Amiga Computing - Commodore Is Awesome

ne of the most common problems
most new Amigas have is
with the AmigaDOS command
Instal_ Install allows you write a
bootblack onto a formatted disk so that it
will auto load when the disk is inserted. Your
Workbench disk has a bootblack
However, if you only have a single drive,
using Install can be a nightmare. The problem
anses when you want to install a disk in
DK/ (the internal drive) but your Amiga
reps asking for your Workbench disk which
it then duly tries to install. The Install command
is located in the C directory on your
Workbench disk which means that the
Workbench disk must be in NO at the time
the Install command is executed,
Fortunately, there is a neat way round this
problem by using the Resident command.
Resident simply pre-loads selected files into
memory so that they no longer need to be
loaded from the Workbench disk.
Open the Shell and type in the following:
Ed S:Stirtio-hquttue
Atlas q
Save the Shell-Startup by pressing Esc, x
then Return and finally close the Shell
w. Now open it up again and type in q
ed by Return. The Shell should close
n. The alias has told the Shell to
understand q to mean endcli.
* m
II - 1
"M -
q endcki
oid
.
i- E
ir!
*P 0
.
.
t 1
el Cut 7 down those p tong Amiga DOS comma nds
m m
by using a lia sev s from the She tt-Ste rtup
e
C
T
L
R
O
E
W
Locate the first last Resident command and
add below it
ONIM7.ENV/Svs
ResiOnt )MIL: C:Instatt PURE
Save the edited Startup-Sequence by
pressing Esc,, x and then Return, then reboot
your Amiga with the Workbench disk in NO.
You should now be able to insert a blank
This will load up ED, the Amiga's text editor disk in DM when Workbench has loaded and
'ong with the text file Startup-Sequence. run the Install command with no problem.
aaaaa 1 , 1 1
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sign
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1
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/ E a
6:0 ISGUISE
:
1 " I 1 a
R a a
g E a
've used R the Shell a
I
at all you will realise
E boring it can be typing out long-winded
S
ommands. IAnd
if you make a mistake you
D to type the bloomin thing out again. Or
E
, seems. N
Once again, T Workbench comes to the res-
c
cue this time o in the form of Aliases. An alias
r IS simply a label of your choice that points
m
to a command. / Let me show you a better
example. Open n you Shell and type in:
o
s
Ed $:Shett
-
load up Stirtup ED with the text file Shell-
. ,p located in the S directory. This file
•illy contains the current aliases and is
J every time you run the Shell_ Below
1st alias type in:
P it ! I R I S LORDS INSITILL INTO SRN
1
1
_o2
HICH FORMAT?
OTAL RECALL
C By ma king progra ms
Resident in your
Startup•Sequence you
won't have to load them
from disk
Thanks to its user-friendliness. Workbench makes formatting disks a painless
procedure. Just insert a disk into NO, click it once, and select Format
Disk from the menus.
If you look in the System drawer on your Workbench you'll notice an
icon called Format as well, By running this program you are not only
restricted to NO but can also format your hard drive, if you have one, or
PC disks provided you have the PCO datatype in the Datatypes drawer
found in Devs (short for devices, which is exactly what disks drives are).
You can still use the same options provided by the menu Format Disk
option but with the advantage of being able to choose a particular device.
::;U sin g the Forma t progra m
in your Syste m dra we r you
ca n forma t othe r de vice .
beiidsoPO. inchtding
ilillype n ha rd drive
So. ett Sswies Is Sewn.
C• • MI t••••
4 1 .
1 1 i
. N T:i
W 4 1
Z
I
l
e
W
S
Pressing the right keys is a precarious business when
you're new to the Amiga, and making mistakes in the Shell
can be a problem. But by pressing the arrow up and arrow
Ot
rf you're a beginner you're at
the right place. Steve White
explains how you can get the
most out of your Amiga home
i• computer and mkbench
AMIGA COMPUTING
FEBRUARY 1996
ISGUISE
When you first get your Workbench the first
thing you want to do is load it up and try out
everything. But being too adventurerous can
have its pitfalls. I, and many other Amiga owners,
have fallen foul of the scrolling Workbench.
In ScreenMcKle you can alter the size of the
Workbench display and scroll to any areas not
visible in the monitor dimensions with the
mouse. Having a Workbench the size of
Wembley Stadium sounds exciting but eats up
precious memory. Whatever you do, don't save
the ScreenMode preferences or you may find
that when you reboot later on, Workbench
won't load because of insufficient memory.
This is not the place for complicated solutions
so avoid it at all costs.
down (cursor) keys Shell will allow you to recall your previously
entered commands so that you can simply edit the
mistakes you made previously.
1111 Previous Command
In Next Command Don't ke e p
typing out the se
comma nds. U se
the She ll's buffe r
function to
retrace your I t
tsp.