RE: SAV/RST spool files function in OS/400

Dave wrote:

>Then the restored spool file data would probably have to something different than a regular spool file, which is attached to a job, or it would

>have to be attached to some special kind of job.

>You may not think that the job structure information is important but I'll bet there are others who think it's very important.

I have to agree with Dave .... There are plenty of ways to save a spool file's data to a DB file and then "recreate" it via another job. When the file is "restored" and I use that term very loosely,  it isn't accessible as the spool file it once was. A user can't find his restored spool file using the WRKSPLF SELECT(*CURRENT) or WRKJOB JOB(123456/USER/NAME) commands. You also can't determine when it was originally created or who created it... Because it wasn't restored, it was recreated.

This is the piece that is currently missing in how a spool file can be saved and restored. This is what I hope IBM addresses. This might take rethinking how output is spooled on the AS/400. If spool files were objects instead of members in a file, then ownership, creation date and job association could probably be handled much easier. Just like when you save a program object and then later restore it. Create date and ownership are still intact while the restored date and time attribute are updated. This is the kind of consistency we should be able to expect when a spool file is saved and restored too.

I recently heard that IBM has come up with a way to host a guest OS (LINUX) in an LPAR. If they can do that, then I believe they can design a better way to handle spooling on the system too.

Kenneth

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Kenneth E. Graap
IBM Certified Specialist
AS/400 Professional
Network Administrator
NW Natural (Gas Services)
keg@nwnatural.com
Phone: 503-226-4211 x5537
FAX:    603-849-0591
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