HDFixer V2.00 User's manual HDFixer V2.00 Copyright © 1993 Peter-Iver Edert All rights reserved Release date January 11, 1993 0 The program : 'HDFixer' The help file : 'HDFixer.HELP' The English documentation : 'HDFixer.DOC' The German documentation : 'HDFixer.DOK' provided the copyright notice is intact and NO commercial use is made with it without the written permission of the author. None of the files of the HDFixer V2.00 package may be modified. Crunching or achiving is allowed only if none of the HDFixer V2.00 files will be modi- fied by it. The author reserves the right to make changes to the software or documenta- tion without notice. What is it ? ============== Using this program owners of an Amiga with a high density floppy disk drive are able to use the 1.71 MB sized HD disks under Kickstart V37.175. Some of the newer A3000's have high density floppy drives. If you own an A3000 just test it. Insert a HD disk perhaps borrowed from a PC user and for- mat it. If the CLI command 'Info' shows a disk capacity of about 1759K you own a HD disk drive. In the 37.175 version of Kickstart HD disks are not completely supported in HD mode. A use of both disk systems DD and HD is not possible without getting write errors on the root block. If you want to change the disk system you have to reboot the system. This program patches the system during every change of the disk system so that a normal use of both disk systems HD and DD is now possible under Kick- start V37.175. Note : It's a senseless operation to run HDFixer V2.00 (from here on referred to as HDFixer) under Kickstart V3.xx because version 3.xx supports from it's self HD disk. This is version 2.00 of HDFixer. This version is an update to version 1.12. HDFixer V1.00, V1.10, V1.12 and V2.00 are 100% written in Assembler. Chapter 1 Introducing HDFixer V2.00 =================================== HDFixer is a very system friendly patch program, it is fast and tries to be as user friendly as possible. 1.1 System requirements HDFixer should run on any Amiga system with at least 512K RAM. HDFixer re- quires Kickstart V37.175 (see about requester of the Workbench). Should you have any trouble running HDFixer on your machine, please write to me with the full specifications of your machine, that is Kickstart ver- sion, model, expansion boards etc. 1.2 About the program If you have suggestions or remarks about this program, or if you find any bugs, please let me know. Note : You probably find some way to crash HDFixer that I have not tried yet but I hope not. When sending in bug reports, please state exactly under what circumstances the bug occurred what equipment was used and what happened. If possible also try to give me enough information to reproduce the bug. It is very difficult to find bugs when you don't know exactly what happened. 1.3 Acknowledgments - Olaf Ramcke for answering my questions on programming and for helping me with the debugging - Fred Fish for his AmigaLibDisks - Commodore-Amiga for making one of the best computers money can buy - and to all those who send in their SHAREWARE-Registration, bug reports and suggestions ! The assembler source code occupies more than 210.000 bytes and consists of more than 12500 lines. Chapter 2 Getting Started ========================= This chapter will explain how to install a complete working environment. You should make a copy of the HDFixer package before starting to make changes. If you are not familiar with copying a disk, see Commodore's introduction to Amiga for informations. 2.1 Installing HDFixer on hard disk To install HDFixer on hard disk simply copy HDFixer to a directory of your choise. Please also copy 'HDFixer.PRF' and 'HDFixer.HELP' to the same or the S: directory. Note : The 'HDFixer.PRF' and 'HDFixer.HELP' files are not required to run the program. HDFixer will display an error message but will continue to run. 2.2 Starting HDFixer HDFixer was written to be used by both beginners and experienced users. HDFixer can be started from CLI or the Workbench. 2.2.1 Starting HDFixer from the CLI To start HDFixer from the CLI simply type : 1> HDFixer followed by a return. This loads the HDFixer program and starts it. When you start HDFixer you can supply the same tool types within the com- mand line (described in 2.2.3) as in the .info file. Note : HDFixer does not detach itself from the CLI or Shell so you will have to use Run or RunBack to prevent HDFixer from blocking the environment of your CLI or Shell. 2.2.2 Starting HDFixer from the Workbench Just double click on HDFixer's icon and HDFixer starts. You can also drag HDFixer in the 'WBStartup' directory of your boot disk/ partition. If you start HDFixer from Workbench you may enter some preferences into the .info file which will be loaded on startup. Note : Set the 'DONOTWAIT' tool type except from these discussed in 2.2.3 if you draged HDFixer in the WBStartup directory of your boot disk/partition. This tool type will prevent the Workbench from waiting until HDFixer quits. If there is a problem so that HDFixer cannot be started e.g. if there is not enough memory HDFixer reports the problem in a requester. 2.2.3 The tool types of HDFixer HDFixer knows some tool types which can either be located within the .info file or may be issued on the command line. The syntax should be of the form of ToolType=Value. If you start the program from a command line you can leave out the `=' and replace it by a blank. The supported tool types : PUBNAME=s This tool type specifies the public screen on which HDFixer will open it's windows. Using 'DEFAULT' the de- fault public screen (most the one of the Workbench) will be used. Default : DEFAULT . CX_PRIORITY=n Sets the priority for the program's section which con- trols the hot keys. Default : 0 . CX_POPUP=YES|NO You can choose whether the main window should be opened on start up or not. Default : YES . FONTSENSITIVE=YES|NO If set to 'YES' HDFixer will use the default screen font for it's windows otherwise the standard system font will be used. Default : YES . TOOLPRI=n This one is used to set the priority for the program it- self. Default : 0 . SETTINGS=s Using this tool type you can specify which preferences file HDFixer should load on startup. If you don't use this tool type HDFixer trys to open the default preferences file called 'HDFixer.PRF' searching for it in the actuall or the S: directory. Default : S:HDFixer.PRF . HELPFILE=s This specifys the help file which will be displayed by pressing the help key in one of HDFixer's windows. If you don't use this tool type HDFixer trys to open the default help file called 'HDFixer.HELP' searching for it in the actuall or the S: directory. Default : S:HDFixer.HELP PRINTTO=s You can select a different file or logical device to print to. Default : PRT: . Chapter 3 The HDFixer window ============================ Let's start a guided tour of the window. The main window offers several gad- gets and menus. Just click the appropriate gadget or select a menu item to perform an action. The HDFixer window can be popped to the front at any time by pressing the hot key combination : left shift left command H. You can toggle/alter almost every action HDFixer can perform from within this window. All gadgets of HDFixer do have an underscored char within their label. This one's to be used to activate/use the gadget (e.g. E for enable HDFixer). So every time you see a gadget with an underscored char, just press this char and you will have the gadget selected. Note : If HDFixer's window is unzoomed the key commands are disabled. Alternatively there are menus bound to the following : Project, Options, Report. Almost every item of these menus does have a short cut attached to it which is the same as for the gadgets they stand for. So you can even access items by pressing the right command key + underscored char. Chapter 4 Description of the main fuctions ========================================== 4.1 : Fix DFX: This explicitly instructs HDFixer to fix drive DFX: if it exists. This is usefull if 'AUTO Fix DFX:' is disabled and the disk system of the selected drive had been changed. 4.2 : AUTO Fix DFX: IF this gadget/menu is aktive HDFixer will automaticaly fix the drive when the disk system changes. Note : If you have four HD disks inserted in four drives it can take up to 12 sec. until HDFixer has fixed them. 4.3 : Load PREFS... This loads saved settings questioning for the file name. 4.4 : Save PREFS Saves the current settings. 4.5 : Save PREFS As... Saves the current settings questioning for the file name. Note : Save/Load PREFS saves/restores even any kind of settings such as window positions, position and size of file requesters, the 'AUTO Fix' settings of cause, the name of the report file and so on. 4.6 : Dynamic buffer If this item is not checked HDFixer allocates 22528 bytes of memory as a trackdisk buffer as long as terminated. But for DD's the buffer only needs to be half as large. So using dynamic buffering HDFixer allocates the needed memory dynamically when fixing a drive. When HDFixer fixed a drive the allocated memory will be released. 4.7 : Enable This enables the AUTO Fix functions of HDFixer. 4.8 : Disable This disables HDFixer so that no drives will be automatically fixed even when it's mode is set to AUTO Fix. To enable HDFixer again select 'Enable' or choose the 'Enable' gadget of 'Exchange'. 4.9 : Hide Selecting this action the main window of HDFixer will be hidden. To pop it up again press the hot key combination or choose the 'Show' gad- get of 'Exchange'. Note : HDFixer fixes the drives even when it's window is hidden. 4.10 : Hide a moment Selecting this the window of HDFixer hides for a moment. Why do we have this feature ? To change the screen mode of the Workbench all windows except drawers must be closed. So if a requester as the following is displayed just select this and press the 'Retry' gadget of the requester. The window will be hidden for a moment and after the screen mode had changed it will be opened again. +---------------------------------------+--+ |Intuition preferences |FB| Nice, eh ? :-) +---------------------------------------+--+ | | | To reset Workbench screen, | | please close all windows, except drawers.| | | +------------------------------------------+ |+--------+ +--------+| || Retry | | Cancel || |+--------+ +--------+| +------------------------------------------+ 4.11 : Window ziped This zooms/unzooms HDFixer's main window. 4.12 : Help... This shows up the help window of HDFixer. You can also press the help key. Use cursor keys, gadgets or menus to control the text display. 4.13 : About HDFixer... Selecting about some information about HDFixer will be shown in a reques- ter. Hit 'OK' to continue or 'Print registration card' to print a SHARE- WARE Registration form. Note : If you have to wait a long time (about 10 seconds) and nothing happens, please check your printer is online. HDFixer will not be able to report an error until the default time out period is passed (usually 30 seconds) or until the user set the printer online. 4.14 : Quit... This quits HDFixer. Chapter 5 The report functions ============================== A lot of people asked me to include a report function in HDFixer for easyer handling of HDFixer in networks so I includes this function in HDFixer V2.00. 5.1 : Generate report This instructs HDFixer to open the selected report file and to store any kind of fixing action message in it. 5.2 : Report With this cycle gadget you are able to specify what fixing messages HDFixer should report in the report file. 5.2.1 : Everything If this mode is selected HDFixer will write any fixing messages to the report file if 'Generate report' is check. 5.2.2 : Only errors Using this mode HDFixer will only report error messages. 5.3 : Report to In this string gadget the name of the current report file is displayed and can be changed to an other one. Note : You can also alter a device name such as PRT:, in this case the fix- ing message will be printed out. 5.4 : Get Gives you the possibility to select a report file via a file requester. 5.5 : Report PREFS This shows up a window in what you can specify which entrys HDFixer should make in the report file. 5.5.1 : Generate Header If active at the beginning of each report a short header like the follo- wing will title your report : HDFixer V2.00 Report file. Generated on Monday the 01-04-93 at 16:36:38 ========================================================================= 5.5.2 : Use 5.5.2.1 : Drive name This uses the drive name for the report entry. 5.5.2.2 : Disk name In this mode HDFixer will use the name of the disk instead of the drive. 5.5.3 : Report date This places the actual date in front of the report entry. 5.5.4 : Report time This places the actual time in front of the report entry. 5.5.5 : American date Using this you can choose between the European and the American date for- mat. 5.5.6 : Hide Closes the 'ReportPREFS' window. 5.6 : Overwrite old report If checked the report file will be overwritten after every restart of HDFixer, otherwise the report messages will be joined to the already existing file. When the HDFixer window isn't hidden HDFixer reports its actions as a text in the title bar of the window. Fixing e.g. a DD Disk in drive DF0: HDFixer reports : 'Fixing drive DF0: to DD'. 5.7 : Pop up fixing error requesters If checked a requester will be poped up on the front screen which informs you that HDFixer isn't able to fix the drive into DD or HD mode. 5.8 : Display beep This is another possibility to get to know that something went wrong during the fixing process is a system beep. To use this feature check this item. Chapter 5 Hints tips and tricks ================================ Don't check the items of DD drives, because fixing DD drives is not necessa- ry. If your Amiga is low on memory use the dynamic buffering. Fixing your grandma's Turbo Toaster (TM) is not necessary at all, because it toasts allmost every disk format. Ever eat a MS-Toast formated disk 8^) ? Appendix a glossary =================== A Amiga Spanish: female friend AmigaDOS The disk operating system (DOS) is used by Amiga computers. application gadget A graphics image that appears within a program which can be manipulated with the mouse to perform a certain function. assembler A programming language B boot The startup process for a computer. It comes from the expression "pulling yourself up by the bootstraps." bug A mistake in a program C check box A gadget used to let a user turn an option on or off. When a check mark appears in the box, the selection is considered to be "on." CLI (Command Line Interface) A means of communicating with the Amiga by issuing commands from the key- board. click To press and release a mouse button close gadget A system gadget used to close windows. It appears in the upper left cor- ner of the window. cycle gadget An application gadget that allows the user to select one of several op- tions. One option is displayed at a time and, as the gadget is selected, the other options become visible. The displayed option is the selected option. D default Initial setting, that will be used if nothing else is supplied. device A physical mechanism, such as a disk drive, used as a source or destina- tion for information. directory A subdivision in a computer's filing system. Directories are represented on the Workbench as drawer icons. disk A medium for storage of computer data. double click To press and release the mouse's selection button twice. drawer See 'directory' drive name The name assigned to a floppy disk drive or hard disk such as Work:, WB2.x: or DF0:. It is the same as the device name. F FastFileSystem (FFS) An enhanced Amiga file system usable with both floppy and hard disk. A volume is formatted as either FFS or OldFileSystem (OFS). The advantages of FFS are increased storage capacity and faster access of files. file A collection of data filename The name by which a program or a data file is known to the Amiga when you want to access it on disk or hard disk. G gadget Any graphics image that can be found in a window or on a screen and which can be manipulated with the mouse to perform a certain function. H hot key A special key or key combination that triggers a certain action. I icon An image appearing on the screen to represent a disk, drawer, project or tool. Icons can be moved and selected with the mouse to allow you to work with the items they represent. K K Kilobyte. 1024 bytes. Kickstart Software that is read from disk and used to boot the Amiga. Also refers to the portion of the OS that is in ROM. HDFixer requires version 2.04 of the Kickstart. L library A related set of functions that can be shared by various programs. HDFixer uses for example the asl.library to display a file requester. M menu A list of on screen options, displayed by using the menu button, from which users can choose commands that control a program. menu button The right mouse button menu item An option that appears in a menu O OldFileSystem (OFS) The file system used by pre-2.0 AmigaDOS. R RAM Random Access Memory. Part of the Amiga's internal memory that can be used for data storage and is directly accessible by the CPU. Data in RAM is lost when the Amiga is rebooted or powered off. reboot To reset the Amiga by pressing the keys Ctrl, left and right command simultaneously. Also called a warm boot. requester A window that allows the user to control options, access files or confirm actions. root directory The main directory of a volume. All other directories are created in the root. The word comes from the analogy between the structure of the file system and the shape of a tree. S selection button The left mouse button. subdirectory A directory within another directory T Tool types A method for passing arguments from the Workbench to a program. HDFixer uses the tool types to store the user preferences. V volume A floppy disk or a hard disk partition volume name The name given to a disk or partition W Workbench The Amiga's icon-based GUI. write-enable To allow information to be written onto a disk. write-protect To prevent information from being written onto a disk. 11 January 1993, Peter-Iver Edert