Updated: 11 December 1998

OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual

9.1 DECevent Description

DECevent uses the system event log file, SYS$ERRORLOG:ERRLOG.SYS, as the default input file, unless another input file is specified.

9.2 DECevent Usage Summary

The DECevent utility translates the contents of one or more event log files for inclusion into a report. DECevent generates five types of reports: full (default), brief, terse, summary, and FSTERR. These report types are mutually exclusive when selected within a command; no combinations are allowed.

Format

DIAGNOSE/TRANSLATE [/qualifier(s)][file-spec[,...]]

Parameters

/qualifier(s)

The function to be performed by the DIAGNOSE/TRANSLATE command.

file-spec[,...]

Specifies one or more files that contain binary error information to be translated for the specified report. You can include wildcard characters in the file specification. If you omit the file specification, the default file is SYS$ERRORLOG:ERRLOG.SYS (refer to the OpenVMS System Manager's Manual for information about maintaining this file).

Refer to the OpenVMS User's Manual for details on file specifications.

Description

To invoke DECevent, enter the following DCL command:

DIAGNOSE [/qualifier(s)] [file-spec][,..]

Note that typing the /TRANSLATE qualifier on the command line is not necessary because it is the default qualifier. DECevent does not prompt you. To exit DECevent, press Ctrl/C and the Return key (to receive the system prompt).

You must have SYSPRV privilege to run DECevent; however, only read access is required to access the ERRLOG.SYS file. You must have the DIAGNOSE privilege for the /CONTINUOUS qualifier to work, enabling the continuous display of events on a terminal screen. Do not use the /BINARY qualifier with any report type qualifier (/FULL, /BRIEF, /TERSE, /SUMMARY, and /FSTERR) or with the /OUTPUT qualifier.

The qualifiers for the DIAGNOSE/TRANSLATE command are described in this section. The following table lists the qualifiers.

Qualifier	Description
/BEFORE	Specifies that only those entries dated earlier than the stated date and time are to be selected for the event report
/BINARY	Controls whether the binary error log records are converted to ASCII text or copied to the specified output file
/BRIEF	Generates a brief report
/CONTINUOUS	Specifies that events are formatted in real time, as they are logged by the operating system event logger
/DUMP	Specifies the output to be a brief report followed by a dump of information from the input event log file
/ENTRY	Generates a report that includes the specified entry range or starts at the specified entry number
/EXCLUDE	Excludes events generated by the specified device class, device name, or error log entry type from the report
/FSTERR	Generates a quick, one-line-per-entry report of an event log entry for disks and tapes
/FULL	Generates a full report (default), which provides all available information for an event log entry
/INCLUDE	Includes events generated by the specified device class, device name, or error log entry type in the report
/INTERACTIVE	Allows users to exit from the command line interface and enter the DECevent interactive command shell
/LOG	Controls whether informational messages that specify the number of entries selected and rejected for each input file are sent to SYS$OUTPUT
/NODE	Generates a report consisting of event entries for specific nodes in an OpenVMS Cluster system
/OUTPUT	Specifies the output file for the report
/REJECTED	Allows you to specify the name of a file that will contain binary records for rejected entries
/SINCE	Specifies that only those entries dated later than the stated date and time are to be selected for the report
/SUMMARY	Generates an event report that consists of a statistical summary
/TERSE	Generates an event report consisting of binary event information, register values, and ASCII messages in a condensed format
/TRANSLATE	Translates the contents of an event log file and is the default qualifier for the DIAGNOSE command verb

In addition to the qualifiers listed in this table, the DECevent utility contains a set of DIRECTORY commands and a set of SHOW commands.

DIRECTORY commands allow a user to display a list of rulesets that DECevent requires for translating events into user-readable format.

The DIRECTORY commands currently implemented in DECevent are DIRECTORY EVENT and DIRECTORY CANONICAL.

The SHOW commands allow a user to view specific settings and selections. The SHOW commands currently implemented in DECevent are SHOW SELECT and SHOW SETTINGS. By appending a specific selection keyword name to the SHOW SELECT command, you view only that specific selection keyword. By appending a specific setting's name to the SHOW SETTINGS command, you view only that specific setting's name and value.

/BEFORE

Specifies that only those entries dated earlier than the stated date and time are to be selected for the report.

Format

/BEFORE [=date-time]

Parameter

date-time

Limits the report to those entries dated earlier than the specified time.

Description

You can specify an absolute time, a delta time, or a combination of absolute and delta times. Refer to the OpenVMS User's Manual for details on specifying times.

If you omit the /BEFORE qualifier or specify /BEFORE without a date or time, all entries are processed.

Example

$ DIAGNOSE/TRANSLATE/BEFORE=19-APR-1998:10:00 ERRLOG.OLD;5
      

In this example, the full (default) report generated for ERRLOG.OLD;5 contains entries that were logged before 10:00 A.M. on April 19, 1998.

Controls whether the binary error log records are converted to ASCII text or copied to the specified output file.

Format

/BINARY [=file-spec]

Parameter

file-spec

Specifies the output file selected to contain image copies of the input records.

Description

The /BINARY qualifier creates a binary file that contains copies of the original binary event log entry if the command line also specifies an interval (/SINCE, /BEFORE, or /ENTRY qualifier) or a filter (/INCLUDE or /EXCLUDE qualifier). If no interval or filter is specified, all event log entries are copied.

If you specify /BINARY=file-spec, the selected output file contains image copies of the binary input records (the records are not translated to ASCII). If you omit the device or directory specification, the current device and the default directory are used. If you omit the file name, the file name of the input file is used. If you omit the file type, the default file type is .DAT.

Do not use /BINARY with the /BRIEF, /FSTERR, /FULL, /OUTPUT, /SUMMARY, or /TERSE qualifiers. These qualifiers generate an ASCII report; /BINARY generates a binary file.

Example

$ DIAGNOSE/TRANSLATE/INCLUDE=DBA1/BINARY=DBA1_ERR.DAT ERRLOG.OLD;5
      

In this example, the output file DBA1_ERR.DAT contains image copies of the entries that apply to DBA1.

Generates a brief report.

Format

/BRIEF

Description

Do not use /BRIEF with the /BINARY qualifier.

Section 9.4 contains an example of the format of a typical brief error log report.

Example

$ DIAGNOSE/TRANSLATE/BRIEF ERRLOG.OLD;97
      

In this example, the brief report generated from ERRLOG.OLD;97 contains minimal information.

/CONTINUOUS

Allows events to be displayed on a terminal screen, in real time, as the events are logged by the operating system's event logger.

Format

/CONTINUOUS

Description

The /CONTINUOUS qualifier specifies that events are formatted as they are logged by the operating system event logger in real time. No input file can be specified. The real-time output is directed to the terminal screen by default. You may redirect the real-time output to a file, specified with the /OUTPUT qualifier. Use the /BRIEF report type with the /CONTINUOUS qualifier.

Example

$ DIAGNOSE/TRANSLATE/CONTINUOUS/BRIEF/OUTPUT=ERRLOG.CONT
      

In this example, the brief report containing real-time event logger information, generated from the default input event log file, SYS$ERRORLOG:ERRLOG.SYS, has been directed to the output file ERRLOG.CONT.

Allows a user to dump out criteria, selected by qualifiers, from the input event log file.

Format

/DUMP

Description

The /DUMP qualifier allows users to selectively dump information from the input event log file. The resulting output is a brief report type, followed by a dump of the canonical buffer for the input event.

Example

$ DIAGNOSE/TRANSLATE/DUMP/INCLUDE=(RA90) ERRLOG.OLD;97/OUTPUT=97.OUT
      

In this example, the brief report generated from ERRLOG.OLD;97 contains information about RA90 disk drives. The report has been directed to the output file 97.OUT.

/ENTRY

Generates a report that includes the specified entry range or starts at the specified entry number.

Format

/ENTRY [=(START:decimal-value[,END:decimal-value])]

Parameter

(START:decimal-value[,END:decimal-value])

Specifies the range of entries to be included in the report.

Description

If you specify /ENTRY without the entry range or omit the qualifier, the entry range defaults to START:1,END:end-of-file.

Example

$ DIAGNOSE/TRANSLATE/ENTRY=(START:1,END:18) ERRLOG.SYS
      

In this example, the entry range for the full (default) report generated from file ERRLOG.SYS is limited to entry numbers 1 to 18.

Excludes errors generated by the specified device class, device name, or event entry type from the report.

Format

/EXCLUDE= [device-class | device-name | entry-type ] [,...]

Parameters

device-class

device-name

entry-type

Specifies one or more keywords denoting the device class, device name, or event log entry type. If you specify more than one keyword, you must specify a comma-separated list of values that is enclosed in parentheses.

Device Class Keywords

• ADAPTER
• BUSES
• CACHE
• DISKS
• INFORMATIONAL
• LINE_PRINTER
• REALTIME
• SYNC_COMMUNICATIONS
• TAPES
• VECTOR
• WORKSTATION

Examples of Device Name Constructs

DB	Group of devices
DBA1	Specific device/unit number
(DBA1,HSC1$DUA1,DYA0)	List of devices
(DB,DR,XF)	List of device groups

Entry-Type Keywords

ATTENTIONS	Exclude device attention entries from the report.
BUGCHECKS	Exclude all types of bugcheck entries from the report.
CONFIGURATION	Exclude system configuration entries from the report.
CONTROL_ENTRIES	Exclude control entries from the report. Control entries include the following entry types: System power failure restarts Time stamps System startups $SNDERR messages (system service to send messages to error log) Operator messages Network messages ERRLOG.SYS created
CPU_ENTRIES	Exclude CPU-related entries from the report. CPU entries include the following entry types: SBI alerts/faults Undefined interrupts MBA/UBA adapter errors Asynchronous write errors UBA errors
DEVICE_ERRORS	Exclude device error entries from the report.
ENVIRONMENTAL_ENTRIES	Exclude environmental entries from the report.
MACHINE_CHECKS	Exclude machine check entries from the report.
MEMORY	Exclude memory errors from the report.
SNAPSHOT_ENTRIES	Exclude snapshot entries from the report.
SYNDROME	Exclude console-generated entries that describe a symptom set used by Compaq support personnel to identify problems.
TIMEOUTS	Exclude device timeout entries from the report.
UNKNOWN_ENTRIES	Exclude any entry that had either an unknown entry type or an unknown device type or class.
UNSOLICITED_MSCP	Exclude unsolicited MSCP entries from the output report.
VOLUME_CHANGES	Exclude volume mount and dismount entries from the report.

Description

You can specify one or more devices by device class, device name, or one or more keywords that identify entry types.

Unless you specify the UNKNOWN_ENTRIES keyword to explicitly exclude from a report any entries from unsupported (unknown) devices, any unknown device is reported.

Any known information for the entry is translated; the remaining information is output in hexadecimal longwords.

If you specify a device class keyword or a device name construct with both the /INCLUDE and /EXCLUDE qualifiers, the /INCLUDE qualifier takes precedence.

The BUSES keyword also excludes event log entries for the BI bus. The DEVICE_ERRORS keyword also excludes entries for the BI adapter.

Examples

DIAGNOSE/TRANSLATE/EXCLUDE=MTA0
      

In this example, entries for the device MTA0 are excluded from the full (default) report for the file ERRLOG.SYS.

DIAGNOSE/TRANSLATE/EXCLUDE=(MTA0,DRA5) ERRLOG.OLD
      

In this example, the devices MTA0 and DRA5 are excluded from the full (default) report for the file ERRLOG.OLD.

DIAGNOSE/TRANSLATE/EXCLUDE=(DISKS,BUGCHECKS)
      

In this example, all disk devices and all bugcheck entries are excluded from the full (default) report for the file ERRLOG.SYS.

DIAGNOSE/TRANSLATE/EXCLUDE=TAPES/INCLUDE=MTA0
      

In this example, the device MTA0 is included in the full (default) report for the file ERRLOG.SYS. All other magnetic tape devices are excluded from the report.

DIAGNOSE/TRANSLATE/EXCLUDE=(DISKS,VOLUME_CHANGES)
      

In this example, entries for disks and entries for all volume information are excluded from the full (default) report for the file ERRLOG.SYS.

DIAGNOSE/TRANSLATE/EXCLUDE=(DISKS,VOLUME_CHANGES,DEVICE_ERRORS)
      

In this example, entries for all volume changes, for all disks, and for all device error information about disks are excluded from the full (default) report for the file ERRLOG.SYS.

DIAGNOSE/TRANSLATE/EXCLUDE=(DISKS,VOLUME_CHANGES,DEVICE_ERRORS,BUGCHECKS)
      

In this example, all entries for disks, all entries for volume changes, all entries for device error information about disks, and all entries for bugcheck errors are excluded from the full (default) report for the file ERRLOG.SYS.

Generates a quick, one-line-per-entry report for various disk and tape devices.

Format

/FSTERR

Description

The FSTERR report provides the information that Compaq support representatives need when troubleshooting tape or disk device problems.

Do not use /FSTERR with the /BINARY qualifier.

The Example section shows the format of a typical FSTERR report.

Example

$ DIAGNOSE/TRANSLATE/FSTERR ERRLOG.OLD;72
      

In this example, the command produces a FSTERR report for tape and disk devices from information contained in the event log ERRLOG.OLD;72.

Generates a full report, which provides all available information for an event entry. This is the default report format.

Format

/FULL

Description

The full report format provides a translation of all available information for each entry in the event log. The full report is the default report type if a report type is not specified in the command line.

Do not use /FULL with the /BINARY qualifier.

Examples

DIAGNOSE/TRANSLATE/FULL ERRLOG.OLD;72
      

In this example, the command produces a full (default) report.

DIAGNOSE/TRANSLATE ERRLOG.OLD;72
      

In this example, the command produces a full (default) report. The default report type is /FULL; it is not necessary to specify it in the command line.

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