Wipe File (WIPEFILE.COM)››What it does››Unlike SpartaDOS's delete command which makes a files sectors free again in the bitmap and clears a bit information in the attributes byte of the files directory entry. WipeFile erases a files contents as well.››When to use it››WipeFile was originally coded in order for me to gain experience and knowledge about SpartaDOS's internal disk structure. This knowledge and experience was past on to programs such as TREE, FATR, FTD, and all the programs that in one way or another require the need to read or modify internal disk information.››It quickly grew into a three part security system for the Atari 8-bit computer. It is composed of WipeFile, WipeDisk, and Code. Code is a personal encryption system that uses passwords to encrypt sensitive data. You can then use WipeFile to erase the original file from the disk. If you are afraid that the file may have been fragmented after many updates you may use WipeDisk to wipe all unused sectors on the disk or hard-drive partition.››Even if you do not have a need for security I will be releasing WipeFile and WipeDisk. Early on I started using SIO2PC and started using SIO2PC image files as large as 3 to 8 megabytes. As a programmer, I found myself updating information on these SIO2PC disk images frequently.››Sometimes I need to make room for other, more immediate information on my IBM. So... I started ZIPping the ATARI SIO2PC image disks. I discovered that if I use WipeDisk, before ZIPping, to write zeros to the unused sectors of the SIO2PC image disk, I would have a smaller ZIP file to copy to a floppy disk or to make immediate room available on my hard-drive. A more appreciable application for WipeDisk... do you agree?››How to use it››WipeFile has an intelligent command-line argument, as well as the ability to accept wildcards. For example:››A:>WipeFile /r1 /d d5:*. /v0››A:>WipeFile /d d5:*. /r1 /v0, etc.››As you can see the drive and path argument can be entered in any order in the command-line, as well as the other switch commands.››A quick overview of the commands:››/Rn -- repeat the number of times you want WipeFile to write over the files with the specified ASCII value (repeat values are: 1 to 254, and 0 [accepted in combination with the '/D' command only]).››/Vn -- the ASCII value to wipe the file with (ASCII values from 0 to 255).››/D -- clear the directory entry from the specified directory.››Using '/D' and '/R0' commands: The user can verify whether WipeFile sucessfully wiped the file only if the directory entry remains intact. By default WipeFile does not clear the directory entry. After using WipeFile on a file (without the '/D' command) you can use SpartaDOS's X TYPE command to display the contents of the file, or DISKRX. You should see a continues flow of the ASCII value (or character) you used to wipe the file with. When you are satisfied that the file has been wiped, use WipeFile again on the file and use the '/D' command and if you do not want WipeFile to wipe the file again set the repeat value to zero ('/R0').››Another reason the '/D' switch command was added was for the user who wants to wipe a file with a combination of ASCII values to gain a government standard wipe:››A:>WipeFile /r1 /v0 d1:*. ; wipe using zeros...››A:>WipeFile /r1 /v1 d1:*. ; wipe using ones...››finally clear the directory entries...››A:>WipeFile /r1 /v246 d1:*. /d ; use character 246 as the last character....›››WARNINGS!››Always use CleanUp from the FTE toolkit before you use any of the Wipe programs on your disk!››Cleared directory entries should never be UnErased!››SpartaDOS X's UnErase command, will at least ask you if you want to UnErase files. Say no when you see an "inverse lowercase e", this is a wiped directory entry and should not be unerased.››SpartaDOS 3.2f's UnErase command, will not ask you whether you want to UnErase a file! Please specify a filename to UnErase and don't specify wildcards in the path on disks you know you have used any of the Wipe programs on.››At the moment I am developing an UnErase command (vUnErase):››1) It will be compatible with UnErase wiped entries.›2) You will have the option of viewing deleted files and directories before you unerase them.›3) It will copy partial deleted files to another disk. These are files that have some of their sectors occupied by new files on the disk. (This can only happen if the filemap of the file is intact.)››100% SpartaDOS 3.2x and SpartaDOS X compatible.›PC XFormer compatible.›