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Using the Error Formatter  



The Error Formatter (ERRFMT) process is started automatically at boot time. The following sections explain how to perform these tasks:

Task Section
Restart the ERRFMT process, if necessary
Restarting the ERRFMT Process
Maintain error log files
Maintaining Error Log Files
Send mail if the ERRFMT process is deleted
Using ERRFMT to Send Mail

Restarting the ERRFMT Process  

To restart the ERRFMT process, follow these steps:

  1. Log in to the system manager's account so that you have the required privileges to perform the operation.
  2. Execute the site-independent startup command procedure (STARTUP.COM), specifying ERRFMT as the command parameter, as follows:
    $ @SYS$SYSTEM:STARTUP ERRFMT

    NoteIf disk quotas are enabled on the system disk, ERRFMT starts only if UIC [1,4] has sufficient quotas.

Maintaining Error Log Files  

Because the error log file, SYS$ERRORLOG:ERRLOG.SYS, is a shared file, ERRFMT can write new error log entries while the Error Log utility reads and reports on other entries in the same file.

ERRLOG.SYS increases in size and remains on the system disk until you explicitly rename or delete it. Therefore, devise a plan for regular maintenance of the error log file. One method is to rename ERRLOG.SYS on a daily basis. If you do this, the system creates a new error log file. You might, for example, rename the current copy of ERRLOG.SYS to ERRLOG.OLD every morning at 9:00. To free space on the system disk, you can then back up the renamed version of the error log file on a different volume and delete the file from the system disk.

Another method is to keep the error log file on a disk other than the system disk by defining the logical name SYS$ERRORLOG to be the device and directory where you want to keep error log files; for example:

$ DEFINE/SYSTEM/EXECUTIVE SYS$ERRORLOG DUA2:[ERRORLOG]
To define this logical name each time you start up the system, add the logical name definition to your SYLOGICALS.COM procedure. See the HP OpenVMS System Manager's Manual, Volume 1: Essentials for details.

Be careful not to delete error log files inadvertently. You might also want to adopt a file-naming convention that includes a beginning or ending date for the data in the file name.

Using ERRFMT to Send Mail  

The Error Formatter (ERRFMT) allows users to send mail to the system manager or to another designated user if the ERRFMT process encounters a fatal error and deletes itself.

Two system logical names, ERRFMT$_SEND_MAIL and ERRFMT$_SEND_TO, control this feature:

You can define these logical names in one of two ways:

Enabling and Disabling ERRFMT to Send Mail  

If ERRFMT$_SEND_MAIL is defined to be TRUE, you receive a mail message with a subject line saying that ERRFMT is about to delete itself. The operator log file and the output displayed at the system console, OPA0:, contain more detailed information about the failure encountered and instructions on how to restart ERRFMT; however, you are often not at the console to see this information.

If you are using ERRFMT in one mode, for example, with sending mail enabled, and you want to disable sending mail, use the system manager's account to edit SYS$STARTUP:SYLOGICAL.COM, adding the following command:

$ DEFINE/SYSTEM ERRFMT$_SEND_MAIL FALSE
To reenable sending mail, use the system manager's account to edit SYS$STARTUP:SYLOGICAL.COM, adding the following command:
$ DEFINE/SYSTEM ERRFMT$_SEND_MAIL TRUE

Sending Mail to Another User  

Sending mail to the SYSTEM account is enabled by default. However, you can define ERRFMT$_SEND_TO to send mail to another user if ERRFMT is about to delete itself.

To change the user name to receive mail, use the system manager's account to edit SYS$STARTUP:SYLOGICAL.COM, adding an appropriate logical name DEFINE command. For example:

$ DEFINE/SYSTEM ERRFMT$_SEND_TO R_SMITH
HP recommends that you not use distribution lists and multiple user names.
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