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- DUPLICATE FILE LOCATOR PROGRAM Version 1.30
-
- This group of files is the latest version of a full-featured copy
- of DFL - the Duplicate File Locator Program. The compressed file
- DFL130.ZIP should contain the following files:
-
- DFL130.EXE the executable program with self-contained help
- ORDER.DOC the program registration order form
- DFLREAD.ME this file
-
- DFL will search even a huge disk to find the duplicate files. We
- wrote this program because the programs we found and tested on
- the various BBSs either had bugs, or used so much memory per file
- or directory in searching the disk that they aborted due to a
- lack of memory. One of the bugs we found in another duplicate
- seeker appears to be a failure to close files during the compare
- and deletion process. After some number of deletions, all of the
- DOS file handles or File Control Blocks were used, and the
- program refused to process any more.
-
- DFL, as of 7/29/90, has no reported bugs - especially the ones we
- wrote DFL to get around. In addition, the internal data
- structures used to capture the contents of the disk are as small
- as can reasonably be expected. When used on a 330 Megabyte
- Miniscribe ESDI drive, with approximately 3200 files in 150
- directories, only 200 Kbytes of RAM is used. Based on this, DFL
- should be able to handle approximately 12,000 files before memory
- becomes full.
-
- The upcoming version, being able to handle zip's, will have its
- memory handling reworked in such a way that memory capacity is no
- longer a factor.
-
- The main feature of DFL which we have not found in any other
- similar program is its ALIAS mode of operation. Using this mode,
- the contents of files are compared to identify duplicates. The
- file names play no role whatsoever. For example, this will allow
- the user to locate source files such as PROGRAM.C and PROGRAM.BAK
- which have the same contents but different names. This may also
- be of use to sysops who want to weed out duplicate uploads which
- have different names.
-
-
- WHAT IS NEW IN VERSION 1.30
-
- Here's the list :
-
- 1. File viewer. ( A biggee )
- 2. Speed enhancements.
- 3. File tagging for subsequent deletion.
- 4. User-interface enhancements.
- 5. Miscellaneous but critical internal changes.
-
-
- WHAT IS NEXT FOR DFL?
-
- Here's the list :
-
- 1. Span drives.
- 2. Process zip's.
- 3. Process other archive formats.
- 4. Perform and examine the results of the Dos FC.EXE ( File
- Compare ) command... on-line.
- 5. System history-related maintenance/analysis.
-
- The processing of zip's and other archives will help sysops smoke
- out duplicates contained in compressed files with different
- names. Usually, the .COM and .EXE files are the same in such
- situations, but some trivial change has be made to a .DOC or .TXT
- file so that the size of the diddled file is slightly different
- than the original compressed file. We will all benefit if the
- boards are not cluttered with duplicates.
-
-
- HOW TO REACH US
-
- Anyone with comments, suggestions, complaints or bug-reports can
- reach us in one these ways:
-
- Write: W. S. Ataras Engineering
- 40 Laughton Street
- Upper Marlboro, Md. 20772
-
- Voice mail: 1-301-249-1141 East coast
- Voice mail: 1-408-648-3662 West coast
-
- BBS: Springfield Bypass
- 1-703-941-5815 (9600-N81)
-
- FAX: 1-301-627-7510
- Be sure to include the east coast voice mail number on
- the FAX cover sheet.