MACALLSTR@vax1.physics.oxford.ac.UK.UUCP (06/29/87)
(1) Copying tree structures.
Copying directory structures and files from one place to another on a
system can be done very easily using the BACKUP command :
$ BACKUP/LOG DISK1:[TOPDIR1...]*.*.* DISK2:[TOPDIR2...]*.*.*
DISK1/DISK2 can be same or different.
Then delete the original files using repeated
$ DELE/LOG DISK1:[TOPDIR1...]*.*.*
commands until there are no more files to be deleted : very last command
would be DISK1:[0,0]TOPDIR1.DIR. to remove the top directory name ( assuming
it as a top-level directory ).
/LOG is strongly recommended with operations of this type as you can quickly
cancel with control-Y if you observe that you have wrong file names!
(2) TIME utility.
I think time-of-day is best specified as '16:51' rather than '4.51 in the
afternoon'. Where are the boundaries between afternoon/evening/night? I think
the TIME <language> utility is an excellent idea. The 24hr clock leaves no
room for ambiguity e.g. what's "twelve o'clock in the morning" ( an often-
used expression )? 1200 or 2400 leaves no doubt.
That's only a personal opinion. As we use the 12-hour clock in everyday
speech perhaps there could be an option in the time utility to have
TIME/CLOCK=<12or24> <language> .
(3) For anybody worried about interconnectivity of unlike systems ( i.e.
from different manufacturers ) all ( or most ) of the answers can be found
here in the UK with the OSI/Coloured Book protocols allowing logins/mail/
file transfers among many different types of systems within the Academic
Community here. If you can connect your system to an 'X25 network' you
could obtain the appropriate software/hardware products through your
computer manufacturer.
Just a few comments/answers to a recent flood of 'Info-VAX' mail.
John