dump database, with capacity

[John Flynn]

Hi.
I'm looking at the ASE15 commands reference manual, for the dump database
command. It says "You must supply a capacity for dump devices specified as a
physical path name". And "must" is italicized. But then Example #1 is:

dump database pubs2 to "/dev/nrmt0"

That instantly seems to violate the rule. Just for yuks I looked at the
ASE11.5 manual and it has the same thing. What gives?

- John.

[Bret Halford [Sybase]]

Post by John Flynn
Hi.
I'm looking at the ASE15 commands reference manual, for the dump database
command. It says "You must supply a capacity for dump devices specified as a
dump database pubs2 to "/dev/nrmt0"
That instantly seems to violate the rule. Just for yuks I looked at the
ASE11.5 manual and it has the same thing. What gives?
- John.

I think this is referring to the requirements for creating logical
dump devices using sp_addumpdevice. It will raise an error if you try
to create a "tape" device without specifying capacity as it needs a
value to store in sysdevices.

-bret

[John Flynn]

Hi Bret,

Post by Bret Halford [Sybase]

Post by John Flynn
I'm looking at the ASE15 commands reference manual, for the dump
database command. It says "You must supply a capacity for dump
devices specified as a physical path name". And "must" is
italicized. But then Example #1 is: dump database pubs2 to "/dev/nrmt0"
That instantly seems to violate the rule.

I think this is referring to the requirements for creating logical
dump devices using sp_addumpdevice. It will raise an error if you try
to create a "tape" device without specifying capacity as it needs a
value to store in sysdevices.

No, the manual covers that case in the next sentence, where it says "If a
dump device is specified as a logical device name, the Backup Server uses
the size parameter stored in the sysdevices system table unless you specify
a capacity." The sentence I'm complaining about is the prior sentence, which
is the one I quoted above, where it is talking about dumping to a physical,
not logical, device name. Unless I'm grossly misreading this, the manual is
differentiating the two cases.

Thanks.
- John.