Help PLEASE!

Situation: Would like to "archive" files from 98/NT (& if possible Mac) 
platforms using the normal client GUI utilities.  Then a custom C-based ADSM 
API client application is being developed to "retrieve" the files onto a 98/NT 
machine.

Problem: Does anyone know if a different application than the one whiched 
"archived" files can "retrieve" them?  A note on page 41 of the ADSM "Using the 
API" manual states that: "The API can only restore or retrieve objects that 
have been backed up or archived with API calls."  Does this mean that I will 
also need to write an archive client to be able to retrieve the files with a C 
API program?  In other words, does the same application need to both read and 
write a given file?  Or can the regular clients archive and an API-based 
application retrieve the same files, given the proper nodename & password?

Thanks,
Fabrizio Golino
fgolino AT ex-pressnet DOT com