SMSEQ and file system

[Giorgio Garabello]

SMSQE has made great strides since he was born, now its main limitation is a file system is very limited.
It's not really possible to improve it?

Giorgio

[Derek_Stewart]

Hi,

What are the limitations?

Do you mean file name lengths of 36 characters (including device)

There are extension to allow greater file name length, but if you want backward compatability then this could be a problem.

If 256 character file name lengths were implemented, how would other versions of the QL operating system read the file names?

I do not like the MSDOS attempt, but it is a solution, but like most Micrsoft solutions, they work but not well.

[Giorgio Garabello]

Hi,

What are the limitations?

Do you mean file name lengths of 36 characters (including device)

There are extension to allow greater file name length, but if you want backward compatability then this could be a problem.

If 256 character file name lengths were implemented, how would other versions of the QL operating system read the file names?

I do not like the MSDOS attempt, but it is a solution, but like most Micrsoft solutions, they work but not well.

Yes, I speak of limits on the length but also the fact that the folder symbol (_) can also be used as the file name or extension.
The problem of the length is definitely the pù important. 36 characters is a limitation really heavy.
I know that there are optimal solutions to solve the problem but where there is still a great need to find a solution. (IMHO)

[tofro]

Derek, Giorgio,

actually, there _were_ attempts to limit this restriction, mainly it was QVFS by H.P Recktenwald. This lifts the 36-char limit completely. I'm not sure how useful or even fit for purpose this is, but might be worth a try to start from here.

http://phpr.tripod.com/qhpqvfs.html

Site (and software) is no longer maintained, so if anyone wants to continue, he should pick up and save as much as he can as soon as possible. .hpr has left the QL scene quite some years ago.

I was looking into this some years ago, SMSQ/E annoyances were not severe enough to force me into deeper research

Tobias

[Giorgio Garabello]

I would do what I think is an important distinction: there are systems "old style" based on floppy disks and systems "modernii" based on hard disk.
For the first problem is not so important and a possible "extension" of the file system would be a minor problem: a floppy disk I do not need to have such long names, then the chances of having unreadable floppy is limited.
On newer systems based on hard disk instead I think the problem is more serious,
we often have to create folders with names that are actually the initials that, over time, lose readability.
The limit is then evident for example with QPC2 (that more and more users use).
through the device DOSn_ but I have not the ability to access the hard disk windows in its entirety but only ever using some "trick."
I apologize in advance if I was not very clear, my level of English is very low and I'm helping with google.

Giorgio

[Giorgio Garabello]

Derek, Giorgio,

actually, there _were_ attempts to limit this restriction, mainly it was QVFS by H.P Recktenwald. This lifts the 36-char limit completely. I'm not sure how useful or even fit for purpose this is, but might be worth a try to start from here.

http://phpr.tripod.com/qhpqvfs.html

Site (and software) is no longer maintained, so if anyone wants to continue, he should pick up and save as much as he can as soon as possible. .hpr has left the QL scene quite some years ago.

I was looking into this some years ago, SMSQ/E annoyances were not severe enough to force me into deeper research


Very interesting!
but the sources are available?

Giorgio
Tobias

[Derek_Stewart]

Hi,

The source code does not appear to be listed.

However, HPR used write very structured code, so could be disassembled.

I suppose the work around the possible compatiability problems is to have a new directoy device driver like SMSQEmulator's NFS or SFA devices, but able to handle file names with greater than 36 characters.

Maybe worth posting this in the QL User List, as Wolfgang Lenez reads the list and could comment on the ability to implement this.

[XorA]

Just to point out the on disk format of QL limits filename/directory name to 36 chars. So in theory if you expanded the upper layers you could have

<36 chars>/<36 chars>/<36 chars>/...

Which is not all that limiting for a 1980s machine!

G

[Giorgio Garabello]

Just to point out the on disk format of QL limits filename/directory name to 36 chars. So in theory if you expanded the upper layers you could have

<36 chars>/<36 chars>/<36 chars>/...

Which is not all that limiting for a 1980s machine!

G

sorry but I'm not sure I understand well, you can spiegari better?

[XorA]

On disk you a directory can have a 36 character name, a file can have a 36 character name and directories can contain directories. So the limit is not at disk level but higher in the OS.