====================== SSCC News, March, 1999 ====================== Inside this issue... BROADCAST Expanding /tmp Space Expanded on NORMAN Additional UNIX Training for VMSers Remaining SSCC Training Schedule for Spring Semester VMS Transition Issues: Moving SAS and SPSS Files to UNIX or PC Windows NT Logon Script Update SSCC Staff Changes New SSCC Publications Opportunity to Purchase STATA for your PC at Reduced Cost ------------------- BROADCAST Expanding ------------------- Displaying BROADCAST on VMS and UNIX when users log in used to be an effective way of alerting everyone to timely announcements. Then came POP mailers and some people no longer logged in to to UNIX and VMS. So, we began e-mailing BROADCAST to those users. Now along has come IMAP mailers and it has become very difficult to track who logs on (and reads BROADCAST) and who does not. Therefore, we are now going to display BROADCAST when you log on to the PRIMO domain. We realize that this still does not ensure that everyone will have an opportunity to read BROADCAST. For example, if you do not routinely log off your PC before you leave (which you should) or if you are dialing in from home and not connecting to the PRIMO domain, you may not see BROADCAST. If you fall into this category and would like to receive BROADCAST via e-mail, send mail to mcdermot and you will be added to the BROADCAST mailing list. ----------------------------- /tmp Space Expanded on NORMAN ----------------------------- /tmp is the directory most statistical software (including SAS, SPSS, and STATA) use to write temporary files when the program is executing. Each UNIX computer has its own /tmp directory. The /tmp directory on NORMAN was expanded on Wednesday. Below is the size of /tmp on each of the UNIX computers: Computer /tmp Space ------- ---------- GUY 2.8GB NORMAN 3.5GB ELAINE 1.3GB WINGRA 1.7GB MARIAH 7.4GB /tmp directories fill up when too many users are running large jobs simultaneously. Type "df -k /tmp" to check the amount of /tmp space available before running large jobs. CDE members please note: MARIAH is underutilized and a great choice for running SAS jobs. ----------------------------------- Additional UNIX Training for VMSers ----------------------------------- Many VMSers have taken advantage of this semester's SSCC training sessions which have focused on transition issues like learning a new e-mail program, learning UNIX, and moving SAS and SPSS system files. As a result of feedback and review of these sessions, we are now offering two additional UNIX sessions for those who already have taken the introductory UNIX session. These classes are described below: Transferring Your LOGIN.COM to UNIX ----------------------------------- Some VMS users have developed login.com files over years, only to lose them now in the transition to UNIX. This class shows users how to transfer commands from VMS login.com files to UNIX's login.com equivalent, called the .cshrc file. The class will also show additional configuration changes available on Unix, and so, will be interesting to long time UNIX users who do not know how to configure their login sessions. Taught Thursday, March 18th, 1pm to 2pm, Room 4452 Social Sciences. Managing Your Research Files on UNIX ------------------------------------ This class will teach four UNIX skills important to researchers: how to use groups on UNIX, how to manipulate permissions on UNIX, how to manage disk space on UNIX, and how to keep versions of files on UNIX. All four of these items are manipulated in significantly different manners on UNIX than on VMS. File versions, in particular, are very different: by default, UNIX does not keep versions of files. However, using UNIX tools, you can keep versions compactly for important files, and include comments with particular versions of files. Taught Friday, March 19th, 11am to 12:30pm, Room 2470 Social Sciences. ---------------------------------------------------- Remaining SSCC Training Schedule for Spring Semester ---------------------------------------------------- All SSCC training sessions require preregistration. To preregister for a class, either send mail to SSCCLASS indicating which class(es) you plan to attend or register through SSCC's web page form (https://www.ssc.wisc.edu/Sscc/Training/trainreg.htm) You will be reminded about your preregistration through e-mail a day or two before the class begins. Date Time Topic Room Instruct. ---- ---- ----- ---- --------- 3/16 2:30-4 Using the PINE Mailer on UNIX 2470 Wald 3/17 1-2 Moving Data on Off-line Media to other Media 4411 Flory 3/18 1-2 Transferring Your LOGIN.COM to UNIX 4452 Rodriguez 3/19 11-12:30 Managing Your Research Files on UNIX 2470 Rodriguez 3/23 2:30-4 Getting Started with ACCESS 3218 Brauer 3/24 11-12:30 Running GAUSS Jobs on UNIX 4452 Vanness/ Rodriguez Note: Any session scheduled in 2470, 7413, or 3218 (SSML) is "hands-on". -------------------------------------------------------------- VMS Transition Issues: Moving SAS and SPSS Files to UNIX or PC -------------------------------------------------------------- As part of the phase out of VMS at the end of 1999, the SAS and SPSS licenses on VMS expire on October 31, 1999. SAS and SPSS system files you have created on VMS are stored in a binary format that only VMS can read. Because of this, you need to convert these system files to a format that can be recognized by other operating systems like UNIX and Windows. THIS CONVERSION MUST BE DONE ON VMS BEFORE OCTOBER 31ST WHEN THE SOFTWARE LICENSES EXPIRE. Once you have done this conversion, then you can transfer these files to UNIX or your PC. SSCC staff have prepared handouts to help you with this process: How to Transport SAS Data Sets from VMS to UNIX (How-to #17) How to Transport SAS Data Sets between a PC and SSCC Computers (#42) How to Write a Macro to Transport SAS Data Sets from VMS to UNIX (#7) How to Transport SPSS System Files from VMS to UNIX (#18) These handouts are available from the Public Terminal Rooms, Consulting, or on-line at SSCC's web site (https://www.ssc.wisc.edu/Sscc/Pubs/pub.htm): And, as always, please contact Consultant with any questions. ------------------------------ Windows NT Logon Script Update ------------------------------ During the Wednesday, March 10th downtime, the Windows NT logon script (now automapping the U: drive to \\print\users) will be updated to do the following: 1) map local client's X: drive to network path \\print\project 2) map local client's Y: drive to network path \\print\public The logon script is executed when logging into the PRIMO domain from your network client. The purpose of each drive mapping is as follows: -U: drive is where your Windows NT home directory is located. On this drive you will find a folder representing your Windows NT username. Here you can store personal documents and data that only you need access to. Access to your home directory is restricted to you alone. -X: drive is where project space will be allocated for those needing a location for group members to access. Project space previously hosted on SSC-MASTER will be moved to this location (those affected by this have been notified via email). Access is restricted to group members. Please contact the consultant to request project space. -Y: drive is public space for storing temporary data. Access is not restricted here. Backups are performed on a daily basis for all the above drive mappings. Antivirus software has also been installed to provide added protection on the print file server. We encourage all users to utilize this space provided. ------------------ SSCC Staff Changes ------------------ Dan Bongert has joined the SSCC staff as our new UNIX system administrator. Dan was an SSCC student-hourly assisting with UNIX system administration before he graduated last May. Ralph Rodriguez is now SSCC's network and security manager. Dan's office is Soc. Sci. 4408. Please drop by and welcome him. Ralph, who previously occupied that office, is now in Soc. Sci. 2458. --------------------- New SSCC Publications --------------------- Following are new SSCC publications available from the Public Terminal Rooms, Consulting, or on-line at SSCC's web site (https://www.ssc.wisc.edu/Sscc/Pubs/pub.htm): How to Write a Macro to Transport SAS Data Sets from VMS to UNIX (#7) Logging into SSCC's PC Network Domain Using DoIT's Modem Pool: Instructions for Windows 95/98 (#5-13) Logging into SSCC's PC Network Domain Using DoIT's Modem Pool: Instructions for Windows NT 4.0 (#5-14) --------------------------------------------------------- Opportunity to Purchase STATA for your PC at Reduced Cost --------------------------------------------------------- SSCC will be coordinating a one time purchase of the PC version of Intercooled Stata for faculty, grad students, and staff for a reduced cost. Under STATA Corporation's GradPlan, SSCC members can purchase their own copies of STATA software and documentation for their PCs at these prices: Intercooled Stata (incl. "Getting Started" manual) $99 Stata User's Guide and Stata Reference Manual Extract $49 Complete Reference Manual Set $105 Payments may be in the form of credit cards or purchase orders. In order to get these reduced prices, we need to submit an order of at least $700. If we have sufficient interest from SSCC members, we will submit the order later this month. If you wish to order Stata for your PC, contact Sandi Lenz (email lenz@ssc.wisc.edu or drop by room 4405) by March 31st. At this time, this offer is only available through SSCC, as DoIT does not offer Stata for sale to individuals.