Commodore 1541-II - Scratch for Advanced Users

"pattern" can be any file name or combination of characters and wild card characters. As
usual, "D" stands for drive number, which may only be 0 on the 1541. If the drive
number is omitted, 0 is assumed. Likewise, "U" stands for unit (device) number,
normally 8. If "U" is omitted, 8 is assumed.
Thanks to the defaults, the usual form of the Scratch command becomes:
SCRATCH "pattern"
As a precaution, you will be asked:
ARE YOU SURE? ■
before Basic obeys a Scratch command. If you are sure, Simply press Y and RETURN. If
not, press RETURN alone or type any other answer, and the command will be cancelled.
The number of files that were scratched will be automatically displayed. For exam
ple, if your diskette contains program files named * 'TEST'',' TRAIN", * TRUCK'', and
"TAIL", you may scratch all four, along with any other files beginning with the letter
"T", by using the command:
SCRATCH "T*"
and if the four listed were the only files beginning with "T", you will see:
01,FILES SCRATCHED,04,00
READY. ■
The "04" tells you 4 files were scratched.
SCRATCH (FOR ADVANCED USERS)
Scratch is a powerful command, and should be used with caution, to be sure you only
delete the files you really want erased. When using it with a pattern, we suggest you first
use the same pattern in a Directory command, to be sure exactly which files will be
deleted. That way you'll have no unpleasant surprises when you use the same pattern in
the Scratch command.
Recovering from a Scratch
If you accidentally Scratch a file you shouldn't have, there is still a chance of saving
it. Like Basic's New command, Scratch doesn't really wipe out a file itself; it merely
clears the pointers to it in the diskette directory. If you immediately set the diskette aside
and protect it with a write-protect notch, to be sure no one adds any files to the diskette, a
skilled user in a nearby Commodore user group may be able to recover your file for you. It
will help if you can remember what kind of file it was you scratched (program, sequential,
etc.), since that information cannot be directly recovered from what is left of the file.
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