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MEDIA MANAGEMENT UTILITIES
Version 5
In many installations, especially those where many DECtapes
or LINCtapes are used, a problem evolves concerning filing of
programs, their copies, backups, and even some archival programs.
A series of programs has been written as a partial solution to
this problem. Currently, there are four programs in this series:
MEDIAI, SORT, MEDIAO, and FIND. Other programs will be added to
this set when the need and the time becomes available for them.
Also discussion among other installations with this problem is
promoting ideas in this direction. MEDIAI and MEDIAO are just
simple pre- and post- processors to SORT. MEDIAI makes sure that
the input file has a volume number associated with each entry.
MEDIAO does some simple formatting for output. FIND performs
"wild" searches on the Master Directory produced by MEDIAI.
A sample documented run follows:
The system device (which in our case is also assigned DSK)
should contain the programs MEDIAI, SORT, and MEDIAO. The tapes
that will be included in the final cross-reference listing will be
mounted on another OS/8 device. To start off, type "R MEDIAI" in
response to the Keyboard Monitor's dot:
.R MEDIAI
*
At this point, the Command Decoder has been invoked and the user
must type in a directory output file (which must be given and must
be on a file structured device), an optional directory listing
device (which, if given, must not be a file structured device), ___
and one input device, which of course, must also be file
structured. If any of the above rules are violated, the user will
be notified. An example Command Decoder line is:
*DIRECT.XX,LPT:<LTA1:
After all files are opened up, MEDIAI then types out:
VOLUME NO. 1:
At this point, enter one of the following characters after
mounting a tape on LTA1:.
Y The directory will be read. If a second output file was
given, two listings will come out on it. The first is
equivalent to PIP's /E directory printout; The second is an
alphabetized directory printout. At the same time, the first
output file will receive the same information as the /E
listing with the volumne number appended to each line. The
volume number is then incremented by one.
N The volume number is incremented by one. No I/O operations
are performed. The new volume number is then printed out.
N Where 'n' is in the range 1-4095. The volume number is
changed to 'n'. No I/O operations are performed. The new
volume number is printed out. At this time you may then type
in 'Y' or 'N' or any other legal option character. An
example:
VOLUME NO. 5:27
VOLUME NO. 27:
Now the user may type in 'Y' or any other option.
V The Command Decoder is invoked and a new volume device is
asked for. Type in an input device according to the rules
stated at the beginning. This changes the device handler.
For example:
MEDIA-2
VOLUME NO. 3:V
*LTA6:
VOLUME NO. 3:
Mount the next tape on device LTA6 before hitting 'Y' or any
other character.
U Indicate to MEDIAI that you are to enter the name of an
existing master directory as update input. The Command
Decoder will be invoked so that you may type in the name of
the old master directory. For example:
VOLUME NO. 45:U
*RKA1:DIRECT.DI
At this point, all indices which are in DIRECT.DI but not yet
in the new directory output file, will be sent to the new
directory output file. After this is completed, then MEDIAI
will automatically perform as if the 'E' command had been
entered.
E No more volumes are to be read. End all files by closing
them and return to the system to run the next program.
At this point, we now must sort the output file to generate a
sorted file of directory entries sorted by filename or extension.
The Master Directory we have just created may also be searched by
the FIND program which is described later in this document. To
generate a file sorted according to filename, type the following
in response to the monitor's dot:
.R SORT NAME.EX
The Command Decoder will be invoked and respond with a "*". Type
in the following line:
*SORT1<DIRECT.XX/F
where DIRECT.XX was output from MEDIAI. Of course, device and
filename specification can be given for a tape-only system to
speed the sort process up (see the SORT documentation). For a
two-tape system, one may use:
*SYS:SORT1,SYS:SRTWK1.TM,LTA1:SRTWK2.TM<SYS:DIRECT.XX
After SORT completes th task assigned to it, it will return to the
Keyboard Monitor.
MEDIA-3
To generate a file sorted by extension rather than by
filename, the following should be typed to the Keyboard Monitor:
.R SORT
Again, the Command Decoder will be invoked and respond with "*".
Enter:
*SORT2<DIRECT.TM/E
or a line similiar to the expanded Command Decoder line above.
The files generated by SORT above are now used by MEDIAO to
generate the final cross-reference directory listings. To run the
program MEDIAO, enter:
.R MEDIAO
*
The asterisk (*) indicates that the Command Decoder has been
invoked and is waiting for input/output specifications. The
output file may be to any OS/8 device, file structured or not.
The input file should be the sorted directory output (either SORT1
or SORT2 above). If a cross-reference by filename is preferred,
the following line should be typed in:
*LPT:<SORT1
A cross-reference listing of filenames and the volumes on which
they reside is printed on the line printer. Two listings come
out. One is just a listing of filenames and the volume numbers.
The second contains the length of files and the date associated
with it, along with volume numbers. If a cross-reference by
extensions is preferred, then the following line should be entered
on the Command Decoder line:
*LPT:<SORT2/X
The /X option must be used when the input has been sorted by
extensions. The same cross-reference listings will be printed on
the output device.
There are a few options which may be entered on the Command
Decoder line to MEDIAO. /1 Is used to do a simple filename and
volume cross-reference. This is the first listing which comes
out. /2 Is used to do the second listing which comes out. This
one includes the length of the file and the last date associated
with it. /F is used to skip to a new page when the first letter
of the filename (or extension if /X) changes. Normally a blank
MEDIA-4
line separates new letter groups. /X tells MEDIAO that the input
has been sorted by extension. If neither /1 nor /2 have been
given, then both cross-reference listings will be generated. If
no output device has been specified, LPT: is assumed.
MEDIA-5
FIND
The program FIND is conveniently used for quick searches of
the Master Directory. FIND operates on the output of the MEDIAI
program before it is sorted. The Master Directories created by
MEDIAI can be kept on the system disk or a special Master
Directory device.
To use the FIND program type:
.R FIND
The program will type out its version message and the * prompt.
You may specify any output device to hold the list of files and
volumes. Input specifications are wild specifications accepting ?
and * anywhere in the field. This is somewhat different from
FOTP's usage. The * if present is interpreted as filling the
remainder of the field with question marks. If no master
directory is specified the file MASDIR.DR on SYS: is looked for.
No checks are made to determine if the file is actually a master
directory. If the /D option is specified the first input
specification is taken as a directory device name specification.
The input is in star mode but the file must be fully specified to
be found. If the command line is terminated with an altmode
command is returned to the monitor level. Otherwise, the command
decoder is recalled for another file specification set. Another
master directory specification may be given at this time.
Below are some simple examples of Command Decoder lines
for FIND:
*TV:<AB*.* _
All files whose first two characters are "AB" are listed on the
TV.
*LTA1:FOODIR.DR,*.RO/D _
A new master directory FOODIR.DR is read from LTA1 and all files
with the RO extension are listed on the default output device
(TTY:). If FOODIR.DR is an entry in the directory it is listed
also.
*DIRYY.DR<DSK:DIRXX.DR,??DDT.* _
The file DIRYY.DR on DSK: receives a listing of all files in the
directory DIRXX.DR on DSK which have any two first characters
followed by DDT and any extension.
FIND may be chained to and if so it expects the command
decoder area to be set up with the file specifications. The
CCL FIND command if implemented should use star mode decoding.
MEDIA-6
FIND allows two page handlers for both input and output.
These programs were written to perform a "quick" and useful
job of ordering our tapes. There are ideas floating around our
installation concerning better cataloguing and usage procedures,
but nothing definite has been started. Feedback from others in
our situation would be appreciated and exchanges of ideas
encouraged.
MEDIA-7