Disk Management System / utility / public domain
From: Michael Current (aa700@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 05/24/92-12:47:45 PM Z
From: aa700@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Michael Current)
Subject: Disk Management System / utility / public domain
Date: Sun May 24 12:47:45 1992
Reprinted from Atari Interface, Vol. 4, April 1992
Disk Management System
----------------------
for the 8-bit
Ellen Lentz (ACCT)
Disk Management System by Ron Fetzer and Stan Schenfeld of the Ol' Hackers
Atari Users' Group is a Public Domain, two-disk disk library cataloging system
for the XL/XE Classic Atari. It supports the Atari and Epson or compatible
printers, although instructions for changes are given in the documentation so
any dot-matrix printer can be used.
The package basically consists of two programs, the Quick Cataloger and
the Full-Featre Cataloger, with supporting programs for Cleaning Up your disks,
printing Disk Labels, Disk Envelope Labels and Title Labels for Commercial
disks.
Documentation for the programs is excellent. It appears on the back side
of each disk, and can be printed in either 40-column or 80-column format.
The Full-Feature program is written in Atari BASIC. It allows you to
auto-catalog your disks. For each file, you can specify data such as
description, type of file, source and whether it's BASIC or ML. Commercial
disks may also be recorded, and an Inquiry into all records may be made in
three different modes.
The catalog can also be sorted by any of seven defferent fields. The user
has a choice of disk drives and database names for cataloging and sorting. The
software can handle up to 500 records and the data is saved automatically.
The Quick Cataloger and supporting programs are written in Turbo-BASIC XL
(supplied with the programs) and uses a RAM-Disk to store the catalog, which is
then copied to a regular disk at the end of a session. It can handle up to 810
files. A count is given of your files as you catalog each disk so you know
when you're approaching the maximum.
If you think you have more files than these programs can handle, simply
orgazine your disks into categories such as Public Domain, Commercial, Personal
or Mixed, and catalog each category separately.
You must supply a disk name, 5 characters long, which will be recognized
by either catalog program. This name is then written to the disk, so you must
have at least one free sector on each disk and the disk must not be
write-protected.
The disk name can be all numeric, or a combination, such as PD for Public
Domain and a number 1-999 (i.e., PD001). Suggested names are PP (Personal
Programs), CM (Commercial programs), MX (Mixed programs). You can use the
individual option for Commercial programs and the disk name will not be written
to the disk.
The Clean Up program allows you to remove unwanted files from your disk
and assures that you have one free sector left for the disk name. It provides
some DOS functions such as Erase, Lock, Unlock, Rename and Format.
Print Directory prints each file name with a description line that you
may want to use in the Full-Feature Cataloger. The Text Reader function will
load and display any file except Graphics files. You may then be able to
identify the type of file you are working with.
The program is stored in the RAMdisk, so if you go to DOS to copy a file
to another disk, you can go back to the program by typing (in BASIC) RUN
D8:CLEANUP.
The Sticker program prints one 15/16x3.5 label with eight disk
designations you can cut apart to put on your disks. Or, you can print a 4x6
index card which you then put in the envelope with your disk.
The Disk Label program prints an alphabetical listing of your files on
15/16x3.5 pressure-sensitive labels in condensed mode. It will print 27 files
on each label, for a total of 54 files per disk. It will not print DOS.SYS,
DUP.SYS, or RAMDISK.COM. It asks for a Sort and will not print if the answer
is NO.
The Disk Envelope Label program prints an alphabetical listing of your
disk directory. You can glue or tape this onto your disk envelope or print it
on a 4x6 index card. It will print up to 64 file names, ignoring DOS.SYS,
DUP.SYS and RAMDISK.COM. If an error occurs during printing, type in CONT and
the program will usually continue.
The Title Label program prints a three-line disk label for commercial
disks or other disks that are based on one subject. It can also be used to
print address labels. It prints in Caps, but can be set for lower-case by
pressing the Caps key. It centers each line, and can print multiple labels.
The Quick Cataloger program uses the RAMdisk D8: to store the cataloged
files. It reads the directory for all your files and prepares an Alphabetical
or Numerical file, showing disk name, filename and number of sectors. It
stores all your files in the master file DISKFILE, so if you are sub-dividing
your files into PD, CM, etc., you must use a separate disk for each category.
If you are beginning a session, you would choose Option 2--Load File. For
further additions to the file in another session, you must first go to DOS,
copy DISKFILE to D8:DISKFILE, then choose Option 3--Add New Disks. To get back
to the Quick Cataloger from DOS, choose Option L and load AUTORUN.SYS. There
are very good prompts for this in the program itself.
To catalog the disks, remove any write-protect tabs from the disks and
insert one after another into Drive 1, following the prompts, until all disks
have been cataloged. You supply a 5-character disk name as described above.
If there are no free sectors left on the disk, or no files on the disk, you
will get the message 'REMOVE WRITE-PROTECT TAB' and you will not be able to
catalog that disk in the normal way. You can add or erase Individual disks and
the program will not write to the disk.
When you have finished cataloging, choose the Sort File option and give a
Sort-file name. Once the sort is complete, you can either Display the file or
Print it. The software gives the number of files you have cataloged, to be
used in subsequent sessions when you want to add new disks.
Always end your session with Option 9--END. This will prompt you to go to
DOS and copy your D8:DISKFILE to D1:DISKFILE. You may save the other files if
you wish, but they are not necessary.
The prompts in these programs are excellent. You can specify the density
of each disk and the printer you will be using. The label programs all allow
you to adjust your labels first.
Since the Quick Cataloger program is easier to use, it would be nice if
someone would write a small program to convert the DISKFILE from the Quick
Cataloger program to the format of the Full-Feature program. Then you could
use both programs with only one pass of your disks. The Full-Feature program
has an Inquiry option which is lacking in the Quick-Cataloger, although you do
have your sorted print-outs to which you can refer.
This system is highly recommended for those who wish to get their disk
files organized. For further information or comments, you can contact Ron
Fetzer at 22 Monaco Ave., Elmont, NY 11003. For copies of the system, please
send a check for $6 (made out to Ron Fetzer, the club's treasurer) to: Ol'
Hackers AUG, Inc. c/o Alex Pignato, 3376 Ocean Harbor, Oceanside, N.Y. 11572.
Topics are still needed for articles, so if you have a program you would
like to learn how to use, or one you would like reviewed in AIM, send a copy of
the program and all documentation to:
Ellen Lentz, 512 Pauly, Perrysburg, OH 43551, (419) 874-7196
--
Michael Current, Cleveland Free-Net 8-bit Atari SIGOp -->> go atari8 <<--
The Cleveland Free-Net Atari SIG is the Central Atari Information Network
Internet: currentm@carleton.edu / UUCP: ...!umn-cs!ccnfld!currentm
BITNET: currentm%carleton.edu@{interbit} / Cleveland Free-Net: aa700
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