Hi!

> I need to backup a 18G directory(/terrasky/tslibrary)  which contains 12
> subdirectories.
> Currently, using the disklist example in the documentation for large files,
> my disklist looks like this : -
> #sa03   /terrasky/tslibrary/ {
> # All directories that start with [h-z]
> #       user-tar
> #       include "./[h-z]*"
> #       } 1
> 
> sa03    /terrasky/tslibrary/ {
> # All directories that start with [a-g]
>         user-tar
>         include "./[a-g]*"
>         } 1
> 
> Since I do not have a tape changer, I insert the first tape and run amdump .
> Then I manually edit the disklist file  to backup the other files onto a
> second tape. If the size of the data being backed up exceeds the tape
> capacity of 12G, the disklist is modified again to get backup data of les
> than 12 G to fiit on one tape.
> I have the following queries: -
> 1. Instead of me calculating the backup data size, can't amanda do it.  If
> it exceeds the tape capacity, can't amanda break the data up , copy folders
> up to 12 G on the first tape, request for the second tape and copy the rest
> of the data to the second tape.

Amanda can't break the data up, but you could do it yourself. Instead 
of trying to create one single DLE of "almost" 12 GB, create many 
small DLEs (for example, /terrasky/tslibrary/a, /terrasky/tslibrary/b 
etc), configure Amanda to use the "chg-manual" tape changer and set 
runtapes >1.

> Pls note that this directory is being fully backed up weekly and monthly -
> without any incremental backups being done.  We want to minimise user
> intervention during the backup.

I believe the above is about as minimal an user intervention as you can 
get without a changer. It should surely be better than editing the 
disklist all the time. 
--
Toomas Aas | toomas.aas AT raad.tartu DOT ee | http://www.raad.tartu.ee/~toomas/
* If you don't leave me alone, i'll go and find someone else who will.