bb16@prism.gatech.EDU (Scott Bostater) (08/23/90)
I hope this doesn't sound too naive, but....
I have some software written for VMS version 4.6 that makes use of a PDP-11
backward compatibility mode. I want to run the software on a microvax. Is
this backward compatibility mode going to shoot me in the foot?
--
Scott Bostater Georgia Tech Research Institute - Radar Systems Analysis
"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him" -Ps 62.1
uucp: ...!{allegra,amd,hplabs,ut-ngp}!gatech!prism!bb16
Internet: bb16@prism.gatech.edutihor@acf4.NYU.EDU (Stephen Tihor) (08/24/90)
Not if you buy the RSX-11 AME product that ships a compatibility mode emulator. OF course it won't be fast.
terry@spcvxb.spc.edu (Terry Kennedy, Operations Mgr) (08/24/90)
In article <12927@hydra.gatech.EDU>, bb16@prism.gatech.EDU (Scott Bostater) writes: > I have some software written for VMS version 4.6 that makes use of a PDP-11 > backward compatibility mode. I want to run the software on a microvax. Is > this backward compatibility mode going to shoot me in the foot? The correct answer is "it depends". If your software did it the documented way and used the RSX AME (Application Migration Executive), it will run on the MicroVAX II *if* the II has the AME installed. On the other hand, if your software does it the way V4's TECO did it (by providing it's own AME and kicking the CPU into compatibility mode) it won't work, as the II doesn't have such a mode. Also, earlier versions of the AME did not supply a software emulator for the CPUs that didn't have compatibility mode. The current version (V2.4) does provide a software emulator. You can expect the software to run slower on the II, since the PDP-11 is being emulated in software. Only the 700-series had hardware compatibility mode. (Yes, I know about the 8600/8650. Those were planned to be called the 790/795, and are really 700-series CPU's). Terry Kennedy Operations Manager, Academic Computing terry@spcvxa.bitnet St. Peter's College, US terry@spcvxa.spc.edu (201) 915-9381
SLSW2@cc.usu.edu (Roger Ivie) (08/24/90)
In article <12927@hydra.gatech.EDU>, bb16@prism.gatech.EDU (Scott Bostater) writes: > I hope this doesn't sound too naive, but.... > > I have some software written for VMS version 4.6 that makes use of a PDP-11 > backward compatibility mode. I want to run the software on a microvax. Is > this backward compatibility mode going to shoot me in the foot? > Yes. MicroVAXen don't have PDP-11 compatability mode. The best you can do is maybe get that code interpreted by some VAX software. =============================================================================== Roger Ivie 35 S 300 W Logan, Ut. 84321 (801) 752-8633 ===============================================================================
don@zl2tnm.gp.govt.nz (Don Stokes) (08/24/90)
bb16@prism.gatech.EDU (Scott Bostater) writes: > I hope this doesn't sound too naive, but.... > > I have some software written for VMS version 4.6 that makes use of a PDP-11 > backward compatibility mode. I want to run the software on a microvax. Is > this backward compatibility mode going to shoot me in the foot? Well, it depends how you define "shoot yourself in the foot". If you mean "will it work?", the answer is yes (you may need to purchase VAX RSX; I'm not certain offhand if the emulation software is provided in VMS or in the RSX kit). Note I say "emulation" -- only VAX11/7xx and VAX86xx machines have compatibility mode in hardware; others do it in software. In short, if you are using the PDP-11 compatibility mode instructions extensively in compute intensive processing, you may suffer a serious performance hit. Otherwise, you might just get away with it. Don Stokes, ZL2TNM / / Home: don@zl2tnm.gp.govt.nz Systems Programmer /GP/ Government Printing Office Work: don@gp.govt.nz __________________/ /__Wellington, New Zealand_____or:_PSI%(5301)47000028::DON
fenster@shum.huji.ac.il (Yaacov Fenster) (08/28/90)
In article <12927@hydra.gatech.EDU> bb16@prism.gatech.EDU (Scott Bostater) write s: >I have some software written for VMS version 4.6 that makes use of a PDP-11 >backward compatibility mode. I want to run the software on a microvax. Is >this backward compatibility mode going to shoot me in the foot? >-- >Scott Bostater Georgia Tech Research Institute - Radar Systems Analysis >Internet: bb16@prism.gatech.edu In addition to getting the RSX-AME product, which BTW runs ok, I remember seein g information about a Hardware/Software product which involves putting a PDP CPU into the QBUS, and downloading programs to run there. Try to get Info from your salesman, if it doesn't help contact me, and I will se e what I can do about it. I also remember that they were looking for beta sites as well. Yaacov -- fenster@hujinix.bitnet Please respond by e-mail, I will summarize and post.
mcculley@alien.enet.dec.com (09/20/90)
In article <1990Aug24.012018.485@spcvxb.spc.edu>, terry@spcvxb.spc.edu (Terry Kennedy, Operations Mgr) writes... >In article <12927@hydra.gatech.EDU>, bb16@prism.gatech.EDU (Scott Bostater) writes: >> I have some software written for VMS version 4.6 that makes use of a PDP-11 >> backward compatibility mode. I want to run the software on a microvax. Is >> this backward compatibility mode going to shoot me in the foot? > > The correct answer is "it depends". If your software did it the documented >way and used the RSX AME (Application Migration Executive), it will run on >the MicroVAX II *if* the II has the AME installed. > [...] > Also, earlier versions of the AME did not supply a software emulator for >the CPUs that didn't have compatibility mode. The current version (V2.4) does >provide a software emulator. > Also, if you really need to run the code on the MicroVAX with better performance than the software emulator will give, you might look into the CoProcessor/RSX (CP/RSX) product. This uses the KXJ-11 board to provide a PDP-11 coprocessor in Q-bus MicroVAX systems, with an RSX system running on the coprocessor and a modified AME environment on the VAX side. The KXJ-11 is a J-11 CPU with some memory and a limited set of on-board I/O facilities, without bus arbitration logic. This provides a heterogenous multiprocessing environment with CP/RSX software to handle the rather unusual hardware configuration. hardware