HP OpenVMS System Manager's Manual, Volume 1:... |
Customizing the Operating System |
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Customizing the Help Message Database
| Task | For More Information |
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Accessing $STATUS
values for uninstalled messages
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Accessing $STATUS Values for Uninstalled Messages
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Creating system-level
Help Message database search paths
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Creating System-Level Database Search Paths
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Deleting HP-messages
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Deleting HP-Supplied Messages from the Database
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Adding comments
to HP-supplied messages
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Adding Comments to HP-Supplied Messages
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Changing text
in HP-supplied messages
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Changing HP-Supplied Data
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Adding messages to HP-supplied
database files
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Adding Messages to HP-Supplied Database Files
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Before performing these tasks, you should be familiar with the Help Message utility. For a complete description of Help Message features, basic tasks, and the HELP/MESSAGE command and qualifiers, refer to the OpenVMS System Messages: Companion Guide for Help Message Users . Also refer to that manual for a description of the files that you must manipulate to customize the Help Message database.
| Currently, user-supplied comments or additions to HP-supplied
.MSGHLP$DATA files are not preserved through the next upgrade. However,
your own .MSGHLP$DATA files are not affected by future releases. You can reuse .MSGHLP files to insert your own messages into future HP-supplied database files. Depending on the data format in future databases, you might also be able to reuse some .MSGHLP files to insert comments. |
Accessing $STATUS Values for Uninstalled
Messages ![]()
Any messages that are not installed as part of the OpenVMS
operating system cannot be equated with a value stored in $STATUS
until they are recognized by the system. When the Help Message utility
attempts to translate the value stored in $STATUS or a value specified
with the /STATUS qualifier, the search can fail if the value does
not equate to an installed message or a message that was linked
into the Help Message utility when it was created by HP.
You can make your system recognize such uninstalled messages. These
messages include user-supplied messages, third-party messages, and
messages from layered products and certain other OpenVMS facilities.
This command generates a user-modifiable object library, SYS$LIBRARY:MSGHLP$MESSAGE_SECTIONS.OLB. Each module in this library contains a pointer to a message section .EXE file. You can use the /SECTION_FILE qualifier to insert additional modules into this library. (See the following steps.)$HELP/MESSAGE/SECTION_FILE=*
| This HELP/MESSAGE command produces results similar to, but entirely separate from those effected by the SET MESSAGE filespec command. The Help Message utility does not interact with the Message utility. If you want both utilities to translate the same set of message sections, you must separately code each utility to do so. It is perfectly acceptable to have each utility point to different message section files. |
The names of the modules in the .OLB file are derived from strings specified in the /SECTION_FILE qualifier.$LIBRARY/LIST MSGHLP$MESSAGE_SECTIONS.OLB
| SYSMSG.EXE |
| SYSMGTMSG.EXE |
| CLIUTLMSG.EXE |
| PRGMSG.EXE |
If you delete a module from the .OLB file, you must execute the HELP/MESSAGE command with the /SECTION_FILE qualifier to generate an updated .EXE file. The qualifier argument can specify either a new file or a file that is already listed in the .OLB file.$LIBRARY/DELETE=NETWRKMSG SYS$LIBRARY:MSGHLP$MESSAGE_SECTIONS.OLB
The following example demonstrates this sequence of events:
Note that the output from the LIBRARY/LIST commands is omitted from the example.
$HELP/MESSAGE/SECTION_FILE=*$LIBRARY/LIST SYS$LIBRARY:MSGHLP$MESSAGE_SECTIONS.OLB$LIBRARY/DELETE=VVIEFMSG SYS$LIBRARY:MSGHLP$MESSAGE_SECTIONS.OLB$HELP/MESSAGE/SECTION_FILE=NEW_MSGS.EXE$LIBRARY/LIST SYS$LIBRARY:MSGHLP$MESSAGE_SECTIONS.OLB$COPY MSGHLP$MESSAGE_SECTIONS.EXE SYS$LIBRARY:MSGHLP$MESSAGE_SECTIONS.EXE
Creating System-Level Database Search Paths ![]()
Help Message database files need not reside on the system
disk. You can create system logical names to define one or more
Help Message search paths to access multiple .MSGHLP$DATA files
in different locations.
When Help Message is installed, the OpenVMS messages database file is installed by default at SYS$COMMON:[SYSHLP]MSGHLP$LIBRARY.MSGHLP$DATA. However, this file can optionally be installed on or moved to another disk. The alternate location must be pointed to by logical name MSGHLP$LIBRARY. Use this command to define the logical name: DEFINE/SYSTEM MSGHLP$LIBRARY disk:[directory]MSGHLP$LIBRARY
By default, Help Message attempts to look up messages in the default location unless the logical name MSGHLP$LIBRARY is defined. If you do not use the default database location, include the logical name definition command in SYS$MANAGER:SYLOGICALS.COM so that the database is defined each time the system is booted.
| If you move MSGHLP$LIBRARY.MSGHLP$DATA to a new location after installation, be sure to set the proper protections on the file and directory so that the database cannot be accidentally deleted or modified. The protections at installation are (RWE, RWE, RE, RE) for the directory and (RWE, RWE, RWE, RE) for the file. |
A search path definition can include individual file names or can point to one or more directories. If you specify a directory with no file name, Help Message searches all .MSGHLP$DATA files currently found in that directory. Pointing to a directory instead of individual files can minimize your bookkeeping when .MSGHLP$DATA files are added or removed.
To use system resources more efficiently, you can create different search paths for different user groups, depending on which .MSGHLP$DATA files they need to access. You can also set up different directories for different types of messages or for different user groups. For example, you could use three unique logical names to define three different search paths tailored to different user groups: DEFINE/SYSTEM logical-name-1 file-a,file-b,file-cDEFINE/SYSTEM logical-name-2 file-a,directory-zDEFINE/SYSTEM logical-name-3 file-x,file-a,directory-y
| The first file you list in a search path is the default database for /INSERT and /DELETE operations that operate on that search path. By default, all other operations access all files in a search path. Specifying a directory first in a search path risks setting up a default moving target for /INSERT and /DELETE operations if files are added to or deleted from the directory. |
The following example defines a Help Message search path that accesses .MSGHLP$DATA database files in three locations: the HP-supplied OpenVMS messages at USERS:[TOOLS], the user-supplied file USERS:[NEW_PROJ]OUR_MESSAGES.MSGHLP$DATA, and all .MSGHLP$DATA files in directory TEST:[TRY_ME].
$DEFINE/SYSTEM MSGHLP$LIBRARY USERS:[TOOLS]MSGHLP$LIBRARY,-_$USERS:[NEW_PROJ]OUR_MESSAGES.MSGHLP$DATA,TEST:[TRY_ME]
Deleting HP-Supplied Messages from
the Database ![]()
You can delete HP-supplied messages from the database
to conserve system resources or improve response time.
The following example extracts and then deletes all messages for the DDTM (DECdtm services) facility from the default database. The last two commands compress the HP-supplied database file to conserve disk space after the deletions.
$HELP/MESSAGE/FACILITY=DDTM/EXTRACT=DDTM.MSGHLP$HELP/MESSAGE/DELETE=DDTM.MSGHLP$CONVERT SYS$COMMON:[SYSHLP]MSGHLP$LIBRARY.MSGHLP$DATA -_$SYS$COMMON:[SYSHLP]MSGHLP$LIBRARY.MSGHLP$DATA$PURGE SYS$COMMON:[SYSHLP]MSGHLP$LIBRARY.MSGHLP$DATA
Adding Comments to HP-Supplied Messages ![]()
You can add comments to HP-supplied messages documentation.
Comments display with change bars immediately following the HP-supplied
description. This feature is a handy way to publicize a site-specific solution
for a common problem.
| Currently, user-supplied comments to HP-supplied .MSGHLP$DATA files are not preserved through the next upgrade. However, if the HP-supplied message descriptions do not change during the upgrade, you can reuse .MSGHLP files to reinsert comments after the upgrade. |
$HELP/MESSAGE/EXTRACT=NOSNO.MSGHLP NOSNO
Tips for modifying files:1NOSNO, can't ski; no snow 2XCSKI, XCSKI Program 3Your attempt to ski failed because there is no snow. 4Wait until there is snow and attempt the operation again.5If you don't want to wait, go to a location where there is 5snow and ski there. 5 5Or, try ice skating instead!
The comment is now displayed following the HP-supplied message description.$HELP/MESSAGE/INSERT=NOSNO.MSGHLP
$HELP/MESSAGE/EXTRACT=ACCVIO.MSGHLP ACCVIO
[Edit ACCVIO.MSGHLP to add your comment.]$HELP/MESSAGE/INSERT=ACCVIO.MSGHLP
Changing HP-Supplied Data ![]()
You cannot use the procedure described in
Adding Comments to HP-Supplied Messages to alter HP-supplied
information. The recommended way to permanently change HP-supplied
information is to send your comments to the OSSG Documentation Group
(see the Preface for Internet and mail addresses) or contact a HP support
representative.
The sequence described in this section allows you to modify HP-supplied data, with the following results:
| Currently, the HP-supplied message is reinserted into the database at the next upgrade and the user-supplied text is overwritten. |
$HELP/MESSAGE/EXTRACT=NOFILES.MSGHLP NOFILES$HELP/MESSAGE/DELETE=NOFILES.MSGHLP
[Edit NOFILES.MSGHLP to change the text.]$HELP/MESSAGE/INSERT=NOFILES.MSGHLP
Adding Messages to HP-Supplied Database
Files ![]()
The OpenVMS System Messages: Companion Guide for
Help Message Users
describes how to create your own .MSGHLP$DATA
files to add new messages to the Help Message database. Keeping
your messages in a separate file can simplify your messages bookkeeping
and ensure that your messages are preserved through future upgrades.
With write access to HP-supplied .MSGHLP$DATA files, you can alternatively insert your own messages into the HP -MSGHLP$LIBRARY.MSGHLP$DATA file. However, messages inserted using this technique will currently be overwritten at the next upgrade. You can, however, save your input .MSGHLP files and repeat the insertion process at the next upgrade.
$HELP/MESSAGE/INSERT=MYMESSAGES.MSGHLP
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