[comp.sys.amiga] Execute ... have it *your* way

kim@amdahl.uts.amdahl.com (Kim DeVaughn) (03/03/88)

Another candidate for the "tech" group . . .


In article <384@lamont.Columbia.edu>, adam@lamont.Columbia.edu (adam levin) writes:
> In article <365@sas.UUCP>, bts@sas.UUCP (Brian T. Schellenberger) writes:
> > . . . And why can't AmigaDos put temp files in t: intead of @#*%! 
> > <drive>:t for crimenie sake?  It's durned annoying having to hear the
> >                                                          --Brian.
> > (Brian T. Schellenberger)				 ...!mcnc!rti!sas!bts
> 
> zap c:Execute like so:
> 
> 1) Change the one reference to ":T/Command-0-Tnn" to "TT:Command-0-Tnn"
> 2) Change the one reference to ":T" to "T:".
> And, each time you boot (preferably include this in your Startup-Sequence):
> 3) Assign T: RAM: (or wherever you like)
> 4) Assign TT: T:
> 
> Note that in step one, zapping it to "T:/Command-0-Tnn " (note the trailing
> space) or " T:/Command-0-Tnn" (now note the leading space) will not work.
> A trailing space won't work because the "nn" in the string gets modified
> (it receives the "unique" tag for this execute job) and everything has been
> shifted left one character.  The leading space won't work because it is
> considered to be part of the filename.

In step 1, you could also zap the string to "T:.Command-0-T-nn".  This
lets you omit step 4 entirely.  BTW, my own equivalent of step 3 is
"assign t: vd0:tmp", having already created the "tmp" directory in vd0:
[shades of UNIX(R) :-) ].

An advantage here is that (when I get around to tweaking the "dir" command
I use ... it's on the list), files beginning with a "." or ending with
".info" wont normally be displayed.  (Yes, Virginia, there will be a "-a"
option.)


> Hmmm, now that I think about this, you may need to have an undoctored
> c:Execute on your boot diskette.  I know I do! :-)

Nope, it's not necessary to have an undoctored version for booting with
(or for any other reason I've found in the last couple of years).



BTW, the only other CBM program (that I'm aware of) that uses :T, is "ed".
I once tried zapping it in a similar fashion, but when the zapped copy
was executed, it wouldn't respond to the ESC-key, or some such.  I didn't
pursue this, on the grounds that anyone still using "ed" gets what they
deserve :-).

Just recently someone from CBM (sorry, don't recall who) posted a note
about *rename* using the :T directory.  Could be (though I can't imagine
why).  Doesn't bother me though, as I use "shell", which has it's own
builtin "rename" command.



As an interesting (?) side note, if you Execute an AmigaDOS "exec" that
recursively calls itself, you'll find that the name of the temp file it
creates toggles from "Command-0-Tnn" to "Command-1-Tnn" on alternate
recursions ("nn" staying the same).

What happens is that Execute makes a copy of the existing temp file (if
any), toggling the -0- to -1- (or vice versa) for the new copy, and then
appends the remainder of that part of the exec that has not been executed
yet to the new copy, before calling itself.  This so it can unwind itself
properly when the recursion stops.

Discovered this while burning in my ASDG 8MI memory board by using a
quick-and-dirty exec that recursively called itself after running their
PUMemTest [non-destructive memory test] continuously (when I wasn't doing
anything else with the machine).

I went out of town for a few days, and when I came back, the temp file
had grown to over 70K ... 11 bytes at a time (the only "tail" left after
each pass was the command "lab exit" ).  And it actually *did* completely
unwind several minutes after I stopped it!

[ Well, I thought it was interesting, anyway! ]

/kim


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