dosif(4)						     Kernel Interfaces Manual							  dosif(4)

NAME

       DOSIF - DOS interchange format

DESCRIPTION

       The  DOS Interchange Format (DOSIF) is the name given to the media format used by the DOS operating system.  This format is based upon that
       used in IBM PC and PC AT and HP Vectra systems.

       Use the and commands to convert files between HP-UX and DOS file formats; see dos2ux(1).  Use these utilities to retrieve information  from
       a DOSIF volume.

       The  dos*(1)  utilities	are the only HP-UX commands that can interact directly with the contents of a DOSIF volume.  The only other way to
       interact with the contents of a DOSIF volume is to use an HP-UX DOS emulation or coprocessor facility such as SoftPC or the  DOS  Coproces-
       sor.  The command cannot be used on a DOSIF volume because the operating system does not recognize it (see mount(1M)).

       When constructing file names for the dos*(1) commands, start with the HP-UX path name of the DOSIF volume, then add a colon followed by the
       file name:

       or

       This file naming convention is suitable for use only in arguments of the dos*(1) utilities.  It does not constitute a legal path  name  for
       any other use in HP-UX applications.

       Metacharacters  and  can  be  used  when  specifying  both HP-UX and DOS file names.  These must be quoted when specifying a DOS file name,
       because file name expansion is performed by the DOS utilities, not by the shell.  The dos*(1) utilities expand file names as  described	in
       regexp(5) in the section.

       By  convention,	if  the  HP-UX device name and a trailing colon are specified, but no file or directory name is provided (for example, the
       root of the DOS file system is assumed.

EXAMPLES

   Example 1
       Specify DOSIF file accessed through HP-UX special file

   Example 2
       Specify DOSIF file accessed through the DOS volume stored as HP-UX file

SEE ALSO

       dos2ux(1).

																	  dosif(4)