TSM_User,

I don't understand how your observation supports your conclusion that the
.opt file is read in from the bottom.  I believe it simply means that TSM
uses the last instance of each option that has a unique value in the .opt
file.

The include options are processed in a very specific manner.  Exclude.dir
statements are evaluated first and files in those directories are excluded.
Then, the includes and excludes are "processed" from the bottom up, not read
from the bottom up.

I'd be glad to be corrected by someone who really knows, but the .opt file
is a sequential text file and is likely read sequentially from beginning to
end.  The options are evaluated and stored in structures in the running
instance of dsmc.  Why the developers chose to use a bottom up
reconciliation of the includes and excludes is independent of everything
else in the file and the way it is "processed".

Andy, my experience the dsm.sys file is the opposite of Becky's and
consistent with your expectation.  The first stanza on my UNIX systems is
used by default, and I must specify any other stanza that I want a client to
use.  The only change to this would be if I have a dsm.opt somewhere in my
path that specifies a servername option.

Bill Smoldt
STORServer, Inc.