Re: Suggested change to add volume numbering to .dsk disk image files

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Jon Bettencourt writes ...
> 
> I just came up with an idea. I'm thinking of a DIML, Disk Information
> Markup Language, contained in a text file, with tells all about the disk
> image. The emulator would look at the file and determine the volume
> number, number of tracks, etc. The format of the dsk file wouldn't change,
> you wouldn't have to put all this code at the end of the file name, and
> any emulator that doesn't use the text file for information doesn't have
> to.
> 
 ....

     Nice try; but, we are dealing with disks which were designed to defeat user
access. Even after being made copiable, many of these disks will lack any
recognizable files or any way to read files. Unless you are willing to examine the
operation of such a disk, there is no safe way to modify any part of its content.

     In fact, any general information adding scheme which messes with .dsk image
content is doomed to failure because implementing it would be too much bother.

     There is only one thing about a disk image file which one can safely change
to add useful information (like Volume Number) about the disk image. You can add
information to the disk image file name.



Rubywand