Re: ProDOS misc. questions

[dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

In article <4tkl99$fkj@elna.ethz.ch>, GUDATH@EZINFO.VMSMAIL.ETHZ.CH
(Henrik 'Ratte' Gudat) wrote:

>In <31FDD36C.B59@cardshow.com> Michael writes:
>
>> o Why the root directory of a ProDOS volume is limited to 51 files?
>
>There's limited space for the root structure.

Actually, there is no reason why the root directory could not get larger,
except that too many programs asssume the directory is always four blocks,
starting at block 2 and ending at block 6.

The file system is able to cope with an arbitrary number of blocks for the
root directory.  In fact, on the /RAM volume, ProDOS only allocates one
block for the root directory, which gives you space for 12 files.

I don't know whether implementations of ProDOS other than ProDOS-8 are
able to cope with unusual root directory arrangements, but I would
certainly hope so.

-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail Mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand