ACB.TYM@OFFICE-2.ARPA (05/08/84)
A small contribution. Most well behaved programs close output files before asking for a disk change or before returning via either warm boot or to the CCP. As a result the last operation on a disk is usually a directory write (type 1). If a directory write is treated as an immediate operation, the write buffer is always flushed when a file is closed. There are a very small number of exceptions (programs that "patch" a sector and then don't close the file, utilities that use the BIOS directly (copy, format)) and these are best Changed to make their last write a type 1 write. I have a BIOS that manages the buffers this way and I have never fouled a directory because of failing to write the directory or last sector. Further there is no unneeded disk io at console read time. For those awaiting a summary of the results of my 5 inch disk controller question... there were no responses. I am thinking of the "Little Board" as my solution. It seems cheaper than most s100 disk controller boards and will serve as a disk copy machine quite nicely. Anyone with experience?