Page Comparison

This section describes the more advanced features and commands of the Filer popdown, and should be read in conjunction with The Filer. The features described here include:

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Users may not understand the value of using "The Filing System Hierarchical System," until it is too late. Here is a fictitious example showing what 482 files could look like if they are just dumped into the flash card. There are no directories, and when using EPROMs or Flashcards, no date is stored. The order of the files are known. the first file saved is on Page 1 top left-hand corner and the last file is on Page 2, bottom right-hand corner. There is no way of knowing what each file contains. Perhaps the answer is in the file name.

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CE

Catalogue File Card

Gives a list of information on all files in a Flash or EPROM card. The directories and file names will be given to show where the files originally came from.

Flashing Display whilst using Flash or EPROM card is normal

When you catalogue or save to a blank EPROM, the display will go blank for a few seconds while the EPROM is checked. This also happens with Flash cards when OZ is running on the same card. This happens only once; afterwards cataloging is without flickering.

Info

title	The header of Erased EPROM has also been removed

If the Card has been erased, it will check the file area is blank and blow a header so that the file area is recognised by the CARD command in the INDEX.

Note

title	Note

The Date information on files is not stored in either the Flash or EPROM cards. If this information is important, consider saving the file to the Desktop computer, where the date information is also transferred. Zipping the file in RAM before saving it to the Eprom card will retain the date.

Info

title	UV EPROM fully erased?

From OZ 4.5 a check is made that the file area is fully erased when using this command for the first time. Users using previous versions should check that the EPROM is fully erased using ROMcombiner.

ES

Save to File Card

Copies files from the filing system to a Flash or EPROM card. The file or files to be saved can either be selected as already described, or specified after the prompt

Name :

When a file is being saved to EPROM or to a Flash card in Slot 1, the screen will blank intermittently (if OZ is running on the same card) until saving is completed, when the Cambridge Z88 will bleep.

Warning: the display may be blank for a long time when saving large files

When saving very large file, the Z88 may appear to be doing nothing. It isn't, it is just working as fast as it can so leave it alone. For example a 368K file can take up to 3 minutes to complete, so just wait.

Several files may be saved at the same time. See Select Extra File

UV EPROM fully erased?

From OZ 4.5 a check is made that the file area is fully erased when using this command for the first time. Users using previous versions should check that the EPROM is fully erased using ROMcombiner.

EF

Fetch from File Card

Copies files from Flash or EPROM card back to the filing system. Gives the prompts

Source : Destination :

Source: specifies the name of the file in the EPROM.

Destination: gives the name it is to be saved as in the destination filing system. It is initially set to the same as the source name, but you can edit it if you want to save the file under a different name.

CO

Copy

Makes a second copy of a file in RAM. Gives the prompt

Name :

allowing you to specify the file name to be copied, followed by the prompt

New name :

for the name of the copy.

Multiple files (selected in the catalogue window) can be merged into a single file with the Copy command; they will be appended in the order in which they were selected. See Select Extra File

RE

Rename

Allows the name of a file in RAM to be altered. Gives the prompts

Name : New name :

For example, to change the name of a file from game.bas to 0ldversion you would specify

Name : game.bas New name : oldversion

Note that you cannot use the Rename command to move a file from one directory or device to another. The new name must be a simple file name; devices and path names are not permitted.

ER

Erase

Allows one or more files from RAM to be removed from the filing system. Gives the prompt

Name :

followed by the prompt

Confirm each file ? Yes

Pressing will prompt for each file you have selected to be erased, so allowing you to change your decision for any particular file. Alternatively, changing the option to No by typing N will erase all the selected files without further prompting.

You will not be permitted to erase a file which is in use; for example, a directory containing other files, or an open BASIC file.

Several files may be erased at the same time. See Select Extra File

Warning

title	Warning

Because parts of an erased file in RAM may still be present, you should not rely on the Erase command for disposing of confidential information from the system

Note

title	Note

The file area in the Flash cards are erased (or formatted) using Flashstore or Filer (EC).

Files can only be erased from the EPROM with the EPROM eraser using ultra-violet light.

SE

Select File Card

Selects the slot for the default File Card. This is selected using the number keys, 0-3 or J to toggle each slot number.

Note

title	Note

As a blank EPROM may be used, any slot may be selected. The user needs to ensure that the correct slot is valid.

EC

Create File Card

If the Flash card is blank, this command formats the File Area for the first time. If this has already been done and there are some files already saved, this command will format the file area again after giving a warning.

Warning

title	WARNING

ALL FILES WILL BE REMOVED. All Applications that are on the Flash card will be unaffected and remain on the card.

Sl

Select Directory

Sets the current directory to the specified directory. Gives the prompt

Name :

displaying the current directory string (if any).

For example; to set the current directory to directory TEXT in the current directory, specify

Name : TEXT

If the directory has not been created, a File not found error will be displayed.

SV

Select Device

Sets the current RAM device. Gives a prompt such as

Name : :RAM.1

showing the current device, which can be edited to the required new device.

The Select Device command resets the current directory to the root directory.

The Select Device and Select Directory commands affect the device and directory for the activity from which the Filer was entered, if there is one. This allows different activities to use different devices and directories without the need for specifying them explicitly each time.

Note
If you save files having set a device and/or directory from one activity, and then enter the Filer from another activity, you may be in a different device and/or Directory. Check that the directory displayed at the top of the DIRECTORY window is the intended directory you wish to use.

Down Directory

Up Directory

These commands are used for traversing a hierarchical directory structure. To select a directory move the highlight bar to the directory name in the Filer DIRECTORY window and press . To go back up to the parent directory press .

EX

Execute

Executes a CLI file of commands specified after the prompt

Name : I

See CLI files below.

CD

Create Directory

Creates a directory within the current directory; the name is specified after the prompt

Name : I

TC

Tree Copy

Copies a file tree from one directory to another. Arguments to the S o u r c e and D e s t i n a t i o n fields must be devices or directories. For example,

Source :	:RAM.1
Destination :	:RAM.2

will make a duplicate copy of all files from RAM card 1 to RAM card 2.

The source area cannot be part of the destination area.

NM

Name Match

Sets up a match string restricting access to files in the current directory to those that match the string. For example, setting

Name : *.bas

Will catalogue only files with a bas extension. The default match string is *, matching all file names. When a name match other than * is active, the symbol NM will be displayed at the left-hand end of the Filer DIRECTORY window

VF

View File

When this command is issued, the user is prompted for the file name.

enter filename

Alternatively, to avoid making typing errors, the file may be marked beforehand

marked file

and then the command issued

Image RemovedImage Added

CRC-32

The CRC-32 (checksum) value of the file is displayed. It is used by several applications on the Z88 (Eazylink2, FlashStore, ROMupdate) to ensure file integrity. CRC-32 is found in many desktop applications as well.

The cursor keys are used to navigate around the file.

is used to toggle the cursor between the HEX display on the left and the ASCII display on the right.

Quits this View File function, but remains in the Filer.

Make sure you use to leave this pop down otherwise an 'In use' error message will be shown when the file is deleted. The only way of clearing this error is with either a Soft or Hard Reset, risking losing files in RAM.

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Versions Compared

Old Version 90

New Version Current

Key

CE

Catalogue File Card

Flashing Display whilst using Flash or EPROM card is normal

ES

Save to File Card

UV EPROM fully erased?

EF

Fetch from File Card

CO

Copy

RE

Rename

ER

Erase

SE

Select File Card

EC

Create File Card

Sl

Select Directory

SV

Select Device

Down Directory

Up Directory

EX

Execute

CD

Create Directory

TC

Tree Copy

NM

Name Match

VF

View File