[Info-vax] Logging systartup_vms.com progress to operator.log VMS 7.3-2

[Stephen Hoffman]

On 2020-10-26 22:25:02 +0000, Dave Froble said:

> On 10/26/2020 3:39 PM, Stephen Hoffman wrote:
>> On 2020-10-26 18:41:25 +0000, Dave Froble said:
>> 
>> SYSMAN STARTUP is something that is a *component* of and/or is a 
>> *dependency* of a modern package manager.
> 
> Just to clarify, I don't use SYSMAN unless necessary ....
> 
>> OpenVMS has its startup-related entries, and so too do added apps. 
>> Currently, those startup entries are hand-edited into SYSMAN STARTUP 
>> both as installed from VSI and as modified by end-users, and are 
>> hand-edited in SYSTARTUP_VMS.COM mostly by end-users.
> 
> And if they are to be put into something else, how does that happen? 
> Magic hand waving?  Wishful thinking?  Or, perhaps you run some 
> function which allows you to "by hand" make the entries?

The installer registers the startup procedure in the startup procedure 
database.

There's already a startup database underneath SYSMAN STARTUP, too.

The existing startup database contains entries for various existing 
startup operations, including those entries configured by 
VSI/HPE/HP/Compaq/DEC with OpenVMS, and those added locally.

While you might not add entries and while Bob G does and while I use 
SYSMAN STARTUP to "hide" startup entries, the existing SYSMAN STARTUP 
database already drives the entire system startup procedure, including 
invoking SYLOGICALS.COM, SYSTARTUP_VMS.COM, and other commonly-edited 
command procedures.

What's missing is the installer callbacks, or the usage of same.

For VMSINSTAL, here's the relevant callback:
VMI$CALLBACK SET STARTUP FACILITY_STARTUP.COM "VMSINSTAL DOALL" 

PCSI (IIRC) had a similar mechanism, but dropped back to displaying 
messages related to the EXECUTE START . . . STOP . . . statement. After 
that statement is processed, PCSI then displays a message "at the end 
of the operation telling users to add these commands to their 
SYSTARTUP_VMS.COM file."

One of the larger issues found with the V5.0-era SYSMAN STARTUP design 
was sequencing the related startups; of contending with the product 
interdependencies.

Inter-dependencies are also arguably an artifact of the era of not 
having enough disk space, which means we're headed for fewer kits and 
fewer install-time options. There are various apps around which have 
complex installers and seemingly for little added value too, such as 
TCP/IP Services and DECset. But then OpenVMS is still limited to 2 TiB 
storage addressing, so not quite as much room as might be found on the 
boot devices of other operating systems. While I'm thinking about it, 
neither PCSI nor VMSINSTAL is particularly good at installing apps off 
of the system disk—having just tussled with that again. But I digress.

And again, VSI already has ♾ other pending projects in their queue, 
most or all ahead of these and similar remediations.



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