large_diamond.gif (4180 bytes)

Diamond
Mining
(for Cache 3.x)

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The first jewel to be added to the Hardhats Gem series is the Diamond.  It is a clean, initialized Infrastructure-only installation of VistA that works under Intersystems Cache.  As such, it is distributed as a Cache.dat file. The following instructions provide guidance on how to setup and integrate the Cache.dat file into an existing configuration.

NOTE: The instructions on this page were developed with Cache v3.1, which dramatically changed the user interface from earlier versions of Cache. (Read the earlier instructions for pre-Cache 3.0 installations). For those who are eternally curious, read how the Diamond is cut.

It is presumed that:

  • The reader is moderately familiar with the Cache configuration tools
  • Cache is installed and operational
  • The Diamond Cache.dat file has been acquired (if the zipped version, it must be unzipped prior to installation).

To increase the value to all Hardhats, please report errors, ask questions, etc. on the Hardhats mailing list. (Join the Hardhats mailing list if you are not already a subscriber - its free.)

Cache Linux shortcut:     For those who want to evaluate the Cache red Hat Linux download from Intersystems, you can download a preconfigured .cpf file. The file is named kernel.txt.  Rename it to kernel.cpf, once it is downloaded, and place it in the Cache directory where the cache.cpf file is located. You will then need to specify this new kernel.cpf file as the startup configuration for Cache.  If you have any doubts about this shortcut, use the steps below, instead, to update your configuration settings.

Let the Setup and Configuration begin...

small_diamond.gif (1445 bytes)  BACKUP!

As a precaution, be sure to have backed up your Cache installation before proceeding with the following procedure.

small_diamond.gif (1445 bytes)  Place the Cache.dat

IMPORTANT:

Make sure Cache is running during the following steps and that the steps are performed on the server's console instead of remotely with a Cache client.

  1. Create a KERNEL directory in the MGR folder, where you have Cache installed.
  2. Copy the Diamond Cache.dat file into the KERNEL directory.
  3. IMPORTANT information for CD owners: Under some versions of Windows, a file copied from a CD has its Read Only attribute checked. To change this, right click on the Cache.dat file that was just copied into the KERNEL directory.  Select the properties option and then uncheck the Read-only checkbox. Failure to do so, will cause Cache to report write errors.

small_diamond.gif (1445 bytes)  Cache Account Creation

To prepare for a baseline VistA install on Cache, create a database for use by the new namespace KERNEL.  (You may opt to use a name other than KERNEL.  If you do, see the final instructions for details on how to adjust the Diamond to see the namespace you used.)

The following screen shows the outcome of using aWizard that walks you through the creation of a database. (View the Wizard screen show for more details.)  After running through the Wizard, the following image shows that we have what we want - a new database.

The next step is to define a Cache Namespace that will be tied to the above Database.  Another Wizard can be invoked to create a corresponding Namespace, as shown on the Namespace tab below.

 

small_diamond.gif (1445 bytes)  Cache Routine and Global Mappings

Using the new namespace, create the following routine and global mappings (see images below). Mappings tell Cache where to look for globals and routines that have a specific name or have a specific name prefix.  The VistA strategy for Cache, is to map all of the % globals and routines back into the same namespace (UCI) as the production routines. This avoids hassles when installing new versions of Cache that could alter the manager's UCI where % globals and routines typically reside.

If you want to have several namespaces (test, production, etc.) think carefully about the idea of sharing % globals and routines by mapping to a common location.  After all, should a test account share anything with a live account?

[NOTE: The database and the namespace are not required to have the same name.]

Defining a global or routine map is same steps, just performed on a different location in the Namespace tree.  Right click on Global Mapping or Routine Mapping and select Add.  The following dialog window will appear.

By default, Cache chooses the current namespace for the location of the mapped global or routine, as shown below.  This is exactly what we want, so there is no need to edit the location.

Using the above steps, create the following mappings.

Globals Location
%Z* KERNEL <or whatever you called your namespace>
Routines Location
%DT* KERNEL <or whatever you called your namespace>
%RCR KERNEL <or whatever you called your namespace>
%XU* KERNEL <or whatever you called your namespace>
%ZIS* KERNEL <or whatever you called your namespace>
%ZO* KERNEL <or whatever you called your namespace>
%ZT* KERNEL <or whatever you called your namespace>
%ZV* KERNEL <or whatever you called your namespace>
This is the VA namespace of the VPE software (not officially part of VistA).  You may want to have a single location for it, rather than having multiple instances, one for each Cache namespace (UCI).

Here is a partial view of the final mappings that show routines and globals are mapped.

small_diamond.gif (1445 bytes)  Confirm Installation Success

  1. Shut down Cache and restart it.
  2. Open up Cache Explorer (select the Explorer option from the Cache Cube menu).
  3. In the tree of databases and namespaces, you should see KERNEL (or whatever you called your namespace).
  4. Open up KERNEL and click on Globals to see global names, etc. in the Diamond database.
  5. Select Terminal from the Cache Cube menu.
  6. By default, it will probably take you to %sys (unless you altered Cache's default namespace).
  7. At the programmer prompt,. enter D ^%CD.
  8. Enter KERNEL (this will take you to the new cache.dat).
  9. If you used a namespace other than KERNEL, perform this dialog to synchronize the Diamond installation with your namespace.
  10. You can confirm you are there by doing the following at the programmer prompt:
        D ^%RD (use * to list all routine names)
        D ^%GD 

small_diamond.gif (1445 bytes)  Logging on

  1. At the > programmer prompt, enter D ^ZU to logon.
  2. At the Access Code: prompt enter "HH1234".
  3. When asked Verify Code:, simply press return.
  4. At the prompt for a new Verify Code, enter a code of your own choosing.
    (It must be a mixture of at least six alpha and numeric characters.)
  5. The System Manager's menu will appear.
  6. Explore the various menus to see the Printers that have been defined, etc.
  7. HAVE FUN!

 

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