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).
AUTHOR
Written by Adam J. Richter (adam@yggdrasil.com)