Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!sdd.hp.com!hp-pcd!hpfcso!hpfcdc!donn
From: donn@hpfcdc.HP.COM (Donn Terry)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp
Subject: Re: Re: Need Help Reading 9-Track Tapes written on a VAX. (LONG answer)
Message-ID: <5570480@hpfcdc.HP.COM>
Date: 24 Aug 90 21:45:56 GMT
References: <4180@pikes.Colorado.EDU>
Organization: HP Fort Collins, Co.
Lines: 39

I'll provide a guess....

It's written in some form of VAX proprietary backup or exchange format.
(I have no idea what.)

Some suggestions at getting at it:

1) The VAX may have (I'm no VAX expert) a tar or cpio analog; if so,
   use that.

2) Copy the whole tape into a file, edit out the junk, and you may have
   what you want.

	dd if=<tape> of=<filename> ibs=8192 

   may do it.  If the bytes seem right, but scrambled, try:

	dd if=<tape> of=<filename> ibs=8192 conv=swap

   If still scrambled, you may need to do a custom byte-swapping program.

   You may also have to do some fiddling with line breaks.

3) In situations like this, some form of LAN (specifically email) might
   be even easier.

4) If it's binary data, you will HAVE to write a custom conversion program.
   (Or convert to text and back.)

5) Write an ANSI tape; read it with ANSITAR (from the contrib tape).
   (Here I stick my neck out; you may not have ANSITAR and it may
   be harder to get than you'd (or I'd) like.)

6) Use some sort of copy utility to write it to the tape with no 
   structuring information at all.  Read it back with dd.  Again,
   you may have to translate the line breaks or swap bytes.

Donn Terry
Speaking solely for myself, and no-one else.