CompuServe Thread

Under separate message, immediately following this one, "FILDESCR" is a lisp program we've been using for several months with few kinks. One problem, although not fatal, is completely baffling. First let me describe the function of FILDESCR. Its intent is to require a one-line verbal description for every drawing being saved or ended. Our drawing librarian can go to this file, which is automatically created (with the same file name as the drawing followed by an extension of .DOC) and more easily document our drawing catalog database with meaningful descriptions. Next, it is called from either of two tablet squares. Both of them set a global symbol s#. They read as follows: The SAVE macro: ^C^C(setq s# "S")(load "/ACAD/LSP/FILDESCR") The END macro: ^C^C(setq s# "E")(load "/ACAD/LSP/FILDESCR") Logically, the program prompts for the one line description only once; at first-time SAVE (or END). Thereafter, SAVE's (or END's) look for FILENAME.DOC on the default drive/subdir (line 2) then skip the painful formalities if one is found, going directly to SAVE or END. The problem. Occasionally at SAVE or END time, FILDESCR wants to take us all the way through the formalities even though the its presence, … even checking that its file attribute is normal and not "hidden"). Noting, also, that this problem occurs more frequently when the editing sessions are long ones, several hours, I've gradually (several weeks) changed the CONFIG.SYS files statement from FILES=15 TO FILES=25 but with no evidence of relief. I realize I am loading FILDESR in a transient (unlike defun) fashion, but have yet to see warnings or cautions against this practice. Too, all symbols used by FILDESCR are SETQ'd within that program with the exception of s# which is SETQ'd by the tablet menu which calls FILDESCR. Although using global symbols, FILDESCR depends on no other routines for symbol values. This is annoying because it forces us to abort FILDESCR midstream and resort to keyboard entry of SAVE or END.