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No Sweat! ┌─────────────┐ │ Programs │ │ _ │ │ (_)° │ ┌──┴──────────┐ │ │ Archives │ │ │ _ │ │ │ (_)° ├──┘ ┌──┴──────────┐ │ │ DOS │ │ │ _ │ │ │ (_)° ├──┘ │ │ │ ▓ │ │ ▓ │ └───▀─────▀───┘ EASYFILE 2.0 by Dennis LaBelle April 20, 1991 Copyright (c) 1988 by D.R. LaBelle Non-registered users of this program are granted a limited 30 day license to use EASYFILE to evaluate the program's suitability for their requirements. Any use of EASYFILE beyond this evaluation time period requires registration of each copy of the program used. Use of non-registered copies of EASYFILE beyond the original evaluation period is prohibited. Registering EASYFILE once permits you to use the current and all future releases of EASYFILE at no additional cost. In any case, the program may be copied and shared with others. The author makes no warranties, either express or implied, regarding the program's merchantability, or its fitness for any particular purpose. The author will not be liable for any damages, including lost profits, lost savings or other incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use of or inability to use EASYFILE, even if he has been advised of the possibility of such damages, or for any claim by any other party. All commercial rights are reserved by the author. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 2 *** EASYFILE TABLE OF CONTENTS *** Title page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 1 Table of Contents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 2 Included files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3 Quick start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4 System requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4 Setting up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 5 Setup options - summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 5 Setup options - detailed description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6 Screen organization of EASYFILE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 12 Screen sample illustration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 12 Keyboard operation of EASYFILE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 13 Normal key assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 13 Function Key assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Control/Alternate key combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Other user input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15 Using EASYFILE with a mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 16 Illustration of screen regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 16 Top line menu commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 19 Application menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 22 EZINST - The EASYFILE configuration utility . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 29 EZMENU - The EASYFILE application menu generator . . . . . . . . . . Page 29 Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 29 EASYFILE User's Manual Page 3 *** INCLUDED FILES *** The following program and documentation files should be included in this distribution copy of EASYFILE. APPSMENU.TXT - Sample application menu file COMLIST.TXT - Sample command list file EASYFILE.EXE - Executable program EASYFILE.DOC - The documentation for EASYFILE EZINST.EXE - EASYFILE configuration utility EZMENU.EXE - EASYFILE application menu generator EZMONO.CFG - Sample command list file for monochrome screens GAMEMENU.TXT - Sample application menu file INSTALL.BAT - Hard disk installation file README - Additional information on EASYFILE REGISTER.TXT - Registration form for EASYFILE ZIPCOM.TXT - Sample ZIP comment file *** QUICK START *** If it is necessary to use EASYFILE immediately, read this section first to become acquainted with the basic options. The remainder of the documentation should be read in order to make best use of the program. EASYFILE may be invoked by typing EASYFILE and pressing [Enter] at the DOS prompt. Common EASYFILE actions are displayed in a menu on the top line of the screen. You may select one of the menu options by pressing the tab key or spacebar until the desired option is highlighted and then pressing [Enter] -- or more quickly, by simply pressing the first character of each option. If you have a mouse, Top line menu items may be performed by moving the mouse cursor to the desired option and pressing the left mouse button. Selecting "Other" will provide pull down menus for all other EASYFILE functions, Alt key and Ctrl key assignments not on this top line menu. EASYFILE has been designed for easy use with either the keyboard or a mouse. New ZIP, ARC or LZH files are created by copying one or more files to a file name having a ZIP, ARC or LZH extension, respectively. It is possible to adjust the behavior of several EASYFILE features at startup. This is done in the COMMAND LIST file. If the COMMAND LIST file name is not specified on the command line, the program will look for the default file name of COMLIST.TXT in the current directory. The program EZINST.EXE is provided to help you generate the COMMAND LIST file. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 4 *** INTRODUCTION *** EASYFILE is designed to make management of your hard disk files, especially archived files, much easier. Two different, sorted directories are displayed side by side, allowing you to select both individual files and groups of files for EASYFILE to act on. You can easily: - treat an archived file as a simple subdirectory of files ZIP, ARC and LZH style archives are currently supported - convert one style archive file to another - automatically add comments to a ZIP file - copy and delete files. - set file attributes - rename files and directories. - view the contents of files - edit files with your favorite text editor. - move files from one directory to another. - add and delete subdirectories. - run other programs from within the EASYFILE environment. - display files in sorted order. - set a directory mask so that only certain files are displayed. - backup files. - print a hard copy of a sorted directory. - create user defined menus to run applications - selectively disable features of EASYFILE depending on user need - move quickly from directory to directory - display a comprehensive listing of all files on a drive EASYFILE has the ability to display a visual, sorted directory tree so you can quickly display a particular subdirectory on either side of the EASYFILE screen. For users who upload and download files from bulletin boards, EASYFILE links to archive utilities such as Phil Katz's PKPAK, PKUNPAK and PKZIP, PKUNZIP to easily copy, create, extract, execute, delete, update and view archived files. *** SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS *** EASYFILE makes full use of the PC keyboard, using the function keys, the cursor keys, tab key, space bar, and several Ctrl/Alt key combinations. EASYFILE fully supports the use of a mouse and is most efficiently operated with one. In order to make full use of all of EASYFILE's features, the following conditions should be met: The program is designed to operate satisfactorily with DOS 2.x and above. However, DOS 3.x is prefered. In a few cases, the features offered by EASYFILE depend on the presence of DOS 3.x enhancements. EASYFILE now requires a minimum of 150K memory and one diskette drive for operation on an IBM-PC/XT/AT or compatible computer. Additional memory is required to use the automatic archiving features. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 5 *** SETTING UP *** EASYFILE is invoked by entering the following line at the DOS prompt. EASYFILE [command list file name] The square brackets denote an optional argument, and are not typed. It is possible to adjust the behavior of several EASYFILE features at startup. The actions to perform when files with particular extensions are selected can also be defined. This is done in the COMMAND LIST file. If the COMMAND LIST file name is not specified on the command line, the program will look for the default file name of COMLIST.TXT in the current directory. The program EZINST.EXE is provided to help you generate the COMMAND LIST file. You may, of course, create several different COMMAND LIST files to run EASYFILE in alternate configurations. Each line of this special file should start with an option name followed by the new option value as in the example below. TEMPDIR=c:\scratch This line changes the directory that EASYFILE uses to writes its temporary files. There should be no spaces before or after the equals sign. A summary of the options, their default values and permissible values follows. Option Default value Possible values ------ ------------- ------------------------------------- arcext ARC any file extension apps any file path colorsXX 0 to 255 editcmd ED any file path extcmd any command line string filemask *.* any legal DOS file mask leftdir current directory any directory listcmd any file path memory EXTENDED EXTENDED, EXPANDED, DOS, DISK menu_on OFF OFF, ON minimize OFF OFF, ON off 0 0 to 16,777,216 packcmd PACK any file path rightdir any directory sortorder NOSORT NOSORT,BYNAME,BYDATE,BYSIZE,BYEXT,BYPATH tempdir c:\eztemp any directory unpackcmd UNPACK any file path video CGA MDA, CGA, EGA zipcoment any file path The program files defined in the listcmd, packcmd and unpackcmd options must be available through the DOS path or their full path included in the definitions. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 6 Detailed Description of Options OPTION : apps DEFAULT VALUE : none PURPOSE : defines the file name of the start-up application menu DISCUSSION : This option identifies the file name of the application menu which should be read when first starting EASYFILE. See the section entitled APPLICATION MENUS for a detailed description of these files. OPTION : arcext DEFAULT VALUE : arc PURPOSE : file name extension for archived files using the ARC format DISCUSSION : This option specifies the file name extension used for archived files using the ARC format. If the file is found to be an archive, it will be treated in the same manner as a subdirectory. For example: the individual files of the archive C:\DATA\JAN.ARC could be listed in a window with C:\DATA\JAN.ARC listed as the current directory name. The files in the archive can be acted on (e.g. move, list, edit, copy, etc.) in the same manner as non-archived files. EASYFILE will use the archive packing and unpacking programs, as necessary, to perform its functions. You will not have to concern yourself with the packing or unpacking steps, since they are handled by EASYFILE itself. Phil Katz's ZIP archive file format is supported by EASYFILE without needing to specify the ZIP file extension. The PKZIP.EXE and PKUNZIP.EXE files must be accessible through the DOS path. OPTION : colors0 through colors14 DEFAULT VALUE : see following table PURPOSE : Used to specify the EASYFILE colors DISCUSSION : This option is used to define the color attribute for 15 different sections of the EASYFILE screen.The default color scheme for EASYFILE consists of the following: Option Item Affected Default Value/Color ------ ------------- ------------------- colors0 Menu line 70H; black on white colors1 Menu select 1FH; bright white on blue colors2 Action key 71H; blue on white colors3 Normal message 07H; white on black colors4 Highlighted text 0EH; yellow on black colors5 Normal file 17H; white on blue colors6 Selected file 0EH; yellow on black colors7 Marked file 1FH; bright white on blue colors8 Selected & marked file 4EH; yellow on red colors9 Window borders 70H; black on white colors10 Apps/Pick/List text 0EH; yellow on black colors11 Apps/Pick select 1FH; bright white on blue colors12 Selection boxes 4FH; bright white on red colors13 Mouse cursor 2EH; yellow on green colors14 Scroll bar 0FH; bright white EASYFILE User's Manual Page 7 Detailed Description of Options (Continued) OPTION : colors0 through colors14 There are a few background/foreground color combinations that have a special effect with respect to highlighting files. If the background and foreground colors for a marked file are made identical, a pointer () will appear to the left of the file when marked. If both the background and foreground colors for a selected file are made identical, a flashing pointer () will appear to the left of the file. The latter is also true for a file which is both marked and selected. OPTION : editcmd DEFAULT VALUE : ed PURPOSE : specify name of program used to EDIT files DISCUSSION : This option is used to define the name of the program which will be called when EASYFILE's EDIT feature is invoked. This should be the name of your favorite word processor. The file name currently selected by the highlight bar will be passed as a command line argument to this editor. OPTION : extcmd DEFAULT VALUE : none PURPOSE : define actions to perform when files are executed DISCUSSION : This option informs EASYFILE of the command which should be issued to DOS when a file with the specified extension is executed. A caret (^), followed by the extension name is used as a place holder for the file name on the command line. Up to 32 extension commands may be defined. Three sample entries for this option are shown below. EXTCMD=list ^.doc EXTCMD=list ^.txt EXTCMD=qc ^.c /h With these COMMAND LIST lines, all file names with extensions of either DOC or TXT would be passed to the program LIST. And if the file HELLO.C was executed, EASYFILE would pass the command line QC HELLO.C /H to DOS. OPTION : filemask DEFAULT VALUE : *.* PURPOSE : specify the file mask in effect when EASYFILE starts DISCUSSION : This command list option specifies the file mask in effect when EASYFILE starts. DOS wild card characters may be used. Those files matching the mask will be displayed in the file list windows. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 8 Detailed Description of Options (Continued) OPTION : leftdir DEFAULT VALUE : current directory when invoking EASYFILE PURPOSE : define directory displayed in left window at start up DISCUSSION : This command list option is used to specify the initial directory to be viewed in the left window when invoking EASYFILE. If not specified, the default drive and path directory will display in the left window. A comprehensive listing of all files on a drive (a SuperDir) can be displayed by setting this option to an asterisk followed by the drive designator. Example: a SuperDir of drive C may be obtained with LEFTDIR=*C: Remember, the colon after the drive letter must be present. OPTION : listcmd DEFAULT VALUE : list PURPOSE : specify name of an external program used to LIST files DISCUSSION : This command list option is used to define the name of the program which will be called in place of EASYFILE's own LIST routine. This may be the name of your favorite file viewing program. EASYFILE has an internal LIST function which is normally used if this option is not specified. The file name currently selected by the highlight bar will be passed as a command line argument to your list program. OPTION : maxfiles DEFAULT VALUE : 2500 PURPOSE : specify the maximum number of files that may be displayed in a file window. DISCUSSION : A value of 2000 will only reserve enough memory for 2000 files. Values less than 100 are equivalent to using 100. The maximum value that may be used is dependent upon the amount of free Extended, Expanded, conventional DOS or disk memory. See the following discussion on the MEMORY option. OPTION : memory DEFAULT VALUE : EXTENDED PURPOSE : specify type of memory in which to store file information DISCUSSION : This option is used to specify the type of memory used for storing the information appearing in the file list windows. Possible values are EXTENDED, EXPANDED, DOS or DISK. If the type of memory you select is not present in sufficient quantity, EASYFILE will attempt to use another type for data storage. OPTION : menu_on DEFAULT VALUE : NO PURPOSE : Displays APPS menu immediately on startup if set to YES DISCUSSION : Determines whether EASYFILE should display the APPS menu, specified by the APPS= option, immediately upon startup. If set to YES, the current application menu will be activated when EASYFILE first starts. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 9 Detailed Description of Options (Continued) OPTION : off DEFAULT VALUE : 0 PURPOSE : designate the EASYFILE features to deactivate DISCUSSION : Several EASYFILE features may be deactivated when first invoking the program. This option may be used to limit the capabilities of the program when used by a novice or person needing restricted access to your files. Each feature which may be deactivated has a number associated with it. This value will be a power of 2, such as 4 (2 squared). By summing the associate values for each feature you wish to turn off you will arrive at the value for this option. Power of 2 Feature to Deactivate ----- --------------------------------------------------- 0 Copy 1 Move 2 Delete 3 XEQ 4 Pick 5 List 6 Edit 7 Make new subdirectory 8 Remove subdirectory 9 Show subdirectory on left 10 Show subdirectory on right 11 Enter new path for left 12 Enter new path for right 13 Set archive bit on files 14 Clear archive bit on files 15 Hide files 16 Unhide files 17 Protect files 18 Un-Protect files 19 Convert archives 20 Backup files 21 Shell to DOS 22 Rename file or subdirectory 23 Quit: Current dir. active 24 Enter file mask 25 Print current directory list 26 Superdirectory of a drive 27 Set system bit on file 28 Clear system bit on files Example: To prevent deleting or editing a file, the value for this option should be set to 2^2 + 2^6 = 4 + 64 = 68 The OFF option value would be set to OFF=68 If the "Enter new path" features are deactivated, a SuperDir may not be displayed in the corresponding window. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 10 Detailed Description of Options (Continued) OPTION : minimize DEFAULT VALUE : OFF PURPOSE : When set to ON, minimizes EASYFILE's use of DOS RAM DISCUSSION : When set to ON, this option causes EASYFILE to use only 5K of conventional DOS memory when running programs from EASYFILE. OPTION : packcmd DEFAULT VALUE : pack PURPOSE : specify name of program used to pack & create archives DISCUSSION : This option is used to specify for EASYFILE the name of the program you normally use to pack and create archives in the ARC format. The specified packing program should have the same command line syntax as Phil Katz's PKPACK.EXE. EASYFILE will issue the necessary calls to this program to perform any packing required. OPTION : rightdir DEFAULT VALUE : none PURPOSE : define directory displayed in right window at start up DISCUSSION : This command list option specifies the initial directory to be viewed in the right window when invoking EASYFILE. If not specified, the right window will initially be empty. As with the LEFTDIR option, a SuperDir may also be specified with this option. Detailed Description of Options (Continued) OPTION : sortorder DEFAULT VALUE : NOSORT PURPOSE : define the sort order of the files at start up DISCUSSION : Following are the possible values and their sort orders. Value Sort order ----- -------------------------------------- NOSORT as found in directory BYNAME by name, ascending alphabetically BYDATE by date and time, most recent first BYSIZE by size, smallest files first BYEXT by extension, ascending alphabetically BYPATH by full path name, ascending alphabetically OPTION : tempdir DEFAULT VALUE : c:\eztemp PURPOSE : define directory for placing EASYFILE's temporary files DISCUSSION : EASYFILE may create temporary files during the course of its operation. These files are erased by EASYFILE once they are no longer needed. The specified directory must be empty in order for EASYFILE to work properly. If the temporary directory does not exist, it will be created by EASYFILE on start up. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 11 Detailed Description of Options (Continued) OPTION : unpackcmd DEFAULT VALUE : unpack PURPOSE : specify name of program used to unpack archived files DISCUSSION : This option is used to specify for EASYFILE the program you normally use to unpack archives with the ARC format. The unpacking program should have the same command line syntax as Phil Katz's PKUNPACK.EXE. EASYFILE will issue calls to this program to perform any unpacking required. OPTION : video DEFAULT VALUE : CGA PURPOSE : defines the video mode used by EASYFILE DISCUSSION : Setting VIDEO=EGA will force EASYFILE to display 43 lines on an EGA card and 50 lines on a VGA. If the screen is already in 43 or 50 line mode, EASYFILE will continue to display that number of lines regardless of whether this option is set to EGA. Values other than EGA have no effect on the number of lines displayed. OPTION : zipcoment DEFAULT VALUE : none PURPOSE : specify name of file containing comment for new ZIP files DISCUSSION : ZIP comments, for the new ZIP archives created when using EASYFILE, may be added automatically. The contents of the specified file will be added to a ZIP archive as a comment. EZINST.EXE is provided to help you generate the necessary COMMAND LIST file for the preceding options you wish to use. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 12 *** SCREEN ORGANIZATION OF EASYFILE *** The following is a facsimile of EASYFILE as it appears on a monitor screen. Some of the on-screen refinements are, of course, not possible to display on a printer, so it will look a bit different in actual use, and may contain more lines. Use this illustration for reference in the User's Manual. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- UnTagAll Copy Move Delete TagAll Other Apps XEQ Pick List Edit Quit ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Clear all tagged files. | *.* DISK1_VOL2 name || *.* DISK1_VOL2 name | |-------------------------------------||--------------------------------------| | D:\ || D:\GAMES | |-------------------------------------||--------------------------------------| | DPE <DIR> || <PARENT> <DIR> | | GAMES <DIR> || ADVENT EXE 45824 110385 11:10a | | GRAPHICS <DIR> || ADVENT1 TXT 18304 110385 11:10a | | INCLUDE <DIR> || ADVENT2 TXT 6528 110385 11:11a | | INCOMING <DIR> || ADVENT3 TXT 5632 110385 11:11a | | LIB <DIR> || BALOON BIN 384 061086 02:14a | | MOUSE <DIR> || BIRD1 BIN 128 061086 02:14a | | OLDWIND <DIR> || BIRD2 BIN 128 061086 02:14a | | PASCAL <DIR> || BOMB BIN 128 061086 02:14a | | SCAN <DIR> || BOTTOM BIN 1920 061086 02:14a | | SCREEN <DIR> || DOC TXT 2037 092286 21:48a | | SHEET <DIR> || EXPLODE BIN 128 061086 02:14a | | SYSLIB <DIR> || INSTRUCT BIN 16128 061086 02:14a | | TEMP <DIR> || MOUNTAIN BIN 8931 061086 02:14a | | TEXT <DIR> || LOGO BIN 640 061086 02:14a | | UTILS <DIR> || LTANK BIN 128 061086 02:14a | | WINDOWS <DIR> || MAHJONGG DOC 5769 091187 08:31a | | WP <DIR> || MAHJONGG EXE 89288 090987 13:52a | | XFER <DIR> || NEWYORK BAS 57842 081488 19:04a | |-------------------------------------||--------------------------------------| | dir: 0K tag: 0K left:11428K || dir: 254K tag: 0K left:11428K | |-------------------------------------||--------------------------------------| Figure 1 - Facsimile of EASYFILE on a monitor screen. The EASYFILE screen, as seen in Figure 1, is divided into three sections with dual side by side file windows for the display of file information and a two line top section for messages and menu. The first line on the the screen is the Top Line Menu, with the current menu selection highlighted and the rest in reverse video. The top section contains, as its second row, the message line. Here EASYFILE describes the current menu selection or tells the user what is happening. Choosing "Other" from the Top Line Menu will display a second, drop down menu from which remaining EASYFILE options may be selected. After the "Apps" option is chosen from the top line menu, the user defined application menu will be displayed in the current file window. EASYFILE will display a pop-up window when prompting the user for input. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 13 *** SCREEN ORGANIZATION OF EASYFILE *** (Continued) In each of the file windows the top line (row) shows the active directory mask, volume label for the respective displayed disk and active sort option for that side. The second window row will display the full DOS path for the directory displayed in the window. The large central window area is the main file display area, in which a full DOS directory (DIR) format is shown. The right edge of the file windows contain a scroll bar that allows movement through the file list using a mouse. The directory additionally displays hidden files and, when applicable, a letter representing the file's attributes: A - Archive H - Hidden R - Read only S - System Only one of the two windows may be considered "current" for menu or function key actions. This active window is noted by a bar highlighting the "current file" within the "current window". Below the main display, an inverse video row, shows the directory size, total bytes tagged, and remaining bytes of disk space. *** KEYBOARD OPERATION OF EASYFILE *** NORMAL KEY ASSIGNMENTS The key pad controls the combination file selector and window selector. Two of the keys are used to create and delete directories. The keys used on the cursor pad, and their functions are: 1. Right Arrow - Select right window. 2. Left Arrow - Select left window. 3. Up Arrow - Scroll selection bar up 4. Down Arrow - Scroll selection bar down 5. Home - Selector to top of listing. 6. End - Selector to end of listing. 7. Page Up - Scroll window up one page. 8. Page Dn - Scroll window down one page. 9. Ins - Create a new subdirectory (DOS MKDIR/MD). 10. Del - Remove selected subdirectory. (DOS RMDIR/RD) B - Sort files in window by full path G - Invokes the GO TO feature of EASYFILE where the user is prompted for a full or partial file specification to search for, in a file window. EASYFILE will continuously move the selection bar to the first, best matching file as you type the file specification. H - Displays a summary screen of the EASYFILE commands. I - Inverts the current sort order of the file listing. S - Allows you to display all the files on a single drive. Such a list is called a SuperDir. After pressing the S key, you are presented with a list of drives on your system and asked to choose which one to read. The SuperDir will be displayed in the current window. Only one SuperDir can be displayed at any one time. All the functions available with regular directories can be performed from this one. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 14 FUNCTION KEY ASSIGNMENTS The function keys control all the display options. These include sort order and drive or subdirectory viewed. The function keys also allow modification of file attribute bytes and creation/deletion of subdirectories. To use a function key, select a file to use (using the arrow keys), or tag the files to be used (see F9, F10 or the TagAll command described later), and press the function key. The function keys are used as follows: F3 - Display selected subdirectory in left window. F4 - Display selected subdirectory in right window. F5 - Prompt for a new path in left window. F6 - Prompt for a new path in right window. F7 - Sort the current window by name. F8 - Sort the current window by extension. F9 - Tag or untag current file for group action. F10 - Same as F9, but advance to next file. Shift F1 - Set archive bit on current or tagged file(s). Shift F2 - Clear archive bit on file(s) Shift F3 - Hide current file, tagged files. Shift F4 - Unhide current file or tagged files. Shift F5 - Protect current or tagged file(s). (Make Read Only) Shift F6 - Unprotect current or tagged file(s). Shift F7 - Sort current window by file size, ascending. Shift F8 - Sort by creation time, most recent file first. Shift F9 - Display current time and date Shift F10 - Enter a file mask for directory display. It will remain in effect until changed and is displayed in the top left corner of the file window. Ctrl F1 - Turn on system attribute for current or tagged file(s). Ctrl F2 - Turn off system attribute for current or tagged file(s). CONTROL/ALTERNATE KEY COMBINATIONS Ctrl-B..... Will initiate the EASYFILE BACKUP utility. Any tagged files in the "source" directory will be compared to files in the "target" directory. By default, the currently selected window is the source directory and the other window contains the target directory. Files will be copied, only if they do not exist on the target, or if the date/time stamp on the source files are newer than those on the target files. Files remain tagged for optional deletion. Ctrl-D..... Pressing Control-D will load a secondary copy of COMMAND.COM and return to the DOS prompt. (The user will be in the CURRENT drive\directory). When ready, type EXIT to return to EASYFILE. Ctrl-Enter. Performs the same function as the "XEQ" command. Ctrl-K..... Will convert an archive file of one format to an archive file with the alternate format. ARC formatted files are changed to ZIP format files. Likewise, ZIP style archives are converted to ARC formatted files. This function can be executed on current or tagged files. The converted file will maintain the original archive file date and time. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 15 CONTROL/ALTERNATE KEY COMBINATIONS (Continued) Ctrl-N..... Will cause DOS rename to be executed on current file. A new name will be prompted for. In addition (if using DOS 3.0 or higher), a subdirectory may be renamed by making it the current file, then using this key. Alt-P...... Will send a listing of the current, sorted directory to the printer. Ctrl-Q..... Exit EASYFILE with the current directory active. Alt-R...... Will refresh the entire screen display of EASYFILE. The subdirectories of the file windows will also be re-read. Ctrl-R..... Will refresh the display of the current window. This is useful if the execution of some file from within EASYFILE has changed the displayed directory by adding or deleting a file. The refresh will display the new, changed directory. Alt-S...... Display files unsorted - as they are actually stored on your disk. Ctrl-T..... Toggle screen between CGA (25 line) and EGA/VGA (43/50 line) modes. Ctrl-X..... Performs the same function as the "XEQ" command. OTHER USER INPUT EASYFILE will dislay a pop-up window when prompting the user for input. If EASYFILE is asking for a file, directory path or command line arguments, the input line may be edited before pressing the ENTER key to accept the value currently on the line. Hit the ESC key to cancel the operation. EASYFILE may also ask you to choose between the "[Current] or [Tagged]" files or to select the appropriate disk drive. Pressing the first letter of the option will select that option as the response. Choosing "Other" from the Top Line Menu will display a second, drop down menu from which remaining EASYFILE options may be selected. In this second menu, operations are selected with the arrow keys and executed by pressing ENTER. The ESC key, as usual, may be used to cancel the menu. After choosing the "Apps" option from the top line menu, using the up and down arrow keys will select the menu items and hitting the ENTER key will execute the application menu item. Use the ESC key to exit the application menu. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 16 *** USING EASYFILE WITH A MOUSE *** EASYFILE will detect the presence of a mouse and display a cursor for it on the screen. This mouse cursor may be moved and used to select on-screen functions. Selection is normally performed by positioning the mouse cursor then clicking with the left mouse button. The result of the button press is dependent on the current location of the mouse cursor. When discussing the mouse functionality, the EASYFILE screen may be divided into regions A through G, the pop-up window and menus. The actions carried out by EASYFILE when a mouse button is pressed depends on which region the mouse cursor is in. Figure 2 defines the regions of the EASYFILE display. There is only one region A and one region B. Both file windows have regions C through G. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Region A ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Region B |--------------------------------------||-------------------------------------| | *.* DISK1_VOL2 name || Region C | | D:\ || Region D | |--------------------------------------||-------------------------------------| | DPE <DIR> || | | GAMES <DIR> || | | GRAPHICS <DIR> || | | INCLUDE <DIR> || | | INCOMING <DIR> || | LASER <DIR> || R | LIB <DIR> || e | MOUSE <DIR> || g | PASCAL <DIR> || Region F i | SCAN <DIR> || o | SCREEN <DIR> || n | SHEET <DIR> || | SYSLIB <DIR> || E | TEXT <DIR> || | UTILS <DIR> || | | WINDOWS <DIR> || | | WP <DIR> || | | XFER <DIR> || | |--------------------------------------||-------------------------------------| | dir: 0K tag: 0K left:11428K || Region G | |--------------------------------------||-------------------------------------| Figure 2 - Regions of EASYFILE monitor screen. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 17 *** USING EASYFILE WITH A MOUSE *** (Continued) Region A - This area of the screen is refered to as the TOP LINE MENU. It consists of the first line of the display. Top line menu items may be performed by moving the mouse cursor to the desired option and pressing the left mouse button. Region B - The second line of the screen is refered to as the MESSAGE LINE. When selecting items on the top line menu a description of the menu item's function will appear here. Messages may also appear on this line when copying, moving, deleting or performing other functions. Region C - Clicking on On region C has no effect. Region D - Pressing the left mouse button while on this line of the window will cause the selection bar to scroll upward. Region E - This region contains the mouse scroll bar for the window. The region is one column wide and contains a bright marker to signify the window's current position in the directory list. Clicking on the scroll bar above the marker produces the same result as hitting the PgUp key. Clicking on the scroll bar below the marker produces the same result as hitting the PgDn key. The marker itself may be moved by pressing and holding the left mouse button while the mouse cursor is positioned on it. Moving the mouse under this condition will allow the marker to be moved also. Repositioning of the marker in this manner will readjust the window's position within the directory list. Region F - If a subdirectory or archive has been selected as the current file, you may click the left mouse button on the left half of the selected line to display the contents of the subdirectory or archive in the left file window. Pressing the left mouse button while on the right half of the selected line will display in the right file window. The "R" in the word "<DIR>" is in the first column useable for selecting the right window. If the mouse cursor is on a non-archive file name , clicking the left mouse button has the same effect as issuing the "XEQ" command. Clicking the right mouse button will TAG the file if it is currently selected. Otherwise, the first right mouse button click will serve to select the file. Region G - Pressing the left mouse button while on the last line of the window will cause the selection bar to scroll downward. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 18 *** USING EASYFILE WITH A MOUSE *** (Continued) Pop-Up - EASYFILE will dislay a pop-up window when prompting the user for Window input. The mouse may also be used in this case. Pressing the left mouse button, with the mouse cursor on the pop-up's Accept button, will accept the value currently displayed. Clicking on the pop-up's ESC button will cancel the operation. EASYFILE may also ask you to choose between the "[Current] or [Tagged]" files or to select the appropriate disk drive. Placing the mouse cursor on the highlighted option box and pressing the left mouse button will select that option as the response. Menus - After choosing the "Other" or "Apps" options from the Top Line Menu, the selection bar will follow the mouse cursor. With the mouse cursor over one of the resulting menu items, clicking the left mouse button will execute the highlighted selection and clicking the right button will escape the menu without choosing. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 19 *** TOP LINE MENU COMMANDS *** Top Line Menu selections control the most commonly used EASYFILE actions, and are invoked by either moving the highlight to the desired command via the spacebar, tab key or mouse and pressing [Enter] (or left mouse button), or by keying the first letter of the command name. The spacebar or tab key moves the highlight to the right and the tab key, when shifted, moves the highlight to the left. Using the initial letter is the fastest method if you are using keyboard input. The commands are as follows: UnTagAll... Will turn off any file highlighting within current window. Copy....... Will cause DOS copy to be executed on current or tagged files. New archive files are created by copying one or more files to a file name having a ZIP, LZH or ARC extension. Text files may be sent to the printer by using the COPY command and specifying PRN as the destination. Note, however, that attempting to COPY a file directly from an archive to the printer will not be successful. This is a problem with the archive utilities themselves. In this case, copy the archived file to a regular subdirectory before attempting to copy it to PRN. If a full disk condition is reached when performing the COPY function, EASYFILE will ask whether you wish to change diskette and continue. Move....... Will move (without copying, if possible) files from one subdirectory to another. Files will be MOVED, without copying, across subdirectory boundaries if the two directories are on the same disk drive. Otherwise, EASYFILE will perform the function by first copying and then deleting the original file. Moves are only performed if the destination directory does not contain a file by the same name. Moving a file is performed faster than copying and does not degrade hard disk performance through disk fragmentation caused by reorganization. With MOVE the files are not physically moved, their disk location identifier is merely changed. Delete..... Will cause DOS delete to be executed on current or tagged files. TagAll..... Will turn on file highlighting for all files within current window, so that all files will be subject to action. Selected files may be untagged with either the F9 or F10 keys. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 20 *** TOP LINE MENU COMMANDS *** (Continued) Other...... Will replace the top line menu with a set of pull-down menus. These menus allow access to the remaining EASYFILE features not available directly from the top line menu. A particular pull- down menu may be selected either with the mouse or by using the left and right arrow keys. An item within the pull-down menu can be selected by using the up and down arrow keys or with the mouse. To perform the chosen selection, either hit ENTER or press the left mouse button. Hitting the ESC key or the right mouse button will exit from the pull-down menu system and restore the original top line menu. Pressing any mouse button when the mouse cursor is not inside a pull-down menu will also exit. Remember, each of the functions in the pull-down menus can also be performed by using the associated key sequence listed on the menu. Apps....... Will display a user defined applications menu. The contents of one file window will be replaced by the menu. You may use the cursor keys (or mouse) to choose a selection, then the [Enter] key (or left mouse button) to perform it, or [ESC] to exit the application menu. These are the only key presses which will be acknowledged during the display of the user defined menu. This menu allows the user to run applications without needing to remember their disk location nor the proper command line arguments. See the section on "Application Menus" for further information on constructing application menu files. XEQ........ The currently selected file, if an executable type, i.e. with extension BAT, COM, or EXE, will be run. EASYFILE will prompt the user for command line parameters prior to execution. If the file's extension is one of those specified by the EXTCMD option in the command list file, the file name will be substituted for each caret (^) on the EXTCMD line. For example: If the command list file contains the line EXTCMD=EDIT ^.TXT /C and the currently selected file is named SHOPLIST.TXT then the following command would be sent to DOS. EDIT SHOPLIST.TXT /C There are two additional key combinations (Ctrl-X & Ctrl-Enter) that will perform the same function as the "XEQ" option. Pressing Ctrl-D may also be used to run other programs from within EASYFILE. This is covered in the CONTROL KEY area of the documentation. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 21 *** TOP LINE MENU COMMANDS *** (Continued) Pick....... Will show an alphabetically sorted, visual directory tree. You will first be prompted to select a disk drive. Type in the letter of the drive or select the letter with the mouse by clicking the left mouse button while the mouse cursor is on the drive letter's box. You may then use the cursor keys or the mouse to select a subdirectory, then ENTER (or click left mouse button) to display it, or ESC to return to the normal display. EASYFILE will correctly display a drive's directory tree up to a total of 100 subdirectories. List....... Will invoke EASYFILE's internal browse feature or use another program as specified by the LISTCMD option in the COMMAND LIST file. The internal list routines permit viewing of files in either ASCII or HEXADECIMAL mode. The currently selected file path, name and extension will be passed to the external LIST program as a command line argument. The LIST program must be in a directory specifed by the DOS PATH command or have its full path name provided with the LISTCMD option. EASYFILE internal list program commands: a) Home, End, PgUp, PgDn, UpArrow, DnArrow, LtArrow and RtArrow keys are used to move within the file. b) The "F" key is used to specify a string to find c) The "A" key is used to search again for the string d) The "H" key is used to toggle between Hexadecimal and ASCII Text display modes. Text mode is the default. e) The ESC key is used to exit the file viewer. f) The top line of the file viewing screen is mouse sensitive. Clicking, with the left mouse button, on any top line displayed command will execute that function. Edit....... Will invoke an editor called ED or another program specified by the EDITCMD option in the EASYFILE command list file. The currently selected file path, name and extension will be passed to the EDIT program as a command line argument. The EDIT program must be in a directory specifed by the DOS PATH command or have its full path name provided with the EDITCMD option. Quit....... Used to exit program and return to DOS. After a menu selection or a key command is made, EASYFILE will check to see if any files are tagged. (These are files highlighted in the file window) If it finds tagged files, it will ask whether the user wants to act upon the tagged files or the current file only. The user will see a prompt on the message line and a small two choice menu which indicates the two available choices. A choice is to be made by typing the first letter of the desired option. If no files are tagged and when necessary, the user is prompted for appropriate path or name entry. Then EASYFILE will ask for verification of the pending action. A "Y" response causes execution of the command, while pressing the "N" or ESC keys will abort the operation and return to the normal display with any tagged files still highlighted. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 22 *** APPLICATION MENUS *** EASYFILE allows you to build your own personalized menus. The application menu which is loaded upon startup of EASYFILE can be specified in the COMMAND LIST file. The APPS= command option may be used to specify the menu's file name. Application menus consist of text files which may be produced with the program EZMENU.EXE or any editor that can create ASCII files. EZMENU.EXE is provided as an aid to quickly produce application menu files. This section describes, in detail, the structure of the files created with EZMENU.EXE. Take a moment to examine the contents of the included menu file APPSMENU.TXT. Its structure is actually very simple. There are only 4 types of entries. These types are: 1) BLANK LINES. These are ignored by EASYFILE. 2) THE MENU TITLE. The Main menu title is the heading displayed at the top of the menu. The menu title MUST start in the first column. Only the first 38 characters of the menu title will be used. The title will be centered on the first line of the menu. 3) THE APPLICATION NAME. The application name consists of the text displayed on the menu to describe the selection. The names MUST start in the second column (column 2) and may be long, although, only the first 38 characters are used by EASYFILE. Please note that the first character of the line MUST be a space, with the first letter of the application name starting in column 2. EASYFILE supports up to 49 application names in a single menu. The ampersand sign (&) has a special function when it appears on the application name line. It is not displayed on the screen. It may be used as a place holder to specify that the line is an application name line by placing it in column 2. This allows you to create an application name that starts with one or more blank spaces. The line could start with an ampersand, followed by several spaces and then the text you wish displayed on the menu as a description. 4) THE MENU ACTION LINES. For each application name, The first line specifies the initial directory (or path), and subsequent lines can specify special EASYFILE commands or the application you wish to run and any parameters that may be required. These lines MUST BE PRECEDED BY AT LEAST TWO SPACES, or a TAB character. (All these spaces, or lack of them, are used by EASYFILE to tell the various kinds of lines apart.) EASYFILE User's Manual Page 23 *** APPLICATION MENUS *** (Continued) 4) Initial Directory Specification: The first line specifies the initial directory, and may be preceded by a disk drive identifier. If you desire to use the currently logged directory, use a period "." for the directory specification. PASSWORD command: Any menu action line beyond the first can be used to specify a password for the previously defined menu selection. The line must consist of at least two blank spaces followed by the word PASSWORD, a space and the chosen word. Only the first 8 characters of the word are used. RECONFIGURE command: Any menu action line beyond the first can be used to order EASYFILE to reload the COMMAND LIST file. When the defined menu item is selected EASYFILE will configure itself based on the contents of the COMMAND LIST file. The line must consist of at least two blank spaces followed by the word RECONFIGURE. READMENU command: Any menu action line beyond the first can be used to order EASYFILE to load another application menu. When the defined menu item is selected EASYFILE will load the application menu. To specify the name of the application menu file the line must consist of at least two blank spaces followed by the word READMENU, a space, two question marks and the desired application menu's file name. QUIT command: Any menu action line beyond the first can be used to exit EASYFILE completely. When the defined menu item is selected EASYFILE will go through its exit sequence. The line must consist of at least two blank spaces followed by the word QUIT. Application Specification: All other menu action lines not described above are considered to be application specifications. These lines are used to specify the application, and any associated parameters. Several application specifications may be given for a menu selection but only the last one listed will be used by EASYFILE. An application specification consists of at least two blank spaces followed by a valid program name and its string of command line parameters. The program name may include the full path name. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 24 *** APPLICATION MENUS *** (Continued) 4) The application specification can also cause EASYFILE to prompt the user for input. Prompting occurs if the first character of the command line parameter string is a question mark "?". Everything following the question mark, up to the next question mark, if any, is assumed to be part of the prompt string. If a second question mark is found, everything after the second question mark is used for the default answer. The default answer is displayed after the prompting text and may be edited by the user. If there is nothing after the first question mark, a stock phrase is used. See below for examples of all the possibilities and the results they provide. Parameter string : ? Prompt : Enter parameters for application: Default : <blank> Parameter string : ?? Prompt : Enter parameters for application: Default : <blank> Parameter string : ?Please Enter info for this application Prompt : Please Enter info for this application Default : <blank> Parameter string : ?Enter name of data file?JAN1988.DAT Prompt : Enter name of data file Default : JAN1988.DAT Parameter string : ??margin:10 pitch:12 Prompt : Enter parameters for application: Default : margin:10 pitch:12 The application command line and the default string can make use of a special function called the FILE NAME INSERTER. This function is invoked through the use of the at-sign ( @ ) symbol and is described next in greater detail. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 25 *** APPLICATION MENUS *** (Continued) 4) EASYFILE's file name inserter becomes activated if the application specification's command or parameter strings contain any @ symbols. There are several special character combinations, that start with the @ symbol. EASYFILE replaces these character sequences with various forms of the file name or path. The special combinations are listed below. The resulting effect of the substitution is also shown. For these examples, it is assumed that C:\DICT\WORDS.TXT is the currently highlighted file: @ sequence Effect ---------- ---------------------------------- @ Not changed Result = @ @: Provides current disk name Result = C: @:\ Provides disk and path Result = C:\DICT\ @:\^ Provides disk, path and filename root Result = C:\DICT\WORDS @:\^.^ Provides disk, path and full filename Result = C:\DICT\WORDS.TXT @\ Provides path Result = \DICT\ @\^ Provides path and filename root Result = \DICT\WORDS @\^.^ Provides path and full filename Result = \DICT\WORDS.TXT @^ Provides filename root Result = WORDS @^.^ Provides full filename Result = WORDS.TXT Therefore, a command line string of type @:\^.^ | more would be substituted with type C:\DICT\WORDS.TXT | more before being executed by EASYFILE. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 26 *** APPLICATION MENUS *** (Continued) 4) The application command line can make use of a second special function that operates similar to the file name inserter. This function is refered to as the FILE NAME LISTER. It is invoked through the use of the exclamation point ( ! ). The file name lister works on TAGged files and assembles file names in the same manner as the file name inserter function. The exclamation point is used instead of the @ sign. At least one file must be TAGged in the current file window in order for the file name inserter function to activate. As the file names are assembled, they are written to a file named EZLIST.DAT. This file is placed in the subdirectory specified by the Initial Directory Specification. With the file name inserter function, the special character sequence is replaced by the file name EZLIST.DAT. Therefore, the following command line echo File !^.^ contains the tagged file list would be replaced by echo File EZLIST.DAT contains the tagged file list before being executed by EASYFILE. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 27 *** APPLICATION MENUS *** (Continued) Sample Menu 1 The following is a sample menu which demonstrates some basic specifications. Sample Menu 1 List file . List Spell Checker c:\spell cspell Spreadsheet c:\sheet 123 The main menu heading for the above sample is "Top Menu". The first selection listed on the above menu would be "List File". When this item is selected EASYFILE would go to work. Since the subdirectory line consists solely of a period, no change of subdirectories would occur. The application line has the application name LIST, with no parameters. EASYFILE will issue the commands to load and execute the LIST program. Sample Menu 2 Let us now examine a more complex menu structure. In this next example we will discuss the more advanced menu capabilities. Assume the filename README.1ST is currently highlighted in the directory display. Sample Menu 2 Customize EASYFILE c:\syslib ezinst Reload EASYFILE configuration . reconfigure Word Processing c:\text edit ?Enter file to edit:?@^.^ Games Menu . readmenu ??c:\syslib\gamemenu.txt password icanplay Check current disk for errors . chkdsk ?Enter disk to check:?@: Edit TXT file associated with highlighted file . ed @^.TXT EASYFILE User's Manual Page 28 *** APPLICATION MENUS *** (Continued) Sample Menu 2 The first of the preceding popup menu options shows a simple way to add in a command to allow customization of EASYFILE. The initial directory is first set to C:\SYSLIB, the assumed location of the EZINST.EXE program for this example, and then EZINST.EXE is run. The second popup menu option illustrates the use of the RECONFIGURE command. The third option shows an example of how the user may be prompted for information prior to running the application. In this case, the user will be prompted with the words "Enter file to edit:" on the screen's MESSAGE LINE. The file name inserter has also been invoked by using the @ sign. In this case, the file name inserter will place the the current file name (README.1ST) into the default response string. The default response may be altered, if necessary, by the user. It will be used as the command line argument when calling the application program. The fourth popup menu option demonstrates the proper use of the READMENU command. If the "Games Menu" selection is chosen from the above application menu, EASYFILE will load a new application menu file named C:\SYSLIB\GAMEMENU.TXT. In this case however, the PASSWORD command has also been used. This will require the user to enter the designated word (listed here as "icanplay") or else the menu action will not be performed. The fifth option will provide the current disk as the default response. The last menu option will issue the command ED README.TXT to the operating system. Application names that have no menu action lines associated with them will not produce any action by EASYFILE when selected. EASYFILE can be used to display a menu by itself in the center of the screen. No other part of the EASYFILE screen is displayed. This will occur only if all the EASYFILE features which may be deactivated are turned off. This allows, if you desire, the use of EASYFILE solely as an application menuing system. See the previous section concerning the OFF option of the COMMAND LIST file for information on deactivating features. EASYFILE User's Manual Page 29 *** EZINST -- The EASYFILE Configuration Utility *** EZINST is provided to help you generate the necessary EASYFILE command list file for the options you want to use. EZINST.EXE is invoked by entering EZINST [command list file name] at the DOS prompt. The square brackets are used to denote an optional argument, and are not typed. If the command list file name is not specified on the command line, the program will look for the default file name of COMLIST.TXT in the current directory. Simply run EZINST and follow the on screen instructions. Context sensitive help is available by pressing the F1 key. *** EZMENU -- The EASYFILE application menu generator *** EZMENU is provided to help you produce application menu files. EZMENU.EXE is invoked by entering EZMENU [application menu file name] at the DOS prompt. The square brackets are used to denote an optional argument, and are not typed. If there is no file name specified on the command line, the program will look for the default file name of APPSMENU.TXT. Simply run EZMENU and follow the on screen instructions. Context sensitive help is available by pressing the F1 key. *** MISCELLANEOUS *** EASYFILE has many user safeguards built in, with as many escape opportunities as is prudent, not intending to slow down the user. This program, used carefully, will be of immense value. If used carelessly however, it can be dangerous. Please be careful. READ the messages and prompts as they are presented. If you wish additional features to be included in EASYFILE or you discover any program errors (write down any error messages displayed on the screen) please contact: Dennis R. LaBelle Compuserve 71350,3312 Genie D.LABELLE ARC is a trademark of Software Enhancement Associates