Searching for Programs/Files on WB3.1

[clitosa]

Hi all,

We've reason to believe that certain software is already installed on our amiga HD which is using WB3.1.

Rather than re-installing the software or searching through numerous directories to find them, is there a quick(er) way to search the Amiga HD for these suspected previously installed programs?

Many Thanks

[mark_k]

Open a CLI/Shell and type:

Search DH0: ALL FILE somename

Replace DH0: with your hard disk name and somename with the filename to search for. You can use wildcards, e.g.

Search DH0: ALL FILE #?equ#?

might print:

System3.1:C/RequestChoice
System3.1:C/RequestFile
System3.1:S/Startup-Sequence

[prowler]

Open a shell and type list DH0: ALL > DIR.TXT

You will then have a text file listing all files on your hard drive.

Search that text for the filenames you're expecting to find.

[Cammy]

You can keep track of your installed software and keep your system up to date if you install Grunch http://aminet.net/package/util/misc/Grunch

[clitosa]

Originally Posted by prowler

Open a shell and type list DH0: ALL > DIR.TXT

You will then have a text file listing all files on your hard drive.

Search that text for the filenames you're expecting to find.

Hi Prowler - that sounds great, thanks.

From the sysinfo we can tell that our drives are DF0/CF0, (Floppy Drive & Compact Flash) Workbench (DH0) Work (DH1) Games (DH2)

When we type in the command: DH1: ALL > DIR.TXT into shell we are given no response. For example shell will read:

8.Workbench:> DH1: ALL > DIR.TXT
8.Workbench:>

Maybe it is just very slow. Should this happen?

Should the .txt file be found on the desktop once (or if) completed?

Thanks

[clitosa]

Originally Posted by mark_k

Open a CLI/Shell and type:

Search DH0: ALL FILE somename

Replace DH0: with your hard disk name and somename with the filename to search for. You can use wildcards, e.g.

Search DH0: ALL FILE #?equ#?

might print:

System3.1:C/RequestChoice
System3.1:C/RequestFile
System3.1:S/Startup-Sequence

Hi Mark, that worked thanks.

In Amiga Shell it reads:

New Shell process 8
8.Workbench:> Search DH1: ALL FILE PPAINT
Work:Aplications Progs/PROGS/PPAINT/PPaint/PPaint

This was our suspected program!

Appreciated

[mark_k]

Originally Posted by clitosa

When we type in the command: DH1: ALL > DIR.TXT into shell we are given no response. For example shell will read:

8.Workbench:> DH1: ALL > DIR.TXT
8.Workbench:>

Maybe it is just very slow. Should this happen?

Should the .txt file be found on the desktop once (or if) completed?

[I'll assume you did actually type the List command but forgot to show that above.]

The List DH1: ALL >DIR.TXT command redirects the output of the List command to the file DIR.TXT. So it's normal that no text appears in the CLI window.

The DIR.TXT file won't have an icon (.info file) so it won't appear by default from Workbench, unless you select the Window→Show→All Files menu item.

Probably the easiest way to look through the listing is to use the Ed command. Ed is a simple text editor. Just do Ed DIR.TXT to load it. If you already have a full selection of apps on your hard disk you probably have a better text editor than Ed if you prefer to use that.

As an alternative to List you can use the Dir command instead which may provide more compact/readable output. Use a command like Dir DH1: ALL >output.txt

[clitosa]

Hi - yep, the "list" command was previously added. That's our bad when writing on this thread.

We have included pictures of our attempts to list the programs on DH1.

If no text appears in the CLI window when using the command: list DH1: ALL > DIR.TXT and the "DIR.TXT" file does not have icon, where can this "DIR.TXT" be found?

Right clicking the desktop and trying to goto "Window→Show→All Files" it is grey out in the menu item.

We tried the following in Shell:
8. Workbench:>Dir DH1: ALL >output.txt
Dir: unable to open redirection file
8. Workbench:>list DH1: ALL > DIR.TXT
(Prompts the system Request Menu but nothing else)

Are we doing something wrong?

Ed text edit produces a list which makes little sense to us unfortunately

Thanks for your input

[clitosa]

Originally Posted by Cammy

You can keep track of your installed software and keep your system up to date if you install Grunch http://aminet.net/package/util/misc/Grunch

Hi Cammy - We read on aminet that Grunch keeps certain aspects away from the user. Not so sure we like that. We prefer full access and to trend carefully.

Thanks, m

[daxb]

I don`t know why you get an "redirection error". At least here a redirected file without path will be created in current directory. When you type "cd" in CLI it will show the current directory.

It is better to add a full path. E.g.:

list DH1: ALL >Ram:DIR.TXT

Then you know for sure where the file is.

[mark_k]

Originally Posted by clitosa

If no text appears in the CLI window when using the command: list DH1: ALL > DIR.TXT and the "DIR.TXT" file does not have icon, where can this "DIR.TXT" be found?

Right clicking the desktop and trying to goto "Window→Show→All Files" it is grey out in the menu item.

We tried the following in Shell:
8. Workbench:>Dir DH1: ALL >output.txt
Dir: unable to open redirection file
8. Workbench:>list DH1: ALL > DIR.TXT
(Prompts the system Request Menu but nothing else)

Are we doing something wrong?

Ed text edit produces a list which makes little sense to us unfortunately

Thanks for your input

Several points here, I'll try to address them in the same order as your posting.

Redirecting to dir.txt (or whatever name you chose) creates a file in the current directory. In your case that was most likely the root directory of your Workbench disk. You can show or change the current directory with the CD command. CD alone shows the current directory. CD dirname changes the current directory. For example to change to the RAM disk you'd type CD RAM:

If you double-click the Workbench disk icon, the disk window will open. Then select Window→Show→All Files to show all files in that window.

The system request in the picture is because the Workbench disk is full. Open a CLI window and type Delete DIR.TXT to delete the file. Or you can delete it from Workbench after showing all files. In future it will be a good idea to create the file in the RAM disk (RAM instead. So something like this: Dir DH1: ALL >RAM:dir.txt

(Files in the RAM disk are lost when you power off.)

Looking at the directory listing in the Ed editor, it seems like the machine's previous owner was German. Or, they used a German program which gives every file a comment with its creation and modification dates. You'll probably find it better to use the Dir command rather than List, since that doesn't show as much unnecessary detail.

[clitosa]

Originally Posted by mark_k

Several points here, I'll try to address them in the same order as your posting.

Redirecting to dir.txt (or whatever name you chose) creates a file in the current directory. In your case that was most likely the root directory of your Workbench disk. You can show or change the current directory with the CD command. CD alone shows the current directory. CD dirname changes the current directory. For example to change to the RAM disk you'd type CD RAM:

If you double-click the Workbench disk icon, the disk window will open. Then select Window→Show→All Files to show all files in that window.

The system request in the picture is because the Workbench disk is full. Open a CLI window and type Delete DIR.TXT to delete the file. Or you can delete it from Workbench after showing all files. In future it will be a good idea to create the file in the RAM disk (RAM instead. So something like this: Dir DH1: ALL >RAM:dir.txt

(Files in the RAM disk are lost when you power off.)

Looking at the directory listing in the Ed editor, it seems like the machine's previous owner was German. Or, they used a German program which gives every file a comment with its creation and modification dates. You'll probably find it better to use the Dir command rather than List, since that doesn't show as much unnecessary detail.

Hi Mark K - Wow, that's really helpful, thank you!

Shell is starting to make more sense now, thanks to you.

We have created a DIR.TXT within the RAM disk. Using the recommended:

CD RAM:

Dir DH1: ALL >RAM:dir.txt

However, when we attempt to open the DIR.TXT file we are presented with the execute a file menu shown in the bottom half of the enclosed first picture.

When we try to view the file by clicking on OK, we are given the error message inside the output window. Please see picture 2

dir.txt: file is not executable
dir.txt failed returncode 10

As last time i believe we are doing something wrong. Any further assistance in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again for all your help

[thomas]

Enter multiview dir.txt into the input field.

If it replies multiview: unknown command, then you don't have WB 3.x (see other thread).
In this case enter ed dir.txt or more dir.txt.

You could as well use dir dh1: all without redirection. Then the output will be printed into the DOS window. You can stop the output by pressing any key and continue by deleting the key you entered.

[mark_k]

Originally Posted by clitosa

However, when we attempt to open the DIR.TXT file we are presented with the execute a file menu shown in the bottom half of the enclosed first picture.

When we try to view the file by clicking on OK, we are given the error message inside the output window. Please see picture 2

dir.txt: file is not executable
dir.txt failed returncode 10

As last time i believe we are doing something wrong. Any further assistance in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

dir.txt is just a plain text file, not a program. That's why you get the error. Generally, CLI command lines take the form commandname arguments. So here as Thomas suggested you can view text files with MultiView, More or Ed.

I recommend you read up on AmigaDOS commands, things will probably make a lot more sense then. You can download a PDF of The AmigaDOS Manual from http://www.pagetable.com/?p=193. (There was a later version of the AmigaDOS manual covering Release 2 of AmigaDOS. I don't know whether that's available in PDF format though.)

[clitosa]

Originally Posted by mark_k

dir.txt is just a plain text file, not a program. That's why you get the error. Generally, CLI command lines take the form commandname arguments. So here as Thomas suggested you can view text files with MultiView, More or Ed.

I recommend you read up on AmigaDOS commands, things will probably make a lot more sense then. You can download a PDF of The AmigaDOS Manual from http://www.pagetable.com/?p=193. (There was a later version of the AmigaDOS manual covering Release 2 of AmigaDOS. I don't know whether that's available in PDF format though.)

Hi - thanks again. We shall try to use Ed to view the DIR.TXT as i guess multivew is not possible on our version 38 of WB.

Have downloaded the amigados manual. Looks good and will be very helpful in future. Much appreciated

[clitosa]

Originally Posted by thomas

Enter multiview dir.txt into the input field.

If it replies multiview: unknown command, then you don't have WB 3.x (see other thread).
In this case enter ed dir.txt or more dir.txt.

You could as well use dir dh1: all without redirection. Then the output will be printed into the DOS window. You can stop the output by pressing any key and continue by deleting the key you entered.

Hi - It seems we are unable to view the the dir.txt using the ed dir.txt inside shell. We get the error message in picture 1. If we enter ed dir.txt into the execute a file menu, we are given the same error message in picture 2.

Strangely enough, if we type multiview dir.txt into Shell we are given the screen shown in picture 3 which seems to open the dir.txt text file. Although we think this command shouldn't work on our version of WB2.1?

Also, if we write more dir.txt into shell we get the screen shown in picture 4, which does not look like the contents of the dir.txt file.

Confusing Can anyone shed light on this? Thanks

[prowler]

How much free RAM do you have?

Lack of free RAM looks to be the cause of all those errors you are seeing.

Of course, saving the dir.txt file to your RAM disk will eat up memory.

Why don't you redirect the directory listing to your hard drive instead (as DH0:dir.txt, for example)? Then you'll have more free RAM to execute those commands.

[thomas]

Originally Posted by clitosa

Strangely enough, if we type multiview dir.txt into Shell we are given the screen shown in picture 3 which seems to open the dir.txt text file. Although we think this command shouldn't work on our version of WB2.1?

Obviously somebody has renamed the AmigaGuide program into Multiview. The original Multiview does not have these buttons (Contents, Index, Help etc.) when viewing text files. It only shows them for guide files.

[thomas]

Originally Posted by prowler

Why don't you redirect the directory listing to your hard drive instead (as DH0:dir.txt, for example)?

Actually it is the harddrive which does not have enough space (see hardcopies in post #8).

[clitosa]

Originally Posted by daxb

I don`t know why you get an "redirection error". At least here a redirected file without path will be created in current directory. When you type "cd" in CLI it will show the current directory.

It is better to add a full path. E.g.:

list DH1: ALL >Ram:DIR.TXT

Then you know for sure where the file is.

Hi - thank you. Yep, that will help