Software Product Description ________________________________________________________________ PRODUCT NAME: VAX VTX, Version 4.1 SPD 26.57.11 DESCRIPTION Videotex is a distributed information retrieval service that utilizes a tree structured database through which the user navigates by selecting choices from a menu. The content of the videotex infobase consists of full-screen "pages" of information supplied by the Information Providers. The information contained in the infobase is prepared with stan- dard Digital editors (WPS-PLUS, TPU, EDT, DECgraph, DECslide, DECwrite, etc.) to create the pages of information. VAX VTX provides: o A distributed videotex service environment on VAX or MicroVAX systems and Digital networks. o Access through terminals to page and menu-oriented, dis- tributed, text or graphics information bases. o The means of attaching one or more applications to a VAX VTX distributed system through the use of the VTX Application Link Utilities (VALU) components, which are included in the VTX product. One of the key benefits of VTX is that it allows users to quickly access and peruse on-line information with little, or no training. There are three categories of VTX users: o End-users or Subscribers who retrieve the information from the infobase. DIGITAL May 1990 AE-CJ20L-TE VAX VTX, Version 4.1 SPD 26.57.11 o Those who design (infobase designers), maintain (VTX oper- ators), and prepare (information providers or IPs) the VTX Service. o Application programmers who create and maintain applications for a VAX VTX Service. Features o Support for MS-DOS TCP. VAX VTX V4.1 supports MS-DOS users via DECnet connections. This allows users to access VAX VTX directly rather than having to access VTX via "terminal" emulation mode. o Support of the Compund Document Architecture by allowing DDIF encoded documents (i.e., DECwrite) to be stored in and retrieved from a VTX infobase. o VAX VTX Workbench provides a graphical environment for the Information Provider to storyboard, design, build and maintain a VTX infobase. The VAX VTX Workbench Information Provider can build a complete menu structure through a simple pictorial interface. o Concentrator support for X.29 virtual devices, construction of X.25 based gateways, concentrator support for 3270 class terminals based on the use of the DECnet/SNA Gateway VMS 3270 Data Stream Programming interface and custom-written IBM application. o Context-sensitive keywords allow the use of segmented keyword files to allow for keyword matches based on the subscriber's current page context. o Ability to modify the Terminal Control Program - the Termi- nal Specific Module (TSM) allows for changes in keypad-to- function mapping. 2 VAX VTX, Version 4.1 SPD 26.57.11 o ALL-IN-1 Terminal Control Program is included in the VTX base product and fully integrated with ALL-IN-1. This fea- ture enables the ALL-IN-1 user to access VTX using GOLD key mappings for the standard VTX functions. It also allows for integration with the ALL-IN-1 Interrupt and Scratchpad menus. o Support for DECwindows Terminal Control Program. o Extensive on line help - VAX VTX on line help is available for all categories of VTX users. o Access to distributed VAX VTX infobases - VAX VTX supports access not only to the VAX VTX infobase resident on a local VAX, but also to VAX VTX infobases resident on other VAX processors in a VAXcluster or in a Digital network. o Document paginator allows the VTX Information Provider to paginate documents for subsequent use by VTXAPMS, VTXUPD or VAX VTX Workbench. The document paginator allows you to paginate WPS-PLUS documents, ASCII files and DDIF files. Components VAX VTX V4.1 includes all components necessary for designing, distributing and accessing VTX "Infobases" and applications. These components are as follows: VTX Servers and Operator Utilities o VTX Server (SRV) handles subscriber requests for the pages in an infobase. o VTX Control Utility (VTXCTL) enables communication for the VAX VTX operator with the VTX server, update server, con- centrator, VAX VTX Workbench Server and the VTX application server to start and stop processes. o VTX Account Control Utility (ACU) allows creation, modifica- tion, deletion and maintenance of VAX VTX accounts. 3 VAX VTX, Version 4.1 SPD 26.57.11 o VAX VTX Workbench Server (WBSRV) controls all VAX VTX Work- bench update access to VAX VTX infobases, and performs up- dates to the infobases. It also enables the user to retrieve and extract pages from the infobase for modification using the VAX VTX Workbench Graphical Interface. o VTX Update Server (UPDSRV) controls all update access to lo- cal and remote VAX VTX infobases, and performs the requested updates to the infobase. The VAX VTX Update Server declares itself a DECnet object, and accepts connect requests and subsequent update requests from local or remote Information Providers via the VTX Update Utility. o Infobase Verification Utility (IVU) performs infobase veri- fication and reports on the infobase structure. IVU enables the user to periodically examine the state of the infobase and identify any discrepancies. Optionally, the verification report may contain a cross-reference listing of the infobase. Information Provider Tools o VTX Update Utility (VTXUPD) provides full maintenance capa- bility including creation, modification, and deletion of VAX VTX pages in the infobase. The utility offers two ways in which to work: menu mode for first-time or infrequent users, and command mode for experienced users. This program can op- erate directly on infobase files or access infobase files through the network using the Update Server. o VTX Automatic Page Management System (VTXAPMS)) is an auto- mated tool that assigns/replaces symbolic page references in VTXAPMS input files with page numbers and dynamically builds index menus. o VAX VTX Workbench Graphical Interface (WBGI) allows the communication of one or more Information Providers with the Workbench Server to create and maintain information in page and keyword files. 4 VAX VTX, Version 4.1 SPD 26.57.11 o VAX VTX Workbench Command Language (WBCL) allows the Infor- mation Provider to automatically generate an infobase from large or frequently updated sources, such as manuals and catalogs. Terminal Control/Concentrator (TCP/CON) o Terminal Control Program (TCP) controls a single terminal in a dialogue between the subscriber and the VTX service. The program interprets keystrokes and sends messages to the server (SRV), receives messages from the server (SRV) and displays pages requested from the infobase and allows a VMS user access to the VTX service. There are a number of terminals supported. The most significant are: - MS-DOS suppport in the TCP allows users to directly connect to VTX over DECnet connections. Transferring pages from VTX infobases to local MS-DOS files is supported. - DECwindows support in the Terminal Control Program for use in a DECwindows environment allows the user to access func- tions through direct manipulation of a mouse in a windowed interface. o Multi-port terminal control and link concentrator module (CON) controls multiple terminals and allows VAX VTX session multiplexing across a single DECnet link to a VTX server (SRV) to communicate across nodes of a network. A terminal running under the concentrator (CON) is permitted access only to the VTX service, not to VMS. 5 VAX VTX, Version 4.1 SPD 26.57.11 LAT support in the Concentrator allows DIGITAL terminals and ALL-IN-1 device type terminals connected to terminal servers to be assigned to the concentrator. External Link Interface (ELK) Link Interface (ELK) is a shareable image of callable routines. The ELK routines provide the ability to create custom-written applications with a subset of the VAX VTX protocol capabili- ties to interact with a VAX VTX server and TCP. Applications interfacing with ELK may be written in any VMS supported lan- guage that complies with the VMS calling standard. Interfacing with ELK offers the full advantage of a wide range of VAX VTX functions. ELK requires a thorough understanding of software development techniques used by the applications programmer. VTX Application Service (VAS) The VTX Application Service (VAS) is a higher level facility that uses the ELK interface. The VAS component is a VMS run- time image used to present form, menu and display pages from the host VTX server's infobase as the user interface to one or more transactional applications defined by the customer. The VAS component may also dynamically create menu pages which are for- matted by the VTX Terminal Control Program. These transactional videotex applications may be defined entirely with VAS or may be distributed with VAS communicating to custom-written exter- nal applications. Application interfaces include DECnet, P.S.I. X.25, and DECnet/SNA VMS APPC/LU6.2 Programming Interface. Remote Update Server Link (RUSL) The Remote Update Server Link (RUSL) is a shareable image of callable routines that are linked into custom-written code to create tailored update applications. RUSL applications can per- form interactive VTX page and keyword extractions, updates, additions and deletions through the update server. RUSL applica- tions communicate with the update server via DECnet. Licensing Options 6 VAX VTX, Version 4.1 SPD 26.57.11 With VAX VTX Version 4.1, there are two basic licensing schemes: 1. VAX VTX - Availability licensing, allows for unlimited access to the system. This license is based on tiered, CPU-based and cluster-wide licensing. 2. Activity-based licensing consists of two licenses. a. VAX VTX STARTER License enables activity based licensing on a system. b. VAX VTX STARTER Connects License allows four concurrent subscriber sessions on a server running on a system. Media and Documentation There is only one documentation kit necessary for the VAX VTX and VAX VTX STARTER Options. There is no documentation for the VAX VTX STARTER Connects License. There is one media kit necessary to support the new packages. HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS VAX, MicroVAX, VAXstation or VAXserver configuration as speci- fied in the System Support Addendum (SSA 26.57.11-x). SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS* For Systems Using Terminals: (No DECwindows Interface): VMS Operating System For Workstations Running VWS: VMS Operating System VMS Workstation Software For Workstations Running DECwindows: VMS Operating System (and necessary components of VMS DECwin- dows) 7 VAX VTX, Version 4.1 SPD 26.57.11 * Refer to the System Support Addendum (SSA 26.57.11-x) for availability and required versions of prerequisite/optional software and for information regarding components of VMS DECwindows. ORDERING INFORMATION VAX VTX Server Option: Software Licenses: QL-031A*-** Software Media: QA-031A*-** Software Documentation: QA-031AA-GZ Software Product Services: QT-031A*-** VTX Starter - 16 Concurrent User License Server Option: Software Licenses: QL-031*9-PF Software Media: QA-031A*-** Software Documentation: QA-031AA-GZ Software Product Services: QT-031A*-** 8 VAX VTX, Version 4.1 SPD 26.57.11 VTX Starter Connects - 4 Concurrent User License Software Licenses: QL-YQS*9-PD * Denotes variant fields. For additional information on avail- able licenses, services and media, refer to the appropriate price book. SOFTWARE LICENSING This software is furnished under the licensing provisions of Digital Equipment Corporation's Standard Terms and Conditions. For more information about Digital's Licensing terms and poli- cies, contact your local Digital office. LICENSE MANAGEMENT FACILITY SUPPORT This layered product supports the VMS License Management Facil- ity. License units for this product are allocated on a CPU or Cluster-wide basis, or on an Activity basis. For more information on the License Management Facility, refer to the VMS Operating System Software Product Description (SPD 25.01.xx) or the License Management Facility manual of the VMS Operating System documentation set. For more information about Digital's licensing terms and poli- cies, contact your local Digital office. SOFTWARE PRODUCT SERVICES A variety of service options are available. For more information on these or other services, please contact your local Digital office. SOFTWARE WARRANTY 9 VAX VTX, Version 4.1 SPD 26.57.11 Warranty for this software product is provided by Digital with the purchase of a license for the product as defined in the Software Warranty Addendum of this SPD. [R] The DIGITAL Logo is a registered trademark of Digital Equipment Corporation. [TM] VAX, VMS, MicroVAX, VAXstation, VAXserver and DECwindows are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. 10