Document revision date: 30 March 2001

RMS uses the distributed Lock Manager ($ENQ system service) for record locking.

To help prevent false deadlocks, the distributed Lock Manager uses the following flags for lock requests:

Flag1	Purpose
LCK$M_NODLCKWT	When set, the lock management services do not consider this lock when trying to detect deadlock conditions.
LCK$M_NODLCKBLK	When set, the lock management services do not consider this lock as blocking other locks when trying to detect deadlock conditions.

In previous releases, RMS did not set these flags in its record lock requests.

With this release, you can optionally request that RMS set these flags in record lock requests by setting the corresponding options RAB$V_NODLCKWT and RAB$V_NODLCKBLK in the new RAB$W_ROP_2 field. For more information about using these options, refer to the flag information in the $ENQ section of the OpenVMS System Services Reference Manual: A--GETUAI.

5.13 OpenVMS Registry

Beginning in OpenVMS Version 7.3, the $REGISTRY system service and the OpenVMS Registry server have been enhanced to use the Intra-Cluster Communications (ICC) protocol. ICC provides a high-performance communication mechanism that is ideal for large transfers. Using ICC eases restrictions on the amount of data that can be transferred between the $REGISTRY system service and the Registry server. These restrictions previously prevented large key values from being stored and retrieved, and prevented full searches of large databases. The changes made in OpenVMS Version 7.3 result in an incompatibility between the OpenVMS Version 7.2 $REGISTRY service and Registry server and the OpenVMS Version 7.3 $REGISTRY service and Registry server. However, these changes substantially benefit OpenVMS customers in this release and in future releases, when we plan to further reduce these restrictions.

Also in OpenVMS Version 7.3, registry operations are client/server based, and as such require some length of time for the server to respond to a request. If the server is too busy or the timeout value is too small, or both, the server will not respond in time and the $REGISTRY service will return a REG$_NORESPONSE error. This does not necessarily mean that the operation failed; it only means that the server was not able to respond before the time expired. Most operations complete immediately. However, Compaq recommends that you specify the timeout value be a minimum of 5 seconds.

The new format of the $registry system service is:

$REGISTRY [efn], func, [ntcredentials], itmlst, [iosb] [,astadr] [,astprm] [,timeout]

Note that astadr , astprm and timeout are optional arguments. These optional arguments cannot be defaulted, which means that to specify the timeout argument, you must specify astadr and astprm (or specify them as 0). Some languages, such as Bliss and Macro, provide macros to do this for you.

5.13.1 REG$CP Registry Utility

The REG$CP Registry Utility has been enhanced to use the timeout argument. REG$CP commands now support a /WAIT=numberofseconds qualifier, allowing you to specify the number of seconds to wait for the Registry Server to respond to the command. /WAIT is negatable (by using /NOWAIT ). However, like the timeout argument, Compaq recommends that you specify a minimum of 5 seconds.

The REG$CP Registry Utility has also been enhanced to display security descriptors. The LIST command can now be used to display the security descriptor associated with a particular key. This includes the security descriptor structure itself, and may also include Security Identifiers (SIDs), System Access-Control Lists (SACLs), and Discretionary Access-Control Lists (DACLs). You must have access to the key to display the security descriptor; in other words, you must have proper credentials to read the security information, or you must be suitably privileged.

For more information, refer to the OpenVMS Connectivity Developer Guide, which is available on the OpenVMS Alpha CD-ROM in directory [COM_ALPHA_011A].

5.14 Alpha SDA Commands, Parameters, and Qualifiers

The OpenVMS Version 7.3 software release offers a number of new Alpha SDA commands, parameters, and qualifiers. OpenVMS Version 7.3 also offers many new parameters and qualifiers for existing commands.

For more detailed information, refer to the OpenVMS Alpha System Analysis Tools Manual.

5.14.1 New Alpha SDA Commands

The following section lists and defines the new System Dump Analyzer commands with their parameters and qualifiers.

5.14.1.1 DUMP

The DUMP command displays the contents of a range of memory formatted as a comma-separated variable (CSV) list, suitable for inclusion in a spreadsheet.

The following table shows the parameter for the DUMP command:

Parameter	Meaning
range	The range of locations to be displayed. The range is specified in one of the following formats: Format Meaning m:n Range from address m to address n inclusive m;n Range from address m for n bytes

The following table shows the qualifiers for the DUMP command:

Qualifier	Meaning
/COUNT=[{ALL|records}]	Gives the number of records to be displayed. The default is to display all records.
/DECIMAL	Outputs data as decimal values.
/FORWARD	Causes SDA to display the records in the history buffer in ascending address order. This is the default.
/HEXADECIMAL	Outputs data as hexadecimal values. This is the default.
/INDEX_ARRAY [={LONGWORD (default)|QUADWORD}]	Indicates to SDA that the range of addresses given is a vector of pointers to the records to be displayed. The vector can be a list of longwords (default) or quadwords. The size of the range must be an exact number of longwords or quadwords as appropriate.
/INITIAL_POSITION ={ADDRESS=address|RECORD=number}	Indicates to SDA which record is to be displayed first. The default is the lowest addressed record if /FORWARD is used, and the highest addressed record if /REVERSE is used. The initial position may be given as a record number within the range, or the address at which the record is located.
/LONGWORD	Outputs each data item as a longword. This is the default.
/PHYSICAL	Indicates to SDA that all addresses (range and/or start position) are physical addresses. By default, virtual addresses are assumed.
/QUADWORD	Outputs each data item as a quadword.
/RECORD_SIZE=size	Indicates the size of each record within the history buffer, the default being 512 bytes. Note that this size must exactly divide into the total size of the address range to be displayed, unless /INDEX_ARRAY is specified.
/REVERSE	Causes SDA to display the records in the history buffer in descending address order.

5.14.1.2 SET SYMBOLIZE

The SET SYMBOLIZE command enables or disables symbolization of addresses in the display from an EXAMINE command.

The following shows the parameters for the SET SYMBOLIZE command:

Parameter	Meaning
ON	Enables symbolization of addresses
OFF	Disables symbolization of addresses

There are no qualifiers for this command.

5.14.1.3 SHOW MEMORY

The SHOW MEMORY command displays the availability and usage of those memory resources that are related to memory.

There are no parameters for this command. The following shows the qualifiers for the SHOW MEMORY command, which are the same as for the existing DCL command:

Qualifier	Meaning
/ALL	Displays all available information; that is, information displayed by the /FILES, /PHYSICAL_PAGES, /POOL, and /SLOTS qualifiers. This is the default display.
/BUFFER_OBJECTS	Displays information about system resources used by buffer objects.
/CACHE	Displays information about the Virtual I/O Cache facility. The cache facility information is displayed as part of the SHOW MEMORY and SHOW MEMORY/CACHE/FULL commands.
/FILES	Displays information about the use of each paging and swapping file currently installed.
/FULL	Displays additional information about each pool area or paging or swapping file currently installed, when used with the /POOL or the /FILES qualifier. This qualifier is ignored unless the /FILES or the /POOL qualifier is specified explicitly. When used with the /CACHE qualifier, /FULL displays additional information about the use of the Virtual I/O Cache facility.
/GH_REGIONS	Displays information about the granularity hint regions (GHR) that have been established. For each of these regions, information is displayed about the size of the region, the amount of free memory, the amount of memory in use, and the amount of memory released to OpenVMS from the region. The granularity hint regions information is also displayed as part of SHOW MEMORY, SHOW MEMORY/ALL, and SHOW MEMORY/FULL commands.
/PHYSICAL_PAGES	Displays information about the amount of physical memory and the number of free and modified pages.
/POOL	Displays information about the usage of each dynamic memory (pool) area, including the amount of free space and the size of the largest contiguous block in each area.
/RESERVED	Displays information about memory reservations.
/SLOTS	Displays information about the availability of partition control block (PCB) vector slots and balance slots.

5.14.1.4 SHOW RAD

The SHOW RAD command displays the settings and explanations of the RAD_SUPPORT system parameter fields, and the assignment of CPUs and memory to the Resource Affinity Domains (RADs). This command is only useful on platforms that support RADs. By default, the SHOW RAD command displays the settings of the RAD_SUPPORT system parameter fields.

The following shows the parameter for the SHOW RAD command:

Parameter	Meaning
number	Displays information on CPUs and memory for the specified RAD

The following shows the qualifier for the SHOW RAD command:

Qualifier	Meaning
/ALL	Displays settings of the RAD_SUPPORT parameter fields and the CPU and memory assignments for all RADs

5.14.1.5 SHOW TQE

The SHOW TQE command displays the entries in the Timer Queue. The default output is a summary display of all timer queue entries (TQEs) in chronological order.

There are no parameters for this command. The following shows the qualifiers for the SHOW TQE command:

Qualifier	Meaning
/ADDRESS= n	Outputs a detailed display of the TQE at the specified address
/ALL	Outputs a detailed display of all TQEs
/BACKLINK	Outputs the display of TQEs, either detailed (/ALL) or brief (default), in reverse order, starting at the entry furthest into the future
/PID= n	Limits the display of the TQEs that affect the process with the specified internal PID
/ROUTINE= n	Limits the display of the TQEs for which the specified address is the fork PC

5.14.1.6 UNDEFINE

The UNDEFINE command causes SDA to remove the specified symbol from its symbol table.

The following shows the parameter for the UNDEFINE command:

Parameter	Meaning
symbol	The name of the symbol to be deleted from SDA's symbol table. A symbol name is required.

There are no qualifiers for this command.

5.14.2 New Parameters and Qualifiers for Existing Commands

The following section lists and defines new parameters and qualifiers for existing commands.

5.14.2.1 REPEAT

The REPEAT command has the following new parameter:

Parameter	Meaning
count	The number of times the previous command is to be repeated. The default is a single repeat.

The REPEAT command has the following new qualifier:

Qualifier	Meaning
/UNTIL=condition	Defines a condition that terminates the REPEAT command. By default, there is no terminating condition.

5.14.2.2 SEARCH

The /STEPS qualifier of the SEARCH command now allows any step size. In addition to the keywords QUADWORD, LONGWORD (default), WORD, or BYTE, any value can be specified.

Qualifier

Meaning

/STEPS={QUADWORD|LONGWORD|WORD |BYTE| value}

Specifies the step factor of the search through the specified memory range. After the SEARCH command has performed the comparison between the value of expression and memory location, it adds the specified step factor to the address of the memory location. The resulting location is the next location to undergo the comparison. If you do not specify the /STEPS qualifier, the SEARCH command uses a step factor of a longword.

5.14.2.3 SET OUTPUT

The SET OUTPUT command has the following new qualifiers:

Qualifier	Meaning
/[NO]HEADER	The /HEADER qualifier causes SDA to include a heading at the top of each page of the output file. This is the default. The /NOHEADER qualifier causes SDA to omit the page headings. Use of /NOHEADER implies /NOINDEX.
/SINGLE_COMMAND	Indicates to SDA that the output for a single command is to be written to the specified file and that subsequent output should be written to the terminal.

5.14.2.4 SET PROCESS

The SET PROCESS command has the following new qualifier:

Qualifier	Meaning
/NEXT	Causes SDA to locate the next valid process in the process list and select that process. If there are no further valid processes in the process list, SDA returns an error.

5.14.2.5 SHOW DEVICE

The SHOW DEVICE command has the following new qualifiers:

Qualifier	Meaning
/CDT= address	Identifies the device by the address of its Connector Descriptor Table (CDT). This applies to cluster port devices only.
/PDT	Displays the Memory Channel Port Descriptor Table. This qualifier is ignored for devices other than memory channel.
/UCB= ucb-address	This is a synonym for /ADDRESS= ucb-address.

5.14.2.6 SHOW GCT

The SHOW GCT command has the following new qualifier:

Qualifier	Meaning
/CHILDREN	When used with /ADDRESS= n or /HANDLE= n, the /CHILDREN qualifier causes SDA to display all nodes in the configuration tree that are children of the specified node.

5.14.2.7 SHOW LOCK

The SHOW LOCK command's qualifier /STATUS has the following new keyword:

Keyword	Meaning
DPC	Indicates a delete pending cache lock

5.14.2.8 SHOW PFN_DATA

The SHOW PFN_DATA command has the following new qualifier:

Qualifier	Meaning
/RAD [={n|ALL}]	Displays data on the disposition of pages among the Resource Affinity Domain on applicable systems

5.14.2.9 SHOW POOL

The SHOW POOL command has the following new qualifiers:

Qualifier	Meaning
/BRIEF	Displays only general information about pool and its addresses.
/CHECK	Checks all free packets for POOLCHECK-style corruption, in exactly the same way that the system does when generating a POOLCHECK crashdump.
/MAXIMUM_BYTES [= n]	Displays only the first n bytes of a pool packet; default is 64 bytes.
/STATISTICS [= ALL]	Displays usage statistics about each lookaside list and the variable free list. For each lookaside list, its queue header address, packet size, the number of packets, attempts, fails, and deallocations are displayed. (If pool checking is disabled, the attempts, fails, and deallocations are not displayed.) For the variable free list, its queue header address, the number of packets and the size of the smallest and largest packets are displayed. /STATISTICS can be further qualified by using either /NONPAGED, /BAP, or /PAGED to display statistics for a specified pool area. (Note that for paged pool, only variable free list statistics are displayed.) If /STATISTICS is specified without the ALL keyword, only active lookaside lists are displayed. Use /STATISTICS = ALL to display all lookaside lists.
/UNUSED	Displays only variable free packets and lookaside list packets, not used packets.

5.14.2.10 SHOW PROCESS

The SHOW PROCESS command has the following new qualifiers:

Qualifier	Meaning
/FID_ONLY	When used with /CHANNEL or /PROCESS_SECTION_TABLE (/PST), the /FID_ONLY qualifier causes SDA to not attempt to translate the FID (File ID) to a file name when invoked with ANALYZE/SYSTEM.
/GSTX= index	When used with the /PAGE_TABLES qualifier, it causes SDA to only display page table entries for the specific global section.
/IMAGES [= ALL]	By default, /IMAGES now only displays the address of the image control block, the start and end addresses of the image, the activation code, the protected and shareable flags, the image name, and the major and minor IDs of the image. If /IMAGES = ALL qualifier is used, it also displays the base, end, image offset, and section type for installed resident images in use by this process.
/NEXT	Causes SDA to locate the next valid process in the process list and select that process. It there are no further valid processes in the process list, SDA returns an error.
/PST	This is a synonym for /PROCESS_SECTION_TABLE.

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