Programs work but they don't appear on the screen?

[Crusher]

For some reason many of my programs doesn't appear on the screen anymore. VirusZ comes up but I can't do anything with it and it won't disappear when I try to quit it. VirusZ works only when I have started my Amiga from earlystartup with no startup-sequence, it finds no virus and makes an error on the ~backdrop file(explained below), it can't open the file.

I have a 31 bytes big(small) file, ~backdrop in DH0: that I can't do anything with because it isn't there, according to the OS. The only way to delete it is when I start from earlystartup without startup-sequence and write "LoadWB".
But it comes back when I start normally.(I don't have a backdrop). I know there use to be a file called ".backdrop" but not "~backdrop".

Disksalv (tested with both 2 and 4)loads but doesn't appear on the screen.
They are there, I've checked with both Snoopdos(no errors) and ARTM 2.04.

Getting crazy here :-)

[Jope]

Did you try to see if you can bring them to top with commodities exchange?

[Crusher]

Tried it now, VirusZ is in the list but I can't do anything with it.
Disksalv doesn't appear in the list. :-(

[Thomas]

First problem, strange file name: "~" is a joker character in AmigaDOS. It must not be used in file names. You cannot delete the file because you cannot enter the "~" as a part of the file name, it is always interpreted as a joker by the delete command. You have to use another joker to replace it. For example "delete ?backdrop" will delete both .backdrop and ~backdrop (every file with one character before the backdrop). Or "delete ~(.)backdrop" will delete all files ending in "backdrop" but not if they start with a ".".

Second problem, not opening windows: do you have some patch installed which influence the appearence of windows, e.g. PowerWindows or VisualPrefs or Birdie or something like that ? Maybe also MCP could be a cause of this. Remove all patches. Does ARTM tell you what the programs are waiting for ? Does opening Workbench drawers work ? Does the disk icon appear if you insert a floppy disk ?

Bye,
Thomas

[itix]

First problem, strange file name: "~" is a joker character in AmigaDOS. It must not be used in file names. You cannot delete the file because you cannot enter the "~" as a part of the file name, it is always interpreted as a joker by the delete command. You have to use another joker to replace it.

Not exactly correct. You can use ' character in front of joker character to "neutralize" it. I.e. command delete '~backdrop should delete file ~backdrop.

If you have a file "?" you can delete it with command delete '? etc etc.

[Crusher]

No patches and no funny programs as I know of, I have put an ; in both startup-sequence and user-startup on all programs that isn't there after an new install of AOS, no progress though.

Where can I see if a program is waiting in ARTM?
Opening drawers work, playing Shogo works(and other things)
I don't have a floppydrive :-(
Maybe it's connected to another problem, I can't play any normal CD-music(cdda I guess). The CD doesn't appear at all and nothing can find it, but other CD's goes well(like OS3.9).

EDIT: I got Disksalvage to work now, although only when I start without startup-sequence first and then run "Setpatch" and "loadwb".