=-=-=-=¢ 8-bit Disaster Averted.¢ by Joseph E. Hicswa, President¢ Jersey ATARI Computer Club, NJ, and¢ member OL' HACKERS ATARI User Group,¢ NY¢¢ One of the advantages of owning and¢ using an ATARI 130XE or upgraded¢ 800XL 8 BIT computer--they both have¢ a RAMDISK!¢¢ WHAT IS A RAMDISK, ANYWAY???¢¢ A RAMDISK is an internal disk drive¢ in a computer. Its like haveing a¢ spare Disk Drive. The disadvantage is¢ when the computer is closed down;¢ RAMDISK files are lost unless they¢ were DOS copied, SAVEd or LISTed to¢ Tape, Floppy Disk, or Hard drive.¢¢ This article is about the advantage¢ of a RAMDISK.¢¢ THE GREAT EXPERIMENT FORMULA!¢¢ I heard, (probably misheard) that¢ when a SAVEd BASIC language file is¢ DELETED (DOS D), it is immediately¢ restored by using wildcard "*": LOAD¢ "D:*".¢¢ "Ah haaa something new!", I gloated.¢ ¢ THE ACTUAL TRIAL RUN!¢¢ Anxiously and hastily I dashed home¢ to experiment. Quickly my TV monitor¢ and drive were switched on. When red¢ busy light went out, a DOS disk was¢ inserted into the drive, door closed,¢ and computer switch flipped. I was¢ impatient for my bOOTUP to complete.¢ At READY prompt, I typed DOS; it's¢ MENU was displayed on screen. "A"¢ listed all files on disk directory. ¢ I chose a FILENAME; wrote it on paper¢ to not forget it; pressed DOS D¢ (Delete), typed in the Filename and¢ pressed RETURN followed by Y when¢ computer asked if I was sure. I WAS!¢¢ Whirring stopped, directory¢ displayed. Yep, the file was no¢ longer there. It was deleted! DOS B¢ (Return to Basic) gave me control of¢ the computer.¢¢ "Now!", thought I glowingly, "I'll be¢ able to demo this at a meeting."¢¢ LOAD "D:*" was typed and followed by¢ RETURN. I crossed my arms, sat back¢ and watched the screen intently.¢¢ THE BIG FAILURE!¢¢ There on the screen was:¢ ERROR 170 (FILE NOT FOUND).¢¢ "What happened?" shouted my surprised¢ and disappointed mind. "The file is¢ lost. What shall I do now".¢¢ RAMDISK TO THE RESCUE!¢¢ This is the way it might have¢ happened were it not for the 130XE¢ ramdisk.¢¢ At original boot up, and prior to the¢ experiment, the file (that was to be¢ deleted) was copied from disk in¢ drive 1 to Ramdisk D8:.¢¢ The ramdisk D8:filename was deleted. ¢ The experiment failed. My program¢ was still intact on floppy disk in¢ drive 1. How about that!¢¢ MORAL TO THE STORY-& WHAT YOU CAN DO¢ ¢ I hope readers unaware of disasters¢ that could befall them, have learned¢ a lesson. Perhaps you have something¢ to share with us--a disaster you¢ encountered or averted. Send it in to¢ the EDITOR, and when printed, it will¢ help some other poor soul avert a¢ disaster.¢ ------------- E N D --------------¢¢
