Lua Version 5.3-5H for VSI OpenVMS IA-64, Alpha, and x86-64

Thank you for your interest in this port of Lua to VSI OpenVMS. The current release of Lua for VSI OpenVMS is based on the Lua 5.3.5 Open Source distribution.

Lua (http://www.lua.org) is a powerful, fast, lightweight, embeddable scripting language that combines simple procedural syntax with powerful data description constructs based on associative arrays and extensible semantics. Lua is dynamically typed, runs by interpreting byte-codes using a register-based virtual machine, and has automatic memory management with incremental garbage collection, making it ideal for configuration, scripting, and rapid prototyping tasks.

This VSI OpenVMS port of Lua includes the core binary Lua distribution and several extensions, including a lightweight pure Lua JSON library and a set of OpenVMS-specific extensions to facilitate calling of various OpenVMS system service and RTL routines.

This release includes additional OpenVMS-specific modules that are required by WebUI V4.1-1 (or higher) for VSI OpenVMS, along with updates to existing such modules.

The kit you are receiving has been compiled and built using the operating system and compiler versions listed below. While it is highly likely that you will have no problems installing and using the kit on systems running higher versions of the products listed, we cannot guarantee functionality if your system is running older versions.

In addition to the above requirements, it is assumed that the reader has a good knowledge of OpenVMS and of software development in the OpenVMS environment.

It is recommended that developers read some of the excellent tutorials and other documentation available via the Lua web site (http://www.lua.org/docs.html). The web site provides numerous links to books, technical guides, whitepapers, and numerous other documents that provide useful information on developing applications using Lua.

The kit is provided as an OpenVMS PCSI kit (VSI-I64VMS-LUA-V0503-5H-1.PCSI , VSI-AXPVMS-LUA-V0503-5H-1.PCSI, or VSI-X86VMS-LUA-V0503-5H-1.PCSI, depending on platform) that can be installed by a suitably privileged user using the following command:

$ PRODUCT INSTALL LUA

The installation will then proceed as follows (output may differ slightly from that shown, depending on platform and other factors):

Performing product kit validation of signed kits ...

The following product has been selected:
    VSI I64VMS LUA V5.3-5H                  Layered Product

Do you want to continue? [YES]

Configuration phase starting ...

You will be asked to choose options, if any, for each selected
product and for
any products that may be installed to satisfy software dependency
requirements.

Configuring VSI I64VMS LUA V5.3-5H: Lua for OpenVMS is based on Lua
Version 5.3.5

    © Copyright 2020 VMS Software Inc.

    VSI Software Inc.

* This product does not have any configuration options.

Execution phase starting ...

The following product will be installed to destination:
    VSI I64VMS LUA V5.3-5H                  DISK$I64SYS:[VMS$COMMON.]

Portion done: 0%...30%...40%...50%...60%...70%...80%...90%...100%

The following product has been installed:
    VSI I64VMS LUA V5.3-5H                  Layered Product

VSI I64VMS LUA V5.3-5H: Lua for OpenVMS is based on Lua Version 5.3.5

    Post-installation tasks are required.

    To start the Lua runtime at system boot time, add the following
    lines to SYS$MANAGER:SYSTARTUP_VMS.COM:

        $ file := SYS$STARTUP:LUA$STARTUP.COM
        $ if f$search("''file'") .nes. "" then @'file'

    To stop Lua at system shutdown, add the following lines to
    SYS$MANAGER:SYSHUTDWN.COM:

        $ file := SYS$STARTUP:LUA$SHUTDOWN.COM
        $ if f$search("''file'") .nes. "" then @'file'

After the installation has successfully completed, include the commands displayed at the end of the installation procedure into SYSTARTUP_VMS.COM to ensure that the logical names required in order for users to use the software are defined system-wide at start-up.

Users will then be able to use the Lua interpreter and the Lua bytecode compiler by defining foreign commands as follows:

$ LUA :== $LUA$ROOT:[BIN]LUA.EXE
$ LUAC :== $LUA$ROOT:[BIN]LUAC.EXE

Developers can implement their own dynamic modules by including in their projects the Lua header files found in LUA$ROOT:[INCLUDE] and by linking with either the shareable image LUA$ROOT:[LIB]LUA$SHR.EXE or the object library LUA$ROOT:[LIB]LIBLUA.OLB. Note that the logical name LUA$SHR is defined by the Lua start-up procedure and may be used to link with the shareable image. Symbols in the shareable image and object library are mixed-case, and developers should use the C compiler option /NAMES=(AS_IS,SHORTENED) or include in their code appropriate #pragma directives to ensure that symbols are correctly resolved when linking.

Generally speaking, there are no special quota or privilege requirements for users wishing to develop applications using Lua. However, it should be noted that some extensions may have special requirements (for example, networking extensions may require a high BYTLM quota).

As noted previously, this release of Lua for VSI OpenVMS includes the core binary distribution and several extensions. The included additional modules are listed below:

In addition to these modules, the kit also includes a set of extensions to facilitate calling of various OpenVMS system service and RTL routines. Please refer to the various example scripts provided in LUA$ROOT:[EXAMPLES] for information on how to use some of these extensions. It is hoped that these extensions will be fully documented in future releases of the software.