Problem with graphic window in MIDAS on VMS ; image data format

[Bernard Debray <debray@obs-besancon.fr>]

Hello.

Two questions :

1) Using MIDAS 96NOV on AXP/VMS, I'm having problems when trying to open
either a graphic or display window :
inmidas
Enter MIDAS unit (00, 01, ..., 99, XA, XB, ..., ZZ)01
%DCL-I-SUPERSEDE, previous value of AGL3DEV has been superseded
%DCL-I-SUPERSEDE, previous value of SYS$INPUT has been superseded
%DCL-I-SUPERSEDE, previous value of SYS$INPUT has been superseded

                         ESO-MIDAS version 96NOVpl2.0 on VAX/VMS

*****************************************************************************
**                                                                        
**
**           Copyright (C) 1996, European Southern
Observatory             **
**                                                                        
**
**   ESO-MIDAS comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY; for details
type         **
**   `@ license w'. This is free software, and you are welcome
to          **
**   redistribute it under certain conditions; type `@ license
c'          **
**   for
details.                                                          **
**                                                                        
**
*****************************************************************************

Midas 001> create/graph

%DCL-S-SPAWNED, process IDISERV01 spawned
%DCL-I-SUPERSEDE, previous value of SYS$INPUT has been superseded
%COPY-S-COPIED, OBSBEF$DKB300:[MIDAS.96NOV.INCL]IDISAVE.DAT;2 copied to
USERF:[D
EBRAY.MIDWORK]IDISAVE01.DAT;1 (34 blocks)
%SYSTEM-F-IVDEVNAM, invalid device name
%TRACE-F-TRACEBACK, symbolic stack dump follows
 Image Name   Module Name     Routine Name    Line Number  rel PC     
abs PC
 WNDCREA                                                0 0002D0A4   
0003D0A4
 WNDCREA                                                0 00023AD0   
00033AD0
 WNDCREA                                                0 00023DA4   
00033DA4
 WNDCREA                                                0 00021F74   
00031F74
 WNDCREA                                                0 00020050   
00030050
                                                        0 83C0E170   
83C0E170
Midas 002>

and I get no window. 

Would someone have an idea where this could come from ?

2) Using the above version of MIDAS (MIDAS 96NOV on AXP/VMS), one user
when trying to work with BDF data which were saved on tapes using BACKUP
from a VAX a few years before (1991 ?) is getting the following problem
: 
Midas 001> read/desc WD_MRK691_1_202      

Warning: data is VAX Float instead of Gfloat...
frame: WD_MRK691_1_202  (data = R4)
NAXIS:                    1
NPIX:                   571
START:               0.26897961173593E+32
STEP:                 2048.0000000000
IDENT:           WD_MRK691_1_202
CUNIT:           none given
LHCUTS:            -7.046526       162.8535      -7.046526      
162.8535

So there is a warning and then the values of START and STEP are wrong.
Has there been a change of internal formats in BDF data which would
create problems when transferring data from VAX to AXP ? Is there a
program which allow to convert a BDF file from one format to another ?

  Thank you for any answer,
                     Bernard Debray
                     Observatoire de Besancon
                     debray@obs-besancon.fr