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To:	MRGATE::"ARISIA::EVERHART"
CC:	
Subj:	Re: making an exact copy of a RMS file

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Date: Sun, 11 Nov 90 21:45 +0100
From: ISIS08@ecostat.aau.dk
Subject: Re: making an exact copy of a RMS file
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<<<< some stuff deleted >>>>
> 
> Or, if you prefer it in FORTRAN:
> 
> 	INTEGER FUNCTION LIB$COPY_FILE(INPUT_FILESPEC, OUTPUT_FILESPEC)
> 	CHARACTER*(*) INPUT_FILESPEC, OUTPUT_FILESPEC
> 	INTEGER*4 CONV$PASS_FILES, CONV$PASS_OPTIONS, CONV$CONVERT, STAT
> 
> 	LIB$COPY_FILE = CONV$PASS_FILES(INPUT_FILESPEC, OUTPUT_FILESPEC)
> 	IF ((LIB$COPY_FILE .AND. 7) .NE. 1) RETURN
> 	LIB$COPY_FILE = CONV$PASS_OPTIONS()
> 	IF ((LIB$COPY_FILE .AND. 7) .NE. 1) RETURN
> 	LIB$COPY_FILE = CONV$CONVERT()
> 	RETURN	
> 	END
> 
> Now do you see why DEC never bothered to write a separate LIB$COPY_FILE?

No I do NOT !!!!

1)  If DEC made a LIB$COPY_FILE, then everyone could call it and programs
    using it would be portable across any VMS site. When users have to
    write their own routines, they got different names and different
    arguments. Result: the programs is no longer portable unless the
    "actual LIB$COPY_FILE" is included with the source.

2)  LIB$COPY_FILE is simple to implement, but in my eyes that only means
    that it would be easy for DEC to make it part of RTL !
    What about LIB$CRC_TABLE ?  The "source" for LIB$CRC_TABLE is
    printed in VAX MACRO manual (it is only 13 lines of FORTRAN) !

To me the purpose of RTL is to provide a set of routines which:

    - do some common tasks
    - is easy to use
    - is maintained by DEC

And I still think, that a LIB$COPY_FILE qualifies for this.

                                                          Arne

Arne Vajhxj                             Internet: ISIS08@ECOSTAT.AAU.DK
Institute of Economics and Statistics   PSI:      DATAPAX.23830211371400::ISIS08
Aarhus University
Denmark


