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-
- CATS - A Multi-Disk Cataloging Utility
-
- Version 2.2
-
- by William C. Parke (c) Copyright 1986,1987
- for CHUG, Capital Heath Users' Group
- P.O. Box 16406, Arlington, Va.
- 22215-1406
-
- Suggestions for Improvement by
-
- Jerry Horwitz
- Douglas Clark
- and
- Larry Sites
-
- of CHUG
-
-
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
-
- This document has been review and edited by Jerry Horwitz, CHUG MSDOS
- SIG Coordinator Emeritus, who made many corrections and additions.
- Jerry also tested the program, and made many useful suggestions for
- enhancing it.
-
- Douglas Clark, the new CHUG MSDOS SIG Coordinator, spent many hours
- testing the program and thinking of ways to improve it. His incisive
- mind led to the correction of a very difficult to find program bug.
-
- The author consulted with the CHUG SYSOP Emeritus, Larry Sites, during
- program development to gain from his wisdom.
-
- INTRODUCTION:
-
- CATS is a directory-cataloging program for MS-DOS computer systems.
- CATS will generate a catalog file which lists the volume label and all
- directories and files on each disk selected by the user for cataloging
- (including floppy diskettes, hard-disk partitions, and RAM disks). If
- the catalog file exists, CATS will append the new data to it. If the
- catalog file does not exist, CATS will create it.
-
- The listing for each file on the disks cataloged is in the form of a
- record consisting of one line in the catalog file. This record
- includes fields for the filename and extension, an abbreviated listing
- of attributes, size, date and time of last write, disk volume label,
- path, and space for special comments (which can be added with an
- editor) about each file to identify its purpose. The catalog file can
- be sorted according to any or all of these fields by means of the
- sorting utility SORTS supplied with CATS. Cataloging your removable
- disks will give you the ability to find any file in your library of
- disks by simply using an editor or file listing utility to search the
- catalog for the desired file. As disks are modified, their directories
- can be added to the catalog and, by sorting on the volume label, the
- catalog can be edited to remove obsolete entries. This obviates the
- need for rebuilding a large catalog from scratch.
-
- The advantages of CATS over other cataloging programs include:
-
- 1. Speed: CATS was written in assembly language, and operates very
- quickly.
-
- 2. Multiple drives: CATS lets you use any number of drives. While one
- is being used, another can be loaded with a new disk. CATS works with
- any drives supported by the operating system.
-
- 3. Ease of use: CATS provides explicit instructions and detailed
- information on what operation it is performing. A minimal number of
- keystrokes is used for each command.
-
- 4. Flexibility: You can use a different catalog file each time CATS is
- run. The default catalog file name and its format can be changed.
- CATS and the catalog file can be in different directories or even on
- different disks.
-
- 5. Universality: CATS should run on any generic MS-DOS computer.
-
- 6. Useful format: The catalog file will have a fixed record format
- with fields for all useful directory data and is suitable for a
- sorting program to operate on any or all of these fields.
-
- 7. Handles many disks: The catalog file is limited only by the
- capability of the selected sorting program and by available disk space
- to store the catalog (nominally 80 bytes per record, including the
- carriage return and line feed). CATS puts no limit on the catalog file
- size.
-
- INVOKING CATS
-
- Before running CATS, .change its name from CATS??.COM on your disk to
- CATS.COM.
-
- The command syntax for CATS is:
-
- CATS x: [catname][/s]
-
- where x: is a valid drive name for the disk you wish cataloged,
- and
- [catname] is the optional drive:\path\filename for your catalog
- file.
- If no catname is given, the default: \CAT\CATS.DIR is used.
- [/s] represents optional switches. s=
- V to Verify current disk volume label,
- N to Not write your new volume label onto current disk,
- M to Make sequential numerical volume labels,
- D to Display disk files onto the console,
- F to Force a comma Field separator,
- C to Change the default catname
- within CATS.COM stored on your disk drive.
- (No drive name x: is needed for this option.)
- All switches can be combined (e.g. /NVDC ).
-
- Note that the entry for the drive name of the drive containing the
- disk to be cataloged must be provided, unless the switch 'C' is used.
- However, the entry associated with the catalog file (catname) is
- optional. If no catalog file is given, the default catalog file
- \CAT\CATS.DIR will be used. This default name can be changed with the
- 'C' switch. All of the switches are optional.
-
- CATS.COM must reside in the current directory or in a directory
- defined in the search PATH. The directory containing the catalog file
- must exist and must be reachable from the current drive\directory. If
- CATS.COM resides in a directory defined in the search PATH and
- "catpath" reaches the directory containing the catalog file from the
- root directory, you can run CATS from any subdirectory.
-
- EXAMPLES OF USE
-
- To catalog the disk in drive B: into the default catalog file, use the
- command
-
- CATS B:
-
- (This form assumes that the directory containing the default catalog
- file is reachable from the current drive and directory.) The catalog
- list of all files on B: will be placed in the default catalog file
- (\CAT\CATS.DIR on the default drive, unless the user has changed the
- default). If the catalog file is not found, you will be asked if you
- wish it to be created. In order for CATS to create the catalog file,
- the given directory path must exist.
-
- To catalog the disk in drive B: into a catalog file other than the
- default file, such as SPECIAL.DIR on the disk in drive A:, use the
- command:
-
- CATS B: A:SPECIAL.DIR
-
- This will add the information for the files on the disk in drive B: to
- the catalog file SPECIAL.DIR on the disk in drive A:.
-
- To catalog a series of disks using drive A:, verifying each volume
- label, electing to display the disk files on the console, making
- volume serial numbers, and not writing the new volume labels on the
- disk, use:
-
- CATS A: /VDMN
-
- The catalog for this series of disks will be appended to the default
- catalog.
-
- More on Command-Line Switches
-
- CATS can be invoked using one or more of the available command-line
- switches. Example valid forms for invoking these switches include
-
- /V for the single switch V
- /VNM for three switches
- /V /N /M for the same three switches as the previous case
-
- Volume Label Verify Switch /V
-
- The V switch allows you change the volume label on the disks you are
- cataloging, even if these disks already have a volume label. For
- example, the command
-
- CATS A: /V
-
- causes CATS to first read the volume label on the disk in drive A:. If
- one is not found, you will be asked to supply one. If one is present,
- you will be shown it and asked if you wish to change it. If you answer
- Y for yes, you will be asked to supply a new name. A volume label can
- contain all valid file name characters:
-
- A-Z 0-9 $ & # % ' ( ) - @ ^ { } ~ ` ! and _.
-
- In addition, spaces can be used. Lower case letters are mapped to
- upper case. The /V switch allows you to relabel your disks in a
- logical fashion according to the order you have arranged them. After
- the volume label is changed (if you answered Y for yes), CATS catalogs
- the files on the disk.
-
- No Write Volume Label Switch /N
-
- The N switch prevents CATS from writing any new volume label onto the
- disk itself. This is useful for cataloging write-protected disks which
- have no labels, to catalog low density disks in high density drives
- (which should not write to those disks, but can read them), to make a
- catalog with disk labels which do not correspond to volume labels, or
- to catalog duplicate disks which you wish to catalog separately. The
- labels you choose to display in the catalog file should be noted on
- the disk paper labels, so that you can identify the physical disk
- which corresponds to a given catalog entry. They do not have to match
- the volume label on the disk.
-
- Make Sequential Numerical Volume Labels Switch /M
-
- The M switch is used to automatically label disks with a sequence of
- numbers. The first eight characters of the volume label can be any
- name which applies to a set of disks. The last three characters are
- reserved for a three digit number. CATS will prompt you for the
- volume set name and the beginning serial number. Each succeeding disk
- cataloged will be given the same eight character name but with a new
- serial number, incremented by one from the previous disk. By using
- both the V and M switches, several sets of disks with different set
- names can be catalogued in one CATS session, with arbitrary starting
- serial numbers.
-
- If you have over 999 disks in one set, CATS will use one more of the
- eleven characters to establish a proper serial number, letting you
- catalog up to 10,000 disks in one series. With both the V and M
- switches on, CATS will prompt you to verify the new disk volume label
- while maintaining a volume serial number. If the new label given is
- satisfactory, you need not change it. However, you may elect to change
- the volume set name or the serial number. CATS will use your name to
- begin a new series of numbered labels.
-
- Force a Comma Field Separator /F
-
- The fields in a CATS catalog are the divisions of each catalog line
- which show a particular aspect of a file. The filename, attribute,
- size, creation date, etc. are all considered separate fields. The
- default field separator in CATS is an single space. Other field
- separation characters would make the catalog less readable to the
- human eye, but possibly more useful if the catalog file is to be used
- as input to a data base or spreadsheet program. A popular field
- separator for these type of programs is a comma. By applying the /F
- switch on the command line of CATS, a comma will be used instead of a
- space to separate fields on each new catalog line. An alternative to
- the /F switch is a patch to CATS which will change the field separator
- to any character you choose. Such patches are described later in this
- document.
-
- Display the Current Disk Files onto the Console /D
-
- If the D switch is selected, CATS will let you display the files on
- the current disk onto your console screen. If the V switch is also
- active, this file list will be given to you before you are asked for a
- new volume label. In this way, you can review the files on the disk
- before deciding on a new volume label.
-
- Change the Default Catalog File Name /C
-
- The C switch lets you change the default catalog file name within the
- CATS.COM program. The catalog file is used by CATS to store the disk
- file catalogs. If you have several distinct group of disks, you may
- wish to have a separate catalog file for each group. Setting the
- default catalog file name to match one group of disks will mean you do
- not have to give that name on the command line while cataloging disks
- in that group.
-
- If the C switch is used without any other character, CATS will prompt
- you for a new catalog name. CATS will accept only valid subdirectory
- names in the catalog path name.
-
- All of the switches described above can be used in combination. For
- example the command:
-
- CATS /VNMC
-
- is valid, and will let you establish a new default catalog file, then
- start cataloging a set of disks, with CATS asking to change the volume
- label, but without writing any new label to the disk.
-
- CATALOGING CONSIDERATIONS
-
- CATS has no limit as to how many disks or directory entries can be
- cataloged. However, the catalog file can grow to substantial size. If
- you intend to store the catalog file on a floppy disk with 360K bytes
- storage, you will be able to catalog about 4,530 files, using the
- default record column length of 78 columns (two additional bytes per
- record are required for the terminator--a carriage return and line
- feed). The default record length may be shortened or lengthened (see
- CHANGING DEFAULT SETTINGS), which changes the maximum number of files
- that can be stored in a given disk space.
-
- To make a sensible catalog of many disks, each disk must be
- identifiable in the catalog list. Disk volume labels serve this
- purpose, and therefore each disk cataloged must have a volume label.
- If CATS finds that a disk volume label is missing, the program will
- ask you to furnish one or to exit the program. To help find that disk
- later, some thought should go into the volume label choice. Sequential
- numbers are often found the most useful, provided these numbers are
- then written on the disk paper labels. As described above, CATS also
- allows you to use volume labels which are different than those stored
- magnetically on the disks.
-
- CATS is streamlined to act efficiently cataloging a complete library
- of disks. When one disk has been cataloged, CATS asks if you wish to
- continue, and gives you the choice of either operating with the same
- drive to catalog another disk, or to change to another drive. By
- switching between drives A: and B:, for example, you can be loading
- one drive while CATS is working on the disk in the other. When
- finished, a carriage return closes the completed catalog file and
- exits back to MS-DOS.
-
- CATALOG FILE STRUCTURE
-
- CATS creates a catalog file, listing each file found on each disk,
- together with its size, date and time of creation, disk volume label,
- and a possible path. Space is reserved to the right in each line to
- add any comments you wish to help identify the file. The sample
- records shown below will help illustrate the structure of the catalog
- files produced by CATS.
-
- FOOBAR EXE 89984 83/11-30 01:23 DISK 000001\...................
- FOOBARS D 85/08-02 02:06 DISK 000001\...................
- MSDOS SYS s 17071 84/09-10 13:25 DISK 000001\...................
- DISK 000 001 V 85/08-02 00:25 DISK 000001\...................
- 104448 86/08-30 10:21 DISK 000001\ <- Free Space.....
-
- The format of each record for the default settings is shown below:
-
- Field description Default Appearance
- ================== ======= ==========
- Filename 1- 8 FILENAME
- Space1 9
- Extension 10-12 EXT
- Space2 13
- Attrib.symbol 14 V D S v d s h
- File size 15-22 12345678
- Space3 23
- Date 24-31 86/08-20
- Space4 32
- Time 33-37 18:45
- Space5 38
- Volume label 39-49 VOLUMELABEL
- Path from root 50- \PATH1\PATH2
- Fill to end - ....
-
- The column positions provided above are the first and last columns of
- each field. These data are useful for specifying the key field
- positions needed by by sorting utilities. These set of positions
- listed are those created by CATS when none of the defaults have been
- changed. See Appendix A for non- default column positions (see also
- CHANGING DEFAULT SETTINGS).
-
- The files are listed in directory order, that is, just as they are
- found in the directory on the disk. Directories are listed to identify
- their creation date, but their display can be suppressed by changing
- defaults. The disk volume label is also given a separate line, so that
- the volume label creation date can be noted. (This has the added
- benefit of showing, in the catalog file, the actual volume label, if
- you have chosen to use a different one in the catalog.) In addition, a
- line will appear which has all spaces in the file name field. This
- line is reserved for indicating the remaining disk space and the
- current date. When a sort (in ascending order) is performed on the
- file name field, all of the disk space information will appear on the
- top of the sorted file.
-
- The attribute field takes one column in the default mode of CATS, with
- one preceding space. The symbols V (volume), D (directory), S
- (system), and h (hidden) flag symbols are used. If D or S show in
- lower case, then the directory or system file was hidden. If V is
- shown in lower case, then the disk had no physical label, and the CATS
- /N switch was used to prevent one from being created on the disk. In
- that case, the label used in the catalog file name field is the one
- supplied by the user during the CATS cataloging session. The archive
- flag is not shown in the default configuration. (See CHANGING DEFAULT
- SETTINGS to see how to change the flag characters.)
-
- Eight columns are reserved for the file size in bytes, with no
- preceding space (unless a comma is used as the field separator, in
- which case only seven columns are used for the file size). As files of
- 10 Megabytes or more are rare, some clear space will nearly always
- appear between the attribute and size fields. If a file size or total
- disk space exceeds the allocated space, question marks will appear in
- the size field.
-
- The date and time indication is non-standard but very logical: The
- order from left to right starts with the largest unit and proceeds to
- the smallest. This format was taken to allow chronological sorting of
- the catalog file based on a single sort over the whole date and time
- field. The format is: Year/Month-Day Hour:Minute. Seconds are omitted
- (unless you change the defaults--see CHANGING DEFAULT SETTINGS to see
- how to change the flag characters) to preserve more comment space on
- the right of the line. If no date or time is recorded in the
- directory, asterisks will appear in the date or time field. Since an
- asterisk is below numbers in an ASCII sort, files without a date or
- time will appear at the beginning of an ascending sort on these
- fields. Files without a date or time are unusual and unorthodox, but
- can be created by some utilities, such as CHKDSK from Microsoft
- Corporation. (Rescued orphan-cluster files with the name FILE0xxx.CHK
- are created without a date or time.)
-
- The volume label is an important sorting and searching field. Thus
- CATS requires a disk volume label or a label which you supply
- interactively. By searching the catalog produced by CATS for a given
- file and reading the volume label which follows, the disk on which the
- file resides can be quickly identified. Unless the 'N' switch is used
- with CATS, the volume label will correspond to the label written in
- that disk directory. Otherwise, it will be the name you gave for the
- volume label when cataloging the disk and should correspond to the
- disk paper label. The label field has eleven characters, with no space
- before the following path name.
-
- The path name field has a variable length (limited by the maximum
- record length, which has a default value of 78). If the path name will
- not fit in the record length of one line, it will be truncated. A
- switch in CATS can be used to turn off the path name field, making it
- easier to add longer comments to a file line (see CHANGING DEFAULT
- SETTINGS). The path name field is of somewhat lesser utility on 360
- kilobyte diskettes than hard disks, as these usually do not have an
- extensive directory tree structure. However, this field can be quite
- useful for hard-disk partitions and for 96 tpi/720 KB and high-
- density/1.25 MB floppies. The catalog line showing the remaining disk
- space and current date will have the comment:
-
- ' <- Free Space '
-
- replacing the path name field.
-
- USING THE CATALOG FILE
-
- A good sorting program should be able to sort any of the defined
- fields of your catalog, giving you alphabetical file name listings,
- chronological listings, disk contents listings, file size orderings,
- etc. Sorting on the volume label field will concatenate the files for
- each disk in the catalog. Once a number of disks have been cataloged
- with CATS, the catalog can be sorted sequentially to produce almost
- any desired ordering of the listings. Further processing by a utility
- such as UNIQ can eliminate duplicate listings, should these eventually
- creep into the catalog.
-
- A companion sorting program called SORTS is available with CATS for
- ordering your catalog file. Both CATS and SORTS were written in
- assembly language, making them quite fast. In addition, SORTS uses
- all available memory to perform its sorting function. Catalog files
- with up to 30,000 lines can be sorted, with the sorting order
- determined by a selection of multiple key columns, sorting in normal
- or reverse order in any of these selected columns. This makes SORTS
- one of the most versatile sorting programs available.
-
- SORTS contains a set of default sorting columns which match the
- default fields used in a CATS catalog. This means you do not have to
- determine or enter the column positions each time SORTS is run. The
- default column order settings in SORTS are:
-
- Column order setting Purpose for CATS Catalog file
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- n=1-8,10-12,14 Sort by name, extension, attribute
-
- s=r15-22,14,1-3 Reverse sort by file size, then attr.,
- then file extension
- t=r24-25,r27-28,r30-31, Reverse sort by date, then name
- r33-34,r36-37,1-2
- l=39-49,1 Sort by volume label, then name
-
- p=51-67,39-49 Sort by path name, then vol. label
-
- a=14,1-8,10-12 Sort by attribute, then file name
-
- y=r24-25,1-8,10-12 Reverse sort by year, then file name
- --------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- As an example, suppose you wished to find all files in your catalog
- CATS.DIR which were created in 1985 with a given name. You could
- first perform the sort:
-
- SORTS CATS.DIR CATY.DIR/Uy
-
- Then, use a file listing utility to search within and display the new
- sorted catalog. All files with a given name within 1985 will be
- arranged together in the new catalog (refer to the documentation for
- SORTS for a detailed description of its the command syntax).
-
-
- CAUTION: If you edit a catalog and then wish to use CATS to add new
- disk volumes, be sure the catalog file has not been terminated with a
- control-Z by your editor. If it has, that same editor may not be able
- to view the appended new volume information. The editor BSE.EXE
- supplied with the Zenith Programmer's Utility Pack is a fine editor
- for quickly searching a catalog and adding comments. Moreover, it will
- not automatically add end- of-file characters when you finish editing.
- For a quick search for a particular file, Vernon Buerg's LIST.COM (or
- ZLIST.COM on the Z100) is probably the fastest available file-to-
- screen displayer and text-string searcher.
-
- CHANGING DEFAULT SETTINGS
-
- The default settings are stored in CATS.COM near the beginning of the
- program. Ordinarily, these settings need not be changed. However, some
- users may prefer a different configuration of CATS. To change the
- default catalog name so that it does not have to be supplied on the
- command line, use the command:
-
- CATS /C
-
- CATS will give the present default catalog name and request a new one.
- You may give a complete drive and path name or simply the file name,
- if the catalog is to be on the drive and in the directory from which
- CATS is invoked. For the /C to work, CATS must be able to find itself
- on the disk. If you must change the name of the program, change the
- file name CATS.COM within the program near its beginning using the
- DEBUG utility.
-
- Other configuration parameters may also be changed. However, these may
- affect the format of the catalog file, and therefore should not be
- changed unless you plan to create a completely new catalog (see
- CATALOG FILE STRUCTURE).
-
- Listed below are the configuration parameters which can be changed
- with the MS-DOS utility DEBUG. Make these changes with care, and keep
- a backup copy of CATS, just in case an error occurs.
-
- Load CATS into DEBUG with the command:
-
- DEBUG CATS.COM <cr>
-
- (The <cr> means "RETURN" or "ENTER".) Use the E(xamine) command of
- DEBUG to look at and make changes to a particular byte at a given
- address. For example,
-
- E10A <cr>
-
- will show the current byte at address 10A (in hexadecimal). You can
- put your own value following the current one, then a <cr>. An ASCII
- character can also be inserted directly with the E(xamine) command.
- For example, to change the archive flag character to an 'A', you could
- use the command:
-
- E104'A' <cr>
-
- To see the new set of values in one display, use the D(isplay)
- command:
-
- D100 <cr>
-
- When you have finished reconfiguring CATS with DEBUG, you can write
- CATS back to the disk using the W(rite) command. Exit DEBUG with the
- Q(uit) command.
-
- Address Default
- (hex) Value Purpose
- ======= ======= ========================
- 0103 '.' comment-field fill-char.
- 0104 ' ' (space) archive flag character
- 0105 'h' hidden flag character
- 0106 'S' system flag character
- 0107 'V' volume flag character
- 0108 0FFH show paths if bit 1=1
- 0109 0 show seconds if bit 1=1
- 010A 04FH columns in record (78)
- 010B 0FFH reserved
- 010C 0 reserved
- 010D 1 show dir. if bit 0=1
- 010E 'D' directory flag character
- 010F 1 add space before file ext.
- 0110 2 col. space for attr. field
- 0111 0 reserved
- 0112 ' ' (space) field separation character
- 0113 '?' numeric overflow character
- 0114 '*' no date fill character
- 0115 '*' no time fill character
-
- The comment-field fill-line character is a period (.) so that the
- length of each record (one line) is visible. Some sorting utilities
- must have fixed record lengths. As you add comments to each file line,
- the periods help to keep track of the length of each line.
-
- The default archive flag character is a space to make the catalog file
- more readable. There are usually many files on a floppy disk with the
- archive flag set, since this flag is set whenever the file is written,
- and not reset until a BACKUP utility is run. If any other attribute is
- present for display, the archive flag will not be shown, even if you
- change the character to a visible one.
-
- If a file has only the hidden flag set or the archive and hidden flag
- set, the hidden flag (h) will be displayed in the catalog. A hidden
- system file or directory will have a lower case (S) or (D) character
- following the file name. The case of the flag is lowered in CATS by
- forcing bit 5 in the flag character's binary code to be high (bits are
- numbered from LSB=0 to MSB=7). If you change a flag character from the
- initial default to any of the ASCII characters between the space (20H)
- and '?' (3FH), this bit will already be high, so the case of the flag
- character will not change when the file hidden flag is detected.
-
- If the byte at address 108 is changed to 0, the file directory path
- names will not be shown. This will leave more space for comments to
- identify files.
-
- The byte at address 109 controls whether seconds are displayed in the
- time field. If so, it will take three extra columns.
-
- You can change the record length with the byte at address 10A. Records
- longer than the standard screen width of 80 columns up to 255 columns
- are allowed by CATS. Of course, only 80 columns can be seen on a
- normal screen, so an editor or listing utility capable of horizontal
- scrolling would be needed to read the remainder of any records wider
- than 80 columns. A default of 78 columns per record rather than 80 is
- taken so that if your console has an automatic line wrapping set on,
- you will not see the catalog file apparently double spaced when the
- catalog file is sent to the screen. In addition, having 78 visible
- characters in a record plus a carriage return and linefeed gives a
- full record length divisible by 16, helping some sorting utilities.
-
- The listing of directories can be suppressed if the byte at address
- 10D is 0.
-
- One additional space for comments can be gained by deleting the space
- between file names and their extensions. This space is controlled by
- the byte at address 10F.
-
- Additional comment space can be gained by reducing or removing the
- field reserved for the attribute flag. The byte at address 110 can be
- 0, 1, or 2, representing the number of columns reserved for the
- attribute character and preceding field separator.
-
- For those who wish to use the CATS catalog as input to a data base
- program, the field separation character at address 112 can be changed
- to a comma, or any other character.
-
- CATS ERROR MESSAGES
-
- If you type CATS without any command string following, you will be
- shown a help screen with the proper command syntax.
-
- The error messages generated by CATS are explained below.
-
- MS-DOS version above 2.0 required.
-
- Version 1.x of MS-DOS will not run CATS.
-
- X: is an invalid drive. Currently drives are: A: to ...
-
- The drive name you specified was outside the range recognized by your
- system.
-
- Bad catalog disk, path, or file name.
-
- The directories in the path must exist. As a precaution against
- typographical errors creating new but unwanted directories, CATS
- requires that the directory path to your catalog file exists.
-
- Volume name matches a file name.
-
- The volume label you specified has been rejected because it is the
- same as a file name on the root directory of the disk.
-
- Error creating volume label.
-
- The following may cause this error: Invalid volume label character;
- disk is flagged write only; the directory space on the disk is full;
- the disk format was unrecognized; the given volume label matches a
- current file name.
-
- Error writing to catalog file: ...
-
- The disk containing the catalog file is write protected or may not
- have any space left. Invalid switch. A switch character following the
- '/' on the command line was found not to match the defined ones.
-
- The catalog program was not found.
-
- An attempt to change the configuration of CATS failed, because
- CATS.COM could not be found. If you wish to rename CATS.COM to any
- other name, the /C option will not work unless you also change the
- CATS.COM path name within CATS itself. This can be done using DEBUG.
- The path name CATS.COM appears near the front of the program. There
- are 64 bytes reserved for the path name.
-
- Catalog name was not changed.
-
- An invalid new catalog name was supplied, or a carriage return was
- given in response to the request for a new name.
-
- Volume label error. Sample format: VOLUME 000
-
- The /M make volume serial label was used. The volume set label must
- end in three numerical digits.
-
-
- MS-DOS ERROR MESSAGES WHILE IN CATS
-
- The MS-DOS operating system can generate an error message when you
- attempt to access a disk drive containing no disk or with the drive
- door open. You will see the messages:
-
- Drive ready error reading drive x:
- Abort, Retry, or Ignore? _
-
- If the disk is unformated or has a bad sector, you may see the
- message:
-
- Disk error reading drive x:
- Abort, Retry, or Ignore? _
-
- If you have left a write protect tab on the disk, and you attempt to
- create a new volume label on the disk, MS-DOS gives:
-
- Write protect error writing drive x:
- Abort, Retry, or Ignore? _
-
- You should put a valid disk in the drive, close the door, and press
- 'R' for Retry. CATS can then continue. If you press 'A' for abort, the
- system will return to the operating system prompt on the drive from
- which CATS was invoked.
-
- APPENDIX A: Alternative CATS File Formats
-
- When some of the default settings are changed in CATS.COM using DEBUG,
- the format of the catalog file records will also change. This affects
- the beginning of the sorting field columns. Below is a list of the new
- column positions for a sample of changed switches within CATS:
-
- Field ------------ Column positions ----------
- description Default Alternate record format Appearance
- ============== ====== ================================= ==========
- Filename 1- 8 1- 8 1- 8 1- 8 1- 8 1- 8 FILENAME
- Space 9 ** 9 ** 9 **
- Extension 10-12 9-11 10-12 9-11 10-12 9-11 EXT
- Space 13 12 ** ** ** **
- Attribute 14 13 13 12 ** ** V D S d s h
- File size 15-22 14-21 14-21 13-20 13-20 12-19 mmttthhh
- Date 24-31 23-30 23-30 22-29 22-29 21-28 86/08-20
- Time 33-37+ 32-36+ 32-36+ 31-35+ 31-35+ 30-34+ 18:45
- Volume label 39-49 38-48 38-48 37-47 37-47 36-46 volumelabel
- Path from root 50- 49- 49- 48- 48- 47- \path\path
- Fill to end - ....
- _____________________________________________________________________
- ** Position deleted by changing defaults.
- + An additional three positions are used for optional display of
- seconds.
-
- If the defaults are changed to display seconds, add three to the width
- of the key field length for sorting time, and add three each to the
- start and end positions for volume label and to the start position for
- path.
-
-
- DISTRIBUTION:
-
- CATS is released for use by members of the Capital Heath Users' Group
- by its initial distribution. With Version 1.8, CATS is released for
- distribution into the public domain by its author, W. C. Parke. CATS
- is copyrighted 1986 by W. C. Parke, 1820 S Street NW, Washington, D.C.
- 20009, telephone (202) 667-4094.
-
- CATS may be freely copied and used, but may not be sold for profit or
- bundled with products offered for sale without expressed permission of
- the author.
-
-