Loadstar 21/021.d81/t.disk frisk

Text File | 2022-08-26 | 6KB | 363 lines

            Disk Frisk


Written by:  Jeff Johnson


  DISK FRISK is one of the most

powerful disk utilities ever written

for the Commodore 64.  It combines

some of the most useful disk routines

around, including sector editing,

file rescuing, and catalog

rearranging.  So, without further

chit-chat, let's get right into it.

  When you run DISK FRISK (DF from now

on), you are first presented with a

menu of all options.  A little hand

that is controlled via the UP/DOWN

CRSR key points to the function you

want to perform.  Below are the

instructions for all of the options.


 OPTION 1 -- SECTOR EDITING

  This option allows you to edit any

track and sector of a disk.  When you

choose this option, insert the disk

you wish to work on.

  DF allows you to edit in HEX, ML,

or BASIC formats.  The HEX option also

presents you with the character

representation of the data.  When

editing in HEX, the UP/DOWN CRSR key

allows you to scroll through the

sector ($00-$FF).  The LEFT/RIGHT CRSR

key allows you to move across a

particular line of data.  One thing to

remember when editing HEX is to always

press RETURN on a line to make a

change stay.  When editing, also

remember that none of the editing

actually goes onto the disk until you

write that sector back (more on that

later).

  Other formats let you list the data

in either ML or BASIC format.  This is

very handy if you happen to be

searching for the remains of some

program.

  NEW T/S (Track/Sector) allows you to

input a new track and sector to edit.

For example, to edit track

14(decimal), sector 10(decimal), you

would enter 14,10. To enter the values

in HEX, you must prefix a '$'.  In

other words, our example would be

entered as $0E,$0A.

  NEXT T/S simply reads the current

track and sector's link to the next

track and sector.

  PREVIOUS T/S returns you to the

track and sector you worked on right

before the one currently displayed.

  WRITE T/S writes the current track

and sector to disk with any changes

you may have made.

  PRINT T/S prints a copy of the

display on your printer.

  RECALL BUFFER and STORE BUFFER are

very useful functions.  STORE BUFFER

allows you to store a sector in a

temporary buffer.  You can later

RECALL this buffer for use in another

sector.

  QUIT returns you to the main menu.


 OPTION 2 -- RESCUE SCRATCHED FILES

  This option will search through the

directory and find all scratched

files. Using the CRSR keys, you can

scroll through all the scratched

filenames. When you find the one you

want to 'un-scratch', press RETURN.

This allows you to scroll through all

the available types of files.  Find

the type that matches the file you

want to recover.  For example, say I

scratched a SEQuential text file full

of game instructions and I later found

that I really needed that file.  Using

DF, I would scroll through the names

until I found my filename.  In my

case, it was named INSTRUCT.  I press

RETURN and then scroll through the

types until I find SEQ.  I then press

RETURN and DF will state that it's

trying to fix it.  DF will then tell

me if the recovery was COMPLETE or

INCOMPLETE.


 OPTION 3 -- LOCK/UNLOCK A FILE


  This option allows you to protect

files from being scratched.  By using

the CRSR keys, you can scroll through

all the files on your disk and decide

whether you want to lock them (or

unlock them if they are already

locked).


  OPTION 4 -- VIEW A DIRECTORY

  This option presents the directory

of a disk showing filename, file type,

file size, beginning track and sector,

and whether it is locked or unclosed.

You can scroll through the directory

by using the CRSR keys. Pressing the

'?' lets you view the different ways

of printing your directory.


  OPTION 5 -- RECOLLECT BAM


  This actually performs the

equivalent of a validate.


  OPTION 6 -- SEND A DISK COMMAND

  This allows you to send commands

such as 'I0' (initialize) to the disk

drive.  Simply type in the command.

For example, to scratch a file named

DUMMY, merely enter S0:DUMMY <RETURN>.

The disk will then carry out the

command and report the status back to

you.


  OPTION 7 -- DISPLAY BAM

  This option gives you a graphic

representation of how full your disk

is.  It does this by reading the

BLOCK AVAILABILITY MAP (or BAM for

short).


  OPTION 8 -- REARRANGE DIRECTORY

  This option allows you to move files

around in the directory.  You can sort

the directory by alphabetizing by

filenames,  by file size (smallest go

to top), or by file type.  To move a

file, move the highlight to the file.

Press F1 and then F7.  Move the high-

light to the name of the file you want

your 'moving' file to go ABOVE and

press 'M'.  To save a new directory to

disk, simply press 'S'.


  OPTION 9 -- TRACE A FILE

  This file allows you to trace the

layout of a file by track and sector.

The trace can be listed to screen or

printer.  This is extremely helpful

when looking for the remains of a

program on a blown-up disk.


  OPTION 10 -- END


  This is the easiest and least

useful.  This option simply returns

you to the BASIC environment.  Please

note that DF does NOT return to

LOADSTAR.


  If you do not understand techniques

in disk editing or the physical

layout of data on a floppy disk,

PLEASE!!! be careful with DF.  Nothing

can blow-up a disk faster than a

disk editor combined with a curious

mind.  To gain more knowledge of the

layout of a floppy, you can refer to

the back of your 1541 manual.  If you

are extremely curious, you many want

to order the COMPLEAT DOS and DON'TS

Disk.  This disk explains a some of

the fundamentals of disk usage as well

as some of the more advanced

techniques.

  REMEMBER -- BE CAREFUL!!  A DISK IS
   A TERRIBLE THING TO WASTE.
   (especially if it has a great
    game on it!)



>Files used:  DISK FRISK

---------< end of article >-----------