This note describes the relationship between SUPERVISOR and the MCP MORETASKS implementation that permits Unisys to increase the maximum number of stacks, mix and session numbers. This MCP functionality was introduced some time ago (initially in MCP 45.1) and all Metalogic software had been changed to support the higher values.
In summary, the changes are as follows, including Metalogic release versions:
Max Settings |
Old |
New |
SESSION |
9999 |
65535 |
MIXNO |
9999 |
65535 |
STACKS |
4095 |
32767* |
*Note that MAX STACKS values greater than 4095 are only supported on certain MCP hardware architectures.
To change the above values, the MCP SO option MORETASKS must be set and the required settings may be changed using the MAX command. It is likely that the MORETASKS option will be de-implemented in later MCPs and the higher settings will be mandatory.
The problem…..
Recently, it has come to our attention that certain older compiled OPAL scripts have been generating MCP warning messages referring to GETSTATUS Type 0 calls. In the MORETASKS implementation, a GETSTATUS Type 0 call returns information about one or more mix numbers in an old format which supports the smaller mix and stack number limits.
For older OPAL code that generates these GETSTATUS warning messages, it has been observed in one know case that the scripts may return incorrect mix and job number values, though Metalogic have not seen this behaviour on local systems.
Further, any old LOG context scripts may return incorrect job and task numbers, if larger than 9999, because of the changes to SUMLOG record formats to accommodate the larger values.
Software |
Minimum Version |
Notes |
MAGUS |
480.13 Aug 2002 |
Initial support |
SUPERVISOR
|
490.16 Nov 2003
510.57 Jan 2006 |
Initial support
Fix for MAX STACKS >4095 |
OPAL compiler
|
460.02 Jun 2000
500.27 Oct 2004 |
Initial support. Compiled code dependent on MCP level and MORETASKS setting.
All compiled code uses MORETASKS compatibility by default. |
Although problems are unlikely, Metalogic recommend that any MX or LOG-based OPALs compiled with OPAL compiler version 500.27 or earlier should be recompiled if you are using SUPERVISOR on MCP systems with MORETASKS set.
How do you find out which OPAL need recompilation?
Metalogic provide an OPAL ODTSEQUENCE, called FIND_DEFS, freely available for download, that allows the user to search all DEFINES in the SCHEDULE file, generating a printed report of those OPALS that are older than a user-provided version. This file can be downloaded using the following link:
FIND_DEFS 1.zip
Recompilation
If you think that you need to recompile any scripts, the DEFINES can be simply re-entered using a Supervisor window or even from the ODT. If the DEFINES are longer than a screen page, they must be saved first using the SAVE command and then recompiled back into the SCHEDULE using the ENTER command.
FLEX scripts (DO files) are unaffected.
