Conference vaxuum::document_ft

517.0. "AUTODEST - don't use it!" by CLOSET::PELTZ (�lvynstar Dun�dain) Tue Jun 16 1987 11:50

         Until further notice, DO NOT USE AUTODEST to change your
         DOC$DESTINATIONS.DAT file.  We are working on that piece
         right now.
         
         If you need to change your destination data file follow
         these simple methods, and hopefully you will have few
         problems.
         
      1 -  	 First you must have the correct privs for working
         in the DOC$STANDARD_FORMATS: directory.  Then you will
         want to make a copy of DOC$STANDARD_FORMATS before you
         begin, so you will have a back up version in case you
         screw up the destination data file, and you can't seem
         to fix it.
         
      2 -  	 Use an editor to change the contents of the
         DOC$STANDARD_FORMATS:DOC$DESTINATIONS.DAT file.  Be very
         careful not to make any extraneous inserts into the file,
         since finding errors in this file is difficult.
         
      3 -  	 Stick to the format used by the other destinations
         in the file.  If possible, copy any existing destinations
         and modify the copy to be what you want it to be.

         Now when I say copy the destinations I also mean for you to
         include all of the destination parameters too. 
         
      4 -  	 Use only alphanumeic characters or underscore(_)
         or dollar sign($) in the destination data. Other characters
         will cause corruption.  You are NOT allowed to have BLANK
         SPACES AFTER THE CONTINUATION CHARATERS, or else there
         will be errors.
         
      5 -  	 DO NOT CHANGE the number of destination parameters,
         or the ordering of the destination parameters -- ever!!!
         Just to be safe, don't ever change these parameters. 
         If you do, the device converter may end in error.
         
      6 -  	 When you make changes to this data file, do it when
         nobody else is using document.  After you make your changes,
         immediately run DOCUMENT to test your changes. If you see ANY
         error messages when the file is parsed (this happens BEFORE
         the tag translator is run) there is a problem with the data
         file that must be fixed regardless of whether or not the
         destination you changed or added works. 
         
         Normally, any errors encountered in the DESTINATION data file
         will result in some CLI$ error(but you might see others).
         Since the error messages are poor, you probably won't be able
         to find the problem using them. So to find errors you will
         have to have to go into the file and eyeball it for any of
         the common problems mentioned above. 
         

         	Thank you,
                       Chris

Note that we are working on fixing AUTODEST for DOCUMENT V1.0, and will
make a corrected version available as soon as it's ready, so the preceding
caveat should be of limited duration.

--Brian

An updated version of AUTODEST will be part of the internal kit, but we
have decided not to make it available as part of the external kit.

--Brian