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authorJoseph Hunkeler <jhunkeler@gmail.com>2015-07-08 20:46:52 -0400
committerJoseph Hunkeler <jhunkeler@gmail.com>2015-07-08 20:46:52 -0400
commitfa080de7afc95aa1c19a6e6fc0e0708ced2eadc4 (patch)
treebdda434976bc09c864f2e4fa6f16ba1952b1e555 /doc/ports/vms_oct85.st
downloadiraf-linux-fa080de7afc95aa1c19a6e6fc0e0708ced2eadc4.tar.gz
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+Space Telescope Science Institute IRAF Notes (File: iraf$vms/notes)
+
+
+--------------------------------
+Wednesday 23-OCT-1985 14:20:08.71
+
+Subject: I/O redirection support for IRAF/VMS
+
+Added the ability to do I/O redirection on the command line (Unix-style).
+
+ interactive $ cl
+ i/o to files $ cl <infile >outfile (or >>outfile)
+
+This allows people to run the CL in a VMS batch job or as a "background"
+subprocess, specifying the CL commands in a text file.
+
+
+sys$os/zmain.c
+ Added code to support I/O redirection (parsing, file setup, etc.)
+
+sys$os/zfiotx.c, zfiofi.c
+ Fixed ZSEKTX to work correctly (had troubles with redirected i/o for
+ some reason).
+
+ Changed append mode access so it has RMS Update access (for seeking).
+
+pkg$cl/exec.c
+ Added a global variable 'logout_on_eof' (default=0), which is set
+ by the VMS ZMAIN when I/O is redirected to files. If the user forgets
+ to put the 'logout' command in the infile, then EOF will get him out.
+ Otherwise, it's very easy to fill up a disk with "ERROR: use 'logout'.."
+ messages in a file, something we definitely want to avoid.
+
+ This is only a TEMPORARY fix. The same thing happens under Unix, so
+ maybe their should be some way of handling this in a general,
+ system-independent way. Will users use the CL with input from a file
+ instead of the terminal? They are here (for now) and the capability
+ should probably be supported, since it is automatically supported
+ under Unix.
+
+ This fix does not affect normal operation of the CL in interactive mode;
+ the user still has to say 'logout' to get out of the CL.
+
+ Note: If a user has a parameter which has a range specified, and the
+ value is out-of-range, while running the CL in this "OS-background"
+ mode, it will probably just loop until death saying "parameter out of
+ range", and fill up a disk with these error messages. This is also
+ a problem, but not sure how (or if) to fix it; the user should make
+ sure that the parameters are indeed correct when running the CL this
+ way to avoid this problem (?).
+
+--------------------------------
+Friday 25-OCT-1985 17:16:02.53
+
+Subject: pkg$cl/eparam.c
+
+Hacked EPARAM to fix a number of problems with multi-line prompts, arrays,
+and other things. There are still a few known "features", but they are so
+obscure and such special cases that I'm not going to worry about them now
+(there are easy ways to "reset" eparam to fix these offset problems).
+
+Also, changes so that value field is not overwritten by prompt string.
+
+--------------------------------
+Wednesday 30-OCT-1985 09:40:22.45
+
+Subject: Parameter cacheing (pkg$cl/exec.c)
+
+Parameter cacheing mechanism (pkg$cl/exec.c mk_startupmsg, sys$etc/main.x,
+clio$clcache.x, etc.) does not handle array parameters. Eventually, it should,
+but this will mean some non-trivial changes in all of these places. There
+are a few places in SDAS that do indeed have array parameters, so the course
+of action for now is to not pass them in the startup message (as is done with
+list-structured parameters). This fix is a simple "if" statement in exec.c/
+mk_startupmsg().
+
+--------------------------------
+Monday 4-NOV-1985 12:33:48.79
+
+Subject: pkg$cl/grammar.y (ytab.c) decl.c
+
+Bug fixes for 'real' declarations with negative values for min and max.
+
+--------------------------------
+Monday 4-NOV-1985 14:34:10.38
+
+Subject: pkg$cl/lex.sed lex.com (for lexyy.c)
+
+Added editor functions to change (YYLMAX 200) --> (YYLMAX 2048), so lexical
+analyzer can handle long prompts given in procedure scripts.
+
+--------------------------------
+Monday 4-NOV-1985 15:35:36.85
+
+Subject: pkg$cl/linkcl.com [VMS]
+
+Changed to generate the CLDATE file in MACRO rather than C (i.e. cldate.mar).
+This is so IRAF/VMS sites don't need a C compiler to relink IRAF (one site had
+this problem already).
+
+--------------------------------
+Tuesday 5-NOV-1985 16:22:14.70
+
+Subject: pkg$cl/task.c
+
+Additional check added before strncmp() call in ltasksrch() to check first
+character first. Some profiling on Unix showed this to cut down the calls to
+strncmp() significantly.
+
+--------------------------------
+Wednesday 20-NOV-1985 08:59:41.61
+
+Subject: sys$os/ [VMS Kernel]
+
+The VMS Kernel routines have been overhauled. The large number of changes
+consisted of: deleting obsolete code, consolidating common code segments,
+some name changing, improving readability and consistency, and some tweaks
+for efficiency. Most of the changes were indeed cosmetic, in an effort to
+bring the code into conformance with the IRAF coding standards (though perhaps
+not 100% there). To list all the changes would be impossible, so here are
+some of the major ones...
+
+A number of files have been renamed, as well as support routine names, to be
+more descriptive (and to remove the "z" on many of the support routine names).
+
+File name changes:
+ zconvtim.c --> convtime.c
+ zexit.c --> exit.c
+ zget*.c --> get*.c
+ zprocname.c --> procname.c
+ ztrnlg.c --> tranlog.c
+ zfiofi.c --> rms.c
+ ast.c deleted (no longer needed)
+
+Function name changes:
+ _zopnfi, _zclsfi --> _rms_open, _rms_close
+ _ztrnlg, _zcrelg --> _tranlog, _createlog
+ _zrequestio --> _zqio
+ _zsttfi deleted
+ others...
+
+New files:
+ dirname.c
+ queue.c
+ eprintf.c (from Kitt Peak, VMS net stuff)
+
+The file status functions (formerly in _zsttfi) have all been moved into each
+of the ZFIO* drivers, with appropriate buffer size values in the include file
+"vms.h". Some of these values have been modified, where appropriate, or as a
+result of recommendations from Kitt Peak.
+
+No effort was made to completely redesign anything, though some files and
+routines were restructured quite a bit. The effect on executable sizes of
+these changes is negligible.
+
+--------------------------------
+Friday 22-NOV-1985 10:43:50.93
+
+Subject: pkg$softools/boot/...
+
+All of the VMS source code for the boot utilities (MKLIB, XC, support ...)
+have been overhauled to look like the rest of IRAF (at least partially), just
+as the VMS Z routines. Besides a few name changes because of Z-routine
+name changes, there was only 1 functional modification:
+
+ pkg$softools/boot/spp/xc.c [VMS]
+ /dcl.c +
+ Changed to use the function DCL instead of ZOSCMD. DCL does
+ everything ZOSCMD does without all the weird features to
+ support interactive commands. The output is much more
+ consistent here as well, no longer generating ".;" and ".LOG;"
+ files all over the place when running XC and MKLIB in batch
+ or background. (DCL is essentially an earlier, stripped-down
+ version of what eventually became ZOSCMD).
+
+--------------------------------
+Monday 25-NOV-1985 15:41:56.73
+
+Subject: Support for VMS batch jobs
+
+The VMS kernel has been modified to support VMS batch jobs as well as
+parallel subprocesses for IRAF background jobs. Changes in the higher level
+IRAF code is necessary to selectively use these two options. Since the
+calling sequence for ZOPDPR has been changed, the new one is currently
+commented out until these higher level changes are finished (at Kitt Peak).
+
+[received CL and system lib changes, 9-DEC]
+
+The changes include:
+
+ ZOPDPR -- extra parameter 'batch_queue', null or "" for subprocesses,
+ a batch queue name for a VMS batch job. A few new routines
+ in this module were added and everything was reorganized a
+ bit.
+
+ ZMAIN -- some extra checks were added to deal with the batch case.
+
+ ZFIOTX -- In ZSEKTX, added a check for STDIN/STDOUT when a VMS batch
+ job. This is necessary to avoid seek errors on NLA0: and
+ the batch log file. (VMS really makes it hard to deal with
+ I/O in a consistent manner.)
+
+ queue.c - Contains VMS batch and print queue support functions. Used
+ by ZOPDPR and ZFIOLP.
+
+--------------------------------
+Monday 2-DEC-1985 09:40:50.23
+
+Subject: pkg$cl/builtin.c
+
+Changed SZ_FNAME to SZ_PATHNAME in cledit() to handle longer VMS filenames
+resulting from filename mapping.
+
+--------------------------------
+Monday 9-DEC-1985 08:27:39.00
+
+Subject: pkg$cl/prcache.c
+
+Interrupts were not being enabled if connected subprocess create failed.
+Added call to intr_enable() in before returning NULL.
+
+--------------------------------
+Tuesday 10-DEC-1985 12:39:20.67
+
+Subject: New version of IRAF/VMS from Kitt Peak. Merge notes:
+
+sys/os/*
+ Remerged the VMS kernel. No major problems, even though we both had
+ made a number of changes. Will test it all out soon.
+
+sys/os/net/decnet.c +
+ zfioks.c
+ Makelib
+ eprintf.c --> ../
+
+ Added support for DECnet, though this is not fully tested yet. This
+ is a compile time option (DECnet or TCP) in ZFIOKS and will not affect
+ the TCP implementation. The eprintf.c file was moved to the sys/os/
+ directory, since some debugging code there uses it now as well.
+
+sys/gio/gks/gtx.f
+ Did NOT use KPNO version of file since it was calling f77upk with
+ the wrong number of arguments. There is no min-length arg to f77upk
+ in either version of IRAF.
+
+sys/osb/f77pak.f
+ Changed DO loop to pop out when done, rather than going around until
+ it reaches 9999.
+
+sys/gio/ncarutil/sysint/uliber.f
+ Following change need to compile on VMS.
+ integer*2(80) sppmsg --> integer*2 sppmsg(80)
+
+pkg/images/imarith/imadiv.x
+ imamax.x
+ imamin.x
+ (>>> imarith.x)
+ POINTER --> PIXEL
+
+pkg/imred/generic/Makelib, x_generic.x, generic.cl
+ Removed references to 'cmdstr' in these files. Assumed 'cmdstr' was
+ moved to the system pkg, since no cmdstr.* files on the tape. (?)
+
+sys/fio/vfnmap.x
+ Reference to ztslee changed to zwmsec.
+
+pkg/system/x_systest.x
+ Removed reference to mtdevlist.
+
+pkg/images/tv/display/t_mkdisplay.x
+ Moved call to open_display_header to AFTER getting name of stdimage
+ and frame number. Was before it, resulting in dev$_0.imh, instead
+ of dev$deanza_1.imh.
+
+pkg/language/doc/*.hlp
+ Some of these files were updated recently to correct errors, typos,
+ misspellings, etc. Forgot to note these changes before.
+
+Testing re-merged system
+ Tested out a number of the usual things: CL, test scripts, SYSTEM and
+ LISTS pkgs, some graphics and image tasks, etc. Everything seems to
+ be working okay. There are still a number of known bugs, especially
+ in eparam and procedure scripts (history gets a 'begin' in the history
+ for procedure scripts). I'll be looking into these again soon.
+
+VMS Batch Jobs
+ Tested out the CL with both types of background jobs, subprocesses and
+ batch. Both work fine. A logfile for the batch job case is kept
+ in the user's sys/login directory with a name like "12345678_D_1.LOG",
+ (i.e., like detached subprocess names). This logfile is largely
+ login garbage, but if the user does not redirect output, it will go
+ here as well. When things settle down and everything is working okay,
+ we may want to have the logfile deleted, or add an option for keeping
+ it or not.
+
+ Logical names for batch queues work as expected. For example, the
+ following can be done:
+
+ $ define b sys$batch
+ $ define f localfastbatch
+ $ define s localslowbatch
+ ...
+
+ cl> task >&task.out &f # IRAF bkg job to 'localfastbatch'
+
+ This means that zopdpr.c can remain system-independent, with system
+ dependent batch queues set up in logical names or spelled out fully
+ when in the CL.
+
+Magtapes
+ Tested the tape stuff with all the new changes from Kitt Peak merged
+ in. Used mtexamine and rfits and was able to read in about 20 small
+ FITS images and run some tasks from the images and plot pkgs on them
+ with no problems.
+
+
+======> Sent tape of changes above to KPNO (16-Dec-1985) <=====
+
+
+--------------------------------
+Tuesday 17-DEC-1985 16:07:42.04
+
+Subject: sys/os/zpanic.c
+
+Bugs in formatting the error message fixed.
+
+--------------------------------
+Tuesday 17-DEC-1985 16:29:52.99
+
+Subject: sys/os/zmain.c
+
+Changed code in _get_prtype() to figure out whether we're a batch job
+by examining the PCB status bits, instead of the process name. If the user
+sets his process name in the login.com file, then the background CL starts
+up thinking it's a regular host process.
+
+
+===> Sent above fixes to KPNO 17-Dec <===
+
+
+--------------------------------
+Wednesday 18-DEC-1985 12:36:34.43
+
+Subject: dev/*.ed
+
+Added NEXT_PAGE and PREV_PAGE sequences to edcap files for EDT, EMACS and VI.
+
+edt --
+ NEXT_PAGE \033Ow keypad-7
+ PREV_PAGE \033OP\033Ow gold-7
+
+ (In edt, prev_page is really keypad-5,keypad-7, but this would
+ set direction backwards; gold-7 in edt is "command", which is not
+ used in eparam anyway.)
+
+emacs --
+ NEXT_PAGE ^V ^V
+ PREV_PAGE \eV ESC-V
+ PREV_PAGE \ev ESC-v
+
+vi --
+ NEXT_PAGE ^F ^F
+ (Nothing added for PREV_PAGE; not sure what to use, since ^B and ^U
+ are already being used.)
+
+--------------------------------
+Wednesday 18-DEC-1985 16:43:41.78
+
+Subject: pkg/cl/builtin.c
+
+Fixed a bug in clflprcache() so that everything is not flushed if the named
+task is not found in the process cache. Previously, if a user said
+
+ cl> flprcache notask
+ Warning: 'notask' not in cache
+
+Then everything would go anyway, including locked tasks. The fix is simply
+to do a 'continue' in the while loop when we print out this warning message.
+
+--------------------------------
+Wednesday 18-DEC-1985 18:44:37.98
+
+Subject: sys/fmtio/lexdata.xi
+
+Changed action table for +/- in state QRX from Rvt to QRX. This is to fix
+a bug when getting numbers like 1.0e-10 which returned nchars=3 instead of
+nchars=7. This code is (eventually) used to check the type of command line
+arguments in the CL when lexmodes=yes, which is where the problem was first
+noticed.
+
+The code in lexnum.x along with the action table are somewhat difficult to
+follow and there may be other implications here which are not apparent, but
+based on other entries in the table, this looked like it was indeed a bug.
+Ran the debug code in sys/debug/nop.x (lex task) and things worked correctly
+in all cases tested.
+
+--------------------------------
+Friday 20-DEC-1985 11:42:48.72
+
+Subject: VMS batch jobs and DCL commands
+
+When running a DCL command as an IRAF/VMS batch job (e.g. a foreign task), if
+the output just goes into the logfile, it ends up being written into files with
+names like .;1 and .;2, etc. This goes back to all the old crazies with the
+funny ZOSCMD to defeat slow spawning and still provide interactive
+capabilities. The user should redirect output in this case somewhere else and
+not let it go to the VMS logfile. Tried a few changes in zoscmd.c and open.c
+to no avail, so I'm just going to let this slide for now.
+
+--------------------------------
+Monday 23-DEC-1985 08:50:37.80
+
+Subject: pkg/system/help/Help.hlp
+
+Formatting change to fix indentation:
+
+ .ls
+ helpdb = "helpdb"
+to
+ .ls helpdb = "helpdb"
+
+--------------------------------
+Monday 23-DEC-1985 10:35:15.82
+
+Subject: Help task (discussion)
+
+Some SDAS users have voiced a "concern" over the help task. When saying "help
+abc", everything that matches "abc" is given, even if something has already
+matched it in the current package. This is confusing to novice users, even
+though it is documented in the help that it will perform this way. A more
+concrete example:
+
+ cl> system
+ sy> help co
+ ... concatenate
+ ... copy
+ ... count
+ ... imred.coude
+ ... language.command
+ ...
+
+Would it be possible (and/or desireable) to stop the searching if help is found
+somewhere in the current package for a named task or abbreviation?
+
+Another problem is getting help on something in a different package than what
+was intended because of a common abbreviation (and no help file for the task in
+the current package). The fix for this might be to limit the help search to
+the current loaded packages, unless an explicit pkg-template.module-template
+were given by the user.
+
+To go one step further, a suggestion by some SDAS people was to have an extra
+parameter that controlled the search. For example, if matchall=yes, then help
+would act as it does currently, otherwise, it would only search the current
+package.
+
+--------------------------------
+Monday 23-DEC-1985 17:32:26.42
+
+Subject: CL Changes Nov-Dec 1985
+ (T.McGlynn, J.Travisano)
+
+grammar.y
+ - delete opnl's in procedure declarations to eliminate s/r conflicts.
+ - create LP and RP for parentheses to eliminate some expressions.
+ - repositioned initialization processing.
+ - modified var_decls slightly.
+ - if/else fixes, so don't need { if ... }.
+ - better syntax error reporting in scripts: gives (correct) line number,
+ points to offending position, and continues parsing script for errors.
+
+history.c gram.c
+ - changes to support above grammar changes
+
+history.c exec.c pfiles.c decl.c
+ - changes to deal with script line numbers correctly, i.e.
+ task->t_scriptln, which is used in syntax error messages; also,
+ a fix in the skip_to() function in decl.c.
+
+history.c
+ - problem of getting a "begin" in the history when running (or parsing)
+ a procedure script was fixed. The original command is now recorded
+ in the history (and logfile) correctly. Unfortunately, there is
+ one case where this does not work -- when get an error parsing the
+ parameter declarations in a procedure script.
+
+eparam.c
+ - format changes for real arrays (so exponent shows up)
+ - tried to fix MOVE_END problem when going across page boundaries;
+ can't seem to find the bug, so for now just print out a message that
+ says to use NEXT_PAGE a few times instead of MOVE_END.
+
+pfiles.c param.c gram.c
+ - added support for '\r' and '\f', so can be used in prompt strings
+ for better formatting control (\f not fully supported in EPAR yet)
+
+modes.c decl.c pfiles.c
+ - whitespace-only filename parameters are turned into null strings;
+ so users can check null filenames easily in a script (fn != "")
+ without having to deal with whitespace. Filenames with whitespace
+ only are not really legal anyway (?).
+
+modes.c
+ - bug fix to prevent trashing of enumerated parameters in certain
+ instances.
+
+param.h
+ - minor typo 'ai' --> 'ar'
+
+--------------------------------
+Friday 27-DEC-1985 14:47:48.01
+
+Subject: CL history editor
+
+The following is another lexmodes=yes problem:
+
+ pl> contour img1[*:16,*:16]
+ ...
+ pl> surface ^^
+ surface img1[*:16
+ Warning: ...
+
+The get-arguments code in pkg/cl/history.c checks for comma-delimited strings.
+Putting the whole argument in quotes, i.e. "img1[*:16,*:16]", and then using
+^^ works fine. (No fix/change was made.)
+
+--------------------------------
+Friday 3-JAN-1986 14:59:06.87
+
+Subject: Local vars in CL procedure scripts
+
+It is generally assumed that local variables in CL procedure scripts, i.e.
+those after the "begin" statement, will be initialized by the user with
+simple assignment statements. There is one (possibly more) case where this
+assumption can cause problems. For example,
+
+ ...
+ begin
+ string buf
+
+ if (fscan (plist, buf) != EOF) ...
+ ...
+
+Here, "buf" is used before being initialized, and the result is an error
+saying "Attempt to use uninitialized local variable 'buf'". Perhaps local,
+uninitialized variables should be initialized automatically by the CL, but
+have done nothing to fix/change this yet; just making a note of it.
+
+--------------------------------
+Tuesday 7-JAN-1986 15:37:59.59
+
+Subject: Miscellaneous
+
+These are various notes and suggestions by IRAF users at STScI and elsewhere.
+I decided to finally add them all here since they were beginning to pile up
+on various scraps of paper on my desk. Some of them are minor bugs, but most
+are suggestions of some kind. Nothing has been done with any of them in terms
+of IRAF changes. Most of the text is from mail messages or typed in verbatim
+from paper copies. Any notes by me (JayT) are indicated in brackets [].
+
+
+From ST users:
+
+CL
+ Would it be possible to put a feature into iraf whereby you say
+'task=xxx', which would then set a default so that you could just
+type lpar, or an input, without having to specify which task?
+Ie, instead of having to type 'xxx.infile=etc', you could specify
+the task and then just type 'infile=etc', with iraf filling in
+the task name. This would not interfere with those who like the
+system as it is, but could streamline things for those of us who
+like the way AIPS does things.
+
+Integer parameters
+ We have encountered another peculiar feature of IRAF. Suppose you have a
+parameter that is declared as integer in a .par file, and the user attempts
+to put in a value for that integer that exceeds the range of INT*4. The cl
+fills in that parameter with the value 'indef', a character string. When
+SDAS goes to read the parameter, we get a crash because the parameter is not
+in integer form. Now, it seems that a parameter declared as an integer ought
+to be an integer no matter what, not a character string. Wouldn't it be better
+to leave the parameter value unchanged from its current or default value rather
+than put in this string?
+
+
+From RAL users:
+
+CL Parser
+ li> ?? | words | match ':' stop+| sort | table
+
+ does NOT work correctly, but separating the "+|" to "+ |" works okay.
+
+Help on parameter prompt
+ It is very complicated to provide additional help at the prompt for
+ parameter stage especially for non-string parameters. This facility
+ is almost essential to provide a user-friendly interface.
+ For example:
+ A string specified in the parameter file is output if ? is
+ typed in response to a prompt or possibly even enter the help
+ system.
+
+ [NOTE: One can make the prompt quite verbose, up to something
+ like 2K characters; e.g., many SDAS prompts are long and multiline.]
+
+Range check and default display in sexagesimal
+ There needs to be an option in the parameter file to cause the range
+ check and default information to be output in sexagesimal. For example,
+ it is ugly to type in 12:34:56.7 and have it reappear as 12.582417.
+
+Date type
+ I think there ought to be special facilities for handling dates. At
+ present you can't enter a date all in one line (except using a
+ grotty fudge involving sexagesimal, which precludes proper range
+ checking), and if you enter the Y,M,D separately you can get things
+ like 1985 2 30 past the range checks.
+
+
+From U. of Cal/San Diego (Doug Tudhope):
+
+lists.gcursor [and imcursor]
+ Get syntax error line 2. [known "feature" since CL2 grammar]
+
+ [NOTE: doing an "lpar gcursor" activates the graphics cursor,
+ but then get an error of "EOF encountered in list parameter..."]
+
+plot.graph task
+ If only 2 points are given, only the axes are drawn, e.g.
+
+ pl> graph STDIN
+ 10 10
+ 20 20
+ <EOF>
+ axes, but no line!
+ pl>
+
+images.imtranspose
+ Made a transposed output file of a real 190*800 image -> 800*190
+ but neither onedspec.splot nor images.implot would work on it.
+ they stopped with "reserved operand fault".
+ When imcopy run on transposed image, got "pixel storage file truncated".
+
+--------------------------------
+Tuesday 7-JAN-1986 15:51:02.98
+
+Subject: pkg/softools/boot/spp/xc.c [VMS]
+
+Added EXTEND_SOURCE option for calling Fortran compiler from XC. This lets
+source statements go up to column 132 (instead of 72). One line added to
+source:
+
+fcompile() {
+ ...
+ sp = strcpy (outbuf, F77);
++ sp = strcpy (sp, "/EXTEND"); /* Allow statement in cols 1-132 */
+ if (portable)
+ ...
+}
+
+--------------------------------
+Tuesday 7-JAN-1986 16:11:20.85
+
+Subject: pkg/images/tv/display/deanza/*
+
+Deanza now works with tv/display under VMS! All of the source files and Deanza
+libraries are here. See the README file for more detailed information.
+
+Also changed "pkg/image/tv/display/mkpkg.com" to make the Deanza code instead
+of the IIS-dependent code.
+
+--------------------------------
+Wednesday 8-JAN-1986 12:21:09.73
+
+Subject: pkg/imred/.../*.e
+
+The ONEDSPEC executables are copied all over the place into IMRED. Comments in
+the mkpkg.com files say this is to use different par files for different
+directories. There's GOT to be a better way, as this eats up a lot of
+diskspace (and tape as well at distribution time), which we always seem to be
+running up against here.
+
+--------------------------------
+Friday 10-JAN-1986 15:29:37.13
+
+Subject: More SDAS concerns/suggestions
+
+Environment variables
+ When a script task ends or a user bye's from a package, all "set"
+ declarations made in the task or since the package started are
+ "popped" during task restoration. Comments in pkg/cl/exec.c indicate
+ that this is for keeping the environment the same across processes.
+
+ However, this can lead to confusion. If a user does a "set stdgraph="
+ and later bye's out of a package, stdgraph reverts back to the
+ previous value, just as any other environment variable. The same
+ thing occurs in script tasks during the restore, making it difficult
+ to have global environment variables. Putting a "keep" in scripts at
+ various places can get around this to some degree, but it's sometimes
+ awkward.
+
+Process cache
+ SDAS has been set up under IRAF such that the user can choose which
+ version of SDAS he wants (baseline|standard|develop). This choice
+ can be made when starting the sdas package or any of its packages.
+ There is a problem, however, when running a package from 'standard'
+ and then running the 'develop' version when the executable is already
+ out there. When a task is invoked, it will simply use the subprocess
+ already in the cache, even though it's a different executable (with
+ the same IRAF logical name).
+
+ The suggestion that came up was to do an implicit "flprcache" whenever
+ there is a "bye" to a package, i.e. when all the tasks associated with
+ the executable are gone. I've looked at this a little bit and don't
+ see an easy way of determining when we're bye'ing from a package which
+ has tasks that are in an executable. I imagine there's a decent amount
+ of overhead associated with checking all the tasks associated with
+ an executable as well. In general, getting rid of old executables
+ does make sense if they're not longer referenced, since it frees up
+ system and user resources (especially important on VMS given the
+ large process and executable sizes).
+
+Table parameters
+ SDAS and CDBS now have a new type of input file, a table, which may or
+ may not have a header as well. They have asked if it would be easy
+ to add a new parameter (or two) to IRAF, i.e. a table parameter and
+ possibly a table-with-header parameter.
+
+ I don't think this is a good idea, as it is something which only
+ benefits SDAS and CDBS, and does very little if anything for IRAF.
+ I have encouraged the SDAS people to find an SDAS-only solution to
+ this problem using existing IRAF facilities. One simple way is to
+ have tasks which use tables to have a 'type' parameter which tells
+ if the input file is a table or something else.
+
+--------------------------------
+Tuesday 14-JAN-1986 08:48:36.11
+
+Subject: doc/clintro*
+
+Copied the TeX source for the CL User's Intro doc from Peter's directory
+to the general IRAF DOC directory.
+
+--------------------------------
+Tuesday 14-JAN-1986 10:49:06.01
+
+Subject: Size of IRAF...
+
+A concern has risen, once again, on the size of IRAF. Garrett Jernigan
+(Berkeley Space Sciences Lab) has mentioned problems finding diskspace to
+handle all of IRAF. The suggestion he made to Peter was "to split the source,
+obj and executables into separate libraries for the distribution, or at least
+put them into different sub-directories. If either a tape could be generated
+that only had executables, or that had the whole works, but allowed only the
+required files for execution to be loaded it would be a real boon." I guess
+this means having something analagous to the bin/, src/ scheme in Unix.
+
+I think a better solution to this is to add something to the installation docs
+to describe how to load only parts of IRAF, i.e. everything, or no source,
+etc., so the IRAF installer can load only the parts needed/desired. Both Tar
+and Backup can handle selective copying in some manner.
+
+--------------------------------
+Tuesday 14-JAN-1986 11:37:46.40
+
+Subject: CL strings
+
+It is currently impossible to get the length of a string in the CL. This
+should be quite trivial to implement, but it is not. The documentation on
+"paramaters" states that p_length contains the maximum length of the string,
+though in reality, saying =param.p_length simply prints the string, just as
+=param does.
+
+There should be some way of getting the current length of a string, since it
+could be used as the 'last' parameter in stridx, for getting the rest of a
+string starting at column n. ST users have continually asked me about ways to
+get the current length of a string parameter (e.g., from within a CL script).
+
+One solution is to change the meaning of some of the parameter attributes for
+string parameters to something which makes more sense:
+
+ p_length -- contains the current string length, updated whenever
+ the parameter is changed.
+ p_max -- contains the maximum string length
+
+These would require changes primarily in param.c and gram.c.
+
+Also, currently trying an =param.p_min or p_max on a string parameter results
+in an access violation.