[Simh] Making tape/disk images

[Shoppa, Tim]

Al writes:
> On 5/3/10 12:30 PM, Tim Newsham wrote:
>> the code that reads tape images in simh can also
>> read from a directory instead of a tape image.
>

>and create what type of on-tape directory structure?

>tape image code knows of nothing above tape blocks and
>file marks.

Al hits the issue exactly on the head.

If SIMH only had to emulate one operating system, with one OS/application tape format, then I think the concept of a "virtual filesystem tape image" would be OK.

But SIMH is used with dozens of OS's, with hundreds of different tape formats. Seems like things spin out of control to support them all inside SIMH.

Now, tools that can manipulate files and load them into tape and disk images in OS-specific formats, or go the other way and extract files from tape and disk images, has a long tradition. Going back to at least the 1970's. My gut feeling is to extend this tradition, not abandon it.