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learning RT11 in simh

A

Activmaker

Experienced Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2018
Messages
66
Location
Paris, France
Hi,

I try to learn RT11 using simh installed on linux. I am connected to simh using mobaXterm by SSH with VT100 terminal emulation
-First question : after install RT11 ask to run IND VERIFY but put an error after terminal identifcation :

Code: 
.RUN IVP
        Your console is a VT102

.DELETE IVP.(SAV,OBJ)

.RUN DL0:QUEMAN /A
?QUEMAN-F-QUEUE is not running

Error ABORTing Foreground

I tried to change simh Throttle, number of bit (solutions found on the net), but without success.
What is the impact of the IND VERIFY not working ??

if I don't run it , I can use RT11, but I found an other issue when I tried to use EDIT .

I don't see the '*' and double 'ESC' doesn't seems to work.

is this 2 issues are linked or not ? . I tried directly to use simh in a linux console, result is the same.
Can anybody help me ?
Thanks in advance
 
I have found that terminal emulation works better if the emulator is a separate window from the one SIMH is using. For example, here is part of one of my SIMH .INI files on my Windows laptop:
Code: 
set console telnet=11233
! start ..\vt52 -r 127.0.0.1:11233
boot RX0
This instructs SIMH to listen on port 11233, then has it spawn a terminal emulator (in this case, for a VT52) which connects to port 11233.

Also, you might find that it helps terminal emulation if you include this in your SIMH .INI file:
Code: 
set tto 7b
 
Thanks for this anwser.

I use now telnet to connect to RT11 . But same issue.
this is the ini I use


Code: 
SET CPU 11/45 256k
SET TTO 7b
SET TTI 7b
SET RL0 RL02
ATTACH RL0 rt11Working.RL02
SET RL1 RL02
ATTACH RL1 rt11DATA.RL02
ATTACH LPT lpt.txt
SET CONSOLE telnet=11233

I found in documentation this :

?QUEMAN–F–QUEUE is not running Explanation:The QUEUE program is not running as a foreground or system job. User Action:Use FRUN to install QUEUE in the foreground or use SRUN to install QUEUE as a system job
Click to expand...

I am very newbie in RT11 :) .

I start to read "Introduction to RT11" and just after boot I shoud have

Code: 
RT-11FB    V05.03
.

But I have :

Code: 
RT-11FB  V05.03

.TYPE V5USER.TXT

                              RT-11 V5.3

       Installation of RT-11 Version 5.3 is complete and you are now
    executing from the working volume    (provided you have used the
    automatic installation procedure). DIGITAL recommends you verify
    the correct  operation  of  your  system's  software  using  the
    verification procedure.  To do this, enter the command:

                             IND VERIFY

        Note that VERIFY should be performed  only after the distri-
    bution media have been backed up.  This was accomplished as part
    of automatic installation on  all  RL02,  RX02,  TK50, and  RX50
    based systems,   including the  MicroPDP-11 and the Professional
    300.  If you have not completed automatic installation, you must
    perform a manual backup before using VERIFY.  Note also,  VERIFY
    is NOT supported on RX01 diskettes,    DECtape I or II,   or the
    Professional 325.

    DIGITAL also  recommends  you  read  the  file V5NOTE.TXT, which
    contains information  formalized too late to be included  in the
    Release Notes.  V5NOTE.TXT can be TYPED or PRINTED.
.

I suppose that after running IND VERIFY and reboot , this text will be not present.But I can't run it :(
 
in SIMH, "disable LPT" until after you have run IND VERIFY. I believe the problem here is that the emulated line printer is too fast, so that by the time QUEMAN /A is executed printing has already completed. In a real system, QUEMAN would probably still be running, possibly still on the first page.
 
Also regarding EDIT, I think in RT-11 v5.03 KED/K52 may have replaced TECO as the default editor, but the user's guide wasn't updated. This would probably be why you aren't seeing a * prompt in EDIT, and why ESC ESC doesn't do anything. to exit KED/K52, I believe the sequence is PF1 numpad-7 EXIT enter.
 
So, for the first issue , whithout LPT , program stucks just after pressed the "RETURN" . It seems that the program stucks on LPT detection :( .

Code: 
.ind verify
.COPY DL0:IVP.COM SY:
 Files copied:
DL0:IVP.COM    to SY:IVP.COM
DL0:IVP.COM    to SY:IVP.COM
.DEASSIGN


                INSTALLATION VERIFICATION PROGRAM


        The Installation Verification Program (IVP) verifies that RT-11 has
        been installed correctly on your hardware configuration.

        The program will:

        .  Print the RT-11 V5.3 Release Notes (If a serial or line printer
           is available)

        .  Build and run the terminal identification program (IVP.MAC)

        .  Print the program listing and link map for IVP.MAC (If a serial
           or line printer is available)

        Press the "RETURN" key when ready to continue

With LPT I can go further :

Code: 
The program will:

        .  Print the RT-11 V5.3 Release Notes (If a serial or line printer
           is available)

        .  Build and run the terminal identification program (IVP.MAC)

        .  Print the program listing and link map for IVP.MAC (If a serial
           or line printer is available)

        Press the "RETURN" key when ready to continue

        Your  configuration  contains  a  line printer.

        Please ensure that your line printer is set On Line

        Press the "RETURN" key when ready to continue.


        The RT-11 Version 5.3 release notes will now be queued to this printer.


But I found many users with the same screenshot at RT boot. They don't take care about IND VERIFY . I will probably do the same.

For the second point , yes you're probably right, I found the solution here

If I use SET EDIT EDIT Before trying to use edit , it works !:D

So, I am able to edit text, good point. Now, I found that MACRO is present on installation , but not fortran and BASIC. If I undertood correctly, there is another disk with programming languages. Unfortunately , I did't find a such disk. As I am using simh I can use any disk/tape format . Where could I find all other RT images disks ?
 
I think I had to put "set LPT disabled" in my .ini file and restart SIMH for it to take effect. with the LPT device enabled in SIMH (but not attached to an output file like lpt.txt) I got the same hang.

I don't know where more RT-11 software can be found. I actually use it very little, most of my experience was with the cut-down version of RT-11 that Heath provided with the H-11.
 
You're right ! . No more hangs after disabled LPT . :D

I let somebody else answer to respond for "more RT11 softwares" question. Thanks for your help .
 
Loads of RT-11 disk images...

Try here:

https://pdp-11.org.ru/files.pl?lang=en

http://pdp-11.ru/mybk/hobot/ukdwk_archive/index.txt

MY.DSK appears to have RT11 and a BASIC.SAV. It also appears to have a PASCAL.SAV, TETRIS.SAV,...

There is also ftp.trailing-edge.com/pub as well.

There is probably plenty there to keep you busy for a while.

What you must remember, however, is that some of the .SAV image files may only run with specific version of RT-11 - so you might have to 'play' a bit to get the languages you want all running together with the version of RT-11 you want to use.

Dave
 
I found many things with your links. I will try in a near futur. I already quickly test basic , but I would like improve my skills on RT11 Commands , Bitsavers gave me the docs , it is time for me to start working !

Thanks !
 
Hi,

A new question !
In simh we can attach a file to ptr (Punch tape reader). If I understood correctly in RT 11 we can use device named PC to read the file. For example to make a copy :

Code: 
COPY PC: test.txt

It doesn't work with an error message :Invalid device PC:

ptr and ptp in Simh are visible , but PC in RT11 is not accessible..:? I can use other device (TM,RK,RL) but not this one .
I found an example of using ptr to transfer file here :
https://trmm.net/Advent (See transferring source file using PC: )

On disk SY I see a PC.SYS . So I suppose that this device is available..or not .. ;)
Can anybody help ? I don't find a solution
 
Try
Code: 
.install pc

Before running the command. If this doesn't work, do a

Code: 
.show device

This will tell what devices are seen by the system and some information about each.

FYI - You can also cut and paste text files to RT-11. Copy the text you want to transfer into your PC's paste buffer.

Code: 
[COLOR=#000000][FONT=Menlo].copy tt: test.txt[/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=#000000][FONT=Menlo] Files copied:[/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=#000000][FONT=Menlo]^This is line 1
This is line 2[/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=#000000][FONT=Menlo]^ZTT:            to DK:TEST.TXT[/FONT][/COLOR]

When you see the "^" then paste the loaded text. When done pasting, type Control-Z
 
Excellent !

Few remarks , before posting I noticed that "PC" didn't showed by show command. But I didn't know the install command . Now , I know and thank you for that .
Using install PC: tells me that PCX.sys was not present. I understood that I boot with RT11XM.sys and not RT11FB. I change to boot with RT11FB and I see PC in the show command ! (No need to use install command) I am able to use PC now with RT11FB , not with RT11XM. For now it is sufficient, I will search a PCX.sys , may it doesn't exist.
Thanks for the tips.
 
Good to see you sorted this out.

PCX.SYS shouldn't be hard to add if you have a basic system. See if you have PC.MAC

It's the smallest device handler in terms of macro code and only needs to be assembled and linked with the MMG$T=1 conditional.
 
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