General WHDLOAD error...

[keropi]

I just installed it on my _real_ a1200, seems to complete OK but now what??? there are no new icons, and if I write "whdload" on the shell I get greated with an error about loading slave... isn't there supposed to be a gui for whdload?

Sorry for my ignorrance, I am just too new in amiga's....

[Bloodwych]

http://guide.abime.net/

Basically you need to start installing your WHDload game packs.

[keropi]

thanx!

[andreas]

if I write "whdload" on the shell I get greated with an error about loading slave

No wonder, because whdload expects a *.slave file as a mandatory argument.
The reason, why whdload doesn't explain usage instructions when launched from CLI without parameters as most tools do, escapes me, though.
(The original transdisk behaves the same way, too.)

[Duke]

Transdisk does not need any parameters.

[Wepl]

Originally Posted by andreas

No wonder, because whdload expects a *.slave file as a mandatory argument.
The reason, why whdload doesn't explain usage instructions when launched from CLI without parameters as most tools do, escapes me, though.
(The original transdisk behaves the same way, too.)

ok, the using of "WHDLoad.Slave" as default name for the slave to load is mainly for compatibiliy reasons, because I assume this is seldom used.
But you can simply use "WHDLoad ?" to see all possible commandline parameters as in every well programmed tool under AmigaDOS.

[andreas]

Yes, I do know you can use the '?' (as I originally come from the Amiga days!), but the only thing that irritates most users is that without *any* parameter, it would output an error message. And most users *will* try the tool without parameters at first, expecting some usage instructions. Moreover, consider that many people wouldn't think of the '?' either. Not everyone of the people using WHDload comes from the Amiga days

Archivers (lha, lzx, ...), for instance, are a bit niftier here: when launched without any parameters, they display a short usage message, and usually 'Type $application_name ? for full list of options' as well.

To cut a long story short: error messages always irritate users, making them think they've done something terribly wrong

Originally Posted by Duke

Transdisk does not need any parameters.

That's not even close to what I was speaking of.
If you unsuspectingly type 'transdisk' into CLI and hit RETURN, transdisk will IMMEDIATELY (!!) start "working" instead of giving usage instructions! That's not funny - I even hate that. I am the user, and I'm still the one to tell the tool, "now GO!" and the moment when it does that.

Software tools programmed similar to 'transdisk' would sometimes make me think of power tools that turn on by itself if you only pick'em up
(Imagine if some motor saw or buzz saw suddenly showed its own "initiative" )

[Duke]

So you hate 'dir' and 'list' too, as they start working immediately, without any parameters?

[andreas]

Ohhh ... now THAT is a question! *laughs*
Well, so ... 'dir' and 'list' are original AmigaDOS commands, whereas 'transdisk' at first (supposed that I see it the *very first* time) appears as a foreign program to me, and for reasons of safety, I normally would not like to see foreign programs launch processes I don't exactly know what they will result in, just by typing their name in.

[keropi]

is it true that some "pirated" keys are blacklisted and whdload behaves strangely? while I wait my key to arrive, I am tempted to use one of the pirate ones, but I do not want to screw it up!

[Duke]

Don't use a pirated key - all sorts of bad things can happen, including deletion of your startup-sequence

[DrBong]

Originally Posted by andreas

Moreover, consider that many people wouldn't think of the '?' either. Not everyone of the people using WHDload comes from the Amiga days

If they don't know about ? and/or don't come from an Amiga background, how do they manage to find the CLI then??!! Seriously, though, the number of WHDLoad users that have even attempted to use the shell is probably very small. Nevertheless, shell use of WHDLoad might be worth a few lines in the docs, notably to illustrate how to get games requiring 2Mb chip going if one is running out of memory from WB.

[keropi]

Originally Posted by DrBong

If they don't know about ? and/or don't come from an Amiga background, how do they manage to find the CLI then??!! Seriously, though, the number of WHDLoad users that have even attempted to use the shell is probably very small. Nevertheless, shell use of WHDLoad might be worth a few lines in the docs, notably to illustrate how to get games requiring 2Mb chip going if one is running out of memory from WB.

This is interesting, I got memory errors... how to bypass them????

[andreas]

Seriously, though, the number of WHDLoad users that have even attempted to use the shell is probably very small.

You've managed to get the gist of my post.

Originally Posted by keropi

This is interesting, I got memory errors... how to bypass them????

Avoid launching WHD slaves from Workbench; rather use CLI and put a line like 'whdload gamename.slave' into your startup-sequence. Some games (resp. some installers) are ludicrous memory-eaters, so that WB would take too much mem, thus leaving back a too little amount for the game to be launched successfully.

[DrBong]

Originally Posted by andreas

Avoid launching WHD slaves from Workbench; rather use CLI and put a line like 'whdload gamename.slave' into your startup-sequence. Some games (resp. some installers) are ludicrous memory-eaters, so that WB would take too much mem, thus leaving back a too little amount for the game to be launched successfully.

Since Keropi has an A1200, it would be simpler for him to select "boot without no startup-sequence" from the early startup menu and then type that line into the CLI.

@Keropi
However, before you even resort to the CLI, try disabling or removing the PRELOAD tooltype from the game icon and/or global WHDLoad prefs in C: and see if this solves the memory problems. This will allow you to run most WHD games from WB with less memory, but loading will be slower as the HD is accessed more frequently.

[keropi]

I solved ALL mem issues by using CLASSACTION to browse my files.... it loads everything in fastmem, leaving ~1820kb chipmem and ~6.5MB fastmem available...

[Slayer]

Originally Posted by DrBong

Seriously, though, the number of WHDLoad users that have even attempted to use the shell is probably very small.

Along side the number who actually know how to use a Dos
prompt no doubt.



That is what has always made me wonder, most of us that
got into the Amiga indepth know what every single file on
our systems is, where and why it's there.

The advanced user on the pc however still has a way to
go.

And before anyone tries to say 'evolving' try 'poorly
written' instead.



Disclaimer:

The above overview expressed today is totally out of
character for Slayer. He also doesn't hijack threads
intentionally. His reply is a random act of helpful
insight for the consumption of the curious EAB user.

[keropi]

I used to know EVERYTHING regarding DOS for pc's.... I just got an a1200 with no manuals, and I have not yet located a guide for commands, wb, etc... Is there a place to d/l one? I just use my pc exp to do simple tasks using the shell... and the .icon files... what the hell are they? shortcuts? internal wb shortcuts that pass arguments and the way to open a file? I NEED some docs....

[Npl]

Go here for Guides

.icons are kinda the GUI-Part of the Programms. they contain the icons displayed on Workbench( who wouldve thought that ), and can contain additionally parameters for the Programm.

For non-programms they additionaly specify which Programm should be used to start/view/whatever the file.for example you could create an .icon for a text-file and specify a texteditor which will be started when you click on it.