[Info-vax] Resurrecting a VAX MACRO program from 1988

[Ehud Gavron]

On Saturday, August 12, 2023 at 1:04:12 PM UTC-7, T. Kurt Bond wrote:
> On Saturday, August 12, 2023 at 3:39:12 PM UTC-4, T. Kurt Bond wrote: 
> > On Saturday, August 12, 2023 at 1:32:27 PM UTC-4, Robert A. Brooks wrote: 
> > 
> > > > As cao noticed, the MAP file from the most recent link *is* in the https://github.com/tkurtbond/VTIL repository and the direct link is https://github.com/tkurtbond/VTIL/blob/main/vtil.map 
> > > > 
> > > > Sorry, I should have mentioned that. 
> > > I'm impressed that you somehow crafted a PSECT with a negative length! 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Psect Name Module Name Base End Length 
> > > ---------- ----------- ---- --- ------ 
> > > 
> > > VTILCODE 00002000 00001FFB FFFFFFFC ( 4294967292.) 
> > > VTIL 00002000 00001FFB FFFFFFFC ( 4294967292.) 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > We'll need John Reagan to weigh in here. 
> > Well, that doesn't look good. I've updated that repository with the .MAP and VTIL.LIS with /SHOW=EXPANSION from a compilation done today. It shouldn't be too different.
> Yay! Pointing out the unusual PSECT size eventually lead me to line 300 
> in VTIL.MAR: 
> https://github.com/tkurtbond/VTIL/blob/84496c62b545502961bffd788bbaefdb55450d9e/vtil.mar#L300 
> Where I saw the assignment "branch = -4". Thaaaat doesn't look right! 
> Looking at the picture of the source page for that line: 
> https://github.com/tkurtbond/VTIL-pictures/blob/main/vtil.mar/page-10-lines-285-to-334.jpeg 
> I see that it should have been "branch = . - 4". That looks better. 
> 
> And now it links! And when I run it, I get a "VTIL>" prompt! Of course, 
> nothing seems to work, other than the Ctrl-C handler, and Ctrl-Z to exit. 
> But now I can run it in the debugger and figure out what is going on. 
> 
> Thanks for you help!

I see I'm too late for this party.  Glad you found the issue, and kudos to Robert Brooks for catching the negative PSECT size!

Best wishes from an old friend you've never met.

Ehud