The Desktop Formatter is a full function disk formatter and copier.
The most important difference between this and other similar programs
is a radically improved and unique 11 sector format. It is described
in full detail later on in its own section. I also included the desk
accessory menu function to call the GEM file selector. This is for
users of Universal Item Selector and can eliminate the need for the
CALLFSEL.ACC program supplied with it. The reason for doing this is
because it only took an additional 80 bytes of memory to include it
in DESKFMT, whereas CALLFSEL.ACC uses 6000 bytes. (Even though the
file size is only 740 bytes). My file selector call also matches the
current desktop window, or currently running application, which I
think makes it more useful than CALLFSEL.
Universal is a trademark of Application and Design Software, and is
used here only as a reference. I am in no way connected with this
company. (I highly recommend their file selector replacement,
Universal III)
If you don't want the File Selector entry to show up in the desk
accessory menu, the program DFMTMOD.PRG can be used to remove that
option from DESKFMT, and also reinstall it if you change your mind
later. DFMTMOD can also configure the default format parameters of
DESKFMT.
When doing any format or copy, the 'ESC' key may be used to abort the
current operation. When the program detects a disk error, it will
put up an alert box allowing you to either retry, abort back to the
menu, or continue on, leaving that error unresolved. When the
operation is finished, the program will report the total number of
unresolved errors.
If you have only one disk drive, DESKFMT will prompt you to insert
source and destination disks during copy operations. Press any key
after you have the diskette in place, or press 'ESC' to abort.
-- Formatting Disks --
To format disks in the AUTO mode, use the top set of buttons to
select which drive, single or double sided, how many tracks and
sectors to use, and whether to use Twisted or Normal format. When
all selections have been made, click on the FORMAT button.
To format in MANUAL mode, the Start Track and End Track numbers
replace the 80, 81, and 82 buttons. They can be set up to format any
section of the disk. The tracks on a disk start at Track 0, so an 80
track disk is really numbers 0 to 79. The End Track number can be
set up to 83, which would give you an 84 track disk. Be aware that
most disk drives will not work past 82 tracks, and many will not work
past 81. To find out how far your drive will format, you can
increase the End Track number one at a time, until you here the drive
make a mechanical 'click' noise which indicates it has reached the
end. For a reliable format, choose a number one lower than the track
where your drive 'clicks'. In Manual mode, the VERIFY? option can be
turned off to make the formatting process faster. This is not
recommended unless the disk is going to be immediately filled up.
-- 11 Sector Formats --
11 sector formats in general have a serious problem. There is just
not enough room on the disk to put the proper amount of space in
between sectors. Because of this, minor changes in drive speed while
writing one sector can sometimes overwrite the beginning of the next
sector. This problem is componded by the fact that the Directory and
FAT sectors, (the places on the disk that store how and where all of
your files are placed), must be written to many times more often than
the actual program sectors. Because of this, most of the disk errors
I have experienced with previous 11 sector formats have been in the
Directory or FAT sectors.
The 11 sector format used in DESKFMT takes advantage of normally
wasted space in the FAT sectors, and is able to put the same amount
of space between sectors as in the 9 and 10 sector formats. The
limitation of this scheme is that it only works on the first track.
The rest of the disk is only a slight improvement over previous
format schemes. However, since the majority of disk errors would
previously occur on the first track, this format should prove to be
far more reliable. I still do not consider this to be a general use
format. There are several rules that should be followed for optimum
reliablility.
First and most important, always save files using the same disk drive
that formatted the 11 sector disk. Different drives usually have
different speeds which will cause problems with the small gaps
between sectors.
Using a disk speed test program, make sure your drive is not any
faster than 300 RPM. If when trying to format 11 sectors, the
program always gets past Track 00, and gets errors on Track 01, this
is a direct indication that your drive is spinning too fast.
Try not to put a lot of files inside folders. The main directory
sectors have large gaps between sectors, whereas the directory for a
folder is stored in the body of the disk with the smaller gaps.
In my opinion, the only use for 11 sector formats is for disks that
you are going to fill up right away, and not write to again. For
example backup disks, or a disk with all your utility programs on it.
The disadvantage of 11 sector formats only occurs with the write
process. Once the data has been written successfully, the
reliability for reading the information in the future is the same as
for 9 and 10 sector formats. I always run the 'Test' option of
DESKFMT right after the disk is filled up, to double check that all
the data is OK. Then I write protect the disk.
I recommend labeling all your disks as to how they are formatted.
This 11 sector format is incompatible with all other 11 sector
formats. Do not use DESKFMT or any other disk copy program to
convert other 11 sector formats to this one. You must format new
disks separately, and then copy all the files to them. Once your
disks are in the new 11 sector format, use only DESKFMT to copy the
disks from there. Most of the other disk copy programs will not be
able to copy the new disks, although file copies are always possible.
-- Copying Disks --
In the AUTO mode, DESKFMT will detect how the original disk is
formatted and make the copy the same way. Use the buttons in the
lower half of the screen to select Source and Destination drives,
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