Duane,
Thanks. Will this truly be a weekly feature on the list? I hope so.

-----Original Message-----
From:   HP-3000 Systems Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Duane Percox
Sent:   Monday, September 25, 2000 5:41 PM
To:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        [HP3000-L] Tip of the Week - flexible XL access at run time...

Its common knowledge that you can specify
the NM libary (XL) for a NM executable by
either linking/altprog an XL list or by
specifying it at run time with the
';xl=' parameter. This allows you to use
a specific named XL instead of the acct/group
XL feature (;lib=).

What isn't common knowledge is that the
file names in the ';xl=' list can be formal
names preceded with an '*'. File equations
can then be used to direct the loader to the
specific library (XL) you wish.

For example, you can specify ;xl="*mylib" at link
time and resolve the libary at run time by issuing
a file equation: FILE MYLIB=...

This is a handy way to introduce different libraries
for testing purposes when the application system doesn't
allow you to easily overide the ;xl= at run time.

Also, if you specify multiple formal names like this:
xl="*liba,*libb,*libc"
then you can make allowances for multiple libraries even
though you currently only have one (1). If the library is
not needed (or available) you just file equate to $NULL.

In our application we compile/link our NM programs with
this: ;XL="*QSSLIBXA,*QSSLIBXB,*QSSLIBXC,*QSSLIB"

QSSLIB contains all of our shared utility routines. The other
libraries can be used by particular applications that use
an XL for application level shared code. Note: we put QSSLIB at
the end of the list because the MPE loader is a one pass
forward-only resolving loader and application level libraries
will usually be calling routines from QSSLIB.

Duane Percox    wk: 650.372.0200x608  fax: 650.372.3386
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