VisorCentral.com - 64MB CF card- file limits?

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Posted by Madkins007 on 06-26-2001 05:05 PM:

64MB CF card- file limits?

I just got a Mr. Flash 64MB CF card (from newegg.com). My Innocomp CF drive did not want to read it at first, but that cleared up on its own apparently when I re-inserted it.

Based on some advice I saw here, I also got a USB card reader (newegg also, I got the CF/SM "PQI USB Card Reader") to transfer files back and forth more easily.

Now- I have 188 files on my card- only using a tiny bit of memory, but I am getting error messages as I try to add other files via the Reader. "Unable to create file" (or something similar).

So- is there a limit to the number of files you can park on one of these things, and is there a way around this?

Posted by gentzel on 06-26-2001 06:53 PM:

Re: 64MB CF card- file limits?

quote:
Originally posted by Madkins007
So- is there a limit to the number of files you can park on one of these things, and is there a way around this?

Are you using subdirectories or packing everything into the root?

The VFAT filesystem used by the CF adapters has restrictions on
the number of files in the root directory. Subdirectories don't
share these limits.

Thank you, Microsoft!

Posted by mshe on 06-26-2001 09:44 PM:

It could be the card... I think Mr. Flash cards have incompatiblity problems with certain digital cameras, readers, etc. : (

Also, I'm sure a flash card can hold more than 188 files in the rootdir... I think.

Posted by gentzel on 06-27-2001 01:03 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by mshe
Also, I'm sure a flash card can hold more than 188 files in the rootdir... I think.

"I'm sure ... I think."

VFAT limits the root directory to 512 entries. However long file
names and/or names with mixed case or odd characters can use more
than one entry per file. So yes, depending on the names used 188
could be the limit.

Posted by Madkins007 on 06-27-2001 05:57 AM:

My 188 files are typical small Palm documents. If they are somehow taking up 512 'units' worth, something would appear to be wrong.

I just got the FlashPlus card, so i will see if that makes a difference (by the way, thrifty shoppers- the Mr. Flash from newegg.com seems to work just fine in it!)

I do not see how to do subdirectories with the CF card, however. Is this one of the advantages of Memplug's PI software over the FA software?

Posted by dkessler on 06-27-2001 03:11 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Madkins007

My 188 files are typical small Palm documents. If they are somehow taking up 512 'units' worth, something would appear to be wrong.

You can blame Microsoft for this mess. MS decided that the root directory of a hard disk (which is what CF cards are formatted to look like) would have 512 directory "slots" in it. When those are used up, the directory is full regardless of how much space is left on the disk. Every file in the root directory takes up one directory slot for its basic information plus one directory slot for every 13 characters in the file name. It doesn't matter what's actually in the file - the directory entry is just "bookeeping" information for the file system.

Now, the average file name is probably just over 13 characters so that means on average each file will need 3 directory slots. Since there are only 512 slots in the root dir, you can get around 170 files in there. More if your files have tend to have short names, less if the names tend to be long. Subdirectories have the ability to "grow" when all the directory entries are used up. But the root directory can't do this.

quote:
I do not see how to do subdirectories with the CF card, however. Is this one of the advantages of Memplug's PI software over the FA software?

Subdirectories are easy

Make sure you have at least version 1.4.x of the FAFileMover software then do the following:

1) Tap the "CF" selector at the top right to display what's on the CF card.

2) Tap the menu silkscreen button (or the title bar if you're using a Prism/Platinum/Edge). Tap the "Dir" menu and select "Create..."

3) Enter the name of the directory you want to create.

4) Locate the new directory you created in the file list and tap its name to go into it. It is now your "default" directory. When you go back to the RAM view, any files you copy will go into the new directory.

If you have any problems, email [email protected] and we'll be more than happy to help

__________________
<ul><li>Dave Kessler<br>President - Kopsis, Inc.</li></ul>

Posted by Madkins007 on 06-28-2001 06:36 AM:

Dave- again, thank you oh font of all wisdom! ;-)

So- can I organize files on my desktop into directories, and import them to the card with a card reader, then access them on my Visor?

(Besides asking this, I will be experimenting with it too!)

Thanks, everyone!

Posted by dkessler on 06-28-2001 02:30 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Madkins007

Dave- again, thank you oh font of all wisdom! ;-)

So- can I organize files on my desktop into directories, and import them to the card with a card reader, then access them on my Visor?

I would think so, but then I'm not a Windows or Mac user so I really don't know how CF card readers work on those systems. For linux folks all it takes is a "mount -t vfat /dev/hde1 /mnt/cf" and the card becomes just another directory in the filesystem

__________________
<ul><li>Dave Kessler<br>President - Kopsis, Inc.</li></ul>

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