Technical data

Managing Storage Media
9.8 Mounting Tape Volume Sets
9.8.2.4 Sending Messages Back to Users
After loading the continuation volume on the drive specified in the mount request,
mount the volume by entering the REPLY command with one of the three
qualifiers shown in Table 9–16. For more information about these qualifiers,
refer to the OpenVMS DCL Dictionary.
Table 9–16 REPLY Command Qualifiers for Continuation Volumes
Qualifier Description
/BLANK_TAPE=
identification-
number
Use with an unformatted volume for write operations. This qualifier initializes the
volume and requires the VOLPRO and OPER privileges to avoid a runaway tape or
timeout condition. Either of the following REPLY commands is valid:
$ REPLY/BLANK_TAPE=3
$ REPLY/BLANK_TAPE=3 "DW0QT2"
The first command does not specify a volume identifier; the second does.
/INITIALIZE_
TAPE=
identification-
number
Use with a formatted volume for write operations if the volume identifier on the
continuation volume does not match the one specified in the mount request. The file
system reinitializes the tape and mounts the volume with the new volume identifier.
The tape file system then performs access checks and initializes the volume as if the
INITIALIZE command had been specified. Any data on the tape prior to specifying
the /INITIALIZE_TAPE qualifier is lost. The current terminal must be enabled as an
operator terminal for TAPES.
Either of the following commands is valid:
$ REPLY/INITIALIZE_TAPE=3
$ REPLY/INITIALIZE_TAPE=3 "DW0QT2"
The first command does not specify a volume identifier; the second does.
/TO=identification-
number
Use with a formatted volume for both read and write operations. During a write
operation, use the /TO qualifier if you want the volume identifier that is specified in
the mount request to be written on the continuation volume.
For example, to respond to the mount request 3, mount volume DW0QT2 on drive
MTA1: and enter one of the following commands:
$ REPLY/TO=3
$ REPLY/TO=3 "DW0QT2"
The first command does not specify a volume identifier; the second does.
Specifying the Volume Identifier with the MOUNT Command
Specifying the volume identifier in the MOUNT command is essential during
write operations because it ensures that the correct volume is mounted on the
drive and links the continuation volume to the volume set.
Omitting the Volume Identifier with the REPLY/TO Command
To preserve the accessibility character on a volume, you must omit the volume
identifier with the REPLY/TO command during a write operation. (When you
read from tape, the volume identifier is optional.)
If you initialize and mount a volume set in which each volume has a unique
accessibility character that you want to maintain, avoid using the volume
identifier because it causes the accessibility character of the first volume in
the set to overwrite the accessibility character on the continuation volume.
For example, to preserve the accessibility character, enter the following command
in which 3 is the request identification number:
$ REPLY/TO=3
Managing Storage Media 9–55