The Disk-Image-Creator

DIC * The Disk-Image-Creator

DIC is a tool to create an file image of a floppy disk. DIC reads the contents of the floppy disk via the appropriate device (e.g. "trackdisk.device" for DF0:) and writes the data to a plain file in the actual directory. The name of disk image file created will be "Disk.1", where "1" is the number of the disk read. The disk number is increased after each disk read.

DIC can also read other devices like RAD:, PC0: or DS0: and high density disks.

If one track of the floppy disk cannot be read correctly and DIC has been started via a interactive terminal (e.g. CON:), it will ask to either skip the failed track or to try to read it again. On noninteractive terminals these tracks will be skipped by default.
For skipped tracks the appropriate area in the image will be filled with the pattern "TDIC". So it is possible to identify the read error later.

DIC can also read disks partially by using the option SIZE/K/N. If used DIC will ommit the data after the specified size. This may be useful if the last tracks are unused.

One track can be skipped by using the option SKIPTRACK/K/N. This is very useful to create images of disks containing a disk based protection (e.g. RN-Copylocks on track 1).

If the option PEDANTIC/S has been specified DIC will quit immedately if a track is unreadable.

DIC can be interupted at any time by pressing Ctrl-C.

Installation

copy it to C: or a similar place

Usage

To use DIC interactively:

open a Shell
enter directory where the images should be stored
type "DIC" and press RETURN
now insert the disks and follow the instructions given by DIC
after the last disk has been read interrupt DIC by pressing Ctrl-C

To use DIC in a installation script use the options FD=FIRSTDISK/K/N, LD=LASTDISK/K/N and PEDANTIC/S. For disks with physical copy protection use SKIPTRACK/K/N. If possible it's really nice to use SIZE/K to save diskspace all over the world ;-).

Options

`DEVICE,SKIPTRACK/K/N,SIZE/K,FD=FIRSTDISK/K/N,LD=LASTDISK/K/N,PEDANTIC/S`
`DEVICE`	the device from which DIC will read the disks default "DF0:" example "RAD:"
`SKIPTRACK/K/N`	the track with the specified number will not be read, the appropriate area in the disk image to create is filled with the pattern "`TDIC`"
`SIZE/K`	the size of the image to create, useful if there is an unused area at the end of the disk, if size is larger than the physical image size it is ignored
`FD=FIRSTDISK/K/N`	number of the first disk default "FD=1" example "FD=0"
`LD=LASTDISK/K/N`	default "LD=999999" example "LD=3"
`PEDANTIC/S`	if specified DIC will immedately quit if a track cannot be read, should be used in install scripts

Return code

The return code is set to 0 if all disks from FD up to LD are read successfully. Otherwise 10 is returned.