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Difference between revisions of "AmigaOS Manual: Workbench Other Programs"

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The Tools drawer window, illustrated in Figure 10-1, contains numerous utility programs that, for example, expand your printing options, prepare memory cards for use, define new keys, and create new icons.
  
The Tools drawer window, illustrated in Figure 10-1, contains numerous utility programs that, for example, expand your printing options, prepare memory cards for use, define new keys, and create new icons.
   
−
[[File:WorkbenchFig10-1.png|frame|center|Tools Window]]
 +
[[File:WorkbenchFig10-1.png|frame|none|Tools Window]]
   
−
The following programs are found in the Tools drawer:
 +
The following programs are found in the Utilities drawer:
   
 
{| class="wikitable"
  
{| class="wikitable"
  +
| Lacer || Turns video interlace on and off. (Classic Only)
−
| Calculator || A standard, four-function calculator.
  
 
|-
  
|-
  +
| PrepCard || Prepares PCMCIA memory cards for use on systems with a PCMCIA slot. (Classic Only)
−
| CMD || Allows you to redirect printer output to a file.
  
−
|-
  
−
| GraphicDump || Allows you to print screen images.
  
−
|-
  
−
| IconEdit || Allows you to change and create icons.
  
−
|-
  
−
| InitPrinter || Initializes your printer.
  
−
|-
  
−
| KeyShow || Displays the current keyboard layout.
  
−
|-
  
−
| Lacer || Turns video interlace on and off.
  
−
|-
  
−
| MEmacs || A text editor, explained in the AmigaDOS User's Guide.
  
−
|-
  
−
| Mounter || An interactive partition mount tool.
  
−
|-
  
−
| PlayCD || User interface for the audio CD playback functionality
  
−
|-
  
−
| PrepCard || Prepares PCMCIA memory cards for use on systems with a PCMCIA slot.
  
−
|-
  
−
| PrintFiles || Sends files to the printer.
  
−
|-
  
−
| ShowConfig || Shows configuration information.
  
−
|-
  
−
| Commodities || A drawer containing programs that monitor your keyboard and mouse input.
  
 
|}
  
|}
   
  +
=== Lacer (Classic Only) ===
−
HDBackup and HDToolbox are also included in the Tools drawer on hard disk systems only. For information on these programs, see the Amiga Hard Drive User's Guide .
  
   
  +
The Lacer program only works when a genlock device is attached to your Amiga. It toggles the display between interlaced and non-interlaced mode. This is used primarily for video recording and genlocking by allowing the Amiga to provide the interlaced input required by video devices.
−
=== Calculator ===
  
   
  +
=== PrepCard (Classic Only) ===
−
The Calculator is a standard four-function calculator for adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. Opening the Calculator icon activates it.
  
   
  +
The PrepCard utility is used for preparing PCMCIA credit card-size memory cards. It runs only on Amiga models equipped with a PCMCIA card slot. PCMCIA is the organization that sets the standards for memory card slot devices.
−
The calculator works like any standard calculator. The buttons on the calculator are gadgets. The numbered gadgets represent the digits 0 through 9. The non-numerical gadgets represent:
  
   
  +
PrepCard prepares static RAM cards either as a disk device or as system RAM according to PCMCIA standards. A card prepared as a disk can be used like a floppy disk: you can read from and write to the card just as you normally do from applications, the Workbench, or the Shell. Because the card's memory is battery-backed, the contents of the card remain when you remove the card or turn off the Amiga. Read and write operations using memory cards are very fast.
−
{| class="wikitable"
  
−
| CA || Clear all previous entries. Resets the calculator to 0.
  
−
|-
  
−
| CE || Clear the current entry.
  
−
|-
  
−
| X || Multiply.
  
−
|-
  
−
| / || Divide.
  
−
|-
  
−
| + || Add.
  
−
|-
  
−
| - || Subtract.
  
−
|-
  
−
| . || Decimal point.
  
−
|-
  
−
| « || Delete the last digit entered.
  
−
|-
  
−
| ± || Change the sign of the current entry. Positive numbers become negative; negative numbers become positive.
  
−
|-
  
−
| = || Display the result of the operation.
  
−
|}
  
   
  +
When prepared as system RAM, the card memory is added to the other memory in the Amiga, as if additional memory were installed internally. Cards are available in many sizes: from 64 KB to over a megabyte.
−
To press a button, select the gadget with the mouse or press the corresponding key on the keyboard. You can use either the keyboard or numeric keypad keys. Return and the keypad Enter key are equivalent to the equals (=) button. The left arrow key is equivalent to the («) button.
  
   
  +
Open the PrepCard window by double-clicking its icon. If a card is inserted, its size and other information are displayed. The message FAILED in the Battery display box indicates that the card's battery has run down and must be replaced before the card can be used.
−
The calculator displays a message for Overflow and Divide By Zero errors.
  
   
  +
You can use PrepCard to prepare cards that are new (unformatted) or that have been previously prepared as disk or RAM.
−
Select the close gadget to exit the Calculator.
  
   
  +
# Select the appropriate gadget, either Prepare as DISK or Prepare as System RAM. A warning requester appears, reminding you that any information currently on the card will be erased if you continue.
−
==== Calculator menus ====
  
  +
# Select Continue to prepare the card or Cancel to return to the PrepCard window. Preparation takes only a few seconds.
  +
# Select Quit to exit when you are finished with PrepCard. An icon for a card you have prepared as a disk immediately appears, labeled Empty.
   
  +
{{Note|Preparation does not continue if the card is write-protected. You can flip the write-protect switch to make it write-enabled without removing the card from the card slot.}}
−
The calculator has three menus: the Project menu, the Edit menu, and the Windows menu.
  
   
  +
You can work with the card disk as a normal disk, rename it, and reformat it with the Workbench Format program. A card disk is device CC0:
−
On the Project menu:
  
−
{| class="wikitable"
  
−
| Clear Entry || Clears the current entry only.
  
−
|-
  
−
| Clear All || Clears all entries and resets the display to zero.
  
−
|-
  
−
| Quit || Closes off the calculator.
  
−
|}
  
   
  +
To use the memory on a card prepared as system RAM, you must reboot. (The card must be write-enabled and inserted when you boot or reboot for its memory to be added to the Amiga's RAM.) Card memory is added to Fast (other) memory.
−
On the Edit menu:
  
−
{| class="wikitable"
  
−
| Cut || Copies and clears the current entry to the Clipboard.
  
−
|-
  
−
| Copy || Copies the current entry to the Clipboard without clearing the area.
  
−
|-
  
−
| Paste || Place the current Clipboard contents into the calculator.
  
−
|}
  
   
  +
PrepCard has an Advanced Settings window listed on the menu. This window allows a variety of low level card configuration parameters to be altered from the default settings for diagnostic purposes.
−
Show Tape is the only Window menu option. It displays a window showing the calculator entries and results. Show Tape can also be copied, but since it does not have a menu, use drag-select and Amiga+C to copy its contents to the Clipboard.
  
   
  +
{{Note|Only those with sufficient technical knowledge should change the default settings in the Advanced Settings window. Improper settings do not harm the card or the Amiga, but it can keep the card from functioning properly.}}
−
=== CMD (Change Main Device) ===
  
−  
−
CMD directs your printer output to a file rather than to a printer, capturing output on disk.
  
−  
−
To use CMD, Tool Types must be added in the CMD icon's Information window and you must indicate where to send the printer output.
  
−  
−
The following lists the CMD Tool Types and their recognized KEYWORDS, arguments, and default settings.
  
−  
−
{| class="wikitable"
  
−
| DEVICE=<port> || The Amiga port where your printer is attached, either parallel or serial. DEVICE=parallel is the default.
  
−
|-
  
−
| FILE=<filename> || The name of the file to which the printer output is sent. FILE=ram:CMD_file is the default.
  
−
|-
  
−
| SKIP=true || Tells CMD to skip any short initial write. The first write sent to the printer may be a printer reset. You can use SKIP=true to ignore it. The default is SKIP=false (initial writes are not skipped).
  
−
|-
  
−
| MULTIPLE=true || Tells CMD to redirect more than one file. The default is MULTIPLE=false (only one file is redirected).
  
−
Tells CMD to display progress messages. When CMD intercepts the file, a typical message that may appear is as follows:<br/>Redirected <# of bytes> from parallel.device to <filename>
  
−
|-
  
−
| NOTIFY=true || After the output is sent to the file and CMD is turned off, another message may state:<br/>CMD redirection of parallel.device removed<br/>The default is NOTIFY=false (messages are not displayed).
  
−
|}
  
−  
−
To use CMD, double-click on its icon. The next time information is sent to your printer, it goes to the designated file instead.
  
−  
−
=== GraphicDump ===
  
−  
−
GraphicDump prints (or dumps) entire screens, including menus and icons, just as they appear on your monitor. Your printer must be capable of printing graphic images. (Most printers can print GraphicDump output.)
  
−  
−
Before using GraphicDump, make sure the settings in the Printer, PrinterPS, and PrinterGfx Preferences editors are appropriate for your printer. You can specify the dimensions of the printout with the Limits setting in the PrinterGfx editor. Otherwise, the printout is the full width allowed by the printer.
  
−  
−
To use GraphicDump, double-click on its icon. After a ten second delay the front-most screen image is sent to the printer. The mouse pointer is not printed.
  
−  
−
==== Tool Types ====
  
−  
−
GraphicDump supports a SIZE Tool Type. The acceptable arguments for SIZE and the resulting size of the printout are:
  
−  
−
{| class="wikitable"
  
−
| SIZE=tiny || 1/4 the total width allowed by the printer.
  
−
|-
  
−
| SIZE=small || 1/2 the total width allowed by the printer.
  
−
|-
  
−
| SIZE=medium || 3/4 the total width allowed by the printer.
  
−
|-
  
−
| SIZE=large || Full width allowed by the printer (default).
  
−
|}
  
−  
−
The height of the printout maintains the perspective of the screen. The Limits Type gadget in the PrinterGfx editor must be set to Ignore for GraphicDump, or else the size of the printout is determined by the Limits setting.
  
−  
−
To set specific dimensions in a Tool Type, use:
  
−  
−
SIZE=<xdots>:<ydots>
  
−  
−
Substitute the width, in number of printer dots, for the <xdots> argument and the height for the <ydots> argument.
  
−  
−
=== Mounter ===
  
−  
−
Mounter is an interactive partition mount tool. It operates on devices that support the RDB (Rigid Disk Block) organization data structures which define which and which size partitions are assigned to a storage medium.
  
−  
−
Mounter can be started both from Shell and from the Workbench. In both cases the same parameters can be used. The only difference between them is that for the Workbench, you would need to specify the parameters as tool types.
  
−  
−
Supported parameters
  
−  
−
; DEVICE/K
  
−
: Example :
  
−
DEVICE=2ndscsi.device Default: DEVICE=scsi.device
  
−  
−
: This specifies the device driver to query for partition information. Not all device drivers are supported. Commonly, you would use this tool only on hard disk drives.
  
−  
−
; UNIT/N
  
−
: Example:
  
−
UNIT=0 Default: - (No unit specified)
  
−  
−
: If the UNIT parameter is omitted, Mounter will open a window and query unit numbers 0-6 for attached devices, prompting you to choose a device to examine for partition data. However, if you specify a unit number, it indicates that you want all the partitions on that device to be mounted.
  
−  
−
; PARTITIONS/M
  
−
: Example:
  
−
PARTITIONS=HD0:|HD1:|HD2: (Workbench only) PARTITIONS HD0: HD1: HD2: (Shell only) Default: - (No partitions specified)
  
−  
−
: This parameter works in conjunction with the UNIT parameter. Instead of mounting all partitions on the specified unit, you choose which partitions exactly should be mounted.
  
−  
−
; NOUNMOUNT/S
  
−
: Example:
  
−
NOUNMOUNT Default: - (Partitions with the same name will be unmounted)
  
−  
−
: If the Mounter tool detects that there is already a partition by the name of a new partition to be mounted, its default action will be to umount the existing partition. This can be undesirable, which is why the NOUNMOUNT parameter can be used to tell Mounter to add the new partition under a new name. The new partition name is created by adding a number to its name. For example, if the partition HD0: would already exist, the new partition would be mounted under the name of HD0.1:. If HD0.1: already exists, HD0.2: would be used, and so on.
  
−  
−
; NOREMOUNT/S
  
−
: Example:
  
−
NOREMOUNT Default: - (Always mount a partition, even if there already is a partition mounted by the same name)
  
−  
−
: This option tells Mounter not to attempt to mount partitions again if they have already been mounted. For example, if you want Mounter to mount the partition DH0:" if, and only if, it has not already been mounted, you would start the program with the options NOUNMOUNT and NOREMOUNT. This will tell Mounter not to unmount an already existing partition (NOUNMOUNT) and not to attempt to mount the partition if its name is already in use (NOREMOUNT).
  
−  
−
; QUIET/S
  
−
: Example:
  
−
QUIET Default: - (Mounter will show a progress report of its actions)
  
−  
−
: When Mounter mounts or unmounts partitions, it will show briefly what it is currently doing. The reports (except for error messages) can be be disabled with the QUIET parameter.
  
−  
−
; MASK/K
  
−
: Example:
  
−
MASK=0x7FFFFFFC Default: - (No special transfer mask)
  
−  
−
: This parameter corresponds to the MASK option associated with a mount list. By default, Mounter will use whatever transfer mask value is associated with the partition data it finds on the disk. If you provide a mask parameter, that parameter will be used instead of the partition`s transfer mask value when the partition is mounted.
  
−  
−
; QUERY/S
  
−
: Example:
  
−
QUERY (NOTE: Shell only parameter) Default: - (Do not print the queried information)
  
−  
−
: This parameter will print the same information that would be shown in the graphical user interface in the Shell window.
  
−  
−
; PUBSCREEN/K
  
−
: Example:
  
−
PUBSCREEN=Workbench Default: - (Use the default public screen)
  
−  
−
: This parameter tells Mounter to opens its graphical user interface on the named public screen. If the named public screen cannot be found, the user interface will fall back to open on the default public screen.
  
−  
−
; CX_PRIORITY/N/K
  
−
; CX_POPKEY/K
  
−
; CX_POPUP/K
  
−
: Example:
  
−
CX_PRIORITY=1
  
−
CX_POPKEY=Control
  
−
Help CX_POPUP=No
  
−  
−
: Default:
  
−
CX_PRIORITY=0
  
−
CX_POPKEY=Alt Shift F10
  
−
CX_POPUP=YES
  
−  
−
: These are the standard Commodities tool control variables which determine Mounter`s hot key and whether the program should open its display upon startup.
  
−  
−
==== The graphical user interface ====
  
−  
−
Mounter will display a list of devices attached to the driver you specified.
  
−  
−
If no device responds to the query, you will see the text <No device present>" following the unit number. Otherwise, you will see a list of device parameters:
  
−  
−
{| class="wikitable"
  
−
| Vendor || Name of the device manufacturer
  
−
|-
  
−
| Product || Name of the device
  
−
|-
  
−
| Rev || Revision of the device
  
−
|-
  
−
| Size || Size of the storage media, if available.
  
−
|-
  
−
| Type || Type of the device, such as Disk drive" or CD-ROM drive".
  
−
|-
  
−
| Media || Type of storage media, if available.
  
−
|-
  
−
| Status || This indicates whether the device can be accessed and used. For devices with removable media, you will see not ready" if there is currently no media inserted.
  
−
|}
  
−  
−
Below this list there are three buttons: "Mount...", "Update" and "Hide". To close the window, either click on the window close gadget or hit the Hide" button. To reread the list of devices corresponding to the device driver you chose, hit the "Update" button. To examine a device for partition tables, first select it from the list, then hit the "Mount..." button (a double-click on the list entry will have the same effect).
  
−  
−
After hitting the "Mount..." button, Mounter will check the partitions on the given device. If a partition table is found, it will be presented to you in a new list, like this:
  
−  
−
{| class="wikitable"
  
−
! Partition name !! Size !! File system type
  
−
|-
  
−
| WB_2.X || 20M || DOS\1
  
−
|-
  
−
| HD0 || 500M || DOS\3
  
−
|-
  
−
| HD1 || 500M || DOS\3
  
−
|}
  
−  
−
In this list, partitions which are not currently mounted will be highlighted. To change the highlighting, hold down any [Shift] key and click on an entry. To mount all highlighted partitions, hit the Mount" button located in the lower left corner of the window.
  
−  
−
=== PlayCD ===
  
−  
−
PlayCD acts as a user interface for the audio CD playback functionality offered by a CD-ROM drive. The CD-ROM drive in question must comply to the SCSI-2 standard and thus support at least a subset of the audio control commands defined for CD-ROM drives.
  
−  
−
==== Starting the program ====
  
−  
−
When the program is launched, it will attempt to configure itself. This involves figuring out which device driver and which device unit to use for audio playback. This information is usually stored in the program's icon, but it can also provided on the command line. The names of the command line options and the tool types are the same. The following options are supported:
  
−  
−
; DOSDEV
  
−
: If there already is a filing system mounted on the CD-ROM drive to use for audio playback, the easiest way to tell PlayCD which device it should use is to provide that filing system's name. PlayCD will try to figure out which device and unit that filing system is bound to and use the resulting information.
  
−
: Example:
  
−
PlayCD CD0:
  
−
PlayCD dosdev CD2:
  
−  
−
{{Note|That this type of configuration may not work with all CD-ROM filing systems.}}
  
−  
−
; DEVICE
  
−
: Use this option to provide the name of the device driver the CD-ROM drive to use for playback responds to.
  
−  
−
: Example:
  
−
PlayCD device=scsi.device
  
−  
−
: Default for this option is "scsi.device" .
  
−  
−
; UNIT
  
−
: This option works in conjunction with the "DEVICE" parameter. Both the device name and the unit number specified define the interface the PlayCD program should use to address the CD-ROM drive.
  
−  
−
: Example:
  
−
PlayCD unit=5
  
−  
−
: Default for this option is "2".
  
−  
−
; SKIP
  
−
: The PlayCD user interface sports a slider which controls and displays the current play index. Attached to this slider are two buttons which perform fast forward" and rewind" functionality. Pressign any of these two buttons will cause playback to skip a few seconds. The SKIP" option is for configuring the number of seconds to skip.
  
−  
−
: Example:
  
−
PlayCD skip=2
  
−  
−
: Default for this option is 1", i.e. clicking on the buttons will skip one second each.
  
−  
−
; PEEKTIME
  
−
: PlayCD queries the CD-ROM drive in regular intervals to find out whether the CD was changed or how far playback has progressed. The length of these intervals is configured with the PEEKTIME" option. The peek time is specified in microseconds, i.e. one millionth part of a second.
  
−  
−
: Example:
  
−
PlayCD peektime=500000
  
−  
−
: Default for this option is 200000", i.e. one fifth of a second.
  
−  
−
; PUBSCREEN
  
−
: PlayCD can be made to open its display on a named public screen. If the named screen does not exist, it will fall back to opening its display on the default public screen, such as the Workbench screen.
  
−  
−
: Example:
  
−
PlayCD pubscreen=my.public.screen
  
−  
−
: There is no default for this option. Default behaviour for PlayCD is to open its display on the default public screen which in most cases will be the Workbench screen.
  
−  
−
; BUFMEMTYPE
  
−
: PlayCD depends upon the controller hardware the CD-ROM drive is attached to to deliver its commands properly. This may sometimes require that the command data structures are passed in a particular type of memory which the controller hardware has easy access to. In most cases you will not need to change this option, but if the CD-ROM drive is correctly configured, does support the SCSI-2 command set and still does not react to PlayCD`s commands, then it might be necessary to specify a different buffer memory type.
  
−  
−
: Example:
  
−
PlayCD bufmemtype=2
  
−
PlayCD bufmemtype=512
  
−  
−
: Default for this option is 0", which specifies no particular type of memory to use for interacting with the controller hardware.
  
−  
−
==== The user interface ====
  
−  
−
If properly configured, PlayCD will open a window which contains the following controls (left to right):
  
−  
−
{| class="wikitable"
  
−
| Track display || Here you will find information about the current audio track and the playback status. The first line displays the track information, the second line indicates how much time has passed with regard to length of the current track and the entire CD.
  
−
|-
  
−
| Track position (below the track display) || This slider displays the current track position. It can also be used to change the current track position.
  
−
| [Shift]+[Cursor left] and [Shift]+[Cursor right] keys
  
−
|-
  
−
| Track selection || This is a set of 32 buttons, each one corresponding to one of the tracks of the audio CD. Click a button to make the corresponding audio track the current track. If playback is currently in progress, playback will proceed with the selected track.
  
−
| Any number entered, e.g. entering the two digits 1 and 2 in quick succession will pick track 12.
  
−
|-
  
−
| Volume
  
−
| This is a vertical slider whose current setting corresponds to the sound playback volume. At the top position, playback volume is loudest.
  
−
| + and - keys
  
−
|-
  
−
| Eject (below the Track position slider)
  
−
| Press this button to eject/load the CD in the drive. For technical reasons, you may need to press this button more than once to load a CD.
  
−
| [F1] and [Backspace] keys
  
−
|-
  
−
| Stop
  
−
| Press this button to stop playback.
  
−
| [F2] and [Cursor up] keys.
  
−
|-
  
−
| Pause
  
−
| Press this button to suspend/resume playback.
  
−
| [F3] and [Space] keys
  
−
|-
  
−
| Previous track
  
−
| Press this button to skip back to the beginning of the previous track.
  
−
| [F4] and [Cursor left] keys
  
−
|-
  
−
| Play
  
−
| Press this button to begin playback.
  
−
| [F5] and [Cursor down] keys
  
−
|-
  
−
| Next track
  
−
| Press this button to skip forward to the beginning of the next track.
  
−
| [F6] and [Cursor right] keys
  
−
|-
  
−
| Shuffle
  
−
| Press this button to set up a play list which contains all CD titles in random order. Playback will step through this list, playing each title once. To return to the regular play list which plays each title in the order the tracks were recorded in, press the Stop" button.
  
−
| [F7] key
  
−
|-
  
−
| Playback mode
  
−
| This button selects a playback mode; it can be one of the following:
  
−
{| class="wikitable"
  
−
| Continue
  
−
| This is the default playback mode. If you pick a track to play, it will be played along with all tracks to follow it until the last track on the CD is played. Clicking one of the track buttons in the track selection table will make the respective track the current track".
  
−
|-
  
−
| Program
  
−
| In this mode every track number entered or clicked on will cause a new entry to be added to the play list. To play back the list, click the Play" button.
  
−
|-
  
−
| Track
  
−
| In this mode playback will be restricted to the currently selected track. This means, for example, that if a track has been played to the end, playback will stop instead of proceeding to the next track.
  
−
| [F8] key
  
−
|-
  
−
| Repeat
  
−
| This switch controls whether playback will stop when the end of the play list has been reached or whether playback will restart with the first list entry.
  
−
| [F9] key
  
−
|}
  
−
|-
  
−
| Message list (below the Eject button)
  
−
| This is where helpful progress reports and error messages are displayed. For example, if you picked a track by entering its number, you will see a notice confirming your input.
  
−
|}
  
   
  +
When using PCMCIA cards, note the following:
−
==== Stopping the program ====
  
   
  +
* PrepCard does not run if a card is currently in use as RAM. To run PrepCard again on a card prepared as RAM, insert the card after booting.
−
Once the PlayCD program is running, you can stop it by clicking on the window close gadget or by one of the keyboard equivalents [Esc] or [Ctrl]+\.
  
  +
* Removing a card that is currently in use as RAM immediately reboots the Amiga.
  +
* Do not write-protect a card while it is in use as RAM; this causes the Amiga to lock up, requiring you to reboot.
  +
* The PCMCIA card slot is disabled when Fast RAM is configured to more than 4MB.

Latest revision as of 17:08, 31 January 2021

This chapter describes the programs found in the Tools and Utilities drawers.

Tools Drawer

The Tools drawer window, illustrated in Figure 10-1, contains numerous utility programs that, for example, expand your printing options, prepare memory cards for use, define new keys, and create new icons.

Tools Window

The following programs are found in the Utilities drawer:

Lacer Turns video interlace on and off. (Classic Only)
PrepCard Prepares PCMCIA memory cards for use on systems with a PCMCIA slot. (Classic Only)

Lacer (Classic Only)

The Lacer program only works when a genlock device is attached to your Amiga. It toggles the display between interlaced and non-interlaced mode. This is used primarily for video recording and genlocking by allowing the Amiga to provide the interlaced input required by video devices.

PrepCard (Classic Only)

The PrepCard utility is used for preparing PCMCIA credit card-size memory cards. It runs only on Amiga models equipped with a PCMCIA card slot. PCMCIA is the organization that sets the standards for memory card slot devices.

PrepCard prepares static RAM cards either as a disk device or as system RAM according to PCMCIA standards. A card prepared as a disk can be used like a floppy disk: you can read from and write to the card just as you normally do from applications, the Workbench, or the Shell. Because the card's memory is battery-backed, the contents of the card remain when you remove the card or turn off the Amiga. Read and write operations using memory cards are very fast.

When prepared as system RAM, the card memory is added to the other memory in the Amiga, as if additional memory were installed internally. Cards are available in many sizes: from 64 KB to over a megabyte.

Open the PrepCard window by double-clicking its icon. If a card is inserted, its size and other information are displayed. The message FAILED in the Battery display box indicates that the card's battery has run down and must be replaced before the card can be used.

You can use PrepCard to prepare cards that are new (unformatted) or that have been previously prepared as disk or RAM.

  1. Select the appropriate gadget, either Prepare as DISK or Prepare as System RAM. A warning requester appears, reminding you that any information currently on the card will be erased if you continue.
  2. Select Continue to prepare the card or Cancel to return to the PrepCard window. Preparation takes only a few seconds.
  3. Select Quit to exit when you are finished with PrepCard. An icon for a card you have prepared as a disk immediately appears, labeled Empty.
Note
Preparation does not continue if the card is write-protected. You can flip the write-protect switch to make it write-enabled without removing the card from the card slot.

You can work with the card disk as a normal disk, rename it, and reformat it with the Workbench Format program. A card disk is device CC0:

To use the memory on a card prepared as system RAM, you must reboot. (The card must be write-enabled and inserted when you boot or reboot for its memory to be added to the Amiga's RAM.) Card memory is added to Fast (other) memory.

PrepCard has an Advanced Settings window listed on the menu. This window allows a variety of low level card configuration parameters to be altered from the default settings for diagnostic purposes.

Note
Only those with sufficient technical knowledge should change the default settings in the Advanced Settings window. Improper settings do not harm the card or the Amiga, but it can keep the card from functioning properly.

When using PCMCIA cards, note the following:

  • PrepCard does not run if a card is currently in use as RAM. To run PrepCard again on a card prepared as RAM, insert the card after booting.
  • Removing a card that is currently in use as RAM immediately reboots the Amiga.
  • Do not write-protect a card while it is in use as RAM; this causes the Amiga to lock up, requiring you to reboot.
  • The PCMCIA card slot is disabled when Fast RAM is configured to more than 4MB.
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