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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!duke!ndd
From: ndd@duke.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro,net.micro.apple
Subject: apple OS
Message-ID: <3564@duke.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 20-Sep-83 14:01:58 EDT
Article-I.D.: duke.3564
Posted: Tue Sep 20 14:01:58 1983
Date-Received: Wed, 21-Sep-83 01:24:30 EDT
Lines: 31



I was interested to see Dave Seaman's list of points about Apple
Pascal, and felt that I had to make a comment. I think that letting
the DOS remember which disk drives are associated with
specific volume names is a very bad idea. If one has an
application that requires switching diskettes in and
out while a program is running, and if you try to do your
own I/O error checking, that feature will bite you. If you
start out with volumes FOO: and BAR: in the drives, remove BAR: and
insert JUNK:, and then attempt to reset JUNK:temp, the system generally
says that the file wasn't found, because DOS doesn't check the diskette
directory (this assumes no file BAR:temp). If one leaves JUNK: out
when resetting JUNK:temp, the error indicates that the file isn't found,
when it should say that the proper volume wasn't found.

Another cute thing happens when you have two volumes named FOO: which
have different directories; if you start with one FOO: and then switch
to the other and try a write, the first FOO:'s directory will be written
over that of the second. Of course, one can argue that anyone who has two
different disks with the same name deserves what he gets, but I would
prefer sacrificing some speed for a more reliable scheme.

The only sure way that I have found to get around this is to always
reset using the device number and then UNITREAD the directory to get
the volume name. If I am missing something, I would certainly love
for someone to straighten me out; if not, I would argue that this
'feature' is not one that Apple P-system users can be proud of.

Ned Danieley
duke!ndd