Re: [offtopic] Save File Format, anyone?

On Mon, Dec 31, 2001 at 12:16:15PM -0500, Sean Porterfield wrote:
> >> What you REALLY want to know is what command was used to
> >populate the save
> >> file, and what format that command writes data in.   If the save file was
> >> created using the SAVLIB command or SAVOBJ command, then you'll want to
> >> know the format of data created with those commands.  And that format is
> >> release-specific, and AFIAK undocumented.
> >
> >How can it be release specific if people are posting save files for Open
> >Source AS/400 stuff on the web?  Maybe it's backwards compatible, with new
> >releases having new features that are ignored by older versions, but that's
> >fine with me--tar is like that.
>
>
> Yep, they are release specific.  We are at V4R4 and I can't look at or
> restore a savf from V5R1.  When you run the SAV* command, you have a TGTRLS
> (target release) parameter.  Supported values vary by release.  On V4R4, it
> lists V3R2, V4R2, V4R3, and V4R4 as the valid releases.  I'm pretty sure
> V5R1 supports V3R2, but we have not installed it yet, so I don't know.

Yeah, I'm getting that.  I've got a couple emails out to people I've found who
have attempted this before, and I'll see what I reel in.

>
> As I recall, a SAVF has a record length of 528.  I know that James W Kilgore
> has a program on his site to convert SAVF to PF and back:
> http://www.james-w-kilgore.com/ftp/index.html

It would seem that such a program would have to solve the undocumented-
checksum-algorithm problem (either that, or just store the checksums... hmmm).
Worth looking into.

>
> This is not going to help much, though.  I converted a savf just to test,
> and I could read the file name, description, some other things.  I'm not
> sure what to make of it though.  I could post the details if you want to
> reference known test data.  (By post, I mean make available for
> viewing/download on a web site.)  I have the binary image of the SAVF, a
> converted PF, and the original source member.

Sure, why not?

Thanks.
-Jay 'Eraserhead' Felice

>