Transferring *SAVF files

Because *SAVF files must be sent as images, issue FTP BINARY subcommand before transferring these types of files.

When transferring a *SAVF file using name format 0, the save file on the receiving system must be pre-created. It is suggested that files are pre-created in other situations as well for reasons of performance and integrity.

The transfer of a save file can only be made usable if the sending and receiving servers are both on System i™ platforms because it is a file format specific to the i5/OS^® operating system. However, a save file can be sent to a system other than System i platform and stored there for backup purposes. The save file can be transferred later to the System i platform with FTP.

Example: Transferring a *SAVF file from virtual machine to a System i platform

The following example shows how to transfer a *SAVF file from a virtual machine to a System i platform for both NAMEFMT 0 and 1.

The FTP session has already been initiated, the BINARY subcommand has been issued, and NAMEFMT 0 has been specified.

First, transfer the file P162484 SAVF310L from the virtual machine. A disk to the System i platform. Virtual machine FTP requires that you insert a period between its file name and file type. Give it the file name P162484 in library P162484 on the System i platform, and specify REPLACE as it has been precreated even if it has not been used before. You will recall that precreation is mandatory with NAMEFMT 0.

Change the NAMEFMT to 1, and repeat the file transfer using the new name format. Once again, specify REPLACE, because the file exists from the previous step.

Notes:

If you had not precreated the file on the System i platform before performing the transfer operation with NAMEFMT 0, the transfer would have appeared to have completed satisfactorily. However, on inspection of the file on the System i platform, you would see that a physical file (*PF) was created and not a save file (*SAVF).
Some preprocessing might be necessary on the virtual machine system depending on how the *SAVF file was sent to the virtual machine:
- If FTP was used to send the *SAVF file to a virtual machine, you can just issue a GET subcommand to transfer it back to the System i platform.
- If the Send Network File (SNDNETF) command was used to send the *SAVF file to a virtual machine, it is first necessary to convert the file on the virtual machine system from a variable record format (RECFM) to a fixed RECFM of fixed before using FTP to transfer it back to the System i platform. To do this, use the COPYFILE command on the virtual machine. For example:
```
 COPYFILE P162484 SAVF310L A = = = (RECFM F REPLACE 
```

Figure 1. Transferring a *SAVF from virtual machine to a System i platform using NAMEFMT 0 and NAMEFMT 1

      |                                                                                 
     > GET P162484.SAVF310L P162484/P162484 (REPLACE                                   
      200 Port request OK.                                                             
      150 Sending file 'P162484.SAVF310L'                                              
      250 Transfer completed successfully.                                             
      384912 bytes transferred in 3.625 seconds. Transfer rate106.183 KB/sec           
                                                                                       
    > namefmt 1                                                                        
      202 SITE not necessary; you may proceed                                          
      Client NAMEFMT is 1.                                                             
    > GET P162484.SAVF310L/QSYS.LIB/P162484.LIB/P162484.savf(REPLACE                   
      200 Port request OK.                                                             
      150 Sending file 'P162484.SAVF310L'                                              
      250 Transfer completed successfully.                                             
      384912 bytes transferred in 3.569 seconds. Transfer rate107.839 KB/sec           
    Enter an FTP subcommand.                                                           
    ===>

Parent topic:

Data transfer methods