01/09/87 Multics Online Work Station Environment, MOWSE Function: The Multics Online Work Station Environment (MOWSE) provides the means for two computers (the PC and Multics in this case) to communicate with each other and to exchange requests for information or processing. Manual References: MOWSE User's Manual - for information on using MOWSE, BFT, and WSTerm MOWSE Application Programmer's Manual - for information on how to program applications Info segs: On MOWSE - mowse.gi.info - for general information on MOWSE mowse.info - the MOWSE invokation command on the PC exitmows.info - the command to exit MOWSE on the PC attach_mowse.info - the MOWSE invokation command on Multics detach_mowse.info - the command to exit MOWSE on Multics ws_.info - for Multics MOWSE entrypoints pc_mowse_.info - for PC MOWSE subroutines load_mowse.info - for information on installing MOWSE using load_mowse mowse_io_.info - for information on mowse_io_ On BFT (Background File Transfer, a MOWSE Application) - bft.gi.info - for general information on BFT bft.info - the BFT commands for Multics and the PC bft_.info - the Multics BFT entrypoints pc_bft.info - the PC BFT entrypoints Background If you are a Multics user with an IBM Personal Computer, you have access to two complete systems. The capabilities of each system are determined by the hardware resources known to the system, and on the software directing those resources. Programs running on Multics use the resources known to Multics to accomplish their tasks, and programs running on the PC use the resources known to the PC to complete theirs. It is possible to connect the PC to Multics without MOWSE. In this case, the PC assumes the role of a terminal connected to Multics. The PC takes on the capabilities of a terminal, and all other PC capabilities are unknown. Programs running on Multics use only the capabilities of the PC as a terminal to complete their function. As a terminal emulator, the PC loses its status as a system, leaving many of the PC capabilities inaccessible. To use the PC as a Personal Computer, you must escape back to the PC, and quit the terminal emulator. You are now free to run programs on the PC. Such programs use only the resources of the PC, and do not make use of the powerful system at the other end of the line, Multics. The MOWSE environment: A more powerful environment incorporates the two systems, with each system acting as a resource to the other. Programs running in the environment are able to access the larger resource pool, and may: (1) perform tasks that were not previously possible, and (2) choose the system on which the task is best performed. Although MOWSE by itself does not supply a Multics/PC user with any additional abilities, it provides the framework within which programs (called MOWSE Applications) can be written which use the capabilities of both systems. The primary function provided by MOWSE is the ability to support background applications in addition to and at the same time as foreground applications. In other words, it allows limited multi-tasking to take place. For example, the MOWSE application BFT (Background File Transfer), allows you to transfer files from the PC to Multics (or vice versa) in the background, while working on some other activity on the PC or Multics in the foreground. Generally speaking, the environment allows one activity to proceed in the background (without user-input or screen output) while you are active on something else in the foreground (where input and output is taking place). MOWSE Concepts: MOWSE Application A program written to run in MOWSE, which uses capabilities on both the PC and Multics. All background programs must be MOWSE applications; foreground programs may be MOWSE or non-MOWSE applications. Background Application A program that runs in the MOWSE environment (BFT, for example). Once you have entered a command to run a particular background application, the program goes to work for a period of time without further direction and without notifying you of what it is doing. In the meantime, you may do other work on the system, checking back later to see if the job is finished. Such a program is said to be "running in the background". Foreground Application A program which interfaces directly with the user (it may accept user-input and generate screen output). Establishing MOWSE: MOWSE must first be established on the PC side, and then on the Multics side. On the PC side, issue the "mowse" command. This sets up MOWSE into PC resident memory and returns you to DOS command level. You must the start up a terminal emulator which uses MOWSE (WSTERM) in order to login to Multics. Issue the attach_mowse command on the Multics side. At this point the environment is fully established. Note that when MOWSE is first invoked on the PC side, you have the option to preload application programs (as an argument to the command). Preloading is discussed in the "Considerations" section ahead. At this point, you are still at the Multics command line. You have the option of staying on the Multics side and invoking MOWSE applications, or of returning to the PC side, and invoking applications from there. In order to continue from this point, you must understand the functioning of the MOWSE terminal emulators. The WSTerm emulator: The WSTerm terminal emulator is the preferred terminal emulator for use with MOWSE. It allows cursor control and window functions, and will support emacs. This is the emulator that should be used when moving from the PC to Multics. It must be invoked from the MSDOS command line by entering "wsterm". Exiting from MOWSE: To completely exit the MOWSE environment, you must first exit the Multics MOWSE environment, and then the PC MOWSE terminal environment. To exit the MOWSE environment, you must: 1. Quit MOWSE on Multics. (detach_mowse (dtm) or logout) 2. Quit MOWSE terminal environment on the PC. (exitmows) Notes on detaching mowse: It is important to quit MOWSE as described. If you just power-down, the Multics process remains active in MOWSE, and you must then physically disconnect it. Logging out of Multics automatically detaches MOWSE. This is the preferred method if you are shutting everything down. The detach_mowse command does NOT log you out of Multics. You can still use the MOWSE emulators with MOWSE detached on the Multics side. You CANNOT, however, use the MOWSE emulators (WSTerm) once MOWSE has been detached on the PC side. If you have detached MOWSE on the Multics side and the PC side, and wish to continue working on Multics from the PC, you must invoke a suitable terminal emulator, such as Kermit. If you issue the exitmows command on the PC before the detach_mowse (dtm) command on Multics, you will receive an error message. Move to Multics and detach MOWSE as directed. The detach_mowse command on Multics should also unload the various background applications which are running. You may receive messages to this effect. Considerations for using MOWSE: Two types of foreground programs are incompatible with the MOWSE environment: 1) MOWSE is destroyed by any other program that reconfigures the communication link between the PC and Multics (Kermit, for example). 2) MOWSE is destroyed by a program that tries to use the interrupts that MOWSE is using. The PC mowse command lists the user_interrupt that is the default, and the other options that may be specified. Using Preloading: You can request pre-loading of application programs by using the /L argument with the "mowse" command on the PC. See the section on PC MOWSE Commands for details. The use of the /L option allows you to load mowse and the desired applications in one step. Note also that the /L option can be used in conjunction with the FILE option. An example illustrates the use of these arguments to make the loading process most efficient: 1) Create a file (with default name MOWSE.INI) containing the argument information you wish to use with the mowse command. Such as /L BFT_LOAD /L CAPABIL /C 2 /P O where BFT_LOAD and CAPABIL are applications to be loaded, C is the communications port in use, and P is parity. 2) This file is then used in the mowse command (when it is first issued on the PC) as follows: mowse /F /F calls the file with the default name MOWSE.INI which, in this case, contains instructions for loading the application programs BFT (using BFT_LOAD) and CAPABIL, sets the communication port to 2, and the parity to odd. Background Messages: Background applications are invisible to the user once they are initiated, but they can produce messages. It is a good practice to periodically check these messages, in case some user-input becomes necessary. If you are working on the Multics side (i.e. using one of the emulators), background messages are displayed automatically. If some response is called for, enter the command ] R, and you will be prompted for the response. If you are running a PC program in the foreground, you must exit your foreground program and invoke the "WSTerm" terminal emulator in order to read background messages. Enter: wsterm You will be returned to Multics at whatever point you were when you last left Multics. WSTerm has a facility to display background messages. Error messages you may receive: "Bad command or filename" When you receive this message in reponse to a request to load an application, it means that the application cannot be found. This can occur if you are not in directory containing the application, and there is no path to the correct directory. Either establish a path, or move to the appropriate directory. "Autoload: XXXXX attempted" You have requested that the application XXXXX be loaded. The message acknowledges the attempt to do so, but this does NOT necessarily mean that the load has been successful. You must try to use the application to see if it has been loaded successfully. ----------------------------------------------------------- Historical Background This edition of the Multics software materials and documentation is provided and donated to Massachusetts Institute of Technology by Group BULL including BULL HN Information Systems Inc. as a contribution to computer science knowledge. This donation is made also to give evidence of the common contributions of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Bell Laboratories, General Electric, Honeywell Information Systems Inc., Honeywell BULL Inc., Groupe BULL and BULL HN Information Systems Inc. to the development of this operating system. Multics development was initiated by Massachusetts Institute of Technology Project MAC (1963-1970), renamed the MIT Laboratory for Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence in the mid 1970s, under the leadership of Professor Fernando Jose Corbato. Users consider that Multics provided the best software architecture for managing computer hardware properly and for executing programs. Many subsequent operating systems incorporated Multics principles. Multics was distributed in 1975 to 2000 by Group Bull in Europe , and in the U.S. by Bull HN Information Systems Inc., as successor in interest by change in name only to Honeywell Bull Inc. and Honeywell Information Systems Inc. . ----------------------------------------------------------- Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute these programs and their documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted,provided that the below copyright notice and historical background appear in all copies and that both the copyright notice and historical background and this permission notice appear in supporting documentation, and that the names of MIT, HIS, BULL or BULL HN not be used in advertising or publicity pertaining to distribution of the programs without specific prior written permission. Copyright 1972 by Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Honeywell Information Systems Inc. Copyright 2006 by BULL HN Information Systems Inc. Copyright 2006 by Bull SAS All Rights Reserved