kenw@noah.arc.CDN (Ken Wallewein) (09/15/87)
$SHAR: Michael Bednarek's VMS_SHAR is a major contribution to the distribution of software on the net. However, it doesn't solve the problem with tabs; many mailers convert tabs to spaces. This causes checksum failures, and in the case of our dearly beloved (;-) Fortran, causes the software to break. We have a solution. It is part of a new update to the PIPE package I sent out a couple of weeks, which was subject to the above problem. Quite simply, to prepare for packaging in SHAR format, you enter the command SUBSTITUTE *.*; " " "<tab>" where " " is a real tab character. This replaces all real tabs with <tab>. After the package is received and unSHARed, the receiver enters the command SUBSTITUTE *.*; "<tab>" " " where " " is , again, a real tab character. This restores all the real tabs. Since I just posted PIPE recently, I'm hesitant to do so again so soon, even with the significant updates I've added. However, if I get enough requests, I will do so; otherwise I'll just send it those those who ask for it. $KRON: >I recently decided that I needed help handling all those periodic batch jobs, >and that the KRON package from Battelle on the VAX85C Decus tape was the thing >to use. Unfortunately, it appears not to work. The problem appears to be in >it's handling of the KRON_INPUT.DAT file. I posted the above message myself, and got no response. However, after phoning Mark Oakley at Batelle directly, I have a solution. The DECUS distribution from the VAX85C tape was missing the KRON_INPUT.DAT file, and I assumed the documentation meant KRON_SCHED.DAT. It didn't. The essential contents of KRON_INPUT.DAT are as follows: $run bat*sched:kron.exe $st=$status $if st .eq. %x20b4 then $exit 'st' !operator abort $request "KRON process terminated unexpectedly - exit status ''st'" $exit 'st' Also, I added the following two lines to the front of of START_KRON.COM $ def/group bat$sched sys$locroot:[kron] $ def/group kron_sched bat$sched:kron_sched.dat KRON now appears to be working. I _still_ think it looks like the best of the CRON-type programs for VMS. /kenw A L B E R T A Ken Wallewein R E S E A R C H C O U N C I L
u3369429@murdu.OZ (Michael Bednarek) (09/16/87)
In article <891*kenw@noah.arc.cdn> kenw@noah.arc.CDN (Ken Wallewein) writes: > [some mailers mutilate the <tab> character] > > We have a solution. > SUBSTITUTE *.*; " " "<tab>" > >where " " is a real tab character. This replaces all real tabs with <tab>. >After the package is received and unSHARed, the receiver enters the command > > SUBSTITUTE *.*; "<tab>" " " > >where " " is , again, a real tab character. This restores all the real tabs. Hmm, but what if you transmit a text which contains a line like: "You may hit the <tab>-Key to advance to the next field." ??? I'd rather recommend DETABbing the file before transmission. But then again, someone pointed out that a MAKE program requires <tab>s in its input files. UUENCODE a text file? Michael Bednarek Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research (IAESR) Melbourne University, Parkville 3052, AUSTRALIA, Phone : +61 3 344 5744 Domain: u3369429@{murdu.oz.au | ucsvc.dn.mu.oz.au} or mb@munnari.oz.au "bang": ...UUNET.UU.NET!munnari!{murdu.oz | ucsvc.dn.mu.oz}!u3369429 "POST NO BILLS."