Description of the rebuild of bash (version 1.11) on OpenVMS Alpha.

First you have to make certain that your VMS-system has GNV version 1.5-6 loaded.

$ product show hist
----------------------------------- ----------- ----------- --------------------
PRODUCT                             KIT TYPE    OPERATION   DATE AND TIME
----------------------------------- ----------- ----------- --------------------
..snip..
CPQ AXPVMS BLISSALPHAN V1.11-0      Full LP     Install     02-MAR-2004 16:00:40
..snip..
DEC AXPVMS OPENVMS V7.3-2           Platform    Install     11-DEC-2003 17:53:13
..snip..
DEC AXPVMS VMS V7.3-2               Oper System Install     11-DEC-2003 17:53:13
..snip..
DEC AXPVMS GNV V1.5-6               Full LP     Install     09-DEC-2003 21:16:25
..snip..
----------------------------------- ----------- ----------- --------------------

89 items found
$
$ bash --version
GNU BASH, version 1.14.8(0) s4
bash$ exit
exit
$
$ cc /version
Compaq C V6.5-001 on OpenVMS Alpha V7.3-2
$

If you don't have GNV 1.5-6 installed see this page for installation instructions.
To start with the (re)build of (a piece) of GNV read this page.
Please note the requirements mentioned in the documentation!
In addition to the requirements mentioned you need to install BLISS if you want to build the whole kit. You can find the BLISS compiler on the freeware CD 6.0.
After you have a working build environment, you can fetch the modified sourcefile from http://cvs.sourceforge.net/viewcvs.py/gnv/bash/execute_cmd.c.
The source is hidden under the download button next to the "Revision 1.11"
After you have copied this file to the bash directory where you found the "old" version of this file, you can start a rebuild of GNV.
You can build the entire GNV kit as follows:

Copy BUILD.COM from [.BUILD] to the main directory.  In fact, it will do this itself, when invoked as:

@[.BUILD]BUILD.COM ALL

Then you can build the entire GNV kit as:

@BUILD ALL BILL

This will build the entire GNV kit:  all components.  It will also install the
executable images into [.BIN].

Its best to start by building the entire package.  Once you've build the entire
GNV kit, you can rebuild individual components as follows:

$ @BUILD BASH BUILD
$ @BUILD BASH INSTALL

This builds the BASH component, and installs it into [.BIN] as a separate step.

After a test of the bash image, you can copy the bash.exe to the GNU:[bin] directory as bash.exe and sh.exe and enter an alias as bash. and sh. as follows:

$ copy bash.exe GNU:[bin]
$ copy bash.exe GNU:[bin]sh.exe
$ set default GNU:[bin]
$ set file/enter=bash. bash.exe
$ set file/enter=sh. sh.exe
$ dir/file sh,bash

Directory GNU:[bin]

sh.;4                (27758,1,0)
sh.;3                (24672,2,0)
SH.EXE;2             (27758,1,0)
SH.EXE;1             (24672,2,0)
bash.;4              (27376,19,0)
bash.;3              (24605,32,0)
BASH.EXE;2           (27376,19,0)
BASH.EXE;1           (24605,32,0)

Total of 8 files.
$

Now you have a new version of bash!