ADDING TO TAPE ARCHIVES - AHA1540+2150s

[Steve Watt]

In article <262 at netdev.Comsys.COM> root at netdev.Comsys.COM (Alex Huppenthal) writes:

<  How can I add to the end of tar archives ? tar cv, tar cv works, but
<  tape rewind, tape rfm, tar cv - does not!
<
<  1. Change the /etc/default/tar file to archive=/dev/nrct0
<  2. Change the /etc/default/tape file to /dev/nrct0
<  3. tar cv file1
<  4. tar cv file2 
<  5. tape rewind
<  6. tape rfm    - moves you to the end of file one
<  7. tape rfm    - moves you to the end of file two
<  8. tape rfm    - this is not a failure, it's a *feature* :-)

Actually, this moves you beyond the end of the file mark, because the previous
tape rfm leaves it at the file mark.

<  9. tar cv file3  
<  10. tape rewind 
<  11. tape rfm
<  12. tape rfm
<  13. tape rfm   - now you are positioned at the end of the second file.
<  14. tar tvf ( or xvf )  /dev/rct0  ( can you beleive this? I can't )
<  15. THIS WORKS.....          ^^^^--- notice *rct0* not nrct0, - ask SCO why!

It doesn't matter which you choose, unless you want to add another file after
this one.  The nrct driver means "don't rewind _ON_CLOSE_".  Only use the
rct driver if you want the tape rewound after each close.

[minor (probably unwarranted; most are) flame against SCO removed]

You could, of course use "tar rv files files files", and get them added on to
the end of the current archive, so you didn't have to run tar 3 times to get
all the data off of the tape.

-- 
Steve Watt
...!claris!wattres!steve		wattres!steve at claris.com also works
If you torture your data long enough, it'll eventually confess.