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E A S Y F O R M A T P A C K A G E ----------------------------------------- Version 3.00 ------------ U S E R ' S G U I D E ------------------------ Copyright (c) 1988,1989,1990 by Falk Data Systems. All Rights Reserved. January, 1990 Falk Data Systems 5322 Rockwood Court El Paso, Texas 79932 U.S.A. Phone (915) 584-7670 Compuserve: 71420,2431 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide Table of Contents ------------------- Description and General Information ........................ 4 How is Easy Format Different? .............................. 5 How Easy Format Detects Bad Spots ........................ 6 The Easy Format Package .................................... 7 Changes From Previous Versions ........................... 8 Installing the Easy Format Package ....................... 9 The Shareware Concept ...................................... 10 The Virus Problem .......................................... 11 Why Must Diskettes Be Formatted? ........................... 11 What To Do If You Encounter a Problem ...................... 13 EzFormat, Version 3.00 ..................................... 15 Running EzFormat ........................................... 15 Black-and-White or Gray-Scale Monitors ................... 15 Quick Start Tutorial ....................................... 16 The Menu System .......................................... 16 A Quick Test Drive ....................................... 16 Exploring the Program Control Options .................... 18 Becoming Proficient ...................................... 19 Customizing EzFormat ..................................... 19 Detailed Reference Section ................................. 20 Format Control ........................................... 20 Drive and Disk Sizes ................................... 20 Quick Options .......................................... 21 Advanced Options ....................................... 25 Volume Label ........................................... 31 Bootable Disks ......................................... 31 Override BIOS .......................................... 32 Program Control .......................................... 34 Sound Effects .......................................... 34 Display Attributes ..................................... 35 Restore Original Colors .............................. 35 International Format ................................... 36 Language ............................................... 36 Expand Windows ......................................... 36 Program Information .................................... 37 Tips on Using EzFormat Efficiently ......................... 37 Formatting For Speed ..................................... 38 Formatting For Accuracy .................................. 39 Formatting For Distribution .............................. 39 DESQview Compatibility ................................... 40 Table of Contents Page 2 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide FormatF, Version 1.0 ....................................... 41 Description and General Information ........................ 41 Running FormatF ............................................ 41 Quick Start Tutorial ..................................... 41 Command Line Options ..................................... 42 /Quick Formatting ........................................ 43 How FormatF Marks Bad Spots .............................. 44 Error Messages ........................................... 44 DESQview Compatibility ................................... 44 DvFormat, Version 1.0 ...................................... 45 Description and General Information ........................ 45 Installing DvFormat ........................................ 45 "Change a Program" Values ................................ 46 Running DvFormat ........................................... 48 Quick Start Tutorial ..................................... 49 Command Line Options ..................................... 50 /Quick Formatting ........................................ 51 From the DESQview Menu ................................... 51 From a DOS Window ........................................ 52 How DvFormat Affects System Performance .................. 52 How DvFormat Marks Bad Spots ............................. 54 Error Messages ........................................... 54 Common Questions and Answers ............................... 55 License .................................................... 57 Warranty ................................................... 58 Registration ............................................... 59 Benefits of Becoming a Registered User ................... 61 Technical Support ........................................ 62 Obtaining Updates ........................................ 62 The Easy Format Tech Kit ................................. 63 Why Payment Must be in US Funds Drawn on a US Bank ....... 65 What is Falk Data Systems? ................................. 66 Other Products From Falk Data Systems .................... 66 Trademarks Mentioned ....................................... 68 Ideas for Future Versions .................................. 69 Suggesting Improvements .................................... 70 Registration and Order Form ................................ 71 Table of Contents Page 3 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide ------------------------------------ Description and General Information: ------------------------------------ What do you mean "sector not found"? I just formatted this #$%& disk! When a problem like this occurs most of us pull out our trusty copy of PC Tools, the Norton Utilities, or the Mace Utilities knowing that they will bail us out once again. These products are great for correcting problems after they occur. They also include tools to test your disks before an error occurs in the hopes of preventing some of the more common errors . If you have one of these utility packages then you are well equipped to deal with almost any disk or file problem you might run into. So why do you need one more utility? Easy Format is a little different. Easy Format doesn't do everything. It won't recover erased files or unfragment your hard disk. Easy Format is not a do all, end all, fix all software wonder drug to make your life complete. Easy Format does one thing and one thing only. Easy Format formats floppy diskettes. Big deal. DOS comes with a format program. My utility package comes with a format program. Why do I need another one? Easy Format does one thing. Every detail in Easy Format is intended to make that one thing easier and more efficient. Easy Format gives you more options and more control over the formatting process than literally any other formatting program anywhere. Easy Format can perform complete testing of your disks during the format process to prevent problems later. Easy Format can give you more usable disk space, better error detection and marking, faster formatting, and much more. Easy Format can even make formatting disks fun ... well, almost. We've sometimes done things one way for so long that we assume it's the best way. Take bananas for instance, we Americans like to peel bananas starting with the stem and working our way down. In other countries they use the stem for a handle and peel the banana from the other end. Bananas peel much easier from the other end than they do from the end with the stem on it. Try it. Easy Format is like bananas. We've done things one way for so long that we just assume it's the best way. You never really know until you try a different approach. When it comes to formatting floppy diskettes, Easy Format is a different approach. Try it. Easy Format 3.00 Page 4 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide ----------------------------- How is Easy Format Different? ----------------------------- Easy Format gives you: o four different methods for testing each disk as it is formatted. o six different options for marking bad spots as they are discovered. o the ability to turn error checking off completely for very fast formatting. o the ability to format continuously in two different drives, even if they are of different capacities. o an option to place a volume label on each disk formatted while still retaining the ability to make the disk bootable with the DOS "SYS" command. o an option to put your own custom "boot message" onto the disk that will appear any time someone boots their computer with that disk in the A: drive. o the ability to format a 360K disk in a 1.2M drive and then use that disk in a 360K drive. o a choice of 1 or 2 copies of the File Allocation Table (FAT). o an option to automatically remember all your current settings the next time Easy Format is used. Everything - drives and disk sizes, format options, screen colors, sound effects, and more - can be remembered and used automatically the next time you run Easy Format. o a choice of three languages: English, German, and Spanish. Just flip a switch and Easy Format changes languages. o the ability to customize every detail of the program - easily. o the opportunity to try it free of charge for 30 days. o Easy Format will not format hard disks, so there is no danger in accidentally choosing drive C: to be formatted. Easy Format 3.00 Page 5 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide With all these options Easy Format sounds complicated. Is it hard to learn? Not at all. Most people who use computers don't know how they work, but that doesn't prevent them from taking advantage of the technology. Easy Format is like that - you don't have to know how it works to take advantage of its technology. For those who don't want to mess around with learning all these different options and what they do, Easy Format has "Quick Options". Quick Options, when selected, automatically set all the little details for you, to give you the result you want. These Quick Options include standard DOS style formatting, Quick formatting (no error checking), Distribution Quality formatting (where only perfect disks are passed), and several options in between. Each Quick Option displays a help window describing the option, what it does, and why you might want to use it. Every menu selection also includes a short description displayed automatically at the top of the screen. Easy Format was carefully designed to be easy to use - that's why it is called "Easy" Format. Our "Beta Testers" (people who test the product before it is released) were given the programs without the User's Guide. Even without a User's Guide they were able to use the Easy Format package with ease. Even if millions of people like a product, it is no guarantee that YOU will like it. There's only one way to find out if you like it too. Give Easy Format a try for yourself. If you don't like it, you can throw it away without it costing you a penny. You won't find a better money back guarantee than that. How Easy Format Detects Bad Spots: ================================== When the DOS format program finds a bad spot, it tries three times before giving up and marking the track as unusable. If the track passes any of the three tries, DOS assumes the track is good. That assumption is not best. When Easy Format encounters a bad spot, it marks it as unusable immediately. This means that marginal areas on the disk are marked as unusable rather than taking any chances. This also means that Easy Format will be much faster than the DOS format program on disks containing many bad spots. Sometimes, what looks like a bad spot might be caused by the disk drive not being fully up to speed. Any errors that are caused by a drive door being opened, or a disk not being up to speed, are retried a total of four times, before Easy Format gives up and displays a warning message. Any errors that are caused by actual Easy Format 3.00 Page 6 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide bad spots on the disk are dealt with immediately, without retrying the operation. This makes Easy Format not only faster, but more reliable too. ------------------------ The Easy Format Package: ------------------------ Easy Format is not just a program, it is a complete software package containing three programs. It is a package designed to address every aspect of floppy diskette formatting. EzFormat.EXE: ------------- The first program is called EzFormat. This is the full blown, menu driven, fully customizable power-program designed to meet all your formatting needs. FormatF.EXE: ------------ The second program is called FormatF. FormatF was written entirely in assembly language to make it as compact as possible. FormatF is a command line driven replacement for the DOS Format.COM or Format.EXE. FormatF is easier to use than the DOS Format program. It provides you with a fancier display containing more information. It will detect many disk errors that can sneak past the DOS Format program. It is smaller on disk and in memory than the DOS Format program. It runs under any version of DOS later than 2.1 - each version of DOS comes with a Format program that will only run under that particular version of DOS. And FormatF is DESQview aware. DvFormat.EXE: ------------- The third program is called DvFormat. DvFormat was also written entirely in assembly language to make it as compact as possible. DvFormat has the same options and controls as FormatF, but DvFormat is DESQview specific. DvFormat formats diskettes in the background under DESQview, while you work on other tasks in the foreground. DvFormat is even smaller than FormatF. DvFormat requires only 18K of memory to start, and returns about 2-3K of that to DESQview, before it formats the first track. Easy Format 3.00 Page 7 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide Changes From Previous Versions: =============================== Versions 1.xx, called XFormat, supported only 360Kb diskettes in 360Kb drives. Versions 2.xx added support for the other common disk and drive sizes but was still not compatible with the hardware from some manufacturers. Version 3.00 - released in January, 1990, was completely redesigned from scratch. Every feature is new or improved and compatibility with the hardware from different manufacturers is extremely high. Version 3.00 incorporated three programs - EzFormat.EXE, FormatF.EXE, and DvFormat.EXE - into a single package. Easy Format 3.00 Page 8 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide Installing the Easy Format Package: =================================== Easy Format is distributed in a compressed form with all documentation and programs packed into a single executable file. Since you are reading this document it is obvious that you have already "uncompressed" the Easy Format package. Installation is easy. Simply copy all the Easy Format files to a subdirectory on your hard disk, or to the floppy diskette you wish to use for Easy Format. Once you have printed the document files you may delete them from the disk - they are not needed by the Easy Format programs. If you use DESQview and wish to install the DESQview specific version, DvFormat, then please refer to the additional information beginning on page 45. There are three programs in the Easy Format package: EzFormat.EXE, FormatF.EXE, and DvFormat.EXE. You may use any or all of these programs, since they are completely independent of each other. The most important installation requirement concerns EzFormat.EXE. EzFormat is customizable. This means that you can set it up the way you like and instruct it to modify itself according to your preferences. This makes EzFormat look like it was custom designed just for you. When you run a program from DOS, the program is loaded into memory before beginning to execute. At this point, you have two copies of the program - one on disk, and the other in memory. The one in memory is lost as soon as you turn off the computer or finish with it and load another program. Easy Format must be able to find the EzFormat.EXE file on the disk, in order to be customizable. The EzFormat.EXE file is modified to include any customizing you specify. This is how EzFormat is able to remember your preferences from one day to the next. Customizing only works when EzFormat is able to find itself on the disk. There are three ways this requirement can be met. One is to always make the directory containing EzFormat.EXE the current directory before starting EzFormat. Another is to place EzFormat.EXE into a directory that is included in your DOS path. The third and best method is to use DOS version 3.0 or later. DOS versions 3.0 and later are able to let EzFormat know where it was stored when it started. One final requirement: Don't change the name of the EzFormat.EXE file. If you rename it, then EzFormat won't be able to find its copy on disk. Easy Format 3.00 Page 9 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide ---------------------- The Shareware Concept: ---------------------- If you are familiar with the idea behind Shareware, then you know that Shareware is the ultimate in money back guarantees. Most money back guarantees work like this: You pay for the product and then have some period of time to try it out and see whether or not you like it. If you don't like it or find that it doesn't do what you need, you return it (undamaged) and at some point - which might take months - you get your money back. Some software companies won't even let you try their product out! In order to qualify for a refund, the diskette envelope must have an unbroken seal. With these "licensing" agreements, you only qualify for your money back if you haven't tried the product. How absurd! Shareware is very different. With Shareware you get to try it for a limited time, without ever spending a penny. If you don't like it, you throw it away and forget all about it. No paperwork, phone calls, or correspondence to waste your valuable time. After trying a Shareware product and deciding that you like it and want to keep it, then - and only then - do you pay for it. Not only that, but Shareware is traditionally MUCH less expensive simply because you are paying for the software not the advertising and marketing that comprises the majority of the cost of most software. If this sounds like an ideal way to make your purchase decisions, you're right! Some companies burden their products with annoying copy protection schemes because they don't trust their users. Shareware developers not only don't use copy protection, they freely distribute their products because they DO trust their users. Someone once said that you should never trust software which doesn't trust you. This makes a lot of sense - no wonder Shareware is becoming so popular among users and developers. Easy Format is Shareware. You are free to copy it and pass it out to your friends and associates. We not only don't mind if you do, we encourage you to pass it out. What better testimony to the usefulness of a product, than the word-of-mouth (or disk) advertising by the people who actually use the product? If you like it, chances are your friends will too. The only requirement to passing out Easy Format, is that you pass it out as a complete package - including the documentation files and executable programs - and that you don't alter or modify any part of the package in any way. If you use the product for more than 30 days you must become a registered user. Using the product for more than 30 days without Easy Format 3.00 Page 10 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide registering is a violation of federal copyright laws. Registration comes with a number of benefits, for more details please refer to page 59. ------------------ The Virus Problem: ------------------ More and more people are becoming concerned about computer viruses. They are especially concerned when using programs downloaded from bulletin boards, or copies acquired from friends. How do you know whether any program was infected with a virus before you obtained it? The best way is to get a copy of the program directly from the manufacturer in a sealed envelope. This way you know it was not tampered with between the time it left the manufacturer and arrived in your disk drive. If you are concerned about a program you downloaded from a BBS or found in your neighbor's disk collection, then you should contact the manufacturer of the program and ask if you can obtain a copy directly from them. You may obtain the most current version of the Easy Format package directly from Falk Data Systems for a minimal fee. We will ship it to you in a sealed envelope for your protection. The cost for this service, including the disk, envelope, mailer, postage and handling, is $10.00 in the U.S. and Mexico, $12.00 in Canada, and $15.00 for all other countries. Please refer to the order form at the back of this User's Guide for complete details. We are developing several techniques that can prevent viruses from infecting our software, and also that can be used to detect and eradicate the nasty boot sector type viruses. These techniques will be incorporated into future versions of the Easy Format package. -------------------------------- Why Must Diskettes Be Formatted? -------------------------------- That's a good question. There is a long answer, and there is a short answer. The short answer is included here to help give you a better picture of what formatting actually involves. The long answer is included in the "Easy Format Tech Kit" available from Falk Data Systems. Please refer to page 63 for more information about the Easy Format Tech Kit. A diskette is similar to a cassette tape or a video tape in that it is coated with a special magnetic material which can be used to record information. Information is written to the disk by Easy Format 3.00 Page 11 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide recording magnetic signals, and information is read from the disk by detecting those magnetic signals. So far things are fairly simple. Disks must be able to do more than just store information. They must be able to store it in such a way that you can find particular pieces of that information. If you have 10 files stored on one disk, it would be nice to be able to look at the information stored within a particular file without having to look through the entire disk to find it. For this to happen, we need some kind of a map to tell us where things are stored on the disk. In reality, there are three main parts to the "map" on each floppy diskette. This "map" is drawn in several stages during the format process. First, we need to divide the disk into some sort of coordinate system so that small sections of the disk can be found quickly and easily. This is similar to the grid coordinates on most city road maps. Most city road maps let you look up a street name to find the general area on the map where the street you want is located. The coordinates might be something like "D-5" meaning column D, row 5. Now you have narrowed down your search for the street to only a few square inches of the map. It has probably saved you a lot of wasted time searching all over the map. The first phase in formatting a floppy diskette is much like the grid pattern on your city map. This phase is called "physical" formatting. Physical formatting divides your disk up into a series of concentric circles, or rings, starting from the outside of the disk and moving in towards the center of the disk. These rings are called "tracks". Physical formatting also divides each "track" into smaller units called "sectors". Each track has the same number of sectors, and each disk side (top and bottom) has the same number of tracks. We now have an easy way to describe every small area on the disk. If we know which side of the disk, which track, and which sector, we can tell the drive controller to move immediately to that small location. That is phase one. Phase two, called "logical" formatting, does several things - not the least of which is providing a map to where each file starts and ends, and where each piece is located in between. The process of logical formatting involves several important steps. The first step in logical formatting is to write the "boot sector". This is the very first sector on the disk, and it contains important information about the disk. Easy Format 3.00 Page 12 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide The next step is to write the File Allocation Table, which most people simply call the "FAT". The FAT is another part of the three part "map" we talked about earlier. The FAT does several important things for us. Since we divided up the disk into many small units, we need a way to find files that are so big that they take many of those small units to store them. Most files are too big to fit into one of these small units on a disk. The FAT helps to keep track of all the little units that are part of the bigger file. The FAT is also used by DOS to keep track of which parts of the disk are in use, which parts are available for use, and which parts are unusable because errors were detected there during the format process. The final step in the format process is to write the root directory. The root directory is the last part of our "map", and it helps to tie the other parts together. The root directory records where each file and subdirectory starts. Equipped with this information DOS is able to look into the FAT and find where all the other parts of that particular file or subdirectory are stored. Now you have a basic idea of what is done during the format process. Different operating systems and hardware use different types of "maps" to keep track of information on the disk. The manufacturer of the disk doesn't know who will finally purchase the disk, or on which type of computer and operating system the disk will eventually be used. So the manufacturer wisely leaves the format process up to the end user. When the end user gets the disk, he or she uses a program to write the proper "map" to the disk. That, in a nutshell, is what formatting is all about. If you want more information about formatting, we have an outstanding package for you - the Easy Format Tech Kit. Please refer to page 63 for complete information. -------------------------------------- What To Do If You Encounter a Problem: -------------------------------------- Each version of DOS comes with a formatting program - either Format.COM or Format.EXE. Each of these format programs are specific to that particular version of DOS. You can't run the format program from one version of DOS under a different version of DOS. One of the reasons for this is because of the subtle differences between computers from different manufacturers, using different BIOS versions, newer hardware, and a myriad of other little details. Easy Format 3.00 Page 13 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide We have gone to incredible lengths to make Easy Format compatible with the largest number of machines possible. Even if your computer is just barely considered "IBM compatible", chances are, Easy Format will work just fine. One thing you should know about this version of the Easy Format package is that the three programs - EzFormat.EXE, FormatF.EXE, and DvFormat.EXE - are not identical. If you ever encounter a problem formatting a diskette using either FormatF or DvFormat because the computer you are using is not 100% IBM compatible, then there are several options you should try before throwing in the towel. When developing FormatF and DvFormat, we endeavored to keep the programs as small as reasonably possible. When developing EzFormat, we endeavored to make it as compatible as reasonably possible. Because of this, EzFormat will often work on machines on which FormatF or DvFormat would have problems. EzFormat has the ability to use multiple techniques to format a diskette properly. If one technique is not supported by your particular machine, another technique is tried. If that technique is not compatible with your particular machine, another is tried, and so on. This all happens automatically, and very quickly. All this extra work that EzFormat is willing to go through to do its job right, really pays off for some people. In fact, EzFormat can handle some strange hardware configurations that even the DOS format program can't handle. If you are one of those people who had to live with two or three different format programs just to handle all the drives on your machine or your different operating environments, give EzFormat a try before you give up. Chances are, it will do the job other programs couldn't. If EzFormat can't handle your particular drive, then write to us or give us a call. We'll do our best to make it work on as many machines as possible. How successful we are in modifying EzFormat to work on a particular machine, is almost always dependent upon whether we are able to get access to an identical machine on which we can test different techniques and observe what is actually happening. When you become a registered user of Easy Format, you are entitled to free technical support. While we can't guarantee that EzFormat can be made compatible with every possible hardware combination, we can certainly do our best to make it work for you. Easy Format 3.00 Page 14 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide E Z F O R M A T . E X E ------------------------- EzFormat is the heart of the Easy Format package. It is the main program. ----------------- Running EzFormat: ----------------- To start EzFormat simply type "EzFormat" <Enter> at the DOS command line. EzFormat is already configured to look good on color and monochrome monitors. Black-and-White or Gray-Scale Monitors: ======================================= Easy Format knows whether you are using a color or monochrome monitor. Unfortunately gray-scale monitors look just like color monitors to most programs. If you are using a Black-and-White or gray-scale monitor, such as an LCD or Gas Plasma display on a laptop or portable computer, you need to tell EzFormat. To tell EzFormat that your monitor is black-and-white or gray-scale, type a "B" on the command line when you start EzFormat. Here's an example: EzFormat B <Enter> When you enter that at the DOS command line, EzFormat will know that it needs to use display attributes that look good on Black- and-White screens. Most programs are very picky about command line options, EzFormat is not. You may use an upper or lower case "B", or include a switch. Any of the following will be recognized and accepted by EzFormat: "B", "/B", "\B", "-B", or the same things with a lower case "b". If you plan to run EzFormat on a Black-and-White monitor most of the time, you can customize EzFormat so that it uses Black-and- White attributes, even without the "B" option on the command line. The way to do this is to start EzFormat with the "B" option, then move to the "Quit" option on the main menu. There are two choices under the "Quit" option: "Save Options and Quit", or "Exit without Saving" - choose "Save Options and Quit". Before returning to DOS, EzFormat will save the current display attributes and use them automatically from that point on. Of course, you can always change things again in the future. EzFormat can be customized as often as you wish. EzFormat.EXE Page 15 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide --------------------- Quick Start Tutorial: --------------------- When you start EzFormat it will immediately display its main menu. EzFormat menus are of the common pull-down style. To select an option move the highlight bar over that option and press <Enter>. To move the highlight bar, use the arrow keys on your keyboard, or press the first letter of the option. This version of EzFormat does not recognize a mouse (let us know if you would like mouse support to be added to the next version). The Menu System: ================ The main menu has four options: o "Format Control" is where you can control every aspect of the formatting process - drives, disk sizes, error checking and marking, volume label, and more. o "Program Control" is where you can control every aspect of EzFormat itself - screen colors, sound effects, language, and more. o "Do It!" is the option that actually begins the formatting process. Of course, if you select "Do It!" without ever telling EzFormat which drive to Do It on, you will automatically be moved to the first option under "Format Control", and asked to enter the drive and disk size. o "Quit" is the Exit Door through which you return to DOS. You have two options under "Quit". One saves all the current settings, this customizes EzFormat so that the next time you use it, everything will be set exactly like you have them when you exit. The other option is to quit without saving the current options. A Quick Test Drive: =================== Fortunately you can take EzFormat for a test drive and become familiar with all its features even if you don't have any disks that need to be formatted. So let's take a quick tour of EzFormat and see what it can do. Start EzFormat from the DOS command line (type in "EzFormat" and press the <Enter> key). EzFormat.EXE Page 16 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide Select the "Format Control" option on the main menu. Remember, options are selected by highlighting them and pressing <Enter>. This opens a submenu with several additional options. The first two options are the ones most often used. They are so important that they both have "hot keys" that will take you right to them from any other part of the menu system. The first option - "Drive and Disk Sizes" - can be activated directly from any part of the menu system by pressing <F2>. The second option - "Quick Options" - can be activated directly from any part of the menu system by pressing <F3>. Move the highlight bar over the "Drive and Disk Sizes" option and press the <Enter> key. This selects the option and opens up a submenu with more options from which to choose. Here you can specify one or two drives on which to format, even if the drives are of different sizes. The drives may be specified in any order. For instance you might say that Drive B: is the first drive, and Drive A: is the second drive. Of course you must choose a first drive before you can choose a second drive. Any legal floppy disk drive can be used. You must always specify a value for Drive 1 or EzFormat will not do anything. Optionally, you can specify a second drive which will cause EzFormat to continuously switch from one drive to another, back and forth, formatting disk after disk, until you tell it to stop. For the purpose of our test drive, we will assume that you have a disk drive A: and that it is a 5 1/4 inch, 360K drive. So type the letter "A" to tell EzFormat to use Drive A:. The cursor will automatically move to the "Format Type" option, and provide you with a list of choices. There are always six choices on this list. However, some of the choices are not valid for the particular drive you specified. If your disk drive is 5 1/4 inch, then you certainly don't want to choose a 3 1/2 inch disk format type. EzFormat makes a best guess as to the size and type of the drive you selected. The estimated legal options are displayed in different colors, distinguishing them from the options that are probably not legal. It is up to you to select the proper type. Because some of the older computers don't provide a reliable method of determining what the size of the drive is (without actually reading a disk in that drive), EzFormat lets you override its best guess about the type of drive. EzFormat.EXE Page 17 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide To select the format type, simply highlight the type you want and press <Enter>. You can also make your selection by pressing the number displayed to the left of the option. Press <Esc> if you wish to return without changing anything. For now, select "1". Now press <Esc> to backtrack one level up the menu system. Select the "Quick Options" choice. This option opens a submenu with several additional choices. The help window on the right explains what the option does. The "Quick Options" are helpful when you don't wish to go through all the details under "Advanced Options". Select "Standard DOS Style". This tells EzFormat to format the disk exactly the way the DOS Format program would do it. By the way, EzFormat will be able to detect some errors that would sneak by the DOS format program, even when this option is chosen. Next press the <Right-Arrow> key twice to move to the "Do It!" option on the main menu. If you were to press <Enter> while the "Do It!" option is highlighted, EzFormat would begin formatting the disk size you selected, on the drive you selected. If you don't have a disk in the drive when you select "Do It", you will see a message informing you that the drive door is open. Since "Do It!" is the whole point to EzFormat, it can be reached directly from any part of the menu system by a hot key - <F4>. To return to the main menu from within the "Do It!" option simply press <Esc>. You can also abort right in the middle of formatting a disk by pressing the <Esc> key - which will return you to the main menu. Exploring the Program Control Options: ====================================== Select "Program Control" on the main menu. This is your gateway to complete control over how EzFormat looks, sounds, and behaves. Select "Display Attributes", then select "Input Fields", then select "Frame". This will open a window which allows you to select the display attribute you prefer for this particular option. Use the arrow keys to highlight the attribute you prefer and press <Enter> to accept it, or <Esc> to exit without changing it. You will instantly see how the attribute you picked will look on your screen. When you finish making your selections, press <Esc> to backtrack up to the previous menu. Each time you press <Esc> you will back up one level in the menu system. EzFormat.EXE Page 18 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide Go all the way back to first menu below the "Program Control" option. This time select "Expand Windows". Under this option you have two additional options. Type "N" at the "Expanding Windows?" prompt and watch what happens. The entire menu system is redrawn but this time instead of gradually expanding and contracting, the menus will pop up instantly and respond very quickly to your instructions. Most people prefer the effect of expanding/contracting (exploding/imploding) menus and windows - but EzFormat lets you choose the method you prefer. Becoming Proficient: ==================== By now you have a pretty good understanding of how Easy Format's menu system works. Menu options come with a help line at the top of the screen and some even have help windows. The best way to become proficient at using EzFormat is to experiment. Play around with it. Try all the options, explore all the menus. You'll find that it is not only easy to use, but a little fun too! The Detailed Reference Section, beginning on page 20, lists each option, what it does, and why you might want to use it. Customizing EzFormat: ===================== As you experiment with EzFormat you will probably find options, colors, sound effects, and so forth, which you prefer. To cause EzFormat to remember your preferences and use them automatically in the future, select "Save Options and Quit" under the "Quit" main menu option. When you are ready to exit from EzFormat and return to DOS, select "Save Options and Quit". EzFormat will automatically update EzFormat.EXE on your disk. The next time you start EzFormat it will look like it was custom designed just for you. EzFormat.EXE Page 19 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide --------------------------- Detailed Reference Section: --------------------------- This section provides you with detailed information regarding every major feature of EzFormat. If you have a question about an option you should refer to this section of the User's Guide for complete information. Format Control: =============== Drive and Disk Sizes: --------------------- Use this option to tell EzFormat which drive or drives to use and what disk size to use in each drive. EzFormat gives you a lot of freedom and power to control the formatting of diskettes. With every freedom comes some additional responsibility. In this case, you must be sure to select only valid disk sizes for the specified drive. It would be simple for EzFormat to limit you to certain selections and enforce them rigidly. Unfortunately, this would be a problem for people who have older machines or unusual BIOS versions, which don't support some of the techniques used to determine the type of a specific drive. For those people, any restrictions would be a burden. So, to make EzFormat as flexible as possible it allows you to select anything you want. On newer machines, if you select an incorrect format type you will get an appropriate error message when you tell EzFormat to "Do It!". On older machines, or not quite IBM compatible machines, EzFormat will do its best to carry out your instructions to the letter. Please be sure to select the proper disk and drive sizes. EzFormat will display what it believes are valid choices in a different color than the choices that are not valid. This should help when you're not sure. As a rule of thumb, choose only those options that are recommended according to the display attributes on the menu. If you have a machine on which EzFormat marks an option as valid, but you know that it is not valid, please let us know. We will do our best to make EzFormat compatible with as many different DOS machines as possible. EzFormat.EXE Page 20 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide Quick Options: -------------- The "Quick Options" menu provides you with a way to set several options all at the same time. While you can always go to the "Advanced Options" choice and set every detail yourself, many times you will prefer to simply set a Quick Option. If you wish to know every detail of a particular Quick Option simply select the option and then move to the "Advanced Options" window to see exactly how each parameter is set. The following information describes each of the Quick Options and provides an example of why you might want to use that option. Quick (no error checking): This option provides the fastest possible formatting. It skips the error checking operation and formats the disk under the assumption that the disk is perfect. This does NOT mean "ignore any errors". There are some errors that are so blatantly obvious that they can be detected even without looking for them specifically. These include such errors as a bad spot on the part of the disk that will contain the FAT or Root Directory. So it is possible that EzFormat will encounter a disk problem even when error checking is turned off. If this occurs, a message will inform you of the problem. You might want to use this option to reformat disks that you have used before and that you already know are free of defects. This is also an excellent way to erase a disk completely. As you probably know, telling DOS to erase a file does not necessarily mean that the file is gone forever. Many utility packages enable you to "unerase" files. This could be a problem if you are concerned with security. No "unerase" utility will be able to recover the information that was on a disk prior to formatting with EzFormat. If you want to be absolutely sure that a disk is erased, but you don't want to wait around for a full blown format process, use this Quick Option. Standard DOS Style: This option sets all format parameters to values similar to what the DOS format program uses. Each track will be verified after it is formatted and if any errors (meaning bad spots on the disk) are found, the entire track will be marked as unusable. This is exactly how the DOS format program marks bad spots. EzFormat.EXE Page 21 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide There are two main differences between this option and the DOS Format program. Some marginal spots on the disk which the DOS format program will accept, will be marked as unusable by EzFormat. This means that you get slightly better error detection and marking then you would get using the DOS format program. The other difference is that EzFormat will be a little faster than the DOS format program when this option is chosen. There are some disadvantages to using this option. The primary disadvantage is the fact that whole tracks are marked as being unusable, even when most of the track is perfectly usable. This marking method can quickly waste large amounts of disk space. For example, if you are formatting a 3 1/2 inch, 1.44Mb disk, each track has 18 sectors. If one of those sectors is bad, all 18 will be marked as unusable, regardless of whether the other 17 sectors are defective. Each sector represents 512 bytes of disk space. As you can tell, this option (like the DOS format program) can waste up to 8,704 (17 X 512) bytes of disk space every time it finds a bad spot. In most cases, one of the other Quick Options would be a better choice. Maximize Free Disk Space: This option causes EzFormat to verify each track after it is formatted. If any bad spots are detected, only the bad spot - not the entire track - will be marked as unusable. This option is slightly more thorough in detecting errors than the DOS format program, yet it almost always leaves you with more usable disk space than the DOS format program. Usually a lot more usable disk space. This option is great for those times when you are short on disk space and don't have the opportunity to buy more disks at the moment. It will provide you with more usable disk space than any other option, while still carefully checking the disk to ensure that it is safe to use. An interesting capability that comes with this option is that you can sometimes make disks usable, which would have been rejected by any other option. If you've ever seen a message from the DOS format program telling you that cylinder 0 is bad and the disk is unusable then you have seen a disk which might be saved using this option. How is this possible? Not all of cylinder 0 is needed by DOS. Some parts of cylinder 0 are actually used to store your data. Unfortunately, since DOS marks entire tracks as being unusable, if a bad spot exists on cylinder 0, side 1, the entire track is marked as unusable. This makes the disk unusable because part of that track is needed by DOS for such things as the Root Directory. EzFormat.EXE Page 22 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide If the bad spot is near the end of the track then it is out of the area that DOS must use, and can be marked as bad without making the disk unusable. Since this option allows EzFormat to mark only the bad spot - rather than the entire track - it will often be enough to make the disk usable (and reliable). Balance Space and Safety: One of the reasons the DOS format program marks bad spots by marking entire tracks, is because it is the easiest method to write a program to do. Another reason is because when a bad spot is detected it is possible that the area around it may be marginal as well. This option assumes that the area around the bad spot might be bad, much like the DOS format program would assume. But this option limits the "overkill". When a bad spot is detected, it is assumed that one cluster before and one cluster beyond, on the same track, may be bad too. This option marks all three clusters as unusable whenever a bad spot is detected. If you are not sure of the quality of your disks, this is a better choice than "Maximize Free Disk Space". Even better would be the next option (Future Error Protection). Future Error Protection: That's a strange name for a format option. What the heck does it mean? Future Error Protection resulted from testing many, many disks that contained bad spots. To understand it you need to know two things. First, some disks get worse with age. Perhaps a cluster was bad when the disk was new and as time went by the bad spot grew larger. Since the most thorough testing most disks ever get occurs during the format process, any new bad spots will not usually be detected until an error occurs. That's a little too late in anyone's book. Second, most bad spots do not occur the way the DOS format program would lead you to believe. DOS marks bad spots by marking an entire track as unusable. Can you imagine a bad spot that existed as a perfect circle all the way around a disk? If you think that would be highly unusual, you are absolutely right. Most bad spots do not encompass an entire track. Most bad spots are simply that, a bad "spot" on one area and one side of the disk. Perhaps a small scratch was accidentally made on the disk surface. In almost every case, this bad spot will involve a few clusters on several adjacent tracks. EzFormat.EXE Page 23 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide This brings us to two conclusions. One is that marking an entire track at a time as unusable, will quickly eat up your usable disk space if the scratch crosses several tracks. The other conclusion is that in order to avoid errors in the future by marking the area around a bad spot, we can't simply mark the cluster before and after the bad spot on the same track, but must also mark the corresponding clusters on the previous and following tracks. A bad spot has four sides. The Future Error Protection option marks the cluster on each side of the bad spot, plus the cluster actually containing the bad spot. This means that whenever a bad spot is detected, five clusters are marked as unusable during the format process. How does this compare to the DOS format program? On a 5 1/4 inch, 360Kb diskette there are 4.5 clusters on each track. To mark the track as unusable, DOS must mark 5 clusters as being unusable. In this case, both DOS and EzFormat will mark 5 clusters for each error detected. The difference is that EzFormat marks the clusters most likely to give you problems later - the clusters around the actual bad spot. Obviously this is a much more realistic approach. If you move up to 3 1/2 inch, 1.44Mb diskettes, DOS must mark 18 clusters unusable in order to mark a track as unusable. So in this case EzFormat will give you 6.5K bytes more usable disk space while still giving you better insurance against future problems caused by a marginal spot on the disk - even if the bad spot grows worse with age. As you can tell, this technique helps make your disks much more reliable in the long run, than the technique used by the DOS format program. If all the choices and options are confusing to you, then just pick this one. You will have much more reliable disks after using this option, and it doesn't take any longer than the DOS format program (it's usually a little faster). You can't go wrong when you use this Quick Option. Distribution Quality: Many people simply throw out disks that have any bad spots on them. They don't want to take any chances with their data. Some people intend to distribute disks to others and can't afford to pass out faulty disks. This option was designed specifically for people in these two categories. When you choose "Distribution Quality" you can be sure that every disk formatted is absolutely perfect and error free. Why? Because if a disk has a single spot that is suspected of being bad, the disk is rejected and EzFormat will ask for another disk. EzFormat.EXE Page 24 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide When this option is chosen, EzFormat will refuse to format a disk that has bad spots. EzFormat is like an inexpensive, tireless, full-time Quality Control Inspector. EzFormat will never get tired or bored, and it will never fall asleep on the job. Formatting will take longer with this option than with any other option, since after formatting a track, EzFormat verifies it. After it verifies a track, it writes to the track. After it writes to the track, it reads it back. In order for a disk to pass this formatting method, it must be capable of being formatted and verified without any errors, then capable of being written to and read back from, again without any errors. These are very stringent requirements, but in many cases nothing less will do. A side effect of such stringent requirements is that bad disks will usually be dealt with very quickly. A 360k disk has 40 cylinders. If an error is detected on the third cylinder there is no sense in doing the other 37 cylinders. The disk will be rejected and you will be prompted for the next disk to be formatted. With this option EzFormat won't beat around the bush playing with imperfect disks. It will reject them and get down to business with the next disk. It is strict and it is consistent. Of course, you can always reformat any rejected disks using another Quick Option, if you still want to use the disk. Advanced Options: ----------------- There are many choices available when formatting diskettes. The Quick Options select all the choices automatically with a single decision from you. The Advanced Options give you complete control over every detail. TIP: If you prefer to use the "Advanced Options" to control EzFormat, the best method is to first choose the Quick Option that comes the closest to what you want to accomplish, and then move to the advanced options window to fine tune the details. Error Checking: The first advanced option is "Error Checking". You have two choices: ON or OFF. Press the <Space> bar to toggle (switch) between the two choices. EzFormat.EXE Page 25 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide When error checking is turned OFF, no format verification is performed, and the Testing Method and Marking Method no longer matter. When error checking is turned ON - which it should be almost all the time - you can determine how extensive the error checking will be, by setting the Testing and Marking Methods. Volume Label: You don't have to include a volume label on the disks you format, but if you want to include one, this "field" makes it easy. By the way, you can also specify a volume label from the main Format Control submenu. The main reason for this option, is to allow formatting many disks with the same volume label, such as when you intend to distribute the disks to others. DOS imposes certain restrictions on what can be considered a valid volume label. First, it can be no more than 11 characters long, and second, it cannot include certain characters. Refer to the help window that appears on your screen automatically for a list of unacceptable characters. If you've ever tried to use the DOS "SYS" command to make a disk bootable after placing a volume label on the disk, you saw a frustrating message which said there was not enough room on the disk for the system files, even though you knew the disk was empty. The reason for this is that DOS expects the system files to be recorded in the first two directory entries, but your volume label is present in the first directory entry. The way to get around this dilemma is to pretend that the first two entries were for files that have been erased, and place the volume label in the third directory entry. EzFormat can do this for you automatically, so you can include a volume label and still make the disk bootable using the DOS "SYS" command. Refer to page 31 for complete details. Marking Method: The Marking Method determines what to do when a bad spot is found on a disk being formatted. There are several options, each of which has specific advantages and disadvantages. This is a multiple choice option. Use the <Space> bar to move from choice to choice. EzFormat.EXE Page 26 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide The first choice is "None (no error checking)". This is the only choice possible when Error Checking is turned OFF. When Error Checking is turned ON, this choice is automatically disabled and cannot be selected. The remaining choices are available only when Error Checking is turned ON. The following information describes each choice. To get a good overall understanding of the effect of each choice, please read the descriptions under the Quick Options (page 21). They will give you a better picture of how each of these choices affect your disks. "Entire Track" - this choice causes EzFormat to mark the entire track as unusable when a bad spot is detected anywhere on the track. "Bad Cluster Only" - this choice causes EzFormat to mark only those clusters which are actually bad, as unusable. This choice will leave you with as much usable disk space as possible, without sacrificing safety. "Track Adjacent Clusters" - is a strange sounding name for a pretty simple marking technique. With this choice, when EzFormat detects a bad spot on a disk, it marks that spot as unusable. In addition, it marks as unusable, the cluster right before the bad spot and the cluster right after the bad spot, on the same track. This means, that every time a bad spot is detected, three clusters will be marked as unusable. "Surrounding Clusters" - is the best overall marking scheme, and is the one recommended for most of your disk formatting needs. This choice does the same thing as the "Track Adjacent Clusters" choice, but expands on it by marking the corresponding clusters on the preceding and following track. This means that a total of five clusters will be marked as unusable every time an error is detected, and these five clusters will be on three different tracks. Of course, if the bad spot is on the very last cylinder, there is no track beyond it, so only 4 clusters will be marked as unusable. If the bad spot is on the very first cylinder, it will interfere with the area of the disk used by DOS and therefore the entire disk will be considered unusable. "Reject on First Error" - is the method you should use when you want only perfect disks. When an error is detected, instead of marking it, EzFormat rejects the entire disk. Fill Value: When a disk is formatted the entire disk is filled with a particular character. DOS uses the division symbol (ASCII Code 246) as the "fill character" or "fill value". EzFormat.EXE Page 27 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide How does this affect the formatting process? One of the techniques used to verify a track after formatting it is to check the CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check), which is a calculated value based upon the actual contents of the track. As the contents of the track changes, so does the CRC. We recommend using ASCII Code 170 which, in its binary pattern, looks like this: 10101010. There are two reasons for recommending this value. One reason is because every bit on the track will be different from the one on either side of it, which provides a pretty thorough test of the disk's ability to record information. The other, and more important reason, is because when read/write testing is enabled, EzFormat will write the exact opposite of the original fill character to every sector on the track. The opposite of 10101010 is 01010101. If the disk can handle both of these two cases, where each bit is different, you can be fairly sure that the disk medium is in good condition. You can specify any fill value you want, from 0 to 255, by entering the number. All values between 0 and 255 correspond to a character in the ASCII and IBM Extended Character Sets. Testing Method: While the Marking Method determines what to do with a bad spot once it is found, the Testing Method determines how carefully EzFormat should look for bad spots. "No testing at all" - is the only possibility when Error Checking is turned OFF. When Error Checking is turned ON, this choice is not available. "Format Verify" - is the method used by the DOS format program. Format Verify means that after a track is formatted, it is checked again to ensure that it can be located and that the CRC is correct. If both of these requirements are met, then the track is considered good. Most bad spots are easily detected by this choice and it is very reliable. "Format Verify with Read" - This choice does everything that Format Verify does, but expands on the verify process by actually reading back every sector on the track. In our experience it is very rare for the read operation to detect a bad spot that was missed by the verify operation. So while this choice takes longer than mere verifying, it does not add very much more protection against bad spots going unnoticed. If a bad spot is detected and marked during the verify process, there is no sense reading that spot after we already know that it EzFormat.EXE Page 28 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide is bad. Therefore, when a bad spot is detected by the verify operation, the read operation is skipped for that track and EzFormat moves on to the next track without delay. "Format Verify with Read/Write" - is the most thorough (and slowest) testing method. If the verify operation says that there are no bad spots on the track, then EzFormat will write to each sector in the track. The value that is written is the exact opposite of the value that is currently stored in each sector. If there are bad spots on the disk they will probably be detected during the write operation. If no errors are detected during the write operation, then, as a final safety measure, EzFormat will read each sector back, to double check that all is well with the disk. If a track passes all of these requirements - formatted successfully, verified successfully, written to successfully, and read back from successfully - then you can be sure that the disk is of good quality. FATs: "FAT" stands for File Allocation Table. This is an area on your disk that DOS uses to keep track of where each file (and each part of each file) actually resides on the disk. Without the FAT there is no way for DOS to access your files. Since the FAT is so important, it seems wise for DOS to place two copies of it on every disk. That way if something happens to one copy, the other one is there "just in case". This is a wonderful idea except for one minor problem. DOS will NEVER use the second FAT if the first one becomes damaged! What good is a second copy if DOS never uses it? Not much. The second copy of the FAT does two things: First, it wastes disk space by requiring information to be stored, which will never be used. Second, it slows down disk operations by requiring that the second copy be updated whenever the first copy changes. That is why EzFormat provides an option to include only 1 copy of the FAT on each disk formatted. But before you rush off to reformat your floppy disks using this option, you need to know a few more details. While DOS is perfectly happy READING disks that have only one FAT, DOS cannot WRITE to disks having only one FAT. If you use DOS to copy something to a disk which has only one FAT, DOS will blindly update two copies of the FAT. Unfortunately the Root Directory starts where the second copy of the FAT would have been. So guess what gets overwritten ... part of the Root Directory. Presto - instant loss of data. EzFormat.EXE Page 29 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide If you are a programmer or developer using your own custom method of writing to floppy disks, then 1 FAT may be just what you need. But if you are a typical user who trusts DOS to handle all your files, then 1 FAT is just what you don't need. Two copies of the FAT are almost always the best choice. In fact, all of the Quick Options specify 2 copies of the FAT. By the way, the second copy is not completely useless. Just because DOS can't use it, doesn't mean nobody can. Most disk utility packages such as the Norton Utilities, Mace Utilities, or PC Tools (among others), can make very good use of the second FAT if the need arises. The bottom line is this - don't mess with this option unless you have a very good reason for doing so. Always leave it set at 2. Boot Message: For some reason this is probably the most popular feature in EzFormat. What is a "boot message"? If you try to boot your computer while there is a non-system disk in Drive A:, you get a message on your screen telling you that the disk is a non-system disk and that you should replace the disk and "strike" any key (how they chose the word "strike" we'll probably never know). What most people don't know is that this message is built into the boot sector (the very first sector) of the disk. The message was placed there by the format program when the disk was formatted. This presents some interesting possibilities. The boot sector is ALWAYS 512 bytes long, regardless of how much space is actually needed for the information contained within it. In reality, the boot sector has quite a bit of unused space within it. Your files are never stored on the boot sector, so no matter what you do with it, you will still have the same amount of space on the disk for storing your files. Great! So what useful thing can we do with this extra space? How about placing a custom made boot message in it? This way whenever someone tries to boot their computer while one of your disks is in the A: drive, they will see your custom boot message. We shipped EzFormat with our address and phone number as the boot message, but you can change it to your own address and phone number if you like. Perhaps you would want to include a short description of what is on the disk, or some other message (be nice). EzFormat makes it possible for you to include a message up to four lines long with up to 29 characters on each line. Perhaps more EzFormat.EXE Page 30 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide room will be provided in a future version (if the registered users request it). Also, when the boot message is displayed on your screen it is displayed in bright green on black on color monitors, or intense on monochrome monitors. This makes your custom message stand out from other information on the screen. Give it a try. Most EzFormat users love this feature. Volume Label: ------------- The volume label can be selected from two places; in the Advanced Options window (as described on page 26), and here. Some people just don't like to mess around with the Advanced Options, but they still want to be able to select a volume label. That's why Volume Label is an option on this submenu. Bootable Disks: --------------- As mentioned under Advanced Options (on page 26), this option gives you some flexibility when it comes to placing a volume label on a disk. If you've ever formatted a disk using the DOS format program, and placed a volume label on it, and then tried to make the disk bootable using the DOS "SYS" command, then you know that it can't be done. The "SYS" command gives you an error message saying that there is not enough room for the system files. You know this is ridiculous because the disk is empty. So what's the problem? The problem is not that there isn't enough space for the system files. The problem is that the space is not in the right place. In order for a disk to be bootable, the two hidden system files must be recorded in the first two entries of the root directory. When you placed a volume label on the disk it took up the first entry in the root directory. That is why the "SYS" command so "wisely" proclaimed that there wasn't enough room for the system files. The solution to this problem is as simple as the problem itself. If you want to make a disk bootable, the volume label should be placed in the third entry in the root directory, and we'll just pretend like the first two entries were for files that have been erased. That is the reason behind this option. Most of the time, you will want to respond with "Y" for Yes to the "Volume Label First?" prompt. If you say "N" for No, then EzFormat will automatically place the volume label into the third entry in the root directory. Then, when you use the DOS "SYS" command to make the disk bootable, it will happily do its job without any complaints. EzFormat.EXE Page 31 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide Override BIOS: -------------- This option really belongs under the Advanced Options selection because it is rarely needed and very technical. There are two selections under this option. In order to explain what these two options do, we will first need to explain some technical information about floppy disks. Most users never know about these technical details and you certainly don't have to understand them to use EzFormat. So if you are not interested in the technical stuff you can just skip this explanation and ignore these options. You will probably never need them anyway. For those who are interested, here is a brief explanation. In order for your computer to access information stored on floppy diskettes, it must know certain details about the disk and drive. These details include things like the Data Transfer Rate, Gap Length between sectors, head settle time, and many other details. All of this information is built into ROM in your computer. Although it is rarely necessary, it is possible to override some of this built-in information and use other values instead. Why would you want to do this? Usually you won't want or need to override any of these values, however there are some exceptions that may arise from time to time. For instance, most people know that 360Kb diskettes formatted or written in 1.2Mb drives cannot be read by 360Kb drives. The reasons for this have to do with the capabilities of the different drives and the information built into ROM that controls how the disk drive hardware is to be handled. It is possible to override this built-in information so that 360Kb diskettes can be formatted in 1.2Mb drives, and later used in 360Kb drives. We can't guarantee that this can be accomplished with the hardware provided by every manufacturer in the world, but we know that it can be done with most drives. In fact we were able to format 360Kb diskettes in every 1.2Mb drive we have access to, and later, we were able to read those same disks in every 360Kb drive we have access to. This same principle applies to diskettes formatted in 1.44Mb drives and later used in 720Kb drives. In order to format a 360Kb disk in a 1.2Mb drive, and make the disk usable in other 360Kb drives, you need to override certain values built into your machine. Most of the time, overriding the Data Transfer Rate is sufficient to enable EzFormat to carry out your wishes. On some machines more changes are necessary. EzFormat.EXE Page 32 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide The guidelines are simple. Try overriding the Data Transfer Rate and formatting a 360Kb disk in a 1.2Mb drive. Then move the disk over to a 360Kb drive and try to use it. If the disk is usable, then you are all set. If the disk is not usable, then try the "Override All Format Parameters" option. As before, format a 360Kb disk in a 1.2Mb drive, then move the disk over to a 360Kb drive and see if it is usable. If it is, you are all set. If it is not usable, you will have to continue formatting 360Kb disks in 360Kb drives to ensure that they are usable in 360Kb drives. There is one more important detail. If you read the section on FATs in the Advanced Options description, then you know that DOS can READ a disk containing only 1 FAT, but if you use DOS to WRITE to that disk, you will be in for an unpleasant surprise. DOS is relatively flexible when it comes to reading disks, but DOS is not too bright when it comes to writing disks. Even if EzFormat formats 360Kb disks in 1.2Mb drives so that the disks can later be reliably used in 360Kb drives, it does not eliminate the problems with DOS. If you use DOS to WRITE to a 360Kb disk in a 1.2Mb drive, the disk will no longer be usable in a 360Kb drive - no matter how it was formatted. The same thing applies when you format 360Kb disks in 360Kb drives. If you later write to that disk in a 1.2Mb drive, the disk can no longer be read in a 360Kb drive. So while EzFormat can usually format disks in 1.2Mb drives, and those disks can later be used in 360Kb drives, EzFormat will not copy your files for you, so you still need to restrict your 1.2Mb drives to reading (not writing) to your 360Kb disks. Some programmers and developers have their own custom programs for writing to disks, so the DOS limitation is not a problem for them. For those people, this capability of EzFormat will be very appreciated. For the rest of us, it may not be such a big deal. Perhaps in the future, Easy Format will include a COPY program that will copy 360Kb disks in 1.2Mb drives and still leave the disk usable in 360Kb drives. As you know, the features included in future versions depend upon the needs and wants of registered users of the current version. So be sure and send us your suggestions, complaints, and requests. The only way we know what you want or need is for you to tell us. EzFormat.EXE Page 33 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide Program Control: ================ While Format Control gives you complete control over the formatting process, Program Control gives you complete control over the EzFormat program. This is how you customize program items like screen display attributes, sound effects, etc. Most of these options are self explanatory and will make perfect sense after you try the option for yourself. We won't go into a lot of detail here because you probably don't need a big wordy explanation for most of the options. Sound Effects: -------------- There are three sound effects that EzFormat can produce. All three sound effects are fully customizable. You can turn any, or all of them, off entirely if you don't like your computer to talk back to you. By the way, the ability to turn off the sound effects was the single most often requested feature of the previous version. This capability should make many of you very happy. Swap Disk Signal: This is the sound made when it is time to format the next disk. Error Detection Signal: This is the sound made every time EzFormat detects a bad spot on a disk. Unrecognized Keystroke: This sound is made when you press a key that EzFormat does not understand. Actually, it is much more than that. This is the general purpose, something-ain't-right signal. Whenever an error or problem is encountered, which is not covered by one of the other sound effects, this signal is used. EzFormat.EXE Page 34 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide Display Attributes: ------------------- This is a simple option. It provides you with a way to customize the colors of literally everything that EzFormat displays on your screen. Built into EzFormat is a complete set of attributes for Color displays, Monochrome displays, and Black-and-White (gray-scale) displays. When EzFormat starts, it determines if the current monitor is color or monochrome, and uses the appropriate set of display attributes. Unfortunately there is no reliable way for software to tell the difference between a color display and a gray-scale display. If you use a gray-scale display you must specify "B" on the command line (as described on page 15). The "B" stands for Black-and- White. When you customize the attributes while running on a color display, your changes will not affect the monochrome attributes, and vice versa. With that in mind you should have no trouble customizing the attributes, and you probably don't need a long explanation. One exception, is the option to restore the original colors. This option is explained below. Restore Original Colors: If you obtained a copy of EzFormat from a friend who is not known for good taste, you may not like the colors that appear on your screen. Anytime you want to set EzFormat back to its original display attributes, this option is the way to do it. Those of you who are using a Black-and-White (gray-scale) display, need to understand one more detail. The "Restore Original Colors" option means something else when the "B" command line parameter is used, than it does when EzFormat is started normally. Internally, the attribute set used for color displays is separate from the attribute set used for Black-and-White displays. When you select "Restore Original Colors" during a session that was started using the "B" command line parameter, EzFormat will restore the original BLACK-AND-WHITE attributes. If the "B" command line option was not used, EzFormat will restore the original COLOR attributes. As with customizing, restoring the original colors affects only the attribute set that applies to your current display. Restoring while on a color display does not affect monochrome attributes, and vice versa. EzFormat.EXE Page 35 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide International Format: --------------------- This option lets you tell EzFormat whether to display numbers using the standard "American" method (1,234.56) or the "international" method (1.234,56). This is changed automatically each time you change languages. Language: --------- This version of EzFormat includes three languages - English, German, and Spanish. This option determines which language will be used in all of EzFormat's screens and messages. Future versions of EzFormat may add other languages, or they may revert back to just English. This all depends upon the needs and wishes of registered users. If none of the registered users are interested in languages other than English, then why go to all the extra trouble to include them? On the other hand, if people really like this feature, we would be crazy not to continue it. If you would like to see other languages included in the future, then by all means let us know. We'll do our best to make EzFormat better for you. Expand Windows: --------------- EzFormat can display windows and menus in two different ways. They can gradually expand and contract - what most people call exploding windows - or they can pop up instantly for fast response. Most people prefer the interesting effect of exploding windows, but if you prefer speed, EzFormat lets you have your wish. The two choices under this option allow you to control how EzFormat displays its windows and menus. Expanding Windows: Set this to "Y" (Yes) if you want windows to expand and contract gradually. Set this to "N" (No) if you want EzFormat to waste no time looking fancy, but prefer raw, lightning-fast speed. Expand Delay: When expanding windows are preferred, this option lets you control how fast the windows expand and contract. This option accepts any value from 0 to 50 and refers to the amount of delay between each EzFormat.EXE Page 36 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide stage of the window's movement. The usual value is 15 and is the one most people prefer. Specifying zero (0) is almost as fast as saying No to the Expanding Windows option. Program Information: -------------------- This option opens a window containing background and ordering information for the Easy Format package. For more complete ordering information refer to the section in this User's Guide beginning on page 59. ----------------------------------- Tips on Using EzFormat Efficiently: ----------------------------------- Before EzFormat formats a disk, it looks at the boot sector (the very first sector) on the disk. EzFormat is smart enough to know if a disk was formatted by this particular version of EzFormat or by some other program - or, of course, if the disk has never been formatted at all. There's more. EzFormat is also smart enough to know if a disk was formatted by EzFormat during this particular run (since the time it was started from the DOS command line), or during some earlier run. How is this information useful? This information is useful in several ways. Consider the following: You are formatting 80 disks for your friends and neighbors. You're using both your A: and B: drives and letting EzFormat switch from one drive to the other. While EzFormat is formatting in one drive, you are switching disks in the other drive. You're moving along quickly and soon you have completed half of the disks. The phone rings. The fireplace pops and a fiery red coal the size of your mother-in-law's fist, crash lands on your brand new $26.00 a square foot, stain resistant carpet. Your five year old is experimenting with the cat to see how long it can hold its breath underwater in the master bathroom toilet bowl. Meanwhile that new puppy you just had to have, is demonstrating once again, that he prefers your great-grandmothers handmade quilt, over the newspapers on the floor in the laundry room. Finally, after several long minutes, you're back at your computer and ready to finish this little task. Oops - which pile of disks is already formatted and which are not yet formatted? You certainly don't feel like reformatting the 40 you've already finished. "Great," you say "if it's not one thing it's a dozen others." EzFormat.EXE Page 37 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide Not to worry. EzFormat knows that humans are not as predictable as computers. From the time EzFormat is started from DOS, until the time you exit back to DOS, it keeps track of which disks it formats. If you put in a disk to be formatted, EzFormat can tell if it just completed that disk. If it was formatted during this particular run, EzFormat will pop up a message asking you to please insert the next disk to be formatted. There you go. Now you know which pile of disks was formatted, and which is waiting to be formatted. This feature is also useful if you left a disk in both drives when you ran off to handle your latest little emergency. Instead of stupidly - but happily - formatting one disk after another, over and over, EzFormat will recognize that it has already formatted the disk, pop up a message, and wait patiently for your attention. "What if, for some reason, I really do want to format a disk over again?" Simply press any key without inserting another diskette. EzFormat figures that if you tell it to format a disk twice, you probably mean it. Therefore, EzFormat will follow your orders without complaint. Formatting For Speed: ===================== As you may have noticed, the most time consuming part of any disk format operation is the error checking. Testing the disk to detect each and every bad spot. How do you strike a balance between speed and safety? Obviously the more thorough your testing, the longer the formatting will take. What might not be so obvious is the effect the error Marking Method has on the total time required to format a disk. When you choose to mark bad spots a single cluster at a time, or some combination of clusters around the bad spot, the format time increases. This is due to the extra work EzFormat has to do, to identify the exact location of the good and bad sectors on a track. If a bad spot is detected while formatting a particular track, that track must be looked at again, sometimes several times, to determine exactly which sectors are good and which sectors are bad. EzFormat does this in order to know exactly which parts of the disk to mark off as unusable. On the other hand, if you choose to mark entire tracks at a time, the process is much simpler. When a bad spot is detected on a track, the entire track is marked as unusable and EzFormat proceeds immediately to the next track. No extra time is needed to examine the track more closely. EzFormat.EXE Page 38 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide The general rule of thumb is this: The less testing that is performed, the faster the format. By the same token, the less stringent the error marking requirements, the faster the format. Formatting For Accuracy: ======================== Our first thought might be that the more thorough the testing method (Verify Only, Verify with Read, or Verify with Read/Write), the more confidence we will have in every possible bad spot being detected. This is true, but is only part of the bigger picture. The marking method has a great deal to do with the thoroughness of the formatting process. The guidelines are simple. The more precision that is required in marking errors, the more carefully EzFormat will have to look at the disk. Formatting For Distribution: ============================ This is an area in which EzFormat really shines. The goal - send only perfect disks to your clients, customers, friends, and associates. Never get a complaint due to a bad spot on the disk. The means - whatever it takes (as long as the cure is less expensive than the disease). What if you are a small software developer, or a distributor of mailing lists or other computerized data, or in some other way have an interest in the quality of the disks you send to others. Every once in a while a customer gets a bad disk. You have to ship a replacement by overnight express delivery. It doesn't happen very often, so you bear the extra expense with no major problems. Of course, your customer loses a little bit of confidence in you every time this happens - "after all," your customer surmises, "how much trouble is it to test the disks before mailing them?". This is generally not a life (or business) threatening occurrence. But it is certainly an inconvenience - for both parties involved. You could buy only those expensive pre-formatted diskettes guaranteed to be error free, but that solution would cost you more than the original problem. Besides, those big companies which format hundreds of thousands of disks to sell as pre-formatted disks, use those same fancy (expensive) mass duplication machines that allow bad disks to sneak past some of the giants in the EzFormat.EXE Page 39 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide software industry. Every once in a while, you will still get a bad disk. If you don't test the disks yourself, you have no way of being sure that every disk is good. No matter how you look at it, the only way to be absolutely sure that the disks are good, is to test them yourself, in-house. This won't prevent disks from being damaged in shipment, but it will go a long way towards ensuring that the disks were good when they went out your door. This is where EzFormat makes a big difference. Not only do you have complete control over how thoroughly the disk is tested for errors, you also have an option to reject disks that have any errors at all. EzFormat is a simple - and inexpensive - solution to your problem. You can continue to use those inexpensive bulk diskettes without risking disk problems for your customers. Let EzFormat put each disk through the works - any disks that are not top quality will be rejected without hesitation. Give it a try - it will make a difference. Several developers are now using EzFormat on the disks they use for distribution, and they love it! DESQview Compatibility: ======================= EzFormat is DESQview aware. This means that when running under DESQview, all video output is sent to the buffer provided by DESQview rather than directly to video memory. The Easy Format package includes a program called DvFormat, which is DESQview specific and is very useful for formatting diskettes in the background while you work on other tasks in the foreground. For more information please refer to page 45. EzFormat.EXE Page 40 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide F O R M A T F . E X E ----------------------- ------------------------------------ Description and General Information: ------------------------------------ FormatF is a general purpose formatting utility designed to replace the standard DOS format program. FormatF is both easier to use and faster than the standard DOS format program. It is also smaller on disk and in memory than the DOS format program. FormatF was designed to be as compact as possible. This makes it useful in many situations where no other format program would be. For instance, you're editing a file that is so large, it has even broken your personal record. When you try to save the file to disk, you realize - to your extreme horror - you don't have any disks that are formatted. You shell to DOS and try to run the DOS format program. You get a message telling you that there is not enough memory to load the program. "Now what?" Not to worry. FormatF needs much less memory than the DOS format program. FormatF's small size makes it usable in many situations in which other format programs simply wouldn't work. ---------------- Running FormatF: ---------------- FormatF is started from the DOS command line by typing "FormatF", any command line options you need, and pressing the <Enter> key. The command line options are listed on page 42. --------------------- Quick Start Tutorial: --------------------- FormatF must know which disk drive to use, and the size of the disks to be formatted. The type of diskette and the drive to be used for formatting must be specified on the command line. The command line is nothing more than the parameters you type after the program name but before pressing <Enter>. Before starting FormatF you must insert the diskette to be formatted into the appropriate disk drive. When you start FormatF it will begin formatting the disk immediately. FormatF.EXE Page 41 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide FormatF will begin formatting the diskette in the drive specified by the command line parameters. If there is no diskette present, then after a short pause FormatF will display an error message and quit. Canceling the format operation: If you need to cancel the format operation before it is completed, there are two ways it can be safely done. o Press Ctrl-Break. This will cause FormatF to perform any cleanup necessary, display a status message, and return to DOS. o Remove the diskette from the drive. This will induce a timeout error and FormatF will display a message and return to DOS. Command Line Options: ===================== Command line options are options typed after the name of the program, on the DOS command line. When you start your favorite word processor you often type a space followed by the name of the file you wish to edit. That file name is known as a command line parameter. FormatF is not picky! Parameters may be upper or lower case and may appear in any order. Extra parameters or mistakes appearing on the command line will not bother FormatF. The following information explains how FormatF evaluates the command line parameters. Specifying the diskette drive: The very first alphabetic character ("A" to "Z" or "a" to "z") that appears on the command line will be the one FormatF uses to specify the diskette drive on which formatting will occur. In other words, if the first alphabetic letter that appears (even with other stuff before it) on the command line is the letter A, then FormatF will know that you wish to use drive A:, if the first alphabetic letter is F then FormatF will format on drive F:. Before FormatF begins formatting, it first checks to ensure that the specified drive is actually a floppy diskette drive. If the drive you specified is not a floppy diskette drive, FormatF will display an error message and quit. Additionally, the specified drive cannot be a remote network drive, if it is, FormatF will display an error message and quit. Of course, if the drive does not exist at all, an error message will also be displayed. FormatF.EXE Page 42 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide Specifying the diskette type: The very first numeric digit, in the range 1 to 6, that appears on the command line will be the one FormatF uses to determine what type of format to perform. These values are much easier to remember than the cryptic information needed with the standard DOS Format program. The values and their meanings are listed below: 1 = 5¼", 360Kb diskette in a 360Kb drive 2 = 5¼", 360Kb diskette in a 1.2Mb drive 3 = 5¼", 1.2Mb diskette in a 1.2Mb drive 4 = 3½", 720Kb diskette in a 720Kb drive 5 = 3½", 720Kb diskette in a 1.44Mb drive 6 = 3½", 1.44Mb diskette in a 1.44Mb drive If none of these digits appear on the command line, FormatF will display an error message and quit. The syntax is: FormatF <DrvLtr><FormatType> [/Q] <Enter> < > means that this value is required. [ ] means that this value is optional and can be left out if desired. /Quick Formatting: ================== Checking the diskette for bad sectors: FormatF automatically checks each diskette for bad sectors as it formats. If any bad sectors are detected, they will be marked exactly as they would be if you were using the standard DOS format program. If you already know that the diskette is of good quality and has no bad sectors, you can instruct FormatF to skip the error checking. This will cause FormatF to format the diskette much faster. If a marker character (either a slash "/", backslash "\", or dash "-"), followed by the letter "Q" or "q" appears anywhere on the command line, FormatF will perform the Quick format in which error checking is skipped. If you include the /Q option, then FormatF will run faster by assuming that the diskette is of good quality, skipping any error checking. Use this option when you know that a diskette is error free and wish to format it as quickly as possible. Please remember, when using this option, FormatF will not check the diskette for bad sectors. FormatF.EXE Page 43 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide This option can also be used to erase disks completely. Disks erased in this matter cannot be "unerased" or "unformatted" by any of the currently available disk utility packages. How FormatF Marks Bad Spots: ============================ FormatF marks bad spots in exactly the same way the standard DOS Format program marks bad spots. Whenever a bad sector is detected, the entire track is marked as unusable. Of course this can often result in good sectors being marked as unusable (just as it does with the DOS Format program). If you need more control over the marking of bad spots, please use EzFormat rather than FormatF or DvFormat. FormatF is a little bit more picky than the DOS Format program about what constitutes a "good" sector. FormatF will detect some disk problems that the DOS format program will not detect. Error Messages: =============== FormatF does not display cryptic error codes or numbers. Whenever an error is experienced, FormatF displays a message describing exactly what occurred. FormatF has extensive error detection and reporting capabilities. This may be hard to believe, considering the small size of its .EXE file, but it can be easily verified. Try inserting a write- protected diskette. Try specifying a non-existant drive, an improper format type for the specified drive, a network drive, or anything else you can dream up. As you will see, FormatF is very thorough in its error trapping mechanisms. DESQview Compatibility: ======================= FormatF is DESQview aware. This means that when running under DESQview, all video output is sent to the buffer provided by DESQview, rather than directly to video memory. The Easy Format package includes a program called DvFormat, which is DESQview specific and is very useful for formatting diskettes in the background while you work on other tasks in the foreground. For more information please refer to page 45. FormatF.EXE Page 44 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide D V F O R M A T . E X E ------------------------- ------------------------------------ Description and General Information: ------------------------------------ DvFormat is a general purpose formatting utility designed to replace the standard DOS format program. DvFormat is a "DESQview specific" program, meaning that it will only run under the DESQview multitasking environment. DvFormat is very similar to FormatF - it accepts the same command line parameters and performs the same duties. The main difference between DvFormat and FormatF is that DvFormat uses the additional capabilities provided by DESQview, to format in the background while you work on other tasks in the foreground. With DvFormat, you can format floppy diskettes in the background while you work on a document with your word processor in the foreground. You can work on a spreadsheet, sort a database, or perform any other activities in the foreground while DvFormat carefully formats a diskette in the background. You can view DvFormat's status window to keep track of its progress, or you can move the status window to the background to avoid interference with the foreground application you are using. If DvFormat encounters any errors or conditions that you need to know about, it will automatically move its status window into the foreground so you can see it. Perhaps best of all, DvFormat only requires 18 Kbytes of memory in order to do its job. Not only that, but once DvFormat initializes itself, it gives approximately 2-3 Kbytes back to DESQview. This means that DvFormat leaves the vast majority of memory available for other tasks. DvFormat requires DESQview 2.0 or above. -------------------- Installing DvFormat: -------------------- To install DvFormat, copy the file called "DvFormat.EXE" onto your hard disk. DvFormat may be placed in any subdirectory you wish. We keep it in the DESQview directory ("\DV"). If you do not have a hard disk, copy the file to the diskette you use when starting programs from the DESQview menu. DvFormat.EXE Page 45 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide The DESQview Program Information File (PIF) is called "DF- PIF.DVP". This file should be copied into your main DESQview directory ("\DV"). You must then use the DESQview "Add a Program" menu to get DESQview to recognize this new program. Next you should use the "Change a Program" menu to ensure that DvFormat is set properly for your particular system. Detailed information may be found in the following section. "Change a Program" Values: ========================== The proper values for each option in the "Change a Program" menu are listed below. Change a Program (Standard Options): Program Name: DvFormat Keys to Use on Open Menu: DF DF stands for DESQview Format. You may change these keys to any key combination you wish (as long as it is not already used by another program). For example, if you have two floppy drives, you may wish to have two separate menu choices, one for each drive. FA may be chosen for formatting on drive A, and FB for formatting on drive B. Memory Size (in K): 18 This is how much memory must be available for DvFormat to run. You may be interested in knowing that after DvFormat initializes itself, it returns about 2-3 Kbytes of memory that it no longer needs. DESQview can then use this memory for other things. Program: c:\dv\DvFormat.EXE If you use a directory other than \DV then you must be sure to indicate the correct path here. Also, it is very important that you include the .EXE file extension. Adding the extension allows DESQview to load DvFormat without the assistance of Command.COM. If you leave off the .EXE file extension then considerably more memory will be required in the "Memory Size (in K)" field. DvFormat.EXE Page 46 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide Parameters: A5 This is a very important field! The parameters listed here are the command line parameters that you would pass to DvFormat if you started it from within a DOS window. The parameters are listed below: 1 = 5¼", 360Kb diskette in a 360Kb drive 2 = 5¼", 360Kb diskette in a 1.2Mb drive 3 = 5¼", 1.2Mb diskette in a 1.2Mb drive 4 = 3½", 720Kb diskette in a 720Kb drive 5 = 3½", 720Kb diskette in a 1.44Mb drive 6 = 3½", 1.44Mb diskette in a 1.44Mb drive Letter = The drive letter (drive A: = A, drive B: = B, etc.) /Q = Quick format. /Q is short for /Quick. If you include the /Q option, then DvFormat will run faster by assuming that the diskette is of good quality and skipping the error checking. Use this option when you know that a diskette is error free and wish to format it as quickly as possible. Please remember, when using this option, DvFormat will not check the diskette for bad sectors. For more specific information regarding these parameters, please refer to the section entitled Command Line Options on page 50. Directory: \dv\ As with the "Program:" option (above), the default is the main DESQview directory. Of course, if you are using a different directory you should update this field accordingly. Writes text directly to screen: N Displays graphics information: N Virtualize text/graphics (Y,N,T): N Uses serial ports (Y,N,1,2): N Requires floppy diskette: N Note: The "Requires floppy diskette:" field does not indicate whether or not the program uses a floppy diskette, it refers to whether DESQview should prompt you for a diskette before starting the program. Change a Program (Advanced Options) (press F1): System Memory (in K): 0 DvFormat does not require any additional system memory. DvFormat.EXE Page 47 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide Maximum Program Memory Size (in K): (blank) DvFormat does not need any extra memory beyond the size of its load image. Script Buffer Size: 0 There is really no need for scripts with DvFormat. Maximum Expanded Memory Size (in K): 0 DvFormat does not use nor require EMS memory. Text Pages: 1 Graphics Pages: 0 Initial Mode: (blank) Interrupts: 1B to 23 For detailed information regarding which interrupts are used by DvFormat please refer to the technical information that comes with the Easy Format Tech Kit. Window Position: Maximum Height: 5 Starting Height: 0 Starting Row: 24 Maximum Width: 42 Starting Width: 0 Starting Column: 79 DvFormat controls the size and location of its window automatically. Once the window is visible on the screen you are free to move it around as desired. Shared Program: Pathname: (Blank) Data: (Blank) Close on exit (Y,N,blank): Y Uses its own colors: Y Allow Close Window command: Y Runs in background: Y Uses math coprocessor: N Keyboard conflict: 0 Share CPU when foreground: Y Share EGA when fore....: Y Can be swapped out (Y,N,...): Y Protection level (0-3): 0 ----------------- Running DvFormat: ----------------- DvFormat must be installed prior to being used. For installation instructions please refer to page 45. DvFormat.EXE Page 48 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide Quick Start Tutorial: ===================== The type of diskette, and the drive to be used, must be specified on the command line. The command line is nothing more than the parameters you type after the program name on the DOS command line. When DvFormat is started from the DESQview Open Window menu, the command line comes from the parameters specified in the "Change a Program" menu. Please refer to the information beginning on page 46 if you have not done so already. Before starting DvFormat, you must insert the diskette to be formatted into the appropriate disk drive. When you start DvFormat, it will begin formatting the disk immediately. After DvFormat is properly installed on the DESQview menu (see page 45), and a diskette is inserted into the appropriate drive, DvFormat may be started by typing the two-key combination used to activate DvFormat. The default key combination is DF. When this key combination is pressed, DESQview will load DvFormat into memory and allow it to begin running. DvFormat will begin formatting the diskette in the drive specified by the command line parameters (the parameters on the "Change a Program" menu). If there is no diskette present, after a short pause, DvFormat will display an error message and quit. If it appears that DvFormat has quit, but you did not see any error messages, everything is proceeding normally (as verified by the diskette drive light being on). The first time you run DvFormat, it may seem a bit confusing. You will see a small window open in the lower right portion of your screen, and almost immediately it will disappear. The reason for this is simple. As soon as DvFormat is finished with its initialization, it switches itself into the background. This means that your diskette is now being formatted in the background and you are back in the application that was in the foreground before DvFormat was started. If no other windows are open and DvFormat is the only active process, it will remain in the foreground. DvFormat can be brought into the foreground by simply switching windows to the one containing DvFormat. By the way, when DvFormat is the foreground application, it formats much faster than when it is running in the background. When DvFormat finishes formatting the diskette, it automatically moves its window into the foreground and provides you with status information. This window will remain on the screen for a few seconds and then automatically close. Canceling the format operation: DvFormat.EXE Page 49 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide If you need to cancel the format operation before it is completed, there are several ways it can be safely done. o Use DESQview's Close Window command to Close the DvFormat window. o Press Ctrl-Break while DvFormat is the foreground application. This will cause DvFormat to perform any cleanup necessary, display a status message, and close its own window. o Remove the diskette from the drive. This will induce a timeout error and DvFormat will automatically move its window into the foreground and display an error message. After a short pause to allow you to read the message, DvFormat will close its window and quit. Command Line Options: ===================== The command line options, contained in the "Parameters:" field of DESQview's "Change a Program:" menu, or typed after the program name when DvFormat is run from within a DOS Window, are presented here. DvFormat is not picky! Parameters may be upper or lower case and may appear in any order. Extra parameters (mistakes) appearing in the command line, will not bother DvFormat. The following information explains how DvFormat evaluates the command line parameters. Specifying the diskette drive: The very first alphabetic character (A to Z or a to z) that appears on the command line will be the one DvFormat uses to specify the diskette drive on which formatting will occur. In other words, if the first alphabetic letter that appears (even with other stuff before it) on the command line, is the letter A, then DvFormat will know that you wish to use drive A:, if the first alphabetic letter is F, then DvFormat will format on drive F:. Before DvFormat begins formatting, it first checks to ensure that the specified drive is actually a floppy diskette drive. If the drive you specified is not a floppy diskette drive, DvFormat will display an error message and quit. Additionally, the specified drive cannot be a remote network drive. If it is, DvFormat will display an error message and quit. Of course, if the drive does not exist at all, an error message will also be displayed. DvFormat.EXE Page 50 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide Specifying the diskette type: The very first numeric digit, in the range 1 to 6, that appears on the command line will be the one DvFormat uses to determine what type of format to perform. These values are much easier to remember than the cryptic information needed with the standard DOS Format program. The values and their meanings are listed below: 1 = 5¼", 360Kb diskette in a 360Kb drive 2 = 5¼", 360Kb diskette in a 1.2Mb drive 3 = 5¼", 1.2Mb diskette in a 1.2Mb drive 4 = 3½", 720Kb diskette in a 720Kb drive 5 = 3½", 720Kb diskette in a 1.44Mb drive 6 = 3½", 1.44Mb diskette in a 1.44Mb drive If none of these digits appear on the command line DvFormat will display an error message and quit. /Quick Formatting: ================== Checking the diskette for bad sectors: DvFormat automatically checks each diskette for bad sectors as it formats the diskette. If any bad sectors are detected, they will be marked exactly as they would be, if you were using the standard DOS format program. If you already know that the diskette is of good quality and has no bad sectors, you can instruct DvFormat to skip the error checking. This will cause DvFormat to format the diskette much quicker. If a marker character (either a slash "/", backslash "\", or dash "-"), followed by the letter "Q" or "q" appears anywhere on the command line, DvFormat will perform the Quick format, in which error checking is skipped. If you include the /Q option, then DvFormat will run faster by assuming that the diskette is of good quality, skipping the error checking. Use this option when you know that a diskette is error free and wish to format it as quickly as possible. Please remember that when this option is used DvFormat will not check the diskette for bad sectors. From the DESQview Menu: ======================= As mentioned above, DvFormat may be started from the DESQview Open Window menu by entering the two character code assigned to DvFormat. You may also use the arrow keys or your mouse to highlight the DvFormat option on DESQview's Open Window menu, and then <Enter> or <Click> to start DvFormat. DvFormat.EXE Page 51 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide Running DvFormat from the DESQview Open Window menu is the preferred method for using DvFormat. Alternatively DvFormat may be started from within a DOS Window as outlined below. If you are in a Big DOS window (using all the available memory) when you pop up the DESQview menu and instruct DESQview to start DvFormat, then, obviously, DESQview will have to swap the current application out, to make room for DvFormat. Then, when DvFormat switches itself into the background, DESQview may swap it out and swap the other application back in. If DESQview does perform this swapping, DvFormat will not be able to execute at all unless you switch windows, forcing DESQview to swap DvFormat back into RAM memory. With the above information in mind, it would be to your advantage to open the DvFormat window when there is still enough RAM memory left so that swapping is not necessary. From a DOS Window: ================== Before starting DvFormat from within a DOS Window, you should know that DvFormat expects to be a separate process. When DvFormat finishes and quits it closes its window and frees any memory associated with itself. This means that if you run DvFormat from within a DOS Window, it will close the DOS Window when it finishes. To start DvFormat from within a DOS Window simply type the name of the program (DvFormat) followed by the appropriate command line parameters, exactly as you would if you were using FormatF. The command line parameters are explained beginning on page 50. The syntax is: DvFormat <DrvLtr><FormatType> [/Q] <Enter> The parameters may appear in any order and in either upper or lower case. How DvFormat Affects System Performance: ======================================== The performance of your system is dependent, to a large extent, upon the values specified in the Performance advanced option, of the DESQview Setup program. This information may be found on page 129 of the DESQview manual (version 2). The default values set by DESQview are usually more than adequate for our purposes. Normally DESQview has complete control over when task switching should occur. DvFormat takes extra steps to help DESQview determine when to switch execution to other tasks. DESQview will give the appropriate time slice to each program executing DvFormat.EXE Page 52 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide according to the values you specify in DESQview's Setup program. Additionally, DvFormat will frequently tell DESQview that "now is a good time to let other programs run". DvFormat performs the following sequence of tasks: o Format then verify each track, one at a time. o Write the boot sector. o Write the File Allocation Tables (FATs). o Write the Root Directory. As DvFormat is performing these tasks, it is also letting DESQview know when it is a good time to allow other programs to run. The complete scenario is outlined below: o Format a track. - Allow other programs to run. o Verify a track. - Allow other programs to run. * (the above is performed for each track on the diskette). o Write the boot sector. - Allow other programs to run. o Write the first FAT. - Allow other programs to run. o Write the second FAT. - Allow other programs to run. o Write the Root Directory. - Allow other programs to run. o Display the final status window (moved to the foreground). - Allow other programs to run. o Quit. As you can see, DvFormat does its best to spread out its CPU requirements as much as possible, to allow other programs to be executed as fast as possible, in the foreground. One factor, of which you should be aware, is the overhead DESQview imposes in order to safely provide multitasking capabilities. Each time DESQview switches contexts it must save and restore a considerable amount of information. This process takes time. Obviously, the more applications you have running the more time will be spent in saving and restoring information which in turn takes CPU time away from the applications themselves. The fewer applications running at one time, the faster each application will run. So if you have one foreground application, and DvFormat running in the background, your system will perform much better than if several applications were running in the background simultaneously. Of course, if DvFormat is running all by itself, it will format the diskette much faster than if it were running in the background. DvFormat.EXE Page 53 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide How DvFormat Marks Bad Spots: ============================= DvFormat marks bad spots in exactly the same way the standard DOS Format program marks bad spots. Whenever a bad sector is detected, the entire track is marked as unusable. Of course this can often result in good sectors being marked as unusable (just as it does with the DOS Format program). If you need more control over the marking of bad spots, please use EzFormat rather than DvFormat or FormatF. DvFormat is a little bit more picky than the DOS Format program about what constitutes a "good" sector. DvFormat will detect some disk problems that the DOS format program will not detect. Error Messages: =============== DvFormat does not display cryptic error codes or numbers. Whenever an error is experienced DvFormat will automatically move its window into the foreground, and display a message describing exactly what occurred. DvFormat has extensive error detection and reporting capabilities. This may be hard to believe considering the small size of its .EXE file, but it can be easily verified. Try inserting a write- protected diskette. Try specifying a non-existant drive, an improper format type for the specified drive, a network drive, or anything else you can dream up. As you will see, DvFormat is very thorough in its error trapping mechanisms. DvFormat.EXE Page 54 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide ----------------------------- Common Questions and Answers: ----------------------------- These are the most commonly asked questions regarding the use of the programs in the Easy Format package. How much disk space does my custom boot message take up? None! That answer sounds strange until you realize that the boot sector always occupies 512 bytes, no matter what it contains. Also, DOS will never store any of your files or data on this part of the disk. If you want more complete information about this strange phenomena, please refer to page 30. I'm trying DvFormat and FormatF and can't seem to get them to work on my Mongolian PC AT that I picked up at a pierside garage sale in Djibouti. Is this a bug? It is very difficult to make a program that can format successfully on every conceivable hardware combination. Perhaps that's why there are so many different versions of the DOS format program. In any event, EzFormat is much more complex than either FormatF or DvFormat. Most people who have difficulties with the smaller programs have no trouble at all with EzFormat. So before you give up, try EzFormat. It should work just fine. More complete information can be found on page 13. If EzFormat doesn't do the job, then call our technical support line. We may already have a correction for your unusual machine. I'm using DvFormat under DESQview and as soon as it starts, it moves into the background but doesn't do anything. What's going on? DESQview has swapped EzFormat out of memory, making it impossible for it to execute until it is moved into the foreground again. To avoid this, always make sure that there are at least 18 Kbytes of memory available before starting DvFormat from the DESQview Open Window Menu. Easy Format 3.00 Page 55 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide How can I make a disk bootable using EzFormat? You can't. At least not directly. OEM's (Original Equipment Manufacturers) who license MS-DOS for use on their machines sometimes change the names of the two hidden system files needed to make a disk bootable. These two files are usually called "IBMBIO.COM" and "IBMDOS.COM", but they may also be called "IO.SYS" and "MSDOS.SYS". At least one OEM changes the names even further - Toshiba DOS calls them "TBIO.SYS" and "TDOS.SYS". While that doesn't prevent EzFormat from making a disk bootable, it does require a lot of extra work. Especially when you consider that there may be other names for these two files that we don't even know about. Since bootable disks are rarely needed, EzFormat does not provide you with this capability. If you absolutely need a bootable disk and you want the protection provided by EzFormat, then you can use the DOS "SYS" program to make the disk bootable. You can do this even when you include a volume label on the disk during formatting. For more detailed information refer to page 31. How can I format a 360Kb disk in my 1.2Mb drive so that it can still be used in a normal 360Kb drive? Using EzFormat it IS possible to format 360Kb disks in 1.2Mb drives and then use them in normal 360Kb drives. This process is described in detail on page 32. Please refer to that information for instructions and suggestions. I have a disk that has bad spots in different places each time I format it - no matter which format program I use. What causes that? Foreign particles - dust, plastic flakes, etc. - on the disk. When foreign matter is present on a disk, bad spots will be detected at whatever location the foreign material happens to be located, when you format the disk. While it is possible to clean the disk, the best solution is to throw the disk away. I don't really understand Easy Format. Will it help if I read the User's Guide? Yes! Easy Format 3.00 Page 56 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide -------- License: -------- This software and accompanying documentation are protected by United States Copyright law and also by International Treaty provisions. Any use of this software in violation of Copyright law or the terms of this agreement will be prosecuted to the best of our ability. Easy Format is NOT a public domain program. It is Copyright (c) 1988, 1989,1990 by Falk Data Systems. The conditions under which you may copy this program and documentation are clearly outlined below. You are granted a limited license to use the software described in this manual. The software may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of this license. Under the terms of this limited license you are granted permission by Falk Data Systems to use this software - for evaluation purposes - for a period not to exceed 30 days. If you intend to continue using the product after the 30 day evaluation period you MUST purchase the product by sending in the registration fee. Using this software after the 30 day evaluation period, without paying Falk Data Systems for the product, is a violation of federal copyright laws, and of the terms of this license. Falk Data Systems intends to vigorously prosecute any and all copyright violations. Individuals are granted permission by Falk Data Systems to freely copy the Easy Format diskette for their own use or for other individuals to evaluate, ONLY when the following conditions are met. Computer User Groups, clubs, and bulletin boards are granted limited permission by Falk Data Systems to copy the diskette and share it with their members, ONLY when the following conditions are met. o The Easy Format package - including all related program files and documentation files - CANNOT be modified in any way and must be distributed as a complete package, without exception. o No price or other compensation may be charged. A distribution cost may be charged for the cost of the diskette, shipping and handling, as long as the total does not exceed $10.00 in the U.S. or $15.00 internationally. o The Easy Format package CANNOT be sold as part of some other inclusive package. Nor can it be included in any commercial software packaging offer, without a written agreement from Falk Data Systems. Easy Format 3.00 Page 57 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide o The PRINTED User's Guide may not be reproduced in whole or in part, using any means, without the written permission of Falk Data Systems. o The Easy Format package cannot be "rented" or "leased" to others. o The person receiving a copy of Easy Format MUST be made aware that each disk or copy is ONLY for evaluation, and that Falk Data Systems has not received any royalties or payment for the product. o The person receiving a copy of Easy Format MUST be made aware that he or she does not become a registered user until Falk Data Systems has received payment for the product. Technical support will only be provided to registered users (those who have paid Falk Data Systems for the product). o Any group, person, or organization, which purchases advertising space in any publication CANNOT distribute Easy Format under the "computer club" conditions without written permission from Falk Data Systems. o Falk Data Systems prohibits the distribution of outdated versions of Easy Format, without written permission from Falk Data Systems. --------- Warranty: --------- Falk Data Systems makes no warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, including without limitation, any warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. In no event will Falk Data Systems be liable to you for any damages, including any lost profits, lost savings or other incidental or consequential damages arising from the use of or inability to use this software, even if Falk Data Systems has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Easy Format 3.00 Page 58 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide ------------- Registration: ------------- Easy Format is NOT a public domain program. It is Copyright (c) 1988, 1989,1990 by Falk Data Systems. Easy Format is distributed on a try-before-you-buy basis. If you use the software after the evaluation period, you must purchase it from Falk Data Systems. If you are familiar with the idea behind Shareware then you know that Shareware is the ultimate in money back guarantees. Most money back guarantees work like this: You pay for the product and then have some period of time to try it out and see whether or not you like it. If you don't like it or find that it doesn't do what you need, you return it (undamaged) and at some point - which might take months - you get your money back. Some software companies won't even let you try their product out! In order to qualify for a refund, the diskette envelope must have an unbroken seal. With these "licensing" agreements you only qualify for your money back, if you haven't tried the product. How absurd! Shareware is very different. With Shareware you get to try it for a limited time without ever spending a penny. If you don't like it, you throw it away and forget all about it. No paperwork, phone calls, or correspondence to waste your valuable time. After trying a Shareware product and deciding that you like it and want to keep it, then - and only then - do you pay for it. Not only that, but Shareware is traditionally MUCH less expensive simply because you are paying for the software not the advertising and marketing that comprises the majority of the cost of most software. If that sounds like an ideal way to make your purchase decisions, you're right! Some companies burden their products with annoying copy protection schemes because they don't trust their users. Shareware developers not only don't use copy protection, they freely distribute their products because they DO trust their users. Someone once said that you should never trust software which doesn't trust you. This makes a lot of sense - no wonder Shareware is becoming so popular among users and developers. Easy Format is Shareware. You are free to copy it and pass it out to your friends and associates. We not only don't mind if you do, we encourage you to pass it out. What better testimony to the usefulness of a product, than the word-of-mouth (or disk) Easy Format 3.00 Page 59 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide advertising by the people who actually use the product? If you like it, chances are, your friends will too. The only requirement to passing out Easy Format, is that you pass it out as a complete package - including the documentation, "Read.Me" files, and executable programs, and that you don't alter or modify any part of the package in any way. If you use the product for more than 30 days, you must become a registered user. Using the product for more than 30 days without registering is a violation of federal copyright laws. Becoming a registered user is NOT optional. If you intend to continue using Easy Format you MUST pay for it. Failure to do so is a violation of federal copyright laws and of the terms of your limited license. Easy Format 3.00 Page 60 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide Benefits of Becoming a Registered User: ======================================= When you become a registered user of Easy Format you are entitled to many benefits. With your registration (purchase) fee, and completed registration form, you get additional benefits including: o The next version sent to you on disk, automatically, at no extra charge. o Free technical support. o Discounts on other products from Falk Data Systems. o Automatic notification of future changes, modifications, and new versions, as long as we have your current address (so that mail can reach you). o Automatic notification of other products and releases from Falk Data Systems. o The opportunity to get new versions sometimes weeks or months before non-registered (illegal) users. o The opportunity to have all future versions shipped to you automatically as soon as they are released. o The opportunity to get the source code for every program in the Easy Format package. o The opportunity to get complete technical information concerning floppy disks, drives, and formatting. o Optionally, we can send you an evaluation form that contains a list of features being considered for a future version. This gives you a direct vote and voice in the future of the Easy Format package. When we receive your registration form and payment, we will mail you a receipt for your payment. We will also send you a letter outlining plans and announcements for future versions. Easy Format 3.00 Page 61 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide Technical Support: ================== Free technical support is available to all registered users of Easy Format. If you are a registered user and have a question, problem, or need help in any way, please feel free to contact us for technical support. We are here to help you. Falk Data Systems wants its customers to be happy with our products. We will do our best to help you get the most out of Easy Format. Most technical support questions are answered in the Easy Format User's Guide (this document). So before contacting us for technical support, please try to find the answer to your question in the User's Guide. If you are unable to find the information you need, then please feel free to contact us. Perhaps you've come across something that should be included in the User's Guide in the future. You may obtain technical support by writing or calling Falk Data Systems. You may write to us at the following address: Falk Data Systems Easy Format Technical Support 5322 Rockwood Court El Paso, Texas 79932 U.S.A. Or you may call our technical support line at (915) 584-7670. Our hours are 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Mountain time, Monday through Friday. You may also EasyPlex messages to us on CompuServe [71420,2431]. We check our messages every working day, and frequently on weekends too. Obtaining Updates: ================== Distributing a new version of a shareware product can be more expensive than most people realize. Hundreds of disks must be sent to shareware distributors, computer user groups, clubs and organizations, magazine editors, and more. This is in addition to sending copies to all the registered users who are entitled to the new version. The process is costly not only in postage, but also in time and energy. Therefore, we don't always send out updates and modifications to all the usual channels. This is one of the reasons registered users are often able to acquire updates and new versions long before non-registered (illegal) users. Easy Format 3.00 Page 62 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide Whenever a new version is released, it is sent FIRST to all registered users who are entitled to the new version. Their copy goes in the mail even before copies to magazine editors and columnists. Some versions are sent ONLY to registered users and NOT to anyone else. We are still receiving registration forms from the original version (1.0). Unless you are a registered user, you have no reliable way of knowing whether you have the most current version or an older, less capable version. This clearly shows yet another benefit to becoming a registered user. When you become a registered user of Easy Format, we will send you the next version on disk, automatically, as soon as it becomes available. If a new version has already been released, and you are registering an older version, the newest version will be sent to you immediately. If you are a long time registered user, and have already received your free update, we have other opportunities for you to obtain updates at substantially reduced costs. Complete information is sent automatically to registered users who have already received their free update. The Easy Format Tech Kit: ========================= If you are a programmer or developer, or someone who enjoys technical details, then we have something just for you. The "Easy Format Tech Kit" is available to registered users of Easy Format for an additional fee. The Easy Format Tech Kit is a commercial product and must be paid for in advance. The Easy Format Tech Kit comes with several items, including those listed below. The Easy Format Tech Kit includes a printed, 80+ page technical reference document that tells you everything you ever wanted to know about floppy disks and drives (and then some). You would have to purchase over a dozen books to get all the technical information that is condensed into this one easy to read source. The printed manual that comes with the Easy Format Tech Kit, contains over 200 pages of detailed information, designed to help you get the most out of the package. The Easy Format Tech Kit includes the following items, and more. The complete source code for FormatF.EXE - Written entirely in assembly language. This includes the source code, and printed documentation, for DOSLIB, an assembly language mini-library that will make your assembly language work much easier. Easy Format 3.00 Page 63 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide The source code for DvFormat.EXE - Written entirely in assembly language. This includes the source code, and printed documentation, for DVLIB, an assembly language mini-library designed specifically for assembly language programming under the DESQview multitasking environment. The DvFormat source code requires the DESQview API Reference Manual (which comes with a disk containing DVAPI.INC) from Quarterdeck Office Systems, in order to reassemble the program. The source code for EzFormat.EXE - written in Turbo Pascal (version 5.5) and assembly language. This source code requires Turbo Professional (version 5.08) from TurboPower Software in order to recompile the program. The source code for Txt2Obj, a utility program developed for use in Easy Format. Txt2Obj takes a text file and compresses it, then converts it into an .OBJ file that can be linked directly into your programs. This is the tool used to make Easy Format work in English, German and Spanish. The assembly language source code for FormatF and DvFormat comes with three versions. One for use with OPTASM, OPTLIB, and OPTLINK from SLR Systems. One for use with Borland International's TASM, TLIB, and TLINK, and another for use with Microsoft's MASM, LIB, and LINK. The printed documentation that comes with the Easy Format Tech Kit includes several flow charts to help you get the most out of the source code. For complete details on how you can get your copy of the Easy Format Tech Kit, please see the order form at the end of this User's Guide. Easy Format 3.00 Page 64 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide Why Payment Must be in U.S. Funds Drawn on a U.S. Bank: ======================================================= Most U.S. software companies require payment in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank. Are they just lazy or what? When we first started in this business we didn't enforce this inconvenient restriction, but we soon found out why others do. When we received the check for our first order from Canada, the bank charged us $9.00 more than the check was worth, to cash it. When we received the check for our first order from Europe (West Germany), the bank charged us $35.00 to cash the check. In some cases we were losing money on every sale. When you lose money on every sale you can't afford to make any more sales. This is rather absurd for a business that has bills to pay and people to support. Because of these problems we are now forced to require that every payment be in U.S. funds, drawn on a U.S. bank. This is not because we are lazy or inconsiderate, it is simply the only way we can stay in business. Easy Format 3.00 Page 65 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide --------------------------- What is Falk Data Systems?: --------------------------- Falk Data Systems is a privately held software developing company committed to providing top quality software at reasonable prices. Falk Data Systems believes that the primary purpose of business is service not profit. This concept is fundamental to Falk Data Systems approach to product development, production and marketing. Other Products From Falk Data Systems: ====================================== The Programmer's Productivity Pack: ----------------------------------- The Programmer's Productivity Pack is a software package designed specifically for programmers and software developers. It is an integrated package providing tools to make their jobs easier. The Programmer's Productivity Pack includes the most full featured Programmer's Calculator available today; a pop up ASCII and Color Attribute Chart; a detailed interactive Keystroke Reference Center; a Keystroke Recording and Playback facility that can save Keystroke Recordings to disk for future use; a Screen Grabber that grabs text off your screen for use as a Keystroke Recording (the screen grabber includes customizable end-of-line characters); Screen Capture with customizable filtering, Screen Saver with hard disk parking, background printing, a 200+ page printed User's Manual, and much much more. The built-in Programmer's Calculator performs operations in decimal, hexadecimal, binary and octal simultaneously. Its operations include SHL/SHR, SAL/SAR, ROL/ROR, RCL/RCR, AND, NOT, OR, XOR, XCHG, and more. It works with full 32 bit values in both signed and unsigned formats. The Programmer's Productivity Pack is fully customizable and comes with free technical support and a full 30 day money back guarantee. The Programmer's Productivity Pack requires PC/MS-DOS 2.0 or higher on an IBM PC,XT,AT, PS/2 or compatible. It supports all common video adapter and monitor combinations, including dual monitor systems. The Programmer's Productivity Pack is even compatible with the programs that traditionally cause problems for other memory resident programs, including Sidekick, and Microsoft's Quick Basic 4.5 or later. The Programmer's Productivity Pack includes a version compatible with DESQview that can be run in a window. Easy Format 3.00 Page 66 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide If you would like more information about The Programmer's Productivity Pack, including a full color brochure and a complete list of magazine articles and reviews that have appeared about it, then please check the appropriate box on the Easy Format registration form. We are currently shipping version 2.02 of the Programmer's Productivity Pack. Registered users of Easy Format are entitled to a 15% discount off the retail price of The Programmer's Productivity Pack. The ASCII Poster Set: --------------------- The ASCII Poster Set includes a 26" by 20" two-color wall poster of the ASCII and IBM extended character sets, and an 8 1/2" by 11" smaller reproduction. These posters provide each character along with its decimal and hexadecimal value as well as a logical grouping of the common box drawing characters. Registered users of Easy Format are entitled to a discount of more than 30% off the retail price of the ASCII Poster Set. Easy Format 3.00 Page 67 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide --------------------- Trademarks Mentioned: --------------------- Falk Data Systems and The Programmer's Productivity Pack are trademarks of Falk Data Systems. Microsoft and MS-DOS are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. IBM, PC-DOS, and PC/XT/AT and PS/2 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. DESQview is a trademark of Quarterdeck Office Systems. OPTASM, OPTLINK, and OPTLIB are trademarks or registered trademarks of SLR Systems. Turbo Professional is a registered trademark of Sunny Hill Software, used under license to TurboPower Software. TurboPower Software is a trademark of TurboPower Software. Turbo Pascal, Turbo Assembler and Turbo Debugger are registered trademarks of Borland International. Other trademarks of other companies mentioned in this document appear for identification purposes only. Easy Format 3.00 Page 68 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide -------------------------- Ideas for Future Versions: -------------------------- We already have a long list of improvements and new features for future versions. These include not only improvements to the software, but to the documentation as well. Several new options and controls are planned for future versions. New techniques are being tested which will enable Easy Format to run even faster in the future. While developing Easy Format, we developed a technique for detecting and eradicating the kinds of computer viruses that infect boot sectors. Along with this, we stumbled across a technique that can help to prevent such virus infections from occurring in the first place. We plan to develop a utility program that incorporates these techniques, which you can use to protect yourself from boot sector type viruses. We plan to make this utility program available only to registered users of Easy Format. It will be available directly through Falk Data Systems and will not be distributed as shareware. The main reason for this is to prevent someone from modifying the program to reduce its effectiveness, and then passing it around. If the program is shipped from Falk Data Systems directly to you in a sealed envelope, then the chances of someone modifying it are greatly reduced. When will this be released? We won't make any promises or announce any shipping dates, until it actually happens. Of course, if people don't register their copy of Easy Format, then it leads us to believe that no one is using the product and that it is therefore not worth any more time or effort. An amazing amount of work went into this version of the Easy Format package. Let us know how you like it and how we can improve it. Let us know that you think it was worth all the time and energy it took to develop. We do listen, and we do read every suggestion sent to us. We do our best to answer every letter we receive, but, like you, we can at times get swamped with letters to write. So we can't guarantee that we will answer every letter, but we will give it our best shot. Easy Format 3.00 Page 69 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 User's Guide ------------------------ Suggesting Improvements: ------------------------ If you have suggestions or comments regarding Easy Format, please feel free to pass them on to us. Those who have used products from Falk Data Systems in the past know that we go to great lengths to incorporate any suggestions in future releases. At Falk Data Systems we take your needs seriously! Please take the time to write or call and let us know what you like, or don't like, about our products. As an additional benefit to you, if you come up with an idea that no one else has suggested, and we implement your suggestion in a future release, you will get a free copy of that release! We believe that you should be rewarded for your ideas. The people who use software, and the people who design it, are a team. When they communicate with each other, the end product continues to grow and develop to meet the changing needs of its users. The artificial barrier between software developers and end users is not a good thing for the computer industry. At Falk Data Systems we want to maintain a close relationship between the developers and the users. Please let us know how we can serve your needs better. Thanks for your support and we look forward to hearing from you soon. Easy Format 3.00 Page 70 of 73 Easy Format 3.00 Registration and Order Form Your Name: ___________________________________________________ Company: ________________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ City: __________________________ State/Province: ________________ Country: _________________________ Zip/Postcode: ________________ Daytime Phone Number: (_______) _______-__________ ------------------------------------------------------------------ Computer Make: _________________________ Model: _________________ Video: __MDA __CGA __EGA __MCGA __VGA __Hercules Other:__________ Monitor: __Monochrome __Color __Black-and-White Other____________ DOS Version: ________ Do you use a multi-tasking system? __Yes __No If yes, which one? __DESQview __OmniView __OS/2 Other_________ Do you have a hard disk? __Yes __No Floppy diskette sizes you use: 5 1/4" __360Kb __1.2Mb 3 1/2" __720Kb __1.44Mb Other (please specify): _____________________________________ Printer Make: ______________________ Model: _____________________ How much RAM memory do you have? _______________Kbytes Do you use expanded or extended memory? __Yes __No If yes, how much? ____________________Mbytes Which language do you prefer? __English __German __Spanish Other___________________ Easy Format 3.00 Registration and Order Form Page 1 of 3 Easy Format 3.00 Registration and Order Form If you have a computer with more than two floppy diskette drives, please list how many it has and what the sizes are. This will help us to determine some of the additional features required in future versions of Easy Format. Thank you. __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Thank you for taking the time to fill out and send in this information. It will help us to provide you with even better software and service in the future. Easy Format Ordering Information ---------------------------------- Easy Format Registration Fee (purchase price) ..............$25.00 Current Version on Disk in a Sealed Envelope: U.S. & Mexico: $10.00 Canada: $12.00 International: $15.00 The following items are available to registered users (those who have paid the $25.00 purchase price): Easy Format Printed User's Guide ......................... *$10.00 Easy Format Tech Kit ..................................... *$45.00 For items including a printed manual (marked with "*"), please add the appropriate shipping and handling charge, as shown below: Shipping and Handling (for items including a printed manual): Country: Ground: Air: Overnight: U.S. and Mexico $ 5.00 $ 7.00 $10.00 Canada ------ $ 8.00 $15.00 International ------ $15.00 ------ If you need to register more than five copies of Easy Format, or obtain more than five copies of the Tech Kit, please contact us for volume discounts and site license agreements. For your convenience, an order form is provided on the following page. Easy Format 3.00 Registration and Order Form Page 3 of 3 Easy Format 3.00 Registration and Order Form Easy Format Order Form ------------------------ Easy Format Registration (purchase) ___ at $25.00 each: $_________ Easy Format on Disk in a Sealed Envelope: ___ at $______ each: $_________ --- The following items are available to Registered Users --- Easy Format Printed User's Guide: ___ at $10.00 each: *$_________ Easy Format Tech Kit ..............___ at $45.00 each: *$_________ Texas residents please add 8% state sales tax ..........$_________ Shipping and Handling (see chart on page 2) ............$_________ ----------------- Total: $_________ Please indicate the disk size you prefer: __5 1/4" __3 1/2" Would you like us to send you complete information about The Programmer's Productivity Pack and the ASCII Wall Poster Set? __Yes __No Payment must be in U.S. funds, drawn on a U.S. bank. Please send the completed form, along with a check or money order for the correct amount, to: Falk Data Systems Technical Support: (915) 584-7670 5322 Rockwood Court El Paso, Texas 79932 Orders Only: (800) 326-5615 U.S.A. Easy Format 3.00 Registration and Order Form Page 3 of 3