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From: svetozar@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Eric C. Anderson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: writing many small files to disk... a quick way?
Message-ID: <4434@orbit.cts.com>
Date: 29 Mar 91 16:25:01 GMT
Sender: news@orbit.cts.com
Organization: People-Net [pnet51], Minneapolis, MN.
Lines: 27

Hi.  Thing number one:  the reason your directories slowly get bigger as you
place files in 'em is because each 512-byte block of a directory file contains
room for 13 file entries.  When you attempt to place a file inside a directory
which has no room for the new file entry, ProDOS allocates a new block for the
directory file (a ProDOS directory is a doubly-linked list, if you're
interested).  Now, the reason this new directory block is separated from the
directory file's previously-allocated blocks is because you have been busily
copying files to the disk.  The block you would _like_ to be allocated, i.e.
the one which is only one block away from the directory's previously-allocated
blocks, has already been allocated for one of those files you were copying. 
Oh well.  This is one of the reasons for the existence of disk-optimizing
programs.  There are several such programs for the Apple IIgs (heck, even I
wrote one...), but I am not aware of any for the eight-bits.  Perhaps a
better-informed person out there will be able to direct you to such a program.

Thing number two: yes, you're right - Copy II+ is unconscionably slow for
copying files.  There is a program called "Cat Doctor" (part of Glen Bredon's
ProSel package) which accomplishes this task with greater efficiency.  It's
faster, too.  :)

Anyway, sorry for being long-winded; hope that helps a little.

Bye.

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