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From: doug@edge.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Strange DOS behavior
Message-ID: <746@edge.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 14-May-87 12:07:55 EDT
Article-I.D.: edge.746
Posted: Thu May 14 12:07:55 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 16-May-87 17:08:58 EDT
References: <1293@ur-tut.UUCP>
Organization: Edge Computer Corporation, Scottsdale, AZ
Lines: 27
Keywords: DOS
Summary: Write protect error explained

> Inserted a floppy in drive A, which had a write protect tab
> on it. Changed the default drive to A> from C>. Then
> typed     
> 
> A>  TYPE filename.ext | MORE
> 
> and I got an error message  
> 
> Write protect error writing drive A:

In PC-DOS, pipes are implemented by writing the output of the first
program into a temporary file on the current drive, and then giving
that file to the next program as input.

This is obviously necessary, because PC-DOS doesn't support multi-tasking
and therefore can't have both programs in memory at the same time.

What would have worked is either
   A>  MORE <filename.ext
or
   C>  TYPE A:filename.ext | MORE   (note current drive is still C:)

Personally, I prefer the former; why run two programs when one will do?
Besides, then you don't need enough free space to make a duplicate of the
file.
-- 
Doug Pardee -- Edge Computer Corp., Scottsdale, AZ -- ...!ihnp4!mot!edge!doug