This Open VMS Hobbyist novice would really appreciate help with a DecNet setup problem from a VMS expert out there. I have two Alphas networked together very successfully with TCPIP but with one flaw in DecNet. One of the computers will not assign with NCP the node name to the node address in the volatile database. Result is whenever I attempt to set host on either computer I get an error, "node unknown." I have no problem in NCP using the define command to assign node names to the permanent database. On one computer though, when I use the NCP set command to assign a node name to the other computer's node address I get an error, "unrecognized component." For some reason it appears the node name with the DecNet problem computer is not copied to the volatile database when DecNet is started. I have absolutely no problems using set host with the node address to communicate between the computers. Is there an NCP trick I'm missing/a way to copy the node name of the target computer to a database on the local computer/has anyone encountered this problem and found a workaround?

Also, does anyone have a recommended source to directly order VMS freeware on CD-ROM? I'm not setup for FTP and would especially like to get a copy of Mozilla on CD so I can add my VMS systems to my PC wireless network/internet..

Thanks for anyone out there who can help..

I'm not a specialist, but the next two commands may be helpful:

To copy the list of nodes from another node :
NCP> COPY KNOWN NODES FROM node-1
This one also has options to copy to the volatile/permanent database

To activate the list in the volatile database :
NCP> SET KNOWN NODES ALL

I don't know about the freeware CD. It used to be possible to order it from HP itself, but I don't know if this is still possible.
I guess it should be possible to download the Mozilla kit to a PC and burn it there, then mount the CD on VMS with $ MOUNT /MEDIA=CDROM
You could also ask at another BB like the one at http://www.openvms.org

Thanks for your help. I'm still not getting set host to recognize node names. I tried "COPY KNOWN NODES FROM node-1" (substituting the appropriate node name/address) and got error prompt to the effect, "unsupported/unspecified product". The "SET KNOWN NODES ALL" NCP command took on both computers/nodes. I can perform the SET NODE node-address NAME node-name command on one of the computers successfully with both sets of node addresses/names. The other computer though will only take this command for the local/executor node but produces an error message, "unrecognized component/node" when I attempt the command for the target node address/name. On the computer that accepts the SET NODE node-address NAME node-name NCP command for both nodes the NCP SHOW ADJACENT NODES command lists both node names. On the other stubborn computer, this command only lists the local/executor node.

Hopefully, someone out there has experienced this anomaly and has found a solution--perhaps editing the text file for the volatile database.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks for tip on downloading Mozilla and the MOUNT /MEDIA=CDROM command.

Hilliard Terry

I'm not an expert in Decnet, so just suggesting:
Since you can SET HOST by address, not by name, it seems to me that translation name -> address fails.
One reason I can think of is that the namespace of the two machines are different. AFAIK, .LOCAL meand "this machine" so changes will not be exported to other machines. Either have both local namespaces synchronize against eachother (don't ask me how to do that) or define a namespace that is shared between the two machines.

Willem

Willem Grooters

Hilliard Terry,

First things first. Which DECnet did you install? What version? Do a $ PRODUCT SHOW PRODUCT and report what version of DECnet that you are running.

The instructions will differ depending on which DECnet (Phase IV or Phase V) that you are running.

- Bob Gezelter