How to read RMS indexed files? From Linux!!!

petecoales has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

Monks,

I need to be able to read and update an RMS Indexed file that is currently sat on an OpenVMS machine. However... The perl script is running on a linux box that has access to the files on the vms box via an nfs disk share...

I know there's a module called rms.pm but that only appears to be for vmsPerl and i need the script to run from the linux side... There are a host of issues governing that decision...

I've proved I can see the files by simply using sysopen and looping around a sysread command and I get data... heavily disguised as garbage...

I need to be able to read via a particular index on the file and be able to update records and write them back...

Has anybody done this already and can provide some guidance?

Thanks in advance...

pete

Comment on How to read RMS indexed files? From Linux!!!

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Re: How to read RMS indexed files? From Linux!!! by Moron (Curate) on Sep 21, 2005 at 15:49 UTC
Obviously it would be a rather tall order to try to unscramble an RMS-indexed file from the linux end. There are a number of utilities that can help you convert the RMS file to a flat format at the VMS end, such as CONVERT/FDL and DATATRIEVE. Update: And of course, having modified the flat file at the linux end and having created an fdl file (file definition language) using ANALYZE/RMS/FDL at the VMS end, you can then CONVERT/FDL the modified flat file back to RMS format, thus by this indirect route achieving the same effect as modification from the linux end. -M Free your mind	[reply]
Re: How to read RMS indexed files? From Linux!!! by graff (Chancellor) on Sep 22, 2005 at 01:35 UTC
Looks like this isn't really a perl question. If you google for VMS RMS, you'll find some resources that might be helpful (e.g. commercial software for linux/unix that can work with RMS files, with free 30-day trial, etc). Good luck.	[reply]