HP OpenVMS Systems Documentation

HP OpenVMS Version 8.3 Release Notes

This chapter contains information about OpenVMS associated products. Notes specifically related to installation or upgrade issues related to associated products are in Chapter 1.

For notes about using compilers, linkers, and run-time library routines, see Chapter 5.

2.1 Associated Product Support

Information about associated product support is available in the Software Public Rollout Reports for OpenVMS.

The Software Public Rollout Reports for OpenVMS list the availability of HP software products shipping on the Software Products Library kits (CD-ROM consolidations) for OpenVMS Alpha and OpenVMS VAX and on the Layered Product Library kits (DVD consolidation) for OpenVMS I64.

The reports contain the product name and version, the operating system version required to support the product, and the volume ship date for the product. The information in these tables is continually evolving and is subject to change. The reports are intended for public distribution and are updated monthly. The information is not provided in these release notes because of the changing nature of the information.

Because of a change in OpenVMS Version 7.3-2 and later, BASIC versions prior to V1.5A cannot create the BASIC$STARLET library file during installation.

Earlier versions of BASIC can install on OpenVMS Version 7.3-2 and later provided you do not request the option to build the STARLET library file. Also, previously installed BASIC compilers and previously created STARLET library files will continue to function after upgrading an older OpenVMS system to Version 7.3-2 and later.

It is only the BASIC$STARLET library file creation that does not work on OpenVMS Version 7.3-2 and later. The BASIC V1.5A kit contains an enhanced installation procedure that correctly builds the STARLET library file on OpenVMS Version 7.3-2 and later.

BASIC V1.6 is available on the latest consolidated layered product CD.

2.2 CMAP Files Added

V8.2

The following new CMAP files are provided in the OpenVMS Version 8.2 internationalization data kit.

DECKANJI2000
GB18030
ISO8859-1-EURO
UTF8-20
UTF8-30

V7.3

Because of the addition of Extended File Support in OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.2, you may notice changes in the handling of I/O run-time diagnostics and RMS special registers on OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.2 and higher. In particular, a long file name that produced RMS$_FNM under versions of OpenVMS Alpha prior to Version 7.2 now produces RMS$_CRE on OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.2 and higher. You do not need to use the new ODS-5 support to see the RMS differences.

2.4 COM for HP OpenVMS (Alpha Only)

The following release notes pertain to COM for HP OpenVMS.

2.4.1 COM for OpenVMS Support

V8.2

COM Version 1.4 for OpenVMS is currently supported on OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.3-2 and 8.2. For the latest information about COM for OpenVMS, refer to the following website:

V7.3-2

You might get an "Error accessing registry database, contact system manager (0x000025fc)" message if you run a heavy load of COM for OpenVMS applications with the CTLPAGES value set to 256 or less. Set the CTLPAGES value to 512 to avoid this problem.

2.5 DECdfs Version 2.4 Required for OpenVMS Version 8.3

V8.3

DECdfs Version 2.4 is required for OpenVMS Version 8.3. If you try to use an older version of DECdfs, you will get an error message.

If you already have DECforms installed, perform the following tasks to enable DECforms Web Connector V3.0 to run on OpenVMS Version 7.3-1 and higher:

1. Remove or comment out the following line:

   $ @SYS$COMMON:[JAVA$122.COM]JAVA$122_SETUP.COM

   
   from these command procedures in the FORMS$INSTALL_AREA directory:
   • FORMS_SMGR_STARTUP.COM
   • FORMS_WEB$STARTUP.COM
   • FORMS_WEB_CONFIG.COM
2. Ensure that the Java^tm environment is set up systemwide for all processes. HP recommends adding the Java environment setup to the system's SYLOGIN.COM file.
3. Ensure that the browser clients use the Sun Java Plugin Version 1.2.2, as stated in the SPD and the Administrative guide.

V7.3

There is a known incompatibility between the PL/I RTL distributed with the OpenVMS operating system and the more recent PL/I RTL owned and distributed by Kednos Corporation. The older version shipped with the OpenVMS operating system may overwrite a newer version. The image in question is SYS$LIBRARY:DPLI$RTLSHR.EXE.

OpenVMS distributes the following version of the file, which can be identified by using the DCL command ANALYZE/IMAGE:

Image Identification Information

        image name: "DPLI$RTLSHR"
        image file identification: "V4.0-6"

If you execute an ANALYZE/IMAGE command before upgrading to OpenVMS Version 7.3 or higher and find a newer version of DPLI$RTLSHR.EXE, you can either copy it and restore it after the upgrade or reinstall the PL/I kit afterward.

Any questions about DEC PL/I and VAX PL/I should be directed to Kednos Corporation:

Phone: (831) 373-7003
Email: tom@kednos.com

See a related note in Section 5.31.

2.7 FMS Kits

V8.3

You can install either of the following FMS kits (or later kits) on both OpenVMS Alpha and OpenVMS I64 systems:

Full kit: HPFMS025

Run-time kit: HPFMSRT025

FMS V2.4 is supported on OpenVMS Alpha V8.3.

FMS V2.5 is supported on OpenVMS V8.2 and later systems (Alpha and I64).

2.8 Graphical Configuration Manager (GCM) (Alpha Only)

The Graphical Configuration Manager (GCM) is included on the Layered Products CD that ships with the operating system. However, GCM is frequently updated. Check regularly for new versions of the software on the following web page:

The following notes pertain to OpenVMS Version 8.2 of HP DCE RPC.

2.9.1 DCE RPC Supports FAILSafe IP

V8.2

DCE RPC has been enhanced to work in a FAILSafe IP environment.

2.9.2 Support for Tuning the Buffer Size of RPC Sockets

V8.2

DCE RPC now provides support for tuning the socket buffer size by means of the logical RPC_USE_DEFAULT_SOCKET_BUFFER_SIZE. Setting this logical allows the RPC runtime to use the system default socket buffer size values. Use the following command to define the logical systemwide:

$ DEFINE/SYSTEM RPC_USE_DEFAULT_SOCKET_BUFFER_SIZE 1

To restore the original RPC run-time behavior, you must deassign the RPC_USE_DEFAULT_SOCKET_BUFFER_SIZE logical.

2.9.3 RTI (Remote Task Invocation) RPC (I64 Only)

V8.2

Version 8.2 of RPC does not support RTI RPC on I64 systems. For details, refer to the HP DCE for OpenVMS Alpha and OpenVMS I64 Release Notes document that ships with the kit.

2.9.4 Microsoft Lan Manager RPC Not Tested (I64 Only)

V8.2

Authenticated RPC over NTLM (Microsoft Lan Manager Protocol) has not been tested on OpenVMS I64 because the infrastructure on which DCE RPC depends is not available on OpenVMS I64.

2.9.5 The utc_mulftime Factor Argument Type

V8.2

The input argument, factor, for the DTSS API routine utc_mulftime must be an IEEE_FLOAT type on I64 systems and a G_FLOAT type on Alpha systems. You can use either CVT$FTOF or CVT$CONVERT_FLOAT to convert the factor argument to the appropriate floating-point type before calling utc_mulftime .

2.9.6 Support for G_FLOAT and IEEE Floating-Point Types

V8.2

DCE RPC for OpenVMS now supports both G_FLOAT and IEEE floating-point types on I64 and Alpha platforms.

Use the floating-point types consistently in a single RPC application. Different RPC applications, each using different floating-point types, can be run on a single system.

I64 Systems

By default, DCE uses IEEE_FLOAT type on I64 systems. That is, DCE applications built for I64 systems would use IEEE_FLOAT floating-point types.

To use the G_FLOAT floating-point type in RPC applications developed with the C or C++ language:

1. Call the new API function rpc_set_local_float_drep(RPC_APPLICATION_FLOAT_TYPE, &status) before calling any RPC run-time functions. The constant RPC_APPLICATION_FLOAT_TYPE is automatically defined to the floating point type specified on the compiler command line qualifier. For details, refer to the Release Notes for OpenVMS DCE V3.2.
2. Compile the RPC application programs using the compiler qualifier /FLOAT=G_FLOAT.
3. Use the appropriate IDL compile option while building the stubs for the following:

   C applications: -CC_CMD "CC/FLOAT=G_FLOAT"
   
   C++ applications: -CPP_CMD "CXX/FLOAT=G_FLOAT"

4. Link the RPC applications using the appropriate DCE options file for the following:

   C applications: DCE.OPT
   
   C++ applications: DCE_CXX.OPT

To use the IEEE_FLOAT floating-point type in RPC applications developed with the C or C++ language:

1. Compile the RPC application programs using the compiler qualifier /FLOAT=IEEE_FLOAT (default option)
2. Link the RPC applications with DCE.OPT or with DCE_CXX.OPT.

Alpha Systems

By default, the DCE applications built on Alpha systems use the G_FLOAT floating-point types.

To use the IEEE_FLOAT floating-point type in RPC applications developed with the C or C++ language:

1. Call the new API function rpc_set_local_float_drep(RPC_APPLICATION_FLOAT_TYPE, &status) before calling RPC run-time functions. The constant RPC_APPLICATION_FLOAT_TYPE is automatically defined to the floating-point type specified on the compiler command line qualifier. For details, refer to the Release Notes for OpenVMS DCE V3.2.
2. Compile the RPC application programs using the compiler qualifier /FLOAT=IEEE_FLOAT.
3. Use the appropriate IDL compile option while building the stubs for the following:

   C applications: -CC_CMD "CC/FLOAT=IEEE_FLOAT"
   
   C++ applications: -CPP_CMD "CXX/FLOAT=IEEE_FLOAT"

4. Link the RPC applications using the appropriate DCE options file for the following:

   C applications: DCE.OPT
   
   C++ applications: DCE_CXX.OPT

To use the G_FLOAT floating-point type in RPC applications developed with the C or C++ language:

1. Compile the RPC application programs using the C or C++ compiler qualifier /FLOAT=G_FLOAT (default option).
2. Link the RPC application with DCE.OPT or DCE_CXX.OPT.

V8.3

OpenVMS Versions 7.3-2 and higher allow use of mixed-case and extended characters in passwords when PWDMIX is specified as login flags. Prior to DECnet-Plus V8.3, DECnet did not support mixed-case passwords for task-to-task communication and remote file access using DECnet.

2.11 HP DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS: X.25 Data Links Not Supported (I64 Only)

V8.2

The HP X.25 for OpenVMS Alpha software is in the process of being ported and is not yet supported. Therefore, HP DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS I64 Version 8.2 does not support X.25 data links.

2.12 HP DECram

This section contains release notes pertaining to DECram.

V8.2

Starting with OpenVMS Alpha and OpenVMS I64 Version 8.2, DECram ships with the OpenVMS operating system as a System Integrated Product (SIP). Users are still required to have a DECram license. The DECram driver is located in SYS$COMMON:[SYS$LDR]. Alpha users should remove any remaining SYS$MDDRIVER images in the system-specific directories ([SYSx.SYS$LDR]). For details about removing old versions of DECram before you upgrade to Version 8.2, refer to the HP OpenVMS Version 8.2 Upgrade and Installation Manual.

If you try to load any old versions of DECram, you will get the following error message:

SYSTEM-W-SYSVERDIF, system version mismatch; please relink

No older versions of DECram are supported on OpenVMS Version 8.2.

DECram Version 2.5 will continue to be supported on VAX systems only.

2.12.2 Conflict with DECRYPT DCL Command

V8.2

The Encryption for OpenVMS Alpha layered product creates its own DCL command DECRYPT at installation time. DECRYPT then overwrites the default definition of DECR, which users might have been using to invoke DECram.

If both products are installed, you can access the DECram interface by defining a DCL foreign command symbol such as the following:

$ DECRAM == "$MDMANAGER"

This section contains release notes pertaining to the HP DECwindows Motif for OpenVMS product.

2.13.1 DECwindows Pause Screen Can Fail to Unlock (Alpha Only)

V8.3

The following new locales, which are used by localized DECwindows Motif software, have been added to the OpenVMS Version 8.2 internationalization data kit.

iw_IL.utf-8 (Hebrew, Israel, UTF-8)
ko_KR.utf-8 (Korean, UTF-8)
zh_CN.utf-8 (Chinese, PRC, UTF-8)
zh_HK.utf-8 (Chinese, Hong Kong, UTF-8)
zh_TW.utf-8 (Chinese, Taiwan, UTF-8)

V7.3-2

In DECwindows Motif Version 1.3 for OpenVMS Alpha, significant changes were made to the DECwindows Motif transport library to accommodate multithreading and the communication needs of the Inter-Client Exchange (ICE) protocol, Low-Bandwidth X (LBX) proxy server, and Input Method servers. As a result, HP has discontinued support for user-written network transports on systems running DECwindows Motif Version 1.3 or higher.

All existing transports (DECnet, TCP/IP, LAT, and LOCAL) remain available and function as expected. However, HP no longer provides support for designing and implementing user-written transports based on the updated transport interface. The VMS DECwindows Transport Manual has been archived, and the new libraries are not publicly available.

If you have implemented a custom transport and want to migrate that transport to the DECwindows Motif Version 1.5 or greater environment, contact your HP support representative to develop a migration strategy.

2.14 HP Secure Web Server Version Support

V8.2

OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.3-2 and OpenVMS Version 8.2 (Alpha and I64) are the last releases on which the Secure Web Server (SWS) Version 1.3-* is supported. OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.3-2 is the last release on which SWS Version 2.0 is supported.

The functional replacement for SWS Version 1.3-* and SWS Version 2.0 is SWS Version 2.1. All future new features and enhancements to SWS will be provided beginning with SWS Version 2.1, which is based on the Apache 2.0.* open source code base.

SWS Version 1.3-* and SWS Version 2.0 will be supported while OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.3-2 is in Prior Version Support (PVS) status, and SWS Version 1.3-* will be supported as long as OpenVMS Version 8.2 is supported. Support for these SWS versions will include remedial fixes and security fixes as deemed appropriate.

2.15 HP Pascal for OpenVMS Alpha Systems

The following release notes pertain to HP Pascal for OpenVMS Alpha systems.

2.15.1 V5.8A (or Later) Required to Create STARLET Library (Alpha Only)

V7.3-2

Because of a change in OpenVMS Version 7.3-2, Pascal versions prior to V5.8A cannot create the STARLET library files during installation.

Earlier versions of Pascal can install on OpenVMS Version 7.3-2 or later if you answer "NO" to the option to create and install the STARLET library files. Also, previously installed Pascal compilers and previously created STARLET library files will continue to function after upgrading an older OpenVMS system to Version 7.3-2 or later.

It is only the STARLET library creation portion of the Pascal installation that does not work on OpenVMS Version 7.3-2 and later. The Pascal V5.8A kit contains an enhanced installation procedure to correctly build the STARLET library files on OpenVMS Version 7.3-2 and later.

Pascal V5.8A is available on the latest consolidated layered product CD.

2.15.2 Installing HP Pascal After an Upgrade (Alpha Only)

V7.3

This note applies to any version of HP Pascal and any version of the OpenVMS Alpha operating system.

After upgrading OpenVMS, you should reinstall HP Pascal to produce new versions of STARLET.PAS and other definition files to match the upgraded system.

If you do not reinstall HP Pascal after upgrading OpenVMS, the compiler on your system will still work correctly. However, STARLET.PAS and the other definition files will not contain any new or corrected definitions supplied by the OpenVMS upgrade.

2.16 WEBES and SEA Support on I64 Systems

V8.3 The latest version of WEBES (WEBased Enterprise Services) can be obtained from the WEBES homepage at:

V8.3

NetBeans Version 3.6 for OpenVMS Alpha and OpenVMS I64 is supported only on Java Platform, Standard Edition, Development Kit (JDK) v 1.4.2-x.