[Info-vax] Use of logical names other than I/O redirection

[Jan-Erik Söderholm]

Den 2022-09-11 kl. 02:27, skrev Arne Vajhøj:
> On 9/10/2022 7:35 PM, alanfe... at gmail.com wrote:
>> I recall Hoff once lamenting about logical names. He said they are
>> mostly good for I/O redirection. And, IIRC, not liking using them to
>> store application data.
>>
>> I was wondering how people here (esp. Hoff!) feel about their use in
>> batch queues and mail.
> 
> My opinion:
> 
> files & directories => great
> configuration => ok but a bit of a hack - a config file or command line 
> switch is usually better
> process communication => bad - use something else
> 
> If for batch queue you mean a logical name pointing to a batch queue,
> then I think it is fine - it is similar to files and directories.
> 
> If for mail you mean logicals used by EVE to auto format mail,
> then it is a hack, but a hack that I have been using myself. If
> something else please elaborate.
> 
> Arne

We use log names a lot for naming ports to equipment and workplaces.

Like the two Zebra label printers at packing workplace number 36:

$ sh log P36PRT*
   "P36PRT1" = "TNA2010:"
   "P36PRT2" = "TNA2011:"

The TNA device can change from day to day, but always
point to the IP addresses of these printers, of course.
And the application doesn't need to know (the logical name
is used as-is in the QIOW call) which is the whole point
with logical names, of course.