SEND (Send Message)

Use the SEND (Send Message) command to communicate with the NPSUPPORT library and the media library.

Syntax

<NP unit-related command>

<blockval>

An integer in the range of 10 through 2000.

<bufsize>

An integer in the range of 480 through 64000.

<dasname>

INTRASYSTEM/BNAV2ICPINITIALIZATION for BNA Version 2 network processors (NPs).

<freeval>

An integer in the range of 1 through 63.

<initval>

An integer in the range of 1 through 63.

<maxval>

An integer in the range of 10 through 127.

<wbufsize>

An integer in the range of 128 through 64000.

<wresize>

An integer in the range of 0 through 64000.

<repbufsize>

A construct specifies an integer in the range of 1 through 64000.

<option>

Explanation

SEND NP <unit number>: <NP unit-related command>

Specifies that the NP unit-related command is to be sent to the network processor identified by the unit number. The semantics of the NP unit-related command, as well as the responses to these NP unit-related commands, are defined by the NPSUPPORT library; the text of the NP unit-related command is not inspected by the CONTROLLER or the MCP. The NPSUPPORT library must be initialized before the SEND NP command can be used.

If the unit is saved, you must ready it with the RY (Ready) command before the NPSUPPORT library can access and control that unit. Before you can use any NP unit, you must equate the SL NPSUPPORT function to the proper library code file. Otherwise, if a ready NP exists, the system issues an RSVP message saying that the NPSUPPORT library is not usable and the system waits for an SL (Support Library) or a DS (Discontinue command.

There are two types of NP unit-related command options: diagnostic and nondiagnostic. You can enter diagnostic options only when a diagnostic NPSUPPORT library is being used. In other words, the SEND NP diagnostic options cannot be used unless the NPSUPPORT library is compiled with the DIAGNOSTICS option. Otherwise, an INVALID OPERATOR INPUT message is returned. You can enter nondiagnostic options any time that the NPSUPPORT library is active. The following are the diagnostic options:

ANALYZE
DIAGNOSTICS
PROGRAMDUMP
RELEASE
TANKING

The following are the nondiagnostic options:

AUTOLOAD
BLOCKING
BLOCKTIMEOUT
BUFFERSIZE
DASNAME
DUMP
FREEINPUTS
ID
INITIALREADS
LOAD
MAXINPUTS
QUIT
WRITEBUFFER options

It is recommended that you use the following default options.

Option	Value
BUFFERSIZE	9000 (bytes)
MAXINPUTS	45
BLOCKTIMEOUT	100 (milliseconds)
FREEINPUTS	5
INITIALREADS	10
WRITEBUFFERSIZE	90 (bytes)

Note:

NPSUPPORT establishes these default values only when it creates the file NP/SUPPORT/RECOVERY for the first time.

The system creates the file NP/SUPPORT/RECOVERY, if it does not already exist, on the family specified by the DL OVERLAY pack specification when the NP support library first initializes. However, if the file NP/SUPPORT/RECOVERY already exists on the DL OVERLAY pack, NPSUPPORT uses the values of the NP options that are already present in the file.

Note:

The NP/SUPPORT/RECOVERY file is locked to avoid inadvertent deletion. The system administrator must explicitly unlock the file before it can be removed.

You can determine the values of NP options that are currently present by entering the following command:

SEND NP <unit number> :ID

If you want to modify the values of the NP options, you must enter a command that is structured in the following manner:

SEND NP <unit number> <option> = <value>

Changed values do not take effect until the system creates a new NP/CONTROLLER/<unit number> stack or until you reinitialize the NPSUPPORT library. To establish the new values, use the following procedure:

Issue the command SAVE N <unit number> to make the network processor inaccessible to the system.
Issue the command CLEAR NP <unit number> to clear the network processor.
Wait for the NP/CONTROLLER/<unit number> stack to go to EOJ.
Issue the command READY NP <unit number> to ready the network processor for use.

If multiple overlay families exist, NPSUPPORT places the recovery files on the first overlay pack in the overlay family list. If you remove the file, or if you issue a DL OVERLAY command that specifies a family that does not contain an *NP/SUPPORT/RECOVERY file, the MCP creates a new file with the default options the next time it initializes the NPSUPPORT library. In the following explanations, NP/CONTROLLER/<unit number> is an invisible independent runner for the corresponding NP unit. You cannot verify its existence by entering an AA (Active Mix Entries All) command, but you can determine its presence by entering OL NP.

You can control the size of the host-to-NP message buffers at system initialization, or when a host-to-NP request is being processed, or when the subport closes. You can also report statistics about the use of these buffers.

ANALYZE

ANALYZE <file name>

Analyze the tank file and print the analyzed file. If a file name is not specified, the active tank file is closed and renamed NP/TANKED/INPUT/<unit number>/<date>/<time>, it is analyzed and printed, and a new tank file is created. If a file name is specified, that file is analyzed.

AUTOLOAD

Causes the driver stack to try to load firmware as soon as the driver stack is initialized. To turn the option on or off, precede the keyword AUTOLOAD with SET or RESET. The default is SET.

BLOCKING

Causes the network processor to block all incoming messages to the host. If the value of the BLOCKING option is SET, incoming messages are sent to the buffer of the network processor. When this buffer is full, the contents of the buffer are sent to the host as one set of messages. If the value of the BLOCKING option is RESET, then every incoming message is immediately sent to the host.

You can set or reset the BLOCKING option at any time. To turn the option on or off, precede the keyword, BLOCKING, with SET or RESET. (The default value is SET.) The new setting does not take effect until the system either creates a new NP/CONTROLLER/<unit number> independent runner for the unit (refer to "Considerations for Use" later in this topic) or reinitializes the NPSUPPORT library.

Reset blocking is not supported for ICP DLPs. If you attempt to reset blocking for an ICP DLP, then a message indicating an NPSUPPORT protocol error is displayed. If this message appears, do the following to regain communication with the ICP DLP:

Set the blocking option for the DLP.
Reinitialize the ICP DLP.

BLOCKTIMEOUT

BLOCKTIMEOUT <blockval>

Display or set the amount of time (in milliseconds) that the integrated communications processor (ICP) is to wait before sending a set of blocked messages to the host. You can change the value of <blockval> at any time. The new value does not take effect until the system either creates a new NP/CONTROLLER/<unit number> independent runner for the unit (see “Considerations for Use”) or reinitializes the NPSUPPORT library. The default value is 100 milliseconds.

Shared adapter network processors do not use the blocking information provided by the SEND NP BLOCKTIMEOUT command. Blocking is still done but you cannot adjust the timeout value.

BUFFERSIZE

BUFFERSIZE <bufsize>

Display or set the size of the input buffers for messages from the network processor to the host. The minimum value for BUFFERSIZE is 4032 bytes, the maximum size is 65520 bytes, and the default size is 9024 bytes. The size of the largest input buffer required since the last time the NP was initialized is shown in the response to the SEND NP <number> ID command as LARGEST INPUT BUFFER.

Refer to Example 1 for an example of a terminal display resulting from a SEND NP <number> ID message.

DASNAME <dasname>

DASNAME = <dasname>

DASNAME is valid only for network processors (NPs). Use DASNAME to specify the name of the device application supervisor. The MCP uses DASNAME to determine the correct supervisor for the device.

Possible DASNAME values are shown in the following table.

Processor Type	DASNAME
BNAV2 NPs	INTRASYSTEM/BNAV2ICPINITIALIZATION
Workstation DLPs	INTRASYSTEM/NTS_TWINAX_INITIALIZATION

If the supervisor for the device is not initialized, the operating system displays the following message on the ODT:

WAITING FOR <dasname>

DIAGNOSTICS

Displays diagnostic messages about the network processor system. To turn this option on or off, precede the keyword, DIAGNOSTICS, with SET or RESET. The default value is RESET.

DUMP

Causes a dump of the network processor. The internal memory state of the network processor is dumped into a file with the following name:

DUMP/<hostname>/NP/<unit number>/MMDDYYYY/HHMMSS

The value MMDDYYYY is the date, and the value HHMMSS is the time that the DUMP request was made. A DUMP request is fatal to the network processor, because it clears the network processor. If you enter the command SEND NP <unit number>:DUMP, the system creates a dump file on the overlay pack when the NPSUPPORT library initializes. If you change the overlay pack, successive NP dump files continue to be created on the previous overlay pack until the NPSUPPORT library is initialized or until the next halt/load.

It is recommended that you take NP dumps by using the BNA Version 2 command NW DUMP NP <unit number> <family name>. For details on how to use this command, refer to the Networking Commands and Inquiries Help.

FREEINPUTS

FREEINPUTS <freeval>

Display or set the minimum number of available input buffers. If the number of available input buffers falls below this value, the NPSUPPORT library starts a task to overlay the buffers being used by the host (not the buffers in use by the network processor). Setting this number too high causes frequent overlays and reduces throughput. Setting it too low could force the network processor to wait for an available buffer, thus reducing throughput. The minimum value of <freeval> is 1, the maximum is 63, and the default value is 5.

You can change the value of FREEINPUTS at any time, but the new value does not take effect until the system either starts a new NP/CONTROLLER/<unit number> independent runner for the unit (see “Considerations for Use”), or reinitializes the NPSUPPORT library. You cannot verify the existence of the NP/CONTROLLER/<unit number> invisible independent runner by entering an AA command, but you can determine its presence by entering the OL NP command.

Displays compiler and run-time information about the network processor. See the example for a sample display resulting from the ID message.

INITIALREADS

INITIALREADS <initval>

Display or set the number of initial read operations that the NPSUPPORT library is to issue to the network processor. The default value is 10. With more than one read operation outstanding, the network processor can complete one I/O operation and begin transferring data with the next I/O operation while the system processes the first. This option maximizes the throughput of the network processor. You can change the value of INITIALREADS at any time, but the new value does not take effect until the system starts a new NP/CONTROLLER/<unit number>independent runner for the unit (see “Considerations for Use”) or initializes the NPSUPPORT library. You cannot verify the existence of the NP/CONTROLLER/<unit number> invisible independent runner by entering an AA command, but you can determine its presence by entering the OL NP command.

LOAD

Requests that the driver stack load firmware into the network processor. This message is used when AUTOLOAD has the value RESET.

MAXINPUTS

MAXINPUTS <maxval>

Display or set the number of input buffers to be used by the NPSUPPORT library for a particular network processor. The minimum value is 10 buffers, the maximum is 63 buffers, and the default value is 45 buffers. You can change the value of MAXINPUTS at any time, but the new value does not take effect until the system either creates a new NP/CONTROLLER/<unit number> independent runner for the unit (see “Considerations for Use”) or reinitializes the NPSUPPORT library. You cannot verify the existence of the NP/CONTROLLER/<unit number> invisible independent runner by entering an AA command, but you can determine its presence by entering the OL NP command.

PROGRAMDUMP

Causes a dump of the driver stack to a printer backup file (a backup disk, or BD, file). This file is labeled with the mix number of the frozen NP support library, for identification. PROGRAMDUMP is not fatal. The unit continues its scheduled activities after the dump.

QUIT

Requests that the independent runner NP/CONTROLLER/<unit number> terminate. After you specify QUIT, the system does not allow any more connections to the driver stack. The driver stack waits for the active count to go to 0 (zero) before terminating.

RELEASE

When the system is in diagnostics mode, performs the following actions:

Closes the current tank file.
Changes the file name to NP/TANKED/INPUT/xxx/<date>/<time>.
Opens a new tank file.

SET <option>

RESET <option>

Sets or resets any of the following options: AUTOLOAD, BLOCKING, DIAGNOSTICS, and TANKING. For more information, see the description of the individual options.

TANKING

Causes all incoming messages to be stored in a tank file. The tank file is named NP/TANKED/INPUT/<ICP unit number>. The tank file is created on the family specified in the DL OVERLAY command. To turn this option on and off, precede the keyword, TANKING, with SET or RESET. The default value is RESET.

WRITEBUFFER Options

Controls the number of requests to expand the Host-to-NP buffers and the buffer sizes.

Any option value not explicitly set at your site has a value of zero. If no options are set or changed, the default write buffer size values are used. No change is made to the value in the *NP/SUPPORT/RECOVERY file. The default processing is as follows:

When an NP is initialized, the size of each host-to-NP write buffer is 90 bytes. (No value is specified for WRITEBUFFERSIZE).
When a host-to-NP request is processed, a write buffer is expanded to the exact size requested. (No value is specified for WRITERESIZEINCREMENT and WRITERESIZETOMAX is RESET.)
When a subport file is closed, the write buffer is resized down to 1 byte. (No value is specified for WRITERESIZEVALUE and WRITENORESIZE is RESET.)

To avoid adverse processor usage when writing to a port file or when port files are closed, you can change this default processing. The following options are available for use by each NP:

WRITEBUFFERSIZE. Specifies the initial size of each host-to-NP buffer in bytes. If this option is not specified or zero, the write buffer size defaults to 90 bytes when the NP/CONTROLLER stack initializes. Setting WRITEBUFFERSIZE to its current minimum value (128) includes the 30 bytes needed for control headers in addition to the default size.
WRITERESIZEINCREMENT. Specifies the increment value to use when a new host-to-NP request requires a buffer that is larger than the current buffer size. If this option is not specified or zero and the WRITERESIZETOMAX option is RESET, the write buffer size defaults to the exact size requested. If this option is non-zero, WRITERESIZETOMAX is ignored and the WRITERESIZEINCREMENT value is the number of extra bytes added to the actual request size when a write buffer is too small. If the write request sizes for a port are clumped, then the RESIZE overhead can be reduced.
WRITERESIZETOMAX. Specifies whether or not to use the MAXRECSIZE value for the port when a new host-to-NP request requires a buffer that is larger than the current buffer size. If this option is RESET (the default), the MAXRECSIZE is not used. If this option is SET and the WRITERESIZEINCREMENT is not specified or zero, the write buffer is immediately resized to the value of the MAXRECSIZE. Setting this option reduces the number of RESIZE requests but uses more memory.
WRITENORESIZE. Specifies whether or not to use the WRITEMAXBUFFERSIZE and WRITERESIZEVALUE options to control resizing the write buffer. If this option is RESET (the default), the WRITERESIZEVALUE controls the resizing. If this option is SET, the write buffer is not resized unless the largest request size is larger than the WRITEMAXBUFFERSIZE. If so, the WRITERESIZEVALUE controls the resizing. Setting this option reduces the number of RESIZE requests.
WRITERESIZEVALUE. Specifies the new size of the write buffer after it has been resized when a subport file is closed. If this option is not specified or zero and the WRITENORESIZE option is RESET, the buffer size defaults to 1 byte. If the WRITENORESIZE option is SET, the WRITERESIZEVALUE is used only if the WRITEMAXBUFFERSIZE has been exceeded in a request.
WRITEMAXBUFFERSIZE. Valid only when the WRITENORESIZE option is set. If this option is non-zero, the value specifies the threshold to determine if a buffer needs to be resized when a subport file is closed. The buffer is resized only if the largest request size was larger than the WRITEMAXBUFFERSIZE. If this option is not specified or zero, it has no effect.

Use the following option settings to ensure that the new WRITEBUFFER options result in the same operations as in previous releases.

Option	Setting
WRITEBUFFERSIZE	128
WRITERESIZEINCREMENT	0 (the default)
WRITENORESIZE	RESET
WRITERESIZEVALUE	1

WRITEBUFFER Reporting Options

You can use reporting options to determine the actual buffer sizes that need to be requested at your site.

The following options can be specified for each NP independently to report information about the host-to-NP message buffering operation:

WRITEGRANULARITY. Specifies the size range of the buffer size slot for reporting. Specifying a new value removes (zeroes) any accumulated report values. If no value is specified, a value of 50 is the default. Each buffer size slot then corresponds to a write request range of 50 bytes (0-49, 50-99, and so on).
WRITEBUFFERSTATS. Sets or resets the reporting capability. When SET, buffer use statistics are accumulated and reported automatically when NPSUPPORT terminates. When RESET, no buffer statistics overhead processing is done (neither counting RESIZES nor recording buffer size counts).
WRITEONEFILE. Sets or resets the reporting into a single file. When SET, all accumulated data about an NP are routed to the same print file. When RESET, each write buffer report is directed to a separate print file. Reports for different NPs are always routed to different print files.
WRITECUMULATIVESTATS. Sets or resets the reporting into a cumulative file. When SET, the reported counts are retained after a report is produced. When RESET, the report counts are zeroed after a report is produced.
REPORTWRITESTATS. Requests the write buffer statistics report from the counts present in the recovery file. If write buffer statistics are being accumulated when the NP/CONTROLLER stack terminates, a report request is automatically issued by the software.

When WRITEBUFFERSTATS is SET and you request the REPORTWRITESTATS option, a printer report is produced.

Statistics are not updated for the report until a port closes, so the report is more accurate if few buffers are currently open. The RESIZE counts are updated when a buffer is stretched and when it is resized.

Examples

Example 1

This example shows the terminal display resulting from a SEND NP <number> ID message:

SEND NP 158: ID

  NP7002 NPSUPPORT LIBRARY: *SYSTEM/BNAV2/NPSUPPORT.
  VERSION: 52.104.1; COMPILED: 8/9/2004 @ 09:57:32
  FIRMWARE LEVEL: 0800E1010400
  DASNAME: INTRASYSTEM/BNAV2ICPINITIALIZATION
  BUFFERSIZE: 65280 BYTES
  LARGEST INPUT BUFFER: 65280 BYTES
  BLOCKTIMEOUT: 100 MILLISECONDS
  MAXINPUTS: 45
  FREEINPUTS: 5
  INITIALREADS: 10
  ACTIVE UNITS: 2    ACTIVE USERS: 3    WAITING USERS: 0
  OUTPUT FILES: ON PACK
  WRITE (HOST-TO-NP) PARAMETERS
  WRITEBUFFERSIZE: 90
  WRITEMAXBUFFERSIZE: 0
  WRITERESIZEINCREMENT: 0
  WRITERESIZETOMAX: RESET
  WRITENORESIZE : RESET
  WRITERESIZEVALUE: 1
  WRITEBUFFERSTATS: RESET
  WRITEGRANULARITY: 0
  WRITEONEFILE: RESET
  WRITECUMULATIVESTATS: RESET
  RUN TIME OPTIONS:
  AUTOLOAD: SET
  DIAGNOSTICS: RESET
  TANKING: RESET
  BLOCKING: SET
  COMPILE TIME OPTIONS:
  NO OPTIONS SET
  QSP LEVEL: 2    PHYSICAL PIPES: 2    SIMULATED PIPES: 16
  MAX MULTIAREA BUFFERS: 3
  READS PER MIN: 434

Example 2

This example shows a sample write buffer statistics report:

SEND NP<unit  number>: REPORTWRITESTATS

  MP040  NP 159   5/12/2005     15:54:33
  BUF SIZE 2000 RESIZE INCREMENT 400 NO RESIZE DOWN  MAX BUF
        SIZE 2000 RESIZE DOWN SIZE 2000
  BUFFERS USED  16   RESIZES(UP 34 213% TOO LARGE 15  94%  )
  150-199(1)   2850-2899(5)   3050-3099(10)  **  100%
  MP040.  NP 159   5/12/2005     15:59:13
  BUF SIZE 2004 RESIZE INCREMENT 400 NO RESIZE DOWN  MAX BUF
        SIZE 3090 RESIZE DOWN SIZE 2000
  BUFFERS USED  15   RESIZES(UP 5  33%  )
  2850-2899(5)   3050-3099(10)  **  100%
  MP040.  NP 159   5/12/2005     16:02:27
  BUF SIZE 2004  NO RESIZE DOWN  MAX BUF SIZE 3090 RESIZE DOWN
         SIZE 3054
  BUFFERS USED  15   RESIZES( )
  2850-2899(5)   3050-3099(10)  **  100%

Considerations for Use

Certain changes specified in the SEND NP command (BLOCKING, BLOCKTIMEOUT, FREEINPUTS, INITIALREADS, and MAXINPUTS) do not take effect until the system either creates a new NP/CONTROLLER/nnn stack for the unit or reinitializes the NPSUPPORT library. The NP/CONTROLLER/nnn is an invisible independent runner. You cannot verify its existence by entering an AA command, but you can determine its presence by entering the OL NP command.

To create a new stack, perform the following steps:

To make the network processor inaccessible to the system, enter the following syntax:
```
SV NP <unit number>
```
To clear the network processor, enter the following syntax:
```
CL NP <unit number>
```
To make the network processor ready for use, enter the following syntax:
```
RY NP <unit number>
```

Media Library System Commands

The following are valid media library system commands.

To send lowercase characters to TAPEMANAGER or TAPESERVER, enclose the <text> in quotation marks. Both the quotation marks and the <text> are sent.

SEND TAPESERVER START

SEND TS START

Initiate the TAPESERVER library.

SEND TAPESERVER START <text>

SEND TS START <text>

Initiate the TAPESERVER library and pass text to its initiation routine.

SEND TAPESERVER QUIT

SEND TS QUIT

Terminate the TAPESERVER library.

SEND TAPESERVER QUIT <text>

SEND TS QUIT <text>

Terminate the TAPESERVER library and send text to its termination routine.

SEND TAPESERVER STATUS

SEND TS STATUS

Display the current status of the TAPESERVER library.

This version of the command can return the following states:

Inactive
Linking
Initializing
Active
Terminating
Waiting to delink

SEND TAPESERVER <text>

SEND TS <text>

Pass text to the TAPESERVER.

SEND TAPEMANAGER START

SEND TM START

Initiate the TAPEMANAGER library.

SEND TAPEMANAGER START <text>

SEND TM START <text>

Initiate the TAPEMANAGER library and pass text to its initiation routine.

SEND TAPEMANAGER QUIT

SEND TM QUIT

Terminate the TAPEMANAGER library.

SEND TAPEMANAGER QUIT <text>

SEND TM QUIT <text>

Terminate the TAPEMANAGER library and pass text to its termination routine.

SEND TAPEMANAGER STATUS

SEND TM STATUS

Display the current status of the TAPEMANAGER library.

SEND TAPEMANAGER <text>

SEND TM <text>

Pass text to the TAPEMANAGER.

Examples

Example 1

This example initiates the TAPESERVER library:

SEND TS START

  TAPESERVER WILL START

Example 2

This example stops the TAPEMANAGER library:

SEND TM QUIT

  TAPEMANAGER WILL QUIT

As an alternate reply, you might also see the following message:

  TAPESERVER OPTION RESET, INACTIVE

Example 3

This example asks for the status of the TAPESERVER library:

SEND TS STATUS

  TAPESERVER OPTION SET, ACTIVE, MIXNUMBER 892

Example 4

This example passes the text HELLO to the TAPEMANAGER library:

SEND TM HELLO

  OPERATOR TEXT FORWARDED TO TAPEMANAGER

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