John,
  The easy way is to build a duplicate file without the ;MSG attribute.
Here's an example of creating a MSG file and then building a duplicate &
copying the data:

:build rat;rec=-80,16,f,ascii;disc=16;msg
:fcopy from=;to=rat
HP31900A.05.02 FILE COPIER (C) HEWLETT-PACKARD CO. 1990

this is record 1
this is record 2
I'm done!
:
EOF FOUND IN FROMFILE AFTER RECORD 2

3 RECORDS PROCESSED *** 0 ERRORS


END OF SUBSYSTEM
:build rat2;rec=-80,16,f,ascii;disc=10
:file x=rat;copy
:fcopy from=*x;to=rat2
HP31900A.05.02 FILE COPIER (C) HEWLETT-PACKARD CO. 1990

EOF FOUND IN FROMFILE AFTER RECORD 2

3 RECORDS PROCESSED *** 0 ERRORS


END OF SUBSYSTEM
:listf rat@,2
ACCOUNT=  ACCOUNT      GROUP=  PUB

FILENAME  CODE  ------------LOGICAL RECORD-----------  ----SPACE----
                  SIZE  TYP        EOF      LIMIT R/B  SECTORS #X MX

RAT                80B  VAM          3        112  16       48  1  *
RAT2               80B  FA           3         10  16       16  1  *


The trick is to build the new file w/o the ;MSG attribute. The BUILD doesn't
have to be exact, but record length and disc= have to be large enough to
contain the data.

The "file x=rat;copy" file equation sets up the file equation so we can
access the message file in "COPY" mode so the records are not deleted.

The "*x" in "fcopy from=*x;to=rat2" forces fcopy to access our file equation
so we access rat in copy mode.  Notice we leave off the normal ";NEW"
because the file "rat2" already exists.  You must build it first because the
";NEW" will create a message file if you don't.

RAT

_______________________________________________________________________
 Rich Trapp "RAT"
 Managed Business Solutions   [log in to unmask]   http://www.mbsnav.com
 Assigned to Design Automation Support at Agilent Technologies
 Telnet or 970-679-2221 [log in to unmask]  Loveland, CO USA

_______________________________________________________________________


-----Original Message-----
From: John Dass [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, July 31, 2000 9:21 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: How to make MSG Files NORMAL?


Hello,

Does anyone know how to change the attributes of a MSG and make it a
normal file?

I have tried FCOPY with the NEW and NOKSAM options, , but does not
work.

Anyone got some clues?

Thanks,
John