Welcome to the DOS/VS 5 Pack v1r0m1

This document is the starting point to learn about "getting up and running" smoothly.

This is my first time around in preparing and documenting such a DOS/VS deliverable.
It is my intention that this first release of the documentation will be improved over time.
For feed-back, please post your questions, comments and suggestions in the H390-DOS Yahoo! discussion group.

I hope you enjoy your experience with DOS/VS! See you on H390-DOSVS

Michel Beaulieu, P. Eng., MBA, Project+
February 2010 - Montréal QC Canada

Part 1: Pre-Requisite to run DOS/VS on your computer

Return to Top

The minimum requirement is to have a S/370 mainframe emulator like Hercules-390 or equivalent.
More information on Hercules-390 is available at
http://www.hercules-390.org

This documentation and the supporting files have been developped to run in a Microsoft Windows environment.
The initial testing have been done with "Windows XP" 32-bit and "Windows 7" 64-bit.

This first version is intended to run directly with Hercules-390 (or Hercules-380).

It is understood that DOS/VS runs very well in a VM environemnt (VM/370 or VM/380).
The next update of the DOS/VS 5 packs will provide, documentation and support files to run DOS/VS as a virtual machine in a VM setting.

For better usability, two optional additions to Hercules-390 are also configured.

  1. Configuration and Documentation are included on using "HercRdr" to submit your JCL to DOS/VS.
    "HercRdr" is part of the Hercules Windows GUI available at the following link:
    http://www.softdevlabs.com/Hercules/hercgui-index.html


  2. Configuration and Documentation include using "HercPrt" to capture the printed output.
    "HercPrt" is available at the following link:
    http://www.softdevlabs.com/Hercules/hercprt.html

    3. The current 3.06 release version of Hercules does not have socket printer support required by HercPrt.
    Until the next version of Hercules is released, you can use one of the snapshots instead.
    It is not recommended to use any snapshot earlier than, revision #5402 or so:
    http://www.ivansoftware.com/snapshots/snapshots/
    http://www.ivansoftware.com/cgi-bin/viewvc.cgi/

    I have tested with version 5602, although the latest and most current/recent revision[*]) is usually your best choice.


Part 2: Download Files

Return to Top

Space required for the download:

  1. Hercules - each version requires between 2MB to 4MB for download
  2. Hercules Tools - HercGUI executable is less than 1MB - HercPrt between 6MB and 12MB
  3. DOS/VS 5 Packs v1r0m1
  4. VC++ redistributable files require between 2MB and 7MB each

To install you need the following files:

  1. Hercules Mainframe Emulator for Windows: (choose which one(s) you need)

  2. Tools for Hercules (Windows) from http://www.softdevlabs.com :



  3. The zip files for DOS/VS 5 packs v1r0m1 from itbench.speakingmind.com


  4. If you enconter the following error when launching Hercules
    Application failed to Initialise properly (0xc0150002)

    Then you need to install Microsoft VC++ redistributables:
    Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Service Pack 1 Redistributable Package ATL Security Update
    -- and/or --
    Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Service Pack 1 Redistributable Package ATL Security Update


Part 3: Installation and Configuration

Return to Top

Space required for Installation:

  1. Hercules - each version requires between 5MB to 9MB for installation
  2. Hercules Tools - HercGUI executable is about 5MB - HercPrt between 9MB and 16MB
  3. DOS/VS 5 Packs v1r0m1
  4. VC++ redistributable files require more that 10MB(please let me know) each

Here are the steps recommended for a first time user of Hercules.
Experienced users can skip steps that are not required.

  1. Unzip Hercules-390 for Windows 32 bits into a directory
    ex: C:\Prog\H390W32\W32-hercules-SVN-5602
    Create the H390W32 environment variable to point to that directory.

  2. (Optional) Unzip Hercules-390 for Windows 64 bits into a directory
    ex: C:\Prog\H390W64\W64-hercules-SVN-5602
    Create the H390W64 environment variable to point to that directory.

  3. (Optional) Unzip Hercules-380 for Windows 32 bits into a directory
    ex: C:\Prog\H380W32\hercules380-3_06-7_0
    Create the H380W32 environment variable to point to that directory.

  4. (Optional) Run the Hercules Installer for Windows (32 bits)
    That will install the HTML files that can then be copied into the other install directories.
    ex: copy this directory into the others --> C:\Program Files\hercules\hercules-3.06\html

  5. Unzip HercGUI into a directory
    ex: C:\Prog\HercGUI\HercGUI-1.11.1.5265
    The directory name will be later configured into the batch file: subdosvs.bat

  6. Run the HercPrt Windows install:

    HercPrt_1.1.0.545_x86_std_setup.exe   (for Windows 32 bits)
    or
    HercPrt_1.1.0.545_x64_std_setup.exe   (for Windows 64 bits)

    That will install HercPrt with all the files required for it.

    By default, HercPrt is installed in the Program Files directory.
    ex: C:\Program Files\SoftDevLabs\HercPrt

    The directory name will be later configured into the batch file: txt2pdf.bat

  7. Unzip the run time files dosvs5pack-v1r0m1-run.zip into a directory
    ex: C:\@370\dosvs5pack-v1r0m1\run   (the run subdirectory is extracted from the zip file)

  8. Unzip the support files dosvs5pack-v1r0m1-support.zip into a directory
    ex: C:\@370\dosvs5pack-v1r0m1\support   (the support subdirectory is extracted from the zip file)

  9. (Optional) Unzip the useful-ref files dosvs5pack-v1r0m1-useful-ref.zip into a directory
    ex: C:\@370\dosvs5pack-v1r0m1\useful-ref   (the useful-ref subdirectory is extracted from the zip file)

  10. Configure subdosvs.bat and create a SendTo shortcut
    Go to the ../run/scripts/ directory and edit the subdosvs.bat
    change the line starting with: set subcmd=
    to point to the directory where HercGUI is installed.
    ex.: set subcmd="C:\Prog\HercGUI\HercGUI-1.11.1.5265\HercRdr.exe"
    and save the file.

    Right Click on the file and create a shortcut for it.
    Rename the shortcut file as @subdosvs and copy it in the SendTo directory
      - WindowsXP - C:\Documents and Settings\[your Windows account]\SendTo
      - Windows7 - C:\Users\[your Windows account]\SendTo
      (on recent Windows systems, you need to change the permissions)
      (you can change the icons of the shortcut is you like)

  11. Configure txt2pdf.bat and create a SendTo shortcut
    Go to the ../run/scripts/ directory and edit the txt2pdf.bat
    change the line starting with: set subcmd=
    to point to the directory where HercPrt is installed.
    ex.: set subcmd="C:\Program Files\SoftDevLabs\HercPrt\txt2pdf32.exe"
    and save the file.
    Specify txt2pdf64.exe on 64 bit Windows.

    Change the other variables according to your need.

    Right Click on the file and create a shortcut for it.
    Rename the shortcut file as @txt2pdf and copy it in the SendTo directory
      - WindowsXP - C:\Documents and Settings\[your Windows account]\SendTo
      - Windows7 - C:\Users\[your Windows account]\SendTo
      (on recent Windows systems, you need to change the permissions)
      (you can change the icons of the shortcut is you like)

  12. Configure HercPrt
    Go to the directory where HercPrt is installed and select HercPrt32.exe
    (select HercPrt64.exe on 64 bit Windows).

    Right Click on the file and create a shortcut for it.
    (on Windows Server 2008 R2 64 bit, you need to specify: Run as administrator).
    Place the shortcut at the most convenient location for you.

    Double-Click (open) the HercPrt program and set your configuration.
    1. Printer ID: [any name you choose]
    2. IP Address: [enter your IP address or use 127.0.0.1 when on the same computer]
    3. Port Number: 1403 [match the port in the Hercules configuration file]
    4. Control File: C:\Program Files\SoftDevLabs\HercPrt\dosvsr34.ini [provided ini file]
      (if you want to tailor this file copy the file under another name first)
    5. Spooler Dir: C:\@370\dosvs5pack-v1r0m1\run\x_output\ [or any directory you choose]
    6. You may want to automatically reconnect when DOS/VS goes through multiple IPL



Part 4: Operations and Support

Return to Top

If you enconter the following error when launching Hercules
Application failed to Initialise properly (0xc0150002)
Then you need to install Microsoft VC++ redistributables.
Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Service Pack 1 Redistributable Package ATL Security Update
-- and/or --
Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Service Pack 1 Redistributable Package ATL Security Update


Here are the steps to follow to IPL (start) DOS/VS

  1. Open a command prompt and go to the "run" directory
  2. Choose which Hercules to use, choices are: use-h390w32 | use-h390w64 | use-h380w32
  3. Choose the console type: dosvs3215.bat or dosvs3277.bat
    With dosvs3215, the startup commands are automatically supplied
    from the file "hercules.rc".
    With dosvs3277, you need to enter the startup commands
    until I find a way to script them with the 3270 emulator

  4. Shutdown POWER/VS (the DOS/VS spooler)
    (These commands are for the 3277 console; in 3125 mode prefix them with "/"

Support Topics:

  1. To submit your JCL to DOS/VS
    Using the Windows Explorer, select your job file to submit (ex.:hellojob.pwrjob) and right-click,
    then use the SendTo menu @subdosvs to submit the file to DOS/VS.

  2. Adding a dasd (disk device)
    One thing you may want to do is to add another disk to your system:
  3. A few commands that you can use:
  4. TCP/IP Port for the console: using the port 3277 instead of default

  5. TCP/IP Port for the reader: using the port 3505

  6. TCP/IP Port for the printer: using the port 1403

  7. There is only one set of workfiles defined in the system Standard Labels.
    You can only do one compile at a time unless you allocate different workfiles.
    Probably a good idea to do compiles/assemblies in one partition only: BG

    The COBOL compiler cannot use 3350 workfiles, you need to add different disks.

  8. Supervisor sysgen
    8 MB virtual size has been allocated to BG so that you that you can increase foreground alloc as needed



Part 5: Tips: EBCDIC editor, Printing without HercPrt, ...

Return to Top

Part 6: Future Plans and Wish List

Return to Top
  1. GCC C compiler ... pre-requisite is s/380 architecture and 31-bit support
    DOS/VS IPL with main storage =16MB or greater get stuck in a loop.

  2. Single level storage -- turn off DOS/VS paging

  3. COBOL applications using VSAM and SORT

  4. COBOL compiler ability to use workfiles on 3350

  5. Documentation and support files to run with VM/370 & VM/380

  6. Documentation and support files for running inside Linux

  7. A DOS/VS based 3270 editor (like VSEDIT) to maintain library and submit jobs

  8. Some kind of online transaction monitor

    9. Send me your suggestions.