--- tar.c.original	Sun Jun 11 18:40:20 2000
+++ tar.c	Fri Sep 29 23:48:22 2000
@@ -47,8 +47,15 @@
 #endif
 
 static void usage PARAMS ((int));
-
+
 /* Miscellaneous.  */
+#ifndef MAX_SIGNAL_FILE
+# define MAX_SIGNAL_FILE 64
+#endif
+char signal_file[MAX_SIGNAL_FILE];
+int use_signal_file = 0; 
+
+
 
 /*------------------------------------------------------------------------.
 | Check if STRING is the decimal representation of number, and return its |
@@ -258,6 +265,7 @@
   {"same-owner", no_argument, &same_owner_option, 1},
   {"same-permissions", no_argument, NULL, 'p'},
   {"show-omitted-dirs", no_argument, &show_omitted_dirs_option, 1},
+  {"signal-file", required_argument, NULL, 'j'},
   {"sparse", no_argument, NULL, 'S'},
   {"starting-file", required_argument, NULL, 'K'},
   {"suffix", required_argument, NULL, SUFFIX_OPTION},
@@ -355,7 +363,14 @@
   -L, --tape-length=NUM          change tape after writing NUM x 1024 bytes\n\
   -F, --info-script=FILE         run script at end of each tape (implies -M)\n\
       --new-volume-script=FILE   same as -F FILE\n\
-      --volno-file=FILE          use/update the volume number in FILE\n"),
+      --volno-file=FILE          use/update the volume number in FILE\n\
+      --signal_file=FILE         use the specified file's presence as the signal to\n\
+                                 continue when a new tape is inserted, rather than the\n\
+                                 default tty option. The first character of the file is read:\n\
+                                 if it is 'y' or 'Y' then tar continues, otherwise tar terminates.\n\
+                                 This option is useful for wrapper\n\
+                                 applications to control tar by avoiding the blocking\n\
+                                 that can happen whilst waiting for tty input.\n"),
 	     stdout);
       fputs (_("\
 \n\
@@ -477,6 +492,7 @@
   int input_files;		/* number of input files */
   const char *backup_suffix_string;
   const char *version_control_string;
+  int sf_nl;                    /* the size of the signal-filename */
 
   /* Set some default option values.  */
 
@@ -655,6 +671,13 @@
 	   the record with garbage.  */
 
 	ignore_zeros_option = 1;
+	break;
+
+      case 'j':
+	/* the signal file */
+	use_signal_file = 1;
+	strcpy(signal_file,optarg);
+printf ("signal file is %s\n",signal_file);
 	break;
 
       case 'k':