erkamp@arc.ab.ca (Bob Erkamp) (01/17/91)
Is there a program that will 'reveal' hidden files on the atari? I was using STMirror on my drive and discovered a hidden file (Neodesk.dat) and I think that it really sucks that NeoDesk 3.0 creates this file. I would like to know what's in it and why it's there. Bob
weber_w@apollo.HP.COM (Walt Weber) (01/17/91)
In article <1991Jan16.163558.26338@arc.ab.ca>, Bob Erkamp writes: |> Is there a program that will 'reveal' hidden files on the atari? Universal Item Selector III (and II) have a switch to control file selector behavior, one of which is "show hidden". Disk editors which look at the directory will show them. Many of the available command shells will show them in a listing. |> STMirror on my drive and discovered a hidden file (Neodesk.dat) and I think |> that it really sucks that NeoDesk 3.0 creates this file. I would like to know |> what's in it and why it's there. Well, your Neo3 manual states that this is where the "volume name" goes, unless the volume has already been named by a formatter using the "directory entry" method in the root volume. It's unclear to me why the characterization that Neo "sucks", except out of surprise at finding something you didn't understand. The fault seems to be more yours, in not reading the docs, than theirs, in creating this behavior. Watch out for the behavior of the recoverable trash can - it is documented to use this technique, as well as "not following expected behavior" to do what it does. |> Bob ...walt... Walt Weber Hewlett Packard Response Center 508-256-6600x8315 Chelmsford, MA, USA "The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it" -George Bernard Shaw
rosenqui@crc.skl.dnd.ca (Eric Rosenquist) (01/17/91)
In article <1991Jan16.163558.26338@arc.ab.ca> erkamp@arc.ab.ca (Bob Erkamp) writes: >Is there a program that will 'reveal' hidden files on the atari? I was using >STMirror on my drive and discovered a hidden file (Neodesk.dat) and I think >that it really sucks that NeoDesk 3.0 creates this file. I would like to know >what's in it and why it's there. > >Bob NeoDesk stores the "drive name" in that file. If you click on the drive icon then select "Show Information" you'll see a place where you can change (or remove) the name. If a drive has a name, it will appear in the bottom line of any window open on that drive. They went this route since GEMDOS (and DOS) only allows 'volume' labels to be 12 characters, just like a filename. In the older versions of TOS it was also rather tricky (from a programming point of view) to change a volume name once you'd set it. Eric
ekrimen@ecst.csuchico.edu (Ed Krimen) (01/17/91)
erkamp@arc.ab.ca (Bob Erkamp) writes: - Is there a program that will 'reveal' hidden files on the atari? I - was using STMirror on my drive and discovered a hidden file - (Neodesk.dat) and I think that it really sucks that NeoDesk 3.0 - creates this file. I would like to know what's in it and why it's - there. The NEODESK.DAT file just contains the name of the drive that is put at the bottom of the window. Y' know, when you hit CTRL-LEFTbutton at the bottom of the window, and type in a name for the drive, NEODESK.DAT is where the name is saved. I use Universal Item Selector for seeing hidden files. There are other programs that allow you to see hidden files, although none come to mind at the moment. Then again, you could have read the manual to find out about NEODESK.DAT. ;^) -- Ed Krimen ............................................... ||| Video Production Major, California State University, Chico ||| INTERNET: ekrimen@ecst.csuchico.edu FREENET: al661 / | \ SysOp, Fuji BBS: 916-894-1261 FIDONET: 1:119/4.0
erkamp@arc.ab.ca (Bob Erkamp) (01/17/91)
In article <4f3e90a0.20b6d@apollo.HP.COM> weber_w@apollo.hp.com writes: > >In article <1991Jan16.163558.26338@arc.ab.ca>, Bob Erkamp writes: >|> Is there a program that will 'reveal' hidden files on the atari? > >Universal Item Selector III (and II) have a switch to control file selector >behavior, one of which is "show hidden". Disk editors which look at the >directory will show them. Many of the available command shells will show >them in a listing. > >|> STMirror on my drive and discovered a hidden file (Neodesk.dat) and I think >|> that it really sucks that NeoDesk 3.0 creates this file. I would like >to know >|> what's in it and why it's there. > >Well, your Neo3 manual states that this is where the "volume name" goes, unless >the volume has already been named by a formatter using the "directory entry" >method in the root volume. It's unclear to me why the characterization that Neo >"sucks", except out of surprise at finding something you didn't understand. The >fault seems to be more yours, in not reading the docs, than theirs, in creating >this behavior. Watch out for the behavior of the recoverable trash can - it is >documented to use this technique, as well as "not following expected behavior" >to do what it does. I guess what annoys me is that it's a hidden file. I don't understand why the file couldn't just reside in the Neodesk directory. Actually I think NeoDesk is great. What I want to know is how to make it unhidden and/or delete it? I'll have to reread the docs to see if they mention anything about this. My feeling is there should be no such thing as a hidden file. Bob >
bill@mwca.UUCP (Bill Sheppard) (01/18/91)
In article <1991Jan16.163558.26338@arc.ab.ca> erkamp@arc.ab.ca (Bob Erkamp) writes: >...I was using STMirror on my drive and discovered a hidden file >(Neodesk.dat) and I think that it really sucks that NeoDesk 3.0 creates >this file. I would like to know what's in it and why it's there. This is the file that contains the volume name you've given that hard disk partition. Nothing to be too concerned about... -- ################################################################################ # Bill Sheppard -- bills@microware.com -- {uunet,sun}!mcrware!mwca!bill # # Microware Systems Corporation --- OS-9: Seven generations beyond __/_!! # #######Opinions expressed are my own, though you'd be wise to adopt them!#######
boyd@mailer.cc.fsu.edu (Mickey Boyd) (01/21/91)
In article <1991Jan16.163558.26338@arc.ab.ca>, erkamp@arc.ab.ca (Bob Erkamp) writes: >Is there a program that will 'reveal' hidden files on the atari? I was using >STMirror on my drive and discovered a hidden file (Neodesk.dat) and I think >that it really sucks that NeoDesk 3.0 creates this file. I would like to know >what's in it and why it's there. > >Bob This file contains the extended volume name for that partition. This is nice, because you can change it whenever you want, and can use more characters and spaces. Thus, the bottom of your windows will say "programming" or "utilities" so you know where you are. I personally think it was a good idea to make this file hidden, but if you really need to see it the Universal Item Selector will show it (in light print). -- Mickey R. Boyd | "God is a comedian playing to an FSU Computer Science | audience too afraid to laugh." Technical Support Group | email: boyd@fsucs.cs.fsu.edu | - Voltaire