dvdtape - Online in the Cloud

PROGRAM:

NAME

dvdtape - Write a DLT tape for manufacturing a Digital Versatile Disc.

SYNOPSIS

dvdtape --inputfile=file [options]...

DESCRIPTION

dvdtape should be used to write directly to a Digital Linear Tape to send to a DVD factory
for manufacturing. It writes all of the extra data that the factory needs in just the
format that is expected. This includes ANSI tape headers, DDP information, DDPMS
information, "lead in", and the DVD data itself.

--combined-length=length
When producing the first layer of a two layer opposite spiral track DVD, the
dvdtape needs to know the combined length of both layers to record the length of
the second layer in the leadin area of the first layer (opposite track DVD's only
have one leadin area for both tracks). This parameter provides a way to specify
that value. If this value is not specified and is needed, it is inferred from the
image contents, based on the assumption that the data being written is a "fat"
ISO-9660 file system.

--controlfile=file
The file from which the DVD leadin data should be read. The DVD leadin data is
normally 32,768 bytes of data that contains information about the physical layout
of the DVD-ROM, such as the number of layers, number of sides, and so on. This
information does not appear as data sectors to programs reading the DVD-ROM, but is
used internally by the DVD-ROM drive. If this parameter is not specified, dvdtape
will attempt to create its own leadin data by a possibly incorrect algorithm
written from experiments on a proprietary program that creates leadin data. Note
also that leadin deliberately omitted for the second layer of an oppositely
oriented dvd track.

--diameter=8cm or --diameter=12cm
The physical diameter of the disc being made. 12 centimeters is the default.

--inputfile=file
The file from which the DVD contents should be read. This file usually contains an
ISO-9660 or UDF file system. This parameter is mandatory. It has no default
value.

--layer=0 or --layer=1
The layer number being written. The 4.7 gigabyte first layer is layer 0. The
optional 3.7 gigabyte second layer is layer 1. Note that you must create a
separate physical tape for each layer. (DLT tapes have enough space to hold both
layers, but the standard specifies two tapes.) The default is layer=0.

--layers=1 or --layers=2
The total number of layers that the finished disc will comprise. The tape itself
only contains information about one layer, but the total number of layers is stored
in the header information on each tape. The default behavior is to guess the
number of layers by assuming that the image is a "fat" ISO-9660 file system,
determining the file system size, and setting layers=1 if the image will fit on one
layer, and layers=2 otherwise.

--length=NNNNNNNN
The number of bytes to write for this layer of the DVD file system. This data will
be padded with nulls to make its size a multiple of 32768 (the required block size
for the image section of the tape). If length is not specified, the default is to
read the length, based on the assumption that the data is a "fat" ISO-9660 file
system.

--master-id=string
Set the master ID to the specified string, which can be up to 48 characters in
length. This string is a field in the tape header information, which sometimes
displayed on the operator's console when the disc is being made. It is useful for
identifying tapes at the factor, and apparently has no other purpose.

--offset=NNNNNNNN
Skip this many bytes before starting to read the DVD image. This is usually used
for continuing a file system image on a second layer. The default offset is 0 if
layer=0 and 4699979776 (the size of layer 0) if layer=1.

--outputfile=tape_device
Write the output to tape_device. You can write the output to a plain file, but the
size of the tape blocks are 128 bytes in some sections and 32768 bytes in others,
so you cannot write a proper tape later by simplying copying that file to a tape
device. The default is /dev/st0.

--owner=string
Fill in the "owner" field in the tape. This option appears to be useful only if
you want some specific information to appear before the operator who is running the
disc manufacturing equipment. The default is an empty string.

--readout-speed=2 or --readout-speed=5 or --readout-speed=10
The leadin data contains a parameter that specifies a minimum required readout
speed for the DVD-ROM. It can be 2.52, 5.04 or 10.08 megabits per second, which
you can select by setting this argument to 2, 5, or 10, respectively. The default
is 2.52 megabits per second. As far as this author can tell, there does not appear
to be a way in the leadin format to specify no minimum readout speed. This
argument is only used when dvdtape generates its own leadin data.

--side=0 or --side=1
The side number being written. The first side is side 0. Note that you must
create a separate physical tape for each side. (DLT tapes have enough space to
hold both sides, but the standard is two tapes.) The default value is 0.

--sides=1 or --sides=2
The total number of sides that the finished disc will comprise. The tape itself
only contains information about one side, but the total number of sides is stored
in the header information on each tape. The default value is 1.

--track-path=directionfR
The direction of translation of the second layer in the DVD. This argument should
have no effect for a single layer DVD, although it does fill in the corresponding
field in the DVD header information. For the standard parallel layer arrangement,
direction can be specified by the synonyms "opposite", "out" or "outward". For
opposite track arrangment, direction can be "parallel", "in" or "inward". The
default is parallel if there is only one layer and opposite if there are two
layers. The legality of opposite orientation and only one layer is unclear.

--usertext=string
Fill in the "user text" field in the tape. This option appears to be useful only
if you want some specific information to appear before the operator who is running
the disc manufacturing equipment. The default value is an empty string.

EXAMPLES

dvdtape --inputfile=mydvd.iso-image
Writes layer 0 to the tape on /dev/st0.

dvdtape --inputfile=mydvd.iso-image --side=1
Writes layer 1 to the tape on /dev/st0. You only need to do this for an image that
is too large to fit on one layer.

COPYRIGHT

Copyright 1999, 2000 Yggdrasil Computing, Inc. dvdtape may be copied under the terms and
conditions of version 2 of the GNU General Public License, as published by the Free
Software Foundation (Cambridge, MA, USA).

Use dvdtape online using onworks.net services