I'm running amanda 2.6.1p1 with backups to virtual tapes using the new 
chg-disk method described in 'man amanda-changers'

My changer specification in amanda.conf reads
tpchanger "chg-disk:/backups/amandatapes/myconfig"

Backups and restores work fine.

Now I'm writing some custom scripts to archive virtual tapes, and I have a
question.

How can I override the default "tpchanger" when running amtape?  Is it
possible?

I've tried 
amtape CONFIG show -otpchanger="chg-disk:/someotherchanger"
but the override is ignored and I get the inventory of the default changer
(and yes, /someotherchanger exists and is properly initialized).



Here's a more detailed explanation of why I hoped to do this, for anyone who
cares:

Ultimately I want to be able to define alternate changers into which I can
transfer tapes for storage, leaving the default changer to cycle normally. 
I want to transfer these archived tapes to and from an institutional mass
storage system (offsite storage).  I've been doing that manually, but am
now trying to automate the process.  I'd hoped to be able to make use of
amanda tools, including the perl interface, to be able to move and
manipulate these tapes.

I know that I could try using amvault to get tapes from the main changer to
the secondary one, but I'm actually trying to do a little more than that,
and want to be able to interrogate the secondary changers, get inventories,
etc.  What am I missing about defining multiple changers?  The wiki
documentation is a little spare on this.

Jeff Anderson
JDAnderson AT lbl DOT gov