VMS Help DCE, About This Help Library Important  *Conan The Librarian (sorry for the slow response - running on an old VAX)

  This help library is created from the standard Open Group DCE
  documentation. It includes descriptions of additions that Compaq
  has made to the standard DCE; however, most interface issues specific
  to OpenVMS are not addressed.  For information about using the
  universal interface and any information specific to the OpenVMS
  version of DCE, see the Compaq DCE for OpenVMS VAX and OpenVMS AXP
  Product Guide.

     Note: Because Compaq DCE is a subset of the Open Group DCE,
           some of the information provided in this help library
           can mislead you into thinking a feature is available
           when it is not.

  This DCE help library lets you choose from seven major help topics
  at the top level:

     DCE	   DCE_CDS    DCE_DTS    DCE_IDL    DCE_RPC    DCE_SECURITY
     DCE_THREADS

  For example, to get help on RPC, enter the following:

      $ HELP DCE_RPC

  User-level and system administration DCE commands are available at
  the top levels of the help files. This is the information that is
  stored in the man 1 and man 8 sections of other DCE systems.  These
  commands have extensions such as (1rpc), (1dts), and (8cds) in the
  DCE reference manuals.  Other reference material, including DCE
  routines and error messages, is available under the sections that
  correspond to pages in the reference manuals. For example, find the
  RPC application routines under RPC_Application_Routines and the DTS
  application routines under DTS_Application_Routines.

  A NOTE ABOUT UNDERSCORE CHARACTERS (_):

  To improve the searching capabilities of this OpenVMS help library,
  many topics contain underscore (_) characters between words.  Note
  that some DCE commands also include underscore characters as part
  of their command syntax.  Do not assume that the help topic name is
  the same as the command syntax to be entered as a command.  Always
  check to see the actual command syntax.

1 - Navigation Hints

  USING WILDCARD CHARACTERS:

  Wildcard characters (* and %) are useful at the DCL ($) prompt or
  the "DCE Subtopic?" prompt.  For example, to see the RPC application
  routines, enter the following command:

     $ HELP DCE_RPC  Application_R*

  To see all the DCE threads application routines, enter the following
  command:

     $ HELP DCE_THREADS App*

  To directly access information about a routine, for example the
  routine rpc_binding_free, enter the following command:

     $ HELP DCE_RPC Application_Routines rpc_binding_free

  You can shorten the syntax of the previous command to either of
  the following formats:

     $ HELP DCE_RPC Appl* rpc_binding_free

  or

     $ HELP DCE_RPC * rpc_binding_free

  However, you will get quicker response to direct routine queries if you
  use the full syntax of the command.

  Note that the user and administrative information such as rpccp is
  available at the top level as follows:

     $ help dce_rpc rpccp

  ACCESSING MESSAGES:

  To access message information enter a command with underscore (_)
  characters connecting key words, as shown in the following example:

    $ help dce_idl idl_m  *interface_cannot_import*

  DCE

    IDL_Messages(rpc7)

      A_nonlocal_interface_cannot_import_a_local_interface

          Explanation: The [local] interface attribute implies that the
          interface is not part of an RPC application, but is used only to
          generate header files.  This causes IDL to suppress any
          errors specific to RPC that the interface uses as part of an
          RPC application.

          User Action: Remove the [local] attribute from the imported
          interface definition.  The imported interface does not need a
          UUID unless the interface defines an operation and you
          compile it independently.

  ACCESSING HELP SUBTOPICS FROM LONG LISTS:

  You can access subsections of help topics that contain long lists
  of additional information even while the "press RETURN to continue..."
  prompt is displayed.  For example, when you enter the following
  command the system displays a long list of the message topics
  available:

     $ help dce_idl idl_message

  You may need to press RETURN several times before the system displays
  the message that you want.  When the exact message topic is
  displayed you can access it quickly, however. Enter the
  correct message text at the "press RETURN to continue..." prompt,
  as shown in the following example:
     .
     .
     .
     A_maybe_operation_cannot_have_out_parameters_or_a_function_result
     A_min_is_parameter_must_have_the_in_attribute
     A_min_is_variable_must_be_a_small,_short,_or_long_integer
     A_nonlocal_interface_cannot_import_a_local_interface
     A_parameter_must_have_either_or_both_the_in_and_out_attributes
     .
     .
     .
     press RETURN to continue... *interface_cannot_import*

  Workstation users may find it easier to use the window cut-and-paste
  feature to enter long strings containing underscore (_) characters.