Storage FLOCKS— BASIC Subroutine to Coordinate Multi—user Revised File Access spooL — BASIC Subroutine for SpooLing F- iles to the Revised Line Printer XLOCK— BASIC Subroutine for MuLti—user Locks Revised XMOUNT — BASIC Subroutine to Mount a Disk tin changed (For a complete list of Alpha Micro software documentation, see A Guide to the Alpha Micro Software Documentation Library.) April 1981 AMOS VERSION 4.5 RELEASE NOTES This document describes the changes and additions that have been made for Version 4.5 of the Alpha Micro system software. It describes only those changes and additions made since the last release (4.4B); you may find general system documentation in the appropriate manuals. (The document A Guide to the Alpha Micro Software Documentation Library in this documentation packet lists all software documentation available from Alpha Micro.) This release contains a number of major new programs. Besides the new Alpha Micro Electronic Mail System, AlphaMAIL, this release also includes a terminal driver building program, many enhancements to the assembly language programming system (including the addition of an object file library generator), and new features in the AIphaBASIC programming system (including two new file modes). See Section 3.0, beLow, for information on the changes for this release. Please read the documentation supplied with this release before converting to AMOS Version 4.5. (NOTE: If you are currently running under AMOS Version 4.3 or earlier and are using a disk that runs under control of the AM—410, it is very important that you read AMOS Version 4.4 Method of Handling Bad Disk Blocks in the "System Operator's Information" section of this documentation packet before running any of the 4.5 software. AM—410 users must be aware of the fact that some software contained on ore—4.4 Releases of is not compatible with AMOS Version 4.5 because of the changes in AMOS the bad block handling.) 1.0 THE RELEASE MECHANISM Because of the large amount of software now available from Alpha Micro, we cannot distribute it all on one floppy disk. 4e are now providing atl the software we supply on one 5—megabyte or one 15—megabyte hard disk which is automatically updated for each release. For floppy disk users, things are a bit more involved. With each of the releases you will receive a new System Disk. This will contain all of the standard system software. receive To the additional software, you must specifically order one of the additional diskettes. These diskettes are divided up as follows: a LISP/PASCAL diskette containing the LISP and PASCAL programs and their associated files; a Driver Source Diskette containing sources to device, terminal, and interface drivers; and a Miscellaneous Program Diskette containing various BASIC and MACRO programs. You may order these disks through your dealer. See the separate document dealing with disks, Disks Available from Alpha Micro in this packet. Page 2 AMOS VERSION 4.5 RELEASE NOTES 2.0 DOCUMENTATION INCLUDED WITH THE 4.5 RELEASE Included with this release is the standard AMOS Software Update Documentation Packet. The following new manuals and documents have been issued since Release 4.4: AlphaMAIL User's Manual, (DSS—10000—06): This book describes the use and installation of AIphaMAIL, the Alpha Micro Electronic Mail System. AlphaVUE/TXTFMT Training Guide, (DSS—10000O3): This book introduces the new AMOS user to ALphaVUE, the screen—oriented text editor, and TXTFMT, the text formatting program. Change Page Packet #2 for the "AIphaBASIC User's Manual", (DSS—10000—O7): These change pages update the BASIC manual for Release 4.5. Change Page Packet #1 for the "AIphaPASCAL User's Manual", (DSS—l0000—1O): These change pages contain additional information about AIphaPASCAL Version 2.0. Change Page Packet #2 for the "AMOS System Commands Reference Manual", (DSS—10000—09): These change pages update the system command reference sheets for Release 4.5. In addition, the following manuals have been revised for AMOS Release 4.5: AlphaFIX User's Manual, (DWM—OO100—69, Revision AOl). AMOS Assembly Language Programmer's Manual, (DWM—0010043, Revision BOO). AMOS Monitor Calls Manual, (DWM—OO100—42, Revision BOO). ISAM System User's Guide, (DWM—OOlOO—O6, Revision AO2) TXTFMT User's Manual, (bWM—00100—O7, Revision BOO). We provide a complete list of the documentation applicable to this release in Guide to the Alpha Micro Software Documentation Library, in this A packet. NOTE: You may order a four—binder set of Alpha Micro documentation that includes three volumes of software documentation and the one—volume Alpha Micro Integrated Systems User's Guide, by ordering part number PDB—00001—OO from the Alpha Micro Sales Order Department. (This set includes all Alpha Micro software documentation except the AlphaLISP User's Manual.) You may also order individual manuals by their own part numbers. Also, notice the Master Table of Contents that lists all documents in the AMOS Software Update Documentation Packet; this is the first document in this packet. AMOS VERSION 4 5 RELEASE NOTES Page 3 3.0 NEW SOFTWARE FOR RELEASE 4.5 AMOS Release 4.5 features several major new programs: AIphaMAIL — AIphaMAIL, the Alpha Micro Electronic Mail System alLows users on an ALpha Micro computer system to exchange mail in the form of AMOS files. Messages sent can take the form of memos, Letters, reports, random data files, or fiLes containing binary data. The ALphaMAIL Operator can send one message to multiple users, and can specify how many days the system will hold the message. For more information, see the AIphaMAIL User's Manual, (DSS—10000—06). help our users build their own terminal drivers for terminaLs NEWTRM — To that are not currently supported by Alpha Micro, we have developed NEWTRM. This interactive program asks questions about the characteristics of the terminaL you need a terminal driver program for, and then produces the assembly language source (.MAC) file for the appropriate driver. (NOTE TO FLOPPY DISK USERS: NEWTRM is a PASCAL program—— you must have AIphaPASCAL Version 2.0 on your system in order to use it.) For more information, see the document Building a New TerminaL Driver (The NEWTRM Program) in the "System Operator's Information" section of the AMOS Software Update Documentation Packet. LIB — As one part of the general enhancements made to the AMOS assembly language programming system (discussed in Section 4.0, below), this release features the object -fiLe library generator, LIB. LIB allows you to define libraries of object file routines which all assembly Language programmers on your system can make use of. LIB allows you to modify as well as create library files. For information on using LIB, refer to Revision of the BOO AMOS Assembly Language Programmer's Manual, (DWM—OO100—43). Magnetic Tape File Backup — The magnetic tape file backup system consists of the programs FILTAP, TAPFIL, and TAPOIR. These programs alLow you to perform disk file—oriented backup on a magnetic tape unit connected to an AM—ÔOO Magnetic Tape Formatter Interface. You may back up and restore random files, sequential files, and multiple disk surfaces on a single tape. For information, see the document The Magnetic Tape File Backup Programs in the "System Operator's Information" section of the AMOS Software Update Documentation Packet. first For the time on a general release, we are releasing the AM—120 Auxiliary I/O Controller support software—— CAL12O, TIME, DATE, and the AM—120 driver, AM12O.DVR. The AM—120 board contains several features including a clock/caLendar with battery backup, power fail detection and handling, two serial ports, and three eight—bit parallel output ports and three eight—bit paralLel input ports. For information, see the Software Installation Instructions for the AM—120 in the "System Operator's Information" section of the AMOS Software Update Documentation Packet. AMOS VERSION 4.5 RELEASE NOTES Page 4 This release aLso contains software support for the Alpha ricro AM—710 128K byte memory board which detects and reports parity errors. The PARITY program enables parity error detection for this memory board. For information on PARITY, see Software Installation Instructions for the AM—710 Memory Board in the "System Operator's Information" section of the AMOS Software Update Documentation Packet. 4.0 ENHANCEMENTS TO EXISTING PROGRAMS FOR RELEASE 4.5 In addition to the new programs discussed above, this release also contains many enhancements to existing software: 4.1 The Monitor The monitor now provides a new output control command, Control—R. When you type a ControL—R, the monitor repeats back the current contents of the input buffer. This is extremely useful when you type several lines of characters ahead while your terminaL is dispLaying program output and then want to remember exactly what you entered. (Or, if you are using a printing terminaL, you will find this command useful when repeated rubouts have obscured the text.) Another change in the 4.5 monitor allows command files to accept lower case characters as well as upper case. Finally, several new monitor calls have been added: Executes AMOS commands without exiting current orogram. AMOS FMARKR Read in reverse to find file mark on specified magnetic tape unit. Sets your job into the wait state. JWAITC Converts one character in Ri to lower case. LCS Opens a logical dataset for appending. OPENA PCALL Invokes program as subroutine. Releases control of a semaphore and allows waiting job to RLSE access source. RQST Requests control of a semaphore to access source or to wait in wait chain. tICS Converts one character in Ri to \upper case. Wakes a job out of sleep state. WAKE See Revision BOO of the AMOS Monitor Calls mant\al, (DWM—OO100—42) for more information. 1 /3 . AMOS VERSION 4.5 RELEASE NOTES Page 5 - 4.2 The AIphaBASIC Programming System This release includes two versions of •the AIphaBASIC ruh—time-package: RUN.PRG and RUNSML.PRG. RUNSML.PRG is much smaLler than RUN, but is identicaL to it except that it does not support the trigonometric functions or the EXP, LOG, LOG1O, FACT, or exponentiation C) operations. Since many business packages do not make use of those mathematical functions, many users will be able to save a considerable amount of memory (over 1000 bytes) by using the smaller RUNSML rather than the standard RUN program to execiAe BASIC programs. The only time you will see a difference between using RUN or RUNSML is if your program makes use of the functions not supported by RUNSML. If you are using RUN.PRG, such functions will execute normally; if you are using RUNSML.PRG, you will see the error message: ?Unsupported function For compatibility with existing command ti Les, users who do not need the extra mathematical functions may want to rename RUNSML.PRG to RUN.PRG. Before doing so, however, you will probably first want to rename RUN.PRG to a new name (e.g., RUNOLD.PRG) to save it in case you need it in the future. file Two new modes have been added to COMPIL and BASIC: FORCED'RANDOM and APPEND. FORCED'RANDOM mode was added to aid those of you who are writing applications that use fiLe locking to permit users to concurrently update the same files. If you open a random file in FORCED'RANDOM mode, every time your program READs a file record, BASIC will force a disk access even if that record is already in memory, and every time your program WRITEs a logical record, BASIC will force a disk write operation even if the buffer is not fuLl. FORCED'RANDOM mode ensures that a record retrieved by your program contains the latest updates to that record. APPEND mode has been added to make the use of sequential fiLes more file convenient. If you open an existing sequential in APPEND mode, BASIC will position the file pointer to the end of t hat file and allow you to write information to the end of that file. This release of BASIC contains a new error trapping procedure for a program interrupt caused by a Control—C. If a Control—C has been trapped by an error handling routine, the routine RESUME statement wilt cause the program to resume to the line following the one that was interrupted by the Control—C. Other new features for COMPIL include: If an error occurs during program compilation, COMPIL will not produce a .RUN file. COMPIL now supports the use of Include Files. That is, COMPIL can fetch source code from a specified file while you compile another program fiLe, and insert it into your compiled program fiLe. AMOS VERSION 4.5 RELEASE NOTES Page 6 COMPIL optionally reports a messa4e if it encounters any unmapped variables in your program file. (This allows you to make sure that all variables were defined via MAP statements.) And, finally, considerable work has been done to enhance AIphaBASIC's error detection and reporting. For example, instead of stacking and discarding some errors, COMPIL now reports errors as soon as they are encountered. A variety of syntax errors that earlier were unreported are now detected and reported. 4.3 The Alpha Micro Assembly Language Programming System: The assembly language programming system has been considerably enhanced and changed for this release. See Section 1.1 of the AMOS Assembly Language Programmer's Manual, (DWM—OO100—43) for more information on the features added to the AMOS assembly language programming system for Release 4.5. (This manual has been completely rewritten for this release.) 4.3.1 MACRO MACRO provides an optional symbol cross reference listing as part of the standard assembly listing. MACRO supports the use of local symbols. New psuedo opcodes allow you to: cause undefined symbols to be automatically EXTERNed; modify the name of MACRO output disk files; enable and disable output to the listing file; enable and disable symbol output to the cross reference listing; and end macro expansion. Additionally, MACRO now supports a parameterized assembly option that allows you to specify a value on the MACRO command line that can be examined during the assembly process (using the new pseudo opcode NVALU). This is especially useful when used with the conditional assembly directive pseudo opcodes. 4.3.2 LINK and SYMBOL LINK and SYMBOL have been rewritten for Release 4.5. Their output display has been changed to provide more information, and their functions have been considerably expanded. Both LIMK and SYMBOL accept a large number of option requests that allow you to do such things as: generate a load map file that indicates how the linked files will he loaded into memory; include equated symbols in the symbol table file; and, specify a library file, an optional file, or required file. a