[comp.os.vms] Capturing output of SEND/COMMAND <node>

ERIC@UOFT02.BITNET (Eric) (02/16/88)

In-Reply-To:  your letter rec'd 12-FEB-1988 18:44

From:   IN%"INFO-VAX@KL.SRI.COM" 12-FEB-1988 18:44
To:     Eric Rostetter <ERIC@UOFT02>
Subj:   RE: Capturing output of SEND/COMMAND <node>

> I wrote a command a while ago that uses SMG$ stuff to
> capture broadcast messages into a file.  I wrote it so that messages would
> be recorded rather than scroll off the screen if I was away from my
> terminal.  Basically, you start up a command procedure which has the TRAP
> command embedded into a loop, leave, do whatever, and when you come back,
> kill the command procedure and read the messages collected in the file.

I have a similar program that is PD. It runs as a subprocess (spawn/nowait)
and records all the messages to a file (they also print on the screen).  It
started out using SMG, but was soon converted to use terminal mailboxes. It
does not work 100% of the time, in that is many, many messages arrive at an
extreamly fast rate it may lose one or two, but this is extreamly rare.  If
you would like a copy send you name/address to me, preferably on bitnet.

> I use the /FIRST_LINE symbol to automatically send a generic
> message back to the sender of the message if it is appropriate.

I also have another program that's job is to reply to all incomming messages
(if you are out of the office, ect.)  It is also PD and free for the asking.

> One note about the SMG$BROADCAST trapping.  If it receives a very large
> broadcast message (as I recall, the size is in the area of 150 bytes) it
> will ignore the message entirely---an annoying bug.  But since I suspect
> the files that you are expecting come in one record at a time, it should be
> OK.

I set the record length in my program to 120 (I think).  This can be changed
if needed in the source.  I beleive that in my programs, if a message is too
long (> 120), it is simply truncated...  This sounds like one more (of many)
nasty problems still in SMG.

Eric Rostetter
Eric @ uoft02.bitnet