topic Re: Appending Binary Files in Operating System - OpenVMS

Appending Binary Files

Susan Clark — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:47:49 GMT

I have a user who wants to append one binary file to another, but does not want the zeros at the end of each file listed. Is this possible? If so what is the correct command?

Re: Appending Binary Files

RBrown_1 — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:54:17 GMT

The command to append file A to the end of file B is

$ APPEND A B

"Binary file" is a meaningless term in the VMS world, and perhaps elsewhere.

$ DIRECTORY/FULL of the files in question would at least let us know what you are talking about. $ ANALYZE/RMS would be even better.

"does not want the zeros at the end of each file listed". ??? The append operation does not do any listing. Do you mean that the user does not want the data at the end of the files included in the resultant file?

If you want to remove data from a file, you will need some kind of a filter. For a first try, I would use an editor.

Good luck.

Re: Appending Binary Files

Jon Pinkley — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:58:59 GMT

Please tell us what you mean by "Binary file".

What does

$ dump/header/block=(count:0) filename

show for the file?

By "the zeros at the end of each file" do you mean bytes that are past the end of file mark?

Jon

Re: Appending Binary Files

Hoff — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 17:34:09 GMT

Possible? Sure. Trivial.

The direct and literal approach here is unlikely to have the desired results, however.

As an example of this, directly jamming together two Microsoft Word documents - which are binary files, for the sake of this discussion - won't work.

Please tell us what problem or task the user is seeking to perform here, and not how the user proposes to solve it.

This includes background on the problem and the goals, and details on the particular binary file format(s) and application programs involved.

Re: Appending Binary Files

Andy Bustamante — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:41:27 GMT

>>>Appending Binary Files

If you're referring to data files you should review the sort merge utility in the OpenVMS Users Manual. See chapter 9 http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/731final/6489/6489pro_020.html#sort_ch

Andy