ECO NUMBER: FORMSVVME0422 ----------- PRODUCT: DIGITAL DECforms for OpenVMS -------- UPDATED PRODUCT: DIGITAL DECforms for OpenVMS 2.2 ---------------- APPRX BLCK SIZE: 2340 ---------------- CHECKSUM: 3429417499 --------- DECforms V2.2 ECO4 Kit Description ---------------------------------- This ECO kit will revise DECforms from V2.2 or V2.2-1 or V2.2-2 or V2.2-3 to V2.2-4. ECO4 resolves the following problem: o Eliminates the potential for a loop when DECforms is used without ACMS. When an IFDL REFRESH Response Step is interrupted by an asynchronus SEND request, a loop can result that prevents both the REFRESH and the asynchronus SEND from completing normally. ECO4 contains all the bug fixes made in the prior ECOs. Those fixes resolve the following problems: o Corrects the situation which led to the error messages below always being displayed in an ACMS SWL file. Once this problem occurred, all subsequent ACMS logins would be rejected. %ACMSTU-I-RECEVT, Log Event -FORMS-F-FATINTERR, fatal Internal Error. -FORMS-F-INTDATCOR, internal data corrupted at 10 in FORMS_WMG_OPEN_DISPLAY -FORMS-F-MGRCIOBASE, FORMS$MANAGER base = xxxxxxxx, FORMS$CIOSHR base = xxxxxxxx -LIB-F-BADBLOADR, bad block address o Corrects a problem reported in the Y2K "sliding window" functionality seen when the IFDL statement "Output Picture For Date" is used. o Corrects a resource de-allocation problem in an ACMS environment. The ACMS TSC process was not releasing it's device channel because DECforms had not executed its cleanup code. To ACMS, it appeared as if a user was still logged on. o Corrects a "hang" condition in the DECforms window manager code triggered when ACMS users disconnected from a LAT session and deleted the device they were using. o Modifies the handling of date input to allow for interpretation of two digit years inside a specified "sliding date window". Installation Overview --------------------- The ECO4 saveset contains an updated DECforms V2.2 run-time system with the release notes replaced by this file (FORMS022_E04_README1ST.TXT). Installing ECO4 will perform a complete replacement installation of all DECforms run-time components. To install ECO4 invoke the VMSINSTALL command procedure, as outlined in Chapter 3 of the OpenVMS System Manager's Manual, and follow the instructions in the DECforms Installation Guide for OpenVMS Systems. ECO4 assumes that DECforms V2.2 has previously been installed on the OpenVMS system. Correct operation of DECforms cannot be guaranteed unless this ECO is installed over DECforms V2.2. Installing this ECO over any other version of DECforms is not supported and will result in unpredictable behavior. ECO4 can be installed over ECO1, ECO2, and ECO3, and the installation of ECO1, ECO2, or ECO3 is not a pre-requisite to install ECO4. Copyright Digital Equipment Corporation 1999. All Rights reserved. This software is proprietary to and embodies the confidential technology of Digital Equipment Corporation. Possession, use, or copying of this software and media is authorized only pursuant to a valid written license from Digital or an authorized sublicensor. Two Digit Year Sliding Window Details ------------------------------------- DECforms provides for considerable flexibility in defining, inputting, and displaying date information. DECforms will default to usage of 4 digit years unless over-ridden by the user. Upon input, DECforms validates date fields and translates all date field formats into the standard OpenVMS binary date format In order to successfully translate a 2-digit year date field into the corresponding binary format, DECforms needs to determine the century and supply the two missing century digits. DECforms uses the system clock to determine the century and thus the century digits. For example, the date 12/25/68 will be interpreted as 25-Dec-1968 on or before 31-Dec-1999 and as 25-Dec-2068 after 31-Dec-1999. Thus, the consequences of the century change on applications using DECforms and 2-digit year dates will be application specific. With this ECO, DECforms is providing a sliding window interpretation for 2-digit year dates to provide more control over the translation of 2-digit year dates. Used correctly, Digital believes that the sliding window can significantly decrease the burden upon our customers to insure correct application operation into the 21st century. The DECforms sliding date window is implemented using an OpenVMS logical name called FORMS$BASE_YEAR. The value of this logical defines the first year of a 100 year window in which all 2-digit year dates will be interpreted by DECforms runtime processing. For example, a value of 1980 defines a 100 year date window from 01-Jan-1980 to 31-Dec-2079. Upon enabling a session via the FORMS$ENABLE call, DECforms will attempt to translate FORMS$BASE_YEAR. DECforms will search the PROCESS table, followed by the GROUP table, and finally the SYSTEM table, and will use the first valid value found. Valid values are 4-digit numbers in the range 1859 - 9900. The date window will remain in effect until the session is terminated using the FORMS$DISABLE call. If the FORMS$BASE_YEAR logical is not defined or if an invalid translation is found, then the current behavior of DECforms for processing 2-digit year dates using the current century will prevail. An invalid translation will also cause an error message. Customers who wish to have DECforms continue to translate 2-digit year dates in the 20th century should set the FORMS$BASE_YEAR logical to the value 1900. This will cause all 2-digit year dates to be interpreted with "19" as the century digits and will thus maintain the 20th century behavior regardless of the current century. DECforms provides considerable flexibility in handling dates. For example, date picture formats can be created that contain 1-digit or 3-digit years. For these cases, the current DECforms behavior will not change and we strongly suggest that customers closely examine their applications and the associated IFDL for potential problems related to the century change. Copyright (c) Compaq Computer Corporation 1999. All Rights reserved. This software is proprietary to and embodies the confidential technology of Compaq Computer Corporation. Possession, use, or copying of this software and media is authorized only pursuant to a valid written license from Compaq or an authorized sublicensor. This ECO has not been through an exhaustive field test process. Due to the experimental stage of this ECO/workaround, Compaq makes no representations regarding its use or performance. The customer shall have the sole responsibility for adequate protection and back-up data used in conjunction with this ECO/workaround.