ZX Konig #03 30 апреля 1995

Софт

Soft for you - FORMAT UTILITY V 2.01 - instructions for use of the program to format and repairing the disk.

 The pilot column
has no specific direction
and destination. In it, we intend to
considered interesting program that we meet
on the Speccy. These applets can
be both system and play and learning. Thus, this
time is - FUT. We are ready to publish in this section as your
program, and just one Soft,
you think is interesting. Write to bring.
 Program Format Utility was
promised in the last issue - and here
it is at your disposal. The program is very interesting. It 
includes some features that users do not lacked in 
communication with the Speccy by utilities such as DCU or

ADS. We offer you the copyright
description of the program.


   Instructions for use

   Program Format Utility

         version 2.01

 Who: Members ordinary
unusual.
 What: Instruction yuzaniyu new
version of the format utility.


        GENERAL INFORMATION

      And a little history.


     Program FORMAT UTILITY
intended for
formatting, validation and
Restoration of floppy disks, ie for
addition, the same as the DCU H. Rodionova,
but many features have been implemented
much more convenient, but some
in the DCU, and similar programs
is not there.

     The very first version (1.02,
1.03, 1.04) were working,
were not designed to
mass distribution. In
the masses they were because of
excessive credulity of the authors.
Then came "FORMAT UTLITY"
in a more complete form. That
program does not have versions, but
had copy protection. That
and spawned a number of
it cracked versions, are not always
successful. Now we have a version of
2.1 shagnuvshuyu far ahead.
Original (Author) FORMAT
UTILITY v2.01 has no protection from
copy of the decision of the author
distributed freely to
conditions shareware. Work on
2.01 finished fourth
November 1994. Program
designed to work with
B1standartnym # # b0 TR-DOS-ohm versions
5.03, 5.04T. When using
Left versions dosa
work is not
guaranteed.

     Special amenity
gives the existence Save setup,
ie you just once
select all the settings, then they
store, and do not need every time
to install them. By the way, do not
I advise to pick and alter
loader program, you can
lose this opportunity!

     In addition, you specify the
options for formatting,
inspection and restoration
separately, is also separately
handles errors. Ie for
Each of these functions
establish their values ​​and
their reaction to a disk error.

     After the launch window will appear
with the information the authors, click
any button, "sausage" with
the name of the program falls
down, you can work. First
case, the program checks
the presence of Kempston Mouse
Interface, and if he is found, you
get a very pleasant
opportunity to work with the mouse. Outside
Depending on the availability of a mouse
program is also operated by:
Sinclair and Kempston joysticks
or S, X, O, P, Space. All
operations can be performed
stop pressing the BREAK. At the same time
stored and displayed
statistics on the already processed
section of the disc. In addition,
program can not deceive,
trying to enter incorrect
values ​​for certain functions.
In some cases, you flamed
appropriate message in
Some - for you to just
squeak and nothing bad
happen. Key BREAK
polled correctly, ie in
the restoration during operations,
interruption of which may
Porush information, BREAK does not
queried. In those cases,
when the operation is performed
nothing bad can not do
It was suspended there also. All
information about the disc is taken from
its system area, and quite
Naturally, that have ravaged
the system tray you will not see
such as a list of files on
which the error occurred. If
programs are suspect those
values, which she read
from the system of the disk, then
it will warn you about this.

     Thus, the program shove,
"Sausage" fell down, all ready
to work.

     At the top of the screen you
see the line:


Form Check Rest Option About ...



     This can be a funny line
considered the main program menu.
Management is carried out at
by arrows, which must be
poke at your favorite line and
put pressure on her "fire". It is easy
and understandable.

     The program has a rather
extensive system configuration
options to deal with that
outright inexperienced user
quite difficult, so
herein, we consider
detail all the features. We begin with
Options menu, as this is
It defined all the parameters for
subsequent operations.

        1. OPTIONS MENU


     Options - in this menu
window appears:

40 Tracks - 40 tracks
80 Tracks <- 80 Tracks
Double side <- Two Sides
Single side - One side
Fast disk - "Speed" disc

            (Same as in the DCU)
Normal disk <- "Normal" CD
Extra size <- Max

               Tracks
Normal size - Standard

               Tracks
Format ... - Setting

       formatting options
Check ... - Setting

             paraoetrov check
Restore ... - Setting

          Restoration of the parameters
Save setup - Remembering

              plants in the file
Select drive - Select the drive.

     The first six lines
this menu, I think not
in need of special comments,
as well as the lowest.


  1.1. OPTIONS / Format Options.

Selecting Format ... you are in
Menu settings
Format:


       Format Options

 Reformat cycles: 1
 Check criterion: Double
 Special menu on error OFF
 Save extra tracks info OFF
 Reformat confirm menu OFF
 Standart disk name OFF
 Input standart disk name



             Simple

             Double

             Treble

             1 of 2

             1 of 3

             Adaptive


     Here you can choose
settings that determine
The formatting process:

 1. Reformat cycles - the number of
cycles of reformatting the disk:
enter a number from 1 to 9. For
normal disk recommended
1, for a very bad type
more, up to 9.

 2. Check criterion - the criterion
verification. Chosen
pop-up window from:

    Simple - every sector
checked 1 times, if not
read is broken;

    Double - each sector
checked 2 times, if any
once did not read, it is considered
broken;

    Treble - each sector
checked 3 times, if any
once was not considered, then
is broken;

    1 of 2 - are checked every
sector on the track twice, if
at least once read, the
considered good;

    1 of 3 - are checked every
sector on the track three times, if
at least once read, the
considered good;

    Adaptive - "clever" algorithm
from the DCU: first track is read
once, except with
the first time, it should be two more
attempts, the sector is
good, if you consider the two raza
of the three.

 3. Special menu on error -
output error menu:
Retry / Abort / Ignore. If this
function is disabled, the menu does not
deduced, it follows automatically
Ignore, and broken sector will
shown at the end of check in the box
with statistics.

 4. Save extra tracks info -
record in the system with the sector
# DF offset two bytes
number of formatted
sectors. Quite useful
function. DCU also does this, and
Some shells may
use these two bytes
monitoring and correction in the case
appropriate amount of
free sectors on the disk
(Eg - F-Commander).

 5. Reformat confirm menu - when
this option is enabled when
trying to reformat
formatted disk you will see
warning, stating
"Warning: this disc has already
formatted. "and you can either
to format or
give up - just in case you mistakenly
stuffed your favorite CD? If
You sure you do not
format the correct drive,
option can be turned off.

 6. Standart disk name - if
This option is enabled, the
transition to a formatted disk
you will not be requested
name, all disks are called
equally, by default -
diskname.

 7. Input standart disk name -
Set a default disk name for
default.



   1.2. OPTIONS / Check Options.

Selecting the Check ... you are in
Menu settings
check:


          Check Options


   Check criterion: 1 of 2

   Auto-interleave ON

   Read disk parameters ON

   Del.files in report OFF

 1. Check criterion - the same
this the same item in the Format
Options, only to test
drive;

 2. Auto-interleave -
automatic detection
interliva disk regardless
on the selected Fast / Normal menu
Options. After doing this
point the disc will
occur with maximum
speed.

 3. Read disk parameters -
determination of the parameters
(Number of tracks and the parties to
disk) is also independent of
selected in the Options, which is very
conveniently, is only possible if you do not
killed by systemic sector.
Note: If your disk
formatted to the maximum
number of tracks, then install
Extra size in the menu Options.
This function determines 40/80
tracks, rather than extra size.

 4. Del.files in report -
whether or not the remote
files in a window with statistics
after checking the disk.



  1.3. OPTIONS / Restore Options.

When you select Restore ... You can
specify settings for
Restoration:


         Restore Options


   Reading attempts: 03

   On read fault: user menu

   Writing attempts: 3

   Don't R / W free area OFF

   Del.files OFF

   Dirinfo in menu ON

   Extra checking OFF

 1. Reading attempts -
number of attempts to read:
set from 01 to 99;
large number of possible
recommended only for very
killed drives.

 2. On read fault - a reaction to
read errors - is chosen from:
user menu - error reading
will display a menu where
and you can choose what
actions (their description, see
§ 4.1);
autoignore - when an error menu is not
display will automatically do
ignore;
autoskip - when an error menu is not
display will automatically do
skip.

 3. Writing attempts -
number of attempts to record - from 1
to 9, if for 9 times your disc is not
written - safely bury it.

 4. Don't R / W free area - for
this option is enabled (ON) at
disk will not be made
restoration of the free area. In
this case under the free
area means
unallocated space for
last file as well as sector
from 10th to 16 th on the system
track. This option is useful for
saving time, for example, if
you want to recover files for
rewrites to another drive, then
Why waste time on
restoration of empty space.

 5. Del.files - working with
included the previous option;
Enabling this option in this
case adds remote
files to the free area. What is also
saves time when the fate of
deleted files you do not
concerned. In addition, this
item, regardless of
previous permits showing
Deleted files in the
Restoration of a single file.

 6. Dirinfo in menu - when
resolution of this paragraph
errors in the menu will be
show in what
file or free space
There was an error that will help
you decide exactly how to do:
unnecessary files or free
place can be ignored, and
dear to the file, it makes sense
try porestavrirovat
yet.

 7. Extra checking - normal
restoration cycle is as follows:
Reading, formatting,
Check, Record. At the resolution
this option to a given cycle
added another test that
allows more control
quality.


         2. FORMAT MENU

So, you have all that
due to the formatting in
OPTIONS, you can proceed to
formatted disk.

 Without checking without checking
 With checking the verification


     Formatting without checking
it makes sense to choose if you
confident in the quality of your
floppy disk, the effectiveness of this
item corresponds to the relevant
Item DCU.

     Formatting with test
allows you to control
quality format, but
addition, the program used
algorithm, with which TOOTHED
Can format and
restore disks, which
does not take a DCU or ADS. He
lies in the fact that
finding a broken hard disk space
program physically moves
sector on the track, trying to find
normal plot. So
way, can not format
discs with minor injuries
(Usually the most
common problem - it
scratch, so here is a
narrow scrape enough
successfully manages Dana
program).

     In the transition
directly to the formatting
there is a window similar to this
form:



   Head 0 0123456789ABCDEF


   Head 1 0123456789ABCDEF



    Formatting track nn (nnn)

The bottom line informs
current operation, after the word
track follows the physical number of
track, which at the moment
processed in parentheses it
logical unit number. Strip
shows schematically
transmission process. In the upper
part of the window shows the detail
current track. Head - Room
side of the disc, numbers from 0 to F
correspond to the sector (at the
program, they are marked
squares). Green
are colored a good sector,
red - bad. When a
No bad sectors
need to frantically
write their numbers, after
completion of the procedure appears
window with statistics about
like this:



        Check Report


     Forw Back File


    nnn 0123456789ABCDEF

    .......................

    nnn 0123456789ABCDEF


      Bad sectors nnnn


through the list - Forw -
Forward, Back - back. Left
track numbers, bad sector
as filled squares,
good-as hollow. Below -
the total number of broken sectors.
If the directory disk is not corrupt,
then you can switch the File / Disk,
and view corrupted files,
ie files, in which both
These are broken sector.


        3. CHECK MENU

Check - check the disk. Here
we are waiting for the next window
form:


        Start checking

        View old report

 1. Start checking - start
check. Indication exists, the same
As for formatting. After
complete - output in an already
familiar window with the statistics.

 2. View old report - show
old statistics. If you have already
checked or format
disk, then the statistics will not
gone, can it one more time (or
pair, but at least a hundred times)
view. Conveniently and in
if you accidentally left
of view.


        4. RESTORE MENU

Here you checked the drive and ... horror
- A favorite faylets not be read.
Is the time to ensure that this
drive to cure. Here is when
help Restore - Restoration
disc. Then the window:


            All disk

        Tracks from ... to

         Specified file

        Fails last check


     External indication of this, though,
as formatting or
verification.

 1. All disk - restore
the entire disk.

 2. Tracks from ... to -
restore disk with some
Tracks on such and such. In the resulting
window, enter the number of tracks from
What for some and a miracle
be done.

 3. Specified file -
restore a single file.
We are waiting for another window:


        Enter name

        Enter from CAT

 Enter name - input file name and
its expansion, the beginning
restoration. Enter from CAT -
window appears with the directory
disk on which you can
travel (Forw - forward
Back - back), "fire" - a choice
file and the beginning of its restoration.

 4. Fails last check -
restoration of only those tracks
which revealed poor
sector as a result of the last
verification. Naturally, this
item is selected only if
been audited and
found bad sector.


        4.1. COMMUNICATIONS

     During the restoration.


     During restoration in
unsuccessful outcome of any
operation, whichever
that you set in Options,
may appear following
Posts: EXTRACHECK FAILURE;
FORMATTING FAILURE; READING
FAILURE; WRITTING FAILURE ie
ekstracheka error,
formatting, reading or
record. Tracks are displayed on
which there was such a disaster and
sector, with which this evil
occurred. With a live system
path as a list
files that are on
these sectors, or appears
message that the trouble occurred in the
of the catalog, or
free area (consists info
file (s) / catalogue area / free disk
area).

     Possible reaction to such
Message:

Cancel extracheck - cancel

                     extracheck.
Abort - abort the operation.
Retry - retry the operation.
Reformat - try

            poformatirovat yet.
Ignore - ignore the error.
Ignore to all - ignore

           all of the following errors.
Skip - skip the faulty location.
Skip to all - to ignore all

                  bad place.


    # B1 WARNING! # B0 when a
specific errors (for example -
reading) you select a reaction
It is on this specific error
ie You can cancel extracheck,
ignore read errors and
ignore write errors, etc.


  5. About ... - Information about ...


         About computer

         About diskette

         About program

1. About computer - about
your computer from the viewpoint
given program. If you choose this
point you to the menu System
information. In this menu you can
learn:

Computer type: - type your

                     PC
Memory summary: - the volume of its

                     Memory
TR-DOS version: - version of the TR-DOS
AY-8910 interface: - availability of

      "You mus. Coprocessor.
Printer adapter: - the availability and

         type of printer interface
Kempston joystick: - availability

       Kempston joystick port.
Kempston mouse: - availability
Interface Kempston mouse (mouse).


  Just below the schematic
shows the performance
your computer, compared
with the standard ZX Spectrum. Two
Lower bars indicate the
the speed of your
computer with ROM and RAM.

2. About diskette - about
disk. Pops
Sub-menu:


        Disk parameters

        Brief filelist

        Full filelist

        Show del. files ON

Disk parameters - the parameters
disk, such as:
Drive name
 Number of sides and tracks on
CD
 Number of Files
 Number of deleted files
 Number of free sectors
 The first free track
 The first free sector at this
track
 The total number of sectors
 Interlachen Drive -
fast and normal (fast / normal)
 In addition, if the diskette was
 DCU formatted or FUT-ohm
 the program will report this.

Brief filelist - output directory
disk (in three columns; output
filenames and their extensions)
Moving the catalog -
Forward - Forward, Backward -
ago.

Full filelist - complete withdrawal of
file information (name,
extension, the start address, length
in bytes, the length in sectors
The first track and sector from which
start file). You can also
switch notation -
decimal / hexadecimal.

Show del. files - whether to show
in the two preceding functions
deleted files.

3. About program - information
authors on the program, the conditions
distribution, etc.


      6. OTHER ITEMS.

Among others is particularly
highlight the saddest
message that can only
appear: FATAL ERROR:
unsupported TR-DOS version.
Abnormal program termination.
Press fire to reset. These things
message may appear in the
If the program
found on your computer
custom or ancient dos.
Therefore, to avoid
complications, she is forced to
fold. Sew the standard
DOS version (5.03 or 5.04T) and
everything will be OK!

     Other messages such as:
drive is absent - absent
the selected drive; disk is
absent - no disc; non
TR-DOS disk - disk is not
belongs to a system of TR / DOS -
is understandable, if not understood
- Look for a dictionary and translate
themselves. I'm tired of ordering
to fill those 20 kilos. text, so
that it would like to wish
you all the best and to finish this
significant rules.

     Once again I draw your attention to: the program covers
under the shareware (see earlier versions of DCU or dictionary, 
or Ask Nicholas).