What's considered the best software today to copy files from one disk to another on a CPC?
And while we're at it, what about formatting a disk or making a disk copy?
Back in the day I used to do that with Discology and/or ODDJOB, but I suspect things have evolved since then (I don't even remember if those programs allowed individual file copying actually).
Well... nowadays I use ParaDOS in the real Amstrad :) , it is able to work with my X-MEM and I do not even need to exchange the floppies every few KB, like in the past :) . Back in the days I used Discology quite a lot, I always liked it :) However, I must confess that 99.99% of the time I tend to prepare all the DSKs in Winape and then I toast the files when they are ready, hehe.
Back in the days I used to use use (and stilll use): Amsback & JL-copy/utilities for single file copying or unprotected disc copy. Disc'o'magic, Discology, Xexor & Symbos (2.0) been added to the list afterwards.
Well, I don't know about the best way, but the fastest way is still using my FutureOS Filecopy/Disccopy/Format functions... free download see below... :)
Without FutureOS I would recommend ParaDOS or X-DDOS. :)
Thanks everybody! Now that I think about it, it does make a lot more sense to prepare the dsk on the Mac through emulators first, and then just making a disk copy on the CPC directly.
And FutureOS/ParaDOS is exactly the kind of thing I was looking for!
The new version of ParaDOS does definitely support the biggest number of formats. So if you get some DSK's and got no idea which format they have... ParaDOS should do. BUT... sometimes you have to enter the menu and adjust the format settings. ;) :)
JL-copy was always my main copy program of choice. I never had a disk drive though.
I know this is an old topic, but I have recently found this little utility (https://cpcrulez.fr/applications_list_disc-disc_file_copier_CCTG.htm) from the CPC Computing 12/1988, which adds AMSDOS command |COPY, and I typed it all in :D I also fixed a bug which resulted in broken binary being saved on disk.
For me using |COPY is more convenient than running Discology just to copy a single file from USB floppy emulator to a disk drive (or vice versa). Maybe you will find it useful, too.
I'm a little late to this thread (!) but
@venex just wanted to say thanks, copy seems a super little utility. I've just copied a Mallard Basic file from a PCW floppy to a dsk image on my CPC Gotek drive. Very handy! :)