Dsplit - Splits files over multiple floppies

[C M Votava]

I've received a number of requests for this program, so I thought I'd
re-post the description, and the program to the net.

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Have you ever wished for a program that would break up big files and write
them to multiple floppies in a single stroke? Don't you *HATE* to sit there
and feed floppies to your unixpc all day just to back up the silly hard
disk? Well maybe this little program that I have can help you out some.

I have a program called dsplit (for device split). It takes standard input
and writes to the floppy; when the floppy is full, it prompts you for another
floppy, and continues on (similar to the unixpc "cpio" command) until you're
finished. I've written it on and for the unixpc, but it should compile on
other machines without much trouble.

Let's say you have a file that's too big for a single floppy. To save it
over multiple floppies you type:

	$ cat file | dsplit -o

To read it back in from those floppies you type:

	$ dsplit -i >file

This is particularly useful when trying to back up files on the unixpc.
When you think about it, many times this is what you want to do:

	$ find / -print | cpio -ocv | compress -c >/dev/rfp021

The problem with this is that you can't do this over more than one floppy.
Here's how it works with dsplit:

	$ find / -print | cpio -ocv | compress -c | dsplit -o

This will backup your entire hard disk to less than (almost half) the number
of floppies it normally would. To retrieve your files, type:

	$ dsplit -i | uncompress -c | cpio -icdv

Well, you get the idea. Let me know how you like it, and different ways
you've learned to use it.

I'm posting a copy of this program to unix-pc.sources, if you don't see it
there, you can request a copy from me via email.

Have fun...

-Craig Votava

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