Document revision date: 10 November 2000

This appendix contains information that can help you determine the cause of some common problems that you might encounter while using DECwindows. Section C.1 contains general troubleshooting techniques. Section C.2 lists problems by category.

C.1 General Troubleshooting Techniques

This section discusses some actions that you can take to diagnose and to help prevent the problems discussed in the previous sections. The items listed here are intended as general techniques for troubleshooting.

• After the system reboots, check the server error log file SYS$MANAGER:DECW$SERVER_0_ERROR.LOG for possible problems. The server process runs with the name DECW$SERVER_0. It creates the SYS$MANAGER:DECW$SERVER_0_ERROR.LOG log file every time DECwindows is activated. Always check this log file for error messages when you are experiencing problems. Always save the complete contents of the log file in case you must contact your Customer Support Center.
• To find the exit status of the DECW$LOGINOUT process, follow these steps:
  1. Use the DCL command ACCOUNTING/SINCE=TODAY and look for the most recent detached process termination running under the SYSTEM account.
  2. Issue the command WRITE SYS$OUTPUT F$MESSAGE(%xnnnnnnn), where nnnnnnn is the hexadecimal exit status.
  3. If the error message is "Message number nnnnnnn", look at the facility code in the error message and issue a SET MESSAGE command for that facility's message file.
     For example, for a -DWT- message, issue the following command:

     $ SET MESSAGE SYS$MESSAGE:DECW$DWTMSG

  4. Enter WRITE SYS$OUTPUT F$MESSAGE(%xnnnnnnn)
  
  The message file for XLIB is SYS$MESSAGE:DECW$XLIBMSG. The message file for DECW is one of the following files:

  SYS$MESSAGE:DECW$LOGINMSG
  SYS$MESSAGE:DECW$TRANSPORTMSG
  SYS$MESSAGE:DECW$TERMINALMSG

  
  Note that DECW$LOGINOUT does not generate a DECW$TERMINALMSG exit status.
  To create a DECwindows login log file, follow these steps:
  1. If SYS$MANAGER:DECW$PRIVATE_APPS_SETUP.COM doesn't exist, create it from SYS$MANAGER: DECW$PRIVATE_APPS_SETUP.TEMPLATE.
  2. Edit SYS$MANAGER:DECW$PRIVATE_APPS_SETUP.COM and remove the comment character (!) from the line:

     $! DECW$LOGINLOG == "SYS$MANAGER:DECW$LOGIN.LOG"

  3. Restart DECwindows with the following command:

     $ @SYS$MANGER:DECW$STARTUP RESTART

  
  After the DECW$LOGINOUT process exits, it will create the log file SYS$MANAGER:DECW$LOGIN.LOG.
• If the Start Session dialog box does not start, you can define a logical name to create a log file for the Start Session process. Edit the file SYS$MANAGER:DECW$PRIVATE_APPS_SETUP.COM and define a log file location. If that file does not exist, copy the SYS$MANAGER:DECW$PRIVATE_APPS_SETUP.TEMPLATE file to SYS$MANAGER:DECW$PRIVATE_APPS_SETUP.COM and edit the .COM file. Use the symbol DECW$LOGINLOG to define a log file location, as in the following example:

  $ DECW$LOGINLOG == "SYS$MANAGER:DECW$LOGIN.LOG"

  Restart DECwindows by using the following DCL command:

  $ @SYS$MANGER:DECW$STARTUP RESTART

  Check the log file for error messages.

• Use the Accounting utility to get information about the process. See the OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual for more information about using the Accounting utility. Enter the following command from a privileged account to get the accounting log for the DECterm process:

  $ ACCOUNTING/SINCE

  Enter the following command to find out the text for the completion status of the process that failed:

  $ EXIT %x000187DC

  An exit status of 1 indicates normal completion. Any other completion status might indicate a problem. Substitute the completion status for the number 000187DC.

• Session Manager creates the SYS$LOGIN:DECW$SM.LOG log file. If your session is terminated abnormally or if you notice strange behavior during your session, check the contents of this file. Always save the contents of this file in case you must contact your Customer Support Center.
• You can run many of the Session Manager files from the DCL command level. If you are experiencing problems during the session, try running the following executable files and see whether you get different results:
  • SYS$SYSTEM:DECW$PAUSESESSION.EXE (pausing a session)
  • SYS$SYSTEM:DECW$ENDSESSION.EXE (ending a session)
  • SYS$SYSTEM:DECW$SESSION.EXE (Session Manager menu bar)
  • SYS$SYSTEM:DECW$WSINIT.EXE (reading resource files and setting workstation customization options)
  • SYS$SYSTEM:DECW$WSCUST.EXE (viewing workstation customization dialog boxes)
• If you are part of a cluster environment and one workstation cannot run DECwindows but another can, be sure to check the SYS$SPECIFIC directories [SYSLIB], [SYSMGR], and [SYSEXE] for DECW$*.* files and delete any that you find. There should be no DECW$*.* files in any of those directories unless a user placed them there. The installation procedure does not place any DECW$*.* files in the SYS$SPECIFIC directories. Also, compare that system's SYSGEN parameters with those of other working systems.
• If you are having problems with one account but others on the same machine work fine, check the following:
  • Rename the resource files, as follows:

    $ RENAME DECW$USER_DEFAULTS:DECW*.DAT - _$ SYS$LOGIN:DECW*.OLD_DAT

    End the current session, start a new session, and try to use the account again.

  • Profile files are causing problems.

    Rename DECW$USER_DEFAULTS:*.VUE$DAT files and try again, as follows:

    $ RENAME SYS$LOGIN:*.VUE$DAT SYS$LOGIN:*.OLD_VUE$DAT

  • Session Manager cannot execute a command in your DECW$LOGIN.COM file or your DECW$SYLOGIN.COM file.

    Rename the SYS$LOGIN:DECW$LOGIN.COM file or the system file and try to run the application again, as follows:

    $ RENAME SYS$LOGIN:DECW$LOGIN.COM - _$ SYS$LOGIN:DECW$LOGIN.OLD

  • Session Manager cannot execute a command in your LOGIN.COM file or your SYLOGIN.COM file.

    Rename the SYS$LOGIN:LOGIN.COM file or the system file and try to run the application again, as follows:

    $ RENAME SYS$LOGIN:LOGIN.COM SYS$LOGIN:LOGIN.OLD

  • The user authorization file (UAF) values for this user differ from those of other users.

    Compare the values with those of working accounts and make adjustments to find the problem.

  • The user's device and directory are incorrect in the UAF record. Check whether any of the following conditions exist:
    1. The account has recently been moved.
    2. The disk is on line and working.
    3. The user directory has the correct protections for the user to create files in the directory.
    4. The user is the owner of their SYS$LOGIN directory.
• If you see a "Can't Open Display" error message when you run an application, you might be able to get a more specific error message by running the following program:

  $ RUN DECW$EXAMPLES:ICO.EXE

  This program is on your system if your system manager installed the programming support during the DECwindows installation. If not, you can restore it to your system from the DECwindows installation distribution media. See the OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual for more information on restoring a file from a save set using the Backup utility.

• When DECterm windows disappear with no trace and you want to find out why, place the following command in your LOGIN.COM file.

  $ DEFINE DECW$DECTERM_OUTPUT DECTERM.LOG

  End the current session and start a new session. Extra output is written to the DECTERM.LOG file when the DECterm windows run and when they stop working.

• If you find a hexadecimal error status in one of the log files (for example, 02DBA002), you can translate it to a text message by creating the following DECWMSG.COM file:

  $ SET MESSAGE SYS$MESSAGE:DECW$TRANSPORTMSG $ WRITE SYS$OUTPUT F$MESSAGE(P1) $ SET MESSAGE SYS$MESSAGE:DECW$XLIBMSG $ WRITE SYS$OUTPUT F$MESSAGE(P1)

  For example:

  $ @DECWMSG %X02DBA002 %DECW-E-CNXABORT, connection aborted %NONAME-E-NOMSG, Message number 02DBA002

  In this example, the %NONAME-E-NOMSG message means that status 02DBA002 was not found in the DECW$XLIBMSG.EXE file. Therefore, the status 02DBA002 translates to DECW-E-CNXABORT, connection aborted.

• Periodically use AUTOGEN with feedback to increase efficiency and prevent quota-related problems. AUTOGEN makes adjustments to your system after evaluating your hardware configuration and estimating typical work loads. See the OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual for more information about AUTOGEN. Section A.1 and Section A.2 in this manual include tables of suggested settings for UAF limits and system parameters.

This section lists common problems in the following categories:

• Start Session dialog box
• Licensing
• FileView
• Window Manager
• Font access
• Network
• Using Applications
• Session Manager
• DECterm
• X Terminals and third-party workstations
• X server
• Keyboard, monitor, and pointer

After each topic heading, one or more problem statements appear in boldface italic type. Each problem statement is followed by a brief list of possible causes and solutions.

C.2.1 Start Session Dialog Box

The Start Session dialog box does not appear when the system reboots after an installation.

• Check the SYS$SPECIFIC directories [SYSLIB], [SYSMGR], and [SYSEXE] for DECW$*.* files and delete any that you find. There should be no DECW$*.* files in any of those directories unless a user placed them there. The installation procedure does not place any DECW$*.* files in the SYS$SPECIFIC directories.
• Make sure that the protection code on all DECwindows shareable images is set to world read and world execute (W:RE). This is the default protection used during the installation of DECwindows files. See the DECwindows Motif Version 1.2 for OpenVMS Installation Guide for a list of files provided by DECwindows. See the OpenVMS DCL Dictionary for information about setting protection with the DCL command SET FILE/PROTECTION or SET PROTECTION. The following commands might help you identify a file protection problem. Execute the commands from a privileged account.

  $ SET AUDIT/ALARM/ENABLE=FILE=FAILURE $ REPLY/ENABLE=SECURITY $ @SYS$MANAGER:DECW$STARTUP RESTART

  The first command causes file access failures to be logged in the operator log file. The second command requests OPCOM to display security violation messages on your screen. The last command restarts DECwindows Motif. See the OpenVMS DCL Dictionary, the OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual, and the security guide for more information about auditing.

• Check the server error log file SYS$MANAGER:DECW$SERVER_0_ERROR.LOG for error messages that might give more details about the problem.
• Check the SYS$MANAGER:NETSERVER.LOG file for error messages that relate to a DECnet transport problem. See the DECnet for OpenVMS Networking Manual for information about error messages contained in the NETSERVER.LOG file.
• See Section C.1 for more help in diagnosing the problem.

When you try to start a new session, the dialog box indicates that "No license is active for this software product."

• A license on your workstation is invalid. If a new license is available, reboot the operating system by performing a conversational boot using minimum startup. (See the installation and operations guide for your VAX computer for information about performing a conversational boot using minimum startup.) Log in at the console and issue the LICENSE DISABLE command to disable the expired license. Register a new license using the License Management Facility (LMF). See the OpenVMS License Management Utility Manual for information about using LMF.

When you start FileView, you receive a message indicating that your directory does not exist.

• If your system manager has recently moved your directory, follow these steps to instruct FileView to use the new directory specification:
  1. Start the FileView application.
  2. Type in your new directory specification.
  3. Choose Save Startup (FileView) from FileView's Options menu.

You cannot iconify any windows. The command buttons are missing from the top of the windows.

• The Motif Window Manager has stopped working. Choose either of the following options to restart the Motif Window Manager program:
  • Use the following commands to restart the Motif Window Manager program:

    $ SET DISPLAY/CREATE/TRANSPORT=LOCAL $ RUN SYS$SYSTEM:DECW$MWM

    Enter these commands from a DECterm window, from a FileView DCL command window, or from another node by setting host to that workstation. You will be unable to use the window for any other operation.

  • Add the Window Manager menu item to Session Manager's Applications menu using the Menu dialog box from Session Manager's Options menu. Then choose Window Manager from Session Manager's Applications menu. See Using DECwindows Motif for OpenVMS for more information about adding a menu item to a menu.

Your program can neither access nor find a font.

• The fonts are located in the wrong directory. Make sure that layered-product fonts are in one of the following disk directories:

  SYS$COMMON:[SYSFONT.DECW.USER_75DPI] SYS$COMMON:[SYSFONT.DECW.USER_100DPI] SYS$COMMON:[SYSFONT.DECW.USER_COMMON] SYS$COMMON:[SYSFONT.DECW.USER_CURSOR16] SYS$COMMON:[SYSFONT.DECW.USER_CURSOR32]

  The USER_75DPI directory is for fonts displayed on 75-dpi monitors, the USER_100DPI directory is for fonts displayed on 100-dpi monitors, and the USER_COMMON directory is for fonts that can be displayed on either 75-dpi or 100-dpi monitors. The USER_CURSOR16 directory is for 16x16 pixel cursors, and the USER_CURSOR32 directory is for 32x32 pixel cursors.

• The font directory files are not updated. To update the font directories, enter the following command from a privileged account:

  $ @SYS$UPDATE:DECW$MKFONTDIR

  This command creates new font directories for all layered-product fonts and runs automatically when DECwindows is installed. The command might not have been run by a layered product that supplies its own fonts.

• A third-party font is being used. Choose any of the following options:
  • Obtain the font source in bitmap distribution format (BDF) format. Compile the font with the FONT command. The VMS DECwindows Guide to Xlib (Release 4) Programming: MIT C Binding provides a full description of the FONT command. <vax_PS_section> <vax_br_section>
    On VAX systems, copy the resulting *.DECW$FONT file to either the SYS$COMMON:[SYSFONT.DECW.USER_75DPI] directory or the SYS$COMMON:[SYSFONT.DECW.USER_100DPI] directory, as appropriate.<endsection> <alpha_PS_section> <alpha_br_section>
    On AXP systems, copy the resulting *.PCF file to either the SYS$COMMON:[SYSFONT.DECW.USER_75DPI] directory or the SYS$COMMON:[SYSFONT.DECW.USER_100DPI] directory, as appropriate.<endsection>
    Then create new font directories using the following command:

    $ @SYS$UPDATE:DECW$MKFONTDIR

    You must end the current session and start a new session in order for the new font to become available.

  • A file name is used instead of a standard font name.
    • For fixed-width fonts, such as 6x10, copy the file DECW$EXAMPLES:DECW$FONT_ALIAS_ FILENAMES.DAT to the SYS$COMMON:[SYSFONT.DECW.USER_COMMON] directory. You must end the current session and start a new session for the change to take effect.
    • Modify your program to use standard font names. See the VMS DECwindows Guide to Xlib (Release 4) Programming: MIT C Binding for standard DECwindows font names.
  • If your program requires either the Charter or Lucida family of fonts and they do not exist on your system, use the example font alias files provided by DECwindows to give the font name aliases to existing DECwindows font names. For 75-dpi monitors, copy the following files to the SYS$COMMON:[SYSFONT.DECW.USER_75DPI] directory:

    DECW$EXAMPLES:DECW$FONT_ALIAS_CHARTER.DAT DECW$EXAMPLES:DECW$FONT_ALIAS_LUCIDA.DAT

    For 100-dpi monitors, copy the following files to the SYS$COMMON:[SYSFONT.DECW.USER_100DPI] directory:

    DECW$EXAMPLES:DECW$FONT_ALIAS_CHARTER_100DPI.DAT DECW$EXAMPLES:DECW$FONT_ALIAS_LUCIDA_100DPI.DAT<endsection>

  • Give the third-party font name an alias to an existing DECwindows font name. The third party font must be an ISO Latin1 font. Create the file DECW$FONT_ALIAS.DAT in either the SYS$COMMON:[SYSFONT.DECW.USER_75DPI] directory or the SYS$COMMON:[SYSFONT.DECW.USER_100DPI] directory, depending on whether the third party font is 75 dpi or 100 dpi. The format of the font alias file is:
    alias-font-name actual-font-name If the font names contain embedded spaces, enclose the names in double quotes (" "). The alias-font-name value is the third-party font name, and the actual-font-name value is a DECwindows font name. See the VMS DECwindows Guide to Xlib (Release 4) Programming: MIT C Binding for DECwindows font names.

The spacing and fonts look fine on screen 0 but not on screen 1.

• You might be using monitors with different densities. Edit the SYS$MANAGER:DECW$PRIVATE_SERVER_SETUP.COM file and define DECW$MONITOR_DENSITY so that the dpi values are the same for both screens, as in the following example:

  $ DECW$MONITOR_DENSITY == "100,100"

  If you do not have that file, copy the SYS$MANAGER:DECW$PRIVATE_SERVER_SETUP.TEMPLATE file to SYS$MANAGER:DECW$PRIVATE_SERVER_SETUP.COM, and edit the .COM file. Enter the following command to restart the display server:

  $ @SYS$MANAGER:DECW$STARTUP RESTART

  This command stops all applications and restarts DECwindows. Both screens should now use the same dpi values. All clustered workstations also do so when they are restarted. See Chapter 3 for more information about the private server setup file and for information about how to change individual workstations in a cluster.

You cannot compose characters on OpenVMS workstations.

• If you are using an LK201 keyboard, the Compose Character key functions as the Alt function key. Hold down the Compose Character key and press the space bar. The Compose indicator lights up. Then enter the compose character sequence (for example, a ' to produce á).
• If you are using an LK401 keyboard, choose one of these options:
  • Pull down Session Manager's Options menu and choose the Keyboard menu item. A dialog box is displayed. From the Keyboard Type list, choose LK401, then click on OK.
  • Use the SYS$MANAGER:DECW$PRIVATE_SERVER_SETUP.COM file to tell the server to default to the LK401 keyboard, as in the following example:

    $ DECW$DEFAULT_KEYBOARD_MAP == "US_LK401AA"

    If you do not have that file, copy the SYS$MANAGER:DECW$PRIVATE_SERVER_SETUP.TEMPLATE file to SYS$MANAGER:DECW$PRIVATE_SERVER_SETUP.COM. Add the following line to the .COM file:

    $ DECW$DEFAULT_KEYBOARD_MAP == "US_LK401AA"

    
    See Section 3.1 for an example. Enter the following command to restart the DECwindows server:

    $ @SYS$MANAGER:DECW$STARTUP RESTART

    This command stops all applications and restarts DECwindows. The server now treats the keyboard as an LK401 keyboard. All clustered workstations also do so when they are restarted. See the Chapter 3 for more information on the private server setup file and for information about how to change individual workstations in a cluster.

The arrow keys move the mouse pointer instead of working with the application.

• If you pressed Shift+Ctrl+F3 to enter pseudomouse mode, you must press Shift+Ctrl+F3 to exit pseudomouse mode.
• Click with any mouse button to exit pseudomouse mode.

You cannot dismiss the Pseudo Mouse Mode dialog box without exiting pseudomouse mode.

• To dismiss the dialog box without exiting pseudomouse mode, position the cursor over the OK button in the Pseudo Mouse Mode dialog box and then press the Return key.

The top part of the screen goes black and some text messages are visible.

• If you pressed Ctrl+F2 to enter console display mode, you must press Ctrl+F2 to exit console display mode.
• If OPCOM wrote a message to the console, either press Ctrl+F2 to exit console display mode, or disable OPCOM messages to the console.
  To disable OPCOM messages, log in to a privileged account and enter the following commands:

  $ SET TERMINAL/PERMANENT/NOBROADCAST OPA0: $ DEFINE/USER SYS$COMMAND OPA0: $ REPLY/DISABLE

  You might want to add those commands to the SYS$MANAGER:SYSTARTUP_V5.COM file so that OPCOM messages are disabled after a system reboot.

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