[Info-vax] trying to find an FDL or RMS training manual

[Stephen Hoffman]

On 2022-07-23 08:37:23 +0000, wizdude at gmail.com said:

> greetings,
> 
> i while ago i was searching through old DEC VMS manuals online and I 
> came across one which I don't know if it was a training guide or some 
> sort of introductory guide.
> 
> i recall it providing FDL and perhaps RMS training material. the manual 
> contained cartoon style pictures in it and explained how to use FDL to 
> setup a database file and then some language examples.
> 
> i'm fairly certain it was published by DEC and i think i found it on 
> Bitsavers, but for the life of me i can't find it again.
> 
> is anyone able to assist?
> 
> many thanks in advance,
> 
> cheers, Wiz!!

Maybe this stuff?
http://www.onwww.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/vax/vms/training/

Newer, but with fewer cartoons:
https://docs.vmssoftware.com/guide-to-openvms-file-applications/
https://docs.vmssoftware.com/vsi-openvms-record-management-utilities-reference-manual/ 

https://docs.vmssoftware.com/vsi-openvms-utility-routines/#_4493_FDL_CHAP 
 (fdl$create is a handy API for higher-level abstraction; for embedding 
FDL definitions directly into an app, rather than harder-to-change RMS 
API calls.)

What other ed services stuff is on BitSavers? There is likely some 
there, though.

One way to learn this stuff is to generate FDL files from existing 
files using the ANALYZE/RMS/FDL=outputfile.fdl command. SYSUAF has a 
few keys and is a handy target.

There are lots of discussions of FDL here in the comp.os.vms newsgroup, too.

If you're new to OpenVMS programming or would like a refresher, the 
Programming Concepts manual is useful.
https://docs.vmssoftware.com

As for alternatives to newly-created RMS files in this current era, 
there's a SQLite port available for OpenVMS.



-- 
Pure Personal Opinion | HoffmanLabs LLC