The way port GNU programs to VMS.

So really, the first GNU program I really started working on is Autoconf. I haven't finished all parts of it yet, that's why I haven't released it yet.

I have since developed a standard on what files should exist in the VMS port of a GNU program, and how things should be done. That standard resulted in a new GNU package, called GNU vmslib (it isn't released yet, sorry).

In general, most VMS-specific files will appear in the vms/ subdirectory. There are some exceptions to this rule, like in GNU flex, where most VMS-specific files appear in misc/vms/ instead.

These are the files which you should find in any GNU program I have worked on:

Configuration files:
• configure.com_in and configure.com.
  This command procedure is used to configure the program. It is used in a way as similar to the UNIX configure as possible.

Documentation:
• README.
  Is modified to mention what to read when you're on VMS.
• INSTALL.VMS.
  Contains the same information as INSTALL, for VMS.
• vms/VMSBUILD.
  Contains information on how to compile the program with command procedures.
• foo.hlp.
  I help file corresponding to the UNIX manual page that might exist in the original source. All the relevant UNIX manual pages should have a corresponding help file.

Template files:
• descrip.mms_in.
  Is a copy of Makefile.in, with any change that is needed for VMS. These files should exist everywhere where you can find a Makefile.in. The same goes for descrip.mms_in_in versus Makefile.in.in.
• vms/compvmslib.com_in.
  In case some files from GNU vmslib have been copied into the source of this program, this template file will be present. The command procedure which is produced from this template should be used to compile and link the parts that belong to GNU vmslib.
• vms/compile.com_in.
  The command procedure produced with this template should be used to compile all the files which are specific to this program (i.e. not part of GNU vmslib).
• vms/link.com_in.
  The command procedure produced with this template should be used to link the program.
• vms/foo_install.com_in.
  The command procedure produced with this template should be used to install the program.
• vms/foo_startup.dat_in.
  With this template, a data file which contains the data about symbols, logical names, and so on that the program will need are specified. That data file is use to produce a startup command procedure, called vms/foo_startup.com.

How programs are set up to run:

The installation procedure in all the GNU programs I work on will either install vms/foo_startup.com in a startup directory, or inserted in gnu_startup.com in that startup directory. The resulting command procedure in the startup directory should be called with specific arguments to setup the program to run. At the end of the installation procedure, you will get an explanation on how to do this.