OS/8 DEVICE HANDLERS

Each OS/8 configuration has certain device handlers available within BUILD when the system is supplied by DIGITAL. The handlers supplied with BUILD depend on the distribution media of OS/8 software, i.e., DECtape (LINCtape), cassettes, or paper tape. These device handlers are detailed for specific distribution media in Tables 9-1, 9-2, and 9-3 (see Appendix (G) for more information).

You must activate the device handlers included with BUILD before the OS/8 system can use them. The BUILD commands INSERT, REPLACE, and SYSTEM activate the device handlers. A maximum of 15 handlers, including the system device (SYS) and the default mass storage device (DSK), can be made active.

Inactive devices, although included with BUILD, cannot be used on the system until they are made active by the INSERT command. Thus, several system handlers may be supplied with BUILD, but only one may be marked active.

BUILD

Standard DEC tape System Device Handlers

Handler RK8E disk nonsystem handler

RK8 disk system handler RK8 disk nonsystem handler LINCtape system handler LINCtape nonsystem handler RF08 disk system handler

BUILD 9.1.1 Cassette Systems

When OS/8 software is supplied on cassettes, the device handlers shown in Table 9-2 are included in BUILD.

Table 9-2

Standard Cassette System Device Handlers

Handler

RK8E disk system handler RK8 disk system handler RF08 disk system handler DF32 disk system handler

Console terminal (2-page handler) High-speed I/O simulated

on ASR-33 Teletype High-speed reader/punch TA8E cassette drives 0 and 1 LP08, LS8E, LV8E line printers

.

Group Permanent Name Name(s) RK8E SYS, RKBO RK8 SYS, RKAI RF08 SYS

DF32 SYS KL8E TTY KS33 PTR, PTP PT8E PTR, PTP TA8A CSAO, CSAI LPSV LPT

___ ~ _ _ L - - - - .

These handlers are present on the system cassette AR-4588C-BA. To include extra handlers in BUILD, build an OS/8 system, use MCPIP to move specific device handlers onto the system device, then use the BUILD command LOAD. MCPIP is discussed in detail in Chapter 18.

9.1.2 Paper Tape Systems

When OS/8 software is supplied on paper tape, the device handlers shown in Table 9-3 are included in BUILD.

Table 9-3

Standard Paper Tape System Device Handlers Group

I

BUILD

Table 9-3 (Cont.)

Standard Paper Tape System Device Handlers Group Permanent

Handler Name Name (s)

Console terminal ( 2-page handler) KL8E TTY High-speed I/O simulated KS33 PTR, PTP

on ASR-33 Teletype

High-speed reader/punch PT8E PTR, PTP TA8E cassette drives 0 and 1 TA8A CSAO, CSAI LP08, LS8E, LV8E line printers LPSV LPT

Two binary paper tapes provide other OS/8 handlers not included in BUILD: AK-4660C-BA contains the file-structured handlers;

AK-4671C-BA contains character-oriented handlers. These tapes contain handlers that you can load into core using the BUILD command LOAD.

The BUILD device handler tapes are composed of separate segments, with a short length of leader/trailer code between them. (All of these handlers are in the special format described in BUILD Device Handler Format in this section.) Table 9-4 contains a list of the handlers that are included on the tapes. The handlers are listed in the order in which they appear on the tapes. The TC08 handler is the first segment on handler tape tl, and the KL8E terminal handler is the first segment on handler tape 42. The segments should be either labeled or separated for easier use.

To utilize a binary handler file, place the desired segment into the paper tape reader. Use the BUILD command LOAD to load that segment as follows:

$LOAD PTR [:]

$

Handler

Type a colon (:) after the device name if you loaded BUILD from an OS/8 system device. The ^A allows time to place the tape in the reader. Type any keyboard character to load the tape. When the

$ reappears, the handler has been loaded into BUILD's table. Type the BUILD command PRINT to verify that the handler has been loaded.

Table 9-4

OS/8 Device Handlers

File Name on DECtape, Group Permanent LINCtape, or Name Name (s) Cassette TC08 DEC tape system handler TC08 SYS, DTAO TC08SY.BN 12K TD8E DEC tape system TD8E SYS, DTAO, DTAI TD8ESY.BN

handler

8K ROM TD8E DEC tape ROM SYS, DTAO, DTAI ROMMSY.BN system handler

(continued on next page)

BUILD

Table 9-4 (Cont.) OS/B Device Handlers

File Name on DECtape, Group Permanent LINCtape, or

Handler Name Name(s) Cassette

LINCtape system handler LINC SYS, LTAO LINCSY.BN RKBE disk system handler RKBE SYS, RKAO, RKBO RKBESY.BN RKB disk system handler RKB SYS, RKAO, RKAI RKOBSY.BN RFOB disk system handler RFOB SYS RFOBSY.BN DF32 disk system handler DF32 SYS DF32SY.BN TDBE DECtape drives 0 and I TDBA DTAO, DTAI TDBEA.BN TDBE DECtape drives 2 and 3 TDBB DTA2, DTA3 TDBEB.BN TDBE DECtape drives 4 and 5 TDBC DTA4, DTA5 TDBEC.BN TDBE DECtape drives 6 and 7 TDBD DTA6, DTA7 TDBED.BN TCOB DEC tape drives 0-7 TC DTAO-DTA7 TCOBNS.BN LINCtape drives 0-7 LNC LTAO-LTA7 LINCNS.BN RKBE disk nonsystem handler RK05 RKAO-3, RKBO-3 RKBENS.BN RKB disk nonsystem handler RKOI RKAO-RKA3 RKOBNS.BN RFOB disk nonsystem handler RF RF, NULL RKOBNS.BN DF32 disk nonsystem handler DF DF DF32NS.BN RXOISY disk system handler RXBE SYS RXOISY.BN RXOINS disk nonsystem handler RXOI RXAO.RXAI RXOINS.BN VT50 VT-50 input handler VT50 LST VT50.BN LQP line printer handler LQP LPT LQP.BN Octal block DUMP handler DUMP DUMP DUMP.BN RX7BB disk nonsystem RXOI RXA2, RXA3 RX7BB.BN

handler (for VT-7B only)

BUILD

High-speed reader/punch PTBE PTR, PTP LPOB, LSBE, LVBE line LPSV LPT specifying SAVE arguments.

BUILD responds by printing a $, signaling that it is ready to accept commands.

BUILD uses a keyboard monitor similar to the one contained in the OS/B system. Text is input from the terminal and interpreted by BUILD.

Table 9-5 lists the special characters that are available for editing.