Problem with VMS_SUPPORT.C

[B. Z. Lederman]

  I've been trying out the 2.2.7A kit on OpenVMS 7.3-1, and I've
 noticed a problem I don't think I've seen mentioned here.

    In the log.* file, I noticed there was a $GETDVI error after
 every file accessed. So I looked around the source for where it
 came from, and I see that the system call isn't coded properly in
 VMS_SUPPORT.C

       sts = sys$getdvi(0,0,&dev,&dvi_itm,iosb,0,0,0);

    I think should be

       sts = sys$getdviw(0,0,&dev,&dvi_itm,&iosb,0,0,0);

    The "wait" version should be used to make sure the information
 comes back before the program proceeds to use it.  Also, I think
 the addressing mode on the I/O status block was wrong.  (I'm also
 not thrilled with the declaration of iosb, but that's a separate
 issue.)

    However, this doesn't fix the underlying problem.  If you look
 at the error code, it translates to "invalid device name".  If
 you look at where "dev" is filled in, it calls vms_get_filespec,
 which includes an entire file name specification.  I checked the
 manual, and the item codes being requested for GETDVI, MAXBLOCKS,
 FREEBLOCKS, and MAXFILES, apply only to devices, and not files.
 (Actually, I believe all of GETDVI applies only to devices and
 not files.)  So before calling GETDVI you need to strip off
 everything but the device specification.

    Even so, this code doesn't make obvious sense to me.  Why
 would you need to retrieve this information when reading files? 
 I can see wanting to know how much free space remains on the disk
 before trying to WRITE a file, but none of this is needed when
 reading a file, and only FREEBLOCKS is of any use in telling you
 if there is sufficient space to write a new file.  It seems to me
 that SAMBA is doing a lot of unnecessary work here.

    Suggestions?

    Bart.