💾 Archived View for mirrors.apple2.org.za › archive › ground.icaen.uiowa.edu › apple8 › Utils › MODF… captured on 2023-01-29 at 10:58:58.
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Phoenyx's 'File Modified Date/Time' modifier
This program is released as (c) freeware. I, the author, retain all rights.
You the user have the right to use the program for the purpose intended. You
also have the right to distribute this file to anyone who may benefit from it's
use. Feel free to post it on any Apple2 file site also.
As is normal, I make no warranties regarding useability and/or fitness for
any specific purpose, functionality or program usage. You use the program at
your own risk of data loss and/or system failure.
Don't you hate these disclaimers??? Don't worry, I have tested the program
on my system without damage or file loss!
This program was designed for one purpose, and (IMHO) it performs that
function well. It's purpose is to change all the modified date/time stamps in
any specified directory tree to 01-JAN-00. This is primarily of benefit to
users who make backups based on the modified date/time stamp. When Y2k comes
these programs will get confused if some dates specify 9x and others specify
0x. In other words, the results you get won't be the results you expect.
Here is one method to avoid this. Perform your standard file backup on
31-DEC-99 or 01-JAN-00. Then run this program for both the source directory
and backup directory trees. When finished, you will have a current backup of
your files and they will have matching modified date/time stamps. From this
point on all P8 modified files will have a newer modified date/time stamp
and the copy/backup programs should function as normal.
As designed it has no limits on the number of files and should be able to
handle deep directories. I have tested it on several mass media devices with
varying file counts (thousand++) and varying directory depths.
The program was written to run on any 64k Prodos compatible Apple ][ or
emulator system, yes even the GS. It was created with Aztec C as a stand alone
system application. It offers a simple interface where you specify the Prodos
path you want to modify the date/time stamp in. Then you specify where the
program should put the work file. This work file is the key to the safety
of this program. By gathering all the file names at once, the program can
then read the file and perform Prodos MLI functions to modify the directory
entries. This elimimnates the danger of directory damage which might occur
when modifying the directory file itself. My motto is better safe than sorry.
Since the program uses external memory, aka a disk file, to store the file
names you are only limited by the size of the external memory media. It is
suggested you use a large ram-disk. It may even work with the Prodos /RAM
drive as the file is really not that big. It uses a maximum of 65 bytes for
each directory entry. This entry consists of the absolute Prodos pathname. The
program will leave the work file on the media for your perusal and/or future
use. The program will modify ALL directory entries except deleted files, whose
directory entry has not been re-used. It also respects the locked status or
in the case of GS files, the active status.
You can specify any Prodos directory tree. It does not need to be started
in a root directory although that is the normal usage.
I want to thank the Phade authors for an excellent set of Prodos libraries
which they released in the early 90's. This program uses parts of those lib's
as well as a highly modified recursive tree routine from that archive. This
greatly eased the development of this program. So, portions of this program
are (c) by Phade Software.
There may also be portions (c) by Manx, the original publisher of Aztec C.
Unfortunately, I have been unable to contact them. I would love to get this
development system into the Apple2 freeware society with proper documentation.
The shell offers more functionality than many of the others. Oh well, maybe
later.
Hope I explained it enough. If it is needed I might be able to modify the
program to accept any date instead of 01-JAN-00. This was the specifications
required by the original request.
Enjoy,
Phoenyx