[iyonix-support] Re: !ROFS updated

Quoting Martin Wuerthner <lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

> In message <1184069764.469378847ad17@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>           davehigton@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> 
> > Of course I'd really prefer that we were able to get the full
> > functionality from the OS, then I wouldn't need to develop ROFS.
> 
> True, but I wonder whether it would not make more sense to change the 
> way ROFS works rather than rewriting more and more of the Filer, which 
> is highly unproductive. If ROFS worked as a (non-image) filing system 
> then it could let the Filer do all the hard user interface work. ROFS 
> could then do away with all of its user interface code and users could 
> immediately make arbitrary selections, have multiple windows open, 
> open files on the card directly, etc. A filter could detect clicks on 
> the drive icon and open the corresponding ROFS Filer window for it, so 
> it could integrate seamlessly into the system without requiring any OS 
> changes.

As I see it, we don't need to change the Filer at all.  We could update
DOSFS so that it isn't an image filing system - AFAICS the updates to
RISC OS oover the years have made available the necessary hooks.  DOSFS
is nearly there.  The major remaining snag is how devices are offered
round to filing systems such as DOSFS.

It occurred to me yesterday that a good potential solution is to add a
new Service Call: Service_IdentifyPartition.  Then an updated DOSFS (or
any other equivalent) could claim the partition.  If not claimed, RO
would offer Service_IdentifyDisc like it does now.  This approach seems
to get over the difficulties of trying to modify the existing system to
cope with the new while remaining perfectly compatible with today.

Dave
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