Dear People,

I have a few projects I am working on and have some questions to ask. I hope
someone has some ideas better than mine.

1). Transact problem - love it use it all the time with vpls screens but --
      When a user gets an error i.e. data set full etc. the error message is displayed
      only shortly on the message line and then the program goes to an exit/restart.
      Is there any way to have these error messages logged to a file so I can see
      what the error was.  This sure would make life simpler.

2). Communication problem -
     We have  series of Micro Vax (ugh) computers (7)  linked together via fiber
     optics and thicklan using Decnet software used for process control on the
     plant. The nearest Vax is 1 k away from our HP3000 947. What would be the
     hardware and software required to link the two together. Currently we use
     a  Telamon engine and a background job to transfer info back and forth but
     future requirements will find this method too slow for the volume of
     information.

3). Real hard problem -
     Our main product is rails for the railway, each rail has its own id (like a serial
     number but more complex), and traceability of each rail through the plant is
     very important. What we would like to do is attach a barcode to the rail as the
     rail id is stamped into the rail. This would allow us to use automated scanning
     of rails through the mill. The problem is the temperature of the rail at
     stamping time is 1700 degrees (red hot). Anybody have an idea on how to
     apply a tag. You cannot make any marks on the rail (considered a defect) and
     you cannot rivet to the rail (creates a possible stress point).


I thought  with all brain power on this list someone will have better ideas than me.


Thank you

Gary Nolan
Sydney Steel Corporation
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Canada
ph (902) 564-7982
Fx (902) 564-7903
email [log in to unmask]