Plus, you don't want to do the sort physically since that would mean moving
the same volumes several times. You want complete the sort in your array
without physically moving anything. Then move each volume once to get it
where the array says it should be.

-----Original Message-----
From: Tim Mooney [mailto:mooney AT DOGBERT.CC.NDSU.NODAK DOT EDU] 
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 10:26 AM
To: NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU
Subject: Re: Tape Sorting Routine

In regard to: [Networker] Tape Sorting Routine, King, David - Eastman
said...:

> What with us replacing many tapes that have gone bad with new ones, our
> barcodes are out of order.
>
> Has anyone written a routine to resort them?

:-)  I've thought of doing this many times over the years, but never
actually written one.  I've often thought that this particular problem
would be a great follow-on to the typical sorting problems that one has
to write in the early undergrad CS classes, because it differs from the
typical sorting in two important ways:

- your "array" may have elements that don't contain anything.
- you may need to use *two* temporary holding spots (two load port slots)
   in your swap() routine if your jukebox doesn't support direct slot to
   slot moves.

Let me know if someone else sends you one or you write one yourself.  I
would be interested in seeing it too.  Since we don't "Match volume names
to barcodes" here, I would want to be able to sort on either.

Our StorageTek FSEs used to have a program they would use on their huge
silos at another customer's site, to make the robot "look busy" when tours
of VIPs were going through the machine room there.  Having a "jbsort"
would be even more useful than just having a "jbdance".  ;-)

Tim
-- 
Tim Mooney                              mooney AT dogbert.cc.ndsu.NoDak DOT edu
Information Technology Services         (701) 231-1076 (Voice)
Room 242-J6, IACC Building              (701) 231-8541 (Fax)
North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105-5164

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