Ultrix 3.1 vs. LAT

[George Robbins]

In article <7412 at cbmvax.UUCP> grr at cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins) writes:
> In article <7402 at cbmvax.UUCP> grr at cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins) writes:
> > In article <7399 at cbmvax.UUCP> grr at cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins) writes:
> > > Sigh...
> 
> *** FLASH ***
> 
> A kindly DECperson informs me there is a 3.1 patch tape that fixes
> this and other problems...

In article <4692 at freja.diku.dk> trier at freja.diku.dk (Jens Trier Rasmussen) writes:

> The problem with Ultrix 3.1 and the LAT software not setting the terminal
> port to PASSALL is a known problem within DEC.
> 
> A rumor says that they are working on getting the fix into the next
> release

*** UN-FLASH ***

Well, I spent a bunch of time talking with the Support Center today,
and the news is both confusing and depressing...

1) Colorado Support Center (responsible for LAT) does not have an
   Ultrix 3.1 patch tape, or at least doesn't admit to it.

2) They do seem to admit that there is a problem.

3) They have to commune with Ultrix engineering to review the status of
   3.1 LAT problems.  They aren't really up to speed on 3.1 yet.

4) They do have some fresh (6/89) patches for 3.0 LAT.  These may fix
   some of the outstanding LAT problems, but aren't applicable to 3.1.

5) Don't try it, especially if your system takes a long time to fsck
   disks and whatnot after a mid-day patch/crash attempt.

6) Upgrading to Ultrix 3.1 _will_not_ make your LAT problems go away.

I'm waiting for a call back from the support center in "the next day
or so"...

The current status seems to be that if you are using LAT for any kind
of file transfers or EMACS with control/s type key bindings, you should
be vary cautious about upgrading to 3.1.  It breaks things and your
users will be very unhappy.

If you plan to stay with 3.0 for any length of time, you should consider
contacting CSC and obtaining a new 3.0 patch tape with the new LAT
patches.  There may be some new DECnet/Ultrix stuff too.  (DECnet != LAT).

Workarounds:

Telling your emacs users to do a "SET SESSION PASSALL" command on their
server port helps, but may not work for uucp/kermit or where dynamic
control is really needed.

Summary of Ultrix _3.0_ LAT patches:

lat_hic.c:	Allow multiple opens on the same reverse lat tty

lat_scl1.c:	Fix stty commands/modes pass8, istrip, tandem vs server modes

lta.c:		Truncated printouts on slow reverse LAT printers

lat_conn.c:	LAT printers (printcap) may fail if more than one ethernet I/F

direct.c:	Limitation of only 5/6 ttys for each of multiple LAT services


		....till next time....
-- 
George Robbins - now working for,	uucp: {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!grr
but no way officially representing	arpa: cbmvax!grr at uunet.uu.net
Commodore, Engineering Department	fone: 215-431-9255 (only by moonlite)