Template Programming Interface Guide › About the Template Programming Interface

About the Template Programming Interface

This guide describes the CA VM:Backup Template Programming Interface (TPI) and explains how to create and edit TPI job template, exception, and exclusion files for CA VM:Backup jobs.

You can define templates for jobs and specify exceptions and exclusions to those jobs in CMS files using the TPI. TPI offers a control language that lets you create and edit job template, exception, and exclusion files without using CA VM:Backup screens.

When you define a job template or specify exceptions or exclusions using CA VM:Backup screens, CA VM:Backup translates that information into an internal format and stores it in a file on the CA VM:Backup service virtual machine's A-disk. When you create job template, exception, or exclusion files using TPI, those files are in TPI format. You must use the IMPORT command to convert the files into the CA VM:Backup internal format before you can use them to submit a job.

Other CA products are authorized clients that create job template files and exception files using TPI, then import them into CA VM:Backup, and submit them as jobs. These clients create single-use TPI files; after the job has either run successfully or been canceled by the CA VM:Backup operator, CA VM:Backup erases the files.

This section contains the following topics:

Creating TPI Files

Editing TPI Files

Sample TPI Files

Enhanced Device Support

Creating TPI Files

The following table lists the types of jobs that can be created through TPI and the TPI files that can be created for each job. It also indicates who can create each type of job.

TPI Job and File Summary

When you create a TPI file, the following requirements apply:

• Job template files must have the filetype $TEMPLAT, exception files the filetype $XCEPT, and exclusion files the filetype $XCLUDE.
• All TPI file records must be in uppercase letters unless they are comment records or specify filenames or filetypes that are in mixed case letters.

The remaining chapters in this book provide the structure of each type of file for each type of job, and discuss the records used in TPI files in detail. You can use the file structure as a guide when constructing your own TPI files.

Editing TPI Files

You can use the CA VM:Backup screens to update a TPI file unless the file:

• Is for an AUTOCAT, VOLSER restore, REINIT, or MPC job, which you cannot produce through the screens
• Includes records, parameters, or options that are available through TPI but not through the screens; these records and parameters are noted in the detailed record descriptions
• Includes records that specify more items (for example, file pools) than the screens can accommodate

If one or more of these conditions holds, you must convert your file back into TPI format, then work with it in that format. Use the EXPORT command to convert the file and move it to your A-disk. After you edit the file, use the IMPORT command to import it into CA VM:Backup again. For information about these commands, see the System Programmer Reference Guide.

Do not modify job template or exception files created by authorized clients. If CA VM:Backup determines that a job template or exception file created by an authorized client has been changed, it will not import the file.

Sample TPI Files

CA provides a number of sample job template files on your distribution tape. The files are loaded to the product minidisk (usually the 192 minidisk) during installation. The following list describes the filenames:

• AUTOCAT

  Automatic condense and discard of CA VM:Backup catalogs

• VMBCAT

  Restore of the CA VM:Backup catalog

• VMBACKUP

  Backup of CA VM:Backup

• FULLPACK

  Restore of an entire DASD volume

• WEEKLY

  Full backup to run once each week

• DAILY

  Incremental backup to run each day

• ALTVOL

  Restore to alternate DASD volumes

The filetype for each file is TEMPDIST. To work with one of the sample files, you must copy the file to the CA VM:Backup A-disk, change the filetype to TEMPLATE, and follow the procedures appropriate for that type of file as described under Editing TPI Files, above.

Enhanced Device Support

When running CA VM:Backup in a mixed tape device environment, Enhanced Device Recognition (EDR) support in CA VM:Backup enables you to manage these devices by specifically identifying each one, and the media types it can use. You can support not only different media types, but different recording formats within a media type. Additionally, the media's format at any point depends on the tape device that last initialized the media.

For detailed information on EDRSUP, see the section Enhanced Device Recognition Support in the chapter "Managing Tape and DASD Resources" in the System Programmer Reference Guide.

Device and Media Settings

Several TPI records require you to specify the media type and density of tapes to use for input or output. For a list of device, media, and density names, see the section Enhanced Device Recognition Support in the chapter "Managing Tape and DASD Resources" in the System Programmer Reference Guide.

Note: Tapes written on 3590 devices must be read from 3590 devices; tapes written on 3490E devices must be read from 3490E devices. A cartridge written with data compaction must be read from a device that supports data compaction.