[Coco] Drivewire on Windows Vista?

[Aaron Wolfe]

On Wed, Sep 25, 2013 at 10:40 PM, Chris Osborn <fozztexx at fozztexx.com> wrote:
>
> On Sep 25, 2013, at 7:33 PM, S Klammer wrote:
>
>> Not that it should be done; but, a database (or even just a text file)
>> could be used to maintain directory information for the Coco side that
>> would be independant of the underlying OS.  At startup (or queued) it could
>> scan the OS folder and, where needed, prompt the end-user for any
>> pertainent info for the Coco side and update accordingly.
>
> While it could be done, it's not a good solution. It leaves cruft behind that can also get out of sync with what is going on in the folder. This is what netatalk does and it creates so many problems with having to deal with crazy hidden dbs all over the place.
>
> I don't see a reason why the software can't identify the file types from the info that it already has available. I'm doing this for the C64 tool that I wrote and it works fine.
>

The DECB file attributes can be set arbitrarily.  There is no way to
intuit this information completely accurately from file content.   You
could "wing it", but if I've learned anything in the time I've spent
on Drivewire, its that CoCo users will find every corner case and
exception.

DW can already build DECB disks from PC or online content on the fly.
Heck, you can browse a web page, click on a .BAS or .BIN file and it
will generate a blank DECB disk and stick the file on it in one click
(or add it to an existing DECB disk, etc).  DW does guess at what the
attributes should be when this happens.

This works because there is a disk image backing things.  If the user
then changes the attributes, edits the file, or does random writes to
random sectors, everything is fine.   I am very reluctant to move away
from this model.

OTOH, DW is open source and everyone is welcome to add code.  If you
can come up with a technique that preserves full functionality, I'll
be happy to add it.

-Aaron