Jack,

I love this new feature of the ERASE command: /MINDAYS. I tested it on my Linux2.6 (el4) environment running Ashell version 5.0.1000.4tw and it seems to work fine.

It also works fine under the old Linux2.4 (generic), ashell version 5.0.1000.3tw

BUT ...
it does Not seem to work on my AIX environment, running ashell version 5.0.1001.2tw (notice this is a newer version than the others). i get an error message the reads "Specification error".

if you could please, check to see the code exists and compile me a new version for the AIX environment including our TW stuff.

thanx
jason

Jason,

Well it's always appreciated when you start out one of these posts with "I love this new feature...", especially if the inevitable BUT... doesn't come for at least another couple of paragraphs. So high marks for that.

The question I have is: what is the version of DIR.LIT (i.e. per DIR DIR.LIT/V)? If the version on AIX is older, then try copying the newer version to it. (You can also download it from DIR.LIT 3.0(148) )

If that solves it, then I guess it's a matter of updating the install package. Otherwise, I'll need to investigate further...

here is the results from the DIR command, from the AIX environment, ashell version 5.0.1000.4:
DIR LIT 40 3.0(142) DSK0:[1,4]

i downloaded the new version of dir.lit from the post above and here is the DIR command results:
DIR LIT 43 3.0(148) DSK0:[1,4]

Unfortunately, this has not resolved the problem. running ERASE with the /MINDAYS:2 option still produces the error: "^ Specification error"

I'm not sure what to make of this, because it seems to work ok here, at least under A-Shell 5.0.1001.3 and AIX 4.3:

The fact that it reports "^ Specification error" seems to suggest that it isn't an incompatibility with the underlying code, but simply that it thinks that "/MINDAYS:2" is not a valid switch. Does /MINDAYS show in the DIR/H display?

Wait: stop the presses. You said ERASE, not DIR!!!

So how about trying ERASE.LIT 3.1(119) ?

There ya go.
that worked.
Will it be OK to use this new erase.lit in production on the ASHELL version 5.0.1001.2tw
or should i wait for a new compile

now that you mention it, the DIR command also did not function has it should, until i put the new version on as well. so both dir and erase had the same problem, and the resolution was installing the new LIT files that you gave me. Begs the question if something else might be missing as well? Perhaps i should wait til you can get a chance to make a new compilation.

The thing is, these LITs weren't exactly "missing" from the package. They were 5.1 updates, that just so happen to work under 5.0. That said, if you are regularly using the cpio package for installing systems, then perhaps it will be worth your while for me to update it with these LITs, which I'll be happy to do. But, if your procedure for creating a new system involves machine-to-machine copying, or using you own zipped up vm directory, then perhaps there is no point.

And I don't mind admitting that including new features in 5.1 and not retrofitting them to 5.0 is part of the complex process of coercing people forward, which is generally to everyone's advantage. I know that our threats to roll over 5.1 into the new stable 5.2 are starting to sound a little empty, but eventually we will do that, after which 5.0 will be "officially" obsolete.

So maybe instead of occupying ourselves with updating the 5.0 package to include all the enhancements that have been added to 5.1, perhaps we should be occupying ourselves instead with getting you from 5.0 to 5.1?