HP OpenVMS Systems Documentation

OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual

Chapter 9
DECevent Utility

9.1 DECevent Description

The DECevent utility is an event management utility that provides the interface between a system user and the operating system's event log files. This allows system users to produce ASCII reports derived from system event entries. The format of the ASCII reports depends on the command entered on the command line interface (CLI), with a maximum character limit of 255 characters. DECevent also provides for the analysis and interpretation of data contained in event log files.

DECevent uses the system event log file, SYS$ERRORLOG:ERRLOG.SYS, as the default input file, unless another input file is specified.

Note

On Alpha DS, ES, and GS systems (other than the AlphaServer GS60 and GS140 systems) running OpenVMS, use the Web-Based Enterprise Services (WEBES), which includes the Compaq Analyze, the Compaq Crash Analysis Tool (CCAT), and the Revision and Configuration Management (RCM) tools.

You can find WEBES and its documentation on the Compaq System Tools CD-ROM, which is included in the OpenVMS Version 7.3 CD-ROM package. You can find the most up-to-date service tool information at the following location:

    http://www.support.compaq.com/svctools

You cannot use WEBES on the AlphaServer GS60 or the AlphaServer GS140. DECevent and the WEBES tools can be used together in a cluster.

9.2 DECevent Usage Summary

The DECevent utility translates the contents of one or more event log files for inclusion into a report. DECevent produces five types of reports: full (default), brief, terse, summary, and FSTERR. These report types are mutually exclusive when selected within a command; no combinations are allowed. DECevent also provides for the analysis and interpetation of that data.

Format

DIAGNOSE[/primary qualifier][/secondary qualifier[,...]] [file-spec[,...]]

Parameters

/primary qualifier
A primary function that the DIAGNOSE command is to perform.
/secondary qualifier[,...]
Secondary function (or functions) that the DIAGNOSE command is to perform.
file-spec[,...]
Specifies one or more files that contain binary error information to be translated for the specified report. You can include wildcard characters in the file specification. If you omit the file specification, the default file is SYS$ERRORLOG:ERRLOG.SYS. (Refer to the OpenVMS System Manager's Manual for information about maintaining this file).
Refer to the OpenVMS User's Manual for details on file specifications.

Description

To invoke DECevent, enter the following DCL command:
DIAGNOSE [/primary qualifier][/secondary qualifier[,...][file-spec][,..]
Note that typing the /TRANSLATE qualifier on the command line is not necessary because it is the default primary qualifier.
A brief discussion of valid qualifiers, their uses, and their order is provided in the following sections. For a more detailed discussion, see the DECevent User's Guide. This guide is available online. Go to the following web site:
http://www.support.compaq.com/svctools
Select "support tools", next "DECevent", and then "documentation". The DECevent User's Guide is available in several formats.
To exit DECevent, press Ctrl/C and the Return key (to display the system prompt).
You must have SYSPRV privilege to run DECevent; however, only read access is required to access the ERRLOG.SYS file. You must have the DIAGNOSE privilege for the /CONTINUOUS primary qualifier to work, enabling the continuous display of events on a terminal screen.

9.3 DECevent Primary and Secondary Qualifiers

The primary and secondary qualifiers for the DIAGNOSE command are described in this section. The following tables list both types of qualifiers.

Note

You can use only one primary qualifier but multiple secondary qualifiers. The secondary qualifiers that you can use with each primary qualifier are listed in the separate descriptions of each primary qualifier later in this chapter.

**Table 9-1 Primary Qualifiers**
Qualifier	Description
/ANALYZE	Provides analysis of the event log or real time analysis of the event logging utilities.
/BINARY	Controls whether the binary error log records are converted to ASCII text or copied to the specified output file. Do not use this qualifier with any report type qualifier (/FULL, /BRIEF, /TERSE, /SUMMARY, and /FSTERR) or with the /OUTPUT qualifier.
/CONTINUOUS	Specifies that events are formatted in real time, as they are logged by the operating system event logger.
/DUMP	Specifies the output to be a brief report followed by a dump of information from the input event log file.
/INTERACTIVE	Allows users to exit from the command line interface and enter the DECevent interactive command shell.
/TRANSLATE (default)	Provides translation of event log files into reports.

**Table 9-2 (Optional) Secondary Qualifiers**
Qualifier	Description
/BEFORE	Specifies that only those entries dated earlier than the stated date and time are to be selected for the event report.
/BRIEF	Generates a brief report
/ENTRY	Generates a report that includes the specified entry range or starts at the specified entry number.
/EXCLUDE	Excludes events generated by the specified device class, device name, or error log entry type from the report.
/FSTERR	Generates a quick, one-line-per-entry report of an event log entry for disks and tapes.
/FULL (default)	Generates a full report, which provides all available information about an event log entry.
/INCLUDE	Includes events generated by the specified device class, device name, or error log entry type in the report.
/LOG	Controls whether informational messages that specify the number of entries selected and rejected for each input file are sent to SYS$OUTPUT.
/NODE	Generates a report consisting of event entries for specific nodes in an OpenVMS Cluster system.
/OUTPUT	Specifies the output file for the report.
/REJECTED	Allows you to specify the name of a file that will contain binary records for rejected entries.
/SINCE	Specifies that only those entries dated later than the stated date and time are to be selected for the report.
/SUMMARY	Generates an event report that consists of a statistical summary.
/TERSE	Generates an event report consisting of binary event information, register values, and ASCII messages in a condensed format.

In addition to the qualifiers listed in these tables, the DECevent utility contains a set of DIRECTORY commands and a set of SHOW commands:

DIRECTORY commands allow a user to display a list of rulesets that DECevent requires for translating events into user-readable format.
The DIRECTORY commands currently implemented in DECevent are DIRECTORY EVENT and DIRECTORY CANONICAL.
The SHOW commands allow a user to view specific settings and selections.
The SHOW commands currently implemented in DECevent are SHOW SELECT and SHOW SETTINGS:
- By appending a specific selection keyword name to the SHOW SELECT command, you view only that specific selection keyword.
- By appending a specific setting's name to the SHOW SETTINGS command, you view only that specific setting's name and value.

Primary Qualifier: /ANALYZE

The /ANALYZE qualifier provides analysis of the event log or real time analysis of the event logging utilities.

Format

/ANALYZE [=file-spec]

You can use any of the following qualifiers after the primary qualifier /ANALYZE:

    [/[NO[LOG]
    [/OUTPUT=output-type]
    [/ENTRY=(START;start_number][,END;end_number])]
    [/INCLUDE=(keyword[=value][,...])]
    [/EXCLUDE=(keyword[=value][,...])]
    [/NODE=(node-name[,...])]
    [/SINCE=time]
    [/BEFORE=TIME]

Parameter

None.

Description

The /ANALYZE qualifier provides for detailed analysis to be performed on the event log file.

Example


$ DIAGNOSE/ANALYZE ERRLOG.OLD;97/OUTPUT=ERRLOG.OLD_ANA

In this example, analysis is performed on the error log ERRLOG.OLD;97, and the output from this analysis is written into a newly created file, ERRLOG.OLD_ANA.

Primary Qualifier: /BINARY

Controls whether the binary error log records are converted to ASCII text or are copied to the specified output file.

Format

/BINARY [=file-spec]

You can use any of the following qualifiers after the primary qualifier /BINARY:

    [/[NO[LOG]
    [/OUTPUT=output-type]
    [/ENTRY=(START;start_number][,END;end_number])]
    [/INCLUDE=(keyword[=value][,...])]
    [/EXCLUDE=(keyword[=value][,...])]
    [/NODE=(node-name[,...])]
    [/SINCE=time]
    [/BEFORE=TIME]

Parameter

file-spec
Specifies the output file selected to contain image copies of the input records.

Description

The /BINARY qualifier creates a binary file that contains copies of the original binary event log entry if the command line also specifies an interval (/SINCE, /BEFORE, or /ENTRY qualifier) or a filter (/INCLUDE or /EXCLUDE qualifier). If no interval or filter is specified, all event log entries are copied.
If you specify /BINARY=file-spec, the selected output file contains image copies of the binary input records (the records are not translated to ASCII). If you omit the device or directory specification, the current device and the default directory are used. If you omit the file name, the file name of the input file is used. If you omit the file type, the default file type is .DAT.
Do not use /BINARY with the /BRIEF, /FSTERR, /FULL, /OUTPUT, /SUMMARY, or /TERSE qualifiers. These qualifiers generate an ASCII report; /BINARY generates a binary file.

Example


$ DIAGNOSE/INCLUDE=DBA1/BINARY=DBA1_ERR.DAT ERRLOG.OLD;5

In this example, the output file DBA1_ERR.DAT contains image copies of the entries that apply to DBA1.

Primary Qualifier: /CONTINUOUS

Allows events to be displayed on a terminal screen, in real time, as the events are logged by the operating system's event logger.

Format

/CONTINUOUS

You can use any of the following qualifiers after the primary qualifier /CONTINUOUS:

    [/[NO[LOG]
    [/INCLUDE=(keyword[=value][,...])]
    [/EXCLUDE=(keyword[=value][,...])]
    [/BRIEF]
    [/FULL]
    [/FSTERR]
    [/TERSE]
    [/REPORT=rpt-name]
    [/OUTPUT=putput-file]

Description

The /CONTINUOUS qualifier specifies that events are formatted as they are logged by the operating system event logger in real time. No input file can be specified. The real-time output is directed to the terminal screen by default. You may redirect the real-time output to a file, specified with the /OUTPUT qualifier. Use the /BRIEF report type with the /CONTINUOUS qualifier.

Example


$ DIAGNOSE/CONTINUOUS/BRIEF/OUTPUT=ERRLOG.CONT

In this example, the brief report containing real time event logger information, generated from the default input event log file, SYS$ERRORLOG:ERRLOG.SYS, is directed to the output file ERRLOG.CONT.

Primary Qualifier: /DUMP

Allows a user to dump out criteria, selected by qualifiers, from the input event log file.

Format

/DUMP

You can use any of the following qualifiers after the primary qualifier /DUMP:

    [/[NO[LOG]
    [/REVERSE]
    [/OUTPUT=output-type]
    [/ENTRY=(START;start_number][,END;end_number])]
    [/INCLUDE=(keyword[=value][,...])]
    [/EXCLUDE=(keyword[=value][,...])]
    [/NODE=(node-name[,...])]
    [/SINCE=time]
    [/BEFORE=TIME]
    [/REPORT=rpt-name]
    [/SID_REGISTER=(sid[,...])]

Description

The /DUMP qualifier allows users to selectively dump information from the input event log file. The resulting output is a brief report type, followed by a dump of the canonical buffer for the input event.

Example


$ DIAGNOSE/DUMP/INCLUDE=(RA90) ERRLOG.OLD;97/OUTPUT=97.OUT

In this example, the brief report generated from ERRLOG.OLD;97 contains information about RA90 disk drives. The report is directed to the output file 97.OUT.

Primary Qualifier: /INTERACTIVE

Allows users to exit the command line interface (CLI) and enter the DECevent interactive command shell.

Format

/INTERACTIVE

Description

All commands valid from the CLI are valid from within the interactive command shell. You do not need to precede qualifiers with DIAGNOSE when in the interactive command shell. In addition to CLI commands, the interactive command shell accepts SET, SAVE, and RESTORE commands.

Example


$ DIAGNOSE/INTERACTIVE

In this example, a user requests to exit the command line interface and enter the DECevent interactive command shell.
The DIAG> prompt is displayed when the user is in the interactive command shell.

Primary Qualifier: /TRANSLATE

Translates the contents of an event log file. This qualifier is the default qualifier to the DIAGNOSE verb.

Format

/TRANSLATE [qualifier(s)][infile][,...]

You can use any of the following qualifiers after the primary qualifier /TRANSLATE:

    [/[NO[LOG]
    [/REVERSE]
    [/OUTPUT=output-type]
    [/ENTRY=(START;start_number][,END;end_number])]
    [/INCLUDE=(keyword[=value][,...])]
    [/EXCLUDE=(keyword[=value][,...])]
    [/NODE=(node-name[,...])]
    [/SINCE=time]
    [/BEFORE=TIME]
    [/BRIEF]
    [/FULL]
    [/TERSE]
    [/SUMMARY]
    [/REPORT=rpt-name]

Note

You must also follow this order of secondary qualifiers when you use /TRANSLATE by default.

Description

The /TRANSLATE qualifier translates the contents of the default event log file, SYS$ERRORLOG:ERRLOG.SYS, or a selected input event log file.

Example


$ DIAGNOSE/BRIEF ERRLOG.OLD;97

In this example, the brief report generated from ERRLOG.OLD;97 contains minimal information.

Secondary Qualifier: /BEFORE

Specifies that only those entries dated earlier than the stated date and time are to be selected for the report.

Format

/BEFORE [=date-time]

Parameter

date-time
Limits the report to those entries dated earlier than the specified time.

Description

You can specify an absolute time, a delta time, or a combination of absolute and delta times. Refer to the OpenVMS User's Manual for details on specifying times.
If you omit the /BEFORE qualifier or specify /BEFORE without a date or time, all entries are processed.

Example


$ DIAGNOSE/BEFORE=19-APR-2000:10:00 ERRLOG.OLD;5

In this example, the full (default) report generated for ERRLOG.OLD;5 contains entries that were logged before 10:00 A.M. on April 19, 2000.

Secondary Qualifier: /BRIEF

Generates a brief report.
Section 9.4 contains an example of the format of a typical brief error log report.

Format

/BRIEF

Description

Do not use /BRIEF with the /BINARY qualifier.

Example


$ DIAGNOSE/BRIEF ERRLOG.OLD;97

In this example, the brief report generated from ERRLOG.OLD;97 contains minimal information.

Secondary Qualifier: /ENTRY

Generates a report that includes the specified entry range or starts at the specified entry number.

Format

/ENTRY [=(START:decimal-value[,END:decimal-value])]

Parameter

(START:decimal-value[,END:decimal-value])
Specifies the range of entries to be included in the report.

Description

If you specify /ENTRY without the entry range or omit the qualifier, the entry range defaults to START:1,END:end-of-file.

Example


$ DIAGNOSE/ENTRY=(START:1,END:18) ERRLOG.SYS

In this example, the entry range for the full (default) report generated from file ERRLOG.SYS is limited to entry numbers 1 to 18.

Secondary Qualifier: /EXCLUDE

Excludes errors generated by the specified device class, device name, or event entry type from the report.

Format

/EXCLUDE= [device-class | device-name | entry-type ] [,...]

Parameters

device-class

device-name

entry-type
Specifies one or more keywords denoting the device class, device name, or event log entry type. If you specify more than one keyword, you must specify a comma-separated list of values that is enclosed in parentheses.
Device Class Keywords

ADAPTER
BUSES
CACHE
DISKS
INFORMATIONAL
LINE_PRINTER
REALTIME
SYNC_COMMUNICATIONS
TAPES
VECTOR
WORKSTATION

Examples of Device Name Constructs

DB Group of devices

DBA1 Specific device/unit number

(DBA1,HSC1$DUA1,DYA0) List of devices

(DB,DR,XF) List of device groups

Entry-Type Keywords

ATTENTIONS Exclude device attention entries from the report.

BUGCHECKS Exclude all types of bugcheck entries from the report.

CONFIGURATION Exclude system configuration entries from the report.

CONTROL_ENTRIES Exclude control entries from the report. Control entries include the following entry types:

System power failure restarts
Time stamps
System startups
$SNDERR messages (system service to send messages to error log)
Operator messages
Network messages
ERRLOG.SYS created

CPU_ENTRIES Exclude CPU-related entries from the report. CPU entries include the following entry types:

SBI alerts/faults
Undefined interrupts
MBA/UBA adapter errors
Asynchronous write errors
UBA errors

DEVICE_ERRORS Exclude device error entries from the report.

ENVIRONMENTAL_ENTRIES Exclude environmental entries from the report.

MACHINE_CHECKS Exclude machine check entries from the report.

MEMORY Exclude memory errors from the report.

SNAPSHOT_ENTRIES Exclude snapshot entries from the report.

SYNDROME Exclude console-generated entries that describe a symptom set used by Compaq support personnel to identify problems.

TIMEOUTS Exclude device timeout entries from the report.

UNKNOWN_ENTRIES Exclude any entry that had either an unknown entry type or an unknown device type or class.

UNSOLICITED_MSCP Exclude unsolicited MSCP entries from the output report.

VOLUME_CHANGES Exclude volume mount and dismount entries from the report.

Description

You can specify one or more devices by device class, device name, or one or more keywords that identify entry types.
Unless you specify the UNKNOWN_ENTRIES keyword to explicitly exclude from a report any entries from unsupported (unknown) devices, any unknown device is reported.
Any known information for the entry is translated; the remaining information is output in hexadecimal longwords.
If you specify a device class keyword or a device name construct with both the /INCLUDE and /EXCLUDE qualifiers, the /INCLUDE qualifier takes precedence.
The BUSES keyword also excludes event log entries for the BI bus. The DEVICE_ERRORS keyword also excludes entries for the BI adapter.

Examples

#1
DIAGNOSE/EXCLUDE=MTA0

In this example, entries for the device MTA0 are excluded from the full (default) report for the file ERRLOG.SYS.

#2
DIAGNOSE/EXCLUDE=(MTA0,DRA5) ERRLOG.OLD

In this example, the devices MTA0 and DRA5 are excluded from the full (default) report for the file ERRLOG.OLD.

#3
DIAGNOSE/EXCLUDE=(DISKS,BUGCHECKS)

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HP OpenVMS Systems Documentation

OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual

Chapter 9DECevent Utility

9.1 DECevent Description

9.2 DECevent Usage Summary

Format

Parameters

/primary qualifier

/secondary qualifier[,...]

file-spec[,...]

Description

9.3 DECevent Primary and Secondary Qualifiers

Primary Qualifier: /ANALYZE

Format

Parameter

Description

Example

Primary Qualifier: /BINARY

Format

Parameter

file-spec

Description

Example

Primary Qualifier: /CONTINUOUS

Format

Description

Example

Primary Qualifier: /DUMP

Format

Description

Example

Primary Qualifier: /INTERACTIVE

Format

Description

Example

Primary Qualifier: /TRANSLATE

Format

Description

Example

Secondary Qualifier: /BEFORE

Format

Parameter

date-time

Description

Example

Secondary Qualifier: /BRIEF

Format

Description

Example

Secondary Qualifier: /ENTRY

Format

Parameter

(START:decimal-value[,END:decimal-value])

Description

Example

Secondary Qualifier: /EXCLUDE

Format

Parameters

device-class

device-name

entry-type

Description

Examples

Chapter 9
DECevent Utility