Re: dsk and do files

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Jeff Blakeney writes ...
> 
> On Thu, 14 May 1998 04:43:38 -0500, Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>
> wrote:
> 
> >Jeff Blakeney writes ...
> >>
 ....

> 
> GSHK cannot create 5.25" disk archives of non-ProDOS disks.  I just
> tried it with a DOS 3.3 disk and got a dialog saying that GSHK
> couldn't pack it and to use the 8 bit version.
> 
> However, I redid my test with the DOS 3.3 FST enabled (it was disabled
> during my first test) and GSHK did create the SDK file from a DOS 3.3
> disk and also unpacked it properly.

     That's good additional info! Some users may not be running under
Sys 6 and GSOS apps like GS-ShrinkIt would not have access to the newer
FSTs.


>  GSHK still couldn't unpack an SDK
> created with the 8 bit ShrinkIt.
>
     GSHK can handle a 5.25" ProDOS SDK created by 8-bit ShrinkIt. It
can not handle any other 5.25" whole-disk archive created by 8-bit
ShrinkIt.

 ....

> 
> However, this still means that GSHK cannot create 5.25" disk archives
> from DOS 3.2 disks, CP/M disks or any other disks that can't be read
> as ProDOS, DOS 3.3 or Pascal.
>

     This does seem to be the case.



> To summarize:
> 
> Create     8 bit     GSHK w/FST   GSHK w/FST
> SDK from  ShrinkIt    disabled     enabled
> -------- ---------- ------------ ------------
> ProDOS      Yes         N/A          Yes
> DOS 3.3     Yes         No           Yes
> Pascal      Yes         No           Yes
> Other       Yes         No           No
> 
> NOTE 1: Non-ProDOS SDK files created with GSHK can only be unpacked
> using GSHK.
>

     It turns out that 8-bit ShrinkIt can handle any 5.25" archive
created by GSHK.

 
> NOTE 2: GSHK can only unpack non-ProDOS SDK files created with GSHK or
> regular ProDOS SDK files.
> 
> Please note that I haven't run all these test. I'm just extrapolating
> from the documentation and my own testing.  Someone should really test
> it all before adding it to any sort of online reference.
>

     Right; it has been tested.
 
 ....

> So, unless you do some work before running either version of ShrinkIt,
> you may be stuck having to quit to find out whether it is safe to use
> a paticular disk to unpack the shrunk disk onto.
> 
> And if the shrunk disk has a .SHK suffix instead of a .SDK, then
> chances are you won't think to make sure you have blank disks before
> starting either version of ShrinkIt.
>

     Actually, there is no problem. Both versions of ShrinkIt let you
know the source is a disk archive and what the unShrinked size will be.
They also do a seek for target devices and let you pick the target
drive. At this time you can find a diskette and insert it.



     Regarding 5.25" ShrinkIt whole-disk archives, we can say ...

     8-bit ShrinkIt can deal with any 5.25" disk archive created by
itself or by GS-ShrinkIt (GSHK). It can create a 5.25" disk archive from
any 5.25" Apple II diskette laid out in the standard 35-track, 16-sector
format. This includes DOS 3.3, ProDOS, 16-sector Pascal, and numerous
'weird DOS' and no-DOS diskettes. 

     Assuming the corresponding ProDOS, DOS, etc. fst is enabled:
GS-ShrinkIt can deal with any 5.25" disk archive created by itself. It
can handle ProDOS disk archives created by 8-bit ShrinkIt but no other
5.25" disk archives created by 8-bit ShrinkIt. It can create DOS 3.3,
ProDOS, and 16-sector Pascal disk archives.

     So, if you have a 5.25" disk archive and want to be sure of
unpacking it, use 8-bit ShrinkIt.


     By the way, regarding 800k ShrinkIt whole-disk archives:

     Both 8-bit ShrinkIt and GS-ShrinkIt can create ProDOS disk archives
and can unShrink any ProDOS disk archive. (GSHK needs for the ProDOS fst
to be enabled, as it almost always will be.)  Both 8-bit ShrinkIt and
GS-ShrinkIt can create HFS disk archives and can unShrink any HFS disk
archive. (GSHK needs for the HFS fst to be enabled.)


     Whether or not a disk has GS forked files does not matter. It is
not an issue for whole-disk archives.



Rubywand