README.mpeix - Perl/iX for HP e3000 MPE

- NAME
- SYNOPSIS
- NOTE
- Binary distribution from HP
- What's New in Perl for MPE/iX
- Welcome to Perl/iX
- System Requirements for Perl/iX
- How to Obtain Perl/iX
- Perl/iX Distribution Contents Highlights
- How to Compile Perl/iX
- Getting Started with Perl/iX
- MPE/iX Implementation Considerations
- Known Perl/iX Bugs Under Investigation
- Perl/iX To-Do List
- Perl/iX Change History
- AUTHOR

# NAME

README.mpeix - Perl/iX for HP e3000 MPE

# SYNOPSIS

       http://www.bixby.org/mark/perlix.html
       http://jazz.external.hp.com/src/hp_freeware/perl/
       Perl language for MPE
       Last updated January 12, 2006 @ 2100 UTC

# NOTE

This is a podified version of the above-mentioned web page, podified by Jarkko Hietaniemi 2001-Jan-01.

# Binary distribution from HP

The simplest way to obtain Perl for the MPE/iX is to go either of these URLs and follow the instructions within.

http://jazz.external.hp.com/src/hp_freeware/perl/ http://www.bixby.org/mark/perlix.html

Use which ever one is more recent.

# What's New in Perl for MPE/iX

January 12, 2006

- Updated for perl-5.8.8 and perl-5.9.3 by Ken Hirsch.

  Simplified the build process by using the MPEAUTOCONF functionality in Mark Klein's ld.

  If you build this from scratch, make sure you have a version of ld which supports it. In the shell, type

        ld --help
          and look for AUTOCONF or MPEAUTOCONF near the bottom

        or do this:
        ld --help 2>&1 | grep AUTOCONF

  If you see don't see AUTOCONF or MPEAUTOCONF, make sure you get a new version.

  You also do not have to use mpeix/relink after building, so the recommend sequence is:

        ./Configure -de

            # or ./Configure -de -Dusedevel
            # if you're building a development version

        make
        make test
           # if you run this in a job, do "make test_notty"

        make install

  Be prepared for a wait. These take much longer on MPE/iX than on a Unix system, because of a slow forking, mostly. On a lightly-loaded HP3000 Series 979 running MPE/iX 7.5:

          Configure: 1 hour
          make:      1 hour 15 minutes
          make test  1 hour 45 minutes

  Various socket problems were fixed in mpeix.c.

  Mark Klein provided a fixed sigsetjmp (that works with dynamic libraries) in mpeix_setjmp.c

- June 1, 2000

  - Rebuilt to be compatible with mod_perl. If you plan on using mod_perl, you MUST download and install this version of Perl/iX!

  - uselargefiles=``undef'': not available in MPE for POSIX files yet.

  - Now bundled with various add-on packages:

    - libnet (as seen on CPAN)

    - libwww-perl (LWP) which lets Perl programs behave like web browsers:

              1. #!/PERL/PUB/perl
              2. use LWP::Simple;
              3. $doc = get('http://www.bixby.org/mark/perlix.html');  # reads the
                 web page into variable $doc

      (http://www.bixby.org/mark/perlix.html)

    - mod_perl (just the perl portion; the actual DSO will be released soon with Apache/iX 1.3.12 from bixby.org). This module allows you to write high performance persistent Perl CGI scripts and all sorts of cool things. (http://perl.apache.org/)

      and much much more hiding under /PERL/PUB/.cpan/

    - The CPAN module now works for automatic downloading and installing of add-on packages:

              1. export FTP_PASSIVE=1
              2. perl -MCPAN -e shell
              3. Ignore any terminal I/O related complaints!

      (http://theoryx5.uwinnipeg.ca/CPAN/data/perl/CPAN.html)

  May 20, 2000

  - Updated to version 5.6.0. Builds straight out of the box on MPE/iX.

  - Perl's `getpwnam()` function which had regressed to being unimplemented on MPE is now implemented once again.

  September 17, 1999

  - Migrated from cccd.edu to bixby.org.

# Welcome to Perl/iX

This is the official home page for the HP e3000 MPE/iX ( http://www.hp.com/go/e3000 ) port of the Perl scripting language ( http://www.perl.com/ ) which gives you all of the power of C, awk, sed, and sh in a single language. Check here for the latest news, implemented functionality, known bugs, to-do list, etc. Status reports about major milestones will also be posted to the HP3000-L mailing list ( http://www.lsoft.com/scripts/wl.exe?SL1=HP3000-L&H=RAVEN.UTC.EDU ) and its associated gatewayed newsgroup comp.sys.hp.mpe.

I'm doing this port because I can't live without Perl on the Unix machines that I administer, and I want to have the same power available to me on MPE.

Please send your comments, questions, and bug reports directly to me, Mark Bixby ( http://www.bixby.org/mark/ ). Or just post them to HP3000-L.

The platform I'm using to do this port is an HP 3000 957RX running MPE/iX 6.0 and using the GNU gcc C compiler ( http://jazz.external.hp.com/src/gnu/gnuframe.html ).

The combined porting wisdom from all of my ports can be found in my MPE/iX Porting Guide (http://www.bixby.org/mark/porting.html).

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Yes, I do work for the HP CSY R&D lab, but ALL of the software you download from bixby.org is my personal freeware that is NOT supported by HP.

# System Requirements for Perl/iX

- MPE/iX 5.5 or later. This version of Perl/iX does NOT run on MPE/iX 5.0 or earlier, nor does it run on ``classic'' MPE/V machines.

- If you wish to recompile Perl, you must install both GNUCORE and GNUGCC from jazz (http://jazz.external.hp.com/src/gnu/gnuframe.html).

- Perl/iX will be happier on MPE/iX 5.5 if you install the MPEKX40B extended POSIX filename characters patch, but this is optional.

- Patch LBCJXT6A is required on MPE/iX 5.5 machines in order to prevent Perl/iX from dying with an unresolved external reference to _getenv_libc.

- If you will be compiling Perl/iX yourself, you will also need Syslog/iX ( http://www.bixby.org/mark/syslogix.html ) and the /BIND/PUB/include and /BIND/PUB/lib portions of BIND/iX ( http://www.bixby.org/mark/bindix.html ).

# How to Obtain Perl/iX

1. Download Perl using either FTP.ARPA.SYS or some other client

2. Extract the installation script

3. Edit the installation script

4. Run the installation script

5. Convert your *.a system archive libraries to *.sl shared libraries

Download Perl using FTP.ARPA.SYS from your HP 3000 (the preferred method).....

        :HELLO MANAGER.SYS
        :XEQ FTP.ARPA.SYS
        open ftp.bixby.org
        anonymous
        your@email.address
        bytestream
        cd /pub/mpe
        get perl-5.6.0-mpe.tar.Z /tmp/perl.tar.Z;disc=2147483647
        exit

.....Or download using some other generic web or ftp client (the alternate method)

Download the following files (make sure that you use ``binary mode'' or whatever client feature that is 8-bit clean):

- Perl from

          http://www.bixby.org/ftp/pub/mpe/perl-5.6.0-mpe.tar.Z

  or

          ftp://ftp.bixby.org/pub/mpe/perl-5.6.0-mpe.tar.Z

- Upload those files to your HP 3000 in an 8-bit clean bytestream manner to:

          /tmp/perl.tar.Z

- Then extract the installation script (after both download methods)

          :CHDIR /tmp
          :XEQ TAR.HPBIN.SYS 'xvfopz /tmp/perl.tar.Z INSTALL'

- Edit the installation script

  Examine the accounting structure creation commands and modify if necessary (adding additional capabilities, choosing a non-system volume set, etc).

          :XEQ VI.HPBIN.SYS /tmp/INSTALL

- Run the installation script.

  The accounting structure will be created and then all files will be extracted from the archive.

          :XEQ SH.HPBIN.SYS /tmp/INSTALL

- Convert your *.a system archive libraries to *.sl shared libraries

  You only have to do this ONCE on your MPE/iX 5.5 machine in order to convert /lib/lib*.a and /usr/lib/lib*.a libraries to their *.sl equivalents. This step should not be necessary on MPE/iX 6.0 or later machines because the 6.0 or later update process does it for you.

          :XEQ SH.HPBIN.SYS /PERL/PUB/LIBSHP3K

# Perl/iX Distribution Contents Highlights

README

  The file you're reading now.

INSTALL

  Perl/iX Installation script.

LIBSHP3K

  Script to convert *.a system archive libraries to *.sl shared libraries.

PERL

  Perl NMPRG executable. A version-numbered backup copy also exists. You might wish to ``ln -s /PERL/PUB/PERL /usr/local/bin/perl''.

.cpan/

  Much add-on source code downloaded with the CPAN module.

lib/

  Perl libraries, both core and add-on.

man/

  Perl man page documentation.

public_html/feedback.cgi

  Sample feedback CGI form written in Perl.

src/perl-5.6.0-mpe

  Source code.

# How to Compile Perl/iX

1. cd src/perl-5.6.0-mpe

2. Read the INSTALL file for the official instructions

3. ./Configure -d

4. make

5. ./mpeix/relink

6. make test (expect approximately 15 out of 11306 subtests to fail, mostly due to MPE not supporting hard links, UDP socket problems, and handling `exit()` return codes improperly)

7. make install

8. Optionally create symbolic links that point to the Perl executable, i.e. ln -s /PERL/PUB/PERL /usr/local/bin/perl

The summary test results from ``cd t; ./perl -I../lib harness'':

      Failed Test  Status Wstat Total Fail  Failed  List of failed
      ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
      io/fs.t                      29    8  27.59%  2-5, 7-9, 11
      io/openpid.t                 10    1  10.00%  7
      lib/io_sock.t                14    1   7.14%  13
      lib/io_udp.t                  7    2  28.57%  3, 5
      lib/posix.t                  27    1   3.70%  12
      op/lex_assign.t             187    1   0.53%  13
      op/stat.t                    58    1   1.72%  3
      15 tests and 94 subtests skipped.
      Failed 7/236 test scripts, 97.03% okay. 15/11306 subtests failed, 99.87% okay.

# Getting Started with Perl/iX

Create your Perl script files with ``#!/PERL/PUB/perl'' (or an equivalent symbolic link) as the first line. Use the chmod command to make sure that your script has execute permission. Run your script!

Be sure to take a look at the CPAN module list ( http://www.cpan.org/CPAN.html ). A wide variety of free Perl software is available. You can automatically download these packages by using the CPAN module ( http://theoryx5.uwinnipeg.ca/CPAN/data/perl/CPAN.html ).

# MPE/iX Implementation Considerations

There some minor functionality issues to be aware of when comparing Perl for Unix (Perl/UX) to Perl/iX:

- MPE gcc/ld doesn't properly support linking NMPRG executables against NMXL dynamic libraries, so you must manually run mpeix/relink after each re-build of Perl.

- Perl/iX File::Copy will use MPE's /bin/cp command to copy files by name in order to preserve file attributes like file code.

- MPE (and thus Perl/iX) lacks support for setgrent(), endgrent(), setpwent(), endpwent().

- MPE (and thus Perl/iX) lacks support for hard links.

- MPE requires `GETPRIVMODE()` in order to `bind()` to ports less than 1024. Perl/iX will call `GETPRIVMODE()` automatically on your behalf if you attempt to `bind()` to these low-numbered ports. Note that the Perl/iX executable and the PERL account do not normally have CAP=PM, so if you will be bind()-ing to these privileged ports, you will manually need to add PM capability as appropriate.

- MPE requires that you `bind()` to an IP address of zero. Perl/iX automatically replaces the IP address that you pass to `bind()` with a zero.

- MPE requires `GETPRIVMODE()` in order to setuid(). There are too many calls to `setuid()` within Perl/iX, so I have not attempted an automatic `GETPRIVMODE()` solution similar to bind().

# Known Perl/iX Bugs Under Investigation

None.

# Perl/iX To-Do List

- Make `setuid()/setgid()` support work.

- Make sure that `fcntl()` against a socket descriptor is redirected to sfcntl().

- Add support for Berkeley DB once I've finished porting Berkeley DB.

- Write an MPE XS extension library containing miscellaneous important MPE functions like GETPRIVMODE(), GETUSERMODE(), and sfcntl().

# Perl/iX Change History

May 6, 1999

- Patch LBCJXT6A is required on MPE/iX 5.5 machines in order to prevent Perl/iX from dying with an unresolved external reference to _getenv_libc.

April 7, 1999

- Updated to version 5.005_03.

- The official source distribution once again compiles ``straight out of the box'' for MPE.

- The current incarnation of the 5.5 POSIX filename extended characters patch is now MPEKX40B.

- The LIBSHP3K *.a -> *.sl library conversion script is now included as /PERL/PUB/LIBSHP3K.

November 20, 1998

- Updated to version 5.005_02.

- Fixed a DynaLoader bug that was unable to load symbols from relative path name libraries.

- Fixed a .xs compilation bug where the mpeixish.sh include file wasn't being installed into the proper directory.

- All bugfixes will be submitted back to the official Perl developers.

- The current incarnation of the POSIX filename extended characters patch is now MPEKXJ3A.

August 14, 1998

- The previous POSIX filename extended characters patch MPEKX44C has been superseded by MPEKXB5A.

August 7, 1998

- The previous POSIX filename extended characters patch MPEKX76A has been superseded by MPEKX44C.

July 28, 1998

- Updated to version 5.005_01.

July 23, 1998

- Updated to version 5.005 (production release). The public freeware sources are now 100% MPE-ready ``straight out of the box''.

July 17, 1998

- Updated to version 5.005b1 (public beta release). The public freeware sources are now 99.9% MPE-ready. By installing and testing this beta on your own HP3000, you will be helping to insure that the final release of 5.005 will be 100% MPE-ready and 100% bug free.

- My MPE binary release is now extracted using my standard INSTALL script.

July 15, 1998

- Changed startperl to #!/PERL/PUB/perl so that Perl will recognize scripts more easily and efficiently.

July 8, 1998

- Updated to version 5.004_70 (internal developer release) which is now MPE-ready. The next public freeware release of Perl should compile ``straight out of the box'' on MPE. Note that this version of Perl/iX was strictly internal to me and never publicly released. Note that [21]BIND/iX is now required (well, the include files and libbind.a) if you wish to compile Perl/iX.

November 6, 1997

- Updated to version 5.004_04. No changes in MPE-specific functionality.

October 16, 1997

- Added Demos section to the Perl/iX home page so you can see some sample Perl applications running on my 3000.

October 3, 1997

- Added System Requirements section to the Perl/iX home page just so the prerequisites stand out more. Various other home page tweaks.

October 2, 1997

- Initial public release.

September 1997

- Porting begins.

# AUTHOR

Mark Bixby, http://www.bixby.org/mark/

README.mpeix - Perl/iX for HP e3000 MPE