OpenVMS System Services Reference Manual

Document revision date: 15 July 2002

OpenVMS System Services Reference Manual

Contents

Index

System alignment faults must be written to a buffer. The following diagram illustrates the format in which system alignment fault data is saved in the buffer:

Only one user on a system can initialize system alignment fault reporting at any time. Subsequent calls will return SS$_AFR_ENABLED.

System alignment fault reporting is disabled when the program that called the service completes.

Required Access or Privileges

CMKRNL privilege is required.

Required Quota

None

Related Services

$GET_ALIGN_FAULT_DATA, $GET_SYS_ALIGN_FAULT_DATA, $PERM_DIS_ALIGN_FAULT_REPORT, $PERM_REPORT_ALIGN_FAULT, $START_ALIGN_FAULT_REPORT, $STOP_ALIGN_FAULT_REPORT, $STOP_SYS_ALIGN_FAULT_REPORT

Condition Values Returned

SS$_NORMAL The service completed successfully.

SS$_ACCVIO The match table is not read accessible.

SS$_AFR_ENABLED The service was already called.

SS$_BADPARAM The buffer_size argument is less than the minimum size required. If the flags argument is 0, AFR$K_VMS_LENGTH + 32 is required. If the flags argument is 1, AFR$K_EXTENDED_LENGTH + 32 is required.

SS$_NOPRIV The caller does not have CMKRNL privilege.

$INIT_VOL

Formats a disk or magnetic tape volume and writes a label on the volume. At the end of initialization, the disk is empty except for the system files containing the structure information. All former contents of the volume are lost.

Format

SYS$INIT_VOL devnam, volnam [,itmlst]

C Prototype

int sys$init_vol (void *devnam, void *volnam, void *itmlst);

Arguments

devnam

OpenVMS usage: char_string

type: character string

access: read only

mechanism: by descriptor

Name of the device on which the volume is physically mounted. The descriptor must point to the device name, a character string of 1 to 64 characters. The device name can be a physical device name or a logical name; if it is a logical name, it must translate to a physical name.
The device does not have to be currently allocated; however, allocating the device before initializing it is recommended.
volnam

OpenVMS usage: char_string

type: character string

access: read only

mechanism: by descriptor

Identification to be encoded on the volume. The descriptor must point to the volume name, a character string of 1 to 12 characters. For a disk volume name, you can specify a maximum of 12 ANSI characters; for a magnetic tape volume name, you can specify a maximum of 6 ANSI "a" characters.
Any valid ANSI "a" characters can be used; these include numbers, uppercase letters, and any one of the following nonalphanumeric characters:
! " % ' ( ) * + , - . / : ; < = >
Compaq strongly recommends that a disk volume name consist of only alphanumeric characters, dollar signs ($), underscores (_), and hyphens (-).
itmlst

OpenVMS usage: item_list_3

type: longword (unsigned)

access: read only

mechanism: by reference

Item list specifying options that can be used when initializing the volume. The itmlst argument is the address of a list of item descriptors, each of which describes one option. The list of item descriptors is terminated by a longword of 0.
The following diagram depicts the format of a single item descriptor:

The following table defines the item descriptor fields:

Descriptor Field Definition

Buffer length A word specifying the length (in bytes) of the buffer that supplies the information $INIT_VOL needs to process the specific item code. The length of the buffer needed depends on the item code specified in the item descriptor.

Item code A word containing an option for the initialize operation. These codes are defined by the $INITDEF macro. There are three types of item codes:

Boolean item code Boolean item codes specify a true or false value. The form INIT$_ code specifies a true value and the form INIT$_NO_ code specifies a false value. For Boolean item codes, the buffer length and buffer address fields of the item descriptor must be 0.

Symbolic value item code Symbolic value item codes specify one of a specified range of possible choices. The buffer length and buffer address fields of the item descriptor must be 0.

Input value item code Input value item codes specify a value to be used by $INIT_VOL. The buffer length and buffer address fields of the item descriptor must be nonzero.

Buffer address A longword containing the address of the buffer that supplies information to $INIT_VOL.

Return length address This field is not used.

Item Codes

INIT$_ACCESSED
An input item code that specifies the number of directories allowed in system space on the volume.
You must specify an integer between 0 and 255 in the input buffer. The default value is 3.
The INIT$_ACCESSED item code applies only to Files-11 On-Disk Structure Level 1 disks.
INIT$_BADBLOCKS_LBN
An input item code that enables $INIT_VOL to mark bad blocks on the volume; no data is written to those faulty areas. INIT$_BADBLOCKS_LBN specifies faulty areas on the volume by logical block number and block count.
The buffer from which $INIT_VOL reads the option information contains an array of quadwords containing information in the following format:

The following table describes the information to be specified for INIT$_BADBLOCKS_LBN:

Field Symbol Name Description

Logical block number INIT$L_BADBLOCKS_LBN Specifies the logical block number of the first block to be marked as allocated.

Count INIT$L_BADBLOCKS_COUNT Specifies the number of blocks to be allocated. This range begins with the first block, as specified in INIT$L_BADBLOCKS_LBN.

Field	Symbol Name	Description
Logical block number	INIT$L_BADBLOCKS_LBN	Specifies the logical block number of the first block to be marked as allocated.
Count	INIT$L_BADBLOCKS_COUNT	Specifies the number of blocks to be allocated. This range begins with the first block, as specified in INIT$L_BADBLOCKS_LBN.

For example, if the input buffer contains the values 5 and 3, INIT_VOL starts at logical block number 5 and allocates 3 blocks.

The number of entries in the buffer is determined by the buffer length field in the item descriptor.

All media supplied by Compaq and supported on the operating system, except disks and TU58 cartridges, are factory formatted and contain bad block data. The Bad Block Locator utility (BAD) or the diagnostic formatter EVRAC can be used to refresh the bad block data or to construct it for the disks and TU58 cartridges. The INIT$_BADBLOCKS_LBN item code is necessary only to enter bad blocks that are not identified in the volume's bad block data. For more information, refer to the OpenVMS Bad Block Locator Utility Manual (available on the Documentation CD-ROM).

The INIT$_BADBLOCKS_LBN item code applies only to disks.

INIT$_BADBLOCKS_SEC

An input item code that specifies faulty areas on the volume by sector, track, cylinder, and block count. $INIT_VOL marks the bad blocks as allocated; no data is written to them.

The input buffer must contain an array of octawords containing information in the following format:

The following table describes the information to be specified for INIT$_BADBLOCKS_SEC:

Field Symbol Name Description

Sector INIT$L_BADBLOCKS_SECTOR Specifies the sector number of the first block to be marked as allocated.

Count INIT$L_BADBLOCKS_COUNT Specifies the number of blocks to be allocated.

Track INIT$L_BADBLOCKS_TRACK Specifies the track number of the first block to be marked as allocated.

Cylinder INIT$L_BADBLOCKS_CYLINDER Specifies the cylinder number of the first block to be marked as allocated.

Field	Symbol Name	Description
Sector	INIT$L_BADBLOCKS_SECTOR	Specifies the sector number of the first block to be marked as allocated.
Count	INIT$L_BADBLOCKS_COUNT	Specifies the number of blocks to be allocated.
Track	INIT$L_BADBLOCKS_TRACK	Specifies the track number of the first block to be marked as allocated.
Cylinder	INIT$L_BADBLOCKS_CYLINDER	Specifies the cylinder number of the first block to be marked as allocated.

For example, if the input buffer contains the values 12, 3, 1, and 2, INIT_VOL starts at sector 12, track 1, cylinder 2, and allocates 3 blocks.

The number of entries in the buffer is determined by the buffer length field in the item descriptor.

All media supplied by Compaq and supported on the operating system, except disks and TU58 cartridges, are factory formatted and contain bad block data. The Bad Block Locator utility (BAD) or the diagnostic formatter EVRAC can be used to refresh the bad block data or to construct it for the disks and TU58 cartridges. The INIT$_BADBLOCKS_SEC item code is necessary only to enter bad blocks that are not identified in the volume's bad block data. For more information, refer to the OpenVMS Bad Block Locator Utility Manual.

The INIT$_BADBLOCKS_SEC item code applies only to disks.

INIT$_CLUSTERSIZE

An input item code that specifies the minimum allocation unit in blocks. The input buffer must contain a longword value. The maximum size that can be specified for a volume is one-hundredth the size of the volume; the minimum size is calculated with the following formula:

volume size in blocks/(255 * 4096)

The INIT$_CLUSTERSIZE item code applies only to Files-11 On-Disk Structure Level 2 disks (for Files-11 On-Disk Structure Level 1 disks, the cluster size is 1). For Files-11 On-Disk Structure Level 2 disks, the cluster size default depends on the disk capacity.

Disks that are 50,000 blocks or larger have a default cluster size of 3.
Disks smaller than 50,000 blocks have a default value of 1.

INIT$_COMPACTION

INIT$_NO_COMPACTION---Default

A Boolean item code that specifies whether data compaction should be performed when writing the volume.

The INIT$_COMPACTION item code applies only to TA90 drives.

INIT$_DENSITY

A symbolic item code that specifies the density value for magnetic tapes and diskettes.

For magnetic tape volumes, the INIT$_DENSITY item code specifies the density in bytes per inch (bpi) at which the magnetic tape is written. Possible symbolic values for tapes are as follows:

INIT$K_DENSITY_800_BPI
INIT$K_DENSITY_1600_BPI
INIT$K_DENSITY_6250_BPI

The specified density value must be supported by the drive. If you do not specify a density item code for a blank magnetic tape, the system uses a default density of the highest value allowed by the tape drive. If the drive allows 6250, 1600, and 800 bpi operation, the default density is 6250. If the drive allows only 1600 and 800 bpi operation, the default density is 1600. If you do not specify a density item code for a magnetic tape that has been previously written, the system uses the previously set volume density.

For diskettes, the INIT$_DENSITY item code specifies how the diskette is to be formatted. Possible symbolic values for diskettes are as follows:

INIT$K_DENSITY_SINGLE_DISK
INIT$K_DENSITY_DOUBLE_DISK
INIT$K_DENSITY_DD_DISK
INIT$K_DENSITY_HD_DISK

For disk volumes that are to be initialized on RX02, RX23, or RX33 diskette drives, the following values specify how the disk is to be formatted:

INIT$K_DENSITY_SINGLE_DISK
INIT$K_DENSITY_DOUBLE_DISK
INIT$K_DENSITY_DD_DISK
INIT$K_DENSITY_HD_DISK

Diskettes are initialized as follows:

RX23 diskettes---DD or HD density
RX33 diskettes---double density only
RX02 dual-density diskette drives---single or double density

If you do not specify a density item code for a disk, the system leaves the volume at the density at which it was last formatted. RX02 disks purchased from Compaq are formatted in single density.

Note

Disks formatted in double density cannot be read or written by the console block storage device (an RX01 drive) of a VAX-11/780 processor until they have been reformatted in single density.

INIT$_DIRECTORIES

An input item code that specifies the number of entries to preallocate for user directories. The input buffer must contain a longword value in the range of 16 to 16000. The default value is 16.

The INIT$_DIRECTORIES item code applies only to disks.

INIT$_ERASE

INIT$_NO_ERASE---Default

A Boolean item code that specifies whether deleted data should be physically destroyed by performing the data security erase (DSE) operation on the volume before initializing it. The INIT$_ERASE item code applies to the following devices:

ODS--2 disk volumes
ANSI magnetic tape volumes on magnetic tape devices that support the hardware erase function, for example, TU78 and MSCP magnetic tapes

For disk devices, this item code sets the ERASE volume attribute, causing each file on the volume to be erased when it is deleted.

INIT$_EXTENSION

An input item code that specifies, by the number of blocks, the default extension size for all files on the volume. The extension default is used when a file increases to a size greater than its initial default allocation during an update. For Files-11 On-Disk Structure Level 2 disks, the buffer must contain a longword value in the range 0 to 65535. For Files-11 On-Disk Structure Level 1 disks, the input buffer must contain a longword value in the range of 0 to 255. The default value is 5 for both Structure Level 1 and Structure Level 2 disks.

The default extension set by this item code is used only if the following conditions are in effect:

No default extension for the file has been set.
No default extension for the process has been set using the SET RMS command.

INIT$_FPROT

An input item code that specifies the default protection applied to all files on the volume. The input buffer must contain a longword protection mask that contains four 4-bit fields. Each field grants or denies read, write, create, and delete access to a category of users. Cleared bits grant access; set bits deny access.

The following diagram depicts the structure of the protection mask on systems:

The INIT$_FPROT item code applies only to Files-11 On-Disk Structure Level 1 disks and is ignored if it is used on an OpenVMS system. OpenVMS systems use the default file extension set by the DCL command SET PROTECTION/DEFAULT.

INIT$_HEADERS

An input item code that specifies the number of file headers to be allocated for the index file. The input buffer must contain a longword value within the range of 16 to the value set by the INIT$_MAXFILES item code. The default value is 16.

The INIT$_HEADERS item code applies only to disks.

INIT$_HIGHWATER---Default

INIT$_NO_HIGHWATER

A Boolean item code that sets the file highwater mark (FHM) volume attribute, which guarantees that users cannot read data that they have not written.

INIT$_NO_HIGHWATER disables FHM for a volume.

The INIT$_HIGHWATER and INIT$_NO_HIGHWATER item codes apply only to Files-11 On-Disk Structure Level 2 disks.

INIT$_HOMEBLOCKS

Specifies where the volume's homeblock and spare copy of the homeblock are placed on disk. This item code applies only to Files-11 ODS--2 volumes, and can have the following values:

INIT$K_HOMEBLOCKS_GEOMETRY
Causes the homeblocks to be placed at separate locations on disk, to protect against failure of a disk block. Placement depends on the reported geometry of the disk.
INIT$K_HOMEBLOCKS_FIXED
Causes the homeblocks to be placed at separate fixed locations on the disk; this is the default. Placement is independent of the reported geometry of the disk. This caters for disks that report different geometries according to the type of controller to which they are attached.
INIT$K_HOMEBLOCKS_CONTIGUOUS
Causes the homeblocks to be placed contiguously at the start of the disk. This allows container file systems to maximize the amount of contiguous space on the disk, when used with the INIT$_INDEX_BEGINNING item code.

INIT$_INDEX_BEGINNING

A symbolic item code that places the index file for the volume's directory structure at the beginning of the volume. By default, the index is placed in the middle of the volume.

When issuing calls to $INIT_VOL, using this item code in conjunction with INIT$_INDEX_BLOCK results in an error. If you specify both item codes from DCL, INIT$_INDEX_BLOCK takes precedence.

This item code applies only to disks.

INIT$_INDEX_BLOCK

An input item code that specifies the location of the index file for the volume's directory structure by logical block number. The input buffer must contain a longword value specifying the logical block number of the first block of the index file. By default, the index is placed in the middle of the volume.

When issuing calls to $INIT_VOL, using this item code with INIT$_INDEX_BEGINNING, INIT$_INDEX_MIDDLE, or INIT$_INDEX_END results in an error. From DCL, if you specify INIT$_INDEX_BLOCK with INIT$_INDEX_BEGINNING, INIT$_INDEX_MIDDLE, or INIT$_INDEX_END, then INIT$_INDEX_BLOCK takes precedence.

The INIT$_INDEX_BLOCK item code applies only to disks.

INIT$_INDEX_END

A symbolic item code that places the index file for the volume's directory structure at the end of the volume. The default is to place the index in the middle of the volume.

When issuing calls to $INIT_VOL, using this item code with INIT$_INDEX_BLOCK results in an error. If you specify both item codes from DCL, INIT$_INDEX_BLOCK takes precedence.

This item code applies only to disks.

INIT$_INDEX_MIDDLE

A symbolic item code that places the index file for the volume's directory structure in the middle of the volume. This is the default location for the index.

When issuing calls to $INIT_VOL, using this item code with INIT$_INDEX_BLOCK results in an error. If you specify both item codes from DCL, INIT$_INDEX_BLOCK takes precedence.

This item code applies only to disks.

INIT$_INTERCHANGE

An input item code that specifies that the magnetic tape ANSI VOL1 volume label is to be used for interchange in a heterogeneous vendor environment. On OpenVMS, this item code overrides creation of the ANSI VOL2 volume label, which contains security attributes specific to OpenVMS systems.

For more information about the INIT$_INTERCHANGE item code and about magnetic tape labeling and tape interchange, refer to the OpenVMS System Manager's Manual, Volume 1: Essentials.

INIT$_LABEL_ACCESS

An input item code that specifies the character to be written in the volume accessibility field of the ANSI volume label VOL1 on an ANSI magnetic tape. Any valid ANSI "a" characters can be used; these include numbers, uppercase letters, and any one of the following nonalphanumeric characters:

! " % ' ( ) * + , - . / : ; < = >

By default, the operating system provides a routine SYS$MTACCESS that checks this field in the following manner:

If the magnetic tape was created on a version of the operating system that conforms to Version 3 of ANSI, this item code is used to override any character except an ASCII space.
If the magnetic tape conforms to an ANSI standard that is later than Version 3, this item code is used to override any character except an ASCII 1 character.

INIT$_LABEL_VOLO

An input item code that specifies the text that is written in the owner identifier field of the ANSI volume label VOL1 on an ANSI magnetic tape. The owner identifier field can contain up to 14 valid ANSI "a" characters.

INIT$_MAXFILES

An input item code that restricts the maximum number of files that the volume can contain. The input buffer must contain a longword value between 0 and a value determined by the following calculation:

volume size in blocks/cluster factor + 1

Once initialized, the maximum number of files can be increased only by reinitializing the volume.

The default maximum number of files is calculated as follows:

volume size in blocks/(cluster factor + 1) * 2

The INIT$_MAXFILES item code applies only to disks.

INIT$_OVR_ACCESS

INIT$_NO_OVR_ACCESS---Default

A Boolean item code that specifies whether to override any character in the accessibility field of the ANSI volume label VOL1 on an ANSI magnetic tape. For more information, refer to the OpenVMS System Manager's Manual.

To specify INIT$_OVR_ACCESS, the caller must either own the volume or have VOLPRO privilege.

INIT$_OVR_EXP

INIT$_NO_OVR_EXP---Default

A Boolean item code that specifies whether the caller writes to a magnetic tape that has not yet reached its expiration date. This item code applies only to the magnetic tapes that were created before VAX VMS Version 4.0 and that use the D% format in the volume owner identifier field.

To specify INIT$_OVR_EXP, the caller must either own the volume or have VOLPRO privilege.

INIT$_OVR_VOLO

INIT$_NO_OVR_VOLO---Default

A Boolean item code that allows the caller to override processing of the owner identifier field of the ANSI volume label VOL1 on an ANSI magnetic tape.

To specify INIT$_OVR_VOLO, the caller must either own the volume or have VOLPRO privilege.

INIT$_OWNER

An input item code that specifies the UIC that will own the volume. The input buffer must contain a longword value, which is the UIC. The default is the UIC of the caller.

For magnetic tapes, no UIC is written unless protection on the magnetic tape is specified. If the INIT$_VPROT item code is specified but the INIT$_OWNER item code is not specified, the UIC of the caller is assigned ownership of the volume.

INIT$_READCHECK

INIT$_NO_READCHECK---Default

A Boolean item code that specifies whether data checking should be performed for all read operations on the volume. For more information about data checking, see the OpenVMS I/O User's Reference Manual.

The INIT$_READCHECK item code applies only to disks.

INIT$_SIZE

An input item code that specifies the number of blocks allocated for a RAM disk with a device type of DT$_RAM_DISK. The input buffer must contain a longword value.

INIT$_STRUCTURE_LEVEL_1

INIT$_STRUCTURE_LEVEL_2---Default

Symbolic item codes that specify whether the volume should be formatted in Files-11 On-Disk Structure Level 1 or Structure Level 2. Structure Level 1 is incompatible with the following item codes:

INIT$_READCHECK
INIT$_WRITECHECK
INIT$_CLUSTERSIZE

The default protection for a Structure Level 1 disk is full access to system, owner, and group users, and read access to all other users.

The INIT$_STRUCTURE_LEVEL_1 item code applies only to disks.

INIT$_USER_NAME

An input item code that specifies the user name that is associated with the volume. The input buffer must contain a character string from 1 to 12 alphanumeric characters, which is the user name. The default is the user name of the caller.

INIT$_VERIFIED

INIT$_NO_VERIFIED

A Boolean item code that indicates whether the disk contains bad block data. INIT$_NO_VERIFIED indicates that any bad block data on the disk should be ignored. For disks with 4096 blocks or more, the default is INIT$_VERIFIED.

INIT$_NO_VERIFIED is the default for the following:

Disks with fewer than 4096 blocks
DIGITAL Storage Architecture (DSA) devices
Disks that are not last-track devices

The INIT$_VERIFIED item codes apply only to disks.

INIT$_VPROT

An input item code that specifies the protection assigned to the volume. The input buffer must contain a longword protection mask that contains four 4-bit fields. Each field grants or denies read, write, create, and delete access to a category of users. Cleared bits grant access; set bits deny access.

The following diagram depicts the structure of the protection mask:

The default is the default protection of the caller.

For magnetic tape, the protection code is written to a specific volume label. The system applies only read and write access restrictions; execute and delete access are ignored. Moreover, the system and the owner are always given read and write access to magnetic tapes, regardless of the protection mask specified.

When you specify a protection mask for a disk volume, access type E (execute) indicates create access.

For Files-11 On-Disk Structure Level 2 volumes, an initial security profile is created from the VOLUME.DEFAULT profile, with the owner and protection as currently defined for INITIALIZE.

You can use the $SET_SECURITY service to modify the security profile after the volume is initialized and mounted.

The caller needs read, write, or control access to the device.

INIT$_WINDOW

The INIT$_WINDOW item code specifies the number of mapping pointers to be allocated for file windows. The input buffer must contain a longword value in the range 7 to 80. The default is 7.

When a file is opened, the file system uses the mapping pointers to access the data in the file.

The INIT$_WINDOW item code applies only to disks.

INIT$_WRITECHECK

INIT$_NO_WRITECHECK---Default

A Boolean item code that specifies whether data checking should be performed for all read operations on the volume. For more information about data checking, refer to the OpenVMS I/O User's Reference Manual.

The INIT$_WRITECHECK item code applies only to disks.

Description

The Initialize Volume system service formats a disk or magnetic tape volume and writes a label on the volume. At the end of initialization, the disk is empty except for the system files containing the structure information. All former contents of the volume are lost.
A blank magnetic tape can sometimes cause unrecoverable errors when it is read. $INIT_VOL attempts to read the volume unless the following three conditions are in effect:

INIT$_OVR_ACCESS Boolean item code is specified.
INIT$_OVR_EXP Boolean item code is specified.
Caller has VOLPRO privilege.
If the caller has VOLPRO privilege, $INIT_VOL initializes a disk without reading the ownership information; otherwise, the ownership of the volume is checked.

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SS$_NORMAL	The service completed successfully.
SS$_ACCVIO	The match table is not read accessible.
SS$_AFR_ENABLED	The service was already called.
SS$_BADPARAM	The buffer_size argument is less than the minimum size required. If the flags argument is 0, AFR$K_VMS_LENGTH + 32 is required. If the flags argument is 1, AFR$K_EXTENDED_LENGTH + 32 is required.
SS$_NOPRIV	The caller does not have CMKRNL privilege.

OpenVMS usage:	char_string
type:	character string
access:	read only
mechanism:	by descriptor

OpenVMS usage:	item_list_3
type:	longword (unsigned)
access:	read only
mechanism:	by reference