[Info-vax] Some questions on software for VMS 7.3 VAX

[johnwallace4 at yahoo.co.uk]

On Monday, 25 January 2016 18:07:54 UTC, David Froble  wrote:
> Bob Koehler wrote:
> > In article <mailman.0.1453656042.20778.info-vax_rbnsn.com at rbnsn.com>, lists at openmailbox.org writes:
> >> On Sat, 16 Jan 2016 12:55:47 +0100
> >> hb via Info-vax <info-vax at rbnsn.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Restore the backup save set
> >>> $ BACKUP EMACS21_2_VAX_BIN.BCK/SAV [.LOCAL...]
> >> This is causing the saveset to expand into [.local.local]
> >>
> >> How can get it to not create two local subdirectories?
> > 
> >    Once upon a time, this was easier, but was changed for consistency
> >    (ca. VMS 3.x timeframe?).
> > 
> >    IIRC, the correct incantation is in your case should be
> > 
> >    $ BACKUP EMACS21_2_VAX_BIN.BCK/SAV [...]
> > 
> 
> This is not something that you "just do".  BACKUP is doing exactly what it's 
> being asked to do.  The reason you're getting the 2 subdirectories is, because 
> there is a subdirectory in the save set.  You really need to know what's in the 
> save set before you can instruct BACKUP on what you desire it to do.
> 
> Yeah, today a GUI might have an application that takes a look at the save set, 
> and displays what it's going to do, and waits for a confirmation (click).  Would 
> be nice, but, VMS has been neglected for way to long and such niceties have not 
> been added to what is basically a good application.
> 
> For serious users, BACKUP is usually run in batch jobs, and you would not want 
> all the user interaction there.  That can be handled.  Or, perhaps an 
> application that would do the display before running BACKUP.  lots of ways to 
> improve this ...

Users of "modern" OSes still might recognise this problem (what's
in the saveset, where to put it in the output area) from restoring
files from a tarball. Or even from restoring files from a zip file. 

In both cases, the creator and end user either need proper
instructions (which sometimes equate to "tribal knowledge" aka
"everyone does it this way") or else there is a risk of confusion. 

TLDR: the problem's far from unique to VMS and VMS BACKUP.