Using the fld Utility

Overview

The fld utility loads X.25 software into the front-end processors. Like other X.25 utilities, the installation script puts the fld utility in /usr/lib/x25/utils. The fld utility runs as part of your UNIX startup scripts, but may also be run from the console at any time. To run the program, change to /usr/lib/x25/utils and enter:

    
./fld

Important Files

The fld utility examines /usr/lib/x25/utils/fld.opts to decide what to do. The following is an example of information contained within fld.opts:

 
-0 link.van84

This line indicates that configuration information for X.25 link number 0 is in the text file link.van84.

Files like link.van84 contain the X.25 configuration items that are different from those in link.defaults. The link.defaults file documents only the defaults; changing this file does not change them. X.25 Link Configuration describes X.25 configuration files in detail.

Command syntax

To use the fld utility, enter

fld [saved_options_filename] [options and option arguments]

The saved _options_filename parameter is defaulted to fld.opts and generally never changes. It contains names of the object modules that can be downloaded, and the names of the files containing link initialization parameters. This file is scanned by FL to build a set of defaults.

If the saved_options_filename specified in the command line is a full path name, then fld's working directory is changed to that directory, and all input files are expected to be in that directory.

Normally, options and option arguments are not present. The options and option arguments parameter contains a string of standard UNIX program options. When an option is specified in both the command line and in fld.opts, the command line entry overrides the fld.opts entry.

For descriptions of the options, see Options Quick Reference.

Required Input Files

The FL utility expects to find the following files in its working directory:

Example of a fld.opts file

The following is a typical fld.opts file created by the installation.

 
-c  This is a Saved Options File for 'fld', The Software Group's
    Front End Processor Load and Dump utility.

    The file "link.defaults" shows all the default values and
    keyword parameters that may be specified in a link configuration
    file.

  Global options:
    -v
    -c Link configuration files for all links on a board are required
       whether you use them or not.  If you do not, you should disable
       the link via "link.inactive".
    -1 link.inactive
    -2 link.inactive
    -3 link.inactive

-c Local Options:

-f0
    -n netcom2d
    -0 link.van84
    -1 link.inactive
    -a

-f1
    -n netcom2d
    -0 link.van84
    -1 link.inactive

-f0
    -n netcom2d
    -0 link.van84
    -1 link.inactive

-f0
    -n netcom2d
    -0 link.van84
    -1 link.inactive

-e

Feel free to add anything you like down here......fld
stops scanning after '-e'.

Option Format

The syntax rules for coding FL options are the same as for most other UNIX commands. In other words, the character "-" is used as a delimiter to flag the beginning of an option. The character immediately following the "-" identifies a particular option. UNIX convention permits each option to be defined with or without arguments. For instance the FL option -n (the file name option) requires an argument. Therefore you will always see it used in the format:

 
-n some_valid_filename

The option character and its argument may be separated by at least one space for readability.

What You Need to Know

The fld.opts file is set up by the installation to include the load module for your board type. For example, this is the -n argument that follows the -f0 option for board 0. Following this, the -0 argument specifies the X.25 link configuration to be loaded for link number zero (0) of this board. Similarly, -1 specifies link 1 configuration.

To change the link configuration for a link 1 on board 0, edit fld.opts and reload the board by entering

 
FL -f0

Alternately, the command line override feature may be used:

 
FL -f0 -1link

All arguments that follow a -f option refer to the numbered board, in both the command line and fld.opts. Options in fld.opts that precede the first -f become global options that, unless overridden, would apply to all boards.

Auto-loading

The -a option in fld.opts specifies that the board is to be loaded automatically without specifying its -f value in the command line. In this way, an invocation of FL with no arguments can cause all desired boards to be reloaded.

If any -f arguments do appear in the command line, only the boards specified in the command line are loaded, and any -a options found in fld.opts are ignored.

Options Quick Reference

USAGE: FL [pathname/][saved_options_filename] [options and arguments]

Option Argument

Description
-a

Auto-load; no argument; valid in fld.opts only; marks FEP(s) for loading.
-c abc

Comment in Saved Options File. Comment is terminated by next option flag (for example, -c some remark -s 112')
-e

End of saved options; valid only in fld.opts.
-f x

Begin a set of local options; x must be a valid FEP number; marks a FEP for loading when used in command line; disables Auto-load when used in command line.
-h

Help (displays an option summary, then exits).
-I

Load Computone drivers for asynchronous ports when using AT6S controller card.
-n name

Load file; name must be the full name of a TSG load module.
-v

Verbose; no argument; turns off logging and displays progress messages at the user's terminal.
-0 name

Link parameters for link# 0.
-1 name

Link parameters for link# 1.
-2 name

Link parameters for link# 2.
-3 name

Link parameters for link# 3. name must be an X.25 link configuration file.

Revision 6.1.0 (February 2003)

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