Subject: Guide to Using the "FE" Device File: USEFE.RNO Date: 4-Feb-76 Author: Tom Porcher PDM: TCP-76-001-00-S ***Copyright (C) 1976 by Digital Equipment Corp., Maynard, MA*** Guide to Using the "FE" Device Page 2 *** CAUTION *** The "FE" device is intended for use only in software updating and development procedures by knowledgeable people. Use without proper caution may produce unpredictable results. OVERVIEW The "FE" device is used from the -11 to transfer files to and from the TOPS-20 file system. Usually it is accessed through the use of -11 PIP, using device "FE:" as if it were a FILES-11 device. FILE FORMAT Two file formats on the TOPS-20 file system are supported: 16-bit binary files (in 18-bit bytes) and 7-bit ASCII files. The format of a particular file is determined by the file byte-size and/or the file type. If the byte size is 18 bits, the file is assumed to be in 16-bit binary format. If the byte-size is 7 bits, it is assumed to be in 7-bit ASCII format, and the proper swapping of bytes is performed during transfers. If the byte-size is neither 18 nor 7, the file type is checked to determine the format. File types .ABS, .BIN, .LDA, .OBJ, .OLB, .SML, .STB, .SYS, and .TSK are assumed to be in 16-bit binary format, all others are taken to be 7-bit ASCII files. RSX FORMAT FILE CONVERSION Files used by the standard RSX tasks are required to be record-formatted, while their counterparts on the TOPS-20 file system do not. This applies to all ASCII text files (which must be in formatted ASCII) and to formatted binary files, notably .OBJ, .OLB, .SML, and .STB types. A program called "RSXFMT" was developed to do the necessary conversions, both to RSX format and back to DOS/TOPS-20 format. RSXFMT prompts by typing "RSXFMT>" to which the user responds with the desired command. All commands to RSXFMT are described in RSXFMT.HLP, which can be invoked by the HELP command to RSXFMT. The default conversion mode for the file is determined from the file type and the first data word in the file. Note that RSX formatted files and binary files are written with a file byte-size of 18 bits to insure binary transfer mode. Also note that the "ASCII-ized" files (.A10 and .RAM types) read by KLINIT and all files read by KLDCP are not read in record mode, and thereby do not require conversion. An example of converting a group of files to rsx format: Guide to Using the "FE" Device Page 3 @R RSXFMT RSXFMT>TEMPORARY (OUTPUT FILES) RSXFMT>CONVERT (FILE) QFC.* (OUTPUT AS) QFC.* QFC.MAC.4 [7-BIT-ASCII] ==> QFC.MAC.100008;T [RSX-ASCII] QFC.OBJ.7 [DOS-BINARY] ==> QFC.OBJ.100008;T [RSX-BINARY] RSXFMT> GETTING THE SYSTEM STARTED The program "FE" must be running on the TOPS-20 system. If it is not already running, it can be started by typing the following under the OPERATOR account (probably under PTYCON): @ENABLE (CAPABILITES) $R FE The "FE" program should now be running and is waiting for a request from the "FE" device from the -11. The next step is to mount the "FE" device on the -11 such that files can be accessed using it. This requires that the file "T20ACP.TSK" be present on the -11 file system. "FE" can be mounted using the Console Command Parser at the console terminal by typing: ^\ (Control-Backslash) PAR>MCR MOU MOU>FE: MOU -- MOUNT COMPLETE MOU>^Z (Control-Z) ADDRESSING TOPS-20 FILES All files on the TOPS-20 file system may be accessed from the -11 with the following exceptions: Files with file names longer than 9 characters. Files with file types longer than 3 characters. Files with file names containing characters other than A-Z, 0-9. Files with generation numbers not in the range 1.-8191. or 100000.-108191.. Files in directory number 20000 or greater. Directories are mapped to UIC's on the -11 in two ways: fixed directories and by directory number. The fixed directories are: [1,1] <SYSTEM> [1,2] <OPERATOR> [1,4] <SUBSYS> [5,5] <FRONT-END> Guide to Using the "FE" Device Page 4 All UIC's greater than [340,0] map directly to directory numbers. The formula to find the UIC for a given directory number "D" is [ 340 + (D / 400) , REMDR(D,400) ] where / represents integer division, REMDR(X,Y) is the remainder of dividing X by Y. Some examples: Directory number 502: 502 / 400 = 1 REMDR(502,400) = 102 ==> Directory 502 maps to UIC [341,102] Directory number 2745: 2745 / 400 = 5 REMDR(2745,400) = 345 ==> Directory 2745 maps to UIC [345,345] Files are merely referenced by file name, file type and generation. Note that generation numbers on the -11 are in octal, and are punctuated by a ";" rather than a ".". Generations greater than 100000. (usually job temporary files) are mapped to generations 20000 and up on the -11 to facilitate the use of these files. USING -11 PIP -11 PIP is used in almost all transfers through the "FE" device. PIP can be requested through the Console Command Language using the "MCR PIP" command. The following basic commands can be used to list and transfer files: To list a TOPS-20 directory on device dev: PIP>dev:=FE:[uic]file.typ;nnn/LI (or /BR or /FU) Example: PIP>FE:[5,5]/BR DIRECTORY FE0:[5,5] 4-JAN-75 00:35 QFC.LST;1 QFC.MAC;3 QFC.MAC;4 QFC.MAC;20010 QFC.OBJ;6 QFC.OBJ;7 QFC.OBJ;20010 PIP> To copy a file to the -11 file system: PIP>dev:[uic]=FE:[uic]file.typ;nnn/NV Example: PIP>DX1:=FE:[341,102]QFC.*/NV PIP> Guide to Using the "FE" Device Page 5 To copy a file from the -11 file system: PIP>FE:[uic]=dev:[uic]file.typ;nnn/NV Example: PIP>FE:[341,102]*.NEW=[120,10]*.BIN/NV PIP> To delete a file: PIP>dev:[uic]file.typ;nnn/DE Example: PIP>DB0:QFC.MAC;*/DE PIP>FE:[341,102]*.*;20010/DE PIP> dev: is an -11 device which is mounted. If absent, SY: (the system device) is assumed for files, TT: (the console terminal) for directory listings. [uic] is optional and defaults to [5,5]. /NV (New Version) is recommended in transferring files, since usually the generation numbers on FILES-11 and TOPS-20 have no relation. To exit from PIP, type ^Z (Control-Z). TERMINATION OF "FE" DEVICE When all the desired files have been transferred, the "FE" device should be dismounted to free up system resources in use. Dismounting the "FE" device is done by typing at the console terminal: ^\ (Control-Backslash) PAR>MCR DMO DMO>FE: DMO -- DISMOUNT COMPLETE DMO>^Z (Control-Z) Temporary RSX format files which were generated by using RSXFMT may be deleted using the EXPUNGE command as follows: @EXPUNGE (DIRECTORY) , @@DELETE (TEMPORARY FILES) @@ @ Note that this deletes all temporary files and deleted files so it should be used with caution. This is done automatically when you LOGOUT. [End of USEFE.MEM]