[comp.periphs] Reading/writing IBM 9 track tapes under UNIX

djs@nimbus3.uucp (Doug) (10/02/90)

We have a 9 track tape drive made by Qualstar.  It is attached to a 386
PC running System V Release 3.2.2.  We have been given a 9 track tape
written on an IBM 3090 in something called "IBM Labeled" format.  It also
says LRECL=1024 and BLKSIZE=1024 on the label.  No combination of dd
options produced meaningful input.  Does anyone know how to read/write
these tapes under UNIX?

Thanks for any help!
-- 
Doug Scofea   Email: nimbus3!djs@cis.ohio-state.edu    Phone:+1 614 459-1889

dvv@hq.demos.su (Dmitry V. Volodin) (10/02/90)

In article <1990Oct1.174354.22980@nimbus3.uucp> djs@nimbus3.UUCP (Doug) writes:
>We have a 9 track tape drive made by Qualstar.  It is attached to a 386
>PC running System V Release 3.2.2.  We have been given a 9 track tape
>written on an IBM 3090 in something called "IBM Labeled" format.  It also
>says LRECL=1024 and BLKSIZE=1024 on the label.  No combination of dd
>options produced meaningful input.  Does anyone know how to read/write
>these tapes under UNIX?

There's a program on Usenix tapes called ANSITAR. Extremely helpful.
-- 
Dmitry V. Volodin <dvv@hq.demos.su>     |
fax:    +7 095 233 5016                 |    I love my beautiful self.
phone:  +7 095 231 2129                 |

aland@informix.com (alan denney) (10/04/90)

In article <1990Oct1.174354.22980@nimbus3.uucp> djs@nimbus3.UUCP (Doug) writes:
>We have a 9 track tape drive made by Qualstar.  It is attached to a 386
>PC running System V Release 3.2.2.  We have been given a 9 track tape
>written on an IBM 3090 in something called "IBM Labeled" format.  It also
>says LRECL=1024 and BLKSIZE=1024 on the label.  No combination of dd
>options produced meaningful input.  Does anyone know how to read/write
>these tapes under UNIX?
>
>Thanks for any help!
>Doug Scofea   Email: nimbus3!djs@cis.ohio-state.edu    Phone:+1 614 459-1889

If this was produced in an MVS environment, the actual data should
begin on the *fourth* physical file (after three TAPE MARKS).
VM may be the same.

IBM standard labeled tape files look like this, file-wise:

VOL1    (volume serial label)
HDR1    (file header part 1)
HDR2    (file header part 2)
<data file 1>
EOF
HDR1    (file header part 1)
HDR2    (file header part 2)
<data file 2>
EOF
...
EOV ? (end of tape marker)

You probably need to use files=3 and conv=ascii as well.
The record length, block size, and recording format (LRECL,BLKSIZE,
RECFM) will appear on the HDR1 file, if you know how to parse it.

Hope this helps.

--
Alan Denney  #  aland@informix.com  #  {pyramid|uunet}!infmx!aland

 "Out on the highway doing 98... radio's blastin', and he's tempting fate
  He swears he saw an angel in a black Corvette
  She was blowing him kisses through her cigarette
  Boy's gone crazy;  it's not just a phase, he's one step over the line..."
                                "Boy's Gone Crazy", Was (Not Was)

valdis@wizards.cc.vt.edu (Valdis Kletnieks) (10/24/90)

(Following up to an old article, but hopefully the corrections will help
somebody who has to deal with standard-labeled tapes....)

In article <1990Oct3.205556.16183@informix.com>, aland@informix.com (alan denney) writes:

|> IBM standard labeled tape files look like this, file-wise:
|> 
|> VOL1    (volume serial label)
|> HDR1    (file header part 1)
|> HDR2    (file header part 2)
   <tapemark> - very important - you see this as an End Of File
|> <data file 1>
   <tapemark>
|> EOF1
   EOF2
   <tapemark>
|> HDR1    (file header part 1)
|> HDR2    (file header part 2)
    <tapemark>
|> <data file 2>
    <tapemark>
|> EOF1
   EOF2
   <tapemark>
|> ...
|> EOV ? (end of tape marker)
   <tapemark>
   <tapemark>

|> You probably need to use files=3 and conv=ascii as well.
|> The record length, block size, and recording format (LRECL,BLKSIZE,
|> RECFM) will appear on the HDR1 file, if you know how to parse it.

Tapemarks are sensed and reported as 'end of file'.

VOL1, HDR2, HDR2, EOF1, EOF2 are all 80-byte physical records.
EOV1 is *only* present if the dataset runs off the end of the physical reel.
End of *logical* reel is denoted by two consecutive tapemarks with no intervening
data...

Note that files=3 will leave you reading the EOF1 and EOF2 records..
The actual *data* is in files 2, 5, 8, 11,....

And be sure you remember the name your system uses for "no auto-rewind" on
tape drives - you'll probably need it... (Nothing like trying to figure out
why you keep reading files, and all you ever get is VOL1/HDR1/HDR2 :-)

					Valdis Kletnieks
					Computer Systems Engineer
					Virginia Tech

seymour@milton.u.washington.edu (Richard Seymour) (10/30/90)

In article <505@vtserf.cc.vt.edu> valdis@vttcf.cc.vt.edu (Valdis Kletnieks) writes:
>(Following up to an old article, but hopefully the corrections will help
>somebody who has to deal with standard-labeled tapes....)
>
 ... repost of what's-on-a-tape deleted...
>
>VOL1, HDR2, HDR2, EOF1, EOF2 are all 80-byte physical records.
>EOV1 is *only* present if the dataset runs off the end of the physical reel.
>End of *logical* reel is denoted by two consecutive tapemarks with no intervening
>data...
>

Also be aware that a file with no contents (a "zero-length file" in VAX/VMS
 speak) will ALSO have a double-tapemark.
So the "logical end of reel" is two consecutive tapemarks AFTER an EOF or
 EOV header/trailer record.

good luck
--dick