VSI Datatrieve Version T7.4-4 (Field Test)

VSI is pleased to introduce the field test of VSI Datatrieve T7.4-4 for VSI OpenVMS x86-64 and OpenVMS IA-64.

VSI Datatrieve is a tool for managing information. It is a high-level interactive query and report generation tool. Datatrieve works against flat files, indexed files, and databases. Such data files are delimited using record definitions stored in the VSI Data Dictionary (VDD).

This document outlines the changes made to Datatrieve after its porting to OpenVMS x86-64 and OpenVMS IA-64, including the introduction of support for VDD.

VSI Datatrieve T7.4-4 can be installed by a suitably privileged user on an OpenVMS system that meets the following minimum software requirements:

Before installing VSI Datatrieve T7.4-4, ensure that the appropriate dictionary environment has been installed and configured as described in Section 2, ''Requirements''.

If using VDD, ensure that the VDD environment has been set up as outlined above. Then, run the command below from a privileged account (such as the SYSTEM account).

$ @SYS$UPDATE:VMSINSTAL * device-name:[username.DATATRIEVE]

The installation will then proceed as follows (output may differ slightly from that shown below depending on various factors):

 OpenVMS  Software Product Installation Procedure V9.2-3


It is 01-JUL-2026 at 10:38.
Enter a question mark (?) at any time for help.

* Are you satisfied with the backup of your system disk [YES]? 


The following products will be processed:

  DTRA V7.4


 Beginning installation of DTRA V7.4 at 10:38

No signature manifests found for DTRA074

* Do you want to install this product [NO]? Yes

%VMSINSTAL-I-RESTORE, Restoring product save set A ...
%VMSINSTAL-I-RELMOVED, Product's release notes have been moved to SYS$HELP.
 
            DATATRIEVE T7.4-4 Installation Procedure

  © Copyright 2026 VMS Software, Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Development LP

* Do you want support for VDD (VSI Data Dictionary) [YES]? 

        NCP or NCL cannot be run.

        Therefore, the DECnet object number for DDMF cannot be defined. 
        To define a DDMF object number in the future, see the DATATRIEVE
        Installation Guide section on DECnet Considerations.


        Product:      DTR or DTR-USER
        Producer:     VSI
        Version:      T7.4-4
        Release Date: 01-JUL-2026


* Does this product have an authorization key registered and loaded? Yes
* Do you want to use default answers for all questions [YES]? 

    *************************************************************

    The Language-Sensitive Editor is not installed on your 
    system.  To have the Language-Sensitive Editor support,
    you must:

 1.  Install the Language-Sensitive Editor
 2.  Install or reinstall this product

    *************************************************************

* Do you want to continue the installation [NO]? Yes

    The DATATRIEVE IVP will be put in the SYS$COMMON:[SYSTEST.DTR]
    directory. You may run the IVP immediately after the completion of 
    the installation procedure answering YES to the next question or
    later issuing the following command:

    @SYS$COMMON:[SYSTEST.DTR]DTR$IVP.COM DTR32.EXE


* Do you want to run the IVP after the installation [YES]? Yes
* Proceed with this installation [YES]? 

    All questions regarding the installation have now been asked.

%VMSINSTAL-I-RESTORE, Restoring product save set B ...
%VMSINSTAL-I-SYSDIR, This product creates system disk directory  VMI$ROOT:[DTR].
%CREATE-I-EXISTS, VMI$ROOT:[DTR] already exists
%VMSINSTAL-I-SYSDIR, This product creates system disk directory  VMI$ROOT:[SYSTEST.DTR].
%CREATE-I-EXISTS, VMI$ROOT:[SYSTEST.DTR] already exists

    During the installation, a file called
    DTRSTUP.COM has been added to SYS$STARTUP:

    The site-dependent start-up file, SYS$MANAGER:SYSTARTUP.COM
    should have the following line added:

   $ @SYS$STARTUP:DTRSTUP.COM

%VMSINSTAL-I-SYSDIR, This product creates system disk directory  VMI$ROOT:[DTR.DTR$LIB].
%CREATE-I-EXISTS, VMI$ROOT:[DTR.DTR$LIB] already exists
%VMSINSTAL-I-SYSDIR, This product creates system disk directory  VMI$ROOT:[DTR.DTR$LIB.ADT].
%CREATE-I-EXISTS, VMI$ROOT:[DTR.DTR$LIB.ADT] already exists
%VMSINSTAL-I-SYSDIR, This product creates system disk directory  VMI$ROOT:[DTR.DTR$LIB.DEMO].
%CREATE-I-EXISTS, VMI$ROOT:[DTR.DTR$LIB.DEMO] already exists
%VMSINSTAL-I-SYSDIR, This product creates system disk directory  VMI$ROOT:[DTR.DTR$LIB.FORMS].
%CREATE-I-EXISTS, VMI$ROOT:[DTR.DTR$LIB.FORMS] already exists
%VMSINSTAL-I-SYSDIR, This product creates system disk directory  VMI$ROOT:[DTR.DTR$LIB.GUIDE].
%CREATE-I-EXISTS, VMI$ROOT:[DTR.DTR$LIB.GUIDE] already exists
%VMSINSTAL-I-SYSDIR, This product creates system disk directory  VMI$ROOT:[DTR.DTR$LIB.PLOTS].
%CREATE-I-EXISTS, VMI$ROOT:[DTR.DTR$LIB.PLOTS] already exists
%VMSINSTAL-I-SYSDIR, This product creates system disk directory  VMI$ROOT:[DTR.DTR$LIB.DEMO.RDB].
%CREATE-I-EXISTS, VMI$ROOT:[DTR.DTR$LIB.DEMO.RDB] already exists
%VMSINSTAL-I-SYSDIR, This product creates system disk directory  VMI$ROOT:[DTR.DTR$LIB.DEMO.DBMS].
%CREATE-I-EXISTS, VMI$ROOT:[DTR.DTR$LIB.DEMO.DBMS] already exists

    **************************************************************
    DATATRIEVE User Environment Test Packages (UETPs)
    have been provided and can be run after the installation is
    complete. They are invoked from DATATRIEVE as follows:

    DTR> @sys$common:[systest.dtr]dtr     ! The general test
    DTR> @sys$common:[systest.dtr]plots   ! The plots test
    DTR> @sys$common:[systest.dtr]rdb     ! The Rdb test
    DTR> @sys$common:[systest.dtr]forms   ! The Forms test


    Before invoking these files from a user's account you must
    execute the procedure : 
                    @DTR$LIBRARY:NEWUSER.COM                       
    This procedure loads the DATATRIEVE definitions into the  
    user's dictionary and the data files in the user's directory. 
    This procedure must be executed by each user needing
    the DATATRIEVE examples
    ****************************************************************



Restoring UETP-related Oracle Rdb objects

    The following error messages may be safely ignored:

        %RMU-I-AIJRSTAVL, 0 after-image journals available for use
        %RMU-I-AIJISOFF, after-image journaling has been disabled
        %RMU-W-USERECCOM, Use the RMU Recover command.
        %CDD-I-MBLRSYNINFO, unsupported entity - marked Incomplete


    *******************************************************************

    A database for the DATATRIEVE UETP that utilizes Oracle Rdb
    cannot be created because the Rdb monitor is not running.
    Although the installation has not been aborted, the UETP will
    not function properly. It is recommended that you start the
    Oracle Rdb monitor then re-run this installation. 

    *******************************************************************


Cleanup the UETP-related Oracle Rdb objects
%VMSINSTAL-I-MOVEFILES, Files will now be moved to their target directories...
 
            DATATRIEVE T7.4-4 Installation Procedure

  © Copyright 2026 VMS Software, Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Development LP


Executing IVP for:  DATATRIEVE T7.4-4

  © Copyright 2026 VMS Software, Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Development LP


    Test completed successfully
    ***************************

    IVP COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY
    **************************

IVP completed for:  DATATRIEVE T7.4-4


 Installation of DTRA V7.4 completed at 10:40

    Adding history entry in VMI$ROOT:[SYSUPD]VMSINSTAL.HISTORY

    Creating installation data file: VMI$ROOT:[SYSUPD]DTRA074.VMI_DATA


 VMSINSTAL procedure done at 10:41

VSI Datatrieve has now been successfully installed on your system.

The following issues and limitations have been discovered at the time of this field test:

ACL-Related Commands

When Datatrieve is used with VDD, commands related to privileges are not supported because VDD does not currently provide ACL functionality. As a result, Datatrieve privilege-related commands will fail if used. For example:

DTR> SHOWP YACHTS
%VDD-E-INTERR1, internal error:

The affected commands are DEFINEP, DELETEP, and SHOWP.

Executing CDO Commands From Datatrieve

When Datatrieve is used with VDD, the Datatrieve CDO command (which allows users to execute CDO commands from inside Datatrieve) is not supported and will fail if used. For example:

DTR> CDO DIRECTORY
internal error: !AF
%VDD-E-INTERR1, internal error:

Commands can instead be run by exiting Datatrieve and executing them directly in VDO.

Protocol Usage

CDD supports two protocols, NAD and DMU. When Datatrieve is used with CDD, either protocol may be used.

VDD supports only the DMU protocol. As a result, when Datatrieve is used with VDD, it always operates using the DMU protocol.

This difference has minimal impact for the user, as the results from both protocols are mostly the same.