RTL-V8.0 patch breaks DecWindows-desktop on OpenVMS 8.4-L1 (AXP)

[joukj]

Hi All,

When I install VMS842L1A_RTL_V0800 on my Alpha with OpenVMS V8.4-2L1 and DecWindows 1.7F, I encounter the following problem:

After installing the patch and rebooting, I try to login to the "new" desktop. The auto-startup application appear on the screen (although already on the blue startup screen). Then the screen gets its normal black background. However the panel does not appear. What is wrong with the combination CDE-panel and RTL-V8.0?

Jouk

[pustovetov]

What is wrong with the combination CDE-panel and RTL-V8.0?

Inside DECWindows there is a mix of calls to malloc/free/realloc and lib$vm_malloc/lib$vm_free/lib$vm_realloc. For example, decc$malloc is called, and then the resulting pointer is passed to the lib$vm_realloc function. Formally this is mistakes, but before CRTL-V8.0 it was allowed. But in V8.0, the function posix_memalign was added, it required adding some additional information to the internal structures associated with memory allocation. And the functions free and lib$vm_free became incompatible.
I've fixed it. But the fix will probably be available in V9.0

[arne_v]

Anything besides CDE expected to break by 8.0 due to this?

People will have to consider whether they want to skip 8.0 and wait for 9.0 or go ahead with 8.0.

[pustovetov]

Anything besides CDE expected to break by 8.0 due to this?

At this time, only the case of CDE authentication failure is known.

People will have to consider whether they want to skip 8.0 and wait for 9.0 or go ahead with 8.0.

If they need to work with CDE, they already know about the problem. And why should others skip V8? Well, in x86 there is the same issue up to 9.2-3. In the 9.2-3 the issue has been fixed too.

[arne_v]

Maybe I have misunderstood the problem.

I read this thread as:
* 7.0 - CDE works
* 8.0 - CDE does not work
* 9.0 - CDE will work

So those that:
* are still on 7.0
* need CDE (or something else if that something else has same problem)
should consider skipping 8.0 and wait for 9.0.

[joukj]

I upgraded from V5.0 to V8.0; So I cannot say anything on V6.0 and V7.0

[arne_v]

7.0 should probably read "pre-8.0".

[joukj]

I see that now also a RTL-V6.0 patch is released. Can it be confirmned that that one still allows the Desktop to start.