swh@hpsmtc1.HP.COM (Steve Harrold) (09/15/87)
Re: Bad directory entry Whenever you get a "strange" character in a filename in a directory, try something like this to shake it out: erase fin? The wild card notation should fool the command interpreter. --------------------- Steve Harrold ...hplabs!hpsmtc1!swh HPG200/13 (408) 447-5580 ---------------------
ferneau@silver.bacs.indiana.edu (09/16/87)
To get rid of a file with a bad name, some low-level directory editing is in order. None of the High-level (ACSIIZ) dos function calls will work. You need a utility like Norton Utilities (NU) or PC Tools to do the editing. What you do is call up the disk sector containing the actual directory entries using the sector/disk editor of one of the above-mentioned programs. Then, using your cursor keys to position yourself over the offending filename, you change it to something non-ambiguous in UPPER CASE LETTERS ONLY. By non-ambiguous I mean that you should make sure that the name you choose as the replacement name is UNIQUE, vis. doesn't exist in the directory in which you are working. Be sure to use only upper case letters, or else you'll only have a variant of the problem you have now. (DOS's functions are all converted to upper case). Once you have changed the name to something appropriate (NO MORE THAN 11 CHARC), just save the sector and exit the program. Now, if it is a directory, you should be able to CD to it, or, if a file, you should be able to type it. In any case, you should be able to get rid of it. (If not, leave me a message and I'll tell you how to expurgate it from your system permanantly!) Nick Cline InterNet: ferneau@silver.bacs.indiana.edu UUCP: ...! ihnp4 ! iuvax ! silver ! ferneau ATT: 812.331.0543 . . .