The reason to specify multiple files for the target of the STORE is to enable these 2nd and subsequent files to contain the stored files in the event that the capacity of the target files is exceeded.  

So, when target file 1 reaches its capacity, target file 2 is utilized to contain the stored files, and when target file 2 reaches its limit, target file 3 is utilized … and so on.

If the target files are tape devices, then their capacity/limit are reached when EOT (end-of-tape) mark is encountered. 

When the target files are disc devices, the capacity/limit is reached when the maximum number of disc space for a single disc file is reached (2gb or higher depending on MPE/iX version).

If all of the target disc files are specified (as in James’  example) then those files are utilized in the order specified.

If only a single target disc file is specified, then once that file reaches its capacity/limit, a second target file will be created in the posix file space with its file name being the file name specified for the target file with a “.001” appended.

Subsequent target files, if necessary, will have “002”, “003”, .. and so forth appended.

In James’s case, it may be simpler to specify a single target disc file in the STORE command.

It may also be safer - I don’t know what would happen if the 4th file in James’s STORE reaches its capacity/limit. I suspect the 5th file would have its file name as the filename4.001.

Gilles Schipper 

> On Aug 11, 2023, at 10:15 AM, Craig Lalley <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
> Sorry my syntax was off.
> I should just go with muscle memory.
> FILE T1;DEV=DISCFILE T2;DEV=DISC
> STORE / ;;storeset=(*T1),(*T2)            <--  Parallel
> STORE / ;;STORESET=(*T1,*T2)      <-- Serial
> From HELP
> 
> STORESET            Specifies parallel and sequential backup devices.
> 
>                     Sequential tapes are specified in this way
> 
>                     ;STORESET = (*tape1,*tape2,*tape3,...)
> 
>                     This instructs STORE to use only one drive at a
>                     time from the specified serial pool for the STORE
>                     operation.  It will select *tape1 first.  When the
>                     first reel of tape is exhausted, STORE will shift
>                     to the next drive specified (*tape2), leaving the
>                     first free for rewinding and changing reels.
>                     Thus, at any given time, only one drive is
>                     occupied with the STORE operation.  The effect is
>                     to accelerate the STORE process by eliminating
>                     waiting for a rewind and reel switch to occur.
>                     When STORE has written to the last device
>                     specified, it will wrap around to the first
>                     device.
> 
>                     Parallel devices are specified by
> 
>                     ;STORESET=(*tape1),(*tape2),(*tape3)...
> 
>                     In this example, all three tapes will be used in
>                     parallel during the store.
> 
>                     A set of sequential tapes to be stored in parallel
>                     use would be specified by
> 
>                     ;STORESET=(*tape1,*tape2),(*tape3,*tape4)
>                     In this example, two tapes would be storing at any
>                     particular moment, while the other two are
>                     rewinding, permitting the operator to switch
>                     reels.
> 
>                     This option cannot be used if the storefile
>                     parameter is specified.
> 
> -Craig
> 
> 
>    On Thursday, August 10, 2023 at 01:45:29 PM PDT, James B. Byrne <[log in to unmask]> wrote:  
> 
>> On Thu, August 10, 2023 15:48, Craig Lalley wrote:
>> STORESET=(*SD1),(*SD2),(*SD3)Â Â  is a parallel store to 3 files at one time, 3
>> separate store processes
>> STORESET=((*SD),(*SD).(*SD))= serial, but  then wouldn't
>> STORE ;*SDÂ Â Â  do the same thing?
>> 
> 
> I cannot comment on what should happen.  However, empirical evidence shows that
> STORESET=((*SD),(*SD),(*SD),(*SD)) does not work while
> STORESET=(*SD),(*SD),(*SD),(*SD) does work.
> 
> My notes on this matter in the job file indicate that the syntax chose forces
> the output files into the HFS space.  The implication being that the other
> options do not and this leads to some sort of difficulty when restoring. 
> However, the notes do not go into any great detail so that is mostly
> speculation on my part.
> 
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