From: djesys [David.Dachtera@advocatehealth.com]
Sent: Monday, July 19, 1999 1:16 PM
To: Info-VAX@Mvb.Saic.Com
Subject: Re: MKISOFS and /UNDEFINED_FAT (was Re: /MEDIA=CDROM and
Stream_LF)



Tim Shoppa wrote:

> If I wanted to explicitly specify the VMS record formats for
> individual files on an ISO9660 CD-ROM, how would I go about preparing
> the CD-ROM?  With MKISOFS or some other tool?  I *don't* have access
> to an Infoserver, BTW.  And while I do know how to burn ODS-2
> (and ODS-1, for that matter) CD-ROM's I want to make these CD-ROM's
> be ISO9660 so that they're usable on a wider variety of platforms
> with some ease.

Brian Schenkenberger has a good web page on dual-format (ODS-2, ISO-9660)
CD-ROMs. You can find it at http://www.tmesis.com/cdrom/

I've been corresponding with Brian on this topic. One item you need to be
aware of: on that web page at step 13, please make the following notes:

1. The /HOMEBLOCKS qualifier of the INITIALIZE comamnd is not required, and is
supported on OpenVMS V7.? and later only.

2. When reserving space in the logical disk container for the ISO-9660 image
using the /BADBLOCKS qualifier of the INITIALIZE command, the value pairs are
the starting LBN and the length of each extent. The LBN portion is
(apparently) a longword; however, the value of the length of the extent may
not exceed 65535 blocks (unsigned word?). For ISO-9660 file systems larger
than 65535 blocks, you'll need to specify a series of contiguous extents, each
extent not more than 65535 blocks in length.

I have a DCL procedure called MKISOCD in development which can help make this
a touch easier to deal with. I can e-mail you the alpha test version, if you
want it. (The "final beta" release will be found on the dual-format CDs I
intend to distribute at the Fall DECUS in San Diego.)

--
David J. Dachtera
dba DJE Systems
http://home.earthlink.net/~djesys/

Unofficial Affordable OpenVMS Home Page and Message Board:
http://home.earthlink.net/~djesys/vms/soho/