lionel%orphan.DEC@DECWRL.ARPA (Steve Lionel) (09/14/85)
To clear up Richard Garland's understandable confusion as to why installing VAX PASCAL V3.0 has any effect on the MTHRTL bug, I'll explain what caused this problem in the first place. The bug in the routine was actually found, and fixed, long before VMS V4.2 shipped. When VAX PASCAL V3.0 shipped, it included a MTHRTL with V4.2 functionality because it depended on some new routines that had been added to MTHRTL. This was ok, as when the customers installed the real V4.2, they'd get the "for real" copy of MTHRTL - no problem, right? Not so fast. Our old pal Murphy (of the Law) was at work. Late in the process of building the final VMS V4.2 system, the VMS source disk experienced a hardware problem. (No, we're not immune to such things.) A backup pack was put up and the changes that had been made to it were resubmitted. But not quite all of them. The fix for the MTH$DEXP bug was lost and it didn't get noticed until just after the kit started shipping. (New procedures have been put into place to help prevent this sort of mishap from happening again - we hope.) When many customers started noticing the problem (and for some reason it was usually NASTRAN), a patch kit was created and was provided to the DEC groups responsible for software support (including the CSC). But, please be aware that it may take a few days for news of the fix to trickle downwards; patience is in order here. Gentle nudging is ok. Since the VAX Pascal V3.0 kit has an "ok" MTHRTL, if you have it, you can install it and that should also solve your problem. However, do not attempt to apply the "fix" kit to the Pascal version of MTHRTL (not only is it not necessary, but it won't work!) If it makes you feel better, bring back the "buggy" V4.2 MTHRTL and apply the fix to that. I'd like to take this opportunity to repeat what I said in my earlier note. PLEASE tell DEC immediately whenever you believe there to be a problem in DEC software. Be sure of yourself and be insistent to TSC/CSC people if they don't seem to understand the problem. Be patient too. Once you've done that, go ahead and ask your friends if they've seen it - perhaps they've developed a workaround. But don't put off reporting the problem just because you can get around it - perhaps thousands of others can't. The sooner DEC developers hear about the problem, the sooner it will get fixed. A word of caution - do not assume that reporting problems via the net will get the proper (or any) response. Use the software support services that you've paid for - that's what they're for. Steve Lionel