On 1/2/20 10:28 AM, Dave Wade wrote:
Its on the six pack...
.. and I can't see why we need yet another pack program. ...
There are utilities in the files section to read and write CMS TAPE files,
and DISK DUMP files both of which are native VM archive formats, on
windows/linux
Not to start a debate, but I can see why.? :-)
- It's not trivial to mount a AWS tape on any system that you
don't control the host
- When you do control the host, it requires accessing not just
your VM systems but two Hercules consoles.
- VMARC data fits through card readers, and by extension host
utilities that use TCP/IP to exploit the card reader, like
vmsubmit.py in .
(It's a pity Hercules card punches can't connect to pipes like
printers can. I find this an odd omission.)
- Issues that apply in special cases (i.e. the LCM+L 4361, which
of course I'm rather fond of):
- It's not trivial to mount a AWS tape on real hardware
- DISK (DUMP/LOAD) is not entirely compatible between VM/370
R6 and VM/SP 5
- IBM likes it.
- It seems it's their preferred format for sharing free VM
software over the ASCII friendly Internet.?
(Pity that most the software itself is for XA and newer!)
- It too has host utilities to read the format
(Pity the MacOS version, being 32-bit, is broken on Catalina)
This is not to say the other toys should be tossed (except may
the Windows specific one which requires shutting down VM and
running a host script!), but it is useful.
-ahd-
p.s. I consider VMARC's command line syntax horrible, but I have
to yet to decide what it should be (and if so, what wrapper script
to write for it.)
--
Drew Derbyshire
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms. Anyone remember the chips?
