need help with unload problem

Hi all, I am running Online 5.03.UC2 and have a problem with unloading tables that I need some help with. Scenario 1. I need to create many ASCII pipe delimeted files, I have no worries with this concept except for the fact that I don't have the disk space and I need to "stream" the unloads to an 8MM Exabyte tape. What I thought of doing was creating a "named pipe", unloading to the named pipe and then piping through dd to a non rewindable tape device. I have no idea how to do this from within ISQL without generating syntax errors. What I wish to test would be something like the following. echo "select * from tabname unload to /dev/named_pipe" |$INFORMIXDIR/bin/isql dbname|dd if=/dev/named_pipe of=/dev/rmt/xt1n I know my syntax is wrong, can anyone point me in the right direction? Scenario 2. I also need to tbunload multiple tables to an Exabyte tape. I know that tbunload understands tapedrives but when I use a non rewindable tape option and tbunload many files to the one tape I can only tbload the first table, what am I missing here? thankyou for your help, rgds, Damian. Pls reply to dvp@hcsaust.com.au ,-._|\\ Damian Van Prooyen Limit to about 76 cols-> / Oz \\ Mail Address, Phone, Fax. Member, Melbourne PC User Group. \\_,--.x/ Edit/replace text but don't exceed 4 lines as per netiquette. v ++++ Fancy borders count as a line ~~~~~~~~~~-----++++++++++