This chapter contains the following information: (unnumbered) Requirements for using the single-mapped and fully-mapped monitors Advantages of using a mapped monitor Determining if you are currently using a mapped monitor and, if not, how to make it your monitor Program environments available under the mapped monitors

Use the on-line index utility, INDEX, and see the on-line help utility, HELP, for more information on the topics discussed in this chapter. (Can You Use a Mapped Monitor?\map_req_sec)

RT--11 distributes two mapped monitors: XM and ZM. The XM monitor is single-mapped and the ZM monitor is fully-mapped. Whether you can use either monitor is initially determined by your hardware and subsequently by your application.

The hardware requirements are described in the following sections. Assuming your hardware supports a mapped monitor, which mapped monitor you use is determined by your application. If your application supports separated Instruction and Data address spaces and/or Supervisor Mode, you should look at ZM; otherwise, consider XM. (Can You Use XM?\xm_req_sec)

Your computer must have more than 56K bytes of memory and a memory management unit (MMU) for you to use the XM monitor. RT--11 provides a command you can use to determine your computer characteristics: SHOW CONFIGURATION

That command displays a lot of information; the information in which you are now interested is in the third section of the display. That section contains the name and ID of your processor (computer), the amount of memory contained in your processor, whether your processor contains a memory management unit, and other information.

Issue the following command and let the display scroll on your screen until it stops: (.)(SHOW CONFIGURATION (RET))

To use the XM monitor, the line displayed below your processor type must show that you have more than 56K bytes (for example, 512KB) of memory, and a line further down must show that you have a memory management unit.

If the processor hardware does not support the XM monitor, read (int_fb_chap) for information on using the FB monitor. (Can You Use the ZM Monitor?\zm_req_sec)

The ZM monitor has the same memory requirements as XM. The ZM monitor also requires hardware support for separated (I & D) address space and Supervisor Mode. Assuming your hardware meets the memory requirements in (xm_req_sec), perform the following procedure to determine if it supports ZM. (numbered) First, if your processor uses the J--11 CPU chipset, then it supports the ZM monitor and you need not go further. If your processor does not use the J--11 CPU chipset (or you are not sure), assuming the distributed program, CONFIG.SAV, resides on device (ddn), issue the following command: (.)(RUN ddn:CONFIG /D/V:040000/M:040000/R:466)

If that command returns no error message, your processor supports ZM. If that command returns the error message, (?CONFIG-E-Values do not match), your processor does not support ZM. (Should You Use a Mapped Monitor?)

You should use a mapped monitor for the following reasons: (unnumbered) The mapped monitors let you take advantage of all the memory in your computer.

The memory in your computer is divided into (low memory) and (extended memory). If you recall the amount of memory in your computer (determined in the previous section) and subtract 56K bytes from that amount, you can see how many thousands of bytes of extended memory are available with the mapped monitors. Many of the programs included with your RT--11 distribution are designed to use the mapped monitors; they take advantage of your computer's extended memory feature.

Many RT--11 programs are designed to reside mainly in your larger extended memory, with as little of the program as possible residing in your limited low memory. Without the mapped monitors, all the memory-resident portion of each program must reside in low memory. The mapped monitors let you run more than two programs at the same time with the system job feature.

As RT--11 is distributed, only the mapped monitors give you the system job feature. The system job feature lets you run up to six system jobs at the same time, along with a foreground and background job. The fully-mapped monitors take advantage of all PDP--11 hardware features, including separated Instruction and Data address space and Supervisor Mode. (Are You Now Running a Mapped Monitor?)

If you are not sure which monitor you are using now, issue the following command. Be ready to press the (NO SCROLL) or (HOLD SCREEN) key because the information may scroll quickly off your screen. The first word of the first line in the display will show you which monitor you are now using. If you are now running the XM monitor, that word is RT-11XM. If you are running the ZM monitor, that word is RT-11ZM. (.)(SHOW CONFIGURATION (RET))

When you know which monitor you are using, press (NO SCROLL) or (HOLD SCREEN) again to let the rest of the display scroll by. If that display shows RT--11XM or RT-11ZM as the first word, you can proceed to the next section. If that display does not show a mapped monitor, perform the following procedure: (numbered) If you are currently editing any files (if you have any files open on an editor), close them. If you are running any application in the foreground or system environment, exit from the application. If you want to run the XM monitor, issue the following command to copy the XM monitor bootstrap to your system device, making XM the default monitor: (.)(COPY/BOOT SY:RT11XM.SYS SY: (RET))

If you want to run the ZM monitor, issue the following command to copy the ZM monitor bootstrap to your system device, making ZM the default monitor: (.)(COPY/BOOT SY:RT11ZM.SYS SY: (RET)) Then, boot the XM or ZM monitor on your system device: (.)(BOOT SY: (RET)) You have now soft-booted your computer and are running the XM or ZM monitor from your system (SY) device.

If you now repeat the command, SHOW CONFIGURATION, you should see the monitor you chose as the first word in the display. (Running Programs Under the Mapped Monitors)

Mapped monitors let you run programs in the background environment, foreground environment, or system job environment. Proper use of those three environments lets you run up to eight jobs at the same time. You are limited only by the size of the programs and the amount of memory in your computer.

The following sections describe the three environments. (Background Environment)

You direct operations to the background environment in response to the monitor prompt (.). In the previous section, you issued the command, SHOW CONFIGURATION. You issued that command to the background.

It is helpful to keep access open to the background environment while you are using your computer. While a program is running in the background, you are not able to issue a command to perform another operation or run another program.

(int_fb_chap) further explains and demonstrates using the background environment under the FB monitor. The background environment under the XM monitor is similar to the background environment under the FB monitor. (Foreground Environment)

The foreground environment is generally used to run a time-critical program. The program running in the foreground has priority over all other jobs in the system. (int_fb_chap) further explains and demonstrates using the foreground environment under the FB monitor. The foreground environment under the mapped monitors is similar to the foreground environment under the FB monitor. (System Job Environment)

Of the distributed RT--11 monitors, only XM and ZM let you use the system job environment to run programs. You generally run programs as system jobs to keep the background and foreground free for entering commands and running other jobs. You can run up to six system jobs at the same time and still have access to the background and foreground environments.

RT--11 is distributed with the following programs that can be run as system jobs: (unnumbered) ERROR LOGGER

You must perform the system generation (SYSGEN) procedure before you can run the error logger. Therefore, the error logger is not discussed. You can get complete information on the error logger in the (sum_book). INDEXX

INDEXX is the mapped monitor version of the on-line INDEX utility. Running INDEXX as a system job gives you constant access to the INDEX utility. KEX

KEX is the mapped monitor version of the KED editor and is identical in functionality to KED. You can run up to six KEX editors as system jobs at the same time. Running KEX as a system job can provide constant access to the monitor prompt.

The following two chapters describe how to run KEX as a system job. SPOOL

SPOOL is the transparent spooling package that manages printer operations for you. When using SPOOL, you direct output to your printer and are immediately returned to the monitor prompt.

The following two chapters describe how to run SPOOL as a system job. VTCOM

VTCOM is the virtual terminal communications package that lets you maintain communications and transfer files between a host and your own computer. While running VTCOM, you can perform operations on the host computer and instantly return to the RT--11 background, foreground, or system job environment.

The following two chapters describe how to run VTCOM as a system job.

When you run KEX, SPOOL (or QUEUE), and VTCOM as system jobs, you can edit files, print files, and maintain communications with another computer --- all at the same time. You also continue to have access to the background environment to issue commands and run other programs in the background, foreground, or system job environment.

Some application programs (programs you write or buy) can also be run in the system job environment.

(int_sysjob_chap\full), describes the system job environment in detail.