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SKIP'S COMPUTER MISCELLANEA #4 (C) Copyright 1988 by C. F. "Skip" Mowery, Jr. Colonel, USAF (Ret.) 406 Van Reed Manor Drive Brandon FL 33511 813-689-4212 "Skip's Computer Miscellanea" is copyrighted material and remains the property of the author, who reserves all rights to its publication, reproduction and distribution, with the following single exception: it may be freely copied and distributed electronically via computer for personal non-commercial use, provided that the content is not modified, that it is not copied to or distributed on any form of print media and that it is not copied or distributed by or for any type of business endeavor without the prior written permission of the author. ***** Your comments about this material and questions about any aspect of computing are welcome. This material originates on the Computer Archives BBS in Tampa, Florida, at 813-968-6220. ***** SOFTWARE REVIEWS AR221.ARC This archive contains the Arcmaster system, a menu-driven archive-files management utility. In order to use its basic features, you must have a copy of the archive/unarchive utilities by either Phil Katz (PKARC/PKXARC) or V. Buerg (ARCA/ARC-E). To be able to use all of Arcmaster's features, Katz' ARC programs must be available together with Buerg's LIST program. The purpose of Arcmaster is to enable you easily to find archive files, list the files within them, browse through any included text files (via LIST), pack files into archives and unpack files from archives, all via one menu-driven program that coordinates the operations of Katz' and Buerg's programs. Extra features include automatic storage of new archives in a pre- designated "Arc" directory, automatic storage of unpacked files in a pre-designated "Dearc" directory, the ability to change, make and remove directories from within Arcmaster, and a DOS shell for perfor- ming other DOS functions and then returning to Arcmaster. Also, files can be tagged or untagged individually or globally for archiving or un-archiving. Plus, pre-set function-key commands save you time and effort. For example, when you want to unpack files, F1 takes you to the "Arc" directory and lists all ARC files in that directory and, when you want to archive individual files, F2 takes you to the "Dearc" directory and lists all files of any type in that directory. Finally, 10 pre-configured file masks and 10 pre-configured directory names can be set up as macros. Below is the Arcmaster main menu with the "Dos" submenu pulled down. Note that the second text line changes to show the purpose of the currently highlighted option. (The "Base Dir" is the directory, designated by the user, in which all the Arcmaster files reside.) Arcmaster Main Menu: 08:08:45 Arcmaster 2.21 Unregistered Evaluation Copy 03/27/88 ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Change, Make, Remove directory, go to Base Dir, or temporarily exit to DOS ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── UnArchive Archive Search Files Dos Xtra ═════════════════════════════════════════════════════╤═════════════╤══════════ │ Base Dir │ │ Chdir │ │ Mkdir │ │ Rmdir │ │ Enter DOS │ ┌──────────────── System Information » Ctrl-R to Re│ Go Arc Dir │────────┐ │ Drive Label: HARD DISK │ Dearc Dir │ │ │ Directory: C:\WORKING\WORK3 └─────────────┘ │ │ Base dir: C:\WORKING\WORK3 │ │ Arc dir: C:\WORKING\WORK3 │ │ UnArc dir: C:\WORKING\WORK3 │ │ Bytes avail: 20,961,280 │ │ Bytes used: 12,648,448 [61%] │ │ Bytes free: 8,312,832 [39%] │ │ Drive list: CD │ │ ARC sytem: PKware │ └───────────────────── Copyright 1987 by New-Ware ────────────────────────┘ The following is the Arcmaster Help screen available via ^H when any of the menu actions pertaining to file lists are being used: ╔═══════════════════ Commands while viewing files ═══════════════════╗ ║ <ENTER> - On directory changes to that directory ║ ║ ALPHA KEY - Move to first file name beginning with alpha key ║ ║ SPACE BAR, + or - to Tag/Untag individual files ║ ║ Alt T - Show tagged or all files (a toggle) ║ ║ Ctrl D - To change disk drive ║ ║ Ctrl \ - Change to parent of this directory ║ ║ Ctrl S - Display directories or file (a toggle) ║ ║ Ctrl T - Tag all files ║ ║ Ctrl U - Untag all files ║ ║ <ENTER> - on file calls LIST to browse file ║ ║ TAB - on ARC file shows comments (if using PKware) ║ ║ Alt C - on ARC file updates comments (if using PKARC) ║ ║ <ENTER> - on ARC file views ARC directory listing ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ ┌───────────────────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────────────────────┐ │ 3 total files │ │ Tag files with "+" or space bar │ │ 0 files tagged │ │ Use arrow or page keys to browse│ │ 0 bytes tagged │ │ Press RETURN to list │ │ Page 1 of 1 pages │ │ Press letter key to move to file│ │ 0% of empty data disk │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────┘ └─────────────────────────────────┘ The following is the Function Key Menu that pops up when "k" is pressed from the Arcmaster Main Menu: ┌──────── Function Keys ─────────┐ │ │ │ F1 - Go to ARCDIR for deARCing │ │ F2 - Go to UNARCDIR for ARCing │ │ F3 - Change ARCHIVE directory │ │ F4 - Change UNARC directory │ │ F5 - View all files │ │ F6 - View files - use mask │ │ F7 - Go to BASE directory │ │ F8 - Go to ARCDIR │ │ F9 - Go to UNARCDIR │ │ F0 - Display drive data │ └────────────────────────────────┘ I gave this program a fairly thorough test and everything seems to work as advertised, once you set up your system properly. Arcmaster's menus are colorful and it's easy to set up, learn and use. A comprehensive DOC file explains everything you need to know and the on-screen prompts and other help provide adequate reminders for those functions that you forget how to use -- with one exception: only the DOC file tells you about the "k" trigger for the function key menu; so you either have to remember that trigger or remember the functions of the 10 function keys. A reminder about the ^H file-management help screen is only displayed when you are dealing with file lists, but that's logical, since you wouldn't need (and can't access) that help screen at any other time. One thing I found slightly annoying was the fact that you can't exit the program via the Esc key, even though you can leave virtually every other function with that key. To exit, you either have to move to the "Xtra" option on the main menu and then press E or move the highligh- ting to the Exit option on the drop-down menu and press Return. It's also possible to exit via Alt-X, but that's only mentioned in the DOC file and it's one more thing you have to remember. This is a shareware product. Users who register Arcmaster receive a copy of "Arcmaster Plus". The DOC file indicates that some of the additional features available in Arcmaster Plus are: + Selection of different color sets. + Format 360kb/1.2mb floppy disks + Batch Move, copy, delete files. + Print ARC directory listings. + Print directory listings. + Combined in-ARC and regular file search. + Interface with Buerg's ARCF text search utility. + Execute programs and return. + Supports 500 files/200 ARC files (more if requested). + Shareware screen removed. The shareware screen referred to in the last item appears when you exit Arcmaster and stays on the screen for about 5 seconds after you press any key. (Apparently, a prior version had the shareware screen appear when you entered the program, but that is no longer the case.) If you do a lot of archiving and un-archiving at one time or if you are an unconscionably poor typist when entering file names, Arcmaster could be helpful. NARC13.ARC Before deciding about Arcmaster, however, be sure to take a look at NARC13.ARC. NARC is a very similar utility, the major differences being that NARC is only for un-arcing files -- but it doesn't require any other utilities to perform its functions. Un-arcing via NARC is about 20% slower than PKXARC, but with most reasonably-sized archives that's only a matter of seconds. Also, NARC provides its own browse function for viewing text files within archives and it works fine. Finally, NARC is just as colorful as Arcmaster and NARC also uses some interesting sound effects (which the author refers to as "technoflash" and which can be turned off). Here's what NARC looks like after you've selected a directory to view: NARC Ver. 1.3 - Pathname C:\MISC\ARC\NARC13.ARC Name Length Disk Stowage Ver Stored Saved Date Time CRC ════════════ ═══════ ════ ════════ ═══ ═══════ ═════ ═════════ ══════ ═════ INFO .DOC 2674 3k Crunched 8 1643 39% 27 Jun 87 2:42p 4DFB NARC .DOC 64064 63k Crunched 8 23655 64% 11 Nov 87 10:04p 900E NARC .EXE 22295 22k Crunched 8 19254 14% 23 Nov 87 10:39p 7CE2 NARC .NEW 5567 6k Crunched 8 3000 47% 23 Nov 87 10:33p F519 NARC .REV 3654 4k Crunched 8 1840 50% 7 Nov 87 10:56p E988 PRINTDOC.BAT 438 1k Crunched 8 292 34% 8 Aug 87 6:31p 6E08 README .NRC 1251 2k Crunched 8 814 35% 8 Aug 87 12:28p BD08 REGISTER.FRM 1065 2k Crunched 8 542 50% 14 Sep 87 2:33p D939 (c)1987 ═══ ═══════ ════ ═══════ ═══ Infinity Design Concepts Totals 8 101008 103k 51040 50% 0 Tagged 0 ───────────────────────────────── F10 = HELP ───────────────────────────────── Extract View Print ARC-wind DRV-wind SUB-wind Quit Extract Single File or Tagged Files. Note that the last line changes to describe each option on the line above it as the highlighting is moved from option to option. ("Ex- tract" was highlighted when this screen was captured.) Note also that a reminder about the F10 Help screen is always available. The "-wind" options refer to windows of menus for showing/selecting archive files, available drives and/or available directories. Here's NARC's Help screen: ∞ Infinity Design Concepts ∞ NARC help facility Copyright (c) 1987,88 Gary Conway ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ F1 - Execute highlighted function (mimics left mouse button) F2 - Pop up ARC-Wind or Show ARCs in Sub-Wind F3 - (or Space Bar) "Tags" highlighted file for tagged extraction. F4 - Print ARC sub files in same format as screen. F5 - Invokes NARC command processor, also allows exiting to DOS. F6 - Tag ALL Subfiles. F7 - Reverse tag status of all files. F10 - This screen. ALT-F10 - Trivia status screen. PgUp - Go to next page of ARC subfile list. PgDn - Go to previous page of ARC subfile list. Home - Go to top of ARC subfile list. End - Go to end of ARC subfile list. F - Find wildcard match file in ARChive. "*" and "?" are ok to use. K - Kill (delete) highlighted file from ARChive. ESC,X,Q - Any of these keys will exit NARC. ══════════════════ Any Key to Resume NARC ═════════════════ Note that NARC has a file printing function. If you want to see how Arcmaster's printing function works, you have to register. If you do a lot more un-arcing than arcing, you might find NARC to be more helpful and easier to use than Arcmaster. SNIPPER.ARC Finally! ... A memory-resident screen-capture utility that is easy and flexible and that doesn't take a lot of memory (3712 bytes). Download this one now. It's what I used to capture the screens shown in the reviews above. SNIPPER allows you to capture a portion or all of the current screen display. The selected portion may be printed, written to disk or "entered in the keyboard buffer". The BAS, ASM and COM versions are included. There is no DOC file, but here's what the introduction in the ASM file says: "Activate SNIPPER by pressing ALT-W, then position the cursor in the upper left corner of the window using the arrow keys. Press CR to fix the first corner, then expand the window with arrow keys. Finally, type "P" to print, "F" for disk file, "G" to retrieve or CR for a help menu. Press ESC any time to exit SNIPPER. When installing SNIPPER, use the optional parameters to expand it's internal buffer for displays (such as the EGA) containing more than the standard 25 rows and 80 columns, as follows: SNIPPER [rows,columns]" Don't worry about remembering anything but "Alt-W" (upper or lower case w). After Alt-W, you'll see a large cursor. Use the arrow keys to put the cursor at the upper left corner of the part of the screen you want to capture. Press Return. Then use the arrow keys to expand the capture area -- everything in the capture area will be in reverse video, which makes it really easy and fast to use. Once the capture area is completely in reverse video, press Return. That will give you a small menu offering the choices of P for Print, F for file or G for Get. If you enter F for file, SNIPPER will allow you to name an output file or just press Return for the default file name, SCREEN.CUT. And here's a nice touch: each subsequent capture will be appended to the same file (unless you change the file name, of course). I'm not sure of the purpose of the G option, but my experiments lead me to one: execute any command or executable filename on the screen at the DOS level by capturing the command or filename and pressing G. SNIPPER is definitely a keeper. I don't know how I got along without it until now. I've used it from within a wide variety of applications (including my comm program) and have never had any problems with it -- and I apparently don't have any software that also uses Alt-W for something. TELEPORT.ARC Speaking of capturing screens: every once in a while, I run across a program that really excites me, and Teleport is one of those programs. Teleport is a memory-resident program that facilitates cutting and pasting and otherwise editing data within and between different programs or files. With it, you can capture and edit up to 4 different screens of data and display them simultaneously. Teleport also can save the captured screens as ASCII files, and that means that you could use them as pop-up reference screens. It's incredibly simple to use: -- Alt-T activates Teleport and presents you with 4 separate screens, with the active screen's border highlighted. -- Press Esc to exit. -- Press the space bar to change the active screen. -- Press S to import into the active screen the display that existed just before you activated Teleport. -- Using the arrow keys, scroll the content of the active screen up, down and sideways. -- Press Return to zoom the current screen to fill the full monitor screen. Now, you can: --- Press Esc to return to the 4-screen mode. --- Move the cursor around and edit wherever you please. --- Press F9 to mark the top left corner of a block to be cut, and press F10 to mark the lower right corner and highlight the block. Then: ---- Move about Teleport and press F3 to paste the saved data block onto a new location/screen. ---- Leave Teleport (Esc, Esc) and enter another application and press Ctrl-Left Shift to paste the saved data block into the new application. -- Press F1 for a save/retrieve menu that lets you save the active screen or retrieve a saved screen into the active screen. That's all there is to it: Alt-T, Esc, Space Bar, S, Return, F9, F10, Ctrl-Left Shift, and F1. Only nine commands to remember, most of which become easy to remember after using them a couple of times. I highly recommend Teleport. It's not only useful; it's easy and it's even fun! I can think of a zillion practical uses for it. (Well, several anyway.) QEDIT203.ARC And speaking of using multiple screens and simultaneous editing, how about having up to 8 screens to work with at one time?! I'm not going to give you a full review of QEDIT. I'm just going to say this: QEDIT is an extraordinary text editor. If you don't download it and give it a try, you will be missing the opportunity to have a really fine piece of software. Take my word for it. (Let's hear a chorus of "yessir!") Plus, the archive includes two other small programs, SHOWKEY and CHUNKER, that can be a big help, not only with QEDIT, but also with other applications. [Hints: press any key or combination of keys and see the ASCII or extended code applicable to the key(s), and divide a large text file into smaller individual files.] It might be worth your while downloading QEDIT just to see these two smaller programs. **********