neil@gid.co.uk (10/04/89)
If I have a VMS tape I can happily read it on my Unix box, because Unix regards a tape as just an unstructured byte stream, ok I need a program to do the conversion but that is a detail. Now what if I what to require that all my tapes have a specific format, say at least a header that includes a serial number, or equally that they should be written in a VMS format. I can do this in a discretionary way quite easily, could either modify the programs in question or pipe out through a filter. Now say I have third party software, without source - no program hack possible. Could the following be done (or has it been done):- How about the concept of a `tape line discipline' that means that when a tape is opened and number of validations could take place (e.g. serial number, am I allowed to use this tape, 101 different things). The device close routine might update the header for me. The concept of allocating drives and "mounting" tapes becomes a possibility. Thoughts ? Neil