Changing the HostFS name of the RPCEmu to HardDisk4

Is it possible to change the name of the HostFS to HardDisk4? I think I have seen this somewhere on the website but can no longer fiend it. I’m getting two errors, stating “HardDisk not found” after startup of my RPCEmu on Ubuntu. Also with programs like NetFetch which contains the path to Messenger so NetFetch can start Messenger, prompt the same error on launching them. With NetFetch I can change the path, but I can not fiend the origin of the other errors. So is there a way to change the name of the HostFS to HardDisk4?

Thanks for all help in advance, SteveRM

And to avoid confusion, you’re referring to the drive name and not the filesystem name.

I’d expect the drive name to be hard-coded, so it would probably require a tweak to the code and recompile…I’ve not looked though – that’s just a guess.

Hi Jon, Indeed the drive name which on a RISC PC, A9… always was HardDisk4. I’m more or less used to it.
Hard-coded" that could very well be the case, lets hope not.

In the RPCEmu source

/src/hostfs.c

Line 123/124

/** Disc name of default disc or if no disc name is present */
static const char *disc_name_default = "HostFS";

later line 154 onward:

/**
 * Verify that the disc name is valid - currently match with the
 * default name only.
 *
 * @param disc_name Disc name
 * @return 1 if disc name is valid, 0 otherwise
 */
static int
hostfs_disc_name_valid(const char *disc_name)
{
  if (!STRCASEEQ(disc_name, disc_name_default)) {
    return 0;
  }
  return 1;
}

I think that points to a possible, but not implemented, use of a disc_name parameter in the config file.

My goodness… that looks complicated I’m just a desktop user… lets see if I can fiend it. I’m not certain I want to tamper with this code. I need to know better what I’m doing. I’ll await some more answers. But thanks for the info so fare!

You’d do better to try to find the thing that’s referring to the disc and changing it – it’s probably not just referring to the HostFS disc name, but more likely the ADFS disc name, so changing the HostFS disc name is not going to be effective even if you do make the change suggested above and recompile RPCEmu.

Recompiling RPCEmu to solve the problem is akin to saying you need to change the postcode allocated to your house because someone keeps sending things to you that never arrive – you might be able to change your postcode, but you’d do better to find the person that sends things to the wrong address and correcting them.

I just set up

HardDisc$Path

WhateverFS:HardDiscX.$.The.rest.of.the.path

HardDisc:The.rest.of.the.path

Multiple HostFS names would have been insteresting, along with selectable profiles.
In the profile I would have specified the OS ROM file(s) to select, a first HostFS disc corresponding to the boot disc corresponding to the version of the OS and a second HostFS disc with the normal applications and files.

On my MAC laptop with the Virtual-RPC emulation, the path spells like this, “HostFS::HardDisk4.$”, and below the harddisk icon only “HardDisk4” is shown. I installed it about 11 yeas ago, and can’t remember if I could chose or set the harddisk name. But to me it looks like it’s possible to squeeze the HardDisk4 name in between some how (…?)

On my MAC laptop with the Virtual-RPC emulation

The key point there is “Virtual-RPC”. The two systems use HostFSs that are only linked by name. They are not the same filing system (but are both called HostFS because they expose the host filing system on RISC OS).

Just because something might have been possible on the HostFS written for Virtual-RPC, doesn’t mean that the same thing will be possible with the completely different HostFS that was written for RPCEmu.

Just because something might have been possible on the HostFS written for Virtual-RPC, doesn’t mean that the same thing will be possible with the completely different HostFS that was written for RPCEmu.

Although the source code does look as though someone considered the option, and then ran out of time or inclination.
Now did Peter phrase the shortfall of inclination/time? Something pithy?

As André commented, it might be interesting if you could have a runtime selectable disc to boot from along with a specific ROM and a generic use data disc.

a runtime selectable disc to boot from along with a specific ROM and a generic use data disc.

I do have a Windows command file which will generate one (or lots) of cmd files to start RPCEmu with specific ROMs, discs, and RPCEmu versions. It generates over a dozen variants for me on Win10 and Win11, with symlinks for files that are common. If anyone is interested in trying it out, please email me direct at: riscos at avisoft dot f9 period co dot uk. I am in the process of updating the instructions for Win11, but would welcome some extrernal input.

I just set up
HardDisc$Path
and then find anywhere which has an
WhateverFS:HardDiscX.$.The.rest.of.the.path
and replace with
HardDisc:The.rest.of.the.path

Hi David… Where did you do this? And does this change the Disk name? I’m a desk top user not a programmer so you will have to specific.

Tanks, SteveRM

Hi Steve, I wonder if you look in Configure in Boot > Run and Boot > Look At there’ll be a list of apps to run, maybe you’ll see your HardDisc4 in there?

Hi Jullie, there is no Boot ore Run to be found in Boot>Resources>Configure if that is what you mean?

To all…
Apart from guessing what may work or not, is there no one who can confirm if it is possible or not.