User`s manual

SCRATCH
This command allows you to erase unwanted files and programs from the
disk, which then makes the blocks available for new information. You can erase
programs one at a time or in groups by using pattern matching and/or wild cards.
FORMAT FOR SCRATCHCOMMAND
PRINT# 15, "SCRATCH~:~
or abbreviated as
PRINT# 15, "S~:name"
If you check the error channel after a scratch operation (see below), the
number usually reserved for the track number now tells you how many files
were scratched. For example, if your directory contains the programs KNOW
and GNAW, and you use the command PRINT# 15, "SO:?N?W", you will
scratch both programs. If the directory contains TEST, TRAIN, TRUCK, and
TAIL, and you command the disk to PRINT# 15, "SO:T*", you will erase all
four of these programs.
INITIALIZE
At times, an error condition on the disk will prevent you from performing
some operation yo~ want to do. The INITIALIZE command returns the disk
drive to the same state as when powered up. You must be careful to re-match
the drive to the computer (see chapter 2).
FORMAT FOR INITIALIZE COMMAND:
PRINT# 15, "INITIALIZE"
or abbreviated as
PRINT# 15, ''!''
VALIDATE
After a diskette has been in use for some time, the directory can become
disorganized. When programs have been repeatedly SAVEd and SCRATCHed,
they may leave numerous small gaps on the disk, a block here and a few blocks
there. These blocks never get used because they are too small to be useful. The
VALIDATE command will go in and re-organize your diskette so that you can
get the most from the availablespace.
Also, there may be data files that were OPENed but never properly
CLOSEd. This command will collect all blocks taken by such files and make
them available to the drive, since the files are unusable at that point.
There is a danger in using this command. When using random files (see
chapter 6), blocks allocated will be de-allocated by this command. Therefore,
this command should never be used with a diskette that uses random files.
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