CHARON Guest Utilities for OpenVMS

General Description

The "CHARON Guest Utilities for OpenVMS" (CHARONCP) package contains several utilities for managing virtual tapes, changing the emulator speed and creating useful definitions for that operations.

This set of utilities is located in the "charoncp011.vdisk" disk file in the "C:\Program Files\CHARON\Virtual Disk Images\Tape utilities package".

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Installation

Specify this image in the CHARON configuration file, boot from the system disk and mount the disk with the following OpenVMS command:

$ MOUNT <device name> /OVERRIDE=IDENTIFICATION

Issue the following commands to install the package:

$ @SYS$UPDATE:VMSINSTAL

* Are you satisfied with the backup of your system disk [YES]? YES
* Where will the distribution volumes be mounted: <device name>:[000000.CHARONCP011.KIT]

Enter the products to be processed from the first distribution volume set.
* Products: CHARONCP011

Select all the components included to the package:

Component Selection

Select the CHARONCP components you wish to install from the menu below.
An asterisk appears next to the packages that have already been
selected. You can remove a package from the list by selecting it
again. You may enter more than one selection by separating your
choices with commas.

1. [*] CHARONCP Guest Utility (REQUIRED)
2. [*] Compatability Utilities
3. [*] Install DCL Commands & Help

4. Exit

* Your choice [4]: 4

Proceed with installation using all the default options.

Once the installation is completed, add the following line to the "SYS$STARTUP:SYSTARTUP_VMS.COM" ("SYS$STARTUP:SYSTARTUP_V5.COM" for VMS 5.5) file for the package to be loaded automatically at system startup::

$ @SYS$STARTUP:CHARONCP_STARTUP

After that the package will be loaded automatically on startup.

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Performance optimization

CHARON takes 100% of host CPU even in case of idle state of guest OpenVMS operating system. To get rid of such resources consumption there is a specific option provided by CHARON Guest Utilities - "idle" mode.

Command	Description
$ CHARONCP SET IDLE /ENABLE	Loads the OpenVMS idle loop detection software. This allows CHARON to detect when the emulated CPU(s) are idle and use the host power saving instructions to reduce power usage.
$ CHARONCP SET IDLE /DISABLE	Unloads the OpenVMS idle loop detection software.

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Adjusting emulator's speed

CHARON speed can be adjusted using these commands:

Command	Description
$ CHARONCP SET SPEED /UP=<number of steps>	Increase the emulator speed by the specified number of steps.
$ CHARONCP SET SPEED /DOWN=<number of steps>	Decrease the emulator speed by the specified number of steps.
$ CHARONCP SET SPEED /RESET	Remove all speed stepping restraints.

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Emulator's shutdown control

It is possible to schedule CHARON to shutdown directly from OpenVMS:

Command

Description

$ CHARONCP SET SHUTDOWN /IN=<seconds, 60 is default>

The number of seconds before the CHARON emulator is to shut down.

The value can be between 0 and 65535 (approx. 18 hours).

$ CHARONCP SET SHUTDOWN /RESET

Clear a scheduled shutdown.

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Virtual tapes management

Specify mapping to tape container in the following way in the CHARON configuration file:

set <adapter name> container[<unit name>] = ".vtape" removable[<unit name>] = true

Example:

set PKA container[600] = ".vtape" removable[600] = true

Once it is done using the following commands it is possible to manage virtual tapes attached to CHARON:

Command Description

$ CHARONCP SET MAGTAPE <device> /LOAD="<filename>.vtape"

Create the specified host-file (if it does not already exist) and attach it to the specified virtual tape device.

Example:

$ CHARONCP SET MAGTAPE MKA600: /LOAD="backup_01.vtape"

$ CHARONCP SET MAGTAPE <device> /UNLOAD

Detach any file currently attached to te specified virtual tape device.

Example:

$ CHARONCP SET MAGTAPE MKA600: /UNLOAD

Possible errors:

Error

Description

BADFILENAME

The filename specified as a value to the qualifier /LOAD was either too long or does not have a file extension of ".vtape".

DEVNOTDISM

Attempting to execute a SET MAGTAPE/LOAD when a file is already attached.

Perform a SET MAGTAPE/UNLOAD first. If a SET MAGTAPE/LOAD command has not previously been executed, then the CHARON configuration container specification for the tape device may contain a full path. Doing this will create and attach and initial tape container file. To avoid this, remove the file name from the specification (leaving only a fileextension of ".vtape" and optional directory).

If some tape container has been already specified in the CHARON configuratioon file use the command "CHARONCP SET MAGTAPE <device> /UNLOAD" to unload it first.

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Defining keys

It is possible to define certain keys on the terminal keyboard for fast access to the CHARONCP functionalilty while you are in CHARONCP:

Command Description

$ CHARONCP
CHARONCP> DEFINE /KEY <key-name> <equivalence-string>

Defines an equivalence string and a set of attributes with a key on the terminal keyboard.

You can have a set of keys defined automatically for use with the CHARONCP utility by placing DEFINE/KEY commands in the file SYS$LOGIN:CHARONCP_KEYDEFS.INI

Example:

$CHARONCP
CHARONCP> DEFINE /KEY F1 "SET MAGTAPE MKA600: /UNLOAD"

$ CHARONCP
CHARONCP> SHOW KEY <key-name>

Displays key definitions created with the DEFINE/KEY command. Refer to the DCL help entry for SHOW KEY for further information.

Example:

$CHARONCP

CHARONCP> SHOW KEY F1
DEFAULT key state definitions:

F1 = "set magtape mka600: /unload"
CHARONCP>

For more information refer to the OpenVMS DCL Dictionary (DEFINE/KEY section).

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Displaying version

Command Description

$ CHARONCP SHOW VERSION

Displays the CHARONCP package version number and architecture. This can be useful for customers reporting issues with the CHARONCP software.

Example:

$ CHARONCP SHOW VERSION

CHARONCP version id is: V1.1

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