Reading and Writing tape Labels

READ_LABEL and WRITE_LABEL are utilities to read and write tape label files. Tape label files have only one record and consist of a MAST bank supporting a LABL bank.

To write a label file the command syntax is:-

$SNO_TOOLS/write_label.exe

type label sequence filename e.g.

$SNO_TOOLS/write_label.exe start OXFD 0001 /dev/nrmt2h

where:-

type

is either: ``start'' or ``end'' denoting the start of tape or end of tape label.

label

is the 4 letter IITT label prefix as described in the LABL bank.

sequence

is the label sequence number as described in the LABL bank.

To read a label file the command syntax is:-

$SNO_TOOLS/read_label.exe

filename e.g.

$SNO_TOOLS/read_label.exe /dev/nrmt2h

If the file is a label file then the utility produces output containing a line of the form:-

TAPELABEL label sequence type

e.g.

TAPELABEL OXFD 0001 1

where

type

is either: 1 (start) or 2 (end) of tape label.

label,sequence

are as described above.

If the file is not a label file, then an error will be issued but it will not contain the string ``TAPELABEL'' so the presence of this string implies success.

Adding an addition parameter of any value e.g.:-

$SNO_TOOLS/write_label.exe /dev/nrmt2h anything

to either utility produces additional printout.