Archimedes IBM Disc Utility.       

A) General

This program is intended for users who wish to manipulate IBM discs and Archimedes discs together, including file copying, while still operating within the native Archimedes environment. The program will run from the Desktop, but is not Wimp based.

Resources required:

An Archimedes computer with a 3 1/2 inch disc drive, using D or E formatted discs. If IBM discs are to be used they must be ALREADY formatted to 720k. These discs must not contain files locked in any way and must not be formatted with the /S option. The IBM disc layout expected is the normal 720k layout with 1 boot sector, 2 FATs of 3 sectors each, 7 sector root directory, all with 512 byte sectors, 9 sectors per track.

Facilities:

To examine and or change the structure of IBM or Archimedes discs.
To copy files files between one type of disc and the other, with the only restriction being the space available on the receiving disc.

Methods:

Most selections are made by moving an inverse coloured cursor to the desired selection, using the arrow keys, then pressing Return to select. Sometimes you will be required to input text or numbers. The initial display is the Command screen. All other screens will either be selection screens as well, (this is indicated by the presence of choices and a reverse colour cursor), or you will be given details about what is required. As you progress, you will be given requests (in red) as to when disc exchanges are required.

B) IBM Disc commands

B.1) Change Directory command

Upon selecting this command one of two results will occur:-

The command screen remains - this means there are no sub-directories available, and you are already in the root directory.

A selection screen appears with the following choices available:-
Exit - to terminate the command without any changes.
Root (only if in a sub-directory already) - to return directly to the root directory.
.    (only if in a sub-directory already) - treated as Exit.
..   (only if in a sub-directory already) - move up one directory in the tree structure.
Sub-directory names - will be shown if any sub-directories exist. Selecting one of these will change the current directory to the selected sub-directory.

B.2) Change Volume Name

This command will enable you to enter (or change) the volume label on the IBM disc. Inserting a null entry will remove any existing volume label.

B.3) Copy IBM file to ARC

Firstly select the appropriate directories for the source and destination discs as required. If no files are in the IBM sub-directory when this command is selected, then you will be returned immediately to the command screen. Otherwise a display of the files available will be shown, as well as Exit. Selecting Exit will return directly to the command screen, else once a file is selected the copy process will begin. Disc exchange prompts will be given as required.

B.4) Create directory

Following entry of the new directory name, a sub-directory of that name will be created within the current IBM directory. Your current directory will still be unchanged at the end of this command. Hence, if you wish to create a new sub-directory a level further down, you will have to change directory downwards first. A null entry to the new directory name will abort the command without change (following an Illegal IBM directory name message and pressing Space as indicated).

B.5) Delete directory

If there are no directories in your current directory then the command screen will immediately re-appear. Otherwise, you will be given a choice of which directory is to be deleted. Again an Exit option is provided that will return you to the command screen, as will any attempt to delete the . and .. directories. No directory will be deleted if it has any contents (other than . or .. or deleted files) and a message is given.

N.B. deleting a directory removes the directory itself and any references to deleted files, which may no longer be restored. All space occupied by deleted files within the directory is recovered.       

B.6) Delete file

This command will provide a choice of files to be deleted (if there are none within the current directory, the command screen re-appears). Selecting a file results in this file being flagged as deleted. Provided that the disc has had no other writing performed, this file may be recovered by use of the Rename (Undelete) file command.

B.7) Directory view

A standard 'dir' display is provided for the current directory, with the added facility that the initial FAT entry for each item is provided.

N.B. the initial FAT entries for . and .. show the current directory, initial FAT and the Parent initial FAT respectively. A FAT entry of 0 for the .. directory indicates that the parent is the root directory. On this type of IBM disc layout, the initial sector of a sub-directory or file can be determined by ( <initial FAT> - 2 ) * 2 + 14. The root directory starts in sector 7.

B.8) File View

If there are no files in the current directory, then the command screen will return immediately, otherwise you will be able to select which file to view. If a file is selected, the first sector of the file will be displayed in both Hex and ASCII format. Pressing the space bar will display the next sector of the file, while Return will exit back to the Command screen. This is repeated until the end of the file is encountered.

B.9) Re-read IBM disc

This simply re-reads the disc information as for the initial mount, and re-selects the root directory. Only required if you have swapped the IBM disc for another IBM disc.

B.10) Rename (Undelete) file

If there are no files in the existing directory, the command screen will immediately re-appear. Otherwise a choice of Exit and a display of all files (including deleted files) within the current directory will be available. Either Exit to the Command screen or select a file to have its name changed, whereupon you will be required to enter its new name. Renaming a deleted file effectively undeletes it.

B.11) Show Disc Information

The disc information from the boot sector data is displayed, together with headings. Examples are Bytes per sector, number of FATS, Total sectors in logical volume, etc.

B.12) Show Boot Sector

The Boot Sector will be displayed on a single screen in both Hex and ASCII format with critical areas highlighted in red.

B.13) Show FAT1 - decoded

Since 12 bit FATS are difficult to read, this command displays the first FAT in its decoded form. The first three bytes are the normal hex F9 FF FF, after which the remaining cluster numbers are displayed as decimal numbers, except that <EOF> is substituted as appropriate. The numbers appearing will be either a number pointing to the next cluster in the chain (last being <EOF>), or 0, meaning not allocated. Two screens are required to show each FAT sector, and there are 3 sectors in the FAT.

B.14) Show FAT2 - decoded

The same as the above command, but the second copy of the FAT is shown.

B.15) Show Sector

A screen will be displayed showing which sectors are the Boot sector, FAT Sectors, Root directory area and Data area. Upon entering a sector number, that sector will be displayed on a single screen in both Hex and ASCII form.

B.16) Wipe IBM disc

Firstly you will be asked for Y/N confirmation, then if you want a Short or Long wipe S/L. If you enter N for confirmation, you will be returned to the command screen. A Short wipe rewrites the Boot Sector, and clears the FATs (except the first 3 bytes) and the Root directory area. A Long wipe does the same but also clears the data area, and therefore takes much longer.

B.17) Quit

Leaves the program.


C) Archimedes Disc commands


C.1) Change access

When selected, the files and sub-directories in the current directory are shown (if none, then the command screen is restored). If Exit aborts the command, otherwise a file or sub_directory is selected. Once selected, a display is produced showing the selected file, along with the existing access attributes. These can be selected by moving the cursor left or right with the sideways arrow keys. The selected attribute can be changed with the up and down arrow keys. To change the access, press Return when any attribute is selected, else select Exit to abort the command.

C.2) Change Directory

If there are no sub-directories you will be returned directly to the command screen, otherwise a screen will be displayed with an Exit option and a list of any sub-directories within the current directory. Selecting a sub_directory will set the current directory to that sub-directory.

C.3) Compact

This command will compact an ARC disc. The command may need to be repeated several times to acheive full compaction.

C.4) Copy ARC to ARC

This is a two pass command. Providing the Exit option is not used the first pass will set a 'from' flag indicating a selected file or sub-directory in the current directory. Following this, change the directory to the desired receiving directory (including the $ root as a valid choice) and re-enter this command again. Once the from directory is set a * will appear after this command on the command screen. If the 'from' and 'to' are identical you will be asked for a new 'to' filename. You will be asked to confirm the copy, which if answered 'N' will return to the Command screen. Following confirmation, the copying process will proceed to copy the selected file from the 'from' directory to the 'to' directory. When complete, the command will allow you to remove or preserve either of the 'from', 'to' selections.

C.5) Copy ARC file to IBM

Before entering this command change both the ARC directory to the desired source directory and the IBM disc to the required receiving one. Once this command is entered you will be given the option to Exit or select a file to be copied. If a file is selected the copying process will take place.

C.6) Create Directory

The command will request a directory name to be created as a sub-directory of the current directory. To abort the command just enter a null directory name by pressing the return key alone when the directory name is requested (this prints the Syntax of *CDIR on the screen and invites you to press Space. When Space is pressed you will be returned directly to the Command screen).

C.7) Delete Directory

Once this command is entered, a list of directories available for deletion will be shown, together with an exit option. If there are no directories that can be deleted, you will be returned immediately to the command screen. If a directory is selected for deletion and is locked or has contents, an error message will be given and no deletion occurs. Otherwise the directory is deleted.

C.8) Delete File

This operates in a similar manner to delete directory. Files protected against deletion will be retained, otherwise the selected file will be deleted.

C.9) Directory view

Produces a display of the directory contents and protections in a similar manner to the Archimedes command *cat.

C.10) Format D type ARC disc

Formats Archimedes D type layout. If you enter this command you will be asked for verification. An answer of N for no, returns you directly to the command screen with nothing changed. Otherwise, any disc may be put in the drive before answering Y, and the disc will be formatted. N.B. there is no rescue of any disc data once formatting has begun.

C.11) Format E type ARC disc

Similar to the previous command except E formatted discs are produced.

C.12) Mount Arc disc

This allows you to mount a new ARC disc other than the current one.
Note: It is useful if each disc has its own unique name.

C.13) Namedisc

Once entered, you will be prompted to enter a new name for the disc. Entering a null name will abort the command.

C.14) Rename file or directory

A display of all files and directories will be produced, including an Exit option. If a file or directory is selected, then you will be prompted for the new name. Providing the access rights allow the file or directory will be renamed, otherwise no change is made.

C.15) Up a directory level

This command causes very little response on the screen, but you will find that you have moved up a level on the directory tree, unless you were already in the root directory, in which case you still are.

C.16) Quit

Leaves the program.
