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To:	linux-tape@vger.rutgers.edu (Linux Tape Mailing List)
Subject: [ANNOUNCE] ftape-tools-1.0 package
From:	Claus-Justus Heine <claus@momo.math.rwth-aachen.de>
Date:	25 May 1998 13:39:39 +0200

Me again.

I have stripped of the contrib/ subtree of the ftape kernel driver
distribution and made it a separate package. The thingy comes with GNU
autoconf and automake.

I also played with nls support, as I was curious.

It suffers from lack of documentation for now. However, the most
important programs -- ftmt, ftformat and vtblc -- give some online
help with the "--help" switch.

Also, I have played around with the XF Tcl/TK GUI builder and produced
a little frontend to ftmt, vtblc and ftformat. I like it. Your opinion
will vary as I didn't write any documentation yet :-)

It is named ftape-tool. It provides buttons for basic tape operations
(rewind/retension/status/erase).

Be careful with the formatting interface and have a look at the
"format options" button. The default, however, is to try to auto-probe
the format parameters from the tape drive and not really start
formatting.

Be also careful with the frontend to vtblc. It is possibly to erase
the entire volume table if acting carelessly. "Carelessly" means:
removing volume table entries and afterwards hitting the "Write Volume
Table" button.

The ftformat program included here probably is able to format
cartridges with pre-4.x ftape drivers, i.e. using the mmap interface
but I didn't test it.

Ok, have fun.

I have compiled the package with libc-5 as well as glibc-2.* (aka
libc-6). You need wish4.2 for the Tcl/Tk frontend. wish4.0 might work
also, but not as smooth. Didn't try wish8.<something>

Cheers

Claus

-- 
  Claus-Justus Heine             
  claus@momo.math.rwth-aachen.de
  http://www-math.math.rwth-aachen.de/~LBFM/claus

  PGP Public Key:
  http://www-math.math.rwth-aachen.de/~LBFM/claus/claus-public-key.asc


  Ftape - the Linux Floppy Tape Project
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