SparkFS used to be able to read PackDir files transparently as image
files (as opposed to PackDir itself, which isn't an image filing system
and can only extract the entire archive).

However, the updated 32-bit version of SparkFS no longer contains all
the additional modules that I had in the version I originally purchased,
and obviously the PackdDir file from the original Modules directory
(which is actually an Absolute file and not a module) is not itself
32-bit compatible and doesn't work with SparkFS 1.44, even if I try
registering it to run as a module under Aemulor.

Luckily PackDir itself will run under Aemulor, so the archive contents
are still accessible. Was there ever an updated version of the PackDir
SparkFS extension? For the moment the most sensible thing to do seems
to be to extract all the archives that I know about....

--
Harriet Bazley == Loyaulte me lie ==

Cole's Law: Thinly sliced cabbage.

In article <586d4d3759.harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk>,
Harriet Bazley <harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk> wrote:
> However, the updated 32-bit version of SparkFS no longer contains
> all the additional modules that I had in the version I originally
> purchased, and obviously the PackdDir file from the original
> Modules directory (which is actually an Absolute file and not a
> module) is not itself 32-bit compatible and doesn't work with
> SparkFS 1.44, even if I try registering it to run as a module under
> Aemulor.

The PackdDir module in my version of SparkFS claims to be v. 1.44 (8
Feb 2016) and is a module according to Zap, etc. If that is correct,
surely that is 32 bit at least. I have never used PackdDir or have
any files obviously so cannot test it. It certainly loads on this
ARMX6 without complaint and is listed in the active module list.
David P is the person to ask.

--
Chris Johnson

In article <586d4d3759.harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk>,
Harriet Bazley <harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk> wrote:

> SparkFS used to be able to read PackDir files transparently as image
> files

Mine still does.

I have SparkFS 1.46, and this has PackdDir 1.44 (08 Feb 2018) within its
modules directory which is "32-bit ready".

It opens up my old PackDir disc images from when a 20MB HD was more than
enough!

I'm talking turn of the century here!

Best wishes,
John

In message <5937587be5chrisjohnson@spamcop.net>
News <chrisjohnson@spamcop.net> wrote:

> In article <586d4d3759.harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk>,
> Harriet Bazley <harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk> wrote:
>> However, the updated 32-bit version of SparkFS no longer contains
>> all the additional modules that I had in the version I originally
>> purchased, and obviously the PackdDir file from the original
>> Modules directory (which is actually an Absolute file and not a
>> module) is not itself 32-bit compatible and doesn't work with
>> SparkFS 1.44, even if I try registering it to run as a module under
>> Aemulor.

> The PackdDir module in my version of SparkFS claims to be v. 1.44 (8
> Feb 2016) and is a module according to Zap, etc. If that is correct,
> surely that is 32 bit at least. I have never used PackdDir or have
> any files obviously so cannot test it. It certainly loads on this
> ARMX6 without complaint and is listed in the active module list.
> David P is the person to ask.

SparkFS is on v1.46 (6 Jul 2020)
PackdDir module v1.44 (8 feb 2016)

Harriet have you enabled PackdDir in the SparkFS Choices?

--
Chris Hughes

On 4 Jun 2021 as I do recall,
John Williams (News) wrote:

> In article <586d4d3759.harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk>,
> Harriet Bazley <harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk> wrote:
>
> > SparkFS used to be able to read PackDir files transparently as image
> > files
>
> Mine still does.
>
> I have SparkFS 1.46, and this has PackdDir 1.44 (08 Feb 2018) within its
> modules directory which is "32-bit ready".
>
Interesting - I had an archive of SparkFS 1.46 in my downloads
directory, but the version actually on disc was 1.44 with a minimal set
of modules. Possibly/probably the one that was distributed by R-Comp as
part of the hard disc image. I've replaced that with the version I'd
downloaded earlier, and can confirm that (once I'd remembered to enable
loading of the PackdDir module!) it does indeed allow me to view the
insides of PackDir archives.

Although I think it would still be safer to continue extracting them!

--
Harriet Bazley == Loyaulte me lie ==

Justice: A decision in your favour.

On 4 Jun 2021 as I do recall,
Harriet Bazley wrote:

[snip]

> Interesting - I had an archive of SparkFS 1.46 in my downloads
> directory, but the version actually on disc was 1.44 with a minimal set
> of modules. Possibly/probably the one that was distributed by R-Comp as
> part of the hard disc image. I've replaced that with the version I'd
> downloaded earlier, and can confirm that (once I'd remembered to enable
> loading of the PackdDir module!) it does indeed allow me to view the
> insides of PackDir archives.
>
> Although I think it would still be safer to continue extracting them!
>
Right, ten megabytes of archives dating back to 1997 expanded back into
their original uncompressed directories, and at least one file in each
tested....

--
Harriet Bazley == Loyaulte me lie ==

C++ - the language in which only friends can access your private members

On 4 Jun, Harriet Bazley wrote in message
<71885f3759.harriet@bazleyfamily.co.uk>:
> Interesting - I had an archive of SparkFS 1.46 in my downloads directory,
> but the version actually on disc was 1.44 with a minimal set of modules.
> Possibly/probably the one that was distributed by R-Comp as part of the
> hard disc image.

If this is RISC OS 5, then it's nothing to do with R-Comp: RISC OS 5 comes
with the read only SparkFS in $.Utilities as standard, and that only has the
Spark, Zip and Tar modules included.

If you're on SparkFS 1.44, then you *really* need to update your disc image.
I'm fairly sure that even 5.28 from last year has the updated 1.46 included,
which has a some significant stability fixes in it.

If you want more than the read only version or the three modules that it
includes, then you need to make your own arrangements with David Pilling to
obtain the full read-write SparkFS (which presumably you have already done).

--
Steve Fryatt - Leeds, England

http://www.stevefryatt.org.uk/

On 7 Jun 2021 as I do recall,
Steve Fryatt wrote:

> If you're on SparkFS 1.44, then you *really* need to update your disc
> image. I'm fairly sure that even 5.28 from last year has the updated
> 1.46 included, which has a some significant stability fixes in it.

I bought this computer new last year, and it has RISC OS 5.27 on it.

I have no idea abut updating disc images - I'm still trying to rearrange
this one in a way that makes sense to me. :-(

>
> If you want more than the read only version or the three modules that
> it includes, then you need to make your own arrangements with David
> Pilling to obtain the full read-write SparkFS (which presumably you
> have already done).

I bought the full version for my A5000 years ago, and evidently
downloaded the update at some point in the last year but forgot to apply
it!

--
Harriet Bazley == Loyaulte me lie ==

It's clever, but is it art? - Rudyard Kipling