Copyright: Copyright © 1997 Juan M. Aguirregabiria
Citation: Copyright © 1997 Juan M. Aguirregabiria. All rights reserved


Folder Organizer

Version 1.0

August 1997


Author
Juan M. Aguirregabiria

E-mail: wtpagagj@lg.ehu.es

WWW: http://tp.lc.ehu.es/jma.html


Copyright

The program Folders.exe, the help files Folders.cnt and Folders.hlp, the sample definition files included with the packages and the documentation file Folders.rtf are copyrighted:

Copyright © Juan M. Aguirregabiria 1997

All rights reserved

Other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Folder Organizer is FreeWare; there is no charge for using it and it may be distributed freely so long as the files are kept together and unaltered. You may neither sell nor profit from distribution of Folder Organizer in any way.

Disclaimer

In no event will the Author be liable to users for any damages, including but not limited to any lost profits, lost savings or other incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use or the inability to use this program, even if the Author has been advised of the possibility of such damages, or for any claim by other party.

Hardware and software requirements

Folder Organizer runs under Microsoft Windows 95.


Other free programs by the same author

To get the last version of Folder Organizer and of following free programs contact the Author.

TeX Organizer is the natural complement for LaTeX Macros, DVIPS Shell and Folder Organizer: a simple utility to organize the use under Windows 95 of a group of DOS and/or Windows programs that are to be applied to a single file or to a group or related files. The best example (but not the only) is provided by TeX. Let us assume that you have a DOS (or even Windows) version of TeX. Typically you have to use:

•	your favorite editor to write and modify (in Plain TeX, LaTeX or another format) the source file, say Sample.TeX.

•	the typesetting program to create the Sample.DVI file.

•	a DVI viewer to check the results.

•	a DVI to PostScript translator to generate the Sample.PS file.

•	a program to send the PostScript file to the printer.

•	a file viewer to check the Sample.log file for errors.

•	a batch file to erase the intermediate Sample.aux, Sample.log and Sample.PS files.

You may also use some utilities to manage references, to draw figures, to view the PostScript output on the screen, etc. Another (simpler) example would be the writing of Windows help files which implies using a RTF editor, the help compiler and, maybe, a program to view the log file containing the errors.

All this mess may be easily handled by using TeX Organizer: You only have to select the main file (Sample.TeX in our example) from a standard open dialog box or by dragging it from the Explorer and then press the buttons corresponding to each or the programs and utilities that you want to apply to the main file or to related files.

For Windows 95.

LaTeX Macros is the natural complement for TeX Organizer, DVIPS Shell and Folder Organizer

Tired to write once and again the \begin{equation} \end{equation} pair each time you have to write a numbered displayed mathematical expression?

Do you have trouble remembering which is the LaTeX command for the large arrow?

LaTeX Macros is a utility to send to your editor LaTeX commands. It also helps you writing the document template (with options and packages) and create for you the skeleton of an array, a table or complex environments. You only have to select the corresponding button in a toolbar.

For Windows 95.

DVIPS Shell is the natural complement for LaTeX Macros, TeX organizer and Folder Organizer.

Tired to remember the options to be used with the excellent dvips when you want to print only some pages, or use an unusual magnification?

DVIPS Shell is a utility to prepare the command line and launch the dvips program included, for instance, in the excellent free implementation of TeX by Christian Schenk: MiKTeX 1.07, which is available from CTAN mirrors (ftp://ftp.tex.ac.uk/tex-archive/systems/win32/miktex/ and ftp://ftp.dante.de/tex-archive/systems/win32/miktex).

For Windows 95.

Cmd Line Shell is designed to be a shell for any command line program.

•	It provides a common, easily configurable, GUI look to any program which takes its options from the command line.

•	It will help you to prepare the command line and launch the external program. (You may also copy the command line to use it, say, form a batch file.)

•	You do not have to remember the syntax: the available options and their use are displayed.

•	You may easily search through your system for the input and output files.

•	Your favorite options may be set as new default.

This program is designed to be used, for instance, with

•	the Console utilities by the same author,

•	the PostScript utilities included, for instance, in the excellent free implementation of TeX by Christian Schenk: MiKTeX 1.07, which is available from CTAN mirrors (ftp://ftp.tex.ac.uk/tex-archive/systems/win32/miktex/ and ftp://ftp.dante.de/tex-archive/systems/win32/miktex),

•	the epstool which comes with the last release of Ghostscript and GSview (http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/),

•	many GNU utilities.

The Definition Files (where the interface is defined) for many of these programs are provided (though you might need to change a line to specify the directory where your copy of each program is located).

For Windows 95.

EH is a simple reminder utility. So, if you sometimes forget your wedding anniversary, of your children’s birthday or to pay your taxes, EH might help you to be a good husband, wife, father, mother or citizen.

EH is designed to be run, every time you start a Windows session, from the STARTUP group of Program Manager in order to remind you to do something. So, you will be reminded each time Windows starts and, optionally, at the latter time you select.

Many options are available. For instance, you might get a reminder warning in a fixed date, or every day in a month, or ever Tuesday of December. You can also choose to get the reminder from several days before a given date to some days after it. After sending the Christmas greetings to your mother, you may skip all messages till next year, for instance.

For Windows 3.1+ and Windows 95.

Pentominoes are a generalization of dominoes: all the possible plane configurations formed by five contiguous squares. It is possible to construct all kind of figures containing 60 = 12x5 (or more) squares. Since Solomon W. Golomb introduced them in 1954, it has become a very popular puzzle and thousand of solutions and problems have been published. Pentominoes may solve any problem which can be selected from an extensible library or directly drawn on the screen by the user.

For Windows 95.

Touch is a simple utility to update the different date and time stamps of a single file or of a group of files. You may drag the files from the Explorer and drop them over the Touch window, or select them in a standard dialog box or even indicate them in the command line used to start Touch. You might even install Touch in the Windows\SendTo directory to have the opportunity to send files by using the Send To entry of the context menu that opens when using the right button in a folder or Explorer window.

It is possible to update any combination of the three times Windows 95 saves with each file: creation time, last-access time and modified time. The new time stamp may be the current date and time, or any other you may easily select.

For Windows 95.

Console utilities Microsoft has been advertising the new user interface (we could say the Mac-like interface) in Windows 95 and every effort has been made to suggest that Windows 95 no longer runs under DOS, but is a new operating system on is own. Schulman and other authors have conclusively proved that this claim is not completely correct (and also that 16-bit code has still a central role in Windows 95).

So DOS is not gone... BUT THIS IS VERY GOOD NEWS!

To start with, many file maintenance jobs are far easier when using command line utilities and batch files. The "user-friendly" way to do many simple tasks (comparing two directories or copying to the disk the relevant modified files of you current programming task, for instance) is boring and error prone.

On the other hand, Unix-like filters are still very useful, but the task to provide them a good looking user-friendly interface is probably not worth; after all they will be used only by advanced users that are not afraid of the command line (and even acknowledge its advantages in some cases).

Finally, DOS is still there with Windows 95, but it's a much better DOS! Many previous limitations are gone or lessened, because one may now easily write the so-called "console" mode applications that

•	look like old DOS programs:

•	if they are run form the command line, their output is sent to the DOS box,

•	redirection and pipes are supported as usual.

•	but are true Windows 95 programs with many of the Win32 advantages:

•	long filenames

•	direct access to all available physical and virtual memory (no more need of those often mutually incompatible DOS extenders).

•	version information

•	threads

•	memory mapped files

•	structured exception handling

•	mouse

•	etc.

I couldn't stand being completely deprived of the command line. After all I do know writing (well, at least in my native language, which obviously is not English). I sometimes think that all these icons and "user-friendly" interfaces are a step back to the caves where icons were used because nobody knew writing. For instance, by using one of the utilities included with this package you can simply write:

  cpy -md . a:\backup

to copy all the files in the current directory (and its subdirectories) that are newer than the same files in the a:\backup directory. How many steps are necessary to do the same thing by using the Explorer? Not to speak about the possibility of errors.

In this package I include new compilation for Windows 95 of some DOS utilities which I have been using from years. I hope you find some of them useful.

They are more productive if used with Folder Organizer.

For Windows 95.

Toolbar is intended to provide some features that I found lacking in the Program Manager and File Manager of the retail Windows 3.1. To start with, while working in File Manager, you can drag an item and drop it over some running programs. But if one of these programs is not running and you drop the item over its icon, the program is not started. Instead, the dropped item is added to the corresponding group of Program manager. Of course, sometimes this is just what you wanted. One could say that the groups in Program manager were meant more for organization of programs than for running them. On the other hand, most programs still lack the ability to accept dropped files and you cannot use with them this drag and drop feature.

Since my screen tends to be cluttered with windows, I also wanted the ability to place (in a permanent and compact way) at a corner of the screen the utilities I used most often. Program Manager groups are nice but big and I do not need to see the names of my favorite utilities: I can easily recognize them by their icons. The utilities should always be at hand - ready to be started by double-clicking them (as in Program Manager) or by dropping an item on them. For instance, this is a nice way to provide the most important facility missing in File Manager: a file viewer.

Toolbar is the answer to these wishes. It provides an alternative to the groups of Program Manager with the following distinctive characteristics:

It can be used either as a substitute for Program Manager (which, in turn, can be run from Toolbar), or as a normal application installed in Program Manager (or in the current shell program).

It is better suited for running programs: there are multiple ways of running programs and advanced settings can be used.

All programs in a toolbar are always visible (as long as the whole window is on the screen). They are held together in a very compact way, to be as unobtrusive as possible. Optionally, you can force a toolbar to be always visible on top of other windows. In order to save space, the title bar can be suppressed (or displayed to have useful information at hand).

Items from File Manager can be dropped on any program installed as a tool. It only needs to be able to accept file names on the command line. Most MS-DOS and Windows programs have this ability. A program can also be started by double-clicking (or single clicking the right button), or by using the ENTER key, or a user selected accelerator key.

You can choose between running an instance of the program for each dropped file, or running a single instance of the program for all of the dropped files.

Programs can be easily added, removed and reordered. The corresponding caption, command line, working directory, icon and other options can be easily changed.

You can implement a full tree of nested toolbars.

You can drag files to and from Toolbar. Program Manager does not allow dragging of its elements outside of its windows.

Utilities (small utility programs that use a toolbar button as its display window) make Toolbar more compact and extensible. A few are provided with Toolbar: trashcan, alarm clock, menu, memory, resources, information and blank icon. Additionally, new utilities can be added by the user (the programmatic interface is fully documented and sample source code is included).

Toolbar supports most of the same user interface as Program Manager.

Toolbar is able to transparently use (and to translate to its own format) group files from Program Manager.

And more!

For Windows 3.1+.

Sinfo is designed to help Windows programmers by providing information on many aspects of Windows. It can display full information on current classes, windows, modules and tasks. There are some advanced (though highly risky) commands to unload modules and libraries and to free leaked memory. You can also examine and save to a file the contents (or the hex dump) of any global or local heap block. It is possible to see (and terminate) hidden tasks.

It can also be used as an advanced substitute for the Task Manager (in this way it can be accessed very quickly). Hidden tasks can be optionally listed and you can hide (and shown again) windows and make them a top most window (or delete this property).

For instance, some DLL libraries cannot be simultaneously used for more than one program. If the program crashes, the library may be left in memory and cannot be reused without restarting Windows. The knowledgeable user can use Sinfo to free it. This possibility is especially useful when developing programs, but it has also helped us with a very known commercial package which crashes repeatedly leaving a library in memory.

When developing programs (or testing other people's applications) it is not difficult to get the cursor lost. Sinfo can recover it for you.

For Windows 3.1+.

Filter Many DOS utilities and programs share a common characteristic: they are command line programs. Once the command line is supplied, they can run unattended, without any further input from the user. Often they are “filters”: they receive their input from the standard input, which can be the keyboard, a file redirected with the < operator or another program’s output (through the | pipe operator or using a tee or y command). Their output is usually sent to the standard output, which can be the default screen or redirected (with >, >>, |, tee or y). For example, every DOS copy comes with sort and find, and there lots of free or shareware programs that emulate well know Unix filters: awk, cat, cmp, cut, detab, diff, entab, grep, ls, merge, tail, uniq, wc, etc.

Of course, one can always open a DOS box to take advantage of these programs from Windows, but often it would be nice to use Windows features: multiple windows, clipboard etc. This is especially true when one is trying a new command and want to see how it works. Often rather than using files, it would be nice to be able to enter the input in a window, run the program and see the output in another window.

Filter is a Windows shell that makes easier entering and trying external DOS (or Windows) programs. The input and output (as well as error log and program file) can be external files (which can be selected from the common dialog box used by most Windows programs) or windows. It is easy to specify the starting directory and other options for the external program and it can be run minimized or even hidden. Different configuration files can be used to take advantage of Filter with different external programs: the settings more appropriate to each program will be remembered in the next session.

Another approach to creating a shell for command line commands is provided by Folder Organizer.

For Windows 3.1+.


Introduction

Folder Organizer is a utility for power users that installs an icon in the tray from which you can

•	open or explore the system folders that contain

•	the desktop

•	the Start menu and its Documents, Programs and Start up submenus

•	My (Your) Documents

•	temporary files

•	Send-to templates

•	Favorite URLs, cache and historial for Internet Explorer

•	fonts

•	the templates for the New menu

•	Net neighborhood

as well as the directories you define.

•	clear at any time, or automatically when then Windows session ends, the full (or selected) contents of

•	the temporary folder

•	the Internet Explorer cache

•	recent Documents

•	Find and Run lists

•	the directories you define

•	change the screen mode

Some of these possibilities can be achieved by defining appropriate menu entries or short-cuts, but Folder Organizer provides a more uniform way and the new ability to clear automatically items when the session ends to save disk space and preserve intimacy.


Installing Folders Organizer
Installing Folder Organizer

To install the program run the distribution file and follow the instructions. It will copy to the directory you select the executable file, Folders.exe, the help files Folders.cnt, and Folders.hlp and the documentation file: Folders.rtf.


Uninstalling Folders Organizer
Uninstalling Folder Organizer

To uninstall Folder Organizer,

1. Use Add or remove programs from the Control panel.

2. If necessary, remove any remaining files in the installation directory (Folders.gid and Folders.fst, if you have used the help system).

3. Advanced users may want to remove the software/Juan M. Aguirregabiria/Folders key corresponding to each user in HKEY_USERS.


Running Folders Organizer
Running Folder Organizer

Folder Organizer may be run in any way used to start a Windows 95 program: from the Start menu, a shortcut in the desktop or a folder or My PC, from the Execute dialog box or from a DOS window.

It may also be automatically started when the Windows session starts.

To avoid wasting memory if a copy is already running it will be activated instead of creating a new instance.

If a single t is appended as parameter in the command line after the program specification (as happens when it starts automatically with the Windows session) it will silently start. Otherwise the Options dialog box will appear.

If its icon is displayed in the tray:

•	a single mouse click on the tray icon will open the main menu, and

•	a left double click will invoke the Options dialog box.

If the program is running silently (by using Options/Run/Hidden until session ends) you may access it by using again the corresponding Start menu entry or short-cut. This is useful if you only want to use the possibility to automatically clear some selected folders when the Windows session ends.


Main Menu

From this menu, which opens when right-clicking on the tray icon or using the Open menu now button of the Run Options dialog sheet, you may access the main functions in Folder Organizer. It is composed by the following menu entries:

Entry	Meaning
Open	Open the Open Menu
Clear	Open the Clear Menu
Screen Mode	Open a menu with the available screen resolutions
Options	Open the Options Dialog Box
Help	Open the Help Menu
Quit	Exit completely the program whatever Run mode may be


Open Menu

From this entry of the Main Menu you may open any of the following system folders, as well as any of those you selected in the Open Options dialog sheet.

Entry	Meaning
Desktop Folder	An alternative view of the desktop
Start Menu	The folder containing the item in the Start button
Programs Submenu	Entries in Start/Programs
Start-up Folder	The entries automatically started with Windows
Recent Documents	Recently used documents displayed in Start/Documents
My Documents	The folder containing your documents
Temporary Folder	Temporary files
Send-to Folder	Items in the Send to menu
Favorite URLs	Your favorite addresses of Internet Explorer
Internet Cache	The last files used by Internet Explorer
Internet Historial	The last URLs visited by Internet Explorer
Font Folder	System fonts
New Templates	Templates for the New menu
Net Neighborhood	Local network
My Folders	List of folders selected in the Open Options dialog sheet


Clear Menu

In this entry of the Main Menu you may find

Entry	Meaning
Temporary Folder	Temporary files
Internet Cache	The last files used by Internet Explorer
Recent Documents	Recently used documents displayed in Start/Documents
Find list	Specifications used in the Find command
Run List	Specifications used from the Run menu entry. They are effectively removed only when the Windows session ends!


Help Menu

In this entry of the Main Menu you may find

Entry	Meaning
Help Contents	Contents of the help system
Search Help Topic	Search for keywords in the help system
Help on Help	Using the help system
About Folder Organizer	The ego box


Options Dialog Box

This dialog, which opens if the program is started in the usual way, the tray icon is double-clicked, or the Options menu entry is selected, allows customizing the program, as well as using its Main Menu. It is composed by four sheets:

Run Options

Open Options

Clear Options

On Exit Options


Run Options

From this sheet of the Options Dialog Box you may select the way the program runs, as well as using its Main Menu and exiting completely the program.

Item	Meaning
Open menu now	Use Main Menu directly, instead of right-clicking on the tray icon
Help contents	Open the contents of the help system
Quit	Save options and exit completely the program whatever Run mode may be
Start automatically with the Windows session	Start the program each times a Windows session starts
Run mode:	How to run Folder Organizer once ends by using OK or Cancel:
In tray until session ends	Keep an icon in the tray while the session runs (or until Quit is used)
Hidden until session ends	Keep running silently while the session runs (or until Quit is used)
Exit when this dialog closes	Quit completely when the Options dialog ends


Open Options

From this sheet of the Options Dialog Box you may select the way the program opens folders. You may also add your own folders to the Open/My Folders menu.

Item	Meaning
Two panel view	Open folders in two-panel views. Use Shift to switch between one and two panels
CTRL command	Program to use with Ctrl+Open, instead of the current command processor
My Folders:	Select here the folders you want in the Open/My Folders menu:
Add	Select a folder in your system
Modify	Modify the highlighted entry
Remove	Remove from the list the highlighted entry
Up	Exchange the highlighted item with the one just above it
Down	Exchange the highlighted item with the one just below it


Clear Options

From this sheet of the Options Dialog Box you may select the way the program deletes folders. You may also add your own folders (or more restricted file specifications) to the Clear/My Folders menu.

Item	Meaning
Mode:	Select the way files will be deleted:
Use recycle bin	This is the usual way, which allows easy undelete
Confirm deletion	Confirmation will be asked, but the files are completely deleted
Silent	Files will be completely erased with no warning
Delete also those from the list below:	List of folders (or more restricted specifications) in the Clear/My Folders menu:
Add	Select a folder in your system (the \*.* wildcards will be appended)
Modify	Modify the highlighted entry, maybe to select a more restricted file specification
Remove	Remove from the list the highlighted entry
Up	Exchange the highlighted item with the one just above it
Down	Exchange the highlighted item with the one just below it


On Exit Options

From this sheet of the Options Dialog Box you may select the way the program opens folders. You may also add your own folders to the Clear/My Folders menu.

Item	Meaning
When Windows session ends clear:	Select below the folders/lists that will be automatically emptied when Windows exits:
Temporary files	Usually those in c:\windows\temp
Internet cache	Temporary files of Internet Explorer
Recent documents	Items displayed in the Start/Documents menu
Find list	Specifications used in the Find command
Run list	Specifications used from the Run menu entry
And also those from the list below:	List of folders (or restricted specifications) that will also be deleted when Windows ends:
Add	Select a folder in your system (the \*.* wildcards will be appended)
Modify	Modify the highlighted entry, maybe to select a more restricted file specification
Remove	Remove from the list the highlighted entry
Up	Exchange the highlighted item with the one just above it
Down	Exchange the highlighted item with the one just below it
Clear them now!	Do not wait for the session end and go!


Modify Dialog Box

In this dialog, which opens when using a Modify button, you may edit a user-defined entry (maybe to use a more restricted file specification or to change the capitalization). Press then OK to accept the changes or ESC top discard them.


Suggestions, bugs and help

The Author would highly appreciate receiving information about any bug or problem found in the program. Suggestions to improve Folder Organizer in future versions are also welcome.

I would especially appreciate help to correct the English version of the help and documentation files.


Press this button to accept the current entry value


Press this button to cancel the current operation and recover the previous entry value.


Press this button to get help on the current dialog.


Press to add a new folder, which you can search through your whole system.


Press to add a new folder, which you can search through your whole system.


Press to add a new folder, which you can search through your whole system.


The deleted items will not be sent to the recycle bin, but before deleting anything (and before deleting special files) you will be asked for confirmation.


Remove the highlighted item from the list.


Remove the highlighted item from the list.


Remove the highlighted item from the list.


Exchange the highlighted item with the one just below it.


Exchange the highlighted item with the one just below it.


Exchange the highlighted item with the one just below it.


Exchange the highlighted item with the one just above it.


Exchange the highlighted item with the one just above it.


Exchange the highlighted item with the one just above it.


The items in this list can be deleted from the Clear/My Folders menu.


The items in this list also will be deleted when session ends.


The items in this list can be open from the Open/My Folders menu.


Select the items that can be deleted from the Clear/My Folders menu.


Select the items that will be deleted when session ends.


Select the items that can be open from the Open/My Folders menu.


Select the way in which items will me deleted.


Edit the highlighted item (maybe to use a more restricted file specification).


Edit the highlighted item (maybe to use a more restricted file specification).


Edit the highlighted item (maybe to change the capitalization).


Send the deleted items to the recycle bin, from where can be easily recovered.


Delete items with no warning and do not send them to the recycle bin.


Edit here the entry (maybe to use a more restricted file specification or to change the capitalization).


Edit here the entry (maybe to use a more restricted file specification or to change the capitalization).


Specify the folders and list that will be automatically removed when the Windows session ends (if Folder Organizer is still running).


Clear the Internet Explorer cache to save disk space (and preserve intimacy).


Clear the recent Document list when the Windows session ends.


Clear the list of specifications used by the Find command when the Windows session ends.


Clear the list of specifications used by the Run command when the Windows session ends.


Clear the selected folders right now!


Clear the temporary files when the Windows session ends.


Specify the command to be used when a folder is open while the Ctrl key is down. By default the MS-DOS command processor indicates in your COMSPEC environment variable will be used.


By default the two-panel view used by Explorer will be used to open folders, rather than the single-panel view used by My Computer. Holding down the Shift key exchange this behavior.


Start Folder Organizer automatically with each Windows session.


Save options and exit completely the program, not just the Options dialog. This exits the program whatever Run mode may be.


Open the contents in the help system.


Open here the main menu, which is usually accessed by right-clicking on the icon in the tray.


The program will continue running even if the Options dialog is closed. It can be accessed by using its icon in the tray.


The program will continue running even if the Options dialog is closed. Its icon will not appear in the tray but it will be available to delete any desired items when the Windows session ends. To access the program just run it again from the Start menu or a short-cut: instead of starting a new instance the copy in memory will be activated.


The program will end immediately when the Options dialog closes. It will not be available when the Windows session ends to delete any desired item!