HiddenValue details commands and programs in MPE that can improve productivity on HP 3000 systems. Get a free NewsWire "HP 3000 Always Online" cap -- submit an MPE tip to Hidden Value. E-mail your tips to rseybold@zilker.net, or fax them to 512.331.3807.
Compiled by John Burke
Is there a way to recycle spoolfile and job numbers in MPE/iX 5.0 or 5.5 without having to shut the system down?
Look at the online help for the :SETCOUNTER command. It will do precisely what you wish. It allows setting base and maximum values for job and session numbers and for input and output spoolfiles. Keep in mind that your users may complain when trying to find their jobs/spoolfiles after you 'reset' the counters.
HP's Larry Byler adds:
They shouldn't. I think you (and perhaps others) misunderstand this aspect of SETCOUNTER's operation. SETCOUNTER does not affect any existing job/session numbers or spoolids. It merely (re)defines the acceptable range and starting number for new jobs/sessions/spoolids. Users who have initiated jobs and/or spool files will continue to track those jobs and files under their original numbers. They do not change during the life of the job/file. [Editor's note: If you RESTORE a spool file from tape (RESTORE ;Onnn.OUT.HPSPOOL) it will be assigned a new number.]
How can I store files from multiple volume sets using HP's Turbostore? The LaserROM documentation contains an example where multiple volume sets are defined, but it is confusing.
Jeff Kell replies:
STORE will backup files based on the specified filesets irrespective of the ONVS= parameter. ONVS= specifies which directories to store when using the ;DIRECTORY option. If you have user volumes, you must use this syntax to backup the directories of the user volumes (by default it only backs up the system volume set directory).
:RESTORE will restore files into the HOMEVS= volume set of the groups unless the VOLSET= option is used, in which case the files will be "pushed" onto the specified volumeset if the acct/group exists in the system and you specify ;CREATE.
If you wish to "omit" a user volume from a :STORE, you can :VSCLOSE the volume set prior to the store.
Is there any difference between doing an "UPDATE CONFIG from an SLT tape" and a "RESTORE of @.pub.sys", to get rid of some NMMGR changes?
Gilles Schipper and Jeff Kell contribute:
Yes, there is a big difference. But if all you want to do is back out some NMMGR changes, you shouldn't be doing either. As long as you have not initiated the dynamic configuration changes newly offered with 5.5, all you really need to do is:
:hello manager.sys,pub Then, shutdown the system and perform a "START NORECOVERY".
This option is
better and quicker than UPDATE CONFIG, and much, much better than a RESTORE of
@.pub.sys.
:file nmnew=nmconfig.pub;dev=1
:copy nmconfix,*nmnew
Is there a way to determine what the user license level is on an HP 3000? If we purchase a user level license upgrade, what is done to the machine?
Mike Hornsby replies
:SHOWVAR HPUSERLIMIT will show the current user license level (-1 means unlimited). This
value should be
checked after any processor hardware changes since otherwise you will not
know if you
have a problem until your users start signing on in force.
HPUSERLIMIT = -1
Michael Gueterman adds:
The variable "HPUSERLIMIT" is the actual number of concurrent sessions
(plus
one for the console) that you can have logged on. It is supposed to match
what you are
licensed for. I say "supposed" since it will take the intervention of a CE
to actually
change the value.
And John Painter further adds,
An HP CE must be scheduled to come in and actually perform the "upgrade" to the user license. This is a 10-minute job during which the CE updates the system firmware to the new license.
I have setup in SYSGEN a new printer device (LDEV=201), with a device name of LJ80 (DEVNAME=LJ80). This is a network printer connected via a JetDirect card. I can send output to dev=201 without any problems, but when I try to send to dev=LJ80, I get a message "Unknown device class. (CIERR344)". How can I set up the devices to have interchangeable logical and physical device names?
Holger Wiemann replies:
HELP on "FILE" shows you
If you choose the DEV= option, it must be followed by at least one
parameter (the
parameter can be simply #). The DEV= parameter does not accept device
names....
By specifying your own device class name within SYSGEN IO you can do what you want the system to do. For example:
SYSGEN -> IO Don't forget your NPCONFIG stuff. Reboot if not using IOCONFIG.
ad LDEV=19;id=HPTCPJD;path=NONE;class=netlp,myclass
We use IMAGE logging. At some point (at about 180 users) we get the error message "maximum user count per log process reached (-110)". What can we do?
Rick Clark replies:
Check the number of users per logging process. This can be found in SYSGEN under LOG.
SYSGEN> LO
** LOG configurator commands **
show (sh) slog (sl) ulog (ul)
clear (cl)(c) exit (ex)(e) help (he)(h) hold (ho)
oclose (oc) redo
log>SH
configurable item max min current
----------------- ------- ------- -------
# of user logging processes 128 2 64
# users per logging process 1140 1 600We have run into yet another classic MPE issue: what do we do about passwords in job streams? I am concerned foremost with good security: I want to let people do their jobs without getting in their way, and present anyone else with a brick wall.
Jeff Kell replies:
As of 5.5 there are enhancements to the :STREAM and JOBSECURITY commands:
You only need eXecute access to jobstreams, UDCs, and command files now, which allows for embedded passwords without read access. This has been in place for jobstreams for some time; UDCs/command files are a new extension.
You can enable the streaming of jobs under your logon ID without passwords in the jobstream. By extension, AM users can stream jobs as any user of the account. SM can stream any job period (speaking in terms of the :job user.acct logon ID not requiring passwords).
You can enable the streaming of job files whose creator is the same as the :job logon ID, and you have permission to stream the file.
With the latter extension, you can allow job submission of "powerful" jobs
without passwords, provided you give access to the jobstream. In cases
where we used to
have "powerful" jobstreams located somewhere in SYS with access=(x:ac) to allow
operators to stream them, they had to have passwords imbedded. With the new
addition,
they can reside anywhere on the system, and you can :altsec
foo;newacd=(x:operator.sys)
to allow them to stream the files
(provided the logon
user.acct is the creator of the file). This allows for a much more flexibility.