[comp.windows.ms.programmer] Low Level i/o under windows

dhanani@motcid.UUCP (Iqbal Dhanani) (05/17/91)

I wrote a utility long time ago using TC low level i/o routines.
For example, to revover an erased file, I need to read the directory entries
FAT, etc etc.  This is no problem using TC under DOS.  What I need to do is to
convert this utility to run under windows.  I have the Petzold book and it
does not list any low level file I/O or disk I/o routines, such as 
absread() and abswrite() which are available in TC.  

What I need to know is :

1.	Is it possible to do this without too much trouble.

2.	Are there any reference mannuals or books which lists all
	the functions that are available under windows.  I understand 
	there are about 450 functions that windows provide. I need to know
	thier usage in terms of syntax, return values, parameters, etc.etc.

I would appreciate if some one could provide me some details on this.


Thanks in advance.


email address: uunet!motcid!dhanani

donc@microsoft.UUCP (Don CORBITT) (05/23/91)

In article <4473@tuna2.UUCP> dhanani@motcid.UUCP (Iqbal Dhanani) writes:
  [wants to fiddle with disk at sector level]

>1.	Is it possible to do this without too much trouble.

Well, you can always do an int 21, int 24, or int 25 as appropriate.
Windows translates the calls and buffers. 

>2.	Are there any reference mannuals or books which lists all
>	the functions that are available under windows.  I understand 
>	there are about 450 functions that windows provide. I need to know
>	thier usage in terms of syntax, return values, parameters, etc.etc.

I have a quick reference card from "Cooper Software Inc, (415) 364-9150".
I don't know what it cost.  You can also purchase the MS SDK manuals
separate from the SDK itself.  They are published by MS Press, and have
a huge amount of (usually correct) information in them.
--
Don Corbitt, uunet!microsoft!donc, Windows Developer.
Mail flames, post apologies.
I reserve the right to be totally wrong in all facts and opinions.

ed@odi.com (Ed Schwalenberg) (05/24/91)

In article <72499@microsoft.UUCP> donc@microsoft.UUCP (Don CORBITT) writes
in response to article <4473@tuna2.UUCP> in which dhanani@motcid.UUCP
(Iqbal Dhanani) wants to fiddle with disk at sector level:

  Well, you can always do an int 21, int 24, or int 25 as appropriate.
  Windows translates the calls and buffers. 

The Windows Developer's notes claim that INTs 25 and 26 are unsupported
in protected mode and will fail if called.  It also claims that INT 21
functions 14, 15, 21, 22, 27 and 28 are unsupported.  I haven't experimented.
It occurs to me that this may be the reason SWAPDISK runs only in Windows
real mode.

  Don Corbitt, uunet!microsoft!donc, Windows Developer.
  I reserve the right to be totally wrong in all facts and opinions.

Truth in advertising.