VAX file format conversion - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

15 Aug 2016

[Apologies in advance for this reply not appearing in the thread for this
 subject - I read the digest form of cctalk]

...
  Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2016 16:08:39 -0400
 From: Douglas Taylor <dj.taylor4 at comcast.net>
 To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
         <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
 Subject: VAX file format conversion
 Message-ID: <d54db4aa-efc8-d332-971f-57250d5fd0f5 at comcast.net>
 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed

 I have a MicroVax 4000 that I am trying to update the license PAKs on,
 the last time I had valid PAKs on this machine was in 2002 (Hobbyist
 Licenses).

 I registered and have received the new Hobbyist License PAKs.

 I connected a laptop and transferred the text file using C-Kermit on the
 VAX and hyperterminal on the laptop.

 When I go to execute the file, I get an error:

 $(a)hobbyist-use-only-va.txt

 %RMS-W-RTB 512 bye record to large for user buffer

 It appears that when the file was transferred it showed up on the vax
 with fixed length records of 512 bytes, not variable length.

 Can I convert the file on the VAX?

 Is there a setting for C-Kermit that I need to change?

 Is Hyperterminal screwing things up?

 Doug 
When this happens to me, I make use of one of the quirks of the TECO text
editor on VMS which writes out text files (variable-length, carriage
return carriage
control).

VAX $ directory /full hobbyist*.txt

Directory D_0:[SYSTEM]

HOBBYIST-USE-ONLY-VA.TXT;1                File ID:  (4986,7,0)
Size:          156/156        Owner:    [SYSTEM]
Created:  16-AUG-2016 09:48:01.12
Revised:  16-AUG-2016 09:48:01.24 (1)
Expires:   <None specified>
Backup:    <No backup recorded>
File organization:  Sequential
File attributes:    Allocation: 156, Extend: 0, Global buffer count: 0
                    No version limit
Record format:      Fixed length 512 byte records
Record attributes:  None
RMS attributes:     None
Journaling enabled: None
File protection:    System:RWED, Owner:RWED, Group:RE, World:RE
Access Cntrl List:  None

Total of 1 file, 156/156 blocks.

VAX $ edit/teco hobbyist-use-only-va.txt
*n[End of File]$l512kex$$

[ TECO prompts with an asterisk, the license file has a line with the
text "[End of File]"
at the end - so non-stop search "n" for it - $ is the <ESC> key or
<CTRL-[>, advance
to the next line (lowercase L "l"), then kill any remaining lines and
<NUL> characters
that pad the last block, and exit]

VAX $ directory /full hobbyist*.txt;

Directory D_0:[SYSTEM]

HOBBYIST-USE-ONLY-VA.TXT;2                File ID:  (5006,105,0)
Size:          158/159        Owner:    [SYSTEM]
Created:  16-AUG-2016 09:52:43.98
Revised:  16-AUG-2016 09:52:57.44 (1)
Expires:   <None specified>
Backup:    <No backup recorded>
File organization:  Sequential
File attributes:    Allocation: 159, Extend: 0, Global buffer count: 0
                    No version limit
Record format:      Variable length, maximum 92 bytes
Record attributes:  Carriage return carriage control
RMS attributes:     None
Journaling enabled: None
File protection:    System:RWED, Owner:RWED, Group:RE, World:RE
Access Cntrl List:  None

Total of 1 file, 158/159 blocks.

-- 
Tony Nicholson <tony.nicholson at computer.org>