How to sort/alphabetize files on disk and in ATR?

[6BQ5]

I would like to alphabetize the files in my ATR images and also the files on my physical disks. Yes, I still use disks too.

 

What is are the go-to tools of today?

 

Thanks!

[+CharlieChaplin]

Hmmm,

 

if you are using SDFS (Sparta DOS, Real DOS, Bewe DOS, etc.) there is the program MENU.COM, a filecopy program, which can sort your files alphabetically. Simply copy the files a) onto ramdisk and back to disk or b) onto another floppy drive. Afaik, this program is on every Sparta, Real, Bewe DOS master or system diskette...

 

For DOS 2.x there is e.g. Prof. Copy 2.0 which can sort your files (again via ramdisk or another drive) and some Disksort/Filesort programs which will sort files on the same disk drive (and re-write VTOC, Directory and sector/file links, so this will take quite a while)...

 

Prof. Copy 2.0: http://www.atarionline.pl/utils/6.%20Stacja%20dyskietek/Professional%20Copy/Professional%20Copy%202.0%20program%20instalacyjny.xex

 

Disksort: http://tajemnice.atari8.info/4_93/4_93_listingi.zip

Filesort: http://tajemnice.atari8.info/1-2_93/1-2_93_listingi.zip

Edited April 22, 2019 by CharlieChaplin

[+Nezgar]

The SpartaDOS 3.2 Toolkit (ie https://archive.org/details/a8b_SpartaDOS_v3.2f_Toolkit_1994_02_25_Fine_Tooned_Engineering) inlcudes "SORTDIR.COM" which will sort the current or specified directory of a SpartaDOS disk by name, type, size, date, and reverse sort of those. I just checked and the current SpartaDOS X 4.49c on my SIDE2 also includes a version in the built-in CAR: drive. This tool only re-writes the directory, and does not involve re-copying files. It does not work on AtariDOS disks.

 

Another idea for 'fast' method of sorting an AtariDOS disk, especially if it is already in an ATR file is to just open it up in an ATR manipulation program, e.g. RespeQt on the PC side. Use the disk explorer to select all the files, drag them out to a temporary folder, delete them all from the ATR, then just drag them back in, and they'll become sorted....

[+Larry]

Hey! Thanks, I didn't know of that feature in RespeQt. In APE, you can only explore the folder where the ATR came from.

 

Edit: Maybe I'm doing something wrong. If I follow that procedure, then the disk is scrambled and no longer boots. (?)

 

RespeQt would need to re-allocate the VTOC, wouldn't it? I did use the Delete Files and Add Files of RespeQt, and it looks good, but won't boot.

[_The Doctor__]

sounds like the bootstrap loader link breaks when the files copy back- the droid it's looking for has moved and is no longer reached.

Just use whatever DOS disk the original was written with and write the DOS files out again... it will copy over the and re assert the bootstrap linkage...

 

spartados disk...

 

boot x32d.dos or similar

 

mydos

H, Write DOS files... after you set up the default option you want on the disk.

 

DOS 2.5, well you get the idea

Edited April 22, 2019 by _The Doctor__

[_The Doctor__]

you can make a batch file to sort disks as well....

[+Nezgar]

Edit: Maybe I'm doing something wrong. If I follow that procedure, then the disk is scrambled and no longer boots. (?)

 

Right, for a bootable DOS 2.x disk, you can't delete DOS.SYS since the boot sectors will look for it in it's original location... Like the doc mentioned, a rewrite of DOS files after the manipulation will fix that. For a SpartaDOS disk you can re-issue the BOOT command on the intended boot file.

[+Larry]

I'll give that a try, then use VTOCFIX to check the ATR.

[6BQ5]

Thanks for all the replies, everyone! It looks like I have some options to try.

 

I didn't mention which OS I am using. It's MyDOS 4.55 Beta 4.

[E474]

Hi,

 

Is it worth locking DOS.SYS and DUP.SYS, then you don't have to worry about over-writing them, though I am not sure if the copy back operation would abort if it tried to copy back those files?

[Roydea6]

Thanks for all the replies, everyone! It looks like I have some options to try.

 

I didn't mention which OS I am using. It's MyDOS 4.55 Beta 4.

If by the term use of OS and really mean to DOS then SpartaDos x 4xx SORTDIR will sort the root and directories of a MyDOS 4.55 Beta 4 diskette (floppy)(atr)(hard drive partition)..

[+Stephen]

If by the term use of OS and really mean to DOS then SpartaDos x 4xx SORTDIR will sort the root and directories of a MyDOS 4.55 Beta 4 diskette (floppy)(atr)(hard drive partition)..

Another win for Sparta It can also just sort the DIR being displayed to the screen like the big boy computers that use MS-DOS can, via command line switch.

[1050]

Is it worth locking DOS.SYS and DUP.SYS, then you don't have to worry about over-writing them, though I am not sure if the copy back operation would abort if it tried to copy back those files?

Nope, exactly the wrong move to do at exactly the wrong time too.

Let the programs move the files into order and then simply

re-issue DOS files to the disk. They will be found to pre-

exist and thus be deleted before being rewritten exactly

as placed but this time the boot link to them will be

restored to working order. So what if a few sectors are

abused in the process?

 

If you don't overwrite them, then the boot link must be

done manually and if you are already this level of disk

editing ninja you don't need to be asking what to do.

 

Copy back protected DOS files might be a DOS specific

behavior. To be avoided by not protecting those files.

Since I don't know, I don't want to take a chance either.