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Charon-AXP


CHARON Guest Utilities for OpenVMS

Owned by Kirill Nikolaev (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Apr 10, 2019 by Bruno Miretti (Deactivated)Version comment
4 min read

Table of Contents

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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 "charoncp012.vdisk" disk file in the "C:\Program Files\CHARON\Virtual Disk Images\Tape utilities package" folder.

Supported OpenVMS versions: OpenVMS 6.1 and above.

(info) In case of OpenVMS upgrade, CHARONCP will have to be re-installed.

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Installation

Make this virtual disk file recognized by the virtual machine 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 (example given for OpenVMS V8.4):

$ @SYS$UPDATE:VMSINSTAL

...

* Are you satisfied with the backup of your system disk [YES]? YES
* Where will the distribution volumes be mounted: <device name>:[CHARONCP012.KIT]

Enter the products to be processed from the first distribution volume set.
* Products: CHARONCP012

* Enter installation options you wish to use (none): <press enter>

...

Do you want to install this product [NO]? YES

...

* Where should the CHARONCP root directory be located ? [SYS$SYSDEVICE:[CHARONCP]]: <press enter>

...

* Do you want to purge files replaced by this installation [YES]? <press enter>


Select all the components included in 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]: 1,2,3

...

* Your choice [4]: 4

...

* Is this correct [YES]: <press enter>

...

* Products: <press enter>

        VMSINSTAL procedure done at hh:mn

$

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

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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.

CommandDescription
$ 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 /DISABLEUnloads the OpenVMS idle loop detection software.

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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


  • It is mandatory to set the "removable" parameter to "true"
  • The container name must either be ".vtape" (and nothing else) or a valid file name (Example: "D:\Charon\mytape.vtape") with an existing folder
  • The container name length must not be more than 255 characters

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:

CommandDescription
$ 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:

ErrorDescription
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 command 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 file extension of ".vtape" and optional directory).

(info) If some tape container has been already specified in the CHARON configuration 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:

CommandDescription

$ 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 SYS$LOGIN:CHARONCP_KEYDEFS.INI file.

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>


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


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Displaying version

CommandDescription
$ 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: V1.2


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