Msg: 6633 *Conference*
06-28-96 22:10:37
From: ROBERT BENSON
To : RON WIESEN
Subj: REPLY TO MSG #6627 (RAMPAC DIAGNOSTIC)
Ron: Do you remember exactly what sequence of events lead to a "cold start" when transfering ASCII (.DO) files between the RAMPAC and a TDD2 because I remake and backup my disks using NPL.CO frequently and haven't had any problems with ASCII (.DO) files, however I do remember something like what you're talking about when I first got my RAMPAC and did a lot of experimenting with it. If I remember correctly I transfered files from my TDD2 to the RAMPAC, then I tranfered those files from the RAMPAC to my M100 using RAM100.CO only to find that the ASCII (.DO) files had lost 1 byte, the EOF (^Z). This condition will lead to a cold start! If you have a ASCII (.DO) file in memory that is 975 bytes long (lets call it WORK.DO) and you Save "WORK.DO to disk it will be 975 bytes long. However, if you transfer WORK.DO from disk to the RAMPAC using NPL.CO it will be 974 bytes (1 byte shorter). Likewise if you transfer WORK.DO from the RAMPAC to your M100 using RAM100.CO it will be 974 bytes (1 byte shorter). However, if you transfer WORK.DO from the RAMPAC to another disk using NPL.CO it will be 975 bytes long again. Likewise if you Load "WORK.DO from either disk to your M100 it will be 975 bytes long. See what's going on here... NPL.CO drops the EOF when transfering ASCII (.DO) files from the TDD2 to the RAMPAC and adds the EOF when transfering ASCII (.DO) files from the RAMPAC to the TDD2. So, it's perfectly safe to remake and backup your disks with NPL.CO, just don't take that third step and transfer ASCII (.DO) files to your M100/102/200 from the RAMPAC that were transfered to the RAMPAC using NPL.CO because they don't have the EOF (^Z) in that state. -=Robert=-