Coming back to OS4, I hope

[kilaueabart]

I had already cut way back on my OS4 usage when my X5000 crashed a little over a year ago. A kind gentleman repaired the machine for me and I would like to start using OS4 again. In fact I am using Odyssey on it right now.

But I am encountering a slue of problems, partly because I don't remember a lot of stuff I used to know (creeping dementia) and partly because OS4 was updated when the machine was fixed and there is a lot of stuff completely new to me. I think I had better bring up my problems sort of one or two at a time, so as not to overwhelm anyone who might be inclined to help me.

Sometimes when I click on something up comes a message, "Please insert ..." E.g., when I click on a .txt file, I get

Please insert Volume
Apps:
in any drive

Process: 76 "Workbench"

But I have no idea what "Volume Apps:" refers to. It isn't listed in Applications or Workbench.

If I click on a .jpg or .png file, the machine hangs, and I have to reboot. I'm sure I looked at a lot of those in the good old days.

I find a tremendous amount of documentation on my OS4 desktop, but so far no solutions to these problems.

[nbache]

Sometimes when I click on something up comes a message, "Please insert ..." E.g., when I click on a .txt file, I get

Please insert Volume
Apps:
in any drive

Process: 76 "Workbench"

But I have no idea what "Volume Apps:" refers to. It isn't listed in Applications or Workbench.

First, are you sure it says "Apps:" and not "APPDIR:"?

Let's first assume you have written it correctly. In that case, it looks like the icon for the text file (or the corresponding DefIcons setting) has its default tool set to something on a disk called Apps:, which you apparently don't have in your system currently.

Try this:

Left-click one on the text file icon.

Press Right Amiga+I for icon information, this should open the information window for the icon/file.

In that window, find the field called Default Tool (you may need to switch to the tab page called Icon inside the window to see it).

What does it say in that field? I'd guess it says something starting with Apps:, but what after that?[/quote]

If I click on a .jpg or .png file, the machine hangs, and I have to reboot.

Let's look at that later, it might (or might not) be related.

Best regards,

Niels

[kilaueabart]

It turns out I was mistaken about the .txt file problem. Those files come right up. I found a file type yesterday that wanted Internet:. I directed it to InternetApps: and found something therein that took care of the file. For one that wanted Apps: (.fw) I tried Applications:where I found FinalWriter but was told the machine couldn't open it. Another .fw gets "unknown data type," and clicking on an icon in Applications:FinalWriter6/ brought "The driver failed to access the device Do you want to Retry?" several times in a row when I clicked Cancel finally bringing the old document up on screen!

Almost everything I click on brings something up with no real problems. Even some dot-this-and-that that I obviously made up myself. The really serious problem is .jpg, .png, and .iff crashing the machine. Many of those are very important to me.

I've been trying to find a manual that will tell me how to get the X5000 to print to my HP printer, but no luck so far. I'm wondering if I have to run a cable between them.

[kilaueabart]

The problem I am having nowadays when I boot OS4 is that I get these messages: "ASSIGN: Can't find 'Applications: PPaint,'" "ASSIGN: Can't find Applications: AmiCygnix." Soon I get a little box with "Please insert volume / Cygnix / in any drive."

I can move the cursor on this screen, and can type, but clicking the cursor has no effect. However, if I click the quit button in the upper left corner, this screen is replaced by the normal looking Amiga one, so I can go hunting for Cygnix. Np real luck in that regard so far, but I do find Apps/AmiCygnix containing a bunch of stuff like, e.g., Start_AmigaCygnix.bat. Clicking on that brings "Unkknown command."

I would like to go back to using OS4 regularly, but I sure don't remember how. Could someone give me some hints?

[Raziel]

first thing I'd do, is to comb through startup-sequence and user-startup and comment out (";") all occurances of anything AmiCygnix.

Reboot and once the first error messages are gone, take on the next

one step at a time

good luck

[nbache]

Another possibility:

It looks like you have previously had an assign named Applications: pointing to that Apps directory where you found AmiCygnix.

(An assign is a sort of pointer or nickname, telling the system to treat some directory in some path on your system as if it was a volume in itself, in this case pretend that Applications: is an independant volume (disk) instead of just a dir somewhere down in the filesystem.)

If Apps is e.g. a directory in the root of your Work: volume, a solution could be to enter this command somewhere near the top of your S:User-Startup file:

Assign Applications: Work:Apps

(If Apps is not a directory in the root of Work:, adjust the last part of the command to reflect where it is found instead.

Best regards,

Niels

[kilaueabart]

Thank you, you life-saver!

Burgeoning senility had robbed me of the memory of User-Startup! It still took me a few minutes to find it and figure out how to edit it, but sure enough there was this at the bottom, now fixed:
;BEGIN Cygnix
assign Cygnix: "Applications:AmiCygnix"
execute Cygnix:s/Cygnix-Startup
;END Cygnix

I wonder what the
;BEGIN UHC
If EXISTS "${UHCBIN}UHC-Startup"
Execute "${UHCBIN}UHC-Startup"
EndIf
;END UHC
bit at the top is all about.

I am surprised at an inability to find Work: anywhere. The directory S: is among 25 directories in Workbench.

I really should spend some time pouring through 57 files in Workbench:Documentation, but will I live that long?

[Raziel]

yes, you will

but the documents are not really helpful, except you want to fill your brain wirh lots and lots of detailed information not reallyusable for everyday use.

never heard of uhc, but since it is only executed when found, just leave it

welcome back then

the best way to keep your miggy running is to have it, well, running...best to turn it on every day

[nbache]

Yeah, the Documentation directory is most useful when you already know which command or other component you need to know about.

Perhaps more relevant for you could be to have a look at the Workbench Guide - this is a general help document about how to use Workbench itself and related built-in features.

Just click on the light-bulb in AmiDock (if you have a standard installation), or alternatively, click once on the background in Workbench and then press the Help button (Scroll Lock on a PC keyboard). Then browse around until you're bored . (Disclaimer: I helped write it ...).

Best regards,

Niels

[kilaueabart]

Thanks, Raziel and Niels

I had just been in WBHelp before starting Odyssey and seeing your notes. I was looking for a reminder on how to fake Amiga keys on a Logitech keyboard; no luck. After reading your suggestions, I decided to go through WBHelp more attentatively than in the past, and thought I had learned something good: I should be able to open WBHelp by pressing Scroll Lock instead of clicking on the lightbulb, but so far that hasn't worked.

I shall continue reading and probably talk to you again tomorrow.