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ScuzzBlog: Diaries May 2023

Entry 16th May 2023: Post 1: Amiga Cheats - Non executing executables.


Amiga Cheats - Non executing executables.


OK The question raised is why an icon in a folder that relates to
a game cheat does not activate when clicked.

Just so happens I have a number of these game cheat disks and was
able to check the contents first hand. Below is my explanation
why the tool icon failed to run when clicked.

Have fun.

Amiga Cheats - Non executing executables.

The question under consideration is why
a specific tool icon in a folder fails
to activate. The disk in question was
an Amiga cheats disk. I will use No 6.

The drawer is filled with games icons
and are symbolised by the 'hammer' tool.

I say this many times on this site but
you really can never have too many books.

Interestingly the best place to check out
Amiga icons is in the section relating to
designing your own icons.

Here they explain the differing icon types
and their given purpose.

The issue with the files in question
is that they do not have an icon.

Understanding that without an icon there
was a decision most likely not to permit
execution by clicking is why the tool is
invisible without showing 'All Files' from
the Workbench menu.

The fact that the icons in question require
you to Show-All Files from the drop down
menu indicates a support file/tool that is
likely to be activated by another action
as with say a program.

Clicking the tool simply calls up an Output
Window that explains that the LOOM icon is
not executable. As such it requires something
else to make it work.

You can check for Information on the
tool by using the drop down menu.

The tool is executable but what is not
shown is just what executes the tool.

At this point it is worth firing up Directory
Opus to interrogate the file further.

Directory Opus is more powerful than you
think and will very often activate a tool
or given program icon.

The tool is activated and shows a Loom
solution document.

Clicking a non-labelled file asks for
a disk to be inserted.

It then proceeds to load the Cheats disk.

Time to use a powerful Text Editor to look
at some of these files. I used CED.

As anticipated the files/tools are support
programs for the disk software.

The Amiga Cheats Disk No 6 is a self booting
disk. The clues here are these drawers in the
main directory .. C, DEVS, FONTS, L, LIBS and S.

The disk also has the 'Startup-Sequence'

Therefore the disk only works from self
booting and the drawers and tools on
the disk are executed from the program
for the software on the disk.

And that is why they are invisible when
viewed from the initial Workbench screen.

Most designers of disk software make
non-executable files out of reach by making
the disk an N-DOS disk and so not accessible
from the Workbench.

And here is the actual menu that allows
you to activate those disk tools.

It is always worth checking a disk to see
if it self boots. Word of warning, try and
get yourself a virus checker, because you
are in the realms of bootblocks and you
have no idea where disks without proper
labels have come from.

OK Join the ranks of the 'Non-Executables'
and fight boot block jockeys .. Or not.

I need to go to bed.


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Last updated 16th May 2023

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