id	summary	reporter	owner	description	type	status	priority	milestone	component	version	resolution	keywords	cc
304	GCOS/355SIM appears to be corrupting the input deck	canthony	Eric Swenson	"Create 355sim.deck with the following content:

{{{
$      SNUMB   0001T
$      IDENT
$      355MAP  NDECK,COPY
       ABS
       TTL     TEST PROGRAM
       DCARD   3,*
       PMC     ON
       SYSTM
       ORG     1024
START  LDA     TEMP-*
       STA     NUMBER-*
       STOP
TEMP   BSS     1
NUMBER BSS     1
       END     START
***EOF
}}}

Submit the deck with the command:

   gcos 355sim.deck

Examine the job output:

   pr 355sim.deck


Note that lines 4,5 and 6 have acquired leading asterisks:

{{{
                                      3        DCARD   3,*
                                      4 *      PMC     ON
                                      5 *      SYSTM
                                      6 *      ORG     1024
       00000  0 07 003        3       7 START  LDA     TEMP-*
}}}

A leading asterisk is used to a indicate a 355sim control card; because of the asterisks, the following messages are generated:

{{{
*      PMC     ON
*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*
*<*>*<*>* ILLEGAL BCD CARD *<*>*<*>*
*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*

*      SYSTM
*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*
*<*>*<*>* ILLEGAL BCD CARD *<*>*<*>*
*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*

*      ORG     1024
*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*
*<*>*<*>* ILLEGAL BCD CARD *<*>*<*>*
*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<*>*
}}}

From the 355sim manual:

{{{
ILLEGAL BCD CARD
     This message indicates that an illegal * control card or patch card has been encountered. ...
}}}

Where did the asterisks come from?

"	defect	closed	major		Tools		invalid	sim355, gcos, gtss