I just did something unbelievably stupid...

[valthoff@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Victoria M Althoff)]

Euphoric that my SSC is working again, I set about transferring a data file 
from the Lisa to the ][e, so that I can get a cleaned-up version u/l'ed to the 
net.  Well, the first couple of attempts failed, but I finally got it right.

So, after I got the data transferred, I entered the ProDOS Filer, and opted to 
delete the junk files from my disk.  My ProTerm disk doesn't have BASIC.SYSTEM 
on it, my PRODOS.USERS.DISK is not readily available, and I mislaid my complete
GPLE master disk, so I just used the FILER in lieu of the command line.

Do you remember 'FID' from the DOS 3.3 system master?  It's a lot like the 
ProDOS Filer.  With one major exception.  If you choose "=" as a filename, it 
asks, "Do you want prompting?" then asks you on each file if you REALLY want to
copy/lock/unlock/delete it.  Filer, on the other hand, does not.

In a matter of seconds, just because I typed a "=" instead of a "?", I erased 
ALL of the files from my ProTerm disk.  All except the "PRODOS.SYS" file and a 
data file that registered an I/O error.

I have a whole collection of utilities that can quickly remedy this problem 
under DOS 3.3.  But I named above all of the ProDOS disks that I own.  So I'm 
in some serious trouble.

I do have a sector editor that is capable of reading and writing ProDOS disks 
(albeit in half-block segments).  So what I need to know is:

WHAT CHANGES WHEN A PRODOS FILE IS DELETED?
and, most important...
WHAT DO I FIX TO MAKE A FILE REAPPEAR IN THE DIRECTORY?

I presume the byte that indicates a deleted file is somewhere in the directory 
entry.  If I can find that byte, I'm in business and can fix this major 
problem.

Then, I swear I'm gonna find a term program that will run VT100 emulation under
DOS 3.3 if I have to write it myself!

--Dave Althoff, Jr.
(with another reason to hate ProDOS on his 143k disks!)