ANSITAPE(LOCAL) 														   ANSITAPE(LOCAL)

NAME

       ansitape - ANSI standard tape handler

SYNOPSIS

       ansitape [key] [keyargs] [files]

DESCRIPTION

       Ansitape  reads	and  writes  magnetic  tapes  written in ANSI standard format (called ``Files-11'' by DEC).  Tapes written by ansitape are
       labeled with the first 6 characters of the machine name by default.  Actions are controlled by the key argument.  The key is  a	string	of
       characters  containing  at most one function letter.  Other arguments to the command are a tape label and file names specifying which files
       are to be written onto or extracted from the tape.

       The function portion of the key is specified by one of the following letters:

       r       The named files are written at the end of the tape.  The c function implies this.

       x       The named files are extracted from the tape.  If no file argument is given, the entire contents of the  tape  is  extracted.   Note
	       that if the tape has duplicated file names, only the last file of a given name can be extracted.

       t       The  names of the specified files are listed each time they occur on the tape.  If no file argument is given, all files on the tape
	       are listed.

       c       Create a new tape; writing begins at the beginning of the tape instead of after the last file.  This command implies r.

       The following characters may be used in addition to the letter which selects the function desired.

       f       This argument allows the selection of a different tape device.  The next word in the keyargs list is taken to be the full name of a
	       device to write the tape on.  The default is /dev/rmt12.

       n       The  n  option allows the user to specify as the next argument in the keyargs list, a control file containing the names of files to
	       put on the tape.  If the file name is '-', the control file will, instead, be read from standard input.	The control file  contains
	       one  line for each file to be placed on the tape.  Each line has two names, the name of the file on the local machine, and the name
	       it is to have when placed on the tape.  This allows for more convenient flattening of hierarchies when placing them  on	tape.	If
	       the  second  name  is  omitted,	the UNIX file name will be used on the tape also.  This argument can only be used with the r and c
	       functions.

       l       The l option allows the user to specify the label to be placed on the tape.  The next argument in the keyargs list is taken as  the
	       tape label, which will be space padded or truncated to six characters.  This option is meaningless unless c is also specified.

       v       Normally  ansitape works relatively silently.  The v (verbose) option causes it to type information about each file as it processes
	       it.

       b       The b option allows the user to select the blocksize to be used for the tape.  By default, ansitape uses  the  maximum  block  size
	       permitted  by  the  ANSI standard, 2048.  Some systems will permit a much large block size, and if large files are being put on the
	       tape it may be advantageous to do so.  Ansitape will take the next argument of the keyargs list as  the	blocksize  for	the  tape.
	       Values below 18 or above 32k will be limited to that range.  The standard scale factors b=512 and k=1024 are accepted.

       Ansitape  will  not  copy  directories,	character or block special files, symbolic links, sockets, or binary executables.  Attempts to put
       these on tape will result in warnings, and they will be skipped completely.

FILES

       /dev/rmt12

DIAGNOSTICS

       A warning message will be generated when a record exceeds the maximum record length and the affected file will be truncated.

BUGS

       Ansitape quietly truncates names longer than 17 characters.
       ANSI 'f' format files can be read but not written.
       Multivolume tapes can not be handled.

								 4/10/85 UCB Local						   ANSITAPE(LOCAL)