Now that Ultimate allows different sector sizes for each image file, you may forget to change to that sector size before you load the file. For example, if you have an image that uses 4k sectors and you forget to set the sector size to 4k, your image may not load as you expected. You then have to close the image, change to the 4k sector size, then reload the image.
Later, you want to load another image file that uses 512-byte sectors, but you forgot to change the sector size back to 512. This next file image may not load as you expected.
Therefore, you can now include an .info companion file that contains parameters for loading the image file. Here is an example:
# This is the .info Companion File for the image: new_image.img # This is a comment line # First parameter we will specify is the sector size parameter: sector-size = 512 # may use 512, 1024, 2048, or 4096 only # Set/Clear the Readonly flag: read-only = 1 # 1 = set = read only (anything else is an error. See below)
The file is a simple text file with the only requirement of having the same name as the image file, with the ".info" extention added.
For example, if your image file is named "new_image.img", this Companion File must be named "new_image.img.info" and reside in the same folder/directory as the image file.
The current allowed/supported parameters are:
sector-size = # may use 512, 1024, 2048, or 4096 only read-only = # 1 = set = read only
The 'read-only' parameter only excepts a value of 1, to set the read-only flag. It will not let you clear it. This is a safety catch so that you can't clear it from the info file by mistake. You must clear the read-only flag via the dialog's checkbox or the settings menu.
If successfully parsed the .info file, most previous settings will be restored upon File Close/Exit. (The read-only flag is not restored. It will remain set if you set it in the .info file.)
If at any time it failed to parse the .info file, some of the settings may still be in affect. Please correct the errored .info file, and check each setting before moving on.
Using the 'Tools->Create/Update .info File' menu item will create an .info file for the currently openned image file using the current settings. If one is already found, it will be overwritten! You may also simply create/edit the .info file using your favorite text editor.