1 01/09/87 Multics Online Work Station Environment, MOWSE
2
3
4 Function: The Multics Online Work Station Environment MOWSE provides
5 the means for two computers the PC and Multics in this case to
6 communicate with each other and to exchange requests for information
7 or processing.
8
9
10 Manual References:
11 MOWSE User's Manual - for information on using
12 MOWSE, BFT, and WSTerm
13 MOWSE Application Programmer's Manual - for information
14 on how to program applications
15
16
17 Info segs:
18 On MOWSE -
19 mowse.gi.info - for general information on MOWSE
20 mowse.info - the MOWSE invokation command on the PC
21 exitmows.info - the command to exit MOWSE on the PC
22 attach_mowse.info - the MOWSE invokation command on Multics
23 detach_mowse.info - the command to exit MOWSE on Multics
24 ws_.info - for Multics MOWSE entrypoints
25 pc_mowse_.info - for PC MOWSE subroutines
26 load_mowse.info - for information on installing MOWSE using
27 load_mowse
28 mowse_io_.info - for information on mowse_io_
29
30
31 On BFT Background File Transfer a MOWSE Application -
32 bft.gi.info - for general information on BFT
33 bft.info - the BFT commands for Multics and the PC
34 bft_.info - the Multics BFT entrypoints
35 pc_bft.info - the PC BFT entrypoints
36
37
38 Background
39 If you are a Multics user with an IBM Personal Computer, you have
40 access to two complete systems. The capabilities of each system are
41 determined by the hardware resources known to the system, and on the
42 software directing those resources. Programs running on Multics use
43 the resources known to Multics to accomplish their tasks, and
44 programs running on the PC use the resources known to the PC to
45 complete theirs.
46
47
48 It is possible to connect the PC to Multics without MOWSE. In this
49 case, the PC assumes the role of a terminal connected to Multics.
50 The PC takes on the capabilities of a terminal, and all other PC
51 capabilities are unknown. Programs running on Multics use only the
52 capabilities of the PC as a terminal to complete their function. As
53 a terminal emulator, the PC loses its status as a system, leaving
54 many of the PC capabilities inaccessible. To use the PC as a
55 Personal Computer, you must escape back to the PC, and quit the
56 terminal emulator. You are now free to run programs on the PC.
57 Such programs use only the resources of the PC, and do not make use
58 of the powerful system at the other end of the line, Multics.
59
60
61 The MOWSE environment:
62
63 A more powerful environment incorporates the two systems, with each
64 system acting as a resource to the other. Programs running in the
65 environment are able to access the larger resource pool, and may:
66
67 1 perform tasks that were not previously possible, and
68
69 2 choose the system on which the task is best performed.
70
71
72 Although MOWSE by itself does not supply a Multics/PC user with any
73 additional abilities, it provides the framework within which programs
74 called MOWSE Applications can be written which use the capabilities
75 of both systems.
76
77 The primary function provided by MOWSE is the ability to support
78 background applications in addition to and at the same time as
79 foreground applications. In other words, it allows limited
80 multi-tasking to take place. For example, the MOWSE application BFT
81 Background File Transfer, allows you to transfer files from the PC
82 to Multics or vice versa in the background, while working on some
83 other activity on the PC or Multics in the foreground. Generally
84 speaking, the environment allows one activity to proceed in the
85 background without user-input or screen output while you are active
86 on something else in the foreground where input and output is taking
87 place.
88
89
90 MOWSE Concepts:
91
92 MOWSE Application
93
94 A program written to run in MOWSE, which uses capabilities on both
95 the PC and Multics. All background programs must be MOWSE
96 applications; foreground programs may be MOWSE or non-MOWSE
97 applications.
98
99 Background Application
100
101 A program that runs in the MOWSE environment BFT for example.
102 Once you have entered a command to run a particular background
103 application, the program goes to work for a period of time without
104 further direction and without notifying you of what it is doing. In
105 the meantime, you may do other work on the system, checking back
106 later to see if the job is finished. Such a program is said to be
107 "running in the background".
108
109
110 Foreground Application
111
112 A program which interfaces directly with the user it may accept
113 user-input and generate screen output.
114
115
116 Establishing MOWSE:
117
118 MOWSE must first be established on the PC side, and then on the
119 Multics side.
120
121 On the PC side, issue the "mowse" command. This sets up MOWSE into PC
122 resident memory and returns you to DOS command level. You must the
123 start up a terminal emulator which uses MOWSE WSTERM in order to
124 login to Multics. Issue the attach_mowse command on the Multics side.
125 At this point the environment is fully established.
126
127 Note that when MOWSE is first invoked on the PC side, you have the
128 option to preload application programs as an argument to the
129 command. Preloading is discussed in the "Considerations" section
130 ahead.
131
132 At this point, you are still at the Multics command line. You have
133 the option of staying on the Multics side and invoking MOWSE
134 applications, or of returning to the PC side, and invoking
135 applications from there. In order to continue from this point, you
136 must understand the functioning of the MOWSE terminal emulators.
137
138
139 The WSTerm emulator:
140
141 The WSTerm terminal emulator is the preferred terminal emulator for
142 use with MOWSE. It allows cursor control and window functions, and
143 will support emacs. This is the emulator that should be used when
144 moving from the PC to Multics. It must be invoked from the MSDOS
145 command line by entering "wsterm".
146
147
148 Exiting from MOWSE:
149
150 To completely exit the MOWSE environment, you must first exit the
151 Multics MOWSE environment, and then the PC MOWSE terminal
152 environment. To exit the MOWSE environment, you must:
153
154 1. Quit MOWSE on Multics. detach_mowse dtm or logout
155 2. Quit MOWSE terminal environment on the PC.
156 exitmows
157
158
159 Notes on detaching mowse:
160
161 It is important to quit MOWSE as described. If you just
162 power-down, the Multics process remains active in MOWSE, and you
163 must then physically disconnect it.
164
165 Logging out of Multics automatically detaches MOWSE. This is
166 the preferred method if you are shutting everything down. The
167 detach_mowse command does NOT log you out of Multics.
168
169 You can still use the MOWSE emulators with MOWSE detached on the
170 Multics side. You CANNOT, however, use the MOWSE emulators
171 WSTerm once MOWSE has been detached on the PC side. If you
172 have detached MOWSE on the Multics side and the PC side, and wish
173 to continue working on Multics from the PC, you must invoke a
174 suitable terminal emulator, such as Kermit.
175
176
177 If you issue the exitmows command on the PC before the
178 detach_mowse dtm command on Multics, you will receive an error
179 message. Move to Multics and detach MOWSE as directed.
180
181 The detach_mowse command on Multics should also unload the
182 various background applications which are running. You may
183 receive messages to this effect.
184
185
186 Considerations for using MOWSE:
187
188 Two types of foreground programs are incompatible with the MOWSE
189 environment:
190
191 1) MOWSE is destroyed by any other program that reconfigures the
192 communication link between the PC and Multics Kermit for
193 example.
194
195 2) MOWSE is destroyed by a program that tries to use the
196 interrupts that MOWSE is using. The PC mowse command lists
197 the user_interrupt that is the default, and the other options
198 that may be specified.
199
200
201 Using Preloading:
202
203 You can request pre-loading of application programs by using the /L
204 argument with the "mowse" command on the PC. See the section on PC
205 MOWSE Commands for details.
206
207 The use of the /L option allows you to load mowse and the desired
208 applications in one step. Note also that the /L option can be used
209 in conjunction with the FILE option. An example illustrates the use
210 of these arguments to make the loading process most efficient:
211
212 1) Create a file with default name MOWSE.INI containing the
213 argument information you wish to use with the mowse command. Such as
214
215 /L BFT_LOAD /L CAPABIL /C 2 /P O
216 where BFT_LOAD and CAPABIL are applications to be loaded, C is the
217 communications port in use, and P is parity.
218
219
220 2) This file is then used in the mowse command when it is first
221 issued on the PC as follows:
222
223 mowse /F
224
225 /F calls the file with the default name MOWSE.INI which, in this
226 case, contains instructions for loading the application programs BFT
227 using BFT_LOAD and CAPABIL, sets the communication port to 2, and
228 the parity to odd.
229
230
231 Background Messages:
232
233 Background applications are invisible to the user once they are
234 initiated, but they can produce messages. It is a good practice to
235 periodically check these messages, in case some user-input becomes
236 necessary.
237
238 If you are working on the Multics side i.e. using one of the
239 emulators, background messages are displayed automatically. If some
240 response is called for, enter the command <CTRL> ] R, and you will be
241 prompted for the response.
242
243 If you are running a PC program in the foreground, you must exit your
244 foreground program and invoke the "WSTerm" terminal emulator in order
245 to read background messages.
246 Enter: wsterm
247
248 You will be returned to Multics at whatever point you were when you
249 last left Multics. WSTerm has a facility to display background
250 messages.
251
252
253 Error messages you may receive:
254
255 "Bad command or filename"
256
257 When you receive this message in reponse to a request to load an
258 application, it means that the application cannot be found. This
259 can occur if you are not in directory containing the application,
260 and there is no path to the correct directory. Either establish
261 a path, or move to the appropriate directory.
262
263 "Autoload: XXXXX attempted"
264
265 You have requested that the application XXXXX be loaded. The message
266 acknowledges the attempt to do so, but this does NOT necessarily mean
267 that the load has been successful. You must try to use the
268 application to see if it has been loaded successfully.