[Info-vax] Learning VMS application programming

[John H. Reinhardt]

On 2014-09-02 16:27:30 -0400, wendellxe at yahoo.com said:

> I've been looking for a tutorial book on VMS programming, something 
> akin to Rochkind's _Advanced Unix Programming_. I haven't found 
> anything online, but I've seen mention of these two books. Could anyone 
> comment on their contents and/or recommend something else?
> 
>     Writing VAX/VMS Applications Using Pascal (Theo de Klerk, 1991)
> 
>     Software Implementation Techniques: Writing Software in OpenVMS, 
> OS/2, UNIX and Windows NT (Donald Merusi, 1995)
> 
> Coming from Unix, I'm used to designing around the interaction of 
> small, modular tools and using flat text files as a common interchange 
> format.

OpenVMS does not traditionally work that way.  Finding much published 
at places like Abe Book that is applicable may be difficult.  Which is 
not to say you won't find OpenVMS titles there.  I've bought many books 
through them, but they will be using the traditional OpenVMS methods.

Online you might browse through Neil Rieck's OpenVMS pages at 
http://www3.sympatico.ca/n.rieck/links/openvms_resources.html
If you search for articles on Hoffman Labs you may find some good 
information http://labs.hoffmanlabs.com/tracker

>  I need a thorough explanation of how to best design around VMS's 
> heavier process model and relative complexity of the RMS.

The OpenVMS manuals are the place to look.
> 
> I have looked through much of the docs available from HP, but they are 
> not suitable tutorial material.

One option is "The Minimum You Need to Know to Be an OpenVMS 
Application Developer" by Roland Hughes. Apparently available as an 
ebook now at 
http://www.free-ebooks.net/ebook/The-Minimum-You-Need-to-Know-to-Be-an-OpenVMS-Application-Developer 
 with reviews at various places such as GoodRead 
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2377669.The_Minimum_You_Need_to_Know_to_Be_an_OpenVMS_Application_Developer 
 I bought my copy when it first came out and was $100.  Money well 
spent at the time.

Other than that I didn't use anything but the DEC supplied manuals such as:

	"Guide to OpenVMS File Applications" for basic OpenVMS I/O
	"HP OpenVMS Programming Concepts Manual" for how it's done in OpenVMS
	The various RTL and System Services (SS) manuals
	 	

-- 

John H. Reinhardt