minisoft manuals


800.682.0200 \| FAX: 360.568.2923 \| About Us \| Downloads \| Manuals \| Home \| Index

TimeWarp

User Interface • Technical Support • Installation • TimeWarp Console Examples • Coverage

Index

1. Overview
2. 'External' DateTime Calls
3. Supported MPE/iX Versions
4. Technical Support
5. Installing (or Updating) TimeWarp
6. The WARP command
7. Enabling TimeWarp System-Wide (WARP ENABLE)
8. Displaying TimeWarp Status (WARP STATUS)
9. Turning-On a Virtual DateTime Locally (WARP TURNON)
10. Turning-Off a Virtual DateTime Locally (WARP TURNOFF)
11. Turning LogTrace Options On or OFF (WARP TURNON/TURNOFF)
12. TimeWarp Manager (WARP MANAGER)
     a. WARP Manager: Warp Console Screen
     b. WARP Manager: View LogFiles Screen
     c. WARP Manager: Configure Rules Screen
13. WARP Manager: Configure Exclude Screen
14. Displaying Local LogFile contents (WARP PRINTLOG)
15. Tracing and Logging Facilities
16. Disabling TimeWarp System-Wide
17. Automatic DateTime Inheritanc
18. Identifying Rule-Based Jobs
19. Excluding Individual Program Files from being affected by TimeWarp
     a. Local Exclusion
     b. Global Exclusion
     c. Displaying all Excluded Programs
20. TimeWarp Implementation Notes
21. TimeWarp Account Structure

TimeWarp Overview

TimeWarp is designed to permit users of HP3000 to perform testing of all applications, programs and CI scripts within any desired Data and Time, without globally hanging the system clock. TimeWarp allows you to specify that a given Job or Session operate under a particular date and Time in one of three ways:

1) User specified.

Use the supplied WARP UDC from the CI in any Job or Session, at any time. This immediately switches the Job or Session in which it is issued to any desired Date and Time.

2) Rule based.

You can specify that a particular Job or Session automatically operate in a given Date and Time, by entering one (or more) rules via a supplied Manager program. These rules (which may use wildcards) allow you to control what Date and Time any Job or Session will operate in, before it even logs on. Rules remain active until explicitly removed.

3) Automatic inheritance.

Any Job that is streamed from within a Job or Session that is currently 'switched' to a TimeWarp-controlled Date and Time, will automatically inherit the same Date and Time. This greatly simplifies testing of complex environments where online applications stream off one or more background jobs to complete processing.

TimeWarp provides advanced facilities to allow you to determine where your applications make calls that look up system Date or Time. TimeWarp can display (or log) just the names of the external Date or Time-related external procedures called by your applications; it can also display (or log) a summary stack trace that shows you exactly where your application makes calls to retrieve the system Date and Time (including calls from SL or XL-based procedures). It works with both CM and NM applications, and can be used by any user (no special MPE capabilities are required).

All TimeWarp features are configured and monitored using a single command (WARP) installed as a system-wide UDC. TimeWarp is supplied with a Manager program that can show exactly which Jobs and Sessions are currently running in TimeWarp-controlled Dates and Times, and gives online access to their log file contents.

TimeWarp and 'External' DateTime Calls

Whatever programming language your applications are written in, when they need to retrieve the current system date or time, they will ultimately call system routines located in one of three system libraries: SL.PUB.SYS, XL.PUB.SYS or NL.PUB.SYS. TimeWarp intercepts these calls, and can modify the Date and Time information returned to your applications so that they 'see' a different Date and Time to the 'real' current system Date and Time.

TimeWarp is able to display the names of all 'external' routines (located in any of the system libraries) called by your applications, to aid you in determining how your applications retrieve the system date and time. More importantly, TimeWarp can display the stack-trace leading up to every date and time-related external call; this stack trace identifies the names of (and offsets within) every procedure that your applications call in order to retrieve the system date and time. This can be of significant help in determining where applications reference dates, particularly when they make use of code located inside user libraries (SLs and XLs located in arbitrary MPE groups).

TimeWarp also intercepts attempts by CI jobs, command files and UDCs to retrieve the system date and time, and correctly modifies the values returned so thatyour command scripts can be tested at the same time as your application programs. TimeWarp also intercepts date and time references performed via the COMMAND and HPCICOMMAND intrinsics, as well as attempts to programmatically retrieve date and time information from system variables (HPYEAR, HPDATE, etc).

TimeWarp integrates smoothly with VESOFT's MPEX enhanced command interpreter, allowing date and time references within MPEX command files to be tested at the same time as your application programs.

Finally, TimeWarp also correctly intercepts attempts by Posix applications to reference date and time information from their Posix environment, and correctly simulates virtual date references from within the Posix Shell.

Taken together, TimeWarp's extremely thorough coverage of date and time related functionality means that you can rely on TimeWarp to run applications in virtual date and time environments that perfectly mimics the way they'll run when the system date is really set to these virtual dates and times.

Supported MPE/iX Versions

Before installing TimeWarp, please note the following:

TimeWarp has been tested within MPE/iX 5.0 and 5.5 environments. You should not attempt to install or use the product under other MPE/iX releases without first checking with us.

Once TimeWarp has been installed, you will NOT have to reinstall after updating your MPE/iX version, or installing MPE patches.

Installing (or Updating) TimeWarp

1) Logon as MANAGER.SYS and restore the contents of the TimeWarp DAT:

:RESTORE ;@.@.@;CREATE

2) Stream the supplied installation job to setup the correct accounting structure and complete the installation procedure:

:STREAM SETUP.INSTALL.TIMEWARP

3) Logon again, so that the new WARP UDC is available to you.

Notes:

- All files are installed into the TimeWarp Account.

- The TimeWarp Account should be password-protected immediately after the SETUP job has completed. Subsequent re-installation of TimeWarp will not remove any password(s) that you've assigned to the Account.

- The SETUP job also installs the WARP UDC system-wide.

The WARP command

All aspects of TimeWarp configuration and management are performed using the WARP command, which is automatically installed as a System-level UDC.

Typing :WARP with no parameters displays the following help screen, summarizing all available WARP keywords:

WARP command syntax:

:WARP STATUS | HELP | ENABLE | MANAGER | PRINTLOG

:WARP TURNON <LogTrace> <DateTime>

:WARP TURNOFF <LogTrace>

:WARP EXCLUDE | INCLUDE <Program>

Specify Absolute <DateTime> using any of these formats:

YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM ... Absolute Date & Time

YYYY/MM/DD ... Absolute Date

YYYY/MM ... Absolute Year and Month

YYYY ... Absolute Year

Specify Relative <DateTime> using this syntax:

Available <LogTrace> keywords:

TRACE ... Display DateTime calls to STDLIST

LOG ... Log DateTime calls to Logfile

STACK ... Include Stack leading to DateTime calls

SINGLE ... Only show first occurrence of each DateTime

ALL ... Show all DateTime calls

The primary WARP functions are summarized below. They are explained in more detail in the sections that follow.

WARP ENABLE ... Enables TimeWarp, system-wide.
WARP EXCLUDE ... Excludes Program File from TimeWarp processing.
WARP HELP ... Prints the WARP command syntax description.
WARP INCLUDE ... Reverses effect of the WARP EXCLUDE command.
WARP MANAGER ... Runs the TimeWarp Manager.
WARP PRINTLOG ... Prints the local Job/Session TimeWarp log file.
WARP STATUS ... Summarizes TimeWarp current settings.
WARP TURNOFF ... Turns-off any TimeWarp virtual Date and Time, locally.
WARP TURNON ... Turns-on a TimeWarp virtual Date and Time, locally.

Most WARP keywords are available at any time; some are not available when you're currently in BREAK, or within a program other than the CI. Any such restrictions are detailed in the sections that follow.

Most WARP keywords may be combined with other keywords. For example:

:WARP ENABLE TURNON 1999/12/31 TRACE

has the same effect as the following sequence:

:WARP ENABLE

:WARP TURNON 1999/12/31

:WARP TURNON TRACE

Enabling TimeWarp System-Wide (WARP ENABLE)

After installation, before TimeWarp can be used to switch any Job or Session into a 'virtual' DateTime, you must 'enable' the use of TimeWarp by using the following command:

:WARP ENABLE
TimeWarp System-wide AIF:PE traps enabled.

You must be logged on as a user with SM or OP capabilities to issue this command, which is also only available when you're at the regular CI prompt.

The WARP ENABLE must be performed after every system restart. You only need to perform WARP ENABLE once after each restart. If you attempt to enable TimeWarp when it's already enabled, you'll see the following:

:WARP ENABLE
Warning: TimeWarp System-wide AIF:PE traps already enabled.

You can use the WARP STATUS command (described below) at any time to determine if TimeWarp is currently enabled or not.

Displaying TimeWarp Status (WARP STATUS)

To display current TimeWarp status, type the following:

:WARP STATUS

This command may be issued at the CI, when in BREAK, or even from within other programs (such as MPEX or QEDIT). The WARP STATUS output is also automatically displayed whenever the WARP command is used to change any aspect of TimeWarp configuration.

The output format varies according to whether TimeWarp is enabled or not, and whether a virtual TimeWarp DateTime is currently turned on or not.

Example 1: TimeWarp not currently Enabled:

:WARP STATUS

TimeWarp Status:

TimeWarp Access ... Not Currently Enabled

Example 2: TimeWarp Enabled; no local virtual DateTime turned on:

:WARP STATUS

TimeWarp Status:

TimeWarp Access ... Enabled

TimeWarp Status ... Turned OFF (WED, JAN 7, 1998, 9:18 PM)

Example 3: TimeWarp Enabled; Local DateTime set to '2002/01'; in BREAK:

:WARP STATUS

TimeWarp Status: (IN BREAK)

TimeWarp Access ... Enabled

TimeWarp Status ... Turned ON (MON, JAN 7, 2002, 9:19 PM)

Current Spec ... '2002/01'

TRACE mode ... FALSE

LOG mode ... FALSE

The output of WARP STATUS also displays the current LogTrace options, described in more detail in the 'LogTrace Options' Section below.

Turning-On a Virtual DateTime Locally (WARP TURNON)

To switch the DateTime in the current Job or Session to any desired Date or Time, type the following:

:WARP TURNON <DateTime>

The <DateTime> specification may be either absolute, or relative to the current system date.

Absolute <DateTime> may be specified using any of the following forms:

YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM ... specifies absolute Date & Time YYYY/MM/DD ... specifies absolute Date YYYY/MM ... specifies absolute Year and Month YYYY ... specifies absolute Year

Relative <DateTime> may be specified using the following syntax:

+/-<number> YEARS ... today +/- number of years +/-<number> MONTHS ... today +/- number of months +/-<number> WEEKS ... today +/- number of weeks +/-<number> DAYS ... today +/- number of days +/-<number> HOURS ... today +/- number of hours +/-<number> MINUTES ... today +/- number of minutes

For example:

:WARP TURNON 1999/12/31 23:55 :WARP TURNON 1985/05/18 :WARP TURNON 2027/05 :WARP TURNON +10 years :WARP TURNON -24 months

The DateTime specification should be entered exactly as shown. Use leading zeroes if necessary, and specify Time using the 24-hour clock. You must include
the '/' and ':' delimiters as shown, when necessary.

When using Relative DateTime specifications, you may specify any number of units of the specified 'base', for example the number of MONTHS is not limited to 12.

Relative <DateTime> specifications are always applied to the current system date to determine the 'virtual' TimeWarp DateTime. If you're currently running in a TimeWarp-controlled virtual DateTime, and you issue WARP TURNON with a relative DateTime, the relative offset will be applied to the current real system date, not to your virtual TimeWarp DateTime. In other words, relative DateTimes are not cumulative.

The <DateTime> parameter, whether specified absolutely or relatively, must lie within the year range 1970 to 2027. Dates outside this range are not currently supported by MPE/iX.

Following use of WARP TURNON, all processes created within the local Job/Session will operate in the specified DateTime, and all Jobs streamed from within the local Job/Session will 'inherit' the same DateTime.

The <DateTime> specification may be omitted if WARP TURNON has previously been used in the current Job/Session. In this case, the previously specified
DateTime will be reapplied.

The WARP TURNON command may be issued as many times as required, specifying different DateTimes, if desired.

No special MPE capabilities are required to issue WARP TURNON. It may be used when in BREAK, but may not be used directly from within user programs.

Turning-Off a Virtual DateTime Locally (WARP TURNOFF)

To turn-off TimeWarp within the current Job/Session, type the following:

:WARP TURNOFF

The local DateTime will revert to the current 'real' system DateTime.

Turning LogTrace Options On or OFF (WARP TURNON/TURNOFF)

TimeWarp, in addition to allowing you to simulate virtual DateTimes, also allows you to Trace (display on the STDLIST device) and/or Log (write to an MPE file)
a record of all calls to DateTime related intrinsics.

Tracing and Logging are turned on using WARP TURNON and WARP TURNOFF:

:WARP TURNON <LogTrace>

Where <LogTrace> may be any of the following keywords:

TRACE ... send output to STDLIST LOG ... send output to LogFile STACK ... show stack trace for every event ALL ... record all events SINGLE ... record single event in each category

The current <LogTrace> settings are displayed by WARP STATUS, but only when a virtual DateTime is active.

The TRACE and LOG options may be active at the same time, the ALL and SINGLE options are mutually exclusive.

More information about Log and Trace facilities is contained in the relevant section, below.

TimeWarp Manager (WARP MANAGER)

To access the TimeWarp Manager program:

:WARP MANAGER

The TimeWarp Manager program allows you to configure logon rules, monitor who is running, or has run TimeWarp and their current running virtual time, as well as to manage and view log files.

The TimeWarp Manager program uses full-screen character mode. This means that although you are presented with full-screen displays, you still press <RETURN>, or <ENTER> on the main keyboard (rather than <ENTER> on the numeric keypad) to enter data. You will be prompted in 2 different ways. The first way is the Main Menu pop up window. This is very similar to a PC Windows-type drop down menu in that you use the up and down arrow keys to highlight an item and then press <RETURN>. In the second way you are presented with a screen that has various fields that require values. The cursor will highlight each field, and your options for entry will be displayed on the bottom of the screen. If function keys are displayed, whatever options you see are available to you. Whenever an error message is displayed it will be centered and highlighted; you must press <RETURN> to clear it.

The initial WARP MANAGER Menu screen displays the following options:

Warp Console

Select this option to display all users who are currently operating in TimeWarp virtual DateTime environments. Can also show users who were using TimeWarp, but have since logged off.

View LogFiles

Select this option to see all currently available TimeWarp LogFiles, and to display the contents of any file. Also allows LogFiles to be deleted.

Configure Rules

Select this option to display all current TimeWarp logon Rules, and to optionally add, delete or modify any rule.

Configure Exclude

Select this option to display all globally excluded Program Files, and to optionally add or delete any Program File from the exclude list.

Enable TimeWarp (Option only displayed when TimeWarp not currently enabled)

Select this option to Enable TimeWarp System-wide (same effect as typing :WARP ENABLE command).

Exit

Select to exit WARP MANAGER.

WARP Manager: Warp Console Screen

This screen displays (by default) information on all users who are currently operating in TimeWarp controlled 'virtual' DateTime environments. The following information is shown for all displayed users:

- JSnum ... Job/Session Number of user
- Parent ... Job/Session from which DateTime was inherited
- Active DateTime ... Current 'virtual' DateTime
- LogTrace ... Current LogTrace options

The screen display is updated automatically every 5 seconds; the update interval may be changed via Function Key 4. Each active Job/Session's virtual DateTime field is updated whenever the screen is redrawn.

LogTrace options are abbreviated to single characters, interpreted as follows:

T ... Trace intercepted DateTime calls to STDLIST.
L ... Log intercepted DateTime calls to a LogFile.
S ... Include Stack trace leading up to intercepted DateTime call.
1 ... Show 1 occurrence only of each intercepted DateTime call.

Within this screen, Function Keys perform the following functions:

F1: Toggles between three display modes:

- Display info for Jobs and Sessions (default)
- Display info for Sessions only
- Display info for Jobs only

F2: Toggles between three display modes:

- Display info for Active users
- Display info for Active and Inactive users
- Display info for Inactive users only

'Inactive' refers to Jobs and Sessions that ran under a TimeWarp virtual DateTime, but are no longer logged on.

F3: View LogFile for selected user.

F4: Change update interval.

F8: Return to Main Menu.

WARP Manager: View LogFiles Screen

This screen displays information on all existing LogFiles, located in the LOG.TIMEWARP group.

The following information is shown for all displayed files:

- LogFile ... Name of LogFile, identifying Job/Session number.
- Logon ID ... Name Job/Session logged on as.
- Created ... Real DateTime LogFile created.
- Modified ... Real DateTime LogFile last written to.

Within this screen, Function Keys perform the following functions:

F1: Deletes all LogFiles.

F4: View highlighted LogFile.

F5: Delete highlighted LogFile.

F8: Return to Main Menu.

WARP Manager: Configure Rules Screen

On entry, this screen displays all configured Logon Rules.

Logon rules allow you to setup any number of rules that are tested whenever any Job or Session logs on. If the Job or Session name matches a particular rule, the associated DateTime is automatically setup as soon as the Job or Session logs on. In addition, any specified LogTrace options are turned on.

A rule consists of both 'Type' and 'Logon ID' fields. If both fields match, then the Rules's DateTime Spec and LogTrace Options are automatically applied.

The following information is shown for each Rule:

- Type ... 'J', 'S' or '@'.

This allows a Rule to be constructed that covers only Jobs, only Sessions, or both Jobs and Sessions.

- Logon ID ... Job/Session pattern (including MPE wildcards).

This specifies the Job/Session name pattern used when determining if a particular rule applies to a job or Session. The Logon ID is of the form: jobsession,user.account,group

The 'jobsession' and 'group' parts are optional. MPE wildcards can be used in any part of the Logon ID.

- DateTime Spec ... Absolute or Relative DateTime specification to apply if the Job/Session matches the rule.

The DateTime spec accepts the same formats as the WARP TURNON command.

It's also legal to specify blanks for this field. In this case the rule specifies that qualifying users be excluded from TimeWarp processing. As rules are evaluated in order until the first match, any such 'exclusion' rules must appear before normal 'inclusion' rules (with non-blank DateTime specifications) for them to have the desired effect.

- LogTrace Options ... LogTrace abbreviated Options to apply if the Job/Session matches the rule.

The LogTrace options accepts the following characters, specified in any order:

T ... Trace intercepted DateTime calls to STDLIST.
L ... Log intercepted DateTime calls to LogFile.
S ... Include Stack trace up to each DateTime call.
1 ... Show 1 occurrence only of each DateTime call.

Within this screen, Function Keys perform the following functions:

F1: Add a new Rule.

F4: Modify highlighted Rule.

F5: Delete highlighted Rule.

F8: Return to Main Menu.

A particular rule may be modified by selecting it, and following the dialogue that appears on the next screen. New Rules are defined using the same screen.

With the 'Modify Rule' screen, the following Function Keys are available:

F1: Save changes.

F2: Ignore changes.

F8: Return to Main Menu.

WARP Manager: Configure Exclude Screen

On entry, this screen displays all configured globally Excluded Program files.

Excluding a Program using this screen ensures that it will not be affected by any TimeWarp virtual DateTime settings in any Job or Session on the system.

The only information that is stored is the fully-qualified name of each Program file to be excluded. You cannot use wildcards in this screen.

Within this screen, Function Keys perform the following functions:

F1: Add a new Excluded Program.

F4: Modify highlighted Program.

F5: Delete highlighted Program.

F8: Return to Main Menu.

A particular Program name may be modified by selecting it, and following the dialogue that appears on the next screen. New Excluded Program names are defined using the same screen.

With the 'Modify Program' screen, the following Function Keys are available:

F1: Save changes.

F2: Ignore changes.

F8: Return to Main Menu.

Displaying Local LogFile contents (WARP PRINTLOG)

To display the contents of the local LogFile:

:WARP PRINTLOG

To display contents of Logfile for any Job/Session, use the WARP MANAGER command, as described previously.

Tracing and Logging Facilities

TimeWarp can Trace (display on the STDLIST device) and/or Log (write to an MPE file) a record of all calls to Date or Time related intrinsics.

Tracing and Logging are turned on using WARP TURNON, described above.

Trace and Log output is only generated when a virtual TimeWarp DateTime is currently turned on.

1) Standard TRACE/LOG output.

By default, both Trace and Log output record every instance of a call to any Date or Time related intrinsic by generating a single line per call:

CALENDAR (intrinsic)
CLOCK (intrinsic)
HPGMTSECS (intrinsic)
ctime (C library)
HPCIGETVAR (intrinsic): HPYYYY

2) 'STACK' trace output.

When the STACK option is set ON, the stack trace leading up to every call to any Date or Time related intrinsic is also Traced/Logged, for example:

CALENDAR (intrinsic)
export stub: 368.00006c00 SHOWCLKS.PUB.DEV/get_mpe_time+$14
SP=41836208 RP=368.00006c50 get_all_times+$20
SP=418361d0 RP=368.000074e8 PROGRAM+$428

CLOCK (intrinsic)
export stub: 368.00006c0c SHOWCLKS.PUB.DEV/get_mpe_time+$20
SP=41836208 RP=368.00006c50 get_all_times+$20
SP=418361d0 RP=368.000074e8 PROGRAM+$428

HPGMTSECS (intrinsic)
export stub: 149.00083c08 XL.PUB.SYS/time+$34
export stub: 368.00007a48 SHOWCLKS.PUB.DEV/showctime+$10
SP=418361c8 RP=368.00007940 PROGRAM+$880

ctime (C library)
export stub: 368.00007a54 SHOWCLKS.PUB.DEV/showctime+$1c
SP=418361c8 RP=368.00007940 PROGRAM+$880

When output is being sent to a log file...

(WARP TURNON LOG has been used), all output from all processes run within the monitored Job/Session is appended to the same file. To allow output from individual processes to be distinguished from each other, each LogFile line is prefixed by the pin number of the process that generated it. For example:

:WARP TURNON 2002/01 LOG STACK :RUN COBXX.PUB :WARP PRINTLOG

Contents of TimeWarp LogFile S00053.LOG.TIMEWARP:

>>>>>> User #S53: MANAGER.DEV,PUB& 1998/01/07 22:00:16

68 >>> Logging CI.PUB.SYS 2002/01/07 22:00:16

44 >>> Logging COBXX.PUB 2002/01/07 22:00:41 44 >>> Virtual DateTime: 2002/01/07 22:00:41 44 >>> 44 >>> ---------------------------- HPGMTSECS (intrinsic) 44 >>> export stub: 150.0037d6a0 XL.PUB.SYS/COB_TZ_DATE+$24 44 >>> export stub: 538.000052a0 COBOL.PUB.DEV/datez+$28 44 >>> 44 >>> ---------------------------- CALENDAR (intrinsic) 44 >>> export stub: 150.00378894 XL.PUB.SYS/cr_calendar+$10 44 >>> SP=41836288 RP=150.0037651c COB_DAY_DATE_TIME+$134 44 >>> SP=41836250 RP=150.00375cc0 COB_DISPLAY_SR+$14 44 >>> export stub: 538.000053d0 COBOL.PUB.DEV/datez+$158 44 >>> 44 >>> ---------------------------- CLOCK (intrinsic) 44 >>> export stub: 150.003788bc XL.PUB.SYS/cr_clock+$10 44 >>> SP=41836288 RP=150.0037640c COB_DAY_DATE_TIME+$24 44 >>> SP=41836250 RP=150.00375cc0 COB_DISPLAY_SR+$14 44 >>> export stub: 538.00005418 COBOL.PUB.DEV/datez+$1a0 44 >>> 68 >>> 68 >>> TURNOFF 2002/01/07 22:01:46 68 >>>

In this example, the CI has pin number 68, while the program COBXX.PUB ran with pin number 44.

The LogTrace settings are automatically inherited by jobs streamed from within the active Job/Session.

Disabling TimeWarp System-Wide

To disable TimeWarp, system-wide:

:WARP DISABLE

TimeWarp System-wide AIF:PE traps disabled.

You need SM or OP capabilities to issue this command.

This disables TimeWarp's AIF:PE traps system-wide, immediately However, it does not affect any other product's use of AIF:PE traps on your system.

You'll need to re-enable TimeWarp using the WARP ENABLE command before TimeWarp can be used again.

Note: Disabling TimeWarp should never normally be necessary: the traps have no effect for any Job/Session unless TimeWarp has been turned on via the WARP TURNON command, or the Job/Session matches one of the logon Rules defined via WARP MANAGER's Configure Rules screen.

Automatic DateTime Inheritance

When a Job or Session is operating in a TimeWarp 'virtual' DateTime, any jobs that are streamed from within the Job/Session will also automatically execute in
the same virtual DateTime.

This feature greatly simplifies testing of complex environments, where online applications perform processing by streaming off background jobs.

Such 'nested' jobs are said to 'inherit' the DateTime of the Job/Session that streamed them. When they log on, an extra line appears in the Job's STDLIST indicating that the DateTime has been inherited

JOB SAMPLE,MANAGER.SYS,PUB. Priority = DS; Inpri = 8; Time = UNLIMITED seconds. Job number = #j55. MON, NOV 17, 1997, 10:48 PM. HP3000 release: C.55.00 User Version: C.55.00 MPE/iX HP31900 C.05.08 Copyright Hewlett-Packard 1987. All rights reserved. STREAMED BY ONOFF,MANAGER.SYS (#J54) ON LDEV# 10 STREAM DATE: MON, NOV 17, 1997, 10:48 PM TIMEWARP DATE: SUN, NOV 22, 1987, 11:09 AM (inherited)

Similarly, any Jobs streamed from within this Job will Inherit the DateTime settings currently active within this Job. The WARP MANAGER command's 'Console' screen identifies all TimeWarp controlled Jobs, and displays the Job/Session from which they inherited their DateTime settings.

In addition to Jobs, any Sessions that are created by use of the :STARTSESS command from within a 'Warped' Job or Session will inherit the Warped Job or Session's virtual DateTime. An identification line is displayed when such Sessions are created that indicates that the DateTime has been inherited.

Identifying Rule-Based Jobs

When Jobs log on that match logon Rules (setup using the WARP MANAGER command's 'Configure Rules' screen), an extra line appears in the Job's STDLIST indicating that the DateTime is Rule-based:

If a Job would be both a candidate for a Rule-based DateTime, as well as an Inherited DateTime, the Inherited DateTime takes precedence.

Excluding Individual Program Files from being affected by TimeWarp

In the event that you wish to prevent particular programs from being affected by TimeWarp, even when the job or Session in which they're being run is operating in a virtual DateTime, you can do so using either of two available mechanisms, Local or Global.

Local Exclusion

To exclude a particular program from being affected by any TimeWarp virtual DateTime within the current Job or Session, issue the following command:

:WARP EXCLUDE <program>

where <program> is the name of the program to be excluded. The <program> name may be fully or partially qualified, and must exist when the command is issued. You can use MPE or HFS syntax when specifying the program name.

Internally, the WARP EXCLUDE command converts <program> into a SETVAR command, mapping embedded '.' and '/' characters to '_' characters.

Programs excluded using this command are only excluded for the duration of the Job or Session in which the command was issued. The exclusion is not inherited by Jobs streamed from within the current Job or Session.

To reverse the effect of a WARP EXCLUDE command, use the following command:

:WARP INCLUDE <program>

Global Exclusion

To globally exclude a particular program from being affected by any TimeWarp virtual dateTime, in any Job or Session, use the :WARP MANAGER command, and select the Configure Exclude option on the Menu screen.

The Globally excluded program list is processed once, whenever a Job or Session logs on. Changes made do not take effect within currently running Jobs or Sessions.

Displaying all Excluded Programs

To display all currently excluded Program files (both Local and Global), issue the following command (without any parameters):

:WARP EXCLUDE

TimeWarp Excluded Programs:

TIMEWARP_EXCLUDE_EDITOR_PUB_SYS = TRUE

The display shows all active excluded programs, by internally performing a SHOWVAR on the converted program names (after '_' replacement). Excluded program names are represented by variables set TRUE.

You can also use the :WARP MANAGER command's Configure Exclude option to display the Global exclusion list.

TimeWarp Implementation Notes

There are three ways that a Job/Session can operate under TimeWarp's control:

User issues WARP TURNON command within CI.

User uses WARP MANAGER to set up Rule within SPEC.PUB.TIMEWARP file, then Job/Session matching rule logs on.

User streams Job from within TimeWarp virtual DateTime environment.

TimeWarp currently intercept (indirectly or not) all calls to:

CALENDAR
HPCALENDAR
CLOCK
DATELINE
TELLOP / PRINTOP
HPCIGETVAR
COMMAND / HPCICOMMAND
AIFTIME

All language specific date/time primitives, such as COBOL's TIME-OF-DAY Posix program references to ENV variables.

Within the CI, TimeWarp catches all references to all HP-date and time system variables wherever they're used (IF, WHILE, CALC, ECHO, etc). TimeWarp intercepts references to the following system variables:

HPDATE
HPDATEF
HPDAY
HPHOUR
HPMINUTE
HPMONTH
HPTIMEF
HPYEAR
HPYYYY (on MPE/iX 5.5 PP3 and later)

TimeWarp also intercepts the following CI commands:

SHOWCLOCK
SHOWME
SHOWTIME
SHOWVAR (including wildcard variable patterns)

Within the Posix Shell (SH.HPBIN.SYS), the initial environment list is set up with all DateTime related system variables correctly fixed up.

Note that the Date and Time related env variables in the shell represent a snapshot of the Date and Time when the Shell was launched. They are not implemented (under MPE) as active functions.

TimeWarp integrates seamlessly with VESOFT's MPEX, including the following:

%CALENDAR
%SHOWME
%SHOWTIME
%SHOWVAR (including wildcard variable patterns)

TimeWarp is not intended to allow the security systems of third-party products to be circumvented. We will work with third party vendors to ensure that TimeWarp is not used to bypass their internal security.

TimeWarp Account Structure

The TimeWarp account contains the following Groups:

DEMO ....... Example programs and CI scripts that demonstrate TimeWarp capabilities.

HELP ....... TimeWarp Documentation and Help files.

INTERNAL ... Files used internally by TimeWarp.

INSTALL .... Copies of all files. May be purged following installation.

LOG ........ Log files generated by TimeWarp.

PUB ........ User accessible Programs and commands.

User Manual Release: 1998/06/01