I don't have a command-file ready for this but it shold be fairly
straight-forward; the :showdev command tells you if the tape in a tape-drive
is write-enabled. As in:
<example>
/KEM/PER(12):showdev tape
 LDEV     AVAIL         OWNERSHIP         VOLID         DEN   ASSOCIATION

    7     UNAVAIL  (W)  #J867: 1 FILES    (Nolabel)     1600
    8     AVAIL    (W)                    (Nolabel)     1600
                   ^^^
so I guess a command-file could redirect showdev-output to a file and check
the file for '(W)'.
hth
/per

> I am looking for a way to check the tape drive during my nightly backup
job
> to see if the DAT tape in the drive(s) is write protected.  This will
allow
> me to take "corrective" action before the job stream "blows up" trying to
> write to a protected tape.
>
> (Please no comments titled:   Boxes of rocks, being smarter than.)
>
> This doesn't happen often, but once can ruin your whole day.  I am sure
this
> must be possible, and wouldn't be suprised to find that someone here on
the
> list has written a command file to do this.
>
> Terry Simpkins
> [log in to unmask]
>