Re: Reading ProDOS disks on a Mac

[carrk@pilotc.msu.edu (Kevin M. Carr)]

In article <41vuro$jho@tuba.cit.cornell.edu>, jmk3@crux4.cit.cornell.edu
(Jay Krell) wrote:

> cwatson@cam.org (Chris Watson) writes:
> 
> >In article <41si2h$1rh@cello.gina.calstate.edu>,
> >lacoss@cello.gina.calstate.edu (LA County Outdoor Science School) wrote:
> 
> >I don't believe Apple File Exchange (AFE) is any longer included with Mac
> >System Software..
> 
> Further, I think AFE doesn't know about/strips resource forks
> and I think I saw it also not know about mixed case ProDOS file names
> and it'd upcase them.
> --
> -- Jay    jay.krell@cornell.edu    http://crux4.cit.cornell.edu/~jmk3 --

I use Macs at work which are connected to the net, so I have done all my
downloading of Apple ][ software on the Macs, then take it home to my
beloved //e on floppies.  (In other words, I've transfered from Mac to
ProDOS disks alot.)  Apple File Exchange was part of the software
ditributed with all Macs prior to System 7.5.  With AFE running you could
insert ProDOS (or MS-DOS<spit>) disks and read from/write to them.  AFE
understood the file name rules for the foriegn file systems and would not
allow you to name a file illegally.

The ProDOS FST extension, which was part of the software for the LC-//e
card, could be run on any Mac whether or not the LC-//e card was present. 
With the ProDOS FST running you plop a ProDOS disk into your MAC and ith
would be recognized as a ProDOS disk.  You could read and write ProDOS
disks directly from the Finder.  Copying files to ProDOS floppies this way
was much faster than using AFE.  Big problem though.  The ProDOS FST
didn't give a hoot about ProDOS file name rules and attached resource
forks to all of the files.  Interestingly the ProDOS FST affected the
operation of Apple File exchange.  With the ProDOS FST running, The menus
& dialogs were altered in Apple File Exchange, and it seemed to run more
efficiently.  As before, AFE would not allow illegal file names and did
not attach a resource fork to every file it saw.  I used this setup for
quite awhile,  I would just plug the ProDOS disk in at the finder to copy
files ProDOS-->Mac, but when I wanted to go Mac-->ProDOS I would go
through AFE.

With the introduction of System 7.5, PC exhcange 2.0.x supports foriegn
file systems for MS-DOS and ProDOS.  It works (with regard to ProDOS
disks) essentially the same as the earlier ProDOS FST from the LC-//e card
software.  It still has the same problems (or are they "features"), that
is it doesn't force compliance with ProDOS filename rules and attaches a
resource fork.  Apple File Exchange is no longer shipped with the system
software; indeed AFE will not even run under System 7.5.  Nowadays I just
drag and Apple // stuff I have downloaded to a ProDOS disk on the in the
Mac, then take it home and run unforkit to remove the resource forks. 
Then I copy the unforked files to my HD on the //e.  A workable, abiet not
ideal solution.

Perhaps someone more intelligent in the ways of system software and Apple
corporate mentality than I, could suggest a reason why Apple would put out
a ProDOS FST for the Mac which generates disks/files which _cannot_ be
directly used on a ][.

Oh my, I see I have rattled on quite long enough.

Cheers.

-- 
Kevin M. Carr
Research Assistant
Department of Biochemistry
Michigan State University