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Text File | 1990-08-20 | 23.0 KB | 480 lines

ZAP - by Ken Stillson April 1990 Updated for version 3.3 =-=-=-=-=-=-= -=- ZAP IS NOT "FREEWARE" - PLEASE READ THE FILE LICENSE.DOC -=- -=- IF YOU DECIDE TO USE ZAP ON YOUR COMPUTER(S). -=- =-=-=-=-=-=-= What is ZAP ? =-=-=-=-=-=-= > In General Zap is one of the growing number of utilities that does a little too much to generalize its function completely. As well as it's basic functions, ZAP has a lot of short cuts for doing all sorts of common operations. It is intended to be useful enough to be a replacement for the COMMAND.COM user interface. > The Menus On the right hand side of the screen is a menu box. There are three different boxes needed to list all the ZAP functions, and two for the current values of all the F4 macros. Press the space bar to rotate though the menus, or alt-x to jump to menu number x. > The Beginning It's original concept and basic format were taken from the program "Directory Control" [DC.COM]. The author very much thanks the original author of DC, and congratulates him/her on their excellent program. Alas, the author of ZAP has been unable to determine the identity of the author of DC because the documentation for DC was not included on the BBS copy of DC the author obtained. PLEASE - do not remove authors credit for their hard work by removing necessary documentation from programs - it's just not fair ! > Moving Around the Directory Tree ZAP displays the current directory, one file per line, giving basic information about the files. If the list is longer than one screen, the cursor keys (include page-up and page-down) can be used to look around the list. You can change the way the list is sorted. Hold down Ctrl and press N for Name, E for extension, S for size, D for date, or O for original (no sort). Sub-directories are sorted separately, and put at the beginning, always sorted by their name. Ctrl-R will set the Reverse sort mode, which is a saved default (see "setting defaults" below). ZAP allows you to easily change the current directory. Use the cursor keys to move the high-light bar onto the name of a directory you want to change to, and press return. The ".." selection will go to the parent of the current directory, the "." key will simply reload the current one and re-draw the screen. You can short-cut to the previous directory by pressing ".", and short-cut to the root directory of the current drive by pressing "/" or "\". You can also jump directly to an entry (without using the cursor keys), by pressing the first letter of the name of the entry. Then press return to select that directory. To short-cut pressing return, hold down shift as you press the letter. To type in a full directory name to change to, press F9. This also allows you to change the current drive. Playing with this a little will demonstrate: ZAP lets you move around a very large directory tree very quickly and very easily. > Basic File Operations ZAP also allows file operations. Pressing return when high-lighting a file rather than a directory will run a command upon the highlighted file. The idea is this: RETURN- views the file shift-RETURN- edits the file ctrl-RETURN- runs the file For the view and edit functions- you must select your own favorite programs to do the operation. You may wish to use the DOS "type" and "edlin" programs. See below in the "Setting Defaults" section for how to change the programs used. The first four function keys also provide file operations. F1 - copy file F2 - delete file F3 - move / rename file F4 - do ANYTHING to the file F4 is one of the very special (unique?) features of ZAP. The whole idea of these functions is that they work on either a single file (the highlighted one), or on a set of files (the marked or memorized files). F1-3 are obvious normal functions. Note that the delete and move operations are very fast. F4 works like this: You enter any DOS command using a "@" character instead of an individual filename. ZAP will sequentially replace the @ by each file that is selected. For example, let's say you have a set of files that you would like to have sorted. You have a program called SORT which takes its first parameter as the source file and its second parameter as the destination file. Now all you have to do to sort all these files is mark the ones you wish sorted (see below for how to mark files), press F4 and type the command: SORT @ _@ What does this do? ZAP will replace both "@"'s with the first file that is marked, thus from that file to a file which has the same name, but with a "_" as the first character. This is because many such programs will not allow the source and destination files to have the exact same name. After executing this command, ZAP will do it again with the second marked file, and so on. Note that by use of the ";" to separate commands, you can execute multiple commands on each file. So if you wanted to have the destination names match the original ones, you might use: SORT @ temp; del @; ren temp @ This will sort to the file named temp, remove the unsorted file, and rename the temp file to the original's name. Again it will be executed sequentially for each marked file. > File Marking Procedures and Short-Cuts The most basic way to mark files is with the + key or right arrow key. To unmark files, use the - or left arrow key. As usual, the first letter can be used to jump to a filename quickly to mark or unmark it. The following function keys also help out in marking files: F5 - clear all marks F6 - mark all files F7 - toggle all marks (reverse marked and unmarked files) shift-F5 - clear all marks below highlighted file shift-F6 - mark all files below highlighted file shift-F7 - toggle all marks below highlighted file > The "Memorized Files" Here are just a few of some uses of ZAP's ability to memorize a list of files: - Each time a command is executed, ZAP loses its list of marks. Obviously, if you want to process a list more than once, this would be terrible. ZAP offers several alternatives to saving a list in memory or on disk. - Marks can only mark the files in the current directory. However, sometimes you want to operate on files in more than one directory in a single process. By appending marked file's pathnames to the memorized list, you can effectively ZAP files in more than one directory. The ZAP memory list allows up to 99 files to "memorized." You can perform an F4-type function on the entire memorized list instead of on the current directory's marks. To do this, just use F4, but then use "{@}" instead of "@". [ NOTE: it's likely you actually want to use {$}- see the later section on other "meta-characters," below. The following command-keys perform various functions to the memorized list: F4- as explained- perform any command on the list. ; - show the list on the screen > - write the list to a file < - read the list in from a file @ - append the filenames of the marked files to the list $ - append the PATHNAMES """""" (includes directory) _ - mark files in currently directory that are on the list DEL - clear the list * - toggle "save-mode" (see below) > Save-Mode Pressing grey-* switches between two different modes for the memorized list. In save-mode, none of the above functions work. What save-mode does is this: before every command you execute, it automatically types: "DEL-$", and upon it's completion, types "_". This means that although ZAP usually loses its list of marks each time you execute a command, ZAP will use the memorized list to hold your marks for you while the command executes, and the re-install them to the greatest extent possible after your command completes. (Note that your command may have deleted, moved, or re-named some of the files that were marked before.) Save-mode will also preserve the position of the highlight bar though a command's execution. > The Tilde-Directory Just as it can be handy to save a list of files, it can be very handy to save a directory name. For example, say you want to move files from one sub-sub-sub-directory to another sub-sub-sub- directory. Traditionally, this would take a lot of typing. Not with ZAP! Use ZAP's shortcuts for changing directories to move to the DESTINATION directory. Now press "~". Note in the bottom right hand corner of the screen, the new ~ directory is noted. Now use the shortcuts to change to the SOURCE directory. Mark your files, and press F3 to move them. When ZAP asks for the destination directory, just press RETURN and it will default to the ~ directory you have set. > The Many Meta-Characters of ZAP Already mentioned have been the two basic special characters for ZAP, @ and {@}. However, their is a variety of different special characters that can be used in various contexts to make life much easier. Here's a list: @ - F4 only; replaced sequentially by each marked file @. - F4 only; """"""" without it's file-name extension $ - F4 only; replaced sequentially by each marked file's PATH-NAME. $. - F4 only; """"""" without it's path-name extension {@} - F4 only; replaced sequentially by each memorized file's name {$} - F4 only; replaced " " " " " " PATH-NAME @@ - F4 only; replaced all in one go by a list of the filenames of the marked files, separated by spaces. (useful for PKZIP!) @, - F4 only; """""""""""""", separated by comma's. ~ - anywhere; replaced by the ~ directory &X - anywhere; replaced by macro X [ see below ] Notes: The ~ meta-char is the default input for any query for a pathname, but by using the character itself, you can make references to the ~ directory in F4 commands. > MACROS: What would any modern program be without built in macros? In ZAP, macros serve the basic purpose of saving you typing, in two ways. First, pressing an alt-letter at the menu will pass a macro automatically to the F4 function. This means commonly executed F4 functions need not be typed in each time they are used. Secondly, anything you need to input to ZAP can have a macro replacement done on it. So, for example, if you save a directory name to macro D, then to change to that directory quickly, press F9, and answer "&D" when asked for the new directory. To set a new macro value, press "&". ZAP will ask for the letter of the macro to save to, and then for the value to save to it. To permanently save your macros, see the section on "Setting Defaults," below. NOTE: Because it is more commonly useful to have a macro use the current ~ directory at the time of its execution rather than to at its time of definition, the ~ and &x meta-characters will not work when entering new macro values. NOTE: Macros are by default only 20 characters long. Obviously, that's not long enough to do many of the things you want to do with them. However, if macro A is longer than 20 characters, the extra will automatically spill over into macro B. This makes macro b useless, but means macro A can be almost as long as you like. The same goes for each macro letter. NOTE: If you end your macro with a ";", it will press RETURN and execute itself automatically. If you do not, the macro will be placed on the prompt line at the top of the screen, where you can add to or edit it before pressing return. > Mode Switches ZAP has several modes that can be turned on and off. ctrl-b - beep mode - beeps whenever a sequential replacement of more than 1 item completes. ctrl-c - color mode - see below ctrl-q - quiet mode - usually ZAP lists each file as it works on it. If this slows things down too much or annoys you, this mode turns listing off. ctrl-r - srt rev - reverse the order of the current sort method grey-* - Save-mode - see above ctrl-t - type-mode - If on, ZAP will pause when a "view" is done. This is useful for using "type" as a viewer, otherwise the screen is immediately set back to the ZAP menu. If your viewer has you press a key to exit, obviously type-mode goes off. ctrl-g - graphics mode: If you have an EGA or VGA monitor, you can use the 43 or 52 lines-per-screen modes. Press ctrl-g to rotate though your available modes. WARNING: unpredictable results may occur if you request a graphics mode not supported by your hardware! > Setting defaults: The ~ directory will always default to the directory that ZAP is started in. However, for many other ZAP items, you can set a value, and then save it into the ZAP program so that it will stay that way the next time you run ZAP. - The TYPE and EDIT programs - All the "MODES" (above) - All the macros - The directory sort type. Use ctrl-x to change the TYPE and EDIT programs (in memory). If you press ctrl-u all the current settings for these items will be saved into the ZAP.COM file, and ZAP will start up with them the next time you run ZAP. > Special features: There are several special functions built into ZAP, all of which are very fast, and can be very useful in certain circumstances. -- F8: switch ~ and current directories. This is very useful when you're using one as the source and the other as a destination directory. It also makes the ~ directory a very handy place to store a directory temporarily while you go off and do something else. -- ctrl-f: gives the number of kilo-bytes free on the indicated drive. -- ctrl-k: after checking you're sure: delete all files in the current directory (fast!). -- F10: changes the "mask" Usually ZAP lists all the files in a directory. If you want too see only all the ".COM" files, then you can set the mask to "*.COM". Note the mask is also useful in type 3 sweeps (see below). -- ctrl-F2: CHOP DIRECTORY TREE -=- This is a very dangerous command -=- -=- It is FAST and DEADLY - it could wipe out huge numbers of files in less than a second -=- What it does is this: highlight a directory, and press ctrl-F2. Once you answer "Yes," all the files in that directory, and all the files in its sub-directories (recursively), and the directories themselves will be deleted. You may have seen some other programs to do this- try comparing ZAP's speed at it sometime. I think you will be impressed. -- ctrl-F9: locate file You enter a wildcard name (that's a filename with the * naming convention), and ZAP will search every drive, starting at the current one, from the root directory of each drive, for a file matching the wildcard name you have entered. -- ctrl-F10: filename string search Same as F9, except instead of searching for a wildcard name, you enter any text that can appear anywhere in a filename. For example, entering "FF" would be equivalent to searching for *FF*.*FF*, which isn't allowed under the normal DOS wildcard rules. -- ctrl-F4: sweep commands This is another very useful but rather complicated option. This allows you to run a command AT AND BELOW YOUR CURRENT DIRECTORY on either every directory or on every single file ZAP finds. type 1- runs the command once per each directory, first running the command, and then searching the children directories "depth-first." type 2- like type 1 except first searches the children directories recursively, and then executes the commands in each directory "bottom up." type 3- searches and executes like type 1, except that is runs your command individually on every file it finds on the tree. As with F4, use "@" to be substituted for the filenames in the command. -- the Colorizer (ctrl-c): This is a cute but occasionally useful feature. ZAP has a formula that maps every different file extension to one of sixteen colors. Note there are more than sixteen extensions, so there is replication. However, with the colorizer turned on, different kinds of files show up in different colors, drawing your attention easily to the kinds of files you're looking for. Experiment with various different sorting for the directory (explained above), especially the by-extension sort, when playing with the colorizer. -- Interrupting a sequence: At any time ZAP is doing a list of things, pressing any key or even just holding down the Ctrl key will interrupt ZAP at the completion of the current item in the sequence. ZAP will then ask you if you would like to continue, stop, or "Shell" to Dos [see below]. This also works with +f2, +f4 and +f10. Note however that the +F2 function is so fast you really do not want to depend on your reflexes to be able to stop it! > The Shell: ZAP is a very useful and complete utility. However, it obviously does not do everything. It is the author's hope and intention that users will find ZAP useful and easy enough that they can use it on-top of COMMAND.COM as their standard DOS interface. To further this goal, it is necessary that users be able to run other programs, and execute commands that ZAP does not handle by itself. This is done by pressing "!". If you press "!" you will be asked for a DOS command. If you would like to just do one command, go ahead and enter it. It will be executed, and you'll be brought right back to ZAP. If you would like to do more than one command, press RETURN, and ZAP will open a "shell." That means that you'll be placed back at the DOS prompt, and able to type freely. However, ZAP is still hiding in the background, and when you type EXIT(return) from DOS, you will go right back to ZAP, with everything the way it was when you left it (marks included if you have save-mode on). Note that macro and ~ meta-characters do work with "!". Also, note that if an F4 command does not contain any sequential meta-characters, it is run once automatically, regardless of the number of currently marked files. Thus, if you wish to execute a macro to run a program directly, just place it in a macro. By a "dos command," more than just simple requests like "DIR" are intended. Any other program you would like to run can be run from the ZAP "!" command. Note that ZAP will take some 51k of memory while it hides in the background. > Conclusion: Congradulations, you've made it to the end of this file. Over 400 lines worth. I hope it was worth it. I would like to take this space to thank the many "beta-testers" that have been extremely helpful in finding bugs and offering ideas for the expansion of ZAP. Almost all of them say they have found ZAP has quickly become one of their most used programs, if not their permanent DOS interface. ZAP has taken a long time to put together, and as a full time student in computer science at the University of Illinois, time is not easy to come by. I sincerely hope that the time I have spent on ZAP may make your computer usage easier and more efficient. However, I also request that if it does, that you support the "Shareware" software system, and heed this program's SHAREWARE license. As boring as it may be, please read the file LICENSE.DOC, and follow it's instructions. I cannot guarantee that it will stay open forever, but while it is, any comments or suggestions are welcome at my e-mail address: kds@uiuc.edu Enjoy ZAP!