Qedit 6.7 for HP e3000
Change Notice
Doc-To-Help Standard Manual
by Robelle Solutions Technology Inc.

Program and manual copyright © 1977-2026 Robelle Solutions Technology
Inc.
Permission is granted to reprint this document (but not for
profit), provided that copyright notice is given.
Qedit and Suprtool are trademarks of Robelle Solutions Technology Inc.
Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Other product and company
names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Robelle Solutions Technology Inc.
Suite 325-4025
Dorchester Road
Niagara Falls,
ON, Canada L2E 7K8
Phone: 289.480.1060
E-mail: sales@robelle.com
E-mail: support@robelle.com
Web: www.robelle.com
Contents
Important
Note About Passwords
Step
2: Install QLIB and Bonus Programs
Step
3: Install NM Compiler Interface (only XL)
Step
4: Install CM Compiler Interface (optional)
Choosing
a CM Installation Method
Integrating
CM Compiler Changes
Step
5: Purge Installation Files (optional)
Firewall
Protocol and the Server
Qedit is our fast and efficient full-screen editor and development
home base for HP e3000 systems (MPE/iX and MPE V). One of our objectives
for Qedit is to give PowerHouse and COBOL developers all the necessary
capabilities to perform their work from a single program.
We are constantly enhancing Qedit with new features and fixes
requested by users. Not only does this change notice include a description of
Qedit's enhancements, but it also includes detailed installation steps and a
list of other changes for host-based Qedit. This change notice also includes a
description of the server portion of Qedit for Windows.
Host-based Qedit is also available for HP-UX, with virtually
identical features. If you would like more information, please contact Robelle
Solutions Technology Inc.
Our newest editor, Qedit for Windows, now gives you the familiar
Windows interface for editing both MPE/iX and HP-UX files, all from a single
program. Qedit for Windows is the next generation of our popular editor, which
consists of a Windows editing client and either an MPE/iX or HP-UX editing
server that work together to edit host files. Since its release, we have
focused our development efforts on Qedit for Windows, adding more functionality
and continuing to expand its capabilities. If you would like to upgrade to
Qedit for Windows, please contact Robelle Solutions Technology Inc.
This is an overview of all the changes
implemented in this version.
· Qedit 6.7 has been tested with Jump/3000
the 2028 mitigation software.
This is an overview of all the changes
implemented in this version.
· Visual Mode for HP terminals on
HP-UX, will automatically turn on set Vis Blockemulation on. (HP-UX only)
· Visual mode for Qedit/Open will no
longer fail with unrecoverable file system error when using on xterm or vt
terminals. (Linux Only)
This is
an overview of all the changes implemented in this version.
·
Visual
Mode for HP terminals has been added to Qedit/Open
·
Qedit
visual mode has been ported and added to the Linux version. (Linux only)
·
The
behaviour of regexp window has been fixed in one corner case. (All platforms)
·
Help
files are now working in Qedit/Open. (Linux Only)
·
Hold
files are now working in visual and in other areas of Qedit/Open.
·
An
issue was fixed when Qedit repainted the updated screen incorrectly after a
block copy or move is now fixed.
·
Set
vis above can only be 0. This is temporary. (Linux Only)
·
Set
Vis BlockEmulation has been turned on by default. (Linux Only)
This is an
overview of all the changes implemented in this version.
·
Final
work has been completed on 2027 mitigation.
·
Qedit
has been ported to Linux.
This is an
overview of all the changes implemented in this version.
·
More
work has been done to extend Qedit to work properly beyond 2027 date limitation
on the HP 3000.
This is an
overview of all the changes implemented in this version.
·
The
Verify command incorrectly parsed certain entries near the end of the verb
table such as ZZ, String etc.
·
The
Calendar intrinsic is being phased out of Qedit and all Robelle products, which
will help all products run past 2028.
·
UDC’s
would stop working properly if a Calc command longer than 138 characters was
entered.
Qedit commands
are added to the Redo stack before variable substitution occurs (Set
Varsub On) i.e., with the
variable name. So, if the variable value changes between the time the command
is entered and the time it is retrieved from the stack, the results may be
different. It's also important to note that commands related to Redo stack
operations such as Listredo,
Do, Before cannot have trailing comments enclosed in
curly braces anymore. The comments are not removed and likely cause a syntax
error.
Qedit runs only on CPUs whose serial numbers (the "showvar
hpsusan" number on MPE/iX) have been encoded. If it fails to run and you
see an "invalid HPSUSAN" error message, call Robelle for assistance.
The underscore character can be used as a string delimiter and as
as valid character in a Posix filename. If you enter a filename containing an
underscore in the INFO= string parameter, Qedit interprets the underscore as a
string delimiter. For example, if you enter:
run qedit.pub.robelle;info='-c "t
my_history;vi"'
This command should start up Qedit, have it open the Posix file
called my_history and go into full-screen mode automatically. However, since
the underscore is seen as a string delimiter, whatever follows is basically
ignored during command processing. Thus, the file is opened but Qedit stays at
the line-mode prompt.
We hope to have a permanent fix in a future release. In the
meantime, the workaround is to explicitly identify the underscore as being part
of the filename. You can do this in different ways. Here are two examples.
run qedit.pub.robelle;info='-c t $file
\my_history\;vi"'
The $file keyword and the backslash characters are used to clearly
identify the filename. The other approach is remove the underscore from the
list of valid delimiters using the Set StringDelimiters command.
run qedit.pub.robelle;info='set stringd posix;-c
"t my_history;vi"'
The $file approach is simpler as it only affects that particular
command. The Set StringDelimiter approach should be used with caution as it
might affect other commands during the edit session.
Starting
with Qedit 5.4.11, complex command files with multiple levels of nesting can
cause an abort. In some of the cases we have seen, the problem only occurred
when the Defer option was used. The workaround is simply
to disable the feature with Set Open Defer Off. We are investigating the problem and
will fix it as soon as possible.
Qedit comes with a User Manual and a Change Notice. You may have
received printed copies of these.
They are also available as PDF or HTML files. You can download
these from our website.
The user manual contains the full description of all the Qedit
commands, as well as usage tips. The manual is up to date with all the latest
changes incorporated in Qedit. To see only the changes in the latest version,
see the "What's New" section of the manual, or see the change notice.
For a complete
description of the latest changes made to Qedit, the installation instructions,
and any compatibility issues, see the change notice that was included with the
release.
The latest user manual and change notice are available in Adobe
PDF format. If you do not already have the Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can get a
copy from http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html.
If you are a new Qedit user, please follow the
installation instructions in the Qedit
User Manual. The following installation instructions assume that you are an
existing Qedit user who is upgrading to version 5.7.
To install this upgrade of Qedit, follow these steps:
1. Install
Qedit.
2. Install
the QLIB and/or Bonus programs.
3. Fix the
NM compilers. (Only XL)
4. Fix the
MPEV compilers. (optional)
5. Purge
installation files. (optional)
Installation should take less than 20 minutes. No one can use
Qedit while step 1 is in progress. Bonus and QLIB programs cannot be used while
step 2 is in progress.
If you have any questions about the upgrade process or run into
any problems, please call us. Technical support is available on weekdays from 7
a.m. to 4 p.m., Pacific time.
None of the jobs we supply have passwords in them. Before
streaming a job, you might have to add your system's passwords to the first
line. Users of MPE XL version 3.0 and later do not have to do this because the
operating system prompts you for missing passwords. The same is true for MPEV
users who have security software that inserts passwords. Most MPEV users have
to edit the jobs. For example, if the system manager logon password is Qwerty,
you would do the following:
:editor
HP32201A.07.22 EDIT/3000
/text robelle.job.robelle
FILE UNNUMBERED
/modify 1
MODIFY
1
!job robelle,manager.sys,pub;hipri
i/qwerty
!job robelle,manager.sys/qwerty,pub;hipri
/keep robtemp
/exit
END OF SUBSYSTEM
:stream robtemp
:purge robtemp
Users of STREAMX, a part of SECURITY/3000 from VESOFT Inc., must
set a Job Control Word before streaming jobs. This step prevents STREAMX from
generating an error if the Robelle account does not yet exist. For example,
:setjcw streamxtempnonest 1
:stream robelle.job.robelle
If the tape you received has more than one product on it (e.g.,
Qedit and Suprtool), you can take a shortcut instead of following the complete
instructions for both products.
Steps that are common to both installations need only be done
once. That is, there is no need to restore twice, or setup the Robelle account
twice, or install the Qlib and Bonus programs twice, or clean up unneeded files
twice.
Note that if you do not
use this shortcut, it is not a problem; it will just take you a few minutes
longer, and you will have to mount the restore tape a second time.
Say you install Qedit first, followed by Suprtool:
1. Do all
of the Qedit steps, except for the final Purge
Installation Files step.
2. Then do
the Suprtool installation starting with the :stream
Install.Suprjob step. Skip the initial Restore
and Robelle Accoount steps, and skip
the Qlib/Bonus step. Do the final Purge Installation Files step.
This step requires three separate procedures: restoring all
Robelle files from tape to disc, building (or upgrading) the Robelle account
with the job stream that we provide, and streaming the installation job stream.
All these procedures can easily be accomplished if you log on as Manager.Sys.
First, you have to restore all the files from tape.
:hello manager.sys {log on as system manager}
:file rtape;dev=tape {mount Robelle tape}
:restore *rtape; @.@.robelle; create {=reply on the console}
Check the :Restore listing for files that were busy and could not
be restored. There are a number of reasons why a file could have been busy:
someone may have been using it or backing it up, it may have been held as a
suspended son process (menu system), or it may have been allocated. If files
were busy, chase away any users, deallocate any busy programs, then try the
:Restore command again.
You must build (or
upgrade) the Robelle account with the job stream that we provide. This job
removes the passwords from the Robelle account and from the user Mgr.Robelle.
You need to know the existing passwords so that you can put them back after the
installation.
:listacct robelle;pass {look for PASSWORD: }
:listuser mgr.robelle;pass {look for PASSWORD: }
Once you have written down the passwords, stay logged on as
Manager.Sys and stream the job that builds and updates the Robelle account.
:stream robelle.job.robelle
This job stream will send you a message when it is finished.
Stay logged on as Manager.Sys and put a password on the Robelle
account. If you are upgrading your Robelle account, use the old password.
:altacct robelle;pass=hardpass {hard to guess}
Please note that during installation, we add OP capability to the
Robelle account. Once Qedit has been installed, you can remove OP capability.
The
following Qedit program files are restored to the Pub group of the Robelle
account:
|
Program |
Purpose |
|
qeditnm |
NM
Qedit program |
|
qeditcm,
qeditpm |
CM
Qedit programs |
|
qcompxl |
NM
compiler interface |
|
qedify,
qcompusl |
CM
compiler interface |
|
qloadxl |
NM
Qedit options |
|
ederrnm,
ederrcm |
:Editerror
support |
|
qmap |
reformat
MPEV PMAP |
Our installation job puts the proper Qedit files into the Pub
group of the Robelle account. To make sure no one uses these programs during
the installation, send a warning. Then stream the job:
:hello mgr.robelle
:warn @;please exit from Qedit NOW!
:stream install.qeditjob {supply passwords}
Check the installation job $stdlist. If anyone was using Qedit or
attempting to back it up during the installation, the job will fail. If the job
failed, chase away any users, ensure that a backup is not in progress, then
stream the installation job again.
The installation job renames your current versions of Qedit to the
PubOld group of the Robelle account. If you need to move these versions back
into production, use the Previous.Qeditjob job stream.
Once you have installed Qedit, users can now access it by entering
:run Qedit.pub.robelle
Qedit comes with an array of contributed software in the QLIB
library (in the QLIB groups of the Robelle account). QLIB programs may be used
on any CPU and may be given away freely. Your Robelle license may also entitle
you to receive our Bonus programs: Compare/iX, HowMessy, Select, Spell, and
Xpedit. These programs reside in the Pub group of the Robelle account. Bonus
programs can be used only on authorized machines, and you may not distribute
them to anyone.
If you received Bonus programs with this version of Qedit, use the
job stream called Bonus.Job.Robelle to install both the QLIB and Bonus
programs. If you did not receive Bonus programs, use the job stream
Qlib.Job.Robelle to install the QLIB programs.
:hello mgr.robelle
:stream bonus.job.robelle {or Qlib.Job.Robelle}
If you skip this step, you may end up running old versions of
these programs.
Before you can use the Spell Bonus program or the Words command in
Qedit, you have to build the main dictionary for Spell with an additional
installation job. This job stream can take 30 to 60 minutes; you do not have to
wait for it to finish before going to the next step.
By default, the Spell program uses American spellings. To use
British spellings, set the SpellAmerican JCW to False in the installation job.
:run qedit.pub.robelle {or use :Editor}
/text dictmain.spjob
/modify "setjcw
SpellAmerican" {for British
spelling, }
/keep robtemp { change True to False}
/exit
:stream robtemp
:purge robtemp
For more information, see the Spell
User Manual.
If
you don't need to compile source files that are saved as permanent Qedit
workfiles (file code=111), then this step is optional. It is also optional if
you have not installed a new version of MPE since your previous Qedit
installation.
If
you use any NM compilers on MPE/iX, you will want to install the new NM
compiler interface. If you still use the CM compilers as well, you will also
want to install that compiler interface (described in step 4 below).
Assuming that you have restored the Robelle files on your system
and that you have not done this step before, stream Savecmdf.Qeditjob to make
backup copies of the existing HP command files in the Stdcmd.Sys group. You
need to know the Manager.Sys password.
:stream savecmdf.qeditjob.robelle
{wait for it to finish}
:listf @.stdcmd.sys
Then stream Qcompxl.Qeditjob to make three (3) changes to the
Pub.Sys compiler command files:
:stream qcompxl.qeditjob.robelle
This job makes the following changes to the compiler command
files:
1. Change
the run of the compiler program to
;xl
="qcompxl.pubnew.robelle, qcompxl.pub.robelle".
2. Add
";shr" to the File commands for the text and master files.
3. Change
"setjcw jcw=fatal" to an invalid command so that errors in either
Qedit or MPE/iX will abort the command file.
Now you should be able to compile a Qedit file or a Keep file,
either within Qedit or at the MPE/iX prompt, simply by invoking the normal
command file.
:pasxl source {from MPE}
:run qedit.pub.robelle
/pasxl source {from Qedit}
Within Qedit, you can specify an asterisk (*) for the current
workfile.
:run qedit.pub.robelle
/text source
/pasxl *
/exit
:pasxl qeditscr
If you don't need to compile source files that are saved as
permanent Qedit workfiles (file code=111), then this step is optional.
When installing Qedit on MPE/iX, you might have to install the NM
compiler interface (described earlier) and the CM compiler interface (described
here). For MPEV, however, you only have to worry about the original CM
compilers.
After restoring the files from tape, you have to choose an
installation method: integral or isolated.
There are two methods of fixing the compilers on your system: integral into Pub.Sys or isolated in the Robelle account. The
isolated method is best for new or trial-period users because it is faster to
install and easier to remove later. You can start with the isolated method and
easily convert to the integral method later.
To determine if you currently use the isolated or integral method,
run Qedit and enter
/verify whichcomp
If the displayed line ends with "IN ROBELLE," you are
using the isolated method. If it ends in "IN SYS," you are using the
integral method.
The compilers in Pub.Sys are "fixed" directly, and a
segment is added to the system SL. The standard :Cobol and :Pascal commands of
MPE then compile Qedit workfiles. :Sysdump is used to make a new cold load tape
for the next time you need to boot the system.
The MPE compilers are copied into the Q.Robelle group and the
original compilers are left in the Pub.Sys group. No code is added to the
system SL. Qedit workfiles can be compiled only within Qedit because the
"Qedit" compilers are not in Pub.Sys.
The job stream Qeditj1.Qeditjob.Robelle makes integral compiler fixes. Use it either to update the fixes to a new
version or to re-install the fixes after an MPE update from HP. Before you
start, you should :Store @.Pub.Sys and save it on tape because this job
modifies the compiler program files in Pub.Sys. You will need another small
tape for a new cold load tape.
Ensure that no one compiles during the installation. Stop all jobs
and send an operator warning. Log on as Manager.Sys, modify the first line of
the Qeditj1 job to include the passwords, then :Stream the job.
:stream qeditj1.qeditjob.robelle
This job runs Qedify.Pub.Robelle, which updates the compilers in
Pub.Sys and installs nonprivileged hooks into them so that the compilers can
access Qedit workfiles.
The job adds a code segment from Qcompusl.Pub.Robelle into
Sl.Pub.Sys and then requests a tape mount for a new cold load tape.
Mount a write-enabled tape and :Reply. Save this tape and use it
for future cold loads. The CM compiler interface is now installed. Compiling
done inside or outside Qedit will work on either Qedit workfiles or on regular
Keep files.
The job stream Qeditj1a.Qeditjob.Robelle fixes the compilers, but
it isolates the changes in the Q.Robelle group. Ensure that no one compiles
during the installation. Stop all jobs and send an operator warning. Modify the
first line of Qeditj1a to include the Robelle password, then stream the job.
:stream qeditj1a.qeditjob.robelle
The job uses Qedify.Pub.Robelle to copy the compilers from Pub.Sys
to the Q.Robelle group, then it "fixes" them so that they can read
Qedit files. The original compilers in the Pub.Sys group are not modified. Once
this step is finished, you can use the CM compilers on Qedit files from within
Qedit, but not at the MPE prompt.
The easiest way to clean up after an installation is to stream the
Cleanup.Purgejob.Robelle job. This job saves you disc space by purging the
installation files. It does not purge the files that are necessary to run the
software.
:stream cleanup.purgejob.robelle
Qedit for Windows lets you edit local MPE/iX and HP-UX files from
a single MS Windows program. It consists of a Windows editing client and either
an MPE/iX or HP-UX editing server that work together to edit your host files.
To take advantage of Qedit for Windows, you need both parts: the client and the
server.
Qedit for Windows uses the popular TCP/IP protocol for
communicating between the client and the server (this is the same protocol that
you use to access the Web). Configuring the Qedit server software requires
creating the correct TCP/IP environment for Qedit for Windows.
By default, the Qedit server uses the MPE/iX Remote Process
Management (RPM) service to start each server session. With RPM, the client
sends a program name and an Info= string along with logon information to the
RPM listening process. The RPM listening process then validates the user logon
and starts the specified program with the Info= string. The server process is
seen as an MPE/iX session, but the process is not included in your user limit.
The Qedit server software is not available for MPEV.
When you use an MPE/iX connection to open a file in Qedit for
Windows, this is what happens:
1. A new
host session is started, and the user name and passwords are validated (this
includes additional logon processing by products such as SECURITY/3000).
2. The
Qedit client asks RPM on the host to run the Ci.Pub.Sys program with an Info
string. For example,
qedit.pub.robelle
"-d<ip-address>"
The "<ip-address>" is the IP address of the Qedit client.
3. The
Qedit process starts, and it verifies that you are authorized to use Qedit in
server mode.
4. Any
system-wide Qeditmgr files are always processed. Processing of account and
group Qeditmgr files is optional and must be enabled in the client.
5. The
requested file is opened.
6. A
response is sent to the client.
It is important to note that logon UDCs are not executed as part
of this process. Any environment variables or file equations that are set up as
part of a logon UDC will not be applied in the Qedit server process.
The default protocol is usually sufficient at most sites. However,
some customers use firewall devices to further restrict access to their HP
e3000. The default protocol might not work at some of these sites. For this
reason, the server offers a Firewall protocol.
In order to use this protocol, a Qedit listener has to be running
at all times. You should add this job to your system startup procedure:
:stream qserver.qeditjob.robelle
If the job is not running, all new connection requests are
rejected. Currently, the only way to stop the job is to abort it.
With this setup, the server runs as a listener similar to a UNIX
daemon. It waits for incoming connection requests on a specific port number.
Like the HP-UX server, the default port number is 7395. If you want to use a
different port, you have to modify the Qserver job stream.
Upon receiving a request, the listener passes the information down
to RPM, which then takes over.
The Qedit server process always executes the commands in the
system-wide Qeditmgr files (e.g., Qeditmgr.Pub.Sys). Processing of the account
and group Qeditmgr files can be enabled in the client. To indicate that you are
using the Qedit server in either the server or the nonserver mode, which are
not exactly the same, we provide a JCW called QEDSERVMODE. QEDSERVMODE is set
to zero (0) if you are in nonserver mode, and nonzero if you are in server
mode. If you are using the Qedit server, you should modify your Qeditmgr file
so that few, if any, commands are executed in server mode. For example,
if Qedservmode = 0 then
set extprog mpex.pub.vesoft
endif
This release fixes a number of bugs. The number in brackets at the
end of each section indicates the version in which the problem has been fixed.
·
MPE commands with long Info= string do not cause stack
corruption anymore. [5.6.10]
·
UDC commands would stop working after a calc command
greater than 138 characters. (5.9)
·
Regular Expressions. Qedit would improperly report the
error “String longer than maximum allowed” if the expression
specified is longer than the window of the rangelist. (5.7.10)
·
Text command. The text command would fail with Integer
Divide by Zero error when texting in some variable length or byte stream files.
(5.7.11)
·
The Verify command incorrectly parsed certain entries
near the end of the verb table such as ZZ, String etc. [6.0.01]