Chapter 6. Archive Subroutines

The archive file subroutines allow your application to store structure data to a file on a disk when using the graPHIGS API The same application or other applications can then retrieve this data at a later time. Since the graPHIGS API nucleus directly reads in archived structure data, performance can be improved (by reducing the overhead of data transmission from the shell to the nucleus) In addition, archive files save on the amount of memory needed by the application (storage that would have been used to hold the structure element data)

With the archive facility, your application can store structure data to, retrieve structure data from, or delete structure data from an archive file.

The Open Archive File (GPOPAR) subroutine gives you access to archive files. More than one archive file can be opened simultaneously. The Close Archive File (GPCLAR) subroutine terminates access to archive files.

With the appropriate data translations, any graPHIGS API system that supports archive files could use the archive file.

GPARAS - Archive All Structures

Purpose

Use GPARAS to store all structures from the currently selected structure store into the specified open archive file.

If any of the specified structures in the structure store already exists in the archive file, then the graPHIGS API resolves the conflict according to the value of the archive conflict resolution flag specified by the Set Conflict Resolution (GPCNRS) subroutine.

If an error occurs during the archival process, then the graPHIGS API issues a message and terminates the archival process. Any structures that were successfully transferred to the archive file are archived in their entirety.

Note:

The graPHIGS API empties the structure in the archive file before it copies the source structure. If an error occurs (such as the copying of a structure cannot be completed), then the original structure cannot be reconstructed.

Parameters