Preface

The VOS Pascal Transaction Processing Facility Reference Manual (R038) documents the commands, monitor requests, and subroutines needed to build and operate a transaction-processing application.

This manual is intended for programmers and administrators of transaction-processing applications.

Before using the VOS Pascal Transaction Processing Facility Reference Manual (R038), you should be familiar with the VOS Pascal Subroutines Manual  and the VOS Pascal Language Manual .

Manual Version

This manual is a revision. For information on which release of the software this manual documents, see the Notice page.

Change bars, which appear in the margin, note the specific changes to text since the previous publication of this manual. Note, however, that change bars are not used in new command or subroutine descriptions.

This manual incorporates changes already documented in the >system>doc>vos_pubs.corrections file, the >system>doc>tpf.doc file, and the software release bulletins through VOS Release 14.0.0.

The following commands have updates.

  • tp_restore
  • set_transaction_file

The following subroutines are new.

  • s$get_server_queue_info
  • s$msg_open_virtual

The following subroutines have updates.

  • s$control_task
  • s$monitor_full
  • s$msg_read
  • s$msg_receive
  • s$msg_receive_reply
  • s$set_process_terminal
  • s$set_task_priority
  • s$set_task_wait_info
  • s$set_tp_default_parameters
  • s$set_tp_parameters
  • s$set_transaction_file
  • s$start_task_full
  • s$start_transaction

Related Manuals

Refer to the following Stratus manuals for related documentation.

  • VOS Transaction Processing Facility Guide 
  • VOS Commands Reference Manual 
  • VOS Pascal Language Manual 
  • VOS Pascal Subroutines Manual 
  • VOS System Administration: Administering and Customizing a System 
  • VOS System Administration: Registration and Security 
  • VOS System Administration: Disk and Tape Administration 
  • VOS System Administration: Administering the Spooler Facility 
  • VOS System Administration: Configuring a System 

Notation Conventions

This manual uses the following notation conventions.

  • Monospace represents text that would appear on your display screen (such as commands, subroutines, code fragments, and names of files and directories). For example:
The transaction parameters are:
   priority:        0
   time value:      10 second(s)
   ignore priority: no
   ignore time:     no
   younger wins:    no
   allow deadlocks: no
  • Monospace italic represents terms that are to be replaced by literal values. In the following example, the user must replace the monospace-italic term with a literal value.

delete_task task_id

  • Italics introduces or defines new terms. For example:

The fence is a region of storage following the stack frame.

  • Boldface emphasizes words in text. For example:

The use of the control action stop_task_return in new applications is not recommended.

Key Mappings for VOS Functions

VOS provides several command-line and display-form functions. Each function is mapped to a particular key or combination of keys on the terminal keyboard. To perform a function, you press the appropriate key(s) from the command line or display form. For an explanation of the command-line and display-form functions, see the Introduction to VOS .

The keys that perform specific VOS functions vary depending on the terminal. For example, on a V103 ASCII terminal, you press the and keys simultaneously to perform the INTERRUPT function; on a V105 PC/+ 106 terminal, you press the key on the numeric keypad to perform the INTERRUPT function.

Note: Certain applications may define these keys differently. Refer to the documentation for the application for the specific key mappings.

The following table lists several VOS functions and the keys to which they are mapped on commonly used Stratus terminals and on an IBM PC® or compatible PC that is running the Stratus PC/Connect-2 software. (If your PC is running another type of software to connect to a Stratus host computer, the key mappings may be different.) For information about the key mappings for a terminal that is not listed in this table, refer to the documentation for that terminal.

 
 
VOS Function
 
V103
ASCII
 
V103
EPC
IBM PC or Compatible PC
 
V105
PC/+ 106
 
V105
ANSI
CANCEL
* †
* †
† or * †
CYCLE
-
 †
CYCLE BACK
-
-
-
†
-
DISPLAY FORM
- †
- †
 † or - †
or -
HELP
-
-
-
-
INSERT DEFAULT
-
-
-
-
INSERT SAVED
INTERRUPT
-
-
-
 †
-
NO PAUSE
-
- * †
-
 †
-
†Numeric-keypad key

Format for Commands and Requests

Stratus manuals use the following format conventions for documenting commands and requests. Note that the command and request descriptions do not necessarily include each of the following sections.

name
The name of the command or request is at the top of the first page of the description.

Privileged
This notation appears after the name of a command or request that can be issued only from a privileged process. (See the Glossary for the definition of privileged process.)

Purpose
Explains briefly what the command or request does.

Display Form
Shows the form that is displayed when you type the command or request name followed by -form or when you press the key that performs the DISPLAY FORM function. Each field in the form represents a command or request argument. If an argument has a default value, that value is displayed in the form. (See the Glossary for the definition of default value.)

The following table explains the notation used in display forms.

The Notation Used in Display Forms

Notation
Meaning

Required field with no default value.

The cursor, which indicates the current position on the screen. For example, the cursor may be positioned on the first character of a value, as in ll.
current_user
current_module
current_system
current_disk
The default value is the current user, module, system, or disk. The actual name is displayed in the display form of the command or request.

Command Line Form
Shows the syntax of the command or request with its arguments. You can display an online version of the command line form of a command or request by typing the command or request name followed by -usage.

The following table explains the notation used in command line forms. In the table, the term multiple values refers to explicitly stated separate values, such as two or more object names. Specifying multiple values is not the same as specifying a star name. (See the Glossary for the definition of star name.) When you specify multiple values, you must separate each value with a space.

The Notation Used in Command Line Forms

Notation
Meaning
argument_1
Required argument.
argument_1...
Required argument for which you can specify multiple values.
 
 
Set of arguments that are mutually exclusive; you must specify one of these arguments.
[argument_1]
Optional argument.
[argument_1]...
Optional argument for which you can specify multiple values.
 
 
Set of optional arguments that are mutually exclusive; you can specify only one of these arguments.
Note: Dots, brackets, and braces are not literal characters; you should not type them. Any list or set of arguments can contain more than two elements. Brackets and braces are sometimes nested.

Arguments
Describes the command or request arguments. The following table explains the notation used in argument descriptions.

The Notation Used in Argument Descriptions

Notation
Meaning
There are predefined values for this argument. In the display form, you display these values in sequence by pressing the key that performs the CYCLE function.
Required
You cannot issue the command or request without specifying a value for this argument.
 
If an argument is required but has a default value, it is not labeled Required since you do not need to specify it in the command line form. However, in the display form, a required field must have a value — either the displayed default value or a value that you specify.
(Privileged)
Only a privileged process can specify a value for this argument.

Explanation
Explains how to use the command or request and provides supplementary information.

Access Requirements
Explains any special access requirements that may affect the operation or output of the command or request.

Examples
Illustrates uses of the command or request.

Sample Output
Shows the output of the command or request.

Related Information
Refers you to related information (in this manual or other manuals), including descriptions of commands, subroutines, and requests that you can use with or in place of this command or request.

Format for Subroutines

Stratus manuals use the following format conventions for documenting subroutines. Note that the subroutine descriptions do not necessarily include each of the following sections.

subroutine_name
The name of the subroutine is at the top of the first page of the subroutine description.

Purpose
Explains briefly what the subroutine does.

Usage
Shows how to declare the variables passed as arguments to the subroutine, declare the subroutine entry in a program, and call the subroutine.

Arguments
Describes the subroutine arguments.

Explanation
Provides information about how to use the subroutine.

Error Codes
Explains some error codes that the subroutine can return.

Examples
Illustrates uses of the subroutine or provides sample input to and output from the subroutine.

Related Information
Refers you to other subroutines and commands similar to or useful with this subroutine.

Online Documentation

The directory >system>doc provides supplemental online documentation. It contains the latest information available, including updates and corrections to Stratus manuals and a glossary of terms.

Ordering Manuals

You can order manuals in the following ways.

  • If your system is connected to the Remote Service Network (RSN), issue the maint_request command at the system prompt. Complete the on-screen form with all of the information necessary to process your manual order.
  • Customers in North America can call the Stratus Customer Assistance Center (CAC) at (800) 221-6588 or (800) 828-8513, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All other customers can contact their nearest Stratus sales office, CAC office, or distributor; see the file cac_phones.doc in the directory >system>doc for CAC phone numbers outside the U.S.

Manual orders will be forwarded to Order Administration.

How to Comment on This Manual

You can comment on this manual by using the command comment_on_manual or by completing the customer survey that appears at the end of this manual. To use the comment_on_manual command, your system must be connected to the RSN. If your system is not connected to the RSN, you must use the customer survey to comment on this manual.

The comment_on_manual command is documented in the manual VOS System Administration: Administering and Customizing a System  and VOS Commands Reference Manual . There are two ways you can use this command to send your comments.

  • If your comments are brief, type comment_on_manual, press or , and complete the data-entry form that appears on your screen. When you have completed the form, press .
  • If your comments are lengthy, save them in a file before you issue the command. Type comment_on_manual followed by -form, then press or . Enter this manual's part number, R038, then enter the name of your comments file in the -comments_path field. Press the key that performs the CYCLE function to change the value of -use_form to no and then press .

Note: If comment_on_manual does not accept the part number of this manual (which may occur if the manual is not yet registered in the manual_info.table file), you can use the mail request of the maint_request command to send your comments.

Your comments (along with your name) are sent to Stratus over the RSN.

Stratus welcomes any corrections and suggestions for improving this manual.