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Text File | 1991-11-12 | 35.5 KB | 697 lines

Directory Scanner (tm) Ver 4.20a Copyright (c) 1986-1991 by Nat Martino ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Topic Page Program Summary . . . . . . . . . . 1 Program Display . . . . . . . . . . 2 File Composition . . . . . . . . . 2 Installation Procedures . . . . . . 3 Program Limitations . . . . . . . . 4 Recent Revision History . . . . . . 5 Common Problems & Solutions . . . . 10 Reporting Software Bugs . . . . . . 11 Contacting the Author . . . . . . . 12 Registration/Licensing . . . . . . 12 Disclaimer . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 -----------------------------[ PROGRAM SUMMARY ]---------------------------- --- A Directory/File Management and DOS Shell Program --- Presents a tree diagram of the directory structure of the current disk/drive on the left side of the display screen. A listing of the files in the current directory is displayed on the right side of the display screen. The Mouse or Function Keys allow movement up and down through the directory tree to "highlight" and enter directories and display the appropriate files of the directory on the right side of the display. A Popup Mouse menu or Option keys are available for copying, deleting, moving, renaming, tagging, untagging, finding, executing and doing many other functions on files. Users with color displays may select their choice of colors for foreground and background. EGA 43 line mode is supported as is PS/2 MCGA and VGA 50 line mode. A split-screen display mode is available where 2 different directories on 2 different drives can be displayed at the same time. The user may link in their favorite editor to the program so that they may "point & shoot" at a file and be able to edit it with their desired editor. Additionally, the user's favorite "lister" or "browse" program is linked into the program to enable point & shoot listing of the desired file. A macro facility is supported which enables the user to specify repetitive commands which can be activated with an Alt, Shift, or Control Function Key sequence. It allows specification of special key sequences such as "%F" (current indicated file) and "%T" - 1 - (currently tagged files) to be included in the macros. The program can handle up to 2000 directories per drive and up to 2500 files per directory. Additionally, the program will make use of EMS memory to store the directory and file data. On-line context-sensitive help is available and the program has embedded program code to support a Microsoft Mouse. -----------------------------[ PROGRAM DISPLAY ]---------------------------- The program presents a full screen display of the directory structure of a given disk drive. The display looks similar to the following: #a#b#c#d#e#f#g###################################### C:\DIR2 ################## # c:\ # backup .exe | finder .com | guts .zzz # # |-dir1 # create .com | finder .exe | help .def # # |-dir2 # dump .asm | finder .obj | killer .com # # | |-sub1 # dump .exe | guts .asm | print .com # # | | +-subsubno.1 # dump .obj |>guts .com<| qsort .exe # # | +-sub2 # eater .bas | guts .exe | vdisk .sys # # +-dir3 # eats | guts .obj | zoo .bas # # +-dir31 # eatz .bat | | # # +-direct32 # | | # # +-direct33 # | | # # +-direct34 # | | # # |-direct341 # | | # # +-direct342 # | | # # # | | # # # | | # # # | | # # # | | # # # | | # ############################################################################### Total: 10,456,123 | Help=? Name ^ | Files: 22 Used: 137,354 Tagged: 0 Used: 8 000,000 | Free Core 146K | ----name---- --size-- -date-- -time- attr Free: 2,456,123 | Drive 80% Full | guts .com 17,123 10Aug85 4:36p r a -----------------------------[ FILE COMPOSITION ]--------------------------- 1. DS_READ.ME - This read.me file 2. DS.EXE - The program which loads/reloads the main DS program. This ".exe" file can be renamed to something other than "ds.exe" should the user have a conflict with another program by the same name; however, the rest of the ".exe" files which make up the program cannot be renamed. 3. DS_OVRLY.EXE - The main DS program. This file should not be renamed. - 2 - 4. DS_GLOBL.LOG - This file SHOULD NOT EXIST THE FIRST TIME YOU INSTALL THE PROGRAM. The program will create this file the first time the program is executed. This file contains various global variables which are passed between program modules and resides in the "HOME" directory where all the rest of the DS files reside. The "HOME" directory is the directory where the "ds_ovrly.exe" file resides. 5. DS_DRV_?.LOG - The "?" represents an appropriate drive letter. This file (or files) SHOULD NOT EXIST THE FIRST TIME YOU INSTALL THE PROGRAM. The program will create the file the first time the program is executed so long as the user has specified that a "log" file should be maintained for a specified drive with the "Ctrl-E" option. Once a "log" file has been created for a specified drive, subsequent program startups and/or drive changes to that specified drive should take little time as the program will obtain the directory structure info from the log file instead of scanning the entire disk for the information. 6. DS_HELP.EXE - The expanded context-sensitive help displays. The program is activated from within the main program by pressing the F10 key. This file should not be renamed. 7. DS_PROG.DEF - The program "defaults" file. This file contains data on the default startup colors, macro definitions, the defined editor and lister, the links of directories to numbers, and which drives should have "log" files maintained. 8. DS_USERS.MAN - A 46 page users manual. (58 lines/page) 9. DS_SITE.LIC - Information on site licensing of the program. 10. DS_SINGL.LIC - Information on single user licenses. -------------------------[ INSTALLATION PROCEDURES ]------------------------ Note: The following procedures make the assumption that you have a hard disk as drive "c" and boot up off that drive. 1. Make a subdirectory "DS" under the "C:\" (root) directory. 2. Copy all DS files to this new "C:\DS" directory. 3. Remove any files from previous versions of the DS program to a backup floppy so that this new version will not attempt to use supporting files from previous versions. The "ds_prog.def" file from version 4.10 should be compatable with version 4.20 so you should not need to delete this file or re-enter all your macro - 3 - definitions. 4. In "autoexec.bat" file of root directory have the following line: PATH c:\;C:\DS;.... {"...." = other user directories} Sample "autoexec.bat" entries follow: PATH c:\;c:\dos;C:\DS;... {"C:\DS" plus other user directories} dpath {shareware dpath program - OPTIONAL} set DS=C:\DS {OPTIONAL - sets HOME directory of ds files } Notes: a. The "set DS=..." command is OPTIONAL. In prior versions it was mandatory. If used, it will set the HOME directory for the DS files. If not used, the HOME directory will be determined by searching for the "ds_ovrly.exe" file first in the default current directory and then in the succeeding directories in the PATH. b. "DPATH" shareware program is optional but useful to enable DOS to find overlay and support files the editor may need. Users with DOS version 3.2 or later should use the DOS "APPEND" command which does the same thing as the DPATH program. c. A cursor/keyboard speedup program (like "hotkey" shareware program) is also highly recommended in your "autoexec.bat" file to speed up directory and file movement. d. Another entry that MUST be in your "environment" for the program to execute is the "COMSPEC=" variable. This variable is normally inserted in your "environment" automatically by DOS upon booting up the system. You can check to see that it has been loaded into the environment by typing "set" followed by a carriage return at the DOS prompt. You should see a line something like the following: COMSPEC=c:\command.com 5. Reboot the computer. (ie: Ctrl-Alt-Del) 6. Type "ds" at the DOS prompt if "ds" was not the last line of your "autoexec.bat" file. ---------------------------[ PROGRAM LIMITATIONS ]-------------------------- Maximum number of fixed/hard disk drives supported/saved: 26 Note: The number of drives saved or "logged" is user-definable. Use the "Ctrl-E" option to enter the drive letters of those drives you wish to have logged. Floppy disk drives and RAM disk drives are not recommended to "log" as it takes little time to scan those type drives. - 4 - Maximum number of Directories per drive: 100 to 2000 (using DOS) 512 to 2048 (using EMS) Maximum number of Files per directory: 200 to 2500 (DOS or EMS) Maximum length of full pathname for any directory: 64 characters Maximum length of directory printname on screen: 39 characters The program size in memory varies based on the program limits the use chooses for MAX_DIR & MAX_FILES and whether or not EMS is used to store those data structures. If EMS is used to store both data structures, the program takes up approximately 95k in DOS memory. -------------------------[ RECENT REVISION HISTORY ]------------------------ Ver 4.00 (02 Apr 90) - Added Split Screen mode. Hitting the "s" key will split the display screen in two with an upper and lower display. Initially both upper and lower displays are identical, but each display can be changed to a different drive/directory. Hitting the "s" key while in the split screen mode will revert the display to the single full screen mode. Hitting the "+" key while in the split screen mode will "SWITCH" the active display from upper to lower or lower to upper. Hitting the "+" key while in full screen mode, after having previously selected split screen mode, will "FLIP" the full screen display to the other full screen display. - Added 3 options to the Edit Defaults (Ctrl-E) option. + Users may specify a print program as they were previously able to specify an editor and lister program. Specify a "complete pathname" for the desired program. + Users may specify whether the space bar will toggle the operation of the arrow keys to work on both files and directories, or just files. + Users may specify for each option ("e", "l", "x", "c", and "p") which has an overlay counterpart, a memory limit at which point the option will automatically switch from doing the normal option to doing the overlay option. Lowering the memory limit will decrease the possibility the overlay option will be used, while increasing the memory limit will increase the possibility the overlay option will be used. - 5 - - First attempt at installing code for compatability with Desqview. - Deleted Backup option due to lack of available time to accomplish required modifications to backup program to conform with new changes. Have moved archive bit display, previously available only in the backup option, to the main display. - Modified Attribute File option "A" to include archive bit and to enable users to tag or untag files based on read-only, system, hidden, and/or archive bits. - Added Control Tagging Option "ctrl-t". Enables user to tag or untag files based on matches or comparisons with Name, Date, and/or Size of files. Also allows comparisons of files across split screen displays. - This version of the program commenced using "overlays". The overlays were necessary to prevent the program from using too much memory if the entire program was memory resident. Please ensure you use the new loader "ds.exe" that comes with this version of the program and is required for use with this overlay version. Ensure you remove all files from previous versions of the program so this version will not inadvertently use any such files. The "ds_prog.def" file is the only file which can be copied to this version of the program. Ver 4.00a (20 Jun 90) - Fixed bug which caused program to occasionally lose or forget its default colors. The change was made to the "ds_ovrly.exe" file. - Fixed bug which caused program to return to the DS HOME directory (directory where DS files are stored) on a drive change vice returning to the default directory on the same drive. The change was made in both the "ds.exe" and "ds_ovrly.exe" files. Ver 4.00b (14 Nov 90) - Fixed bug which caused program to lock up when sorting by ".ext" with more than 128 files in a directory with the same extension. Ver 4.10 (1 Mar 91) - Added an option within "CTRL-L" Program Limits to allow users to define the MAX_DIRECTORIES & MAX_FILES for - 6 - their own copy of the program. Max Directories can vary from 100 to 2000. Max Files can vary from 200 to 2500. Expanded Memory (EMS) can also be used to store the data structures for directories and/or files. This new option required a change in the two primary data structures of the program. Nearly every line of code in the entire program was affected and several program modules had to be entirely rewritten from scratch. - This version of the program will automatically make use of available expanded (EMS) and extended (XMS) memory for caching of program overlays to expedite program execution. - Unlike previous versions of the program, this version DOES NOT REQUIRE the "set DS=....." command be issued prior to starting the program. The program will execute properly so long as the "ds_ovrly.exe" and "ds.exe" files can be found in the current default directory or one of the directories in the PATH. If the "set DS=...." command IS used, however, it WILL take precedence in setting the DS "HOME" directory to the specified directory. - Again, a new version of the loader "DS.EXE" is provided and required with this release. Ensure you remove all files from previous versions of the program so this version will not inadvertently use any such files. You CAN copy over the "DS_PROG.DEF" file from version 4.00 to this version 4.10. This should preserve your defined macros and directory links; however, REVIEW YOUR DEFAULTS (USING ALT-F10) PRIOR TO USING THEM, AS VERSION 4.10 SHOULD CONVERT THE FILE FORMAT FROM VERSION 4.00 TO 4.10 WHEN YOU REVIEW THEM. DO NOT copy the "DS_GLOBL.LOG" file from a previous version to this version. - "T" Tag option has changed to a "Toggle Tag" option. Selecting the "T" option will tag a file which is not tagged but untag a file which is already tagged. This should help with mouse drivers. - Directory indents on the left-side tree display have been changed to a 2 character indent. This makes for a more compact tree display but will enable more file columns to be displayed more often. - "C" DOS Command option will clear only bottom 3 lines initially vice clearing the entire screen. - Added options "CTRL-C" and "CTRL-X" which work identical to the "C" and "X" options except that unlike - 7 - "C" & "X" which execute through a NEW command processor (COMMAND.COM), the new "CTRL-C" and "CTRL-X" options execute through the ORIGINAL (1st loaded) command processor via UNDOCUMENTED DOS INT 2E. This way another command processor is not loaded into memory. When executing a "set" command thru normal "C" option - the last line in the ENVIRONMENT specifies the following: ";C_FILE_INFOx---AA" (without quotes) and modifying the ENVIRONMENT under the "C" option does no good because upon termination of the newly loaded command processor the modified ENVIRONMENT is discarded. When executing a set command thru "CTRL-C" the above line is NOT in the ENVIRONMENT. This enables modifying the ENVIRONMENT from the "CTRL-C" option, exiting DS and still having the modified ENVIRONMENT present. As this option uses an UNDOCUMENTED DOS function, it may not work on all systems and I have no way of knowing if it will work on replacement command shells like "4DOS". Additionally it has the drawback that it is not "reentrant". In other words you cannot start up DS, select CTRL-C, start up a second copy of DS, and then select CTRL-C or CTRL-X in this second copy of DS. The results of doing so is that on termination of the second DS program the user will be unable to resume the original DS program and the amount of memory that the 1st DS program was using will be locked up and lost in memory. Such is not the case with the normal "C" command. These 2 new options are available for power users to use or abuse, and since they are based on an undocumented DOS function they will not be documented in the DS manual or help screen. Ver 4.10a (10 Mar 91) - Fixed bug which prevented cloning program if used on a computer where the "share.exe" program is operating for monitoring network/multi-user file sharing. Use of a new linker with this version of the program requires the "ds_ovrly.exe" file to be a "read-only" file if using the program in conjunction with the "share.exe" program. - Disabled automatic caching of program overlays in EMS and XMS. Bug in caching software caused program to grab and hold all available extended (XMS) memory. Ver 4.10b (1 July 91) - Fixed bug which on networks occasionally caused the program to repeat the tree structure at lower levels of the tree. This was caused when the user had network access to one directory but not it's subdirectory. When - 8 - attempting to change directory into the subdirectory the network prevented the change (due to access rights) but the DS program failed to account for the error and incorrectly reported the same subdirectories multiple times under the same parent directory. Ver 4.10c (26 July 91) - Fixed bug which occasionally caused an "R6000 - stack overflow" runtime error if the user had a large number of directories under a specific subdirectory. - Fixed bug which reported "Free Core" in error if avail- able conventional memory was above 512K bytes (524288). A variable was incorrectly defined as an integer (it should have been unsigned integer) and therefore rolled over to a negative number beyond 512k. Seems no one saw this error before DOS 5.0 came out and provided more conventional memory by moving DOS to the High Memory Area. - Added display of an additional message when program is scanning disk for directory structure information. The message informs the user how many directories it has found and how many it has currently read. - Added limited capability to redefine option activation keys and to lockout or prevent an option from being used. Redefinition of keys is effective only at the "topmost" level of the program and not effective at lower levels after an option has already been selected. Users will have to modify the "ds_ovrly.exe" file with a "byte changer" program to accomplish the desired redefinitions and it will be necessary to first remove the "read-only" attribute from the "ds_ovrly.exe" file to modify it. See the User's Manual for details. Ver 4.20 (18 Oct 91) - Added embedded program code to support a Microsoft Mouse. It enables the following: + "Clicking" on a displayed drive letter will change drives. + "Dragging" files from the file box to a displayed drive letter, directory in the tree, or the other file box of a dual screen display will copy/move files. + Switch screens on dual screen display simply by moving the mouse to the other screen. - 9 - + Scroll up or down the directory tree with a depressed mouse button. + Enter a directory by "clicking" on the directory name. + "Clicking" on a filename will toggle the "TAGGING" of that file. + "Pressing" on one filename and "Releasing" on a different filename will toggle ALL of the files between the start and end files inclusive. + "Double Clicking" on a filename will execute the specified file. + "Clicking" the mouse to activate/deactivate split screen mode. Ver 4.20a (12 Nov 91) - Fixed following 2 bugs with Extended Help program. * Extended Help terminated immediately if mouse driver was not installed. * Extended Help terminated with an R6009 Run Time Error if the user was using more than about 500 bytes in the DOS "environment". - ANSI.SYS Users If you use "ansi.sys" and the ESC- key sequences to redefine the function keys (F1-F10), the DS program will probably not function properly as it gets keyboard input via DOS. You can force DS to obtain keyboard input via the BIOS (avoiding DOS and "ansi.sys" conflicts) by using a "byte changer" program to search for and change the following 4-byte sequence: [DB] to [BD] (ie: reverse the 'D' & 'B') in the "ds_ovrly.exe" file. Be advised the file "ds_ovrly.exe" is normally a read-only file and would have to have the read-only bit turned off before it can be modified. -----------------------[ COMMON PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS ]---------------------- Some recommendations and/or common problems follow: 1. Do not modify the DS files and make them "read-only" (with the exception of "ds_ovrly.exe" which should be read-only). Many of the DS files must be written to or modified based on options which - 10 - you select. To enable the files to be modified, the files must not be "read-only". 2. When moving the program to another computer or when installing a new video display in the current computer, delete the "ds_globl.log" file. The "ds_globl.log" file maintains data about the type of video display and computer the DS program is currently operating on and enables the program to make certain decisions based on that data. If the system configuration changes due to moving the program to a new machine or installing a new video display adaptor, the program must be forced into determining the new system configuration. Deleting the "ds_globl.log" file will force the program to determine the new system configuration and create a new "ds_globl.log" file. 3. If you experience difficulty seeing the text while operating on a non-color video display, select the "alt-k" option and then the F6 (reset mono attribute) suboption. This should enable the user to see the program display as it sets the foreground and background colors/attributes to values which can be seen on all displays. The user should then select the F4 (save default colors) suboption so that the program will record these values for later use. 4. Deleting Directories - To delete a directory from within DS, the directory must be empty (no files) AND the user MUST NOT BE CURRENTLY IN the directory which they are trying to delete. Users often forget the second point. -------------------------[ REPORTING SOFTWARE BUGS ]------------------------ The key to correcting software bugs is to identify those actions which will REPEATEDLY cause the program to perform in an incorrect manner. REPEATABILITY is essential to identifying those sections of code which must be corrected. Identifying the precise circumstances which will repeatedly cause the discrepancy will enable the author to duplicate the procedure, verify the problem, identify and isolate the faulty program modules, and develope the code necessary to rectify the discrepancy. In addition to identifying the circumstances which will repeat- edly cause a discrepancy, the user should verify that the problem occurs in a "virgin DOS" system. A "virgin DOS" system is a system which has been "booted" with no TSR's or other special device drivers or programs running. If the discrepancy occurs in a "virgin DOS" system the author again has a good chance of correcting the problem. If the discrepancy does not occur in a "virgin DOS" system then the problem may be caused by a conflict with a TSR, device driver, or other loaded program. This makes it much more difficult to isolate and correct the problem as the author probably does not possess the same programs the user possesses, and a conflict between DS and another program could possibly be the fault of the other - 11 - program. --------------------------[ CONTACTING THE AUTHOR ]------------------------- I welcome comments, suggestions, and indications of possible bugs or discrepancies. Users may contact me at the address below. Nat Martino PO Box 21284 Concord, CA 94521 (510) 672-0538 ------------------------[ REGISTRATION & LICENSING ]------------------------ * A $15 shareware contribution is requested for using the program. * The author retains the sole right to sell the program. * The author grants users the right to copy and distribute the program within the following constraints: - All program files remain unaltered and are distributed en masse. - Only the original "non-cloned" version of the program with the startup/termination and drive change time delays is distributed. - No attempt is made to sell the program, or to make money from it or any modified version of it. - The program is not bundled with any other hardware/software transactions without the author's permission. - Recognized users' groups may charge a maximum $5 duplication or distribution fee. * Continued use of the program (more than 2 weeks) by any individual, corporation or institution without a single-user or site license is prohibited. * A Single-User License (no disk) is obtained by sending in the $15 shareware contribution. This assumes you already have the program and are registering it so that you can "clone" a copy without the time-delay. The "cloning" information is provided to the user as part of the registration. * A Single-User License with a disk (5.25" 360k only) of the latest version of the program can be obtained from the author for $25. * Corporations and other institutions (including government and educational) which desire using the program should refer to the "DS_SITE.LIC" file for site licensing information. ------------------------------[ DISCLAIMER ]-------------------------------- The author disclaims all warranties expressed or implied as to the quality or performance of this program. The author will not be held liable for any lost profits, lost savings or any other direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages resulting from the use of this program. Your use of this program constitutes your agreement to this disclaimer and your release of the author from any form of liability or litigation. - 12 -