From: Glenn C. Everhart [Everhart@gce.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 1999 8:30 PM
To: Info-VAX@Mvb.Saic.Com
Subject: Re: Bof For those interested in DECUS Web Page

I have occasionally been able to "resurrect" .OBJ files with
the FILE utility.
1. ftp in binary mode from the heathen OS (presuming they were
	ftp'd TO the heathen OS in binary)
2. if filename is mumble.obj,
  $ FILE/type=variable/record=1024/attr=noimpliedcc mumble.obj

will convert it to variable record length. As long as you've
set the /record large enough for the real max record length
it will generally "just work". All bets are off if either transfer
was text mode though.


djesys wrote:
> 
> IMHO, what needs to happen is that SOMEONE must take all the old DECUS
> CDs and tapes and convert them into a form suitable for use on the
> internet. Actually, I suggested this to the DECUS webmaster some years
> ago when I was at another site. Specifically, this means that all the
> "packages" must be put into .ZIP "wrappers" so that transferring them
> over the web (or by any other means, for that matter) will not only
> consume less time but will also not corrupt the contents of the
> "wrapper".
> 
> If someone will commit to providing all of the necessary media, I will
> commit to performing the conversions (Zipping them up into individual
> packages). I do not currently have the capacity to host the results on
> the web, however. Someone(s) other than myself will be needed for that.
> 
> BTW, Tim, your choice of BINARY for the transfer was good; however, the
> resulting files would then have to have the attributes set suitably for
> a .OBJ file. BINARY would result in Fixed-512. VAX and Alpha .OBJs are
> sequential, variable. However, I have not intentionally tried to mung
> the MRS and LRL fields to simulate the scenario of binary transfer
> followed by SET FILE/ATTRIBUTES.
> 
> FWIW, I have yet to find a transfer scenario that allows .OBJs to be
> transferred without being munged, unless the .OBJs were in an object
> library (o.k. to transfer and use as Fixed-512), in a .ZIP archive, in a
> .ZIPped saveset, or using the old CompuServe technique of packing files
> into text libraries (MAKE_TLB.COM, EXTRACT_TLB.COM).
> 
> --
> David J. Dachtera
> dba DJE Systems
> http://home.earthlink.net/~djesys/
> 
> Unofficial Affordable OpenVMS Home Page and Message Board:
> http://home.earthlink.net/~djesys/vms/soho/
> 
> Tim Shoppa wrote:
> >
> > Rochelle Lauer wrote:
> > >
> > > The DECUS Web Page Committee (still in infancy) is hoping to gather
> > > some volunteers to work to make the DECUS WEB page more valuable to
> > > DECUS members.
> >
> > Is there a possibility to organize a "Make ftp.decus.org be a
> > VMS Machine Again" committee?  I realize that nobody on the DECUS
> > staff has the skills and/or time to administer the FTP site
> > (which is the reason it was farmed out to Tacticom in the first
> > place), but all the *.OBJ's are completely useless now that there
> > isn't a real live VMS machine on the other end.  For example:
> >
> > $ ftp ftp.decus.org
> > <This system is hosted and maintained by Tacticom -
> > http://www.Tacticom.com
> > <To contact Tacticom regarding any issues with this service please
> > e-mail: Decus
> > @Tacticom.com
> > DECUS.ORG>user anonymous
> > <User name okay, please send complete E-mail address as password.
> > Password:
> > DECUS.ORG>cd /pub/lib/vs0087/VAX87A/EDISON
> > <Directory changed to /pub/lib/vs0087/VAX87A/EDISON
> > DECUS.ORG>binary
> > Type: Image, Structure: File, Mode: Stream
> > DECUS.ORG>get SYSTAT.OBJ;1
> >   To local file:
> > <Opening BINARY mode data connection for systat.obj;1 (1480 bytes).
> > <Transfer complete.
> > DECUS.ORG>quit
> > <Goodbye!
> > $ link systat
> > %LINK-W-ILLRECTYP, illegal record type (176.)
> >         in module SYSTAT record 2 file
> > DISK$USER:[SHOPPA.LEDHEAD]SYSTAT.OBJ;1
> > %LINK-W-ILLRECTYP, illegal record type (82.)
> >         in module SYSTAT record 3 file
> > DISK$USER:[SHOPPA.LEDHEAD]SYSTAT.OBJ;1
> > %LINK-W-NOEOM, no end-of-module record found
> > <Many other linker errors deleted for brevity>
> >
> > The point is that many of the archives kept there are completely
> > useless now because the VMS-specific filesystem information has
> > been lost.  Tacticom can't fix this, they don't even have any
> > VMS-fluent people who realize the lossage that's occured.
> >
> > I, for one, would be glad to volunteer to be the administrator
> > of a reborn VMS ftp.decus.org.
> >
> > --
> >  Tim Shoppa                        Email: shoppa@trailing-edge.com
> >  Trailing Edge Technology          WWW:   http://www.trailing-edge.com/
> >  7328 Bradley Blvd                 Voice: 301-767-5917
> >  Bethesda, MD, USA 20817           Fax:   301-767-5927