If
you find a splat file, or
if
you discover too late that you have scratched such a file,
immediately validate the diskette using the COLLECT command described later in this
chapter.
If
you have added any files to the diskette since scratching the splat file, it is best
to immediately copy the entire diskette onto another fresh diskette, but do this with a copy
program rather than with a backup program. Otherwise, the same problem will
be
, recreated on the new diskette. When the new copy is done, compare the number
of
blocks
free in its directory to the number free on the original diskette.
If
the numbers match,
no
damage has been done.
If
not, very likely at least one
file
on the diskette has been
corrupted, and all should be checked immediately.
Locked Files
Occasionally, a diskette will contain a locked
file;
one which cannot be erased with
the SCRATCH command. Such files may be recognized by the
"<"
character which
immediately follows the
file
type in their directory entry.
If
you wish
to
erase a locked
file, you will have to use a disk monitor to clear bit 6
of
the file-type byte in the directory
entry on the diskette. Conversely, to lock a file, you would set bit 6
of
the same byte.
RENAME
The RENAME command allows you to alter the name
of
a program or other
file
in
the diskette directory. Since only the directory
is
affected, RENAME works very quickly.
If
you try to RENAME a
file
by using a
file
name already in the directory, the computer
will respond with a
"FILE
EXISTS" error. A
file
must be properly closed before it can be
renamed.
FORMAT FOR RENAME COMMAND:
RENAME [Ddrive#,]
"old
name" TO [Ddrive#,]
"new
name" [,Udevice#]
where both drive#s, if included, would be 0
RENAMING AND SCRATCHING TROUBLESOME
FILES
(ADVANCED USERS)
Eventually, you may run across a
file
which has a crazy filename, such
as
a comma
by itself
("
,")
or one that includes a Shifted Space. Or perhaps you will find one that
includes nonprinting characters. Any
of
these can
be
troublesome. Comma files, for
instance, are an exception to the rule that no two files can have the same name. Since it
shouldn't be possible
to
make a
file
whose name is only a comma, the disk never expects
you to do it again.
Files with a Shifted Space in their name can also
be
troublesome, because the disk
interprets the Shifted Space
as
signaling the end
of
the
file
name, and prints whatever
follows after the quotation mark that marks the end
of
a name in the directory. This
technique can be useful by allowing you
to
have a long
file
name, and making the disk
recognize a small part
of
it
as
being the same
as
the whole thing without using pattem-
matching characters.
30
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