Number of files in MyDos?

[olavese@online.no]

Is there a limit to how many files you can have in a directory? Wanted to sort the Megagames (Yogi) in A, B, C ... and so on folders.

 

Looks like it must be, I first thought the HD was crap, but looks like I maxed the number of files allowed. Any way to get past that? Mods or anything to MyDOS?

[+Stephen]

Is there a limit to how many files you can have in a directory? Wanted to sort the Megagames (Yogi) in A, B, C ... and so on folders.

 

Looks like it must be, I first thought the HD was crap, but looks like I maxed the number of files allowed. Any way to get past that? Mods or anything to MyDOS?

I believe there is a 64 file limit per directory as well as a directory limit. I don't recall ever seeing a version of MyDOS that can get around this.

 

There's really only two choices of a proper DOS for using hard drives. Sparta DOS, and Real DOS.

[+David_P]

Yes, MyDos is limited to 64 files or sub-directories per directory (a sub-directory is counted against the file limit).

[+Larry]

Since other folks are offering opinions, I'll offer mine.

 

A hard drive is not a suitable permanent storage device. They do get corrupted. They do need backing up to avoid loss. So I keep my HD use limited to things that I access a lot. I used to make my MyDos hard drives 60,000 sectors, but I found that 75% of that was stuff that I never used. So now they are all 20,000 sectors, and I don't miss a thing. Everything else is on APE images that are better organized and can be readily found using the Windows search function.

 

To be honest, yes, I've wished for a 128 file limit, but it's 64. It's a price you pay for the convenience of an Atari Dos-type system. Subdirectories go a long way to mitigating the issue, but it's not always a perfect solution.

 

-Larry

 

 

I believe there is a 64 file limit per directory as well as a directory limit. I don't recall ever seeing a version of MyDOS that can get around this.

 

There's really only two choices of a proper DOS for using hard drives. Sparta DOS, and Real DOS.

[+bob1200xl]

Is there a manual for APE (windows) somewhere? How do you create a blank disk? Can you search the directories of an APE disk from the PC?

 

Bob

 

 

 

Since other folks are offering opinions, I'll offer mine.

 

A hard drive is not a suitable permanent storage device. They do get corrupted. They do need backing up to avoid loss. So I keep my HD use limited to things that I access a lot. I used to make my MyDos hard drives 60,000 sectors, but I found that 75% of that was stuff that I never used. So now they are all 20,000 sectors, and I don't miss a thing. Everything else is on APE images that are better organized and can be readily found using the Windows search function.

 

To be honest, yes, I've wished for a 128 file limit, but it's 64. It's a price you pay for the convenience of an Atari Dos-type system. Subdirectories go a long way to mitigating the issue, but it's not always a perfect solution.

 

-Larry

 

 

I believe there is a 64 file limit per directory as well as a directory limit. I don't recall ever seeing a version of MyDOS that can get around this.

 

There's really only two choices of a proper DOS for using hard drives. Sparta DOS, and Real DOS.

[olavese@online.no]

Go to File and New (Choose ATR image and select size)

 

Not easy to search ATR's I think, but APE has a listing when you load the disk.

Edited March 5, 2011 by olavese@online.no

[+Larry]

Hi Bob-

 

Unfortunately, there is no manual for the Windows version of APE. There is a nice manual (4.17 I think) for the Dos version and that takes care of maybe 80% of the issues, and the other 20% you have to get from the "intuitive" interface (and trial and error).

 

To create a blank disk (image), click on "File" and from the drop-down, select "New" then "ATR DISK Image". A new dialogue box appears and you pick what kind of image you want (default is 720 sectors, SD). After selecting the size 720 to 65535, then click "Create." A new dialogue box opens up for you to select where you want the image to reside within Windows. (I keep a folder "ATR IMAGES" right on the desktop for easy access.) Then you give the image a name and click "OK". You go back to the "Create" dialogue box where you can create another or "Exit". If you exit then you will find a box for mounting the image (or exiting). You can drag the new image to the drive that you want to use.

 

With most images, you can double click on the image and it will automatically go to D1:. Then you can click the swap buttons to move the images around at will. Also note the padlock to write protect the image (or an image may be READ ONLY which also write-protects it. Note that APE accepts ATR's XFD's and DCM images. DCM's are READ ONLY, IIRC.

 

If you click on LOAD for a drive, then APE will display the a dialogue box for "Load Image" and it will show contents of any image that you highlight. If you use a windows search on APE images, I think the only thing that you can do is use "words in the file." which is pretty slow. I rarely have used that, but I'm pretty sure it works. So if you know part of the Atari file name, it should find it.

 

Lots and lots and lots of features. Wonderful software, especially the "Virtual MX" printer function.

 

Hope this helps. Ask away if I can answer anything else.

 

-Larry

 

Is there a manual for APE (windows) somewhere? How do you create a blank disk? Can you search the directories of an APE disk from the PC?

 

Bob

 

[+bob1200xl]

Gee... I finally figured it out. My text/icons are set to 125% so I can read it easier on my hi-res monitor, which, on APE, cuts off about 1/3 of the screen, including the file naming box and such. No wonder I couldn't make anything work - I was missing critical stuff. Without knowing what I was supposed to see, it wasn't obvious that parts were missing.

 

Thanks for the help!

 

Bob

 

 

 

Hi Bob-

 

Unfortunately, there is no manual for the Windows version of APE. There is a nice manual (4.17 I think) for the Dos version and that takes care of maybe 80% of the issues, and the other 20% you have to get from the "intuitive" interface (and trial and error).

 

To create a blank disk (image), click on "File" and from the drop-down, select "New" then "ATR DISK Image". A new dialogue box appears and you pick what kind of image you want (default is 720 sectors, SD). After selecting the size 720 to 65535, then click "Create." A new dialogue box opens up for you to select where you want the image to reside within Windows. (I keep a folder "ATR IMAGES" right on the desktop for easy access.) Then you give the image a name and click "OK". You go back to the "Create" dialogue box where you can create another or "Exit". If you exit then you will find a box for mounting the image (or exiting). You can drag the new image to the drive that you want to use.

 

With most images, you can double click on the image and it will automatically go to D1:. Then you can click the swap buttons to move the images around at will. Also note the padlock to write protect the image (or an image may be READ ONLY which also write-protects it. Note that APE accepts ATR's XFD's and DCM images. DCM's are READ ONLY, IIRC.

 

If you click on LOAD for a drive, then APE will display the a dialogue box for "Load Image" and it will show contents of any image that you highlight. If you use a windows search on APE images, I think the only thing that you can do is use "words in the file." which is pretty slow. I rarely have used that, but I'm pretty sure it works. So if you know part of the Atari file name, it should find it.

 

Lots and lots and lots of features. Wonderful software, especially the "Virtual MX" printer function.

 

Hope this helps. Ask away if I can answer anything else.

 

-Larry

 

Is there a manual for APE (windows) somewhere? How do you create a blank disk? Can you search the directories of an APE disk from the PC?

 

Bob

 

[+Larry]

There's one other thing that may relate to the issue you had. On the "Misc Settings" tab there is a check-box for "Remember Size and Position" The Ape drive image titles (which includes PATH info) is right justified, so you are always likely to get the image file name. So you can make the GUI the size you want and where you want it, and APE will always "remember." That is a simple but neat feature, IMO.

 

-Larry

 

Gee... I finally figured it out. My text/icons are set to 125% so I can read it easier on my hi-res monitor, which, on APE, cuts off about 1/3 of the screen, including the file naming box and such. No wonder I couldn't make anything work - I was missing critical stuff. Without knowing what I was supposed to see, it wasn't obvious that parts were missing.

 

Thanks for the help!

 

Bob

[Fox-1 / mnx]

A hard drive is not a suitable permanent storage device. They do get corrupted. They do need backing up to avoid loss. So I keep my HD use limited to things that I access a lot. I used to make my MyDos hard drives 60,000 sectors, but I found that 75% of that was stuff that I never used. So now they are all 20,000 sectors, and I don't miss a thing. Everything else is on APE images that are better organized and can be readily found using the Windows search function.

 

Just curious. Where do you keep your ATR (APE) Images?

 

 

There's really only two choices of a proper DOS for using hard drives. Sparta DOS, and Real DOS.

 

The Sparta-Dos disk format (and RealDos) is o.k. but the DOS itself is not suitable for many games. The solution is using MSDOS (Micro Sparta-Dos).

 

 

By Jiri Bernasek - BEWESOFT

 

------------------------------------

 

Micro-SpartaDOS allows you to load

games (which needs a micro-DOS) from

a disk in SpartaDOS format. So, you

can now keep games on your XF 551,

hard drives, etc.

Version 2.2 supports also a high

speed SIO for Speedy 1050, XF 551 and

the HDI.

Version 3.x supports multiple

drives.

Version 4.x supports quadruple

sectors (512 bytes long).

 

- - - snip - - -

Edited March 6, 2011 by Fox-1 / mnx

[+bob1200xl]

The issue of an HDD is the requirement to back them up, I think. APE disks, being on a PC, are easier and faster to back up. It's a better solution than an Atari HDD if you aren't using DOS 2.0. (which, due to its unique sector-linking structure, does not require backups if you run on a 1200XL)

 

You cannot hang a floppy controller on an Atari buss and transfer data to diskettes without tripping over interrupts and DMA and such. What you get is a short, high-speed burst and then a pause while the controller re-tries a transfer that has timed out. Then a few more bursts, then a pause. Not terribly useful for normal use.

 

BUT, for a backup from your HDD... we can kill all activity in the system and just let it rip onto a 720K floppy. 2880 DD sectors. The software, hardware and all could be on a cartridge that you just pop in when you want to back up. Otherwise, sitting on the shelf.

Stuff it into a 1050...

 

Or, hang two HDDs/CF cards off of your controller.

 

Bob

 

 

A hard drive is not a suitable permanent storage device. They do get corrupted. They do need backing up to avoid loss. So I keep my HD use limited to things that I access a lot. I used to make my MyDos hard drives 60,000 sectors, but I found that 75% of that was stuff that I never used. So now they are all 20,000 sectors, and I don't miss a thing. Everything else is on APE images that are better organized and can be readily found using the Windows search function.

 

Just curious. Where do you keep your ATR (APE) Images?

 

 

There's really only two choices of a proper DOS for using hard drives. Sparta DOS, and Real DOS.

 

The Sparta-Dos disk format (and RealDos) is o.k. but the DOS itself is not suitable for many games. The solution is using MSDOS (Micro Sparta-Dos).

 

 

By Jiri Bernasek - BEWESOFT

 

------------------------------------

 

Micro-SpartaDOS allows you to load

games (which needs a micro-DOS) from

a disk in SpartaDOS format. So, you

can now keep games on your XF 551,

hard drives, etc.

Version 2.2 supports also a high

speed SIO for Speedy 1050, XF 551 and

the HDI.

Version 3.x supports multiple

drives.

Version 4.x supports quadruple

sectors (512 bytes long).

 

- - - snip - - -

[+Larry]

Hi-

 

I use an All-In-Wonder video card, which allows a scalable window for the Atari screen. I keep a Windows folder on my XP desktop with lots of images. So APE is there, the Atari screen, and several hundred ATR images. Works really well for me, and the ATI display of the Atari video is most excellent. I just slide and click away. Of course, the "mother load" of my ATR's is safe on my USB backup drive.

 

BTW, I quoted someone else about the "proper Dos..." Sparta is nice but I like MyDos best of all. I'm just glad that we have so many nice choices.

 

-Larry

 

A hard drive is not a suitable permanent storage device. They do get corrupted. They do need backing up to avoid loss. So I keep my HD use limited to things that I access a lot. I used to make my MyDos hard drives 60,000 sectors, but I found that 75% of that was stuff that I never used. So now they are all 20,000 sectors, and I don't miss a thing. Everything else is on APE images that are better organized and can be readily found using the Windows search function.

 

Just curious. Where do you keep your ATR (APE) Images?

 

 

There's really only two choices of a proper DOS for using hard drives. Sparta DOS, and Real DOS.

 

The Sparta-Dos disk format (and RealDos) is o.k. but the DOS itself is not suitable for many games. The solution is using MSDOS (Micro Sparta-Dos).

 

 

snip...

[flashjazzcat]

If we're talking about backups, I use two CF cards plugged into a MyIDE interface running off the SDX driver. I can make a mirror copy of an entire 32MB partition from one card to another in some twenty minutes on the Atari. Alternatively, I can plug the CF card into the PC, and use Hias's LBA version of MyIDETool to backup/restore the card.

 

I can see what's nice about the MyDOS interface and the compatibility factor (after all, I used it for years until the day SpartaDOS X dropped onto my welcome mat), but it's hard to see other advantages (although those two advantages may completely cancel out all drawbacks for some users). The sector link FMS is slow and inefficient, and I've found it to be prone to error and very difficult to recover files from using a sector editor. Having to read every sector of a file in order to delete it always seemed odd to me.

 

But - I agree, it's nice to have the choice and MyDOS served me well for years when I used floppy disks. I would not choose to use it with a hard disk, but that's just personal preference.

[+Stephen]

An easy solution which works well for searching files within ATRs, is to use GREP. Since all of the Atari DOSes will store the filenames in plain text, just GREPping for the filename will show you which ATRs contain a match. Not the most elegant solution, but it's free and works.

[a8isa1]

Since other folks are offering opinions, I'll offer mine.

 

A hard drive is not a suitable permanent storage device. They do get corrupted. They do need backing up to avoid loss. So I keep my HD use limited to things that I access a lot. I used to make my MyDos hard drives 60,000 sectors, but I found that 75% of that was stuff that I never used. So now they are all 20,000 sectors, and I don't miss a thing. Everything else is on APE images that are better organized and can be readily found using the Windows search function.

 

Hi Larry.

 

The only issue I've ever had with corruption of big partitions (on my MyIDE in my case) is with the VTOC. For that I always keep handy a copy of MyDOS VTOC fixer 1.2 (by Robert Puff). Don't confuse this with VTOC fixer 2.0 which is for Atari DOS 2.0 (and 2.5?).

 

-Steve

[Mathy]

Hello Jon

 

... very difficult to recover files from using a sector editor.

 

I've recovered more then a few files using a sector editor on a MyDOS (hard)disk. It takes a lot of time, but it's doable. But if you loose the sector that holds the sectorlinks in a Sparta/BeWe/Real disk....

 

sincerely

 

Mathy

[+bf2k+]

 

I use an All-In-Wonder video card, which allows a scalable window for the Atari screen.

 

So are you saying that the Atari is plugged into this card in your PC? If so, what is the model # of that card?

[+Larry]

Hi-

 

Mine is a "9000 Pro" circa 2003. I think it is still a Radeon model -- they have made these cards since the days of ISA slots. Mine is getting some age on it -- an AGP 4X IIRC. An I/O cable plugs into the card, and on the cable there are inputs for Composite, S-Video, and L-R Audio. I use a little Radio Shack amplifier/speaker for convenience, since my TV is also connected to the AIW. I can use the Atari -or- watch (U.S.) football while surfing, etc.

 

Here is a link to a current model:

http://www.amd.com/us/products/pctv/all-in-wonder-cards/Pages/all-in-wonder-cards.aspx

 

You can usually find a gaggle of these on eBay -- from really old to brand new models. It is similar to the ATI (now owned by AMD) TV Wonder card that is an add-on TV card, rather than an all-in-one. The TV Wonder is (was) also similar to the WinTV cards (which were good, also).

 

Don't know how they are today, but this setup has worked well for me for many years. I got off the upgrade-go-round at Core 2 Duo and Win XP. Certainly not SOTA, but still very good for my needs.

 

-Larry

 

 

I use an All-In-Wonder video card, which allows a scalable window for the Atari screen.

 

So are you saying that the Atari is plugged into this card in your PC? If so, what is the model # of that card?

[+Larry]

Hi Steve-

 

Got a chance to find VTOC FIXER 2.0 last night. I don't believe I had ever heard of that one, but I do remember the author -- seem to recall he had some articles published way back in Analog or Antic. (?) Looks like a nice program.

 

-Larry

 

 

Hi Larry.

 

The only issue I've ever had with corruption of big partitions (on my MyIDE in my case) is with the VTOC. For that I always keep handy a copy of MyDOS VTOC fixer 1.2 (by Robert Puff). Don't confuse this with VTOC fixer 2.0 which is for Atari DOS 2.0 (and 2.5?).

 

-Steve

[GoodByteXL]

If we're talking about backups, ...

 

Using CF cards or SD cards (attached via a 2-ide adapter to my IDE controller attached to XL) backups are easy to do not only on the A8 itself, as Flashjazzcat described.

 

Using a pc hosting an ide-to-sata connected card reader (no usb, which is very slow) makes it a snap to backup the whole card with any drive backup software. The pity: there is no software available on a windows pc to look into the image and the single A8 partitions. SIO2USB is way too slow for backups.