MkDskCmd

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General Description

The "MkDskCmd" utility:

• Creates empty disk images of a given standard or custom disk type or a customand disk size
• Transfers existing disk images of one type to disk images of another type.

To start the utility open "cmd.exe" in the Start menu and switch to the CHARON x86 utilities directory (typically "C:\Program Files (x86)\CHARON\Utilities_X.X.XXXXX\x86" or "C:\Program Files\CHARON\Utilities_X.X.XXXXX\x86").

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Creating disk images

The first step is to obtain the disk type of the disk that needs to be created:

This command results in a list of all the supported disk types.

Choose the desired disk type (for example "RZ22"), then use the "mkdskcmd" command to create the virtual disk image as shown below:

A disk container "rz22.vdisk" will be created in the current directory.

It is also possible to create custom disk images using the "-blcount" (blocks count) and "-blsize" (blocks size) switches.

For a list of all available parameters use the "–help"switch:

...> mkdskcmd -help

Usage:
   mkdskcmd [Options]

Options:
   -help                 - to see help screen
   -h                    - to see help screen

   -output <full name>   - to specify output file name
   -o <full name>        - to specify output file name

   -disk <disk name>     - to specify the disk name from Disk table
   -d <disk name>        - to specify the disk name from Disk table

   -blsize <number>      - to specify the block size in bytes (custom disk image)
   -z <number>           - to specify the block size in bytes (custom disk image)

   -blcount <number>     - to specify number of the blocks (custom disk image)
   -c <number>           - to specify number of the blocks (custom disk image)

   -avtable <full_name>  - to specify AVDISK table file
   -a <full_name>        - to specify AVDISK table file

   -list <full_name>     - to display AVDISK table
   -l <full_name>        - to display AVDISK table

   -silent               - silent mode running
   -s                    - silent mode running
  
   -transfer             - please see the '--transfer' options description
   -t                    - please see the '-t' options description

Return value:
   0        - for Success
   Non zero - in case of failure

Examples:
   mkdskcmd -h
   mkdskcmd -l
   mkdskcmd -a /opt/charon/bin/mkdsk.vtable -o /etc/rk07.vdisk -d rk07
   mkdskcmd -o /etc/custom.vdisk -z 512 -c 16384

The "-avtable" parameter is used to work with an alternative disk specification database (or to point to the standard database ("mkdsk.vtable") if it is in a location other than the current directory).

The "-blcount" (blocks count) and "-blsize" (blocks size) switches are used to create custom disk images.

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Transferring disk images

The "MkDskCmd" utility is able to transfer (copy) disk images of one type to a disk image of another type.

This operation is needed, for example, to obtain more free space on a disk image that already contains data.

Note: it is not possible to add more free space dynamically. CHARON-VAX/PDP11 must be stopped before performing this operation.

An example of the syntax follows:

where:

• <source disk file name> - the file name of the disk image to be transferred

• <source disk parameters> - the name of the disk from the list of available on "mkdskcmd --list" request or the disk geometry specification (see below).

Example:

It is also possible to specify the disk parameters manually with "-blcount / -c" (blocks count) and "-blsize / -z" (blocks size) switches:

Example:

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