Applesoft program size on 5.25 disk

3 posts / 0 new
Last post
taos23's picture
Offline
Last seen: 4 years 10 months ago
Joined: Aug 30 2018 - 09:45
Posts: 11
Applesoft program size on 5.25 disk

I've been writing screen savers in applesoft and noticed that the same program will have a different file size when saving to 5.25 disks depending on the other files on the disk. Does anyone remember why and/or if there are tools available to maximize file storage on disk?

mmphosis's picture
Offline
Last seen: 2 weeks 3 days ago
Joined: Aug 18 2005 - 16:26
Posts: 433
sector count

I am assuming you are using Apple DOS 3.3 ?  If remember this... The number of sectors in the CATALOG (Volume Table Of Contents) can get out of sync with the actual number of sectors that a file uses.  I think that if you SAVE a big file, and then SAVE a smaller file with the same name, it may not correctly update the sector count in the VTOC with the smaller value.   I remember using a utility that would update the VTOC with the correct sector counts.  Of course, I don't remember the name of the utility but it was on a disk with a bunch of disk copying tools.  You might try to DELETE the file, and then SAVE again and see if a newly created file gets saved with the correct sector count.

taos23's picture
Offline
Last seen: 4 years 10 months ago
Joined: Aug 30 2018 - 09:45
Posts: 11
I'm using DOS 3.3. I should

I'm using DOS 3.3. I should try ProDOS. You've jogged my memory, thanks. When starting with a blank disk and then copying each program to the new disk it will optimize space in effect. I think it's when you delete programs the map becomes unlinear and less optimized.

Log in or register to post comments