Re: SuperDrive Controller and FDHD Mechanisms - a Followup

["Peter Watson" <paw77@N_O_hotmail_S_P_A_M.com>]

"Ed Eastman" <noone@nowhere.net> wrote in message 
news:doc23q$3ul$1@unlnews.unl.edu...
> Warren Ernst wrote:
>> I thought that by using FDHD's, the Apple II could use, well, what I've 
>> seen as "PC Floppies."
>
> You absolutely can... so long as it is DOS and not windows extended 
> filename format.  As soon as you put a long file name on the disk, it will 
> no longer read in an A2as a DOS disk.  Reformat and recopy the files using 
> 8.3 names only.


Well, you're nearly right. Here are some facts:

1) Most utilities apart from MUG! can't handle long Windows filenames, but 
that's not a major drama because the 8.3 short names are still present in 
the directory. (If you have trouble working out which short name belongs to 
which long name, run "dir /x" in a Windows command prompt to show the short 
names that were generated by Windows.)

2) If you're not careful, long filenames will confuse some (most!) software 
including the MS-DOS FST. (And some of the older Mac software that handles 
MS-DOS disks as well!)

The problems are caused because long filenames use directory entries with a 
combination of flag bits, including the flag that says the entry is the 
volume name. So if older software sees a long name directory entry before it 
knows the volume name, it tries to use it as a volume name entry - usually 
with "unfortunate" results!

Fortunately, the solution is simple. Any time you format a disk on a PC, 
make sure you give it a volume name! As long as there is a "real" volume 
name entry before any long name entries, the long name entries will just be 
ignored by older software. (If the disk is preformatted, "rename" it on the 
PC before copying any files.)
-- 
Peter Watson
-- Write to MSDOS disks on the Apple IIgs?
-- Impossible!  ;-)