OpenSSH server change directory problem

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csewell
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OpenSSH server change directory problem

Post by csewell » Fri Apr 14, 2023 2:44 pm

I've installed the new TCP/IP stack VSI-I64VMS-TCPIP-X0600-19D-1 and the new OpenSSH I64VMS-OPENSSH-V0809-1C-1, since TCPIP-X0600 no longer comes with ssh.

I've noticed a couple of things different about the old TCPIP ssh and the new one:
  • The old ssh translated logical names. "cd SYS$MANAGER" worked. But with the new OpenSSH "cd SYS$MANAGER" assumes SYS$MANAGER is a subdirectory of your current directory. You need to use "cd /SYS$MANAGER". I don't see a problem there. It looks like we were relying on a quirk of the old ssh implementation and adding the root slash appears to be the proper syntax.
  • In the new OpenSSH, if you try to cd to a directory that contains a file with no name or type (i.e. .;1), then the cd fails. Example: Create a file with 'CREATE SYS$MANAGER:.". If you try to cd /SYS$MANAGER, you get an error "Directory /DISK$<whatever>/sys$manager: no such file or directory"

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martin
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Re: OpenSSH server change directory problem

Post by martin » Fri Apr 14, 2023 3:06 pm

I suspect that your second issue is that OpenSSH sees a null name and type as a file named "." rather than "null"."null". In *NIX "." means "this directory" and maybe why OpenSSH is getting confused.
Martin
  • Retired System Manager: VMS/UNIX/UNICOS/Linux.
  • Started on a VAX 11/782 in 1984 with VMS 3.6.


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csewell
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Re: OpenSSH server change directory problem

Post by csewell » Fri Apr 14, 2023 3:09 pm

martin wrote:
Fri Apr 14, 2023 3:06 pm
I suspect that your second issue is that OpenSSH sees a null name and type as a file named "." rather than "null"."null". In *NIX "." means "this directory" and maybe why OpenSSH is getting confused.
Quite possibly. Although the old ssh didn't get confused. An "ls" would show a ".;1" file. OpenSSH is evidently more generic and less OpenVMS aware then the old ssh.
Last edited by csewell on Fri Apr 14, 2023 3:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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martin
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Re: OpenSSH server change directory problem

Post by martin » Fri Apr 14, 2023 3:17 pm

Quite possibly. I think the original OpenVMS SSH implementation was OpenVMS specific, indeed may well go back to DEC days. OpenSSH was developed under Linux to the POSIX filesystem in order to avoid the proprietary UNIX implementations.
Martin
  • Retired System Manager: VMS/UNIX/UNICOS/Linux.
  • Started on a VAX 11/782 in 1984 with VMS 3.6.

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