ZIP - Rapid SDF Display Processor

Version 6R1 - November, 2007

This project is part of the UNITE Source Code Repository hosted on SourceForge.

* The authors and maintainers of this software make no representation of its suitability for a particular application and will not be held *
* responsible for improper operation, loss of data, productivity or other misfortunes resulting from the use of this software. Questions and *
* comments are welcome, but there is no obligation to provide present or future support services or product enhancements. *
* Use of this software constitutes acceptance of these terms. *

@ZIP project summary (for download): @ZIP summary

ZIP is a fast read-only text processor that can be used to read any sector-formatted file created on the Unisys 2200. There are three modes of operation: (1) text mode (SDF formatted files or elements), (2) ALAT and TIP TPM mode (reads system audit trails) and (3) block mode (format- independent). Basic ZIP commands are similar to those of @ED,R. Faster throughput is achieved by using very large I/O buffers. After a file is read once, an internal line index allows very fast access to any record.

Large records (up to 8200 words) are supported, and embedded ASCII control characters will not corrupt the screen display. For these reasons, ZIP is also ideal for working with PCIOS-SDF data files. A text reformat feature is provided which can display computational fields numerically and extract partial strings of character data. Global selection criteria can be established so only records meeting certain conditions are processed. A group of selected and/or reformatted records may be output to another file.

Version 2R1, released in January 1992, introduced ASCII log capability and the "find address" commands. Version 2R1A (June 1992) had improvements in data extraction and record selection. Version 3R1 (June 1993) added online HELP, save and restore of symbol definitions and sort capability. Major new features of version 4R1 include block mode input and output, dynamic reassignment of the input file, some new SELECT and REFORMAT capabilities, and display/search in the backwards direction.

Version 4R2 was enhanced to read new format audit trails produced by HMP IX7.1 and above, as well as earlier formats. This level introduces TIP TPM log read capability (thanks to Rick Onsgard of Unisys). Additional ALAT record types and an expanded output format, activated by the global 'A' option, are available. Duplicate records can be removed from output files. Alpha fields which are copied into reformatted records can be trun- cated when a user-specified character is encountered. A DUMP command was added to display multiple records in octal, aligned on word boundaries.

Version 5R1 allows any program file to be opened in TOC mode. Each record corresponds to an element in the file. Records are displayed in a standard columnar format, and an ELT command has been added to open any symbolic element in the file. Also new in 5R1 is a CHANGE command with a syntax much like the familiar @ED command of the same name. It operates like the REFORMAT command, and changes can be written to a different file with EXTRACT or OPEN...WRITE...CLOSE. Version 5R1 has enhanced online help for users of ALAT or TIP TPM audit trails.

Note to TOCED users: The TOC and element access commands (TOC,ELT) provide a subset of the functionality of this popular program, but they do not replace it. ZIP cannot apply changes to the TOC of a file. If the CHANGE command is used while in TOC mode, the change(s) will only become permanent if the listing is written to an extract file; and this is only an SDF text copy of the actual TOC.

Version 5R2 increases the maximum output length (before wrapping) from 76 to 79 characters. There is a new global option (U) which can be used to truncate the last character of a record - for display purposes only - if by so doing it will prevent a screen wrap. These features allow any file with 80 characters/record to be displayed without screen wraps. There is a new feature of the FUSION package that will automatically sense the screen length and width. The parameters are set accordingly, no options or commands are required. If there is an insert point (set via @@INS), it is preserved and the protected portion of the screen is not overwritten unless full-FUSION is enabled (@ZIP,F or ON F).

******* NEW ********

Version 6R1 adds the capability to read stepcontrol audit trails. No special options or parameters are required - the file type is detected automatically. Minimal editing is performed but it is not as comprehensive as that provided with ALAT or TPM trails. Several size limitations are increased or eliminated in version 6R1. The maximum track size for SDF and ALAT files is now about 3.7 million. This is an architectural limit - the MAXTRK parameter (previously 650K) has been removed. There is now no practical limit on the size of a file when reading it in block mode. The maximum SDF record size has been increased from 2047 words to 8200 words (this is still controlled by the MAXREC parameter). The BSP$ interface is now used to read and write elements in program files, thus providing full LPF and LEPF access. See HELP NEWS v-6R1 for an online list of new features.

********************

ZIP uses the FUSION full-screen simulation package, written by Les Leist. This can be dynamically turned on and off. It dramatically improves terminal output speed and gives a professional "look and feel". The ZIP software is supplied with only those components of FUSION which are needed by it. Level 6R1 is released using the FTPack utility (also written by Les) which can transfer any 2200 file in and out of text format for easy shipment to other users. It has the additional advantage of producing a self-contained text file which requires no special decompression software at the recipient site.

Complete copies of FUSION and FTPack (and several other useful utility packages) can be downloaded from <http://users.starpower.net/leistlc>. if you have questions, Les will answer E-mail sent to <leistlc$erols!com>. (Replace $ with @ and ! with .)

The following steps are required to build the ZIP product:

1. Use the PKUNZIP utility to decompress ZIP6R1.ZIP into ZIP6R1.REL.

2. @CAT,P ZIP*ADD,///500

3. Transfer the ZIP6R1.REL file (in text mode) to ZIP*ADD.

4. @ADD ZIP*ADD. (This will catalog ZIP*RELEASE(+1)

and copy the 6R1 elements into it.) *

5. @DELETE ZIP*ADD. (This file is no longer necessary.)

6. @START ZIP*RELEASE.ZIPGEN (This step is optional - the absolute

element ZIP is included w/release)

* If the existing ZIP*RELEASE file has keys or if the unpack procedure can't create a new cycle for some other reason, it will be necessary to manually create the new F-cycle after step four. The file FTUNPACKFILE should then be copied into it. The ZIP*RELEASE file name is required for the build.

The output of ZIPGEN could be up to 600 pages. If you wish to send to a hold queue, modify line 2 before starting it. When ZIPGEN completes successfully, the (+1) F-cycle of ZIP*RELEASE will contain the ZIP absolute.

This release of ZIP is being supplied without external documentation, with the exception of this README file. Time constraints have limited the amount of work that can be done, and it was felt that the majority of users will be those that are familiar with earlier levels. Online documentation has been fully updated. Documentation of new features since the 3R1 release is available via <HELP NEWS>. Other HELP categories that provide general information are <COMMANDS>, <LOG-FILES>, <ZIP-CALL> and <GBL-OPTS>.

ZIP 6R1 is upward-compatible with levels 3R1 and up, with these exceptions:

- In levels prior to 4R2, the DEFINE command could be abbreviated to the single letter 'D'. This will now initiate the DUMP command. The minimum abbreviation for the DEFINE command is now 'DE'.

- In levels prior to 5R1, the CLOSE command could be abbreviated to the single letter 'C'. This will now initiate the CHANGE command. The minimum abbreviation for CLOSE is now 'CL'.

- In levels prior to 6R1, the OPEN command did not require the 'U' or 'F' option - if both were absent, the output mode was solicited. Level 6R1 requires that one of these options must be used with OPEN.

- In levels prior to 6R1, ASCII characters 0200-0377 were biased into the "normal" range and displayed on the user screen in high intensity or reverse video. These characters are displayed directly in level 6R1 unless the global 'K' option is set which will restore pre-6R1 operation.

ZIP is jointly maintained by Erich Staubringer of Amadeus Corporation and the original author, Ward Condit (retired). If you have questions or comments, E-mails are welcome. (Replace $ with @ and ! with .)

Erich Staubringer

estaubringer$amadeus!com

Ward Condit

wrcondit$cox!net