#startup-sequence scripts
7 messages in this thread
If i modify my startup-sequence or startupII scrupt and make a mistake, i
notice when booting there is an error message, i don't get into WB and
can't seem to make anything happen. I can type things but when i hit enter,
nothing happnes. I tried typing the command loadwb but again nothing
happens.
This make the editing of startup scripts a real pain 'cos if youget it
wrong you have to boot from another floppy. Any ideas.
Jonathan
Jonathan
When you say that you type loadwb and nothing happens … are you sure?
You'll still have the CLI window, but the disk icons will have appeared
underneath it (try resizing it and you should see). If you no longer want
that CLI window, just type endcli and it will go away.
If that doesn't work, then maybe something you have done in your startup
has messed the system up and won't allow it to continue doing anything.
If ever I am working on startup scripts, I always keep a copy of the
originals on disk. So, I COPY s:startup-sequence s:SS and then edit away
on the startup-sequence. If I come a cropper and want to go back, it's
simply a matter of doing the reverse operation COPY s:SS s:startup-sequence
and rebooting.
If you are not too sure what you are doing, and are therefore finding
errors in the startup, you could always try saving the bit of the sequence
you are working on as a separate file and then try EXECUTEing it to see if
you have any errors. Once it works, you then insert the same commands into
your real startup-sequence. This doesn't always work, though, since you
_may_ get errors … for instance, if you were to try MOUNTing a device
that is already mounted, you'll get an error which is not due to your
script.
Mike (Whapping from the UK)
Jonathan,
Backing up your start-up sequence is an absolute must. Being a once a
"not-so-handy-but-I-will-try-anything-once" sort of Amiga user, I too ran
into much the same problem.
Here is the trick. One of the first things most scripts do. They fool
around with this and that, setting patches, creating ram, mounting drives
or devices. THEN they set the path. When you get dumped out of a startup
sequence you get there long before the computer knows where to look for any
commands you give it from the CLI. So, you must tell the computer where to
find these commands, either by typing "C/LoadWB" or "PATH df0: c: system:
utilities: This will let you get to most of your commands as well as
(hopefully) your notepad, if that is what you are using to make the changes
in your SS.
Good Luck, and don't give up the ship!!!
Ciao for Now…..Ken Dunham 76467,601
– via Whap!
Johnathan,
If your error is in startupII or a similar file and you still have
the wait 5 mins command after the run execute startupII, which is what this
sounds like, then if you wait 5 or a couple more minutes the
startupsequence will resume. What happens is the secondary script is
failing before the break command. After the startup-sequence resumes then
you can go back and re-edit your sequence. BTW if you set up a startupIII
use it for changes and execute it just like the startupII is executed
(don't forget the wait and break commands in appropiate places) then you
may wait some but it will usually recover.
Bruce H.
-Via Whap!
Thanks Bruce, Mike, Ken, Jim for all your good info. Haven't tried it yet
but it does make sense to me. My startup sequence goes:
startup-sequence (as supplied)
startupii (as supplied)
startupHD (my own to set up assignments etc)
I only ever change (so far) startupHD. It seems like from the above replies
that if startupHD bombs out then it probably also clobbers startupII which
never gets round to doing the "break 1 c" command. Is that right?
Also, i just "execute startupHD" from startupII – I haven't added any of
the wait or break stuff – should I?
I will try your ideas next time – I haven't plucked up courage to force a
failure yet 'cos it takes such a lot of messsing around. Maybe i should –
at least that way I'd not be so scared stiff when it happens!
Jonathan
PS Mike, it would be cheaper for me to speak to you on CIX 🙂
Jonathan –
If the initial CLI locks up without even a prompt, then reboot from that
disk and hit "Control-C" as soon as the CLI appears (which is hopefully
before the error is reached in the startup-sequence).
At this point (or in the CLI normally if the prompt IS there after the
error message), you SHOULD be able to type in commands and have them
accepted. One problem is that this is usually before all of the ASSIGN and
PATH and ALIAS statements in the startup-sequence, so you may have to give
commands like "DF0:C/Run DF0:System/FACCII"
Without having to reboot completely, and presuming you have either a 2nd
floppy drive or a hard drive, you can issue the command,
"DF0:C/Execute DF1:S/Startup-Sequence" and start from an old copy. Or,
for that matter,
"DF0:C/Execute DF0:S/Startup-Sequence.bkup"
. . . . . JimDoc