RSX11M Plus 4.6 Issue using [3,54]timwrt in [1,2]shutup.cmd

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Eric Bruno

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Dec 26, 2025, 2:19:11 PM (3 days ago) Dec 26
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I was trying to add the command run LB:[3,54]timwrt to my [1,2]shutup.cmd file.

The shutup.cmd file is called by the shutup task (run $shutup).  
when the run command is called in shutup.cmd the following error is displayed:
>run LB:[3,54]timwrt
INS -- Task name already in use

If I just execute @[1,2]shutup the command run timwrt works with out problem.
So it seems @[1,2]shutup.cmd being invoked from the shutup task is an issue when trying use the run command in this case.

I put together the following script that does the same thing as timwrt that can be called by [1,2]shutup.cmd.

[1,2]SAVCTIME.CMD

.ENABLE SUBSTITUTION,QUIET
.PARSE <TIME> ":" HOUR MIN SEC
.SETS CURDAT <DATE>
.OPEN LB:[1,5]TIM.TXT
.DATA 'HOUR':'MIN' 'CURDAT'
.CLOSE
PIP LB:[1,5]TIM.TXT;*/PU:4
.DISABLE QUIET
; Updated LB:[1,5]TIM.TXT with 'HOUR':'MIN'  'CURDAT'

>@[1,2]SAVCTIME
>; Updated LB:[1,5]TIM.TXT with 19:16 26-DEC-2025
>@ <EOF>
>TYPE [1,5]TIM.TXT
19:16 26-DEC-2025

Using the above script [1,5]tim.txt gets updated at shutdown.

Anton Lavrentiev

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Dec 26, 2025, 2:26:00 PM (3 days ago) Dec 26
to Eric Bruno, [PiDP-11]
Well, to fix that the only thing you needed to change was:

RUN LB:[3,54]TIMWRT/TASK=TIMWRT

i.e. to add the "/TASK" qualifier.  The "task name in use" is TTn, which at the time of the shutdown is already running (it's the very $SHUTUP task),
and "RUN" always tries to create an INSTALL-RUN-REMOVE task with the exact same name, by default.

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Eric Bruno

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Dec 26, 2025, 5:18:51 PM (3 days ago) Dec 26
to [PiDP-11]
Some additional info. I tried installing the task and then:
run $timwrt but same issue as
run lb:[3,5]timwrt.

Adding the /TASK option to the run command worked
Thanks for the info.

>RUN LB:[3,54]TIMWRT/TASK=TIMWRT
System time is: 22:14:18 26-DEC-2025

Johnny Billquist

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Dec 26, 2025, 5:20:48 PM (3 days ago) Dec 26
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Yes. If you do a RUN on a file, then the default task name is based on
your terminal name, and you can't do another run that would use the same
task name. As you noted in your next mail, adding a /TASK= is one way to
solve it.
Also, SHUTUP is actually installed, so you can also just do a "RUN
SHUTUP" will also run the task, but in that case under the task name
"SHUTUP", so then a RUN with a filename would work.

However, maybe my biggest question is why that thing at all? I would
hope/assume you have NTPDATE that sets the time correctly at boot.

Johnny
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Eric Bruno

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Dec 26, 2025, 5:48:17 PM (2 days ago) Dec 26
to [PiDP-11]
I am using NTPDATE but I do not use the system that often so just wanted to keep the time drift at boot up smaller.
Also gives me simple way to know when I last used the system.

I normally enter "run $shutup"
If I enter "run shutup"
then the following works
>RUN LB:[3,54]TIMWRT
System time is: 22:28:59 26-DEC-2025

Johnny Billquist

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Dec 26, 2025, 6:04:04 PM (2 days ago) Dec 26
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Yes, "RUN $SHUTUP" is a shortcut for "RUN LB:[3,54]SHUTUP". And as I
mentioned, if you run a file, then the task name is by default based on
your terminal name. And there can only be one task with a specific name
at any one time. RSX use task names in a similar way to how PIDs are
used in Unix.

As for setting the time at startup - the time drift at boot time seems
rather irrelevant. The time is wrong until it's set correct, and that is
a set of the time that's done as a simple time change.

Knowing when the system was last shutdown - well, if it's worth
something to you, then sure. But you could do that just with a .CMD
file, obviously. :-)

Johnny
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Anton Lavrentiev

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Dec 26, 2025, 6:25:05 PM (2 days ago) Dec 26
to Johnny Billquist, pid...@googlegroups.com
>   is why that thing at all?

Well, I for once am not using any RSX11 networking.  My PiDP is on WiFi and so I only have Linux connectivity
(and do all other file transfers locally, I totally don't mind).  Also, the saved time can be very handy if you restart
RSX11 once it shut down (with CONT), so the default time loaded at startup is almost correct (and you don't
need to re-enter it, just hit "Return").

Secondly, I'm using the following at the end of my boot.ini for RSX11:
---
expect "T:1M]: " send "%TIME_HH%:%TIME_MM% %DATE_DD%-%DATE_MMM%-%DATE_YYYY%\r\n" ; cont
expect "T:15S]: " send "N\r\n" ; cont
expect "T:15S]: " send "N\r\n" ; cont
;show expect

boot rq0
---
That allows unattended start of the system (selected by the front panel SW bit 1), and it also auto-enters the correct time at the
first boot (like I said, should you want to restart RSX with CONT, that wouldn't work, so the saved time is a great help with that).

Lastly, I don't like seeing "errors", so fixing it with the /TASK= was one of the first things I did when I got my PiDP11 running.

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