TOPS-20 Tips and Tricks

Last Updated: 21SEP01

If you're new to TOPS-20 this page will hopefully be of help. If you're not, it might jog your memory. Please submit any Tips or Tricks to healyzh AT aracnet DOT com for inclusion in this web page.

I recommend your first stop be the following :

Introduction to using the DECSYSTEM-20, originally from the Dundee College of Technology (TEXT) 36bit.org

Setting your terminal to VT100 mode
@terminal vt100

When in VT100 mode and doing something such as getting a long directory listing
that fills several screens, you will need to use ^Q to continue after each screen
full.

Getting Information about your terminal (INFORMATION TERMINAL)
@I TERM  
 TERMINAL VT100
 TERMINAL SPEED 300
 RECEIVE LINKS
 REFUSE ADVICE
 RECEIVE SYSTEM-MESSAGES
 TERMINAL PAUSE (ON) COMMAND
 TERMINAL PAUSE (ON) END-OF-PAGE
 TERMINAL LENGTH 24
 TERMINAL WIDTH 80
 TERMINAL LOWERCASE
 TERMINAL RAISE
 TERMINAL NO FLAG
 TERMINAL INDICATE
 TERMINAL NO FORMFEED
 TERMINAL TABS
 TERMINAL NO IMMEDIATE
 TERMINAL FULLDUPLEX
@

Defining a Search Path
@DEFINE SYS: PS:<SUBSYS>, PS:<TOOLS>

Invoking the SED Text Editor (if it's installed)
@sed;=filename.txt

Get more directory info than plain DIRECTORY
@vdir

   PS:<GUEST>
 LOGIN.CMD.1;P777700        1 26(7)       4-Sep-2001 20:17:20 OPERATOR  
 README.TXT.1;P777700       1 118(7)     22-Aug-2001 21:05:53 OPERATOR  
 Total of 2 pages in 2 files
@

Running a Macro-10 file
@exec hello.mac

Compiling and Linking a Macro-10 file
@compile hello
@link
*hello/save=hello/go

Getting System Information

@SYSTAT
 Fri 21-Sep-2001 07:52:38  Up 105:29:25
 0+5 Jobs   Load av   0.02   0.02   0.01
 Job  Line Program  User
   1    43  PTYCON  OPERATOR
   2    44  BATCON  OPERATOR
   3    45  OPR     OPERATOR
   4     2  EXEC    OPERATOR
   5*    3  SYSTAT  OPERATOR
@

@I SYS
 Operator is in attendance
 Remote logins allowed
 Local logins allowed
 Pseudo-terminal logins allowed
 ARPANET terminal logins are not allowed
 Console terminal login allowed
 Accounting is being done
 Account validation is disabled
 Working set preloading is disabled
 Tape-drive allocation is enabled
 Automatic file-retrieval-waits allowed
 Maximum offline-expiration is 0 days
 Scheduler bias-control setting is 8
 Class scheduling is disabled
@

@I VER
 Psychotic Reaction TOPS-20 V4.1, TOPS-20 Monitor 4.1(5471)
 TOPS-20 Command processor 5.1(1354)
@

Creating a User Account
I've no idea if this is the correct method, but it seems to work at 
least when logged in as OPERATOR.

@ENABLE
$^ECREATE PS:<USERNAME>       {Note, the ^E is ESC-E}
[New]
$$PASSWORD MYPASSWD
$$USER-GROUP 200
$$IPCF
$$
$DIR PS:<USERNAME>