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DiskSurveyor
Version 1.3
created by Tom Luhrs
Do these scenarios sound familiar?
- You're getting ready to install that new software you just bought, or you're trying to download a large file from your favorite cyberspace place and you find there's not enough room on your hard drive...
- Or you're looking at your stack of CDROMs trying to remember which one had that file you've been looking for...
Well, DiskSurveyor doesn't promise to make your hard drive any bigger, but it does show you, GRAPHICALLY, what or who's hogging all that space. Click on a folder and zoom in for a closer look. Or zoom back out. Shift-click on a folder, and it brings up the ACTUAL folder. And with the press of a key, you can create DiskSummary files that list all the files found on CDROMs or any other volume. No longer will you have to waste valuable time navigating through folder after folder trying to figure out which files need to be archived or trashed to free up precious disk space.
DiskSurveyor requires System 7 or greater and at least 256 colors (or shades of gray) are recommended.
DiskSurveyor. An exciting new way to look at your hard drive and CDROMs.
Whether it was with my first 80 Meg hard drive or my present 2 Gig hard drive, I always seemed to be turning around and finding it to be 99% full. Or when it came time to backup the hard disk, I would try to remove all the 'extra' and 'unnecessary' stuff to make the backup set smaller (When I first had that 80 Meg drive, I used to back it up on a tall stack of floppies, so anything that didn't HAVE to be backed up made the chore go a LOT faster). And lastly, I was getting overwhelmed with the shear amount of information that I had on CDROM.
Now I just create a DiskSummary file for each of my CDROMs, put them all in one folder on my hard drive and use a program, like my favorite text editor BBEdit, that has the capability to search through multiple files. No more CDROM shuffling.
A Quick Overview of How DiskSurveyor Works
The easiest way to use DiskSurveyor is to use the System 7 feature of dragging and dropping. Simply put the cursor over the volume or folder you'd like to examine, press the mouse button (don't let go), drag it on top of the DiskSurveyor icon and release the mouse button. You can also just launch DiskSurveyor by double-clicking the DiskSurveyor icon.
Once you've scanned the volume or folder, you will see all the folders and files found within (in the same proportions as the space allocated). The name of the volume/folder is in the panel on the left side of the screen. The column just to the right of it contains all the files/folders found 1 level down. In the next column to the right (if there is one) are all the files found 2 levels down. And so on.
To see what's in a folder, just click on it. To zoom back out, just click on the arrow button in the left vertical bar. As you move the cursor around, the name of the file/folder you are pointing to is displayed in the bottom status bar.
By holding down the Shift key (or the Control key, if you change the Preference) when you click on the folder, you can open up the actual folder. The DiskSurveyor window will be "pulled back" to the left side of the screen and the folder will open up, allowing you to easily drag files to the Trash. When you're done, just click on the DiskSurveyor window and it will return to its full screen size.
The memory requirements for DiskSurveyor are initially set to 800k bytes. This will allow you to scan volumes or folders containing slightly more than 6000 files. If your volume or folder exceeds that number, do a Get Info on the DiskSurveyor application (under the File menu in the Finder) and increase the Preferred Size accordingly.
DiskSummary Files
To make a DiskSummary file that lists all the files on a volume or folder, simply hold down either the Command () or the Option key (whichever one is chosen in the Preferences/DiskSummary dialog) while you are dragging and dropping or when you Open and Select a volume/folder. The file will be created in the same folder (or on the Desktop if the volume/folder is there) as the item being scanned. You may also select "Save DiskSummary…" from the File menu.
At the beginning of the resulting DiskSummary file, there is a summary of the volume/folder something like this:
main400
961109 created
970123 last modified
733 folders
6488 files
366256463 used
398228480 allocated
6656 minimum file size
17691648 volume free
416279552 volume allocated
The summary begins with the title of the volume/folder and the dates it was created and last modified (in Year,Month,Day format). It then lists how many folders and files were found followed by the number of bytes actually used and the number of bytes allocated on the disk.
A short note on bytes allocated and minimum file size.
Depending on the size of the disk (or partition of the disk), the minimum file size can vary from 512 bytes for a small disk to kilobytes for larger disks. The general rule is that for every 33 megabytes of disk the minimum file size increases another 512 bytes. What this really boils down to, is that for a large, unpartitioned hard disk, say the 1.2 gigabyte disk that is commonly found in the latest Performas, every time you save even a small 1-byte file, 19968 bytes are allocated on the disk for that file. If your file is 20000 bytes, it allocates 2 of these 19968-byte blocks (39936 bytes). And so on… You can see that even saving a small amount of information on a large hard disk can take up more room than one would expect.
The last two items (volume free and volume allocated) only appear in the list when scanning a volume. They represent the number of bytes free and the total number of bytes on the disk. As you would expect, the bytes "allocated" for files plus the bytes unused (volume free) add up to the total capacity of the disk (volume allocated).
Following the summary is a list of all the files/folders found (one to a line) in the order they were scanned. Here is a portion of what it looks like:
Invisible/Alias - Files/folders that are invisible will noted as 'i'; Aliases of files/folders will be marked with an 'a'.
Last Modified Date - Year, Month, Day format.
Bytes Used - If over a megabyte it will be a number followed by a 'k' which is the number of kilobytes; if over 100 megabytes it will be a number followed by an 'm' which is the number of megabytes. For folders, the amount is the total bytes of all the files found within.
Bytes Allocated - Same notation as Bytes Used. This is the actual number of bytes on the disk set aside for this file/folder. (See the note above on bytes allocated and minimum file size.)
File Name - Indented for each level down from the volume/folder being scanned.
When viewing the DiskSummary file, as in the preceding examples, a fixed-spaced font such as 9 point Monaco was used so that all the columns line up. Or, if you'd rather have the information in tab-separated columns, select that option in Preferences/DiskSummary.
DiskSummary files may also be loaded into DiskSurveyor (either by dragging and dropping them on top of the DiskSurveyor application or by using the "Load DiskSummary…" command in the File menu or by double-clicking them), giving the user the ability to have "virtual" disks at their disposal. This makes it especially easy to scan through CDROMs without having to mount and eject each one. Just select a whole bunch of DiskSummary files and drag and drop it on DiskSurveyor… they'll be shown one at a time (closing each one brings up the next).
See the note in the following section about making DiskSummary files that open up in your favorite text editor or word processor.
Preferences
The Preferences dialog allows you to configure DiskSurveyor in a number of ways. Just select one of the four categories (Colors, Backgrounds, Fonts or DiskSummary) in the left portion of the Preferences dialog.
Colors
You can select what color family you would like to view the folders in, what color family you would like to view the files in. The only limitation is that folders and files can't be the same color families (that would be a little confusing).
Backgrounds
A number of different backgrounds are available or you can select no background.
Fonts
The first time you go to this Preferences page, it will search for all the fonts currently available. Pop-up menus will allow you to change the font used for Folder/File names and the font used in the Status Bar at the bottom of the window, independently. Fonts sizes available for the Folder/File names are 9, 10, 12, 14, 18 and 24 points. Fonts sizes available for the Status Bar are 9, 10 and 12. When you open up the pop-up menu, the sizes available will be shown in the outline style (12 for example). If the number is in the plain style (12), it means the font will be scaled from the closest size available.
With larger fonts, the rectangles representing Folders/Files needed to be longer to accommodate the longer (pixel-wise) names. Use the Level Width pop-up menu to change this.
DiskSummary
Holding the Command () key down while opening (or drag and dropping) a volume/folder will generate a DiskSummary file. (This can also be done from the File menu). This can be changed to the Option key.
To allow the DiskSummary files created by DiskSurveyor to open up in your favorite text editor or word processor, you can type the 4-character Creator code in the Preferences dialog and any DiskSummary file created after that will be saved just as though you had saved it from your text editor/word processor (so double-clicking it will launch your text editor/word processor). If you need to find your text editor/word processor's Creator code, just scan the hard disk where it is located with the DiskSummary key pressed and open the resulting DiskSummary file and search for your text editor/word processor's application file.
Some common Creator codes are:
T£dm DiskSurveyor
R*ch BBEdit
ALFA Alpha
ttxt SimpleText (Beware: SimpleText will not open files larger than 32k bytes.)
WPC2 Word Perfect
MSWD Microsoft Word
Enabling the Use Tabs setting will tell DiskSurveyor to insert Tabs when saving DiskSummary files, which will separate the information into tab-separated columns (which looks a lot better in word processors using proportionally-spaced fonts.)
Miscellaneous
Holding the Shift key down while clicking the mouse on a folder in the DiskSurveyor window will open the folder in the Finder. This can be changed to the Control key.
Checking the Disable Allocated Bytes Warning box will prevent the warning dialog from coming up when DiskSurveyor is about to adjust the layout of a volume that was just scanned and the number of bytes found on the volume differed from the amount the volume actually thought it had. If you are using one of the driver-level compression packages, this box should be checked to prevent this warning coming up every time. Those programs return the original UNCOMPRESSED number of bytes the file had, instead of the actual COMPRESSED number of bytes the file takes up on the disk.
Why You Should Send In Your Shareware Registration Fee
Although this software certainly fulfills a need that I had, I have had to work many long hours making this software as easy to use and polished as I could. By sending in your shareware registration fee, you are supporting my efforts and telling me that it's worth my time and effort to create software like this. The more payments I receive, the more likely I am to make further enhancements to DiskSurveyor and to develop other software. And if you have any feature requests, I will be much more receptive if you are a REGISTERED user.
This software is being distributed in a fully-functional (uncrippled) form that allows everyone to take it for a 'test-drive'. The one thing it does do (for the UNREGISTERED user) is to pause a short time and reminds you to register before it commences scanning the disk or folder. When you send in your shareware registration fee, I will give you a registration code to disable this slightly annoying plea to register and you will never see it again.
Registered users will also be notified (if they provide an e-mail address) when new versions of DiskSurveyor or other TwiLight Software products are released.
How To Register
To become a registered user, send $10 (US) cash or check (no foreign checks) made payable to Tom Luhrs along with your name, address and e-mail address (for fastest response) to:
Tom Luhrs
TwiLight Software / DS130
53 Austin Road
Amherst NH 03031-2519
USA
For your convenience, you may also fill out and print the file named 'Registration Form'.
All other forms of payment (credit cards, foreign currency, etc.) should use the Register application included in this package. You will need to enter your name, address, e-mail address (for fastest response) and the method of payment. Payment methods accepted are: Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Cash (in many different currencies), First Virtual, and Invoice (to be given to your accounts payable department).
Send the data generated by the Register application to Kagi Shareware at:
E-Mail: shareware@kagi.com
FAX: +1 510 652 6589
Snail-mail: Kagi Shareware
1442-A Walnut Street #392-C8
Berkeley, California, 94709-1405
USA
Credit card information is encrypted by the Register program.
But please keep in mind that Kagi Shareware takes a percentage of the payment for their services, so I don't receive the full registration fee.
Quantity pricing is also available:
1-4 single-user licenses, $10 (US) per user,
5-9 single-user licenses, $8 (US) per user,
10+ single-user licenses, $7 (US) per user,
Site license, $100 (US), (Covers every user at all your organization's locations within a 10 mile radius (16 kilometers))
In return you will receive a registration code that, together with your name (make sure your name is written just the way you want it to appear on the opening splash screen), will personalize your copy of DiskSurveyor.
How To Contact TwiLight Software
Web Page URL: http://members.aol.com/TwiLightSW
E-Mail: TwiLightSW@aol.com
Distribution
DiskSurveyor must be distributed in the same form that it was released in with no documentation or software missing or altered. It may not be sold or offered for sale, or included with any other product offered for sale, except with the express written permission of Tom Luhrs and TwiLight Software. Failure to receive permission promptly should not be taken as consent. Companies that distribute shareware/freeware/public domain software for profit are expressly prohibited from distributing this software with the following exceptions: 1) commercial on-line services (such as America Online) and 2) if this software is being distributed on CDROM and a copy of said CDROM is mailed to the address above.
Limited warranty
DiskSurveyor has been tested on a number of different models of Macintosh computers, different versions of the operating system and with a variety of commonly distributed extensions and control panels. Every known bug has been removed. I will try to fix any bug that I can duplicate on my own machines, but I will not buy other people’s software for compatibility testing. Any damages incurred through the use of this software beyond the shareware registration fee will not be the responsibility of Tom Luhrs or TwiLight Software.
History
Version 1.0 - Sept 1, 1996
-Initial release.
Version 1.0.1 - Sept 12, 1996
-Fixed problem with Cut/Paste in Registration/Preferences dialogs.
-Fixed low memory problem.
Version 1.1 - Oct 16, 1996
-Name change. Apparently another company has the rights to the name 'DiskMapper' for their product which runs under Windows. (However, that product functions substantially different than this one, even if it does 'map' the 'disk'. So much for what I thought was the perfect name for this application. C'est la vie.)
-Fixed problem with preferences file when running the application from a volume that wasn't the Startup Disk.
Version 1.2 - Jan 25, 1997
-Added a 'Virtual Disk' capability. Saved DiskSummary files can be loaded (either through drag and drop or the File menu or double-clicking the file) allowing the user to view disks (such as CDROMs) which aren't presently mounted.
-Added ability to save DiskSummary files from the File menu.
-Now correctly displays folder/file names in 'double-byte' character sets (such as Japanese).
-Added capability to display folders/files in different fonts, sizes and widths. (Especially nice for those of us with less than perfect vision.)
-New multiple-page Preferences dialog.
-Can now use Tabs to delimit information saved in DiskSummary files.
-Displays the percentage of the disk that is used.
-When pointing to folders and files, if the folder/file uses more than 1% of the disk, the percentage is displayed.
-Can now be registered through Kagi Shareware, which accepts credit cards, overseas currency/checks, etc.
Version 1.3 - May 3, 1997
-Shift-Clicking a folder now opens up the actual folder in the Finder.
-When the application is in background mode, the DiskSurveyor window is "pulled back" to the left side of the screen, making it easier to drag files into the Trash.
-Now adjusts the layout for volumes that return an incorrect number of bytes allocated. This also solves the compatibility issue with driver-level compression programs, which return the original UNCOMPRESSED number of bytes the file had, instead of the actual COMPRESSED number of bytes the file takes up.
