The PCW16: CATALOG.TXT file

The PCW16 manual states that PCW16 discs should only be copied using DISKCOPY. This is because the PCW expects to find its directory hierarchy at the start of the disc:

• \PCW in cluster 2;
• \PCW\CATALOG.TXT in clusters 3-34;
• \PCW\SYSTEM in cluster 35;
• \PCW\FOLDER01 in cluster 36, etc.

The CATALOG.TXT file is laid out as a sequence of 64-byte records; it is also designed to be easily readable when displayed on the screen. Record 0 contains a heading for display purposes and does not describe a file; the other records are as follows:

0-8:

Folder name - the name of the folder containing the file. For example, if the file were in \PCW\FOLDER12, this would read FOLDER12. The last character of the name is a space, probably meaning that the matching directory on disc has nothing after the . in its name.

9:

Space, for display purposes.

10-17:

File date, ASCII, UK format. All figures are 2-digit, packed if necessary with zeroes.

18:

Space, for display purposes.

19-24:

DOS filename, 6 characters (the PCW only generates filenames of the form PCWnnn.typ). The nnn in the filename matches the current record number (ie, record 1 corresponds to PCW001.*).

25:

Dot, for display purposes.

26-28:

DOS filetype. The PCW16 uses the filetype to decide which icon to display; for example, HLP denotes a "help" file and WPD is a word-processor document.

29:

Space, for display purposes.

30-61:

PCW16 32-character name.

62-63:

CR,LF. For display purposes.

CATALOG.TXT is always 32k in size. Unused records are filled with ^Z characters (ASCII 26). Deleted records are filled with spaces except for the CR, LF at the end.

Return to the PCW16 description