Hi Reece,

 RI> while Browseing the  twit file and using
 RI> the space key to goto the next
 RI> message a glitch did occur.  The drive
 RI> failed to read the next message.

 RI> appeared.  I removed and replaced the disk, got a "drive not ready
 RI> 28,129" message and then the next message
 RI> appeared.  The activity light

Hmmm...  it doesn't sound like a lock-up as such, else QWKRR would
never have displayed this message.

 RI> remained on the whole time.  I certainly
 RI> hope I was not too impatient
 RI> for the next message, but as I couldn't
 RI> hear any head activity from the

It is possible.  Did you try to re-read the message later ?  If so, did
you have the same lock-up or did it read ok ?

 RI> highest message number is 500
 RI> I think and the prob. happened at 213. If
 RI> that makes any difference.

In this instance I wouldn't think so ..  if it happened to occur on
message #256, #512  etc then it might have been significant (indicates
that somehow the hi-byte of a counter wasn't being updated).

 RI> I've tried to tell you as many details of
 RI> this prob. because of what you've said.

Thanks, and as you will come to realise that if I can't "identify" a
problem on the info given I will prompt you for more 

 RI> If I've jumped in too soon
 RI> with this and it was just an
 RI> unusually long search for the next message

There *has* been some unusually long messages posted in the last couple
of weeks..  the most notable being one posted by a Tom Barstow in the
C128 echo... this thing was so goddam long that it actually caused
QWKRR to abort the rest of the packet.
I wonder if this is the message that struck you ?   (This is why I ask
if you managed to re-read it later - becuase if you could then it's
irrelevant). If not, then at least the problem is "constant" for that
particular message.

 RI> message it might be worth trying to
 RI> add some sort of indicator that all is
 RI> well while nothing is apparently
 RI> happening for a long time.

The drive light should flash or flicker all the time a message is being
loaded.  I can't think of any instance where it would remain constantly
on. This in itself should act as an activity indicator. (correct me if
I'm wrong, there may be some sort of "debounce" incorperated into the
activity LED on the FDxx drives causing a flickering LED to appear
constant).

Any other printed to screen indicator would slow the program down too
much in relation to the benefits given.  (my original code actually
printed the track/sector being read to screen - it was a great
indicator, but too slow) :-(

 RI> This may be nothing but you've said you
 RI> what to know so there it is.

Yup, it may be nothing, and even at this stage I can't think what it
may be..  it could even be just "one of those things", but at least if
it happens again, with you or anyone else I'm more inclined to take
notice of it.

Cheers
Rod
___ QWKRR128 V4.21 [R]

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