home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
- │F(ile) M(anager)/2 copyright (c) 1993-95 by M. Kimes (Barebones Software)│
- │ All Rights Reserved │
- ├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
- │ READ.ME file -- read before installing │
- │ See end of document for contact info and license details │
- └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
-
-
- File Manager/2 (FM/2) is a shareware OS/2 2.1+ PM 32-bit
- file/directory/archive maintenance utility (a sort of super-Drives
- object, something midway between the Drives objects and a more
- traditional file manager) with plenty of bells, whistles and utilities,
- drag and drop, context menus, toolbars and accelerator keys. If you
- know how to use OS/2, you already know how to use most of FM/2. You can
- easily glean the rest from the extensive online help.
-
- This document explains how to install FM/2, including upgrading from
- previous versions. It explains command line syntaxes and how to get the
- program(s) running. The online help tells you how to actually use FM/2.
- A separate document (history.txt) lists changes for this version.
- Another (register.txt) tells you how to register FM/2. If you're
- interested, there're well over 110 printed pages of documentation in
- this package, counting only this file and the online help -- did I write
- all that?
-
- The license agreement and author contact info is at the bottom of the
- file.
-
-
- FM/2 2.x installation instructions:
- ==================================
-
- 1. Unpack the FM2*.ZIP archive in a private directory (UNZIP.EXE
- works nicely). FM/2 2.x requires its own home directory (FAT or
- HPFS, doesn't matter). I recommend that it _not_ be your old FM/2
- 1.x directory (and don't delete the old 1.x version until after
- you install, so the install program can migrate some of your old
- settings and registration first). If upgrading from 2.x, just
- unpack the files in the FM/2 2.x directory and go (you might want
- to skip ARCHIVER.BB2 if you've customized it).
-
- 2. Run the provided INSTALL.CMD (a simple REXX program) in that
- directory to build a folder and program objects and migrate some
- old INI information. Rerun INSTALL.CMD if you later move the FM/2
- directory. (If you later decide to remove FM/2, run UNINSTAL.CMD
- in the FM/2 2.x directory and follow simple directions. Both
- installation and deinstallation are no-brainers. UNINSTAL will
- help you quickly and easily remove all traces of FM/2 from your
- system if you don't like it for some reason. All OS/2 programs
- should be so nice.) INSTALL sets up some associations for you
- unless you give it NOASSOC as an argument.
-
- 3. Run it. Have fun. Full help is available from within the
- program. If you're unfamiliar with OS/2's WPS, please take the
- time to run the OS/2 Tutorial before attempting to use FM/2, as
- FM/2 uses many of the same conventions.
-
-
- Starting FM/2:
- =============
-
- If you start File Manager/2 (filename FM3.EXE) with no command line
- arguments, it opens the Drive Tree window but no directory windows
- (unless the "Save state of dir windows" toggle is checked -- see online
- help).
-
- File Manager/2 optionally accepts names of directories on the command
- line; it'll open a directory window for each one. Hint: If you often
- do different specific things with FM/2, you might set up a WPS object
- customized to start up ideally for each activity. For example, if you
- wanted to maintain your BBS areas, you might have one object like:
- "FM3.EXE D:\BBSDIR D:\BBSDIR\MAILIN", and if you also like to use FM/2
- to set icons on files, you might have another object like: "FM3.EXE
- E:\MYICONS D:\NEWFILES".
-
- You can exclude drives on the command line by prefacing the drive letter
- with "/", and there can be more than one drive letter behind the "/"
- (i.e. "FM3.EXE /BH" to exclude both drives B: and H:). Hint: Many
- people like to use /B to exclude "phantom" drive B: if they have a
- single-floppy system. Similarly, you can cause drives NOT to be
- prescanned by the Drive Tree by prefacing the drive letter with ";",
- drives NOT to load icons for objects by prefacing the drive letter with
- ",", drives NOT to load subjects for objects by prefacing the drive
- letter with "`" and drives NOT to load longnames for objects by
- prefacing the drive letter with "'".
-
- If you place the argument "+" on the command line, FM/2 will log, to
- FM2.LOG, delete, rename, move and copy operations that are performed by
- drag-and-drop or with the menus.
-
- The command line argument "-" causes FM/2 to ignore, not load or save,
- the previous state of directory windows (see the "Save state of dir
- windows" toggle under Config Menu->Toggles in the online help) for that
- invocation.
-
-
- Installation notes:
- ==================
-
- Please read the following sections in the online help when you start
- FM/2 for the first time: "How to use FM/2's Help," "Terminology" and
- "General Help," then "Hints." The rest you can browse as you get
- time/feel the need; for instance, if you want to know what a toggle
- does, read the help under Settings notebook->Toggles page.
-
- If you prefer hardcopy help, print this file, run FM/2, press CTRL+F1,
- click the "Print" button at the bottom of the help window that appears
- and then print both the "Contents" and "All sections" (keep an eye on
- the printer around page 100 of "All sections" as the Help Manager will
- begin printing its own help then -- you may want to abort printing at
- that point). Advanced and/or curious users may also want to print
- FM3TOOLS.DAT and ARCHIVER.BB2. Be sure you have plenty of paper and ink
- handy -- the package is well documented. You'll probably also want a
- three-ring binder and hole punch to get it bound, as staples aren't
- going through that puppy.
-
- You may want to either move ARCHIVER.BB2 (the data file containing
- information about archiver programs and archive files) to a directory in
- your PATH= statement or erase this one if you've customized an old one.
- FM/2 can still find, use and maintain ARCHIVER.BB2 on the PATH; it
- doesn't have to be in FM/2's directory (this allows it to be used by
- other programs as well, like XGroup, XBBS/2, LA, AV, ZTreeBold, etc.).
- Remember, FM/2 needs OS/2, not DOS, archivers.
-
- If FM/2 refuses to run, the most likely culprit is CONFIG.SYS. Your
- LIBPATH statement should begin with "." (shorthand for "the default
- directory"), as in: LIBPATH=.;C:\OS2\DLL;C:\OS2\MDOS;<etc.> This is
- the default OS/2 installation, but a few folks, or programs they've
- installed, have changed it.
-
- I've separated many of the standalone utilities that I used to include
- with FM/2 into another archive (FM2UTILS.ZIP). Since I update the
- utilties far less frequently than FM/2 itself, this allows you to
- download less and still keep up to date. To get the maximum use out of
- FM/2, you should pick up the package. If you can't find it where you
- found this archive, bug your sysop to pick it up.
-
-
- Bonus programs:
- --------------
-
- You'll note the extra objects that the Install program creates in the
- File Manager/2 folder. FM/2 is modular, so that you can get directly to
- some of its components without running the entire ball of wax. This may
- allow you to enhance the behavior of some of your other applications in
- the WPS tradition. You don't _have_ to keep these around, of course --
- FM/2 itself contains all their functionality.
-
- Archive Viewer/2: Intended for drag-and-drop operation (or WPS
- association) with WPS objects or other
- applications. Drag an archive onto it, drop it,
- get an archive listing box. FM/2's installation
- program sets up some associations between archive
- files and this program by file extension (run
- INSTALL with "NOASSOC" as an argument if you don't
- want them). AV/2 will try to display whatever
- you give it as sensibly as it can. Filename AV2.EXE.
-
- SysIcon: Intended to let you change a system pointer by
- dragging an icon/pointer file (*.ICO or *.PTR)
- onto it, then picking the pointer to replace. You
- can reset a pointer by starting it without
- arguments. Filename DOICON.EXE.
-
- EA Viewer: Drag a file system object onto it and it'll show
- you the object's extended attributes. Filename
- EAS.EXE.
-
- INI Viewer: Drag an .INI file onto it and it'll show you its
- contents. Filename INI.EXE.
-
- Bookshelf Viewer: Shows all .INF files in a listbox and lets you
- pick the one(s) you want to view. If you give any
- command line argument, the .HLP files on the HELP
- path will be shown instead (the Helpfile Viewer
- object calls VIEWINFS.EXE with "dummy" for an
- argument, for example). Filename VIEWINFS.EXE.
-
- Process Killer: Lets you kill off renegade processes. An English
- version of PSTAT.EXE must be on your PATH.
- Filename KILLPROC.EXE.
-
- Undeleter: Lets you undelete files (via interface with
- UNDELETE.COM). Drag a file system object onto it
- and it'll let you undelete files for that drive.
- Filename UNDEL.EXE.
-
- Visual Tree: Opens a Drive Tree window (like the WPS Drives
- object with more horsepower). Filename VTREE.EXE.
-
- Visual Directory: Opens a Directory Container window; drag a file
- system object onto it and this will open its
- directory (like a WPS directory Folder with more
- horsepower). Filename VDIR.EXE.
-
- Collector: Opens a Collector window. Filename VCOLLECT.EXE.
- Two other objects, "See all files" and "Seek and
- scan" are created which call up the Collector and
- go directly to dialogs for the appropriate
- purpose.
-
- Global Viewer: Opens a global view of a drive or drives. Filename
- GLOBAL.EXE.
-
- Databar: Opens a databar showing some system information.
- Filename DATABAR.EXE.
-
- SysInfo: Shows information about your system. Filename
- SYSINFO.EXE
-
- FM/2's install creates FM2.CMD, AV2.CMD, VDIR.CMD, VTREE.CMD,
- VCOLLECT.CMD, UNDEL.CMD, KILLPROC.CMD, INI.CMD, EAS.CMD, VIEWINFS.CMD
- and VIEWHELP.CMD files for you in a directory "utils" off the install
- directory. You should add this directory to your PATH= statement in
- CONFIG.SYS (type HELP PATH at a command line for more info). If you
- prefer, FM/2's INSTALL builds a SETENV.CMD in the FM/2 directory which
- you can call to set the PATH for FM/2 in any given session without
- modifying CONFIG.SYS.
-
- Note that registered diskette versions come with even more bonus
- programs.
-
-
- Additional documentation:
- ========================
-
- Register.txt: How to register FM/2.
-
-
- FM/2 isn't free, it's shareware:
- ===============================
-
- To register FM/2, fill out REGISTER.TXT and send to the mailing address
- listed in it, together with the purchase price (commercial users,
- there's a 5% discount for each ten commercial licenses, up to one
- hundred licenses, where the price flattens, so you get a total 50%
- discount on each license for one hundred or more licenses in one order
- -- see REGISTER.TXT for a table). Registration gets rid of the initial
- about box and closing screen, eases your conscience and makes the world
- safe for truth, justice, the democratic way and further FM/2 updates,
- not necessarily in that order. I also include some things that might
- be useful with FM/2 if you order the disks.
-
- Registrations are good for one year or one full version change (i.e.
- 2.00 -> 3.01), whichever comes last. Versions before a full version
- change stay registered forever. Considering the price, the program and
- the upgrade policy, I don't think you can beat FM/2 with a stick. But
- then, I'm a prejudiced jerk.
-
- (Someone asked me why registrations are cheaper for personal use than
- for commercial use. I thought it was obvious, but I guess it's not. I
- feel that individual, private use of software should be cheaper than
- use in an environment where it's contributing to making money. I feel
- that much software is already priced far too high for individual,
- private users as it is, and therefore I give individual, private users
- a 50% break. It just seems fair to me, and I've got to live with
- myself. Please don't bother trying to send me a commercial check for
- a personal registration -- I don't even return them any more, I just
- throw them away.)
-
- If you have a CIS address, _be sure_ to fill it in on REGISTER.TXT.
- You'll get your registration information much more quickly that way. You
- can also register online via Compuserve's Shareware Registration service
- (GO SWREG) and is #2859 for personal registrations, #4228 for commercial
- -- warning: the price is a bit higher to give CIS a cut (CIS will show
- it to you first). Support is currently being provided in the CIS OS/2
- Shareware forum (GO OS2SHARE) and regular updates are posted there.
-
- NEW: Registrations can also be obtained through BMT Micro using credit
- === cards (see BMTORDER.FRM in the archive).
-
- Speaking of updates, I tend to put them up _very_ regularly
- (incrementing the version number by .01 each time). I'm one of those
- fellows who likes to always have some new software to play with, so I
- figure others might, too. Besides, it's fun. Don't feel obligated to
- get each new release if you don't like updating. You can FTP FM/2 from
- ftp.secret.com (/g/os2utl).
-
-
- Technical stuff:
- ===============
-
- There are some limitations to FM/2, imposed by OS/2's remaining 16-bit
- subsystems (hopefully future versions of OS/2 will remove some or all of
- these -- some have already been eliminated since OS/2 2.0).
-
- If FM/2 won't run, the probable culprit is CONFIG.SYS. Your LIBPATH
- statement should contain a ".\" entry (usually at the start). If yours
- doesn't, add it in. It's standard for an OS/2 installation, but some
- ill-tempered install programs accidentally knock it out.
-
-
- LAN troubleshooting:
- -------------------
-
- FM/2 has been tested by users with the following LAN software:
-
- LAN Server: No known problems.
-
- TCP/IP: No known problems.
-
- Novell: Earlier versions had problems that have been corrected.
- If you encounter problems, upgrade.
-
- LANtastic: Somewhat buggy -- contact Artisoft and ask for a fix.
- They know about the problems but could use some "guidance"
- from their users.
-
-
- +----------------------------------------+
- | IMPORTANT! Read before distributing! |
- +----------------------------------------+
-
- Simple license statement:
- ========================
-
- You are granted a license to try this shareware program (FM/2) for up to
- thirty (30) days, after which you must register or discontinue its use.
- Permission is granted to redistribute the unaltered shareware archive
- for a reasonable (read nominal, small) copying charge (FM/2 may
- specifically not be packaged with a commercial book without requesting
- and obtaining permission (common courtesy -- remember, "copyright" means
- literally "the right to control who copies the material"). If you write
- a review on FM/2, I'd certainly appreciate a courtesy copy of the
- review -- my wife collects them.). All rights are reserved by the
- author. That's me.
-
- There is NO warranty. Support is NOT guaranteed to unregistered users.
-
-
- Contact info:
- ============
- Mark Kimes (CIS 74601,1327; Fidonet#1:380/16.0; (318)222-3455 data
- mkimes@linux.secret.com)
-