-static char rcsId[] = "$Header: /misc/hadesprojects/daq/cvsroot/eventbuilder/hadaq/evtbuild.c,v 6.16 2000-05-22 08:20:48 hades Exp $";
+static char rcsId[] = "$Header: /misc/hadesprojects/daq/cvsroot/eventbuilder/hadaq/evtbuild.c,v 6.17 2000-05-22 16:26:06 hades Exp $";
 
 #define _XOPEN_SOURCE
 #include <unistd.h>
                }
        } else if (strcmp(outDev, "tape") == 0) {
                if (NULL == (outTape = openAnsiTape(outPath))) {
-                       msglog(LOG_ERR, "%s, %d: %s\n", __FILE__, __LINE__, strerror(errno));
-                       exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+                       msglog(LOG_NOTICE, "Opening of tape failed (no tape available?): Writing to /dev/null.\n");
+                       outDev = "null";
+                       outFile = NULL;
                }
        } else {
                msglog(LOG_ERR, "unknown outputDev \"%s\"\n", outDev);