[Info-vax] callable BACKUP example

[VAXman- at SendSpamHere.ORG]

In article <sc86be$cvo$1 at dont-email.me>, Dave Froble <davef at tsoft-inc.com> writes:
>On 7/8/2021 7:11 PM, Chris Townley wrote:
>> On 08/07/2021 23:53, Arne Vajhøj wrote:
>>> On 7/8/2021 5:42 PM, Chris Townley wrote:
>>>> On 08/07/2021 18:49, Arne Vajhøj wrote:
>>>>> On 7/8/2021 12:22 PM, VAXman- at SendSpamHere.ORG wrote:
>>>>>> Does anybody have the callable BACKUP example in compilable format?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Trying to select and copy it from the PDF manual gives me garbage.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> FWIW, that's the ugliest bit of VMS documentation I have read in a
>>>>>> very long while.
>>>>>
>>>>> I rewrote the example in the manual and ended up with:
>>>
>>>>> BACKUP/LIST look OK on the result.
>>>>>
>>>> Always beware of copying/pasting from Word or PDF - it usually does
>>>> strange things - especially with quotes!
>>>
>>> It was more than copy/paste problems.
>>>
>>> The example in the manual declared a function:
>>>
>>> unsigned int subtest(void *);
>>>
>>> without using it.
>>>
>>> It did:
>>>
>>> static char input_str[] = "[.wrk]";
>>> ...
>>> input_dsc.dsc$w_length = sizeof(input_str);
>>>
>>> which I believe must be off by 1.
>>>
>>> It did not declare return type of main and it made all variables
>>> global instead of local in main, which is valid C but not very
>>> good C.
>>>
>>> Arne
>>>
>>>
>> Ouch!
>>
>> Chris
>>
>
>"Cut-n-Paste" usually means the user didn't bother to understand the 
>example/source.  That isn't a good idea at any time.  The doc examples 
>are to help one understand, not to be blindly copied.

I wanted something quick to play with but copying it from Preview on my
Mac to TextEdit produced put unadulterated garbage.  What I don't under-
stand is why the various macros (C-headers) were never added into the
system's libraries.  They need to be included from SYS$EXAMPLES.  If the
*include* files can be placed into SYS$EXAMPLES, why wasn't the example? 
After perusing that awful BACKUP API documentation, I whipped together a
macro example.  Far more readable too.

If you want to wish you had a migraine a augmented by a hangover from a
college toga party coupled with a raging case of herpes, take a gander
at that BACKUP API documentation.  

-- 
VAXman- A Bored Certified VMS Kernel Mode Hacker    VAXman(at)TMESIS(dot)ORG

I speak to machines with the voice of humanity.