Welcome to VM/370 "SixPack" version 1.1!
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This version of VM/370 rolls up most of the modifications posted on the three main Yahoo forums since the "5-pack" system was released in 2006:

   o   Hercules-VM370 (http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Hercules-VM370/)

   o   H390-VM (http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/H390-VM/)

   o   Hercules-os380 (http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/hercules-os380/)

This point release (1.1) fixes several bugs found in the 1.0 version:  

   o   The DIAL command no longer ABENDs.

   o   3278 model 4 devices are defined in the configuration file.

   o   FLIST now works properly.

   o   EDIT now works properly on 3278 model 4 terminals.

The base operating system is IBM's VM/370 Release 6 operating system, the last unlicensed version of VM/370.  It is designed to run on the Hercules Emulator.

We recommend you login as CMSUSER (password of CMSUSER) for most general work.  This user's minidisks reside on their own volume (the 6th pack), making backup of your own work much easier.

New features of the "SixPack" include:

   o   An up-to-date, accurate, and fairly complete help system.

   o   The Gnu C Compiler, with both a "traditional" runtime library
       (PDPCLIB) and a "native CMS" runtime library (GCCLIB).
       Type HELP GCC for information on compiling C programs.

   o   Extended parameter list support, meaning it is possible to pass mixed-
       case parameters to EXECs and C programs.

   o   Current line highlighting and multifile editing in EDIT.

   o   Other programs such as DIFF, FLIST, RESLIB, SCAN, VMARC are all
       available on the CMS Y disk.

This version of VM/370 is brought to you by Robert O'Hara, Paul Edwards, and Dave Wade.  It is based on earlier versions of VM/370 for Hercules developed by Andy Norrie and Paul Gorlinsky.



Installation:
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This zip file is set up to run on Windows, mainly because that is what I run.  Hercules runs on other platforms (Linux, Mac OS), so it should be a straightforward matter to adjust the configuration files to get it up and running elsewhere.

1.  Unzip "SixPack.zip" into a suitable directory.  Make sure you choose the option to preserve relative file names.  In the "SixPack" directory (or whatever you call it) there should be three subdirectories:  3270, Disks, and IO.

2.  Install the current version of Hercules from http://hercules-390.org.  If you want to make use of the limited 31-bit addressing capabilities of this release, install Hercules/380 from http://mvs380.sourceforge.net.

3.  Ensure the directory containing "hercules.exe" is in your path.



Running the SixPack:
--------------------

Run "sixpack.cmd" and Hercules should launch, followed in a few seconds by a 3270 terminal emulator.

By default the OPERATOR userid logs in using the Hercules window.  From the command line you can issue Hercules commands.  To issue commands to the OPERATOR userid you must prefix the command with a single "/".  To shut everything down, first log off any users you have been using.  Then from the Hercules window type "/shutdown" to bring down VM/370.  Finally, issue the Hercules "quit" command.


There are several userids defined:

CMSUSER (password of CMSUSER):  This userid is best for general work on the system.  It has several minidisks defined, all residing on a dedicated disk pack.  You can backup any work you store on these disks by simply making a copy of the disk pack's shadow file.

MAINT (password of CPCMS):  This is the system programmer's userid.  Logon here if you want to perform system programming tasks.  For example, you could edit the SIXPACK DIRECT A1 file to change the name of CMSUSER to your name, save the file, then issue the DIRECT SIXPACK command to update the sytem directory.

GCCCMS (password of GCCCMS):  Here you will find the source for the GCC compiler, plus useful EXECs set up to help you do bulk compilations of C programs.


Type HELP CMSCMDS for an overview of the available commands.

The included wc3270 emulator is launched from the "sixpack.cmd" file.  You can modify this command file to launch your preferred 3270 emulator.  You can get wc3270 from http://x3270.bgp.nu.  Note that due to limitations in Windows, it is not possible to launch a an emulator as anything but a 3278-2 from a command file.  If you want to use a 3278-4, create a shortcut to wc3270.  See the wc3270 documentation for more information on this.



Support:
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There is a lively group at tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/hercules-os380.  Please join and contribute!


---

Robert O'Hara
Redmond Washington, August 10, 2009.

