Greetings:
 
I'm working on a project where the client wants to have individual files 
deleted from backups in TSM 5.2 0.0; his organization does not use archives.  I 
am new to the product, so I've spent hours reading manuals, which has led me to 
this wonderful list, and have discovered the "Quick Facts" page as well to help 
get me up to speed.
 
So, from my research of the manuals and this list's archives, it would seem as 
though there are two ways I could accomplish this in a third-party application, 
either through the unsupported dsmc "DELETE OBJECT" command or through the API 
dsmDeleteObject function but with the caveat "only an owner of an object can 
delete it."  Also, I've become aware of the limitation where entire file spaces 
can be deleted but not just selected files.
 
As far as the "Delete Object" command is concerned, it seems like the jury is 
mixed on its use with "I've had no problems" or "it could create database 
inconsistency."  The API function implies that ownership is an issue.  But in 
either situation, the client is requesting an application to provide this 
functionality.
 
To keep consistent with the client's standards, they would prefer the 
application to be developed in Visual Basic 6.0.  Now if I knew that it was 
really OK to use the "Delete Object" command, I would incorporate Windows 
Script Host to pass the dsmc command to the OS with the OBJECT_ID parameter 
within the application and everyone could live happily ever after.  However, it 
would seem as though if the API has to be used, it would be messy to do it from 
VB using "Declare" statements for functions in the tsmapi.dll given all of the 
structs and typedefs used for the functions.
 
Of course, in Windows, there's almost always more than one way to do something! 
 What was suggested in the MS Knowledge Base article Q189133, 
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;189133 
<http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;189133> , is to create 
a new DLL with a type library (.tlb) file in Visual C++ so the API functions 
can be readily referenced in VB.  So, rather than going down the primrose path 
of trying to create a DLL to encapsulate all of the supporting API functions 
needed to get to my desired function, does anyone know of an existing DLL with 
a type library that I could use?
 
Any input regarding the dsmc command, API, or using VB for the application 
would be appreciated.
 
Thanks,
 
Brian J. Matuschak
Ciber, Inc.
BMatuschak AT ciber DOT com
(425) 284-1319