ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN LIMA NEWSLETTER JUNE 1987 A REVIEW OF "DISK INFORMATION MANAGER" by Charles Good There are several disk managers available to TI users including DM1000 and TI's Disk Manager II module. These managers do housekeeping functions such as disk initialization, file and whole disk copying, changing names of files, etc. There are several good disk sector editors available which can examine and modify the contents of disk sectors. Such programs include DISKO, the DISK FIXER, and DISK+AID. There is, however, only one TI program I know of that works as both a disk manager and a disk sector editor. This program is the public domain DISK INFORMATION MANAGER, or DIM. DIM loads from option 5 of the E/A module. It will not load from FUNNELWEB or from a moved E/A file in a Gram Kracker. The operation of DIM requires pressing the CTRL key and one other key to access commands. The FCTN key is only used with the arrow keys to move the cursor. Documentation is rather sparce, but there is always an on screen display of the options immediately available at various points in the program. With this on screen display you can usually figure out what to do next. DIM accesses only drive numbers 1-3. This is a disadvantage for those with more than a total of 3 drives and ramdisks. Using DIM as a disk manager you can initialize disks in single or double sided and single or double density format. If you don't specify a disk name, the disk is initialized without any disk name. As the disk is automatically verified after initialization you see a graphic shape that is eraced from the screen pixel by pixel as each sector is verified. You can rename disks, delete files from a disk, and copy single files or an entire disk file by file. Unfortunately, files larger than 45 sectors cannot be copied. This is a significant limitation. Copying from DSK1. to DSK2. or visa versa is easy. Copying using only one drive is harder since there are no prompts that say when to insert the master and copy disks. To copy with one drive do not use the CTRL A or CTRL 0 commands. Move the cursor next to the file to be copied (FCTN E and X). Then press CTRL C(opy) and ENTER. Next indicate the copy disk will be in DSK1 and with the master disk in DSK1. press ENTER. The drive whorles. Replace the master disk with the copy disk and press ENTER again. The drive whorles again and the file is copied. One interesting feature of DIM, not found on other disk managers, is the ability to store right on the disk extra information about each file. You can display a disk directory by pressing ENTER three times after loading DIM and inserting a disk to be cataloged. You can add three fields of extra information to each file of this catalog. CTRL 1,2 or 3 displays one of these fields next to the file name and CTRL T(ab) moves the cursor to the field. After data is typed in the field, you need to press ENTER. Field #1 is a file description of up to 8 characters. The second information field shows the type of file. Choices are Xbasc, Basic, Assmbly, Data, Source, and Object. You enter the first letter (X,B,A,D,S,O) to show the file type. The 3rd information field contains a date. After entering this extra file information the catalog may be output to a printer (CTRL O, then PIO, then ENTER) or a D/V 80 disk file [CTRL O(utput), then DSK1.xxxxx, then ENTER]. This disk file (a good name would be CATALOG) can than be read any time with TI-Writer. You can also output the catalog and information fields to a special disk file called *CATALOG [CTRL O(utput) then, CTRL S(ave)]. *CATALOG is a 2 or 3 sector program image file that is loaded and displayed the next time you use DIM to catalog the disk. Data in *CATALOG can only be read with DIM. A sample DIM catalog output to a printer is shown below. A really interesting feature of DIM when used as a disk manager, is DIM's ability to dump a while disk or selected files to tape in one smooth operation. As far as I know, no other software has the ability to dump a whole disk to tape. To dump a whole disk press CTRL A(ll) to mark all files less than 46 sectors long for copying. A small "c" appears next to each file. You can then scroll up and down (FCTN E and X) and press CTRL 0) to unmark those few files (such as the disk LOAD program) that you don't want to copy. When you are ready to copy press CTRL R(ecorder), press cassette record, press ENTER, and go have a cup of coffee. There is no need to mess with the cassette or the keyboard any more until all the files are copied one after the other in alphabetical order to tape. The recorder then stops and you are instructed to press CS1 stop and then press ENTER. It takes DIM about 15 minutes to dump a SS/SD disk to tape. DIM does not verify the tape, but as long as I use good quality tape I have had no problem with this lack of verification. As a user group librarian I do a lot of disk to tape transfers for our members who don't have disk systems. DIM makes it sooo easy! The successive files are spaced very closely on the tape, with only about one tape count number between files. You can use DIM to dump E/A #5 program image files to tape. These files can then be loaded back using only a console, the E/A module, and 32K. This works great for those who have built 32K into their consoles, or those without a disk system and with a 32K side car as their only peripheral. To load these E/A #5 files press 2 for E/A then press 5 for RUN PROGRAM FILE. When asked for FILE NAME type "CS1.X" and follow the tape loading instructions. If you just type CS1 you can only load one E/A #5 file. If the software you want to load consists of a series of files (such as ADVENTURE1 followed by ADVENTURE2) then you need to use CS1.X for the file name. DIM will dump any kind of file to tape, including file structures that arn't supposed to be compatable with tape such as D/V 80 or I/F 200. These files dump to tape just fine, but you can't get them back off the tape into the computer. To get a relocatable D/F 80 assembly language program onto tape and then back into the computer you first have to convert the D/F 80 files to PROGRAM image format using the SAVE utiltiy that comes with TI's E/A package, or the FWSAVE utility that is part of FUNNELWEB. DIM does everything other sector editor programs do, and sometimes a little bit more. You can select a sector for examination and editing immediately after selecting a drive number. Or from the DIM catalog you can get a list of sectors occupied by each program (CTRL L(ook)). You can then display these sectors on the screen and modify them if you choose in either HEX or ASCII. The screen display shows BOTH HEX and ASCII at the same time. You don't have to switch back and forth between the two, but you do have to switch back and forth between the first 128 bytes of a sector and the last 128 bytes of the selected sector (CTRL 0 and 8). DIM is the only sector editor program I know that shows both ASCII and HEX at the same time. You can dump the entire sector (no split between the first and second 128 bytes) to a printer in both ASCII and HEX side by side with CTRL O(utput). If you have anything in the information fields of the catalog you can optionally add this to the bottom of the sector printout. In summary, I don't use DIM for my routine disk management because DIM is limited to manipulating only files smaller than 46 sectors and only drives 1-3. I LOVE the ability to dump all or most of a disk to tape. The ability to put E/A #5 assembly programs on tape helps some of our group's tape only members. User Group librarians and those in charge of making tapes for members take note! DIM is my favorite disk editor. It is better than DISKO (even the enhanced disko that comes with FUNNELWEB) in that it displays both ASCII and HEX side by side and has a built in printer dump. DISK INFORMATION MANAGER can be obtained from the Boston Computer Society for $3 plus $1 postage and handling. Ask for public domain disk #43 which contains DIM and other goodies. Send your check to: Boston Computer society TI User Group One Center Plaza Boston MA 02108 DIM can also be obtained from the FREE ACCESS LIBRARY for a small copying fee. Phone Guy Romano at 415-753-5581 Mon-Sat 9-4 Pacific time and ask about obtaining program H171.