³Utilities review¹
²----------------
¹
In  the last months I changed my 2 most used utilities.  They were the XCopy3.1
and the Diskmaster1.3 and I want to tell you why I done this.

³RattleCopy 4.0 Pro¹

After  the  funny update with a Pacman the best version reached me in june.  It
has  a  big  RattleCopy  logo  before  the  copy with 5 planes but I think it's
unnecessary,  coz  it's  make  the  copy  longer.   It's about 90.000 bytes coz
Rattlehead (the author of the copy) put two times lotsa things into the memory,
like  characterset,  the  picture  of  the copyprogram.  But the copy is really
comfortable and worth to use !!

The best advantages of RattleCopy

- Four targets indication
- Damaged copy option, which set the bad tracks to copy while they are wrongs.

-  Rattle  copy  option.   This  is  the best what I saw until this time.  It's
copying the no Dos disc like a Dos disk.  When I use this option first time for
a  disk, It make a Rattlemap which is equal the Bit-map of the disk and save it
to  the first track.  When I copy this disk next time I save lotsa time coz the
free  space  of the disk didn't copied. It's perfect forexample for trackloader
demos, but really good for games too.

- It has a format switch between 
 
  Off     Not format the free tracks
  Fast    Fastformating the free tracks
  Verify  Verify the formating of the tracks

- Automatic switch between the Bitmap and RattleCopy mode
  XCopy write ->  Not A Dos disk (What a lame coding !!)

- Automatic source (The first write protected disk from 0 to 3) and destination
  (The write enabled disks are all destinations ) selection.

- Space bar start ! Great like the former times in C64. I love it very much!

- Have an automatic bootblock virus checker and a Bit-Map and Bootblock editor.
  The Bitmap editor sometimes crached !!

All  in all I've forget Xcopy and I use Rattlecopy for a half year and I didn't
disapointed in RattleCopy.  Nice work RattleHead !


The next utility is ³Filemaster¹ from Reflex/Admirals


This  is  only the 1.0 version so I hope he will develop it soon, but the first
version is now better than the Diskmaster 1.3 or 3.0 .

It's  only  20.000  bytes  what is really short.  The layout isn't the best but
it's customable sooner or later.

The best advantages of File Master

- Power packer compatible modul player, show pic and read

- At deleting ask for sure.  It would be better if there are a switch for this
  option coz if  I  wanna copy again  a complet subdirectory It's asking every
  files for sure.

-  Better  diskinfo  option  like  in  Diskmaster.   If  in  Diskmaster the two 
   disknames are long then  I  cann't  see  the  free space on the disks.  Show
   devices, drawers and volumes.
 
-  It's showing, while working, the remaining bytes. It's holding my attention!

-  Decrunch option for Power Packer (Enscrypt not included!!)

-  Sleep option

So I'm useing Filemaster now. Try it !

After all, some bug reports for Reflex/Admirals

1.   If  I  click  on  disknames  with  the  right mouse button for a directory
sometimes  filemaster  read  only  the  first  file  on  the disk.  I found the
problem.  The right mouse button stop the directory reading.

2. "Other" option would be better in the middle section of the program !

3.   Please  make  a  better  print option.  "P" is too simple, I cann't switch
between the different fontsize and draft and NLQ !

4.   If  I see an interlace picture and I move the mouse a little, the picture
starting to tremble.

5.   The  Date  is 3 days nearer to the real date!  Great for swappers coz they
gain 3 days!

6.   If  I'd  like to show a Powerpacked picture It decrunch the picture right,
but  It  write  "Not an IFF-ILBM file" !!  There are errors with Brush showings
too!!
 
³written by Zozo/Majic 12