DIGITAL Read Before Installing or Using VAX BASIC Version 3.8 for OpenVMS VAX Systems AV-EY30L-TE December 1996 Whether you are a new or a continuing VAX BASIC customer, please take time to read the following information about this product. Product Information VAX BASIC Version 3.8 for OpenVMS VAX Systems replaces Version 3.7 and provides the following features: o Problems discovered since Version 3.7 was released have been corrected. o The function DATE4$ has been added. This function returns a string containing a day, month, and year in the form dd-mmm- yyyy. For example: 22-Oct-1996 For more product information about VAX BASIC, see the online release notes. Licensing Information To install VAX BASIC Version 3.8 for OpenVMS VAX Systems, you must first register a License Product Authorization Key (li- cense PAK) using the License Management Facility (LMF). See the VAX BASIC Installation Guide for licensing instructions. Installation Information Installing VAX BASIC Version 3.8 requires OpenVMS VAX Version 5.5-2 or higher. For information about installing VAX BASIC on your VAX system, see the VAX BASIC Installation Guide. The full kit for VAX BASIC Version 3.8 requires 9,200 blocks of free disk space during installation and 8,400 blocks after installation completes. You can get Help during installation by typing a question mark (?) and pressing Return in reply to a prompt. (Continued on reverse) ©Digital Equipment Corporation. 1996. All Rights Reserved. ___________________ [TM] Bookreader, DEC, DEC BASIC, DECwindows, Digital, OpenVMS, VAX, VAX BASIC, and the DIGITAL logo are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. [R] BASIC is a registered trademark of the Trustees of Dartmouth Col- lege, (Dartmouth Structured Basic) D.B.A. Dartmouth College. Release Notes Information The release notes for VAX BASIC Version 3.8 for OpenVMS VAX Systems contain general notes, performance hints, a summary of known problems, and documentation information. To read the release notes before installing VAX BASIC, invoke VMSINSTAL and follow the instructions in the installation guide. After installation of VAX BASIC, the release notes are located in: SYS$HELP:BASIC038.RELEASE_NOTES Contents of the Media Kit o Indented Bill Report (BIL) and Bill of Materials (BOM) Please read the Indented Bill Report (BIL) and Bill of Mate- rials (BOM) enclosed in this kit and check that all of the items listed are in your kit. If your kit is damaged or items are missing, call your Digital representative. o Media If you ordered media, you will find the media and the VAX BASIC Installation Guide in this kit. Consult the VAX BASIC Installation Guide for information about installing VAX BASIC on your system. o Online Documentation Files The software distribution media CD-ROM (CD) set includes the VAX BASIC installation save set and installation-related online documentation files. The Software Product Library CD-ROM User's Guide and the Online Documentation Library CD- ROM User's Guide are now available on line only. They are located on disc 1 of the CD-ROM in the [README] directory. To locate the VAX BASIC product directory, consult these online documents. o Documentation Depending on your order, this kit may include printed copies of the following manuals from the VAX BASIC documentation set: - DEC BASIC and VAX BASIC for OpenVMS Systems Reference Manual - DEC BASIC and VAX BASIC for OpenVMS Systems User's Manual - VAX BASIC Installation Guide o Software Product Description (SPD) The SPD provides an overview of the VAX BASIC product and its features. It is provided as a documentation file on the media. 2 Reader's Comments Digital appreciates your comments. If you would like to comment on a VAX BASIC manual, please send the manual title, order number, and your comments by one of the following methods: o Electronic Internet mail: basic_docs@tle.enet.dec.com o FAX: 603-881-0120 Attn: Languages Documentation, ZK02-3/K35 o A letter sent to the following address: Digital Equipment Corporation Languages Documentation, ZK02-3/K35 110 Spit Brook Road Nashua, NH 03062-2698 USA 3