Back-to-Basics: Where (AP style)

Multi-value Solutions

Nathan Rector

Natec Systems

nater@northcoast.com

http://www.northcoast.com/~nater/

WHERE {ports to display} {(options}

The WHERE statement is a good tool to use to track the use of your system, or to find problems ports when your system starts to slow.

The WHERE statement shows the activity on each port logged on and what each port is currently doing. With this tool you are able to create moniting programs that have the ability to keep your users from sitting at TCL or doing things in the debugger. The Advanced Pick style, also used in D3, is a lot more descriptive than the R83 style which makes it easier to understand at first glance and doesn't need much translation. Next month we will cover the R83 sytle WHERE statement.

There are 2 pieces of information to keep a close watch on: the STAT, which tells the user what the current status of the port is, and the 'Return stack content', which tells the users what abs frames are currently running.

The STAT column tells you if the port is at the system debugger, or if it is accessing a tape media. It can also tell you if the port has pushed a TCL level or not, and how many times.

The 'Return Stack Content' is the most useful when trying to find the port that is causing the system to slow. It displays the current frames that are processing on each ports.

Frame definitions:

PP - Phantom

WS - Workspace

BR - BASIC runtime

SP - Spooler

RDL - Generalized Input

BC - BASIC Compile

OVF - Overflow

RET - Item Retrieval

UPD - Item Update

PL - PicLan

EC - ACCESS (parser)

EL - ACCESS (display)

ES - ACCESS (Selection)

JET - Jet

AU - Update Processor or TCL

TP - Tape I/O

CTS - SCSI Tape

TL - Transaction logger

BD - BASIC debugger

PQ - PROC

ED - Editor

PX - FlashBASIC Runtime

LK - Link

RS - Restore

SV - Save

CS - Compusheet+

OP - Output Processor

GFE - GFE Handler

COM - Comm

FM - File Manager

BT - Btree

TV - Tape verify

Port to display:

user-id = Ouput ports that are current logged on under this user id

"Account" = output port that are current logged onto this account

port#{-port#} = output all ports that meet this range of ports

options:

h = suppress the heading

l = display status for each 'pushed' level

n = no pause on screen output. This keeps the output from pausing at the end of the page requiring the user to press RETURN to continue.

p = send output to printer

z = Display all ports logged on or off. If it is used with a specific

 

:where

Ln PCB PIB ABS Stat R1 & Return stack contents 11:00:53 20 Mar

FID Stat Base

*000 00278A FF10 0033B1 1 ws.where1:01E ws.whatwhere:236

003 000803 BF10 000018 P sp.sleep:027 sp.spoolout:07A

005 002894 BF10 000018 P pp.sched:02A

 

Alphabet Soup Definitions:

'Pushing a TCL Level' - With the Release of Advanced Pick, users were giving the ablitiy to suspend a current process and create a new TCL level when ever the break-key was pressed. This is what is referred as 'Pushing a TCL level'

ABS Frames - The ABS Frames are the operating systems programs, or any assembily programs that exist on a Pick or Pick-style system

RETURN Stack content - Found when using the WHERE statement. In simple terms, the RETURN stack content is the list of system level programs, or ABS Frames, that a port is currently running. Ie: Access select, debugger, and/or BASIC command being processed.

 Back-to-Basics: Where (AP style)

Back-to-Basics: Where (AP style)

Multi-value Solutions

Nathan Rector

Natec Systems

nater@northcoast.com

http://www.northcoast.com/~nater/

WHERE {ports to display} {(options}

The WHERE statement is a good tool to use to track the use of your system, or to find problems ports when your system starts to slow.

The WHERE statement shows the activity on each port logged on and what each port is currently doing. With this tool you are able to create moniting programs that have the ability to keep your users from sitting at TCL or doing things in the debugger. The Advanced Pick style, also used in D3, is a lot more descriptive than the R83 style which makes it easier to understand at first glance and doesn't need much translation. Next month we will cover the R83 sytle WHERE statement.

There are 2 pieces of information to keep a close watch on: the STAT, which tells the user what the current status of the port is, and the 'Return stack content', which tells the users what abs frames are currently running.

The STAT column tells you if the port is at the system debugger, or if it is accessing a tape media. It can also tell you if the port has pushed a TCL level or not, and how many times.

The 'Return Stack Content' is the most useful when trying to find the port that is causing the system to slow. It displays the current frames that are processing on each ports.

Frame definitions:

PP - Phantom

WS - Workspace

BR - BASIC runtime

SP - Spooler

RDL - Generalized Input

BC - BASIC Compile

OVF - Overflow

RET - Item Retrieval

UPD - Item Update

PL - PicLan

EC - ACCESS (parser)

EL - ACCESS (display)

ES - ACCESS (Selection)

JET - Jet

AU - Update Processor or TCL

TP - Tape I/O

CTS - SCSI Tape

TL - Transaction logger

BD - BASIC debugger

PQ - PROC

ED - Editor

PX - FlashBASIC Runtime

LK - Link

RS - Restore

SV - Save

CS - Compusheet+

OP - Output Processor

GFE - GFE Handler

COM - Comm

FM - File Manager

BT - Btree

TV - Tape verify

Port to display:

user-id = Ouput ports that are current logged on under this user id

"Account" = output port that are current logged onto this account

port#{-port#} = output all ports that meet this range of ports

options:

h = suppress the heading

l = display status for each 'pushed' level

n = no pause on screen output. This keeps the output from pausing at the end of the page requiring the user to press RETURN to continue.

p = send output to printer

z = Display all ports logged on or off. If it is used with a specific

 

:where

Ln PCB PIB ABS Stat R1 & Return stack contents 11:00:53 20 Mar

FID Stat Base

*000 00278A FF10 0033B1 1 ws.where1:01E ws.whatwhere:236

003 000803 BF10 000018 P sp.sleep:027 sp.spoolout:07A

005 002894 BF10 000018 P pp.sched:02A

 

Alphabet Soup Definitions:

'Pushing a TCL Level' - With the Release of Advanced Pick, users were giving the ablitiy to suspend a current process and create a new TCL level when ever the break-key was pressed. This is what is referred as 'Pushing a TCL level'

ABS Frames - The ABS Frames are the operating systems programs, or any assembily programs that exist on a Pick or Pick-style system

RETURN Stack content - Found when using the WHERE statement. In simple terms, the RETURN stack content is the list of system level programs, or ABS Frames, that a port is currently running. Ie: Access select, debugger, and/or BASIC command being processed.