From: olin@vger.cheme.cornell.edu (Steve Thompson)
Subject: using the VMS 5.4 queue manager with VMS 5.5-1
Reply-To: olin@vger.cheme.cornell.edu
Organization: Chemical Engineering, Cornell University, NY
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 22:18:51 GMT

Configuration:	VAX 4000/500, 64MB, RF drives, VMS 5.5-1.

Ever since I started with VMS (version 3.2), I have created all my batch
and print queues (about 75 in number) with a command procedure. The
contents of this procedure have remained relatively static; the main
changes being the addition of new machines, etc. This procedure did not
change between VMS 5.4-3 (using the old queue manager), and VMS 5.5 and
then VMS 5.5-1 (using the new queue manager). 95% of my printers are on
terminal server ports; some of them are LN03R's using DEC's CPS s/w (which
use the CPS$SMB symbiont), and some are regular hardcopy units, such as
LA120's (which use LATSYM). No changes were required across the 5.4 -> 5.5
transition, when also going from the old LAT to the new LAT at the same
time. 

Now I find that I want to use the old queue manager again, in order to
operate a shared queue environment with the alpha workstation that we just
put in the cluster. I am doing the remaining tasks with only a single
machine in the cluster (the 4500); everything else is shut down, including
the alpha. 

To do this, I edited SYS$STARTUP:VMS$CONFIG-050_JOBCTL.COM to force the old
job controller to be used, by inserting the line "$NEWJOBCTL=0" right
before the test of NEWJOBCTL. After rebooting, the old job controller is
started instead of the new one; the JOB_CONTROL process is running the
JOBCTL.EXE image. Fine so far; everything works. 

Now I create a new JBCSYSQUE.DAT, and recreate all my batch and print
queues using my canned procedure. Fine; everything appears to work. Batch
queues are started; these work just fine. I can submit jobs, etc, and all
works as before. 

However...

I can't get any print queues to start. A "START/QUEUE queue" command does
one of two things: 

- if the queue uses the LATSYM symbiont, the START/QUEUE command
  hangs (I waited 30 minutes). The queue is marked as "starting",
  and no further progress appears to be made. Same behavior for
  all queues using the LATSYM symbiont. A STOP/RESET command will
  succeed.

- if the queue uses the CPS$SMB symbiont, the START/QUEUE command
  succeeds, but the symbiont immediately fails. The message from
  OPCOM and also from the accounting logs is:

	%JBC-E-SYMCREPRC, error creating symbiont process for !AS

I tried patching SYS.EXE to force the VMS version number to A5.5-1 just in
case some magic was going on internally, and after rebooting the behavior
was exactly the same. 

I removed my edit from SYS$STARTUP:VMS$CONFIG-050_JOBCTL.COM to use the new
queue manager again, rebooted, created all the queues again, and lo and
behold everything works fine, as expected. 

There appears to be some incompatibility between the LAT s/w and the old
job controller. Has anyone else seen this? Does anyone know if there is a
workaround?  Thanks.

Steve

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Steve Thompson, System Mangler   Internet: thompson@cheme.cornell.edu
School of Chemical Engineering   Bitnet:   thompson@crnlchme
Olin Hall, Cornell University    Phone:    (607) 255 5573
Ithaca NY 14853
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Newsgroups: comp.os.vms