[Info-vax] Chaning machine name

[Arne Vajhøj]

On 4/18/2023 9:52 AM, Single Stage to Orbit wrote:
> On Tue, 2023-04-18 at 09:30 -0400, Arne Vajhøj wrote:
>> - change SCSNODE in MODPARAMS.DAT and run AUTOGEN
> 
> Why is it still limited to 6 characters whwn we have masses of memory
> and disk space?

They are very clear about how it works.

 From AUTOGEN HELP:

<quote>
        SCSNODE specifies the name of the computer. This parameter is not
        dynamic.

        Specify SCSNODE as a string of up to six characters. Enclose the
        string in quotation marks.

                                       NOTE

           The maximum size of six characters is strictly enforced.
           SYSBOOT truncates the value of SCSNODE if the size of the
           system parameter is set to more than six characters.

        If the computer is in an OpenVMS Cluster, specify a value that is
        unique within the cluster. Do not specify the null string.

        If the computer is running DECnet for OpenVMS, the value must be
        the same as the DECnet node name.
</quote>

I would assume the max size could have been increased if
DEC/CPQ/HP/HPE/VSI had wanted to.

But they are not going to sell a single VMS license more
by increasing that limit.

And it may be a huge (read: costly) change to implement, because
the name limit may spill over in DECnet and cluster comm
protocols - and what about different VMS versions in a rolling
cluster upgrade, and and and.

Arne